Monday, December 16, 2019

Lunchtime Links for December 16th, 2019

The Block MD in Pike & Rose

I had the chance to check out the new Block located in Pike and Rose over the weekend, and I'm so happy to have another new place close by!  The Block opened before Thanksgiving, and currently has 6 vendors - Mama Mei's, Slice Club, Oppa's, Pokeworks, Snocream, and Rose Ave Bakery, plus a nice bar set up in the upper level of the seating area.  

 



I tried the combination Lo Mein from Mama Mei's and it was very tasty - this will definitely be a go-to when I'm feeling like getting a quick fix of Chinese food!  


The pastries from Rose Ave Bakery are really pretty and if you get there early enough, there's a lot of very fun and inventive menu items to try! 




Since there were so many items to choose from in the morning, I got the Coffee milk tea doughnut, Ube s'mores mochi cruller, and matcha chocolate chip cookie.  The Ube s'mores mochi cruller especially had a great chew from the mochi and I really enjoyed it.  I love that they have so many flavor combinations that you can't find everywhere else.s I can't wait to come back and try out more items from them, as well as the other vendors!




The Block MD
Pike & Rose
967 Rose Avenue
North Bethesda, MD 20852

Friday, December 13, 2019

Lunchtime Links for December 13th, 2019

Thursday, December 12, 2019

Lunchtime Links for December 12th, 2019

Wednesday, December 11, 2019

Lunchtime Links for December 11th, 2019

Dunkin' Donuts x Homesick Candles



Dunkin' Donuts and candles - what a perfect combination!  As soon as I saw that Homesick was coming out with coffee and doughnut themed candles in a special collaboration wil Dunkin' Donuts, I knew I had to get them! 

There are 3 scents in the collection - Original Blend, Old Fashioned, and Peppermint Mocha.  I got the first two which you can see in the photo - the packaging is too cute!  On cold sniff they smell great and true to the names.  I love coffee-scented candles especially so the Original Blend is really awesome.  I hope they do more collaborations like this in the future!

Tuesday, December 10, 2019

Lunchtime Links for December 10th, 2019

Monday, December 9, 2019

Lunchtime Links for December 9th, 2019

Mitsuwa NJ Visit - Ramen Santouka and Omusubi Gonbei

I was recently up in Northern NJ for work, and was pretty happy to see that I happened to be staying very close to the Mitsuwa market complex in Edgewater, NJ!  I used to come here a lot with my family when we lived in NJ, but I haven't been in years since we all moved away.  It was so nice getting to stop in and do some shopping like old times!

Ramen Santouka has been at the food court of Mitsuwa for as long as I can remember, so of course I had to grab lunch there before driving back home.  Below is the Tonkotsu Miso ramen - the broth is delicious, and the tender pieces of chashu pork are so good! 



I also picked up these at Omusubi Gonbei, which I don't think was around when I was shopping at Mitsuwa years ago.   They had a bunch of different omusubi flavors so it took some time to decide.  But I decided on the shrimp tempura and pork chashu omusubi.  Both were really tasty and packed with so much flavor.  A place like this would be a great option for a quick snack or meal, depending on how many you get.  I would love for one of these to open in the DC area!



Tuesday, December 3, 2019

Monday, December 2, 2019

Lunchtime Links for December 2nd, 2019

Georgetown Cupcake - December Flavors

December is one of the best months for fun Georgetown Cupcake flavors - there are so many fun holiday themed cupcakes available now!

- Christmas Cookie: Georgetown Cupcake's twist on the traditional holiday sugar cookie is a Madagascar Bourbon vanilla cupcake infused with almond and cinnamon and red and green crystal sanding sugar, topped with an almond and cinnamon-infused buttercream frosting, red and green crystal sanding sugar, and a fondant Christmas cookie

- Mrs. Claus' Cocoa: Georgetown Cupcake's Valrhona chocolate cupcake, stuffed with marshmallow, and topped with a Callebaut milk chocolate buttercream frosting, Callebaut dark chocolate curls, and a white fondant snowflake

- Chocolate Peppermint: Valrhona chocolate cupcake with a peppermint-infused whipped Callebaut chocolate ganache frosting topped with crushed peppermint

- White Chocolate Peppermint: White Callebaut chocolate peppermint-infused cupcake topped with a candy-cane striped white chocolate peppermint buttercream frosting

- Rudolph Red Velvet: Classic red velvet cupcake with a vanilla cream cheese frosting topped with a fondant red-nosed reindeer

- Reindeer Munch Crunch: Valrhona chocolate cupcake with a peppermint chocolate ganache center, frosted with Callebaut white chocolate peppermint buttercream frosting, and topped with crushed peppermint and a drizzle of peppermint chocolate ganache

- Gingerbread: Gingerbread cupcake topped with a cinnamon-infused cream cheese frosting and a fondant gingerbread man

- Chocolate Egg Nog: Valrhona chocolate egg nog cupcake topped with a (non-alcoholic) rum-infused frosting, a dusting of nutmeg and a light blue fondant snowflake

- Christmas Butterscotch Cheesecake: Callebaut butterscotch cheesecake with a graham cracker crust topped with a butterscotch frosting and fondant holly

- White Chocolate Peppermint Cheesecake: Georgetown Cupcake's Callebaut white chocolate peppermint cheesecake with an oreo cookie crust, topped with a Callebaut white chocolate peppermint buttercream frosting, crushed peppermint, and a fondant wreath

- Santa's Chocolate Chip: Vanilla chocolate chip cupcake with a whipped Callebaut chocolate frosting topped with a fondant snowflake

-  Sticky Toffee Pudding: Georgetown Cupcake's modern twist on the traditional English sticky toffee pudding - Toffee cupcake with a caramel core, topped with a toffee-infused frosting, and a caramel star drizzle and fondant holly

- Christmas Caramel: Caramel cupcake with a salted caramel-infused buttercream frosting topped with a caramel drizzle and a green fondant Christmas tree

- Holiday Lava Fudge: Valrhona chocolate cupcake with a rich fudge core topped with a vanilla icing, a fudge star drizzle, and a green fondant Christmas tree

- Snowy Vanilla and Buttercream: Classic Madagascar vanilla cupcake topped with a vanilla buttercream frosting, sparkling sanding sugar, and a shimmering light blue fondant snowflake

- Snowball Coconut: Georgetown Cupcake's holiday inspired coconut cupcake topped with vanilla cream cheese frosting and coconut flakes

- Baileys Holiday Red Velvet: Georgetown Cupcake’s signature Red Velvet cupcake, infused with a non-alcoholic Baileys Irish Cream essence, topped with a gold fondant holiday ornament embossed with Baileys logo



Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Lunchtime Links for November 19th, 2019

Monday, November 18, 2019

Lunchtime Links for November 18th, 2019

Bye Bye Bei Bei at Smithsonian's National Zoo

Some friends and I went over to the Smithsonian's National Zoo for the last few days of Bei Bei's stay in DC before he goes to China - it will be sad to see him go!  The zoo has had a lot of fun events to celebrate Bei Bei and his parents over the last week, and it was a windy but sunny day to enjoy walking around and seeing some of the other animals that were out.  I hope Bei Bei has a safe trip to China - DC will miss you!






Friday, November 15, 2019

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Lunchtime Links for November 13th, 2019

Friday, November 8, 2019

Lunchtime Links for November 8th, 2019

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Lunchtime Links for November 7th, 2019

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

Lunchtime Links for November 6th, 2019

Sanrio at World Market

I stopped in World Market on Sunday after seeing some posts on Instagram about more Sanrio items being sold in stores.  I was happy to see lots of different items, not just the Hello Kitty items that I had seen previously.  There were plenty of "just for fun" items that I saw and liked, but I decided to get some "useful" items this time - Gudetama pens (Frixion pens have erasable ink so they're great for planners!) and Hello Kitty pasta, haha.







If you're a World Market member, there was a coupon to receive this little Hello Kitty beanie plush with any $25+ Sanrio purchase until today.  Even though it's really tiny (the tag is almost bigger than the plush haha), it's a nice little bonus to go with my purchases!  Be sure to check out the collection online or in stores - there's lots of cute items that would be great for holiday gifts!

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Monday, November 4, 2019

Lunchtime Links for November 4th, 2019

Georgetown Cupcake - November Flavors

There are a lot of fun fall-themed flavors this month at Georgetown Cupcake - perfect for Thanksgiving or other gatherings which seem to ramp up this time of year!

- Caramel Apple: Fresh apple cupcake with a caramel core topped with a vanilla cream cheese frosting and a caramel star drizzle

- Maple Chocolate Chip: Maple cupcake studded with Callebaut chocolate chips and topped with a maple cream cheese frosting and a fondant maple leaf

- Thanksgiving Chocolate: Valrhona chocolate cupcake with vanilla buttercream frosting topped with a brown fondant turkey

- Thanksgiving Vanilla: Madagascar vanilla cupcake with vanilla buttercream frosting and topped with a brown fondant turkey

- Caramel Cheesecake: Caramel cheesecake topped with a caramel frosting and caramel star drizzle

- Coffee Toffee: Coffee cupcake infused with crushed toffee and topped with a mocha frosting and crushed toffee

- Pumpkin Cheesecake:Pumpkin cheesecake cupcake with a graham cracker crust, topped with maple cream cheese frosting and a fondant maple leaf

- Pumpkin Spice: Pumpkin spice cupcake with a maple-infused cream cheese frosting topped with a fondant maple leaf

- Chocolate Caramel Swirl:Valrhona chocolate and dulce de leche caramel marbled cupcake topped with a whipped Callebaut chocolate ganache and salted caramel “twist” frosting

- Chocolate Caramel Pecan Fudge: Valrhona chocolate cupcake with a pecan nut and caramel core, topped with a salted caramel buttercream, toasted coconut flakes and a fudge & caramel lattice drizzle

- Baileys Red Velvet: Georgetown Cupcake’s signature Red Velvet cupcake, infused with a non-alcoholic Baileys Irish Cream essence, topped with a gold fondant heart embossed with Baileys logo

Friday, November 1, 2019

Thursday, October 31, 2019

Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Lunchtime Links for October 30th, 2019

Dunkin' Donuts Holiday Cup

I'm fully aware that we're not even done with October yet - but I got coffee at Dunkin' Donuts yesterday and love their holiday cup design this year!  The little doughnut snowflakes and wreath especially are too cute.  Since it's been pretty chilly here recently it feels more like we're getting closer to the holiday season with these festive cups!





Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Lunchtime Links for October 29th, 2019

Monday, October 28, 2019

Lunchtime Links for October 28th, 2019

Shake Shack - Pumpkin Shake


What better way to get fully immersed in the fall spirit than a delicious pumpkin shake from Shake Shack?  

This shake consists of a "vanilla frozen custard blended with real pumpkin, marshmallow, cinnamon, and nutmeg and topped with toasted pumpkin seeds".  I love the extra texture and decoration of the toasted pumpkin seeds on top, and that the pumpkin flavor isn't a super strong pumpkin pie-like flavor.  This shake is available through the end of October, so be sure to head over soon if you want to try it out!


Thursday, October 10, 2019

Lunchtime Links for October 10th, 2019

Wednesday, October 9, 2019

Lunchtime Links for October 9th, 2019

Sophie & Lili - Sweater Weather Candle



As soon as I saw this fall-themed wood wick candle on Sophie & Lili's Instagram account, I knew I had to have it!  I pre-ordered this item and received it in the mail yesterday - it's even cuter in person! 

The packaging itself is right up my alley and I am definitely considering keeping the box just for the label, haha.  The candle is a nice sized wood wick candle and smells like apples and cinnamon - so good!  The glass candle container will be a cute storage jar after I am done burning the candle as well.  She also has a few holiday-themed candles available for pre-order as well if you're looking for some great holiday gifts. 

Tuesday, October 8, 2019

Monday, October 7, 2019

Lunchtime Links for October 7th, 2019


Piketoberfest at Pike & Rose

Yesterday was Pike and Rose's annual Piketoberfest, and it was a great day to celebrate fall!  There were lots of people enjoying the festival right when it started, and the crowd kept getting bigger as the afternoon went on.  Of course one of my main objectives was getting some of Sunday Morning Bakehouse's soft pretzels - so soft and delicious! Lots of stores from the area participated with food and giveaways, as well as live music and kids' activities.  I hope they continue to host fun events like this throughout the year!









Friday, October 4, 2019

Lunchtime Links for October 4th, 2019

Thursday, October 3, 2019

Lunchtime Links for October 3rd, 2019


Wednesday, October 2, 2019

Lunchtime Links for October 2nd, 2019

Georgetown Cupcake - October Flavors

October is a great month for lots of fall themed cupcake flavors at Georgetown Cupcake!

  • Pumpkin Cheesecake: Pumpkin cheesecake cupcake with a graham cracker crust, topped with maple cream cheese frosting and a fondant maple leaf
  • Pumpkin Spice: Pumpkin spice cupcake with a maple-infused cream cheese frosting topped with a fondant maple leaf 
  • Chocolate Ghost: Valrhona Chocolate cupcake topped with whipped Callebaut chocolate ganache frosting and decorated with a white fondant ghost 
  • Vanilla Bat: Classic Madagascar vanilla cupcake topped with orange buttercream frosting and a black fondant bat 
  • Vanilla Candy Spider: Classic Madagascar vanilla cupcake baked with chocolate candy pieces, topped with orange buttercream frosting and a black fondant spider 
  • Chocolate Toffee Spider Web: Valrhona chocolate cupcake baked with crushed toffee pieces, topped with purple buttercream frosting and a fudge spider web drizzle 
  • Halloween Surprise: Madagascar vanilla cupcake infused with orange and black non-pareils, topped with a whipped Callebaut chocolate frosting and decorated with a white fondant ghost 
  • Vampire Red Velvet: Red Velvet cupcake decorated with a black fondant bat 
  • Midnight Cookies and Creme: Valrhona chocolate cupcake topped with a milk chocolate cookies & crème buttercream frosting and cookie crumbles 
  • Haunted Chocolate Cheesecake: Valrhona chocolate cheesecake with a cookie crust, topped with a whipped Callebaut chocolate frosting and decorated with a green fondant ghost 
  • TLC "Give a Little" Red Velvet: Red Velvet cupcakes with vanilla cream cheese frosting, decorated with a sprinkling of gold sanding sugar and red confetti hearts, topped with coordinating “Give A Little TLC” and “Stand Up Against Bullying” logo fondant. These cupcakes are available for in-store purchase only from October 1st – October 31st.

Tuesday, October 1, 2019

Monday, September 30, 2019

Lunchtime Links for September 30th, 2019

Georgetown Cupcake - Double Chocolate Chip Fudge Cupcake


I remembered to get the Double Chocolate Chip Fudge cupcake while it's still available this month at Georgetown Cupcake - better late then never, haha :o) 

The cupcake consists of a "Valrhona chocolate cupcake studded with Callebaut chocolate chips, filled with fudge, and topped with a Callebaut milk chocolate buttercream frosting, fudge lattice drizzle, and a sprinkling of Callebaut chocolate chips".  Maybe the cupcake should've been called the super duper extra chocolate cupcake instead - so many different chocolate flavors in one cupcake!  It's a really delicious combination of chocolate in all forms and textures, perfect for any chocolate lovers.  I also picked up a Cookies and Creme Cheesecake as well, which is not quite as chocolate-filled but still super tasty.  Both of these flavors are September menu items, but I hope they come back again another time!  

Friday, September 27, 2019

Lunchtime Links for September 27th, 2019

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Lunchtime Links for September 26th, 2019

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Lunchtime Links for September 25th, 2019

Jinya Ramen Bar - Spicy Meatball Ramen

I love seeing the new menu items that come out Jinya Ramen Bar throughout the year, and this current Chef's Special is no exception!  This Spicy Meatball Ramen consists of: "Chicken clear broth, meatballs, corn, green onion, cabbage, cherry tomato, butter, and original tomato sauce in the broth with chili oil".  


 




I'll be honest, it kind of sounded like a lot going on when I first saw the menu, and I especially wasn't sure about the tomato broth.  However as soon as I started eating it, I really enjoyed it!  All of the different components really added a ton of flavor and texture to the dish, and the tomato broth was much better than I expected.  The default thick noodles that come in this dish are great as well - there's a lot going on up top here and the noodles definitely stand up to the other ingredients.   It was a delicious bowl of ramen with a unique twist - I would definitely recommend trying it out while it's available:o)  

 



Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Lunchtime Links for September 24th, 2019

Monday, September 23, 2019

Lunchtime Links for September 23rd, 2019

First Day of Fall - Pumpkin Spice Latte Throw


Happy first day of fall everyone!  While I've been enjoying seeing a lot of fall-themed items in stores for a few weeks now, I was still really happy to see this pumpkin spice latte-themed throw blanket at TJMaxx! 

I thought it was so cute with the little mugs and pumpkin pie designs on the super soft throw.  It's a little different from the Halloween and pumpkin designs that are out in stores - perfect for anyone that's obsessed with pumpkin drinks like I am!

Friday, September 20, 2019

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Lunchtime Links for September 18th, 2019

Smoko - Dumpling and Toast


Ever since I started following Smoko on Instagram a while back, I've been obsessed with their cute and fun products!  I first got the little dumpling lamp, which gives off a gentle glow while being super cute and squishy.  I recently got two more items that I had ordered a while ago - a dumpling mug and toast mug!  The dumpling mug has the same dumpling character in various drawings, which remind me of the delicious soup dumplings at Din Tai Fung :o) The toast mug is slightly smaller and square, like a thick piece of toast (with a face on it, haha) If you're also a fan of food/cute themed items (or know someone that would love them as a gift), be sure to check out all of the fun items that Smoko offers! 

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Monday, September 16, 2019

Lunchtime Links for September 16th, 2019

Trader Joe's - Pumpkin Products

I was very happy to see some pumpkin items trickling in to my local Trader Joe's the other day!  While I don't think it's full on pumpkin mode all over the store just yet, there's already a good amount of fun new products to check out!  I'll definitely have to increase my visits over the next few weeks to make sure I don't miss anything, haha :o)

 








Friday, September 13, 2019

Thursday, September 12, 2019

Tuesday, September 10, 2019

Monday, September 9, 2019

Lunchtime Links for September 9th, 2019

Hello Kitty Collection at World Market

I know that I've already been celebrating everything fall and pumpkins, but how cute is this summer themed Hello Kitty collection at World Market?  I had to take a closer look around the display when I saw this Omatsuri (Japanese festival) theme - so many cute items!  





I really like that there are so many different items, like mugs, enamel pins, bento boxes, notepads just to name a few.  I would love to know who is buying this enormous Hello Kitty cookie jar, where part of the head pops off to fill with cookies, haha!

Friday, September 6, 2019

Lunchtime Links for September 6th, 2019

Wednesday, September 4, 2019

Lunchtime Links for September 4th, 2019

Tuesday, September 3, 2019

Lunchtime Links for September 3rd, 2019

Starbucks - Pumpkin Spice Madeleines


While it's still technically summer, September to me always feels like the start of fall because of all the fun fall goodies that start to come out.  I saw these Pumpkin Spice Madeleines at Starbucks and had to try them out. 

Even though I didn't get an overwhelming pumpkin spice taste from these, just a nice hint of spice in each bite.  If you like trying pumpkin items I would definitely recommend giving these a try while they're available.  The little cakes are the perfect snack with coffee or tea!

Thursday, August 29, 2019

Lunchtime Links for August 29th, 2019

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Lunchtime Links for August 28th, 2019

Rachel Allene Fall Goodies + Starbucks PSL Day


If you're a fan of pumpkin spice anything like I am, hopefully you got a chance to enjoy the debut of the fall drinks at Starbucks yesterday!  I was very happy that my order from Rachel Allene's online shop arrived right before Pumpkin Spice Latte day, so I could go enjoy my first fall drink in my new steel mug. 

As an added bonus, you get $0.10 off of your drink at Starbucks if you bring your own mug - all the more reason to have a fun themed mug, right?  Even though it's not officially fall yet, it's never too early to enjoy some fun fall items!     

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Lunchtime Links for August 27th, 2019

Monday, August 26, 2019

Lunchtime Links for August 26th, 2019

Sugarfina - Birthday Rewards


Being a Sugarfina rewards member definitely has its perks, like receiving my choice of a 3 piece candy bento box for my birthday! I went to a store to pick them out in person, and decided on some fruit-based gummies to try out:

- Pink Pineapples
- Pink Diamonds
- Blood Orange Fruttini

I can't wait to try these out!

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Lunchtime Links for August 21st, 2019


Compass Coffee - Roasting and Tasting Event

A group of friends and I went to Compass Coffee last Saturday for their coffee roasting and tasting event.  I wanted to do something a little different and fun for my birthday and this was a great way to hang out with friends and learn more about coffee!  

The groups are small enough that it's not just a generic tour and you can ask questions as you're going through the roasting and cupping steps.  We also got to choose a tin of coffee based on what we liked during the cupping/tasting which was very nice!  I would highly recommend this for anyone that's a fan of Compass, or coffee in general as a fun little event.   

 






Compass Coffee - Shaw
1535 7th St NW
Washington, DC 20001