Touring Union Market

Not sure if I’m late to the game or ahead of the trend on this one… but I feel like I just uncovered a new hidden gem in DC: Union Market.

We stumbled upon the market a few weeks back and last weekend Sam requested a return visit for his birthday to grab lunch at TaKorean. You really can’t turn down the birthday boy’s request, even when it means driving across town just for kimichi. But I was very happy to be back!

The new Union Market building is hidden in Northeast DC behind the former rundown market shops. But inside is all bright and new! There are rows of local flowers, wine, cheese, produce, oysters, and yes, even pickles.

Our favorite thing to do is pull up to the bar at Buffalo & Bergen – an old fashioned soda shop, and order a float. Then we walk into Salt & Sundry – just hands down the coolest home goods shop. The place is full of large colorful art, soft dish towels, local DC cook books, and my barware. I would move right on in if they let me!

Union Market is now officially on the list of places to take visiting friends when in town. Since it’s right down the road from the Arboretum, another one of my favorite little DC secrets, I can envision many trips to Northeast DC very soon.

Passport DC Embassy Hopping

Exactly one year ago, I was in my car, driving solo up Massachusetts Avenue, heading north through the city. My errand for the morning was to tour a potential apartment in Glover Park – the one I now call home! However, as I approached the buildings along Embassy Row, large crowds of people caught my eye. In what looked like a mini-DC version of the Epcot World Showcase, each embassy was putting on a display of their national pride. Visitors were being entertained with steel drums, a Chinese Dragon, and many groups of dancers. In one hand they held a goody bag, filled to the brim with souvenirs. And in the other, various ethnic food.

As Sam likes to finish the story, as soon as my apartment tour was over, he called to see what I thought of the complex and the neighborhood. But instead of describing my future home, I answered: “It was nice! But I have to tell you about this Embassy Tour I saw this morning along the way there. We have to go!”

Unfortunately we missed Passport DC 2012, but we had 365 days to clear our schedules and prepare for 2013′s Embassy Tour. This post is a long time coming, so please excuse any excessive excitement or exclamation points.

Zambia

The Embassy of Zambia wins for being the most generous with their food! You entered into a large banquet room, where there was a huge potluck feast of local food. Things like chicken wings and sweet potatoes seemed appetizing… but when they got to the dried sardine fish and caterpillars, I let Sam do the taste testing.

Japan

Japan’s Embassy visit was crowded but entertaining. Everything from Honda cars, robots, geishas were all on display. And the friendly staff was there to hand out iced green tea and teriyaki chicken.

Afghanistan

The Embassy of Afghanistan was off the beaten track, hidden deep in Kalorama, so the crowds were not as excessive as on Massachusetts Avenue. Still worth the trip! We made our way up to the inviting second story garden for a cup of black tea.

Barbados

I should have known when we were greeted at the door with a poster of a scantily clad Rihanna that Barbados would be fun hosts, but I had no idea. When you entered the building, you did a typical tour to see the official tourism board photos and learn more about the country. As we headed out, they directed us to stop in the “Rum Garden” out back. We scurried to the backyard where there was rum tasting, dancing women, and lots of fresh food on the grill. I’m not the biggest rum fan, but when in Barbados, do as the Barbadian do!

Not to nerd out on you, but the Embassy Tour was a blast! We made friends at each of the embassies we toured. Some embassies were more fun and upbeat, others were a little more reserved. But it was great to get a peek inside the buildings I drive past every day.

Other Supleratives:

Best Food: Indonesia - curry fried rice sort of dish

Best Coffee: Turkey

Friendliest: Belize – we have a picture with the Ambassador to Belize to prove it!

Anyone up to join us for Passport DC 2014?

Hot and Cold

This past weekend the annual Gilt Warehouse Sale came through DC, so a group from work bought up some last minute tickets and made plans for pre-shopping bottomless brunch. But when you wake up on an early spring Saturday morning and weather.com reads 55 degrees, plans should be changed. Instead of a typical brunch inside, we hiked over to The Standard and were waiting at the gates when it opens.

By 1pm we were well into eating brats, drinking hefe weizen, and soaking up the sun. By 2pm we were sun burnt and tipsy — and perfectly ready to drop some major dough at the Gilt sale.

Once inside the Gilt sale, it was quite overwhelming. The dark large room was full of crazy women competing over overstuffed clothing racks while a DJ played loud thumping music in the background. It was enough to cause me to walk right out the door, but I was a woman on a mission. With a heavy handful of hangers I made my way to the dressing room where I narrowed down my goods to 2 items: a pink polka dotted silk Milly spaghetti strap top & white flared Seven jeans — straight off John Travolta in Saturday Night Fever. Both of which are perfect for upcoming summer days.

But things are weird in this place they call DC… one minute you’re soaking up the sun and one day later you’re slipping into your snow boots to walk the dog.

A scarf and three coffees and an extra sweater layer still couldn’t keep me warm today. All winter I begged for a snow storm and now that it’s March I’m counting the days until warm sunny weather again.

Recipes – for your consideration

Warning: This post is ALL about food! If you’re anything like me, as Thanksgiving approaches you’re dreaming up beautiful ideas of creative meals to cook up. My “friendsgiving” dinner party was no different. Though it was a potluck, I couldn’t help trying a new recipes. Risky, sure — especially since 20+ folks testing your food for the first time can be quite frightening. Luckily for me — and the party guests too, the turkey roll, goat cheese truffles, and apple cider sangria were delicious!

Goat Cheese Truffles:

This recipe was absolutely the easiest to prepare and also had the biggest impact flavor wise! I love goat cheese more than I should, so I had to incorporate it into the appetizers. The best part of this super easy recipe is that you can substitute the cajun spices for other seasonings, from garlic to greek to latin.

Goat cheese (8 oz log)
Cajun seasoning

Slice goat cheese log into 12-16 sections
Roll each individual section into balls
Toss in bowl of cajun seasoning
Refrigerate until guests arrive

Apple Cider Sangria:

Since Sam was the “official party bartender” and responsible for the seasonally appropriate apple cider sangria, I asked him to share his take on the recipe:

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“Hola everyone!

Morgan threw the best dinner party, and I’m just lucky enough to have contributed SOMETHING to the fantastic spread. I’m here to talk about the world’s best apple cider sangria that knocked everyone’s socks off at the party. It was on point, you guys. The sangria was really easy to make and was definitely a big hit. Its a must make for any fall get together.

three apples (honey crisp work the best, but don’t be afraid to get creative, maybe substitute a red delicious for more sweetness or a granny smith for more tartness)
three pears (I used Bartlett)
one bottle of Pinot (don’t get an expensive bottle! Yellowtail will do, people.)
2 1/2 cups of FRESH apple cider
1 cup of club soda (gives the concoction a good carbonation)
1/2 cup of ginger beer

You want to chop the apples and pears into small pieces.
Put the sliced fruit in a large pitcher, and start a-mixing! It doesn’t matter the order of the ingredients, just make sure you mix it well!
After combining and mixing all of the ingredients, let the sangria sit in the fridge for at least one hour. Remember, the longer it sits, the more alcohol soaks into the fruit, which makes for an excellent snack AFTER you finish your cup

Side note: We DEFINITELY needed more than just one mixture, so doubling the recipe will get you the amount of booze you need. Hope everyone enjoys it, have a glass for me!”

Stuffed Turkey Roll:

This is the only part of the dinner that was so good that it was gone before it could be photographed! I did my research on stuffed turkey via Pinterest, and combined a few ideas to make this recipe myself. Basically, take the best ingredients of Thanksigiving: sweet potatoes, turkey, onions, and cranberries – and roll it up into one bite. Yum. End of sentence – I’m out of words to describe it.

2lb boneless turkey breast cut (I used 2, 2lb breasts, but thats unnecessary unless you’re serving a huge group)
1 can Cranberries
1 medium sweet potato
1 yellow onions
Rosemary
1 stalk celery
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Pepper
Baking twine

In one bowl, mix cranberries, diced onions, diced celery, seasonings and rosemary. In separate bowl, mash sweet potato (by the way – sweet potatoes are easily softened after 5 minutes in the microwave).
Meanwhile, “butterfly” the turkey breast by slicing/scissoring through middle of turkey breast (hamburger style) and leave the breast connected in the middle, as pictured above. Flatten the turkey breast to 3/4 inch thick by hammering away with a meat mallet… or in my kitchen – improvise with a full can of beans. Season with salt & pepper if you’d like.
Time to roll the turkey! Take mashed sweet potatoes and lay in a stripe along the breast. Lay a line of the cranberry/onion mixture next to the sweet potato mixture on the turkey. Carefully roll turkey breast into itself, like a Little Debbie Swiss Roll. Tie tightly with bakers twine every 2 inches.
Bake in the oven at 400 degrees for 50 minutes or longer, until meat is done.

My apologies that raw meat is not the most attractive thing to photograph, but I pinky-promise that the turkey was beautiful after her time in the oven.

The food at the dinner was amazing, from the sangria and goat cheese to the turkey and Natalie’s baked brie. It was all delicious. It may be a few weeks before I get over the painful memory of washing so many dishes, but I see another dinner party in my future for sure.

Friendsgiving recap

As I blogged about last week, I’d been planning a small dinner party for my DC friends this weekend. All the pinning, planning, and prepping finally paid off! Thanks to my friends who made the trek into the neighborhood to join us. I’ve only been in DC for a year, so seeing these friends that I cherish so much gathered in one room and enjoying each others company… well it brought tears to this sappy girl’s eyes!

goat cheese truffles
dark floral arrangements
welcoming chalkboard sign
purples and candles to set the tone

I think I did a pretty decent job of translating my inspiration into reality. I stocked up on 4 bouquets of dark flowers and created different vases to place around the apartment. With the help of sparkly ornaments, my thrift store finds, gold paper on the tables, and a dozen candles dispersed throughout the living room, I think the place looked pretty good!

Perhaps the toughest part of hosting this “friendsgiving” was planning the menu. Because it was a potluck the final menu is a mystery until your friends knock on your door. I was responsible for preparing the entree — a stuffed turkey roll. Instead of playing it safe, like a sane person, I picked a recipe I’ve never made before. Luckily, some good kitchen karma paid off and the food was all amazing. This week I’ll be posting a few recipes from the evening, including the stuffed turkey roll, goat cheese truffles, and Sam’s apple cider sangria.

Hosting a dinner party like this was stressful at times, but the good company of friends over good food & wine was completely worth it. Mark your calendars for “friendsgiving” 2013 — this is going to become an annual event.

In good company

On the calendar this weekend is my pre-Thanksgiving “wine and dine” for my closest DC friends. I’m in my crazy Martha mode, planning out the table settings in my head.

Luckily, I got the decor inspiration taken care while at the office. I work at a large network of wedding sites, so 9 to 5 I’m constantly reading wedding and event blogs. So for something to catch my eye, it has to be special. I fell in love with the look of this moody plum dinner party decor from The Vetted Table on 100 Layer Cake. Even if you’re not planning a wedding, wedding and event blogs can provide inspiration for on trend table settings, color palettes, and menus. Some of my favorite wedding blogs include 100 Layer Cake, WeddingWire, Project Wedding, Bash, Please, Southern Weddings Magazine, and of course. my idol, Martha Stewart Weddings.

How stunning does the blue velvet napkin look next to the dark floral arrangements and metallic accents?

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To make the look my own, I’m eyeing dark plum flowers on the table and lots of room for wine glasses. It is a wine & dine after all. I’ll also be mixing in gold and silver pieces to provide contrast against the dark flowers.

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My chances of finding such rich and colorful flowers like those above at Whole Foods are slim to none. Even so, I’m crossing my fingers for a bouquet of dark leaves and berries to set the same mood.

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To make things even easier, this Saturday in a post-brunch haze I forced Sam into his first Goodwill trip and stumbled upon some great dinner party finds. For $8 I got a few decor items that happen to match my dinner party mood board. I think the dark purple pumpkin vase, the detailed silver tray, and brown wicker tray will be perfect layered on the table for serving.

Last time I had folks over, it was for a fiesta-themed housewarming party and the color theme was anything but dark and moody. Let’s just say the piñata will stay in the closet for this wine & dine!

To check out all of my inspiration for the dinner party, menu included, head over to my dinner party board on Pinterest now.

DC Wine Week – Red, Burgundy & Plum

Morgan commandment #1: Never turn down wine.

Tuesday night I celebrated DC Wine Week at Lost Society with my favorite DC bloggers and the lovely host, A Very Busy Mama. After work, a glass of wine is just what I needed! With nights like these, I wish DC Wine Week happened more than once a year.

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taste testing

Beautiful venue

Natalie, Me, Erika
DC Wine Week, DC bloggers, wine, reidmore, lost society, DC events

Erika, Ashley

If you’re still craving some good wine-time, be sure to check out my guest post on the DC Wine Week blog, where I share my favorite wine goodies.

DC Wine Week: Wine Accessory Shopping List

The happiest time of the year has arrived… it’s DC Wine Week! In honor of the week’s wine-themed festivities I’m guest posting on the DC Wine Week blog:

Wine Accessory Shopping List

For me, drinking wine has also been a social activity. When I moved to DC over a year ago and didn’t know a soul, connecting with new friends was facilitated with a glass of wine in hand. So when I first heard about DC Wine Week I knew this was right up my alley.

In honor of DC Wine Week, I picked out a few of my favorite wine themed gadgets and goodies. And because your favorite wine is something to be shared, I made sure I selected items that were cute enough to show off.

Keep Calm and Drink Wine Tote (Etsy):

Toting along a bottle of wine as a party favor? This quirky wine tote takes your sweet hostess gift to the next level of thoughtful.

Corkcicle (Corkcicle.com):

I bought the Corkcicle for my wine making Dad this past Christmas, but it may have been one of those gifts you give because you actually wanted it for yourself.

Wine Pairing Dish Cloth (Uncommon Goods):

Keep these well-designed wine pairing chart dishtowels handy. They’ll brighten up the kitchen and help you pair any dish with the perfect wine.

Agate Coasters (West Elm):

If jewel tones are supposed to be all the rage this season, then these deep blue agate coasters couldn’t be any trendier.

Emerson Electric Wine Opener (Target):

Face it, not all of us can pop open a bottle of wine so easily with those chintzy waiter bottle openers. This rechargeable electric opener opens wine bottles with just the push of a button.

Modern Hand Stamped Wine Charms (Etsy):

These classic and customizable wine glass charms keep wine glass owners straight at parties and provide a bit of bling for your wine glass.

Personalized Oval Wine Stopper (Etsy):

Keep wine bottles fresher longer with these monogrammed wine stoppers, which also make great gifts for friends!

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Set of Stacking Green Wine Glasses (Crate and Barrel):

A set of four wine glasses are sturdy enough to bring out for the parties and colorful enough to provide a pop of color on your kitchen shelf.

Caloric Cuvee:

Looking to indulge in a glass of wine but want to keep an eye on your calories? This comical wine glass keeps you in check.

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Want to enjoy DC Wine Week for yourself? Join me this Tuesday, October 16 for Red Burgundy & Plum: A Night of Fashion & Wine, hosted by DC Wine Week & Very Busy Mama at Lost Society. Buy your tickets here for an evening of wine, fashion, and some of my favorite DC bloggers.

Thank you, Houston

While in college, my parents packed up the family and relocated from Milwaukee, Wisconsin to Fort Worth, Texas. Being away at USC, I was mostly unaffected and only benefited from the warmer winter trips home for the holidays.

Three years later my sister Devan has since fallen for the Lonestar state and will no doubt stick around Texas, despite my family recently moving back to Milwaukee (yes, they move around a lot). Me… not so much. Something about Texas being too big, too hair-sprayed, too bejeweled… I just never caught the Texas bug.

Dallas, Fort Worth, and Austin are fun as tourists for a few days, but I’m destined to live on the east coast. So when I found out I’d be visiting Houston for the first time for work, I was half excited to visit a new city and Devan, half skeptical that the city would win me over.

What Houston lacked in tourist attractions, it made up for in shopping & margaritas. I think I ate Mexican every day I was in town!

When we asked the hotel concierge for a nice local Mexican restaurant recommendation, she ended up sending us to a fast food drive thru chain. That didn’t last long.

Houston Galleria

Spent several hours at Rebels Honky Tonk, playing Texas-sized Jenga & riding the bull!

My verdict on Houston:

Fun town for nightlife outside the downtown area. It’s backwards from DC where everyone heads into the city to head out. I’m still stumped on what tourists do in Houston, besides shop, but I was content spending the time loading up on salsa and margs!

This and that

This week has been chaotic to say the least. We finally packed up and moved to our new apartment, so I’ve literally been dealing with boxes to the ceiling. But I am absolutely in love with the new apartment! It’s very spacious compared to the last place and has a lot of character with the original wood floors and the newly painted walls. More on the apartment once the boxes all disappear!

Side note: after living sans living room for a full year, I cannot tell you enough how much I love having a comfy common area to prop my feet up. I’m never going without a living room again!

In that madness, my weekly 5 Favorites were neglected, despite a head start I made on the post last weekend.

To my girls, Natalie & Ashley, our double date Mexican night reminded me of why the three of us so quickly bonded in the first place. I love you guys!

As for this week, I’m pulling the apartment pieces together and dreaming for the day where I can buy a huge stack of cookbooks for my newly refurbished vintage bar cart. The bar cart got new glass shelving and a good polish, and now it’s just sitting in the corner, patiently waiting for a good styling session.

Until then, here are the cook books I’ve been eyeing. Don’t you think it would look wonderful with them all stacked up?

Ideas for dinner parties & entertaining

I need help learning to make more than a classic margarita!

6 months of living in Spain and you’d want to eat like Jose Andres too

A big fan of classic Southern food (except fried chicken!)

I’m a semi-Texan, so this fits

Book was written by USC’s President’s wife

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

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my quest for a good bargain, new friends, and the perfect margarita

Category Archives for Food

Touring Union Market

Passport DC Embassy Hopping

Hot and Cold

Recipes – for your consideration

Friendsgiving recap

In good company

DC Wine Week – Red, Burgundy & Plum

DC Wine Week: Wine Accessory Shopping List

Thank you, Houston

This and that

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