Staycation 1: fOOOd

Last Friday we packed up a bundle of clothes and headed downtown for the weekend. I had been checking the weather all week, and while the weather man started out telling us it was going to be in the 60s all weekend, it really ended up being cold and grey and drizzly. Figures.
But we made the most of it. Mostly by making sure that we'd be warm with lots of food.

We did get slightly distracted by the Shinola store that was on 14th St.

Rows and rows of watches and leather goods, two beautiful bicycles, and some yummy cola, we tried some :). The (what I think was the) manager gave us a good run down of the company, though the gentleman was really already quite familiar with it, as he's big into watches. The company was created when the Detroit auto industry was really down and out, and the company was started by taking automotive workers and having Swiss watchmakers instruct them in the ways of watchmaking. Now all of the goods (not just watches, lather goods, writing implements, bikes, and more!) are made within the U.S. and most are then assembled in Detroit still.
Honestly I didn't take more photos because (1) the gentleman was seriously distracted by all the watches, (2) I only had my phone, (3) didn't have my big girl pants on to just take the d**m things. But don't let my unsureness of myself let you miss out, their store is :  Shinola Store , and they have a link to their story off their main page.
They are really a brilliant company, and should get the recognition.

 Ah and now comes the food (I do feel more comfortable taking photos in restaurants; I'm sure everyone does it).

 

 After looking at more places than the gentleman will usually put up with, we settled on a Belgian restaurant (mainly because they had my favorite food, and no I've never been to a Belgian restaurant before). The other reason was because of it's name, B too, and I kind of like "B"s.

 While we started off with drinks,

A rouge for him,

a Mule for me... I knew exactly what I wanted before we even sat down.

Ta...da...

Yep, chicken and waffles, thE BEST! in my humble opinion.

I take BIG bites.

Oh yeah, and he got the steak sandwich

 Which he devoured quickly and then started in on mine. Although really by that time I couldn't eat another bite, so I guess it was ok (didn't tell him that though.)

 We then returned to the hotel for a short food coma, before meeting up with the parents later to basically do the whole thing over again.

Again it was quite difficult to find a restaurant to decide upon.
Here is an example, we started out walking when it was still light out (as you can see with the picture I took of the parents outside the University of California building, and yes, that is in D.C., not trying to psych you out thinking we're back in my home state or anything)

And then the slight slowly faded away...

 Until, by the time we reached the restaurant, there was none.

But the time did not stop us from, deliberating over the menu.

 I know, a bit anti-climactic, but there were some seriously nummy options.

So much so that we had to get some help :). But we figured it out in the end.

 With the help of some delicious Sangria. (Though delicious, it was by no means strong, this is something to keep ordering all night without having to worry about you will feel in the morning, seriously)

A photo of the appetizer, fried egg and Iberico ham over frites, should go here, but the vultures got to it too quickly and by the time i got my camera out there was just some yolk on a plate left. I'm sure that they all would have looked suitably dejected too, if their mouths weren't so full.

Thankfully there was more to come.

 The parents split an order of the Sea Breem (a white flaky fish),

 And the gentleman and I split the paella, dished up table-side.

 It was too good, full of spicy salt chorizo, sauteed peppers, and chicken. We ate too much, and though the dessert menu was calling longingly, so was the bed back at the hotel.

 So we sufficed on cookies (which were deliciously buttery), and then hoofed it back to the hotel.

Until tomorrow.