Metropolitan Restaurant Week happens twice a year, once in the winter and once in the summer. With over 100 places to choose from, what’s so great about Restaurant Week is that you can get a three-course meal for $22 during brunch/lunch and $35 during dinner. And we’re not talking about Cheesecake Factory or Outback, these restaurants are some of the most award-winning restaurants in the area. Participating restaurants include Fogo De Chao, The Capital Grille, RPM Italian, and Oceanaire. This year wasn’t my first time participating in Restaurant Week but it was the first time that I feel like I took full advantage of it. I was able to plan a date night at 2 different restaurants and I won a contest to visit the third restaurant.

TenPenh Pork Dumpling

What to Know About Restaurant Week

Winter Restaurant Week usually takes places around mid-February while Summer Restaurant Week happens towards the end of August. Each participating restaurant lays out a menu with selected items to choose from during the respective meal time. Since you’re getting an AMAZING deal most restaurants do not allow substitutions or alterations to any of the options on the menu. I highly suggest you view it beforehand. Most of the time, the restaurant will submit their menu to RAMW.org. However, there are a few places that will only post it on the company website. Oh and of course drinks are not included so plan ahead. Lastly, I suggest making reservations especially if you’re going during peak times.

Where I Ate

Mastro’s Steakhouse

I had heard of Mastro’s but never been. I am not a fan of steak so steakhouses are not my typical choice when it comes to restaurants. But I have heard a lot of great things about Mastro’s so I figured why not take this opportunity to check it out. From their restaurant week menu, I ordered a Spicy Mambo Salad (caesar with wasabi), blackened salmon with mango lobster butter, and their signature warm butter cake. One thing to note here is that the menu is a la carte. So sides were not included in the $35 price but they are large enough to share! We decided to get asparagus and lobster mashed potatoes to fancy up our meal. Once you add in sides and drinks, we spent way over what we expected to. But the everything was so good I have no regrets!

Blackened Salmon with Mango Lobster Butter

Ginger at MGM

I’ve only been inside MGM a few times so this was my first time visiting one of the restaurants. We love Asian food so we were excited to try something a little different than. But we were highly disappointed. I honestly am not sure why we picked this restaurant after reviewing the Restaurant Week menu online. But we were both okay with ordering something that wasn’t from the menu. We order chicken lettuce wraps as an appetizer because I imagined them being similar to the ones from Cheesecake Factory. Wrong! They came pre-made on a plate and you only get 4. The menu was overwhelming because it had entrees you would find at a Thai restaurant and at the carryout. I decided to keep things simple and order Sweet & Sour Chicken. It lacked flavor and also felt very rubbery to chew. The best part of the experience was the drinks.

TenPenh Tyson’s

This restaurant was a wild card because I won a contest hosted by RAMW and GlamSquad. The prize was a girl’s night out which included hair, makeup, and dinner for 2 at a restaurant they chose. I had never even heard of TenPenh which made things a little more exciting for me as a foodie. The manager of the restaurant treated us so well! Dinner was covered but they treated us to Beijing Bellini’s and a sample of a few appetizers. From the Restaurant Week menu I ordered Shrimp Lumpia, Miso Glazed Salmon, and Mai Tai Creme Brulee. I would be lying if I said I loved the salmon, however, it wasn’t too bad. The taste just wasn’t something I was used to. All of the appetizers were amazing; especially the lumpia and dumplings!

Miso Glazed Salmon

Is it worth it?

The simple answer: yes! As a foodie, I enjoy eating out and trying new things which isn’t always cost effective. Although we spent a little more money than usually this time around, we still got to try some new places and surprisingly we still saved a few bucks. As I said before, planning ahead is key!

Warm Butter Cake Mastro’s Steakhouse

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Where to Stay

I wasn’t really a big fan of AirBnB after my experience in Canada but it is so much cheaper than hotels in California that we didn’t really have a choice. We were able to get a place 1 block away from Sunset Blvd and live like locals. The apartment was very nice and clean. And our host actually owned the whole building so we didn’t have to worry about upsetting neighbors. The neighborhood was very quiet. The only problem we had was finding parking on the street. But in the grand scheme of things that isn’t too bad when the place is nice.

Get a Rental!

The best decision of the trip? Getting a rental car! We went back and forth on this decision for awhile before the trip. I’ve never rented a car on vacation and thought it would be easy to get around. There’s Uber and Lyft everywhere right? But in California nothing was really that close because of traffic and highways. LAX was about 45 minutes from where we were staying. But that’s normal driving distance for EVERYTHING in California. The closest thing to us was an In-N-Out Burger which wasn’t a disappointment. It also allowed us to drive to Vegas for 2 trips in 1. I booked a rental through Expedia for fairly cheap, however, they make you use their insurance of course which made it more expensive. But it was a decision I don’t regret! I’m actually considering renting a car more often.

What to Do

There’s definitely tons of things to do in LA but we took the more scenic route. From visiting Candytopia, an interactive pop-up shop, to the Museum of Illusions. It was more about creating experiences rather than partying. We also went hiking to the top of Mount Hollywood which I will never do again in my entire life! We took steep hills all the way up and you can’t even get close to the Hollywood sign. It definitely showed me how out of shape I am but the site at the top is definitely breathtaking. And our hiking guide, Leo, gets a full 5 stars! We found him through AirBnB experiences for $20 per person. Last but not least, you can’t go to LA without hitting the beach. We spent a few hours on Santa Monica Beach just taking in the sun.

We also made the 4-hour drive from Los Angeles to Las Vegas to visit my friends! Originally, we had plans to leave early in the morning but we were so tired from the night before that we didn’t get up early. There isn’t much to see along the way but we did stop for food and gas. Leo told us to stop at Peggy Sue’s 50’s Diner so we did. It was a very dope restaurant that reminded me of one of my favorite movies, Grease. From the juke box to the records on the wall and even the waitresses uniform it did not disappoint! And the food options were endless; from breakfast to burgers. Speaking of food….

Where to Eat

When I go on vacation, I try my best to eat a places we don’t have at home. Any foodie knows that when you visit the West Coast you have to try In-N-Out Burger. My first time eating there was actually when I went to Nevada but of course I went again in Cali. We also hit the world famous chicken spot, Roscoe’s Chicken and Waffles. The restaurant was nothing how I imagined it would look (it gives the hole in the wall feel) but the food was still great! Another brunch spot we loved was Blu Jam Cafe in Hollywood. The wait was a little long (about an hour and a half) but we expected it and the food didn’t disappoint. If you’re looking for a spot dinner, try Saddle Ranch Chop House on Sunset Blvd. There’s a mechanical bull, a duo who sings covers of whatever you request, and menu options from nachos to steak. If you’re headed to Vegas check out Tacos and Beer. It’s an authentic Mexican Restaurant with amazing empanadas!

Crunchy French Toast from Blu Jam Cafe

Overall, my trip to California was memorable and I truly enjoyed myself. Where to next?

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Last week, my coworkers and I decided to do a juice cleanse. About 6 of us, all women, got together and said we would all participate starting the week after Father’s Day. One of the ladies who participated had previously completed the cleanse and told the rest of us about it. We all had different goals but the overall theme was to be healthier. We figured it would be easier to get through if a bunch of us did it together.

The Basics

Jus (pronounced Juice) By Julie is a health and wellness company that makes cleanses, smoothies, snacks and meals to inspire people to live a healthier lifestyle. So here’s how it works:

1. Pick the type of cleanse you want. Choose from 1-, 2-, 3-, or 5-Day or 5 Day Til Dinner.
2. Choose your delivery date. The company is based out of New York but delivers in the United States and Canada.
3. Place your order & wait at your door patiently.
4. Put your JUSes in the fridge or freezer until you’re ready to start

Of the 6 of us, 4 of us did the 5 day cleanse, 1 person did a 3 day cleanse, and the last person did the 5 day til dinner. The 5, 3, 2, and 1 day include 6 juices a day that you drink instead of meals. The 5 day til dinner includes 4 juices per day and you are allowed to eat 1 healthy meal.

I don’t know what I expected to come to my door but the box was huge! Inside was a styrofoam cooler packed with all 30 of my juices and a few ice packs. I received my box on Friday so I placed all of my drinks in the freezer until we started on Monday.

The Price

If you’ve ever looked into doing a juice cleanse you know they are pretty expensive. But, if you’re a frequent reader you know I love a discount! I researched the best ways to purchase the cleanse. Here is a breakdown of my findings for the price of the 5 day cleanse with different discounts I found. The original price is $225.

• The company has a deal on Groupon. Currently $115 but you have to pay $59 for shipping. Not the best deal but less than the original.
• When I purchased, there was a 35% off discount + free shipping which made my total $147. I was also able to get $10 in cash back from eBates. If you’re looking for a deal, be sure to check the site and signup for their mailing list.
• Use a referral link and you get 40% off your first order http://i.refs.cc/F5gHYWsE?u=1529954576983

The Benefits

Most people do juice cleanses to aid in weight loss. But there are also other benefits such as detoxing, curbing your appetite before a change in diet, increasing your energy levels, mental clarity and physical rejuvenation. I lost a total of 8lbs during the 5 days. As far as energy, the first few days were pretty normal but on the last 2 days I woke up with no problem and had energy throughout the day.

Overall Thoughts

The cleanse was definitely harder than I expected. I realized that I often eat because I see or smell food not because I am actually hungry. Sticking to the diet was a test of my self-control. On day 3 I was feeling a little nauseous so I did cheat and have pasta for dinner instead of my last 2 juices. After that, I felt much better and continued with the cleanse. During those 5 days, I was constantly in the bathroom! Between the amount of juice and your water intake you’re going non-stop so be sure you have a nice bathroom to visit.

It also may be helpful to note that you cannot change the juices in the cleanse. If you are allergic to peanuts, pineapple or coconut then this isn’t for you because those are some of the main ingredients. However, you can check out the “Build A Cleanse” to pick what you can have. All juices are vegan, dairy-free, and gluten-free.

Before the cleanse, I would eat maybe once or twice a day. It’s been about 3 days since I’ve completed it and I notice that I am hungry at the times I would usually have a juice. But I also noticed that I get full quicker than I did before. There was only 1 juice that I could NOT stand the taste of which was Strawberry Dream (surprisingly) while most of my coworkers hated Xtreme Greens. My favorite had to be Chia Berry or Spicy Lemonade.

Would I do it again? Yes, but I’m more inclined to pick the 3 day or 5 day til dinner.

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“I’m going to Vegas for a baby shower.”

If we’re being completely technical, I spent the weekend in Henderson, Nevada– about 15 minutes from the Las Vegas Strip. When you think about the area you automatically assume gambling, drinking, and an intoxicatingly good time. Although I was there for a baby shower, I still got to do all of those things. But in a way that was different from each of the previous times I have been to Vegas.

With cities that attract tourists, locals always know where to find the best deals and the best places to have fun. We decided to go to a resort casino because you have a higher chance at payout. Needless to say I still lost money. But that’s what happens when you play Blackjack like it wasn’t only your second time playing. But I still had fun. And it was nice to see the buildings were still honoring the victims who were lost during the shooting a few months ago.

One of my favorite parts about any trip is food! I love to eat and I love to try new food items. Although I am not a big fan of fast food, I was dying to try In-N-Out. Everyone on the West Coast talks about how good it is. And both of the previous times I was in Vegas I didn’t get to try it. So this was it. I had to try it this time. And man was I disappointed. Don’t get me wrong, the burger was good and I would definitely eat it again. It just didn’t live up to the hype. Maybe it was because I didn’t have a milkshake? Or they were having a bad day? Who knows. But the fries were like crumbs and the burger could be seasoned a little better. Either way I still inhaled the burger like I hadn’t eaten all day.

The weather this time of year is also a big change for me. The last 2 times I went to Vegas it was summer and extremely hot. In the first week of December, I found myself wearing a jacket and Uggs during the trip. The day time is warmer but it was pretty windy (I almost lost a nail when the car door flew open). Being away from the city gives you the chance to star gaze at night. And as I was leaving the moon was still in the sky as the sun came up.

The one last thing I wanted to do before I left was visit a dispensary because I believe in the benefits of medical marijuana. Since dispensaries are opening in Maryland, I wanted to get a feel for want they look like. The difference with Nevada is recreational marijuana is legal. Anyone over the age of 18 is free to purchase from dispensaries and use it in private without a medical card. I will not lie, it was very overwhelming for me. There is so much to learn and understand about each product and the effects to the body. I definitely wasn’t expecting the set up either. The wall with “flower” is separated into 3 sections: value, premium, and superior. They also offer edibles like gummies, cookies, and honey. The staff was very helpful in educating me about what they do and how it works if I was interested in purchasing.

Although this trip was a little different, I still enjoyed it! The baby shower. The sightseeing. The food. There is nothing like visiting family and friends who help you feel at home. If you ever want to visit Vegas but want a chill trip, consider staying in a bordering city. Sometimes making a trip not so average can open your eyes to so much more about the area. I’m glad I got to see more than Vegas this time around.

The post More to Nevada than Vegas appeared first on Running Erins.

D.C. has some amazing food options. And I’m not talking your everyday, Taco Bell or On the Boarder. Lots of them are smaller chain restaurants or mom/pop type of places. I’m a foodie so I am always down to try new places. If you’re looking for a good taco, check out some of the places below (no particular order).

1. Lauriol Plaza
   Lauriol Plaza has to be one of my favorite Mexican restaurants. Amazing food and even better drinks. In the summer, you can sit outside on the patio with a street view or admire from the rooftop. The rooftop area is also heated so you can enjoy it in the fall and winter too. I’ve never ordered anything bad here, from shrimp tacos to fajitas. Make sure to get a pitcher of margarita with your tacos. My favorite is the Sangarita!
   

   Lauriol Plaza

2. El Rey
   My first time ever going to El Rey’s was on Cinco De Mayo a few years back. They had a happy hour deal on tacos and margaritas. This was also the first time I had guacamole that I actually enjoyed! The tacos were amazing; I think I had about 2 orders once the margaritas kicked in!
3. Guapo’s
   I went to the Guapo’s in Bethesda but was excited to learn that they have a location in D.C. They also offer outdoor seating during the summer with a cover for fall. The tacos were awesome. Another place with good food and even better drinks!
   
4. Brass Tap
   I’ll warn you now, this is not the typical place you go for tacos. Brass Tap is an everyday bar at the National Harbor. That’s what makes it such a gem! I ordered chicken tacos when I went and they were unexpectedly good. Check them out for a bite on your way to MGM.
5. Surfside DC
   I am a sucker for a good food truck! Hence why I love when Truckeroo season comes around. I tried Surfside this summer and it leads me to one word: delicious! Tacos and rice on a sunny day (or any day for that matter) is always what I need. If you are a food truck chaser like me, you’ve got to chase them down. I also recently just came across their storefront in Dupont Circle and it is open 24/7!

What’s your favorite place to get a taco? Share in the comments!

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I had heard of Turning Natural from a few coworkers. I had been meaning to check it out when my mom mentioned it to me so we decided what better time to go than now?

Turning Natural is a black-owned juice bar with 2 locations in the DMV. From the parking lot it looks very dim inside but there is so much light that shines once you go in. The staff was very friendly and able to offer suggestions since it was our first visit. There were even a few other customers who offered suggestions about their favorite products.

The theme of the entire store is centered around the magic that exudes from African Americans. The smoothies have clever names like Swizz Beets, Green Latifah, Just Blaze, and the symbol formerly known as Prince. There’s a bookshelf shaped like a tree on the wall that features books by and about black people. They also have signs that promote positive energy.

Besides the smoothies their menu also includes juice, black bean burgers, vegan cookies, a juice cleanse, and so much more. I’ve visited a few different times now and each time has been a great experience. I definitely recommend checking them out. Whether you’re currently eating clean or not it’s a great chance to support a Black Owned Business with an awesome energy.

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A view inside our room at The Kent Hotel.

My first round of anxiety came from the hotel. We spent months online deciding should we use a hotel or AirBnB. When it came down to comparing prices it seemed like most AirBnB’s would be more expensive due to fees so we chose to stay at a hotel. Hotels in Miami can be another cause of anxiety because they offer a lot of “boutique” style hotels (meaning that most of them were places we had never heard of). The most we could do was look at reviews (I always recommend checking several different sites) and go with our gut feeling. We were not let down. We chose The Kent Hotel which had recent renovations and was about a 5 minute walk from the beach, shops, and amazing restaurants.

Food is one of my favorite things to try when traveling and I consider myself very adventurous when it comes to trying new places. Among the places we visited were Sugar Factory (famous for their smoking drinks but dinner was good too), The Naked Taco (the name says it all), 11th Street Diner (amazing breakfast/brunch), Sushi Siam (delicious Thai food), LimeTree Lounge (the restaurant/hookah bar at our hotel), and of course we had to stop by Wet Willie’s. Every restaurant in South Beach includes 18% gratuity automatically (Sugar Factory was 20%) so the meals end up being pretty expensive. The craziest thing to me was that no matter what time you walked down Ocean Ave (the main street so to speak) all the restaurants were saying it was happy hour and asking you to view their menu. Guess “they” weren’t lying when they said it is always happy hour somewhere.

Besides food, there were plenty of shops within walking distance. If we walked about 3 blocks one way there was a Victoria’s Secret, Ugg Australia, the Kardashian store -DASH (where I couldn’t even afford sale rack items), Nine West, Sephora, and a Walgreen’s that sold liquor. About 7 blocks in the opposite direction we stumbled upon a farmer’s market serving fresh fruit, empanadas, and other trinkets in the middle of a mile long of shops including Forever21, Alex and Ani, and H&M.

Fresh mango, pineapple, and watermelon from the Farmer’s Market.

We didn’t go clubbing as much as we thought we would. We decided to visit G5ive, one of the newer strip clubs in the area, instead of KOD which was a pretty fun time. The rest of our nights were spent drinking together in our room, visiting the hookah bar downstairs, or simply walking the strip of restaurants housed opposite of our hotel.

The weather was pretty warm but of course it is Florida so we did endure a few hours of rain (more like a drizzle) on two separate days. We were able to visit the beach and the water was a pretty clear/blue.

All in all, South Beach was great to experience being young and carefree. I would definitely recommend opening up your mind and taking on adventure when visiting because a lot of the places you visit will not have familiar names. That’s part of the fun in it all.

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            When I originally thought of Jamaica I was thinking of a “How Stella Got Her Groove Back” beautiful island oasis that was similar to Americanized land where everyone lived in nice houses similar to the one that Winston’s parents had (keep up with the movies reference). That’s not what I got.

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Truckeroo is a food truck festival held on the Half Street Fairgrounds (located directly across from the Navy Yard Metro & Nationals Stadium). Once a month from April to September (dates below), local food trucks gather to give the public a taste of what they have to offer. Being a self-declared food enthusiast (aka foodie), I was excited to see so many food trucks in one area and I made sure to take a look around before zeroing in on an option.

There was everything from burgers to lobster rolls to Korean barbecue. There was even dessert! The trucks are aligned around the outside edges of the fairgrounds so that the hundreds of people could move freely throughout the middle. There are also games and live music to keep everyone entertained throughout the day. The event is family friendly so a few people even brought pets.

I decided on food from a Jamaican truck named “Reggae Vibes.” They, as well as most other trucks, offered cash and credit as a payment option. I ordered a jerk chicken sandwich with a side of rice and peas. The food was extremely good and reasonably priced. The venue was offering drinks (alcoholic and alcohol-free) so I decided to wash my meal down with a margarita. Even though I was unable to finish my food, I made sure I had enough room for dessert. I kept seeing people walk around with these ice cream sandwiches that looked so delicious that I absolutely had to have one. So I headed over to a truck called “Captain Cookie & the Milk Man” and of course their line was pretty long but it was well worth it (I got vanilla ice cream with a chocolate chip cookie on top and a snickerdoodle on the bottom).

It’s awesome that Truckeroo isn’t just a one day event. I definitely hope to go back to try more of the variety….and have another ice cream sandwich

Truckeroo’s upcoming dates (from 11am – 11pm):
May 20
June 17
July 8
August 19
September 16

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