Spring Break!!

Well, it's Spring Break and I've been doing a lot of...eating. out.

Don't hate. You wish you had winter break, mid winter break, spring break, and summer break...but I won't rub that in your face too much~

On to the food!! That's why you're here, right?

The majority of my blogs are going to be about cooking. Me cooking food for you and my husband to enjoy. BUT sometimes, I'm going to share where I've eaten in different cities so that when you go traveling about, you'll have an idea of where to eat...and more specifically, what to eat. Here goes!

I went to visit my best friend in Maryland for the weekend, which meant that my usual eating habits went straight down the drain. On our first day we ate at The Cheesecake Factory and SHARED a fried Mac and Cheese Cheeseburger! WHAT??!

It was a cheeseburger with a heaping portion of fried mac and cheese on top. With fries on the side. It was gooey and decadent, and perfect. My mouth is watering just thinking about it.

Oh, and we had the most amazing vegetable salad too. That was ALMOST my favorite thing. The salad had a sweet pomegranate vinaigrette with crisp romaine lettuce, topped with edemame, asparagus, green beans, cucumbers, tomatoes,  radishes, apples, and chunks of white cheddar cheese! YUM! (Mom, again, try to control yourself!)

We then shared TWO pieces of cheesecake...because my theory on cheesecake is, don't share unless you still end up with a full piece. Don't judge.

So, my best friend and I shared a huge piece of Godiva chocolate cheesecake and a huge slice of blueberry awesomeness cheesecake. Honestly, the blueberry was our favorite. I think after that enormous, heavy meal, the chocolate was just too much. DO NOT take that for me saying that it was not good. It truly was. The blueberry was just better :)

After hanging out at Barnes and Noble on the waterfront in Baltimore for 2.5 hours (yes, we went on vacation to hang out in a bookstore!) we skipped on over to Little Italy. To give you a little insight into my preferences...I am not a "touristy" type person. I don't do the crowds and I don't do the sightseeing. I prefer to be where the locals hang out...because honestly, that's where the best food is going to be. And food is my priority. If I'm going to consume the calories, it better be worth it. Agree??

My friend and I walked down these beautiful little stone streets that were lined with Cherry Blossoms and cracked stucco and brick homes that were designed to look like buildings you would see in Italy. Swoon.

We took a detour to see Hunger Games (obsessed), then hiked back to little Italy for dinner...sort of.

We were still so stuffed from brunch that we didn't want to eat much.

HINT: If you want to find the best food in a place you're visiting, PLEASE don't ask the concierge at a hotel...they will tell you where the TOURISTS like to go. You are not one of those things.

ASK A LOCAL. We asked a local girl for the best place to get appetizers, and sure enough, she was dead on. We walked to a tiny little wine bar in Little Italy, where the owners were what I call "straight off the boat Italians" (sorry for the political incorrectness).

The owner is what you might call an Italian Santa Claus. Big, burly, jolly. He hand makes the canoli's and tiramasu (which we both enjoyed, but did not share).  I apologize that I cannot remember the name of the spot. I'll get back to you on that one. It was something Italian....duh.

The next morning, the two friends visited the most authentic little Irish pub (Fado Irish Pub) in China Town in DC. Again, find a place that's not packed with people wearing fanny packs and cameras. Geez. Are you catching on?

I had a mouth watering Smoked Salmon bagel with capers, cream cheese, and some other kind of something...I ate it so fast, I'm not sure what it included.

Then came the fried potatoes....Ok, Ok, I was on vacation! Lay off!!

They were completely huge chunks of fried, crispy potatoes on the outside. The insides were fluffy and soft. Oh, man! I'd drive to DC for those again. Today.

My favorite thing to do in DC was avoid the tourists. It's an evasive move I call...GET OUT OF THE AREA.

We asked a few people where we could go and just hang out in a scenic spot and get some grub. We were directed to the waterfront near Foggy Bottom in Georgetown. And might I say, it was the perfect end to a delightful weekend.

Foggy Bottom is a historic district in Washington, DC that houses quite a few college students and families of all ages. The homes there are breath taking, and the whole atmosphere is relaxed and casual. Trust me. RUN away from downtown DC and head towards Georgetown. You'll thank me later.

We ended up at a bar and restaurant on the water where we instantly felt like we had been transported to some tropic location. We sat outside on the waters edge, drinking mimosas, and eating peel and eat shrimp. Music floated through the air, reminding us that summer time is close at hand. Fortunately for me, I get several months to enjoy away from work and slimy nosed children :)

We went super casual for dinner that night, enjoying sushi on the couch while we watched our guilty obsession "Once Upon a Time"...as little ones, my best friend and I were the nerds that watched every Disney movie ever made, dressed up like the characters, and ran around in our backyards...until we were 15. Seriously.

So, this is like the grown up version of that. Right?

Anywho, the food was awesome and the company was even awesom-er. Please take my advice and avoid the tourist traps. You can eat in chain restaurants in your hometown. Don't do it on vacation. Yuck.

Happy Traveling!