Amer-Italian food the way it should be

Relatives took us to an Italian eatery in D.C. recently. Normally I shudder at the thought of eating Italian out, as here in Canada at least that generally means paying 15 dollars for an enormous plate of bland, not fresh pasta smothered in sugary sauce. Needless to say, I had low expectations for Vapiano, a German owned chain of Italian restaurants.
Upon entering, you are given a swipe card, and shown to the wooden butcher-block tables, decorated with fresh basil and sage plants. You select items from the menu and take your card up to the open bar/kitchen where everything is made to order right in front of you. Our table had spinach ricotta ravioli in fresh tomato sauce, ham and mushroom pizza, angelhair pasta primavera and fresh mascarpone cheese and fruit for dessert. The food was fresh, delicious, light and also cheap! Now if only they would open one here in Ontario...

p.s. sorry, no food photos, I was too busy scarfing!

Smithsonian =Awesome

Spent the day at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History in Washington D.C. last week. I could have moved in for a week and still not viewed every exhibit!
I was impressed that this grand institution has an admission fee of ZERO dollars, as opposed to places here in Canada (ROM, I'm looking at you...)





The Hope Diamond was magnificent, and the giant quid in the main atrium was much larger than i imagined (I know it says giant, but it was GIANT)Am still a smidge tired from traipsing around the D.C./Baltimore area with an 11 month old all week, but it was worth every moment!