A continuing series about awesome social distance activities in DC to keep you entertained during the outbreak and inspired to keep daydreaming about your next adventure in the Nation's capital. The new quarantine life we're currently living means we've had to get create to find ways to socialize. Just because you're self-isolating doesn't mean you have to give up happy hour with your friends.
My sister and a mutual friend powered up Zoom and gathered online from DC, Pennsylvania and New York for a virtual happy hour and it was a blast! No fighting for room at the bar, paying for overpriced drinks or having to leave early to get home. And unlike conference calls at work, this is one time you'll actually *want* to be seen on camera. We're planning on doing it again and go all out to really replicate the bar experience Simply follow our 7 simple steps and you'll be the virtual hostess with the mostest! Plus we've included some cocktail suggestions from famous mixologist and owner of the Columbia Room, Derek Brown to take your gathering to the next level. Read on and share your virtual hosting tips in the comments. Cheers!
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Support DC Restaurants & Dine Like Kings at Home on National Dine-In Day (and Throughout The Crisis)3/18/2020 A continuing series about awesome social distance activities in DC to keep you entertained during the outbreak and inspired to keep daydreaming about your next adventure in the Nation's capital. Note: Understandably, information about closings/delivery is changing at a rapid pace as this situation continues to evolve. Details in this article were correct at the time it was written but may have changed so be sure to check individual websites for specific information. Foodies and the culinary-challenged, this one’s for you! Even though Mayor Bowser has ordered all DC bars and restaurants to cease offering dine-in services, have no fear. You won’t have to subsist on microwave meals and pasta. Today is National Take-Out Day! Many DC restaurants are adopting take-out and no-contact delivery options right now so you’ll still be able to try those newcomers on Washingtonian’s 100 Very Best Restaurants list. Bonus: Having a fancy pants dinner in your pajamas! A few delivery services are also waiving delivery fees so you can dine for a more reasonable-than-normal price. We’ve been taking advantage of being at home more than usual to try new restaurants. Always on the lookout for good Chinese food, we ordered from Chiko the other night (a newbie on Washingtonian’s best restaurants list). For starters, the Chinese/Korean venture doesn’t skimp on portion sizes; we were stuffed and had plenty of leftovers at the end of our meal. For a very wallet-friendly price, we feasted on double-fried chicken and the chopped brisket with egg and rice. It was delicious, arrived piping hot and in handy reusable containers. Two thumbs up! Even some Michelin-starred restaurants joining neighborhood spots in the eat-at-home game, so take advantage of this unique opportunity and try some of DC’s international cuisines, dine at restaurants that usually have impossibly long waits or just someplace that’s been on your wish list for awhile. Plus, restaurants and their staff are struggling so you’ll be helping support them by ordering out. So go ahead and get that appetizer and dessert with your meal, it’s for a good cause. Which restaurants are you excited to try from home? Some of the new-to-delivery places on our bucket list:
Curious? There's more!
A continuing series about awesome social distance activities in DC to keep you entertained during the outbreak and inspired to keep daydreaming about your next adventure in the Nation's capital. Cooking isn’t our thing. Well, unless you count microwaving a meal as “cooking." Needless to say, the #quarantinelife has been a challenge for our culinary abilities since the essentials in our kitchen only extend as far as wine, ice cream and coffee.
But the extended time at home is an ideal time to perfect those less than Top Chef-worthy cooking skills. Thankfully, some of DC’s best chefs are using their downtime to share their knowledge and recipes and starting to offer free cooking classes to an at-home audience looking to figure out the basics of cooking, meal inspiration or just try some new recipes. Here’s our curated list of six DC’ chefs to check out if you’re hungry for virtual at-home cooking instruction. Outdoor movies. Music and arts festival. Roller skating. Wineries and distillers. End of summer staycation or Capital City getaway, there's plenty to keep you entertained all three days of the long weekend!! Celebrate Labor Day and the last weekend of the summer with free outdoor events, festivals and cultural experiences in the nation’s capital that are a little outside the norm. After all, you have a long weekend, so better make the most of it! 1. End summer on a high note at the Labor Day Capitol Concert The annual Labor Day Capitol Concert takes place on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol on Sunday, Sept. 1 at 8 p.m. This free music event kicks off the beginning of the Kennedy Center's performing arts season, and features patriotic classics. 2. Go sunset schooner sailing on the Potomac River Enjoy a sunset sail aboard the American Spirit and get a unique and relaxing view of the city from the deck of a classic-rigged 65-foot sailing ship. Pack a picnic and watch the sun and your cares slip away. 3. Get a preview of dozens of plays at Page-to-StageEnjoy free performances from 60 DC-area theater companies at the Kennedy Center’s Page-to-Stage Festival (Aug 31 - Sep 2). Now entering its 18th year, the theatrical event boasts readings and open rehearsals of plays and musicals in development by local, regional, and national playwrights, librettists, and composers—some with scripts in hand, others almost fully staged. Seating begins 30 minutes before each play, but it’s a good idea to arrive early.
Levels Unlocked - House of DC Heroes: Events DC + Drink Company Launches Summer ESports Pop-Up Bar7/18/2019 Ready Player One!
Events DC (the city's convention and sports authority) has partnered with Derek Brown's Drink Company (the masterminds behind DC. pop-up bars such as Miracle on Seventh Street, Cherry Blossom PUB, and the Game of Thrones PUB) to launch the summer's latest pop-up bar, an esports themed activation called “Levels Unlocked: House of DC Heroes." One of the first bars of its kind in the DMV, the virtual world and the real world meet in an immersive experience that showcase's DC's esports teams, interactive retro games and cocktails that brings all your gamer fantasies alive. Not a gamer (raises hand)? It's a cool way to see what esports is all about with friends and a drink. Also, dragons. Who doesn't want to have a drink alongside a dragon? Plus, like all the other PUBs, it's total Instragram porn. Open from July 18 through Sept. 29, the pop-up includes three game-themed rooms centered around DC’s esports teams, including Monumental Sports & Entertainment’s NBA2K Team, NRG’s Smash Bros. Ultimate and Overwatch League’s newest team, the Washington Justice. Each game has a dedicated room featuring themed cocktails, live gameplay, and art of the main characters. The opening reception was last night, so power up (that's a thing gamers say, right?) and check out our sneak peek photos of the esports summer PUB! Gone are the days when the DC food scene was limited to power breakfasts and surf-and-turf restaurants. One of the best things about the city now is its booming international cuisine--welcome to a land of international flavors and diversity!
Inspired by this year's Events DC Embassy Food Challenge and Passport DC's upcoming Embassy Open House, here are Curious Caravan's recommendations of some of the best global eats in DC that every foodie should know; free digital download available now. Consider it an amuse bouche as by no means is this an exhaustive guide. What are some of your favorite spots in DC for an international food fix? Share in the comments! I posted about my experience at this year's Events DC Embassy Chef Challenge as a "veteran" attendee, but I was curious to hear about the experience through the eyes of a first-timer, who also happens to be a vegetarian, at an event that isn't like going to Burger King where you can have it your way.
So I posed a few questions to Sarah Hansen who won two tickets to the Challenge courtesy of Events DC in the Curious Caravan Giveaway for her take on the evening. Did she love it? Hate it? Was there anything she could eat or did she go hungry? ***Stay tuned for an audio recap on an upcoming episode of the Jawn Appetit podcast with my Philly friends Roy and Chanell. If you're a foodie or just like food, follow them for culinary insights from the City of Brotherly Love and Beyond.*** Well, so much for following the rules.
Having gone to the Events DC Embassy Chef Challenge last year, I knew what to expect. But as soon I was confronted with the smorgasbord of authentic food and drinks from countries like Cameroon to Sri Lanka and points on the map in between, I completely forgot about the things you're supposed to do at food festivals like practicing "moderation" and "pacing yourself." I saw the food and all my eyes and stomach were thinking was I WANT IT ALL! NOW. Please and thank you. UPDATE: Check out my segment on this week's episode of the Jawn Appetit podcast for a preview of the Embassy Chef Challenge! And be sure to tune in every week to catch my friends Roy and Chanell dishing on all the foodie news in the City of Brotherly Love ... and beyond!
************* The 11th annual Events DC Embassy Chef Challenge, the largest international food festival in DC, is coming to the Ronald Reagan International Building on April 2. People tend to think "unlimited buffet" when they hear the words "food festival." If you've never been to a food festival, it's important to prepare yourself before diving into the gluttonous, glorious adventure that they can be. I attended the Chef Challenge last year where I learned the hard way that your eyes are definitely bigger than your stomach. So read on as I reveal 8 food festival truths to help you navigate the bottomless bites to come! And be sure to get your tickets before they sell out! Use promo code CURIOUS for $10 off VIP and General Admission tickets. Looking for a food and cultural adventure à la Eat, Pray, Love? This year's 11th annual Events DC Embassy Chef Challenge,is the perfect place to start your journey.
The multicultural event, to be held on April 2, will bring together more than 30 embassy chefs for a night of authentic bites and exotic beverages that aims to satiate the appetites of the most discerning foodies. As you nosh, you'll be taken on a globetrotting adventure as you listen to music and watch cultural performances. After trying every delectable dish, you'll have a chance to vote for the coveted People's Choice award, while a distinguished panel selects the Judge’s Choice winners. Embassies are also competing for the Pepsi Best Beverage award, so, you know the drinks will be flowing! So bring an empty stomach, an open mind, and your dancing shoes to the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center to eat, drink and dance your way around the globe. It promises to be a culinary showcase that goes beyond borders and boundaries, [Read a recap of last year's event.] More details to come as the Embassy Chef Challenge gets closer, so be sure to check out the official site for the most up-to-date information and use promo code 'CURIOUS" for $10 off VIP and general admission tickets. Here's what you have to look forward to: Food For the price of admission, you'll get an all-you-can-eat and drink passport to each nation. This uniquely DC event is the only time where you’ll find more than three-dozen world-class embassy chefs who typically prepare world-class cuisine for international dignitaries all in one location competing for culinary bragging rights – and the chance to enjoy signature dishes from countries you might never have heard of before. Drinks Whether you consider yourself a beer or wine person, you'll find a memorable drink from around the world. Sample cocktails, mocktails, wine, spirits, even coffee, when you’re taking a breather from eating all of the delicious foods. Just remember to pace yourself; some of the drinks are quite boozy! Cultural Entertainment The Embassy Chef Challenge isn't just about food. The event also promotes cultural connections. Diverse entertainment including singing, dancing and music showcasing global talent from Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Latin America and more will be staged throughout the night. City of the Sun returns to the stage this year with numerous solo artists, DJs and bands performing as well. So bring your dancing shoes and prepare to be wowed! The night's diverse offering of food, bev and cultural performances will leave you full, buzzed and astonished. Now that your interest and appetite are peaked, purchase your ticket before it sells out and use promo code 'CURIOUS" to save $10 off VIP and general admission tickets. If you're going to the Events DC Embassy Chef Challenge, be sure to tag Curious Caravan in all your Instagrammable photos using #CuriousCaravan. |
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