Author: Susane

4 great restaurants in Washington D.C.

Posted on by Susane

 

Passionate travelers know how hard it is to find a good and cheap restaurant, especially if you are visiting a crowded city. Many people are willing to try unusual dishes just to meet every aspect of a new culture. When you are traveling, it’s important to enjoy every moment and make the most out of your time in a new place, even if this means trying things that you wouldn’t dare at home.

Washington D.C is one of those fascinating cities that welcome thousands of tourists every week.

Here, everybody can find anything and food is no exception. In fact, new restaurants are opened very often and this is a good thing, because the diversity of culinary cultures led to the creation of a Michelin Guide especially for the district. In addition, three of its restaurants can be found on ”Bon Appétit’s” list of 50 best new restaurants from America in 2017.

If you are planning a trip to Washington, here’s a short list of the most popular restaurants, in random order:

 

  1. Himitsu

Himitsu is one of the three restaurants from Washington included on the list of America’s best in 2017. This hot location is situated in a friendly area, Petworth, and it has a capacity of 24 seats.

You can come without prior reservations and feast your senses with dishes like fried chicken karaage or nigiri that melts in your mouth. The private atmosphere and delicious food will turn you into a regular customer.

 

  1. Pineapple and Pearls

This is another restaurant included among the best. Its’ name says it all – here you will find hospitality, elegance and sophisticated dishes that awarded the location with two Michelin stars. The professional service makes sure that you don’t wait in line and treat you like a star.

Quality doesn’t come cheap, so if you want to enjoy a good meal, you could end up paying even $280 (beverages and tip included). Cheaper options are also available.

  1. Timber Pizza Company

Their pizza is so good that it put them on the list of the 50 Best New Restaurants from America. This cool location with an industrial aspect on the inside welcomes you in Petworth.

Even if the place is small, the pizza served here is delicious, some flavors are unique and will make you come back for more. Here you can order Green Monster, a crazy combination made out of pesto, mozzarella and green vegetables or The Norman, made with bacon and roasted pineapple.

 

  1. Tosca

Italian food lovers deeply appreciate the excellent pasta and amazing fish served in this elegant restaurant.

Here you will find professional staff that welcomes you with tasty food and refreshing drinks. The location is suitable for people with high living standards and for those who like to spend relaxing moments surrounded by friends. You can find it in the city’s Downtown.

Our guide mentions only a few suggestions. You can look for more information and choose a restaurant according to your preferences.

Bones Is My Favorite TV Show

Posted on by Susane

I watch all kinds of TV shows, but I need to say that Bones ranks high in my personal top. Why do I like this show so much? First, because it strays from the usual, run of the mill, TV shows dealing with crime solving and law enforcement that we see today. Bones is my favorite character, as you can easily imagine, if for no other reason than the simple fact that she has not only great wits but also some superpower in her ability to identify clues by looking at the bones of the victims.

 

 

In case you have yet to see one episode of Bones, I will brief you on it, so you know what you are getting yourself into. Dr. Temperance “Bones” Brennan, played by Emily Deschanel, is a forensic anthropologist who gets involved in solving crimes, by teaming up with Seeley Booth (played by David Boreanaz, a guy you may know from playing in Buffy the Vampire Slayer), an FBI special agent. The two are very different, and they do not always agree, which, as you may easily expect, leads to some sparks and even fireworks.

 

A lot of people say that the doctor and the FBI agent have great chemistry on screen, so some romantic sparks are bound to fly around. However, I feel like they are great as friends. The touch of dark humor the show is by now famous for just completes the picture, and I like seeing two professionals getting along, despite their differences, and despite being a man and a woman.

 

Now getting back to the one who practically lends her nickname to the show, Dr. Bones, I cannot stress how much I like her character. She is the one who practically grows from one episode to another, and she is the one who gets uncovered by the viewers. At first, she seems harsh and even cynical, only to become more sympathetic and ‘human-like,’ throughout the show.

 

I am not a particular fan of dramas, especially if they are only created for exploitation value. The central theme of the show is very dark, but I find it well balanced by the two main characters who, with their interactions and witty comments, make it much more bearable and even enjoyable to watch.

 

 

When someone says TV drama, they may not mean Bones, but that because this show brings something new to the table, and that is well-crafted humor. This is the exact thing I like about it, and I find that each episode manages to enhance itself with something new. I hope there will be many more seasons of this show and that I will get to enjoy the two investigators’ superior intellect and wits for years to come.

 

 

 

Martha Stewart and Snoop Dogg’s Friendship Is Amazing

Posted on by Susane

 

When you say Martha Stewart, your thoughts instantly take you to a sunlit kitchen from which all kinds of delicious smells drift off. When you say Snoop Dogg, you imagine rap videos, Cadillacs, and the sickest beats. So, when someone says Martha Stewart and Snoop Dogg in the same statement, what could anyone be thinking about?

 

I have no idea! But I know that these two  despite being so different have one of the best friendships ever. And it is not even something that has just happened. If you do not know, they have a show together on VH1, called Martha and Snoop’s Potluck Dinner Party, where they have a lot of fun, while cooking and cavorting with guests and friends.

However, it is not this show, or some marketing gimmick to promote the show that brought these two together. They know each other for a long time, and this show is not the first time when they cook together. In November 2008, Snoop Dogg was invited over to Martha’s show, and the two compared their ways of making mashed potatoes. It was clearly a refreshing experience for both of them, as the Queen of Cuisine had the occasion to learn a bit from the rap singer. I am not talking only about making starchy meals (as Snoop might have learned more from her in this area), but how Martha discovered what strange expressions like ‘fo’ shizzle’ mean.

 

What I see when I look at these two are two people having fun. It doesn’t matter that they are as different from one another as possible; what does matter is that, when they come together, they make great television. And they both have a solid sense of humor, which makes them worthy of every word of praise from me and anyone who watches them. In 2009, Martha and Snoop made brownies during a Christmas special. The one request Snoop had for the brownies to be more in touch with the festivities, was that the brownies had to be green. Martha was up to the challenge.

 

During the years, the friendship between the famous chef and the equally famous rap artist has only grown bigger, and even after many years, they still seemed to remember about their brownie cooking days. As far as their love for all things funny goes, they had a special occasion to show off their friendship. At Justin Bieber’s Roast on Comedy Central in 2015, the two sat together, enjoying a few jabs at the Biebs’s expense.

 

Now, they have a show together. And everyone who says Martha Stewart and Snoop Dogg could never have been friends, they should just watch an episode. I bet they will change their opinion.

 

 

This Commercial Convinced Me to Buy an Electric Broom

Posted on by Susane

 

For those who already know me and visit my blog once in a while, I bet there will be no surprise if I tell them I watch commercials because this is part of what I like to do. However, you should know that I am not watching commercials only for the fun of it, although some of them are fun, also for finding practical products that I can buy and make my life easier while using them.

Today, I am going to talk to you about a commercial I watched for the Dyson V8, a cordless electric broom that does a hell of a job inside any home. In case you did not know, Dyson takes its name after a British innovator and engineer that discovered the technology we use today in all the bagless vacuum cleaners out there. The design he invented allowed for more suction and more efficiency so that more allergens were removed from the air. Still, I am not here to nag you with all the bits and pieces of information inhabiting my head.

 

I must say that I was clearly determined to get myself an electric broom after I watched the commercial for the model I told you above. After I looked at the 1-minute commercial, I was like: “Is there anything that this electric broom cannot do?” Personally, I have always thought that a good vacuum cleaner must be large, cumbersome and it would require some struggling during use, or otherwise it may not do a good job. But the Dyson V8 commercial changed the way I felt about vacuum cleaners in general, and electric brooms in particular.

 

This model is cordless, so it means that you get to clean around, without stumbling on cables or having to plug and replug couple of times. I am quite adamant about having my cleaning task go uninterrupted, so this helps a lot with my annoyance levels. Also, this model has its recharging station where you dock it, and you can forget about it.

 

The above-mentioned features may be considered just conveniences, so I am going to go for the kill, and tell you what a fantastic cleaner this model is. It does everything. It cleans mess from hardwood floors, it deep cleans carpets, and it is great because of all its accessories. You will get a crevice tool and a special brush tool for cleaning pet hair and dander.

 

And this is still not all. The Dyson V8 can be turned into a handheld unit, and it comes with an extension so you can clean your home from the ceiling to the floor. The dirt cup empties through the bottom, so you don’t have to touch it. What else could you ask for?

 

 

 

How to Get Rid of Nasty Smells in Your Fridge

Posted on by Susane

There is nothing more off-putting than opening the door to your refrigerator only for bad odors to hit you in the face. Your first instinct will be just to slam the door back, but that would only make it worse, and at one point, you need to identify the source of the smell – if you can – and eventually clean the entire refrigerator. I will dedicate today’s post to getting rid of nasty smells in your fridge, and I can guarantee you that there is nothing complicated to do on this list.

The first thing I recommend even if it is quite challenging is to clean the entire refrigerator. Once a bad smell spreads, it can affect other foods, as well, and getting rid of the immediate source of bad smell may not be enough. When you clean your fridge, throw away all the rotten food, take out any containers that need emptying and cleaning, and then begin disassembling everything that can be taken apart, such as shelves and drawers. Scrub everything clean, and make sure that all the surfaces are properly scrubbed and rinsed. Leave the fridge with the door open, allowing it to dry. And when there are no wet spots remaining, put the fridge back together and plug it again.

 

I also highly recommend using organic solutions for cleaning your refrigerator. The problem with chemical solutions is that they tend to linger, especially their smell, and this will surely end up ruining your appetite again when you open the door to the fridge and you are welcomed by chemical smells. Also, these chemicals may creep into your food, making it not only palatable but also dangerous to eat.

 

Use natural odor removers after you clean your refrigerator, to make sure that you are taking away all the possible remaining odors. For instance, a tray with baking soda is sure to remove all the unpleasant odors you had to fight until now. There are many other natural odor removers that you can try. For instance, dried coffee grounds are known to be capable of absorbing bad smells. You can try a cup of vinegar, a bowl of oats or charcoal briquettes, since they all have the same odor-absorbing capability.

 

You can do more to prevent bad smells from happening in the first place. For instance, make sure that you keep all the fresh food somewhere you can easily see it. When it goes bad, you will notice right away, and you will be able to throw it before causing havoc in your refrigerator. Use tight seal containers for foods that tend to spill bad smells, and this way, you will be able to limit the damage.

DIY Cleaning Tips I Use Every Day

Posted on by Susane

Having a clean home is vital, and I know that regularly spending money on cleaning supplies can be burdensome. I like bringing a little bit of DIY in my life and make use of every little thing I have around to save money and still maintain a beautiful, clean home. These are some of the DIY cleaning tips I use every day just for this purpose.

I make my cleaner! It is easy, and all you need is some baking soda. Just mix four tablespoons with one quart of lukewarm water, and you will just get yourself an all purpose cleaner that you will love using. Any surface that needs to get cleaned, like kitchen counters, the refrigerator and so on will get a nice gleam, once you are done, and you will not even have to spend money. You only need a spray bottle and a sponge, so you can quickly wipe any surface.

 

Baking soda is an ally when it comes to smelly footwear, as well. After I get my shoes off, I simply sprinkle some baking soda inside them – especially when I come home from the gym, and my shoes are most probably, terrible to smell – and then I leave them like this until I get to use them again. Just make sure to tap them a little, to make the baking soda fall, and you can wear them again, and there is absolutely no bad smell to worry about.

 

The garbage disposal is one thing in your home that tends to remain smelly and unpleasant, no matter how much you try to get rid of it. Here is a smart DIY tip that I use every day, so I don’t have to engage in some epic workload when it comes to cleaning the garbage disposal. I just throw a few lemon rinds in it and let the citrusy smell take care of everything. I rinse with cold water, and I get all the bad odors out, so I do not have to care about it again.

 

I use a lot of jugs, boxes, and baskets to keep things organized. I do not like clutter, but, on the other hands, there are all kinds of things I need to have close by, so it is not an option for me to just dispose of them. For the bathroom, I get baskets and jugs in sets so that I can keep all the hair care, body care, soap and so on, well organized. I just make sure to put every little thing back where it belongs after each use, and this way, I do not have to spend a lot of time de-cluttering.