Philly Fun

This past weekend (August 14th and 15th) we went to Philly for the Paul McCartney Concert. The concert was absolutely fantastic. At 68, the man's energy levels are unbelievable, his voice is unchanged and his stamina is incomprehensible!!!! To go 3 straight hours is not an easy feat, to do it without drinking water is unimaginable! But he did it and sounded phenomenal while doing it!

The rest of our time in Philly was spent rather lazily. We had a yummy lunch at Vietnam Cafe in West Philly with Maha, a delicious brunch at RX in West Philly as well (where we met Vincentttttt!!! 2 month old cuteness puppy!) and hanging out with Mehul, Asli, Maha and Navid in old town at the Triumph brewery.

This trip was the first time we spent time in West Philly. It's different from the Philly we are used to. It is more residential, the homes are big with large porches. People sit outside on their porch and wave to passerbys. It's a nice feeling. There also seem to interesting restaurants and murals all over, as we are used to seeing in Philly. :)

It turned out to be a really nice weekend away, especially since we have barely travelled this year.

Bananas

I really like this description of the fruit:

"A clump of bananas - The fruit of which , as healthy as bread and as succulent as cream" - Jules Verne, Around the World in Eighty Days.

Of course, 'curved yellow fruit' describes it well, too. :-)

Stormy DC!!!!!

DC has been having insane storms this summer. It has definitely been my stormiest summer ever! Typically we have 1-2 storms all summer, but we seem to be having one a week, if not more. People are continuously losing power, trees are falling, debris is all over the roads and pavements! I have seen some of the prettiest lightening streaks across the sky! The winds are insane! with trees swaying mightily. During one of the storms, the trees were so far bent, they were nearly touching the ground. I think last evening, the thunder was SO loud that it set off someone's car alarm at work. We were standing near the door watching the storm and we heard the alarm go off! Global warming is here with every possible sign it can administer!

Pedicure Set? or Cutlery?

fork, spoon and a knife - apparently!

Saurabh wonders!

Feast for Fast

I came to work this morning and found on my desk dates, figs (fresh from someone's tree) and egg muffins (eggs + millet flour + spinach + thyme + stuff I don't remember)! Later, I got some chocolate cake. If you looked at my desk today, you'd never guess I was fasting! Thank you Houda! :)

Mary Poppins!

We went to Kennedy Center today to watch Mary Poppins! I have been wanting to go for this performance for a while, now. It was EXCELLENT! The sets, the singing, the dancing, the acting...all brilliant! They changed the story from the movie, but they made it work well.

My favourite performance in the first act was Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious. The dancing was just amazing. They did a bit where the entire troupe was acting out the alphabets of supercalifragilisticexpialidocious. This is what I ABSOLUTELY LOVED about the performance. All the performers were in absolute sync! Excellent!

In the second act I especially enjoyed the tap dance performance to Step in Time. It was a fun performance and since I am partial to tap dancing, I really enjoyed this. One of my favourite bits in this performance was when Bert (the chimney sweeper) walks up the side of the stage, then upside down on the top of the stage (while performing to the song and tapping) and then walks back down the other side of the stage! :)

The sets were just amazing! I think if photos were taken, the photos would look real-ish! One of my favourite set scenes was when the kids (Jane and Michaei), Mary Poppins and Bert are sitting on the roof with there feet dangling and you can see other rooftops in the background! (the photo above)

The one thing I have realised about watching broadways that I have all ready watched the movie is that I tend to expect to see the movie actor on the stage, so end up being disappointed. It first happened when I went for Chicago. I wanted to see Richard Gere, Catherine Zeta Jones and Rene Zellweger. That time, I didn't really enjoy the performance, so my disappointment was enhanced. This time, I wanted to see Julie Andrews when Mary Poppins came on, so of course, I was disappointed. However, this time, the performance was so fabulous that I soon forgot about Julie Andrews.

I highly highly recommend this broadway!

ps: Mary Poppins final exit is pretty cool! I won't say what it was :)

Ramadan Mubarak!!!

Smoked Mozarella Goodness

When we went to Cleveland Park on Sunday for brunch, we stopped at Vace's (an Italian Deli) to pick up their smoked mozarella and garlic bread. Last night and tonight, for dinner, we had the bread + smoked mozarella + tomato + basil. OMG!!!! The mozarella is just sooooooooo utterly delicious! I could eat it ALL!!

Relaxing Monday!!

After pilates this morning (my last class before Ramadan begins :( ) I came home and rested a bit. Called Soma Fit Spa to schedule an 80 minute massage at 3:00PM. for Saurabh and me. On Mondays and Tuesdays they have a 'happy hour' special, which is a 50 minute massage for $74 and an 80 minute massage for $108.

We headed out at 12:30 to go to Furin's in Georgetown for lunch. We had a livingsocial coupon that was expiring soon. It turned out to be quite an interesting place. We got the 3 salad sampler (tabouleh, pasta-pesto salad and Thai chicken salad) and the Chicken Pastilla with Greek salad. The pastilla wasn't a hit with us. I don't think we appreciate the sweet/salty flavour combination. The salads were all delicious, as was their fresh lemonade.

Me in Furin's with all the food we got!

After lunch and some errands (new battery for my nook and posting mail) we headed to Soma Fit. It is QUITE a fancy place. Once we signed in at the front desk, we were given a pair of slipper, a robe and locker keys. The locker room was again, fancy! It included a steam and a sauna. I don't particularly care for either, so I didn't take advantage of it. Saurabh tried them out since he hadn't ever before. I will let him tell his story. heeheehee. After changing into the robe, we headed up one level up and waited for our masseuses. While we waited, there was water flavoured with an orange cut in half and cookies (Danish butter cookies - I have been craving those for a while, and cheese twirl biscuits). I wasn't too hungry or thirsty then, but I took advantage of this after my massage. Jay was my masseuse. The massage was excellent, though it definitely felt like he kneaded to pulp some parts of my body, especially my shoulders and upper back (OWWWW!!!!)

That's where all my knots were!

After, we came home for a bit before he headed out to AMC Mazza Gallery for the prescreening of Expendables. It is an absolute action movie; funny too, when they are actually talking and not either threatening people, cutting people up or blowing people up. I can't say I was bored or anything. I see it doing quite well in the box office.

'Twas a Good Weekend

This past weekend has been busy and really fun. After a lazy Friday morning and afternoon, I headed out to meet Smita and Saurabh for dinner at BGR The Burger Joint. I got the Wellington burger (Roasted mushrooms, caramelized onions, garlic with a touch of mustard seed and blue cheese. Served on a fresh buttery-toasted brioche bun with BGR's mojo sauce). The burger was good (Hell's burger was better). The patty was, interestingly, light. Like it had some air in it. Saurabh got the fries with garlic, which was basically fries topped with whole cooked garlic. Different, but not the greatest. After, we headed to Keegan Theatre/Church Street Theatre to watch 'Noises Off'.

Wellington Burger + Fries topped with garlic

Noises Off was a 3 act play about the making of a play and the background farce that encompasses it. It was hilarious. The first act is the rehearsal for the play 'Nothing On'. So, the director corrects the actors as they rehearse their dialogues and actions. There are also indications of affairs with the cast and crew of Noises On. In the second act, the set is turned around so we see the backstage of Noises On and see the drama that goes on behind the stage as characters go to perform their bits and come back. The drama includes personal issues the cast develop with each other. The final act had the set facing us again and this time it was the "actual" performance of Nothing On, but it included all the personal drama between the actors that started in act 2. Very entertaining and an interesting concept. :)

Outside Keegan Theatre

After the play, we met Vishal at the Dupont Circle Metro. After an unsuccessful attempt to enter Brickskeller (someone still hasn't got a state ID!! ;) ) we went to Afterwords Cafe. A couple of appetizers, a couple of desserts and a few drinks kept us there till about 2:45AM. It was fun! Their Mac and Cheese is delicious. The other appetizer we got was the Thai Water Buffalo Wings! The main reason I mention it, is its name!!! Thai Water Buffalo??? REALLY!!!?? :-o. Also, they were delicious! Initially, you taste a sweet/sour/garlicy flavour and when you are almost done with your wing you realise the kick the wing has packed in it!!! It throws you off! I'd definitely recommend it.

Afterwords Cafe

On Saturday, after sleeping in, we headed to Landmark E Street Theatre to watch The Girl Who Played With Fire. This was the Swedish version (obviously, since the Hollywood version isn't out yet) with English subtitles. In this movie, like the previous (Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) they have done an incredible job of capturing the essence of the book and changing just enough so as to prevent making the movie drag. Good job! :) Vishal joined us for the movie.

After the movie, we went to Ping Pong. Aram had told us about Ping Pong telling us they make really good cocktails, especially the ones with Lychee juice. I tried the Lychee and Roses (Bombay Sapphire, rose petals, lime and lychee juice) and the Ping Pong (Martini Bianco, white wine, Yokaichi Shochu and lychee juice). Of the two I liked Lychee and Roses better. The boys both had the Lemongrass and Lime (Jewel of Russia vodka, fresh lemongrass, lime and lychee juice). This was definitely the best of the 3 drinks I tasted. I liked all, but I would pick the Lemongrass and Lime next time I went. The boys didn't care too much for Ping Pong.

Lychee and Roses (in martini glass) and Lemongrass and Lime

To eat, at Ping Pong, we ordered 7 different dim sums. Some were really good, some were okay. I especially enjoyed the Chicken and king prawn shu mai (Chicken and king prawns in an open pastry topped with shitake mushroom in a translucent white pastry). The Spicy pork dumpling (Pork and spicy sautéed vegetables) was also realllllly good! All their dim sums are around $5.00. Each plate has 3 dim sums, which made it perfect for the 3 of us to share! :)

After dinner, we walked around Chinatown a bit. We were going to go to Oya, but it was way too dressy for how we were dressed. We walked to Gallery Place and got crepes from the crepe stall there. I got the dark chocolate one. Quite yum! I'd like to go back to this stall sometime to try their savoury crepes.

On Sunday, Saurabh and I went to Ardeo for their Champagne Brunch. I quite liked this place. For appetizers with shared the Big ones mussels (w/ cider vinegar, shaved fennel, thyme) and the Persian cucumber gazpacho (w/ black garlic crostini). This was the first time I have ever had a gazpacho and it was extremely delicious. I was skeptical about a cold soup, but I would totally crave and order this again. I didn't care too much for the mussels, but Saurabh liked them. For our entrees, we got the Grilled steak and eggs (natural beef hangar, poached eggs, grilled bread, béarnaise) and the Squid ink risotto (calamari, sliced garlic, dried chilies, italian parsley salad). The steak was really good. I didn't particularly care for the risotto. Though, it was hilarious to see Saurabh eat it! With every bite he took, his lips and teeth were BLACK! For dessert we shared the Strawberry Tart (chocolate crust, strawberry gelato). The chocolate crust was a perfect amount of sweetness to complement the strawberries. The gelato was the best part of the the dessert. It was just excellent!! I totally wanted to order another one, but I was too full.

Persian Cucumber Gazpacho

Delicious Delicious Strawberry Tart

The rest of Sunday evening was lazy. It was just such a fun, relaxed but still full weekend. And it ended with a bonus day off. I took Monday off this week! :)