Summer Fun: Exploratory Friday

Earlier this summer my friend, Afua (a woman who loves DC), with some of her fun friends, decided to plan happy hours every Friday during the summer on open rooftops, unknown dive bars, dark speakeasies or any other fun place in DC.  The event was titled "Exploratory Fridays" (EF) and the idea was every Friday friends would gather at a place 'off the beaten path', unknown to many, and enjoy happy hour specials.

Usually I am on travel and not able to enjoy these fun Friday happy hours.  However, this past Friday I was here and wow did I enjoy!  It was a particularly special event as the group was celebrating two birthdays (Happy Birthday again Jahera and Lisa!).

Vinoteca

The group started at Vinoteca (1940 11th St NW, Washington, DC 20001).  This was a great place to start!  Perfect weather meant having happy hour on their outside patio.  There was bar seating, high tables as well as two tables meant for groups.  Also, there is bocce ball for those who like to drink and play at the same time.  The happy hour offers $5 glasses of wine and sangria, $25 sangria pitchers, discounted beer and small plates.  Our favorite snack was the hand cut fries with pulled pork, cheese, and chives - DIVINE!  You absolutely must order 2 - 3 orders of the fries and request forks because your friends are going to want to also dive in (sharing is caring)!  The other great thing about this place was the DJ!  They put on a station which played hits by Whitney Houston, Boys II Men, Michael Jackson, Kris Kross, Salt n Peppa on and on and on ... My friend Afua and I were excited and kinda wanted to dance (running man, anyone?) ...

The fries ... oh the fries ...

Solly's Tavern

Happy hour at Vinoteca ended at 7pm but we were still thirsty and in a celebratory mood so we walked next door to Solly's Tavern (1942 11th St NW, Washington, DC 20001).  We did not eat at Solly's but we did enjoy a few drinks.  Their happy hour ends at 8pm ($3.50 selected beer and $5.50 selected alcohol) so we had another hour of spirited beverages and $10 worth of tipsy jukebox selections (I, of course, chose a classic mix of Prince and Bachata favorites).  I would imagine this is a neighborhood favorite as many of the patrons seemed to know the bartender and those sipping around them.  Pretty chill atmosphere and I like the idea of a jukebox.  I am looking forward to returning on a Thursday for Kostume Karaoke (http://www.kostumekaraokedc.com/).  This can be NOTHING but a GOOD TIME (who is down to join me?!). 

Den of Thieves

After Solly's Tavern we walked to Den of Thieves (2005 14th St NW Washington, DC 20009).  I really enjoyed Den of Thieves.  It is next door to Marvin and offers a great atmosphere with decent DJ.  Additionally (and deliciously) they offer a short menu with simple cocktails and Asian "street food" such as spring rolls and Korean style fried wings (OMG DELICIOUS!).  For libation I ordered a John Collins which I have not had in quite some time and was impressed. Overall, I would absolutely visit this place again.  I would recommend for group setting, happy hour or even an after dinner spot for drinks.

Finger lickin' good ... no, for real.  Delicious.

The spring rolls are pretty great too!

"Exploratory Fridays" has been an absolutely great idea to get to know DC!  I cannot be the only person guilty of never venturing out and having happy hour or dinner at only my favorite spots.  I encourage you during these last few weeks of summer, leading into the fall, to go out and find a new place for happy hour or dinner.  If you cannot think of anything immediately, why not try Vinoteca, Solly's Tavern or Den of Thieves?  Happy exploring!

Birthday Girl, Jahera, embraces a friend she has not seen
in almost 20 years.  EF, the friend reuniter.

New and old friends posing before going to the next EF destination.

Destination: Where to Eat, Dance and Play in Kinshasa

Sunset over the Congo River

Kinshasa is surprisingly very busy in the day, alive at night and very expensive.  When I was told the daily allowance was over $100 I thought "no way I will need all of that!"  Wrong.  You can easily spend that amount when eating, dancing and playing in Kinshasa.  But it is worth it!  While the local currency is the Congolese franc ($1 = 920 franc) the US dollar is widely accepted around Kinshasa.  Taxi service is a bit high.  My colleague who speaks French negotiated pricing for us each night.  We paid an average of $20 for a round trip. 

While there is a large expat community the restaurants, bars or clubs were never fully 'packed.'  Every location could also boast of a friendly and relaxing atmosphere.  Many locations provided open gardens to sit, relax, eat or have a drink.  When you go out allow 2 - 2.5 hours for dining.  Service is 'relaxed' (we will not slow) and for the most part, as you will read below, the food was worth the wait.  Finally, advice for fellow non-French speakers:  when you are out and about the main language will be French.  While Kinshasa is a large city populated with business owners, students and expats, do not expect service or menus in English.

Without further delay, please experience Kinshasa with me, through words and photos, in part II of my destination blog, Kinshasa, DRC.

PLACES TO EAT:

•  Fleuve Congo Hotel:  My colleague and I are staying at the Fleuve Congo Hotel.  This is a business hotel with large rooms and meeting facilities.  There is also a gym, nice size pool as well as a billards room.  You can eat food at the bar, in the lounge located off the lobby as well as their restaurant.  Note, even though the website names 2 additional restaurants, these restaurants are actually closed and have been for a year.  The food is average and highly priced.  The dinner buffet is $55 per person with very little variety.  The chicken cordon bleu is nice and they do have a nice wine selection.  Main course a la carte will range from $25 - $50 per person.  A bottle of their house wine (a French Merlot) will cost you $40. 

  

  Lobby of Fleuve Congo Hotel

  

  Entertainment after work in the lobby of the Fleuve Congo Hotel

• Pizzeria v Pizzeria - Limoncello and O'Poeta:  When in Africa OF COURSE you must have pizza (sarcasm).  Both of these places were highly recommended so my colleague and I decided to venture outside of the hotel for a cheaper meal. 
• O'Poeta has a sports bar atmosphere and is popular with expats.  The pizza is large enough for two and reasonably priced.  There is also quite a large variety.  The ingredients are fresh with finely sliced tomatoes being used at the base instead of a sauce. Two pizzas, five beers and two after dinner cocktails cost us $80.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

• Limoncello wins, hands down! The atmosphere is lively and the pizza is delicious!  This is not only a great place to enjoy the company of friends, colleagues but also to bring a date.  You have an option of eating inside or outside on a large patio.  There is also a very nice wine list and might I suggest sorbet for dessert.  The pizza is big enough to share with another person and so dinner, plus a nice bottle of Chianti with dessert cost us $90. 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Grand Hotel offers a small restaurant alongside their pool with a live band during the week.  In addition to wood-fire pizzas this restaurant also offers beef, chicken and fish kabobs.  There is also a light snack menu available as well.  Nice place to go for a drink and light dinner.  The prices are pretty high - dinner for 2 plus beers cost us $100. 

The kabobs were also delicious!

• Chez Philo: This was one of our favorites with two visits in one weekend!  The reviews you find online are accurate.  Reasonably priced HIGH QUALITY food!  While my colleague enjoyed the tender beef brochette, both times I enjoyed "filet pur de boeuf" - "pure beef filet" (which, even cooked well, I could cut with a butter knife), topped with peppercorn sauce, rice on the side.  We also enjoyed a nice bottle of French wine each time:  Medoc the first evening and a Bordeaux Superior the second time around.  Dinner for two, plus a bottle wine as well as an additional glass each cost us $90. 
  
  
  
  
  
  

  

  Table cloth embellishment

  
  

  

  Butter knife is all you need ...

• Chez Maman Colonel:  This was our favorite!  Chez Maman Colonel is known for it's rotisserie chicken.  It is made to order so we waited 30 minutes but when we received our meal it was worth the wait!  The meat was tender, well flavored, juicy, succulent ... the skin was perfectly crispy which I was not expecting.  We demolished our meals!  Dinner for two, plus a bottle of wine cost us $80.  The location is a 15 minute drive from our hotel but I wish I had the time to return for the grilled fish ... I can only dream *food sigh* next time! 
  
  
  
  
  
  

  

  Grilled plantains

  
  

  

  The BEST chicken I have ever tasted! (Sorry Mom)

  

  Demolished ... #nothingbutbonesleft

• La Piscine: Specializing in Grecian food, was quite good and much better than Eros (not blogged because it was pretty blah).  We ordered quite a few appetizers, bottles of white wine and main courses.  The atmosphere was peaceful.  On Sundays this restaurant is popular with families who bring their children to splash around in the pool while they await their food.  For four people:  2 bottles of wine, 3 apertifs, 5 appetizers, 4 main courses and 2 salads our bill was $300.
  
  
  
  
  
  

  

  Taramosalata - Carp Roe spread made with cured cod eggs

  
  

  

  White cheese with cucumber and wild onion

  
  

  

  Warm baguette with cheese and olive oil

  
  

  

  Spicy prawns

Bon apetit!

DANCE & PLAY:

• Jazz Bar at Fleuve Hotel: Boring!  Seriously, skip it.  The only time I spent there was for an after dinner drink with my colleague.  
• Fiesta Club:  Should be named "Siesta" - snooze!  The club was empty at 1am and I know why - the DJ is horrendous, spinning old, lame 80s and 90s ballads (think Eric Clapton, not Jodeci).  Also, you can only buy wine by the bottle and it is old.  When we tried to have it replaced they offered cheap cognac in it's place. 
  
• Club Ntemba:  A great place to hear and dance to local music!  Fun crowd, large dance floor and great music.  This is a place you must visit if you are ever in Kinshasa over the weekend. 
  

• Kwilu Bar: I have mixed feelings about this bar.  On the one hand it plays great music from 70s to present (think everything from The Gap Band, Earth, Wind and Fire to Michael Jackson, Prince to R.Kelly, Jodeci and present skipping Justin Beiber and One Direction *thank God*).  Great energy and popular.  On the other hand it is popular with expats who get pretty drunk.  It is a great place to start the night and once you have hopped around and are pretty drunk a great place to end the night as well.  Warning:  at the end of the night those expats will be barefoot and doing swing to every song, including a R. Kelly ballad LOL  
  
  
  

  

  A local beer which I quite enjoy

Enjoy other photos I snapped while in Kinshasa, DRC below.  Merci! XO 

2nd Annual Art Expo in Kinshasa

View from a small local restaurant's rooftop

#100happydays

100 days ago I challenged myself to find something to appreciate in each and every day.  It did not have to be a 'big' something, simply something that made me smile that day, something that brought me personal joy.  I admit some days were harder than others.  Some days I really had to reach deep down and say "Oh in that one second today I was happy..."

I realized I know what makes me happy and simply need to do more of it!  The top five things that make me happy? -

Loving the mothers in my family!

Good times with Paul Scott and Afua

• Being with my family and friends:  I am blessed to have my family nearby so I visit them every weekend when I am home.  I have found that I prefer unwinding during a weekend with my family preferable over getting dressed up and being 'turnt up'.  Besides, not being in the streets on Saturday nights means I am at church on Sunday morning haha While I am able to sometimes stream services from my home church (depending on connectivity while on travel), there is nothing like being in the presence of, worshiping and learning with my Grace church family.  And of course, dinner, drinks and catch up with my friends is always a good time. 

  

  Keli and Dawn coming to VA to celebrate July 4th

• Getting two hour massages:  Who does not love a good massage?  And a two hour massage is even better!  Before and after long flights I take the time out for a nice 2-hour medium pressure massage.  I am a member of Massage Envy, paying $59 each month.  The $59 membership = 1 hour massage per month.  This means I pay an additional $59 on the day of my visit for the extra hour and it is worth it!  And when I am on travel I definitely take advantage of massage prices abroad (ranging between $20 - $50 for 1 hour).  Massages are not only great for relaxing but as my therapist advised they are good for overall health:  reducing or eliminating pain, improving joint mobility, improving circulation (important after long international flights), improving immune system function (important in blocking illness while traveling), reducing depression and anxiety (happy days) and reducing tension within muscles. 

  

  Massage time!

• Dancing:  If you know me then you know dancing makes me happy.  There is nothing that makes me feel happier than being on the dance floor and then leaving it in the wee hours of the morning. 
  

Fun in Cote d'Ivoire

• Experiencing culture outside of my own:  During the last 100 days I have traveled to 7 different countries (South Africa, Zambia, Dominican Republic, Cote d'Ivoire, Burundi, Holland and DRC) three of them new to me (Zambia, Burundi and DRC)!  What a blessing it has been to learn something new in each country, meet new people, see old friends in addition to enjoying food, music and experiences I would not otherwise experience in the United States.  These travels not only contributed to my professional but also to my personal growth.  My advice to everyone reading this - save your money, plan the time, obtain a passport if you do not have one and travel!  The way you view people, cultures, politics, etc. will never be the same.  Your mind will slowly begin to open and there is no way you would be willing to have it closed again. 

  

  Beach club in Burundi

  
  

  

  A day long trek in Utrecht, Holland

Smiles from Zambia

• Improving my physical health:  Good health = happiness.  This is a journey which started December 26, 2012 and is on-going.  During these 100 days I found myself looking for alternative ways to decrease stress (exercise instead of glasses of wine), making sure I sleep at least 6 hours a night (if jet lag is not an issue), trying different physical activities (hikes, barre classes and longer bouts of cardio) as well as cooking more often when I am home.  These small changes have allowed me to see changes in a positive way with pounds and inches lost.  If my nutritionist has his way I have 20 - 25 more pounds to lose (he keeps moving the goal post hmm).  I am not looking to weigh or look the same as I did when I was 18 but I am looking to be happier in how I FEEL physically.  Looking better in my clothes is also a bonus! 
  

Today I completed the challenge and I learned that I OWN my happiness.  I need to do something, see someone, say something each and every day that brings me inner joy, makes ME smile.  I also learned to take care of myself spiritually, physically, mentally and emotionally.  This sometimes meant saying "no" to others, having to sometimes skip an event, a meeting at work or a trip to make time for what was important to me.  Find my "me time", not over extend myself at the cost of my health and happiness, take the time to think about what makes me happy.  True friends understood and work will always be there. If you have not taken on this challenge, I suggest you do.  Hopefully, this blog entry and some of the photos will be an inspiration.  A very special, happy thank you to each and every person that brought a smile to my face during these #100happydays. 

Some of many smiles captured during my #100happydays challenge