TwoDC Turns One!

Happy Blogoversary to us! One year ago today we threw caution (and dietary common sense) to the wind and embarked on a great blog adventure. Along the way we've picked up a steady group of readers that, amazingly, includes people that aren't related to us! To celebrate our first year, we wanted to take a look back at where we started and where we've been.

The Beginning

TwoDC was born from a love of eating and a desire to explore our new city. I wanted to write a food blog but feared that I wouldn't have time to keep it up because I work too much. B suggested that we enter blogland together and focus on all of our adventures as a couple in DC. We decided to try it out and see if we liked it, and TwoDC was born.

Our first post was on February 10, 2009, an awesome day (and the birthday of my sister and two great friends). Since then, we've posted 146 times and what an adventure it has been! We've seen and eaten some amazing things, were quoted in the Washington Post Express, and are the number 2 D.C. blog on UrbanSpoon.

"If you keep your eyes open enough, oh, the stuff you will learn! The most wonderful stuff!" Dr. Seuss

Our Two Do list keeps on growing but before we move forward we wanted to share some of our favorite stats from Year 1 (special thanks to Google Analytics):

• We've explored over 100 different restaurants (and thanks to exercise, we can proudly say that we haven't gained a pound)

• TwoDC has been visited by readers from 93 different countries and every U.S. state except Montana (where's the love, Montana?) We're most popular in DC and the surrounding area (VA, MD), but also get a lot of love from CA, NY, and TX.

• Had approximately 16,500 hits (not including the sneaky readers using Google Reader)
  

• The most popular posts: L'Academie de Cuisine - Couples Cooking Class, Market Lunch at Eastern Market, The Great DC Cupcake Taste Test

• Most common search terms leading people to TwoDC: "Larry's Ice Cream DC," "Couples Cooking Classes DC," "Full Kee," "Teaism DC"
  

• People most disappointed to end up on TwoDC (a.k.a. quirky search terms that led people to our blog):

"why should I do with two second engagement rings?"
"what can empanada helps us in our daily living"
"the weather here is icy but i fancy something spicy..let it snow"
"the 'men who built the stonewalls' feature in caramel wafers what feature in willy wonka"
"mr. nathanson, do you like guacamole?"
"lychee nut scrooge mcduck"
"how to cook the budak dish of korean"
"hot japanese sexy"
"fun 4 two gouda"
"free blog comments posting in djibouti"
"double wide homes"
"cut i ride my bicycle in great swamp"

We hope you've enjoyed following our adventures during the year and we welcome your suggestions for where we should go next! I want to give a special shoutout to our most loyal commenters: Budak (and his many alter egos), Alix, Karena, and blunoz. Your encouragement reminds us that people actually read this thing. Thank you!

Second Thoughts From B

Blogging has been a wonderful new hobby for the two of us. We knew it would be a fun and creative outlet that would help our non-DC friends and family up-to-date with our lives out East. But what we didn't realize was how much it has helped us adjust from reluctant California transplants into people who couldn't be more proud of our new home. Seeking out DC's highlights and hidden gems has been a blessing for our relationship with each other and with the city. We eagerly look forward to year two of TwoDC and hope you'll join us for the ride.

D.C.'s Historic Snowstorm of 2010

"Snowtorious B.I.G."

"Snowpocalypse"

"Snowtastrophy"
"Snowmageddon"

"SnOMG"

Call it what you want. It was big, it was white, and it certainly turned the city into a winter wonderland that made the ESOTC (Epic Snowstorm of the Century - see here, here, and here) look commonplace. J and I spent much of the day after the ESOTC wandering D.C., mostly down by the National Mall.

This time, we again enjoyed the storm's aftermath by grabbing the camera, strapping on the Yak Trax, and taking to the snow-covered streets. We stayed mostly along Massachusetts Avenue and focused on many of the lesser-known monuments that populate the city (we recommend this site for more info).

We hope you enjoy our photo journey of the "frozen tundra" (said in the NFL Films narrator's voice) of Washington, D.C. (In this case, the role of the frozen tundra is being played by K St. -normally a very busy business corridor).

Yak Trax are awesome but we couldn't help but envy this guy flying up 11th St. on cross country skis.

Either way, they're both better than any of the two-wheel drive options...

Speaking of travel, here's Union Station.

And one of the more drivable downtown streets that is still just a big, white walkway.

Site of the well-publicized Dupont snowball fight. Notice that the fountain and the steps are now no more than a snowy mound.

Thankfully, the fountain survived the battle.

Samuel Gompers looks like he endured a war...

Our favorite church with Edmund Burke in the foreground.

The historical relief sculpture at the base of the Daniel Webster statue.

Finally, after all of the end-of-the-world talk, it is good to know the storm has a sense of humor... (get it? Chile's founding father is chilly)

What did you do during Snowmageddon?

Kennedy Center - American Ballet Theatre: Romeo and Juliet

I think we can add one more thing to the list of sure things in life. Move over death and taxes, time to make room for snow. Specifically, snowstorms in DC whenever we try and go to the Kennedy Center.

As our most loyal readers may recall, J and I were scheduled to visit the Kennedy Center to see Handel's Messiah on the night of the ESOTC (Epic Snowstorm of the Century - see here), but instead ended up going to Cafe Mozart (see here) and playing Beatles Rock Band (see here). When that performance was canceled, we ended up getting replacement tickets for the American Ballet Theatre's production of Romeo and Juliet, and like clockwork, more snow. Thankfully, the 6 inches didn't get in the way of the production.

I have no experience in dance beyond embarrassing home movies, some poor swing moves from the big band revival of the mid-90's, and our wedding dance (which we learned via DVD). However, I'm game to watch anything that is world-class, even if most of the nuance is lost on me. That certainly applies with the ballet.

So was the performance world-class? I'm hardly the person to ask, but after all the hours I've spent with J watching "So You Think You Can Dance," my answer is yes and no. The leads were fantastic. I especially appreciated how lightly and delicately Juliet was portrayed. However, the ensemble cast of 40+ didn't seem up to the Kennedy Center's standards. For an ignorant observer such as myself, the best way to highlight a flaw is to be out of sync. In the case of nearly everyone other than the title characters, this was a major problem and was distracting.

Speaking of distracting, can we talk about the kids behind us? I'm all for bringing your kids to the ballet to expand their cultural horizons. I used to be one of those kids. But the 7:30pm showing of Romeo and Juliet is too late and too mature (3 murders and 2 suicides) for the 3-6 year olds behind us. The ones old enough to "get it" looked shell shocked, and the younger ones needed play by play to keep them engaged. I don't blame the kids, but parents, please choose your cultural outings more carefully. Oh, and take a hint if you get the stink eye from the row in front of you. It generally means that kicking chairs, giggling during death scenes, and demonstrating that you're the next Bob Costas is not ok.

But aside from all that, I enjoyed the evening. It was far more theatrical than I expected and it told the story well. Maybe even too well having that I could have seen more of Romeo and Juliet alone on stage (read: without all the sub-par folks that couldn't spin or kick in unison).

J Says

I know I'm a lucky girl. My husband will go to the ballet with me and I don't even have to drag him. Luckily, we're friends with an awesome couple who shares the same adventurous streak and appreciation for D.C. cultural events.

My sister was a dancer so I've watched a lot of dance shows in my lifetime. Like B said, the ABT principal dancers were outstanding and a joy to watch. The company (and the company's choreography) left a lot to be desired. Dancers were falling out of turns left and right, and when they did complete the turns they were rarely in sync with the dancer next to them. Even with this sloppiness, I really enjoyed the show. It was fast-paced and engaging. Also, the Kennedy Center's Opera House is a gorgeous venue to see a show.

I agree wholeheartedly with B's comments about the parents behind us. I felt sorry for the kids who were asked to sit still for 3 hours way past their bed times. I also felt sorry for my friend A whose seat was kicked by the antsy kids about a million times during the show. Remind me of this when we have kids and want to take them to the ballet or somewhere equally fancy.

I'd happily sashay back to the Kennedy Center to watch another ballet. Or, the next time D.C. is in need of a big snowstorm, just give us tickets for a show. You're guaranteed to get another several inches...

BGR - The Burger Joint

In D.C., burgers are as trendy as cupcakes and frozen yogurt. We're slowly but surely making our way through the new fancy burger places, and our latest stop was BGR - The Burger Joint in Dupont Circle. When you enter, walk past the disco ball in the window and place your order at the counter in front of the open kitchen. The menu is pretty straightforward: plain burgers, fancy burgers, fries (including asparagus and sweet potato fries), and shakes/drinks.

After placing our order with a less-than-friendly cashier, we ventured into the brightly-colored (and crowded) dining room to find a table. They give you one of those light-up buzzer things to let you know when your order is ready.

The atmosphere is casual and whimsical, with funky mosaic tables that are packed just a little too close together.

Our buzzer flashed and when I went to the counter to pick up our food, B's rootbeer float was missing and my burger was topped with the receipt and an onion ring. I could do without the receipt on top of my food. Also, my burger was crowded onto a little metal platter with the mega onion rings leaving little room to enjoy the messy burger without spilling it all over the table. Next time I'll ask for an extra platter or a plate.

The onion rings were huge and tasty. I ordered the "The Burger" (served on a fresh, buttery-toasted brioche bun with lettuce, tomato, onion, pickle, mojo sauce). The burger was juicy but completely fell apart after 2 bites. The mojo sauce was your standard thousand island burger sauce. It was a good burger but, in my opinion, not head and shoulders above Five Guys.

B tried "The Wellington" (roasted mushrooms, caramelized onions, garlic with a touch of mustard seed, and blue cheese, served on a fresh, buttery-toasted brioche bun with mojo sauce). The presentation was very minimalist, but it packed a flavor punch.

We washed down the burgers with rootbeer and cherry coke floats, which were solid but not as good as those at Ray's Hell Burger (see post here). The whole experience left me wishing I was somewhere else. I think you can get better burgers at Ray's, better sides and shakes at Good Stuff (see post here), and spend a whole lot less at Five Guys. $30 for 2 burgers, 1 side and 2 drinks? For that price it should be mind blowing... and it just wasn't.

BGR = Better Go to Ray's.

Second Thoughts from B

Here's the bottomline. If I want a great burger experience, I'm going to Ray's or Good Stuff. However, if I'm confined to Dupont Circle, I wouldn't hesitate going back to BGR. My burger was all sorts of savory brown mush, mixed together in a mess that ended up all over the place. Sounds appetizing, right? Appearance was certainly not the strong suit of this burger... but taste was. It was a cross between beef stroganoff and a steak covered with bleu cheese. In other words, cardiac arrest on a bun.

My mother was the first to impress upon me the importance of presentation when it comes to food. Never will a plate leave her kitchen without careful consideration of the colors presented. It is something subtle and easy, but goes a long way. In short: If it looks good, it'll taste better.

It is like rankings in college sports. For no good reason, we insist on ranking teams before a single game is played, all based on a few experts that are asked to be familiar with the relative abilities of hundreds of teams. Not only is this impossible, it has a significant impact on the season. No matter how well a team actually performs, if they were not well thought of at the beginning of the season, they'll most likely be excluded from the possibility of a top ranking at the end. Same thing with food. Appearance is the starting point. If you start high, it is much easier to end high... But I digress, back to BGR.

When my burger came out, it might have been the least interesting (my nice way of saying ugly) thing that has been put in front of me in a long time. It took some head scratching to figure out how to photograph it without it looking like Juno's hamburger phone. But despite this handicap, it was quite tasty. And for someone who actually enjoys eating with his hands, having it get all over the place wasn't a bad thing.

But let's be clear, I'm not advocating for Ray's or Good Stuff solely for appearance sake. They are certainly more than just a pretty face. While BGR's burger was tasty, I felt it was somewhat one dimensional. Yes, I know it is just a hamburger and I'm probably nitpicking. But if it wants to compete with the big boys, the devil is in the details...