Focus On: Agua 301

November 18, 2019 foodfixxeLeave a comment

I’m excited to share my first “Focus On” with you! I’m not a good critic, which is why I never got into Yelp. I’m not good at writing negative reviews, especially about the restaurant business, because I know how easy it can be to have one bad night due to unusual and unexpected circumstances that don’t accurately reflect the place. Now, ask me to write a negative review about an apartment that I spent 24/7/365 in and I will happily rip open a new one ᕙ(⇀‸↼‶)ᕗ

Anywho, I only write about restaurants I love – short and sweet, so let’s put the focus on Agua 301 in Washington, DC.

A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of visiting Agua 301 with a group of foodie friends. The Yards Park restaurant at the Capitol Riverfront serves a variety of delicious Mexican dishes with a modern flare for dinner, lunch, brunch and happy hour.

Chef JAO’s talent and passion for Mexican cuisine is quite evident. Every dish I tasted was incredible! Even things I don’t normally eat, like Pork Belly, made its way to the top of my favorites list in the form of Tacos. Other dishes among my favorites included Chipotle Shrimp, Steak & Shrimp Fajitas, Crab Cakes Benedict, Sopa de Mariscos (seafood soup), and Mushroom Huarache (a vegetarian flatbread.)

We had such a great night of community, eating, and enjoying margaritas and sangria. It’s such a fun atmosphere and the location is nice too. Chef is so personable and talented, the staff was super friendly and attentive, and the food speaks for itself! If you haven’t had the chance to check it out yet, do yourself a favor and go!

Halloween Giveaway

October 30, 2019October 31, 2019 foodfixxe2 Comments

On Halloween morning, I will be hosting my very first Instagram giveaway! I went back and forth on what to do before finally deciding on Dunkin’ Donuts. My boss and I took an afternoon walk to Dunkin for her tea, and while we were in line I saw this adorable spider donut. I didn’t have an easy month, and it wasn’t very festive. Sometimes it just takes something little to turn your mood around. I couldn’t resist the donut that made me smile.

While contemplating giveaways, it was important to me to make my first one applicable to my many friends around the country – obviously the DMV, but also so many in New Jersey and New York, Florida, Arizona, Chicago, etc. Dunkin is pretty much everywhere! And if you weren’t aware, the Dunkin company supports many local organizations that address issues like hunger, safety and children’s health.

In the future I plan to do local giveaways as well because I am an advocate of supporting small businesses. But I’d also like to include my international friends in a giveaway.

As we head into the season of thanks and giving, I want to say THANK YOU to my friends. I hope we continue to support each others’ journeys for a long time. But for now, excuse me while my spider donut and I get back to watching Hocus Pocus!

World Vegetarian Day

October 1, 2019October 1, 2019 foodfixxeLeave a comment

Confession time: I’ve always wanted to be a vegetarian, but for one reason or another, it just hasn’t happened. The guilt trips don’t work, the health threats, the graphic videos – they don’t work. However, I am regularly trying to incorporate more plants into my diet, and less meat. Lately I’ve come across a lot of vegans and vegetarians who are very supportive of others starting off with small steps. Meatless Monday is a good start. More fish and veggies, and less red meat are also good steps forward.

This weekend I got to attend Smorgasburg DC again. For my first stop (after iced tea of course), I beelined straight to Just AJ’s to finally try their veenies (vegan hot dogs.) I tried the buffalo veenie, and let me tell you, I don’t like hot dogs, but I can get used to veenies!

I won’t lie – I wasn’t too sure after the first bite. Keep in mind, I don’t like hot dogs to begin with, so eating something resembling a hot dog isn’t high on my list. But I really wanted to try food that was vegan, regardless of its shape! The buffalo toppings gave it extra flavor, and the bun was a nice compliment. It was actually very refreshing (physically and mentally) to come across little chunks or carrot and cauliflower in my veenie, rather than chunks of who-knows-what kind of gristle.

On this World Vegetarian Day, shout out to all the vegetarians and vegans doing what many of us wish we could do, but believe me, sometimes it’s easier said than done. I just don’t have it in me right now, but I do regularly try to take these important steps, and I’m always looking out for more and more opportunities. Realistically, I’ll probably never be a vegetarian, but I really want to commit to continue trying to incorporate more vegetarian options like these awesome veenies into the rotation.

Immediate goals: to eat only vegetarian today! (I will try to post my successes in my Instagram stories.) It’s great being respectfully cheered on by vegetarians.

How do you incorporate more plant-based foods into your diet?

Just AJ's Veenie — Just AJ’s Veenie (Vegan hot dog)

Dependable Starbucks

September 23, 2019September 30, 2019 foodfixxeLeave a comment

As a foodie, I’m always looking for something new, and I tend to gravitate towards local, small businesses first, but realistically, there are some large corporations I can’t do without. Starbucks is one of them.

My first taste of Starbucks occurred during high school when I’d meet friends at Barnes & Noble. We’d sip on our coffees while studying, schmoozing, and comparing books. I think we felt sophisticated. But this routine continued throughout college. Sometimes, we’d meet up at one of the few Starbucks in the area.

When I moved back to New Jersey for grad school, the same thing ended up happening. Starbucks seemed to be the regular place to meet up when we had a group project, a date, or just needed to get out of our apartments. A lot of good memories came out of those Starbucks visits.

But it’s not just about the sentiment. I travel a lot, up and down the east coast, sometimes domestically, once to Canada. (I’m not a traveler – it’s just not me.) If I can find a Starbucks, and I almost always can, I know I’m good. I can use a clean bathroom if needed. I can choose from a large variety of coffee and tea – regular or decaf. I can get a bottle of water. And I can get a healthy snack for the road, or something more filling.

Whenever I come across a Starbucks, I feel relieved. I know exactly what to expect every time, at every store, and for someone who doesn’t love traveling to begin with, having that one less stressor is a real godsend.

I love supporting local, small business, and I think I do a pretty good job, but I’m thankful that Starbucks exists, and I will always be a loyal customer for as long as they do.

Discovering new wineries

September 10, 2019 foodfixxe2 Comments

Summer is still kicking in Northern Virginia, and I’m not taking it for granted. Labor Day, the unofficial “last day of summer,” provided us with perfect weather to remain outside.

I don’t remember how, but I stumbled upon this hidden gem in Leesburg – Fleetwood Farm Winery. It feels secluded enough, but guess what?! There’s none of those winding roads or hills that I can’t stand!

They weren’t offering their standard food menu because of the holiday, but Paella Deliciosa was there to keep us satisfied, and believe me, it was truly deliciosa!

We tasted several reds and whites, and ended up choosing a glass of Riesling to sip on the patio with our paella. The scenery was beautiful, but not too far from the road, which is a definite perk for this city girl.

After two bowls of paella, we left the back patio and headed to the front patio, which contained a fire pit (obviously not yet in use) and a couple corn hole boards. We played one round, and I lost by a point.

As easy as this place is to get to, I’m already sure this will be a regular hangout for us throughout the fall.

(Note: This is an adults only winery, so you will need to make other plans for the under 21 crowd beforehand!)

Fleetwood Farm Winery
Wine and paella
Enjoying the vineyard scenery
Cornhole
Having fun on the patio!

But the beautiful weather didn’t stop there.

Last weekend, I visited another new winery for a team building event with some coworkers – Arterra Winery in Fauquier County. This winery was far and took a while to get to from Fairfax, but we had an amazing time.

It’s definitely secluded, but there are a lot of pick-your-own fruit farms right nearby. The owners also sell their beautiful art there. They don’t have food, but they sell a nice variety of cheese and chips to munch on while you sip.

Three of us ordered a bottle of sweet apple wine to share on the patio with our snacks. While I generally choose a red wine, I noticed that all summer I’ve been picking a white. I guess I associate a crisp, fresh white with summer, whereas I prefer to pair a spicier red with autumn.

Despite Arterra being a little further out than my liking, I have a feeling I’ll be back to visit regardless.

Team Building
The Vineyard
Wine tasting
Wine and snacks on the patio
Cheers!

Winedown Wednesday

August 28, 2019August 28, 2019 foodfixxeLeave a comment

Happy Winedown Wednesday! And happy National Red Wine day, by coincidence. Last month, during one of the hottest weekends of the summer, we decided to visit Greenhill Winery in Middleburg, VA. I’ve visited several wineries before, but had yet to check off a winery from my Northern Virginia to-do list. After reviewing as many as I could, I decided that Greenhill looked like the perfect match for me, and I was not disappointed!

I’m a city girl, so the windy, hilly roads that got us there were beautiful, but a little too much for me to handle. I prefer the straight and flat roads, which sadly contributes to the reason why I haven’t frequented more wineries. Nonetheless, this place is amazing! The views are beautiful, and I loved the summery flowers around the patio. Service was amazing as well. We ordered a baguette and cheese plate to go with our wine tasting flight.

After we tasted a nice variety, we selected our favorite. Normally I choose a red wine, specifically a Malbec, but that day I was in the mood for something bubbly. I decided on a glass of Blanc de blancs, and we headed out into the field to relax on the large wooden chairs. It was so peaceful and quiet – overall, a beautiful experience that I would recommend to anyone!

Important note: the winery is adults only, which really only adds to its charm. Be sure you make other prior arrangements for the 21 and under crowd!