Category: Tastes

Tastes, Travel

A Stay Above The Rest

by Totally TashLeave a Comment on A Stay Above The Rest

A Kimpton Hotel Palomar Experience In Washington, DC

Washington, DC… What a great city with a lot of fun things to see and do. And if you’re looking for the perfect place to stay, you should check out the Hotel Palomar in Dupont Circle.

What do you look for in a hotel? I always look for great customer service, cleanliness, great food and great amenities. That’s why when my hubby and I headed to DC for our White House Staff reunion (my husband and I met working together at the White House), our first thought for a place to stay was a Kimpton hotel. They always have the best customer service, spacious rooms and delicious food. And the Hotel Palomar in Dupont Circle, which has been named the Best Hotel in DC by U.S. News & World Report several years in a row, seemed like the perfect fit. But why?

Location, Location, Location

When it comes to any hotel, the location can make or break a trip. That’s what makes the Kimpton Palomar in DC so great. Nestled in the heart of Dupont (just a couple blocks from my old apartment), this hotel is mere steps away from the hustle bustle of Dupont Circle as well as a short walk from the trendy shops and eateries in Logan Circle or Georgetown. It’s also minutes away from the National Mall, Kennedy Center and the White House. Now that’s what I call convenient!

The Room

The Kimpton Hotel Palomar in DC was recently remodeled, and the whole hotel now has a trendy, chic, minimalistic design that was inspired by the surrounding art galleries. How cool is that? And combine the new design with the spacious rooms (I mean, look at that room!), comfortable beds, yoga mats in every room, large bottles of Atelier Bloem Shampoo, Conditioner & Body Wash in the showers and Signature Kimpton bathrobes, you have the perfect place to sit back and relax.

The Food

Hotel Palomar houses Urbana Dining & Drinks. With Chef Ethan McKee at the helm, their menu features a variety of house-made Italian foods. During our stay, we tried their Chicken Meatballs (my fav!), the Arancini and the Bucatini Carbonara. They were all delicious, and worth dining at the restaurant even if you don’t stay at the hotel.

The Amenities

Oh the amenities. That is probably what makes Kimpton Hotels the best (along with their excellent customer service, of course). Everyday, they host a free Wine Hour for all guests in the lobby. Cheers to that!

The Hotel Palomar in Dupont also has yoga mats in every room, bikes for guests to use as they tour the city, a heated seasonal pool with food service from Urbana, a gym referred to as the “Sculpting Room,” in-room spa services, complimentary Wi-Fi and so much more.

Also, since I am a Gold Member, I have access to a $10 Raid The Bar credit – meaning I can use $10 towards that mini-bar or at the actual bar.

In Conclusion

To sum it up, the next time you head to DC, you should stay at the Kimpton Hotel Palomar and discover what made my stay excellent as well as why it has won the Traveler’s Choice Awards + Certificate of Excellence from Trip Advisor. Happy Traveling!

*Note – I received a discounted room rate in exchange for an honest review.

Tastes

The Un-Lucky Steakhouse

by Totally TashLeave a Comment on The Un-Lucky Steakhouse

So, I haven’t been so great at writing my restaurant reviews here recently, but that’s about to change… Starting now.

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This Tasty Tuesday is actually lacking the tasty part, unfortunately. I was excited to try Lucky’s Steakhouse over the weekend, but boy did it turn out to be a terrible experience from beginning to end. I actually left there hungry because the food was that bad. Instead of highlights, I’ve actually listed some of the lowlights below.

  • Let’s start at the very beginning. It took over 30 minutes to receive our drinks… for Diet Coke… From a fountain. Our appetizers had already arrived and been eaten to the most they would be (more on that next), and the salads were already started on. And to top it off, the carbonation was so bad. The pop/soda/Diet Coke (depending on what you call it) was so flat and almost undrinkable.
  • Since we were trying a new restaurant, we wanted to try a variety of foods they had to offer, so we started with a Sampler Appetizer. It included Ribs, Chicken Fingers, Loaded Fries and Onion Rings. The app arrived lukewarm at best and the taste was that of bad bar food. The chicken batter had a burnt aftertaste (not to mention they put the BBQ ribs on top of the Chicken Fingers, so the kids were upset they couldn’t eat the chicken since they don’t like BBQ). The fries were cold and soggy and the best part was the Onion Rings, which were nothing special and I’ve had better at countless restaurants.
  • Next up was the Prime French Dip. And it was for lack of a better word terrible. Even our server commented that their Prime Rib Sandwich was gross. There was barely any meat on the bread and what little Prime Rib was actually on the sandwich was incredibly dry and tasteless. Needless to say I sent it back and couldn’t stomach to try anything else based off of how bad the experience had been. Literally, the first time I have ever done that.

In conclusion, Lucky’s Steakhouse may be the shiny new toy of a place in the Lansing area, but steer clear. It’s not worth your money. As my hubby put it, “you know it’s bad when you’re sitting at a steakhouse eating and a Taco Bell commercial comes on and you’d rather be eating there.”

Tastes

EnVie How Good This Meal Was

by Totally TashLeave a Comment on EnVie How Good This Meal Was

For my birthday dinner, I met up with a friend and we dined at EnVie in Lansing. The meal was scrumptious and hit the spot. The drinks were tasty, the cheese plate was delish, the sauce on the Filet Mignon was interesting and had an underlying sweetness to it. And the cookie dough cheesecake was the perfect way to end a yummy meal. If you’re looking for a nice dinner place in mid-Michigan, you should check it out. 

https://envie517.com

Tastes, Travel

A Slice… Of Donato’s!

by Totally TashLeave a Comment on A Slice… Of Donato’s!

What can I say, I love my pizza. Especially the pizza of my childhood. And the pizza place that my hubby asked my parents permission to marry me (mind you, I was there and a part of the conversation – we are a very modern family). Donato’s holds a special place in my heart. And don’t get me wrong, I love a tasty New York slice, a Chicago deep dish or a Neapolitan-style pie, but nothing compares to Donato’s thin crust pizza for me. And it’s all about the crust. It has a flavor that is truly addicting. I could eat a whole pizza myself! All of that said, no trip to Ohio is complete without a stop at this old-time favorite. If you ever see a Donato’s, I suggest you give it a try. You won’t be disappointed! 

https://www.donatos.com

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