Crepe Amour

Sometimes we plan out our dining destinations in advance, other times we stumble upon places because we are seriously hungry and in need of food. This time, we were driving home late one night from Tysons Corner and nothing between Tysons and DC sounded appealing to us. I asked B to drive through Georgetown hoping that we'd find a parking spot and some food. We snagged a spot on M Street in front of Crepe Amour.

Crepe Amour is a new kid on this ever-evolving block. It offers a wide variety of sweet and savory crepe options and serves them early into the morning to cater to the bar crowd.

While I was intrigued by the macaroni and cheese crepe, the cashier recommended the Da Vinci (shredded chicken, basil pesto, tomatoes, mozzarella cheese).

We also ordered the Buffalo Chx (shredded chicken, trademark Georgetown Wing Company hot sauce, provolone cheese).

The crepes were so large and packed full of filling that a knife and fork became a necessity. I thought the wing sauce, while very tasty, completely overpowered the delicate crepe. After a few bites, I could taste nothing but sauce. You'd be better off ordering wings from the Georgetown Wing Company that promises to be opening soon upstairs from Crepe Amour. The Da Vinci had a more restrained flavor that was a better match with the crepe.

I thought Crepe Amour compared favorably to Crepes-a-go-go (see our post here) and Crepeaway (see our post here) and the people watching on M Street (particularly next to Rhino Bar) makes this a fun destination.

Second Thoughts from B

On the plus side, Crepe Amour provided big serving sizes and even bigger flavor. But J already covered that. Instead of repeating her, let me play the role of Debbie Downer.

I liked both meals but neither captured the spirit of a crepe for me. I'm all for the reimagining of traditional foods but I felt that this was less a happy marriage and more of a takeover. Sure the pesto/buffalo chicken were now contained in a crepe but the packaging added little. It wouldn't have been much different if you took an old standard, and by simply changed the shape or color of the plate, gave the dish a new name.

But going back to the beginning, aside from the lack of crepe-ness, I enjoyed the meal and appreciate a relatively cheap and quick dining option in Georgetown. However, if you're looking for a crepe that may remind you of grand old Paris, you may need to look elsewhere.

Little Shop of Horrors at Ford's Theatre

We've already told you about our fondness for Ford's Theatre (see our post here), but we felt that we should add a little something considering our most recent trip. Thanks to a gift certificate from my parents, we were treated to a playing of the horror-comedy musical, "Little Shop of Horrors." Many in my generation will remember the 1986 film... I know I certainly do. But being in elementary school and one who doesn't particularly like horror films, most of my memories are probably nightmares.

Regardless of the gruesome details, which are even more macabre in the musical than the film, I love the music and the quirky characters. But how would it do at Ford's? Prior to the other night, I had a belief that this historic venue would be limited to a certain type of production. This was based on our other Ford's Theatre experiences - the annual A Christmas Carol and a Lincoln-based historical drama called The Heavens are Hung in Black. Not exactly the same type of thing as a man-eating plant from outer space performed through song, dance, and campy humor...

I was pleasantly surprised and am happy to report that they pulled it off! Not only was the live music, singing, dancing, lighting, and especially set design adequate, it was excellent. We had a fantastic time... us and 1,000 of our favorite 8th grade field trippers. (Side note: is there anything more entertaining than watching pubescent boys in ill-fitting suits, clip-on ties, and way too much hair gel try to act cool around girls in too much make-up and frizzy hair?)

Anyway, Little Shop of Horrors ends its production this week, so any recommendation to see it would be a bit silly. But I will say that in the future, I'll keep a more open mind when it comes to the type of production that Ford's can do well, and I'd suggest you do too.

J Says

I don't know whether I liked watching the audience members or the performance more. This is no slight to the performance because it was excellent, but something about a room full of eighth graders just cracks me up. I should've known something was up when I went to the box office the day before the show and they had really good seats available. Apparently it was 8th grade tour group night. Oh well, we were good sports about it and the 8th graders were good audience members.

The only thing I knew about Little Shop of Horrors before the show was that it had something to do with a venus fly trap-looking plant and it had a catchy theme song. I was as shocked as the 7 year old in front of me when the plant started to eat people instead of flies. I might have even talked in my sleep that night about man-eating plants. You'll have to ask B...

Despite the dark tone, I really loved the performance. The singing was top-notch and the sets were impressive. At first, like B said, seeing a musical in Ford's seemed odd, but it definitely worked. I will see a musical before a historical play any day of the week. When does the next one come to town?

Whole Foods Market - Friendship Heights

We were lucky enough to join in on the Blogger Sneak Peek of the new Whole Foods Market in Friendship Heights one day before its public unveiling. This sparkling new store is located just off the Friendship Heights Metro stop making it convenient for all of you Red Liners out there.

If you're like us and are used to shopping at DC's P Street Whole Foods, the first thing you'll notice about Friendship Heights is that it is BIG. Lots of space in the aisles and plenty of room to maneuver.

Immediately upon entering, you'll see the coffee bar that opens at 6:00 a.m. daily for your very early morning coffee and breakfast needs. If you happen to crave gelato and fancy house-made popsicles for breakfast, you're in luck. I'm happy to report that I was able to refrain from breaking into the gelato case... at least on this visit.

We're told the coffee bar will also serve up hearty oatmeal with a variety of toppings. I don't know about you, but I can eat oatmeal every day of the week.

Have a recipe that calls for a hard-to-find nut? They've got you covered with bins and bins of nuts and even a make-your-own nut butter station. Would it be bad form to stick my mouth under the chocolate chip peanut butter machine?

The produce department was fully stocked with beautifully stacked fruit. Jill, our enthusiastic tour guide, explained the Whole Foods "Whole Trade" program that ensures that suppliers meet tough standards regarding working and environmental conditions.
We drooled over the specialty department which featured everything from cheese from around the world to chutney made by a local Virginia family.
Unique to this store is a specialty salt bar where you can fill your own bag with fancy salts that promise to liven up even the most ordinary dish.
Also in the specialty department is a fresh pasta station serving family-owned Severino Pasta. That is Pete Severino telling us about the yummy pasta and sauce combos that will be available.


In the prepared foods section, I was excited to learn that they have implemented a $7.99 flat rate box that you can stuff to the brim (as long as it closes). Gone are the days of spending $15 on the salad bar because you have a fondness for the heavy items such as quinoa (speaking from personal experience here). Woo hoo!

One department that I often overlook is the Whole Body section. After seeing the locally-made soaps and huge variety of natural body products, I'm tempted to start purchasing my bath products here.
Like yogurt? This was the most comprehensive selection of yogurt I have ever seen. Forget that HFCS crap. This is the real deal.
In the meat department we learned about the new Whole Foods meat rating system that grades suppliers on the way that they treat the animals. A "1" means the animals are not kept in crates and a "5" means they live in luxury penthouses with limo service. Or something like that.
In the seafood market we learned how service-oriented this department is. Only cooking for one? Ask the fish monger to cut you a 4 oz piece of fish. They'll cut it any way you want it and every purchase comes with a free marinade. They've also partnered with the Monterey Bay Aquarium and the Blue Ocean Institute to develop a color coded system to ensure that you know that the seafood you are buying is sustainable.

For me, the highlight of the tour was the bakery section. Not only did we get to taste selections from the bulk candy bar and freshly baked brioche, we got to marvel at the gorgeous cakes and baked goods.
Loved the quote on the sign in the bakery that reads: "Research tells us fourteen out of any ten individuals likes chocolate."

And the best for last . . . the Friendship Heights store has implemented a "New York style" checkout system where one line feeds into a bunch of registers and computer screens tell you which register is ready for you. If you shop at the Trader Joe's in Foggy Bottom, you've probably realized that this way of checking out is light years better than the individual lines you find at most stores. No more picking the longest line!

Getting to chat with the Whole Foods staff gave me a new appreciation for the company and their commitment to selling high quality food. While Friendship Heights is a bit of a trek for every day grocery needs (which you can read about here), I would love to stop in and visit (and get some chocolate chip peanut butter and popsicles) when we're in the neighborhood.

Second Thoughts from B

If you couldn't tell by now, J drank from the Whole Foods Kool Aid and liked it... the local and organic Kool Aid, that is.

It was like being a kid in a candy, er, grocery store. A really beautiful facility which was smartly presented to us. Still, in the long run, what did I learn? Not much more than what I already knew... Whole Foods serves great products in a great environment. They emphasize local and organic foods along with customer service. And of course, you pay a premium for the pleasure of avoiding Giant. Basically, they are the Nordstrom of grocery stores (that's high praise coming from me).

So will the experience change behavior? Maybe. I'm now far more aware of the services that Whole Foods offers and convinced that the Friendship Heights location is a jewel among their stores. Would I make a point to drive 30 minutes when I have another store within walking distance? Perhaps no. Would I plan a shopping trip to coincide with another venture out to Friendship Heights? Absolutely.

The Preakness at Pimlico

My knowledge of horse racing is pretty much limited to the ill-fated Animal Planet show, Jockeys, so I was rather excited that we were able to go to Pimlico this past Saturday to witness in person the second leg of the Triple Crown - The Preakness Stakes.


A day at the track is more than a single minute-long race. It is a full day event. Of course there are the 12 other races, but what we discovered was that the Preakness is actually two separate events. And I mean separate. You could easily attend one and be blind to the other's existence. There's the horse racing and then there's the party in the infield. Part tailgate, part frat party, and part music festival, despite the recent effort to crack down, the infield lives up to its slogan, "Get your Preak on."

For us, we wanted to get a taste of the infield, but we were ultimately there to see the horses. Since it seemed like you couldn't easily do both (i.e., follow the races from the party), we had to choose between beer bongs or ladies in funny hats. We chose the latter, and there were plenty...

And like horse racing, there has to be a winner. The winner of the prestigious TwoDC Most Outlandish Chapeau Award (or MOCA) goes to... this lady.

I'll wait while you marvel in the majesty of this year's MOCA winner for a second.

OK, ready to move on? Good. The day was perfectly warm and sunny, weather befitting the "sport of kings." We lucked out and were able to get Grandstand Apron tickets the day before, which put us within 20 yards of the track, near the starting gate. Most people don't stay in their seats and instead wander throughout the grandstand, often finding a good place to stand during the races. We often joined the crowds but still found it nice to have a dedicated seat for times in between races.

Knowing little about horse racing, we kept our bets small and relied heavily on the few jockeys we had heard of, as well as an "expert" from the Baltimore Sun. Even if it is only a few dollars, it is worth it to have a horse to cheer for. We both got pretty wrapped up in the drama of it all, and were not shy to scream encouragement down the final stretch if our pick was in contention.

After a full day of build up, the main event began. We abandoned our seats and found a cement stump to stand on (above the crowd) that was closer to the finish. We were able to see our picks up close, the disappointing Kentucky Derby favorite, Lookin at Lucky...

and our long-shot pick (or should we call him a dark horse pick?), Jackson Bend, ridden by our favorite jockey, Mike Smith.

After all the debate and discussion, it was time to race. The tension was awesome leading up to the start. Kentucky Derby winner and Preakness favorite Super Saver (#8) with Calvin Borel got out well with First Dude (#11). The masses were thrilled having that more than a few bets were placed on Super Saver. Much to our excitement, Jackson Bend looked good early, but our pick to win, Lookin at Lucky wasn't in the picture.

But in the end, after much yelling and screaming, our horses got the job done. Again, not big money, but it sure is great to taste the fruits of victory!


J Says

I squealed with excitement when B told me that he had gotten us Preakness tickets. I've always been intrigued by horse racing but fell in love thanks to the aforementioned TV show "Jockeys." The show took an inside look at the jockey colony at Santa Anita (in California - surprised?) and revealed personal stories such as jockey Garrett Gomez winning a hard-fought battle against drug and alcohol addiction to become one of the top jockeys in the U.S. It was a thrill for us to see him win one of the races on Preakness day, especially since we bet on him! I encourage you to log on to Animal Planet's website and watch past episodes. I might or might not have shed a tear when I learned the show had not been renewed for a third season.

Anyway, back to the Preakness. As we drove up to the track I looked wide-eyed at the neighborhood and thought "We're not in Santa Anita anymore." To put it kindly, Pimlico is located in a downtrodden neighborhood and the facility itself could use a bit of maintenance. Translation: the place is a dump. Even the majesty of Preakness day with all the pomp and circumstance could not mask the aging folding chairs and broken bathroom stalls. It was sad to see such an important horse racing landmark look as if it hadn't been updated since Seabiscuit beat War Admiral there in 1938.

It was easy to overlook the facility's condition when you focused on the dazzling display of horse racing on the track. Top jockeys from across the nation competed in 13 exciting races before a mostly well-heeled and mostly well-behaved crowd.

As B said, from most places on the infield, you couldn't tell there were horse races whizzing past. Instead, the view was of beer pong tents and guys peeing on the backs of port-a-potties. If you buy a ticket for the infield, just understand what you're getting for the price of admission. It was fun for us to get to experience the party and then walk back to the grandstands to watch the racing.

Picking the Preakness winner was the cherry on top of a gorgeous day of horse and people watching. Maybe next year TwoDC will hit the road for Kentucky or New York to experience the other jewels in the Triple Crown. Or, just maybe Animal Planet will bring back Jockeys. Please???