$40 a day? Luxury!

Even though Washington, DC is full of very nice, expensive restaurants, there are some deals and steals to be had. A few of my favorites:

Pho 75 - A perenial favorite in everyone's Cheap Eats category, Pho 75 is simply the best noodle soup ever. A large bowl of soup with all the trimmings (peppers, bean sprouts, thai basil, lime) and a soda or lemonade will set you back $8.15 ($10 if you want to be generous and toss something in the tip jar). At these prices, don't expect a lot in the way of ambiance or service. But you can't beat the soup - a cure for all ills. Take out is available for an additional $0.50. Oh, and they open at 8 a.m. because apparently pho is a traditional Vietnamese breakfast.

Teatro Goldoni - The great Italian restaurant perfect for celebratory occasions also has a secret - the bar menu. Lunch is $12.50 and includes a glass of wine (or a soft drink). I think my all-time favorite is still the hamburger - it comes with eggplant and a fried egg and garlic french fries. But you can't ignore the chicken or any of the other very delicious choices. It's one of our favorite places to take clients or for a nice break away from the office.


Pollo Rico - Where else can you get a quarter chicken, coleslaw, french fries and a soda for under $5? Sometimes I'm grocery shopping and realize I'd be better off just heading to Pollo Rico (and depending on the wind, you can smell the wood fires when you get off the Metro at Virginia Square). It's also great for company - a whole chicken with accompaniments runs around $12. Drop the bones into a pot for soup - the seasonings make an amazing chicken broth. And then your $12 chicken turns into a couple of meals - how economical is that?

Afternoon Meetings

Because of my breakfast meeting this morning and a couple of newly scheduled appointments, my lunch meeting was pushed back until almost 3 p.m. After a quick consultation, we decided that rather than trying to find lunch at that hour, we'd do something civilized and meet over tea at the Mayflower Hotel on Connecticut Avenue.

Other than a couple of conferences many years ago, most of my experiences at the Mayflower involve late nights at the Martini Bar, so afternoon tea was a nice change. The Cafe Promenade is beautiful and comes complete with a balcony for the harpist. We were settled at a corner table with tea menus. Resisting the urge to order "Tea. Earl Grey. Hot." we agreed upon the full tea, including savory sandwiches and a variety of sweets. My favorite is a tie between the raspberry tart - 3 perfect, fresh raspberries on a small spoonful of custard, all nestled in a flaky pastry shell, and the chocolate dipped strawberry

There's something about afternoon tea, particularly on a rainy day, that is like a spa treatment for the soul. And a mundane employee development conversation becomes a much more meaningful exchange about future plans, goals, and possibilities.

We might have to make this a new tradition.

Breakfast Meetings

An 8 a.m. breakfast meeting is not the way to my heart, particularly on a rainy day. However, there I was in clothes that more or less matched (all blue at least), and mostly on time to meet my colleagues at Poste Brasserie at the Hotel Monaco at 7th & F Streets NW (diagonally across from the arena entrance to Gallery Place metro).

I'd only read about the hotel - it's quite amazing inside. Originally built as a post office in the mid-1800s, it's a model of public/private partnership to renovate unused federal buildings. It's also the city's first all-marble building. High ceilings, interesting public spaces with lots of nooks for private conversations, and Kimpton style make the hotel much more interesting than your typical business hotel. The Monaco is pet-friendly, and if you don't bring your own pet and are looking for a little companionship during your stay, the hotel will provide an in-room goldfish for you.

I barely take all the lobby details in as I beeline for Poste and my meeting. A couple cups of good coffee later, I'm ready to pay more attention to my surroundings. We were in the back room with heavy curtains to provide a sound barrier between us and the rest of the restaurant which was nice for us and probably everyone else since we had speakers. We started with juice (fresh squeezed orange juice) and a fruit plate. The brioche french toast with berry compote and vermont maple syrup was a good choice. Next time I think I'll try the oatmeal served with brown sugar, apples, and marscapone.

After the meeting was over, we took some time to appreciate the architectural details of the hotel before heading back to the office.

As handy as Poste is to the MCI Center, I'll definitely be back.

Ultimate House Tour

Well, the grounds at least. It's true, it's house tour season in Washington, and of course the most famous house of all isn't easy to get in and out of without prior notice and planning (ask your Congressional representatives).

However, on October 22 and 23rd, you can have the opportunity to tour the grounds and gardens of the White House. You'll need to stand in line at the Visitor's Center to get a timed entry ticket (one per person) starting at 7:30 a.m. People do line up early, and it's very early for me, but if the weather is nice, you might see me there. If the weather's not nice, the tours can be cancelled, so it's probably a good idea to check ahead of time. After all, the Easter Egg Roll got washed out this year.

French for Fast Fashion

Depeche Mode tickets are now on sale for their show at the Patriot Center on December 9. Every 80s fanatic I know will be there, but Happy Funtime Friend Service will be at the Kennedy Center that evening at NPR's Jazz Piano Christmas.

It's a busy night for good shows as Andy Bey will be at the Library of Congress that same night. Ticketmaster service fees aside, it's a free concert.

I know it's whiny, but for all the nights I'm sitting home watching Alias re-runs, why do three really good concerts have to all happen on the same night?