ICE! and Christmas on the Potomac at National Harbor (tons of photos)

Happy Holiday Season! The Sunday after Thanksgiving, Eric and I decided to stop by National Harbor to see two exhibits there: ICE!, a collection of ice sculptures ($25 per adult), and Christmas on the Potomac (free, inside the Gaylord Resort atrium).


Having been to National Harbor only once before, I was excited to return and get to know more of it. It's about a fifteen minute drive in good traffic from my building in Arlington. We arrived to find the grounds full of Christmas trees, like the big one above.

When I was a child, this giant statue called The Awakening was "buried" in the ground at Hains Point in D.C. and my sister and I would go play on it fairly often. The statue was recently purchased and moved to National Harbor. Here's its arm ...

I was happy to see that there are still plenty of kids playing on The Awakening! Unfortunately, the water from the Potomac in this area is somewhat stinky, but that's life.

Time for ICE! ICE is a collection of ice sculptures inside a tent near the back end of the National Harbor grounds (across from some parking garages).

BRRR! It was pretty chilly. You will be offered one of these big blue parkas for your walk through the exhibit. I highly recommend you take one, not just for the cold, but for another reason which I'll be showing you later on ...


Polar bears frolicking on an ice "pond." There's lots of Christmas music playing in here.


I guess he's tap dancing.


This polar bear looked remarkably like my friend Brad who lived down the hall from me my freshman year of college at Ambler-Johnston Hall! Brad had a knack for refusing to get up to go to class with me and my roommate Jaime. We'd find him dozing on top of his bunk just like this when we'd drop by his room to try to make him get up. His nickname has been Polar Bear ever since.

Deer and ducks by/on the pond. These views are all from a bridge over the pond which was also made entirely out of ice.
Here's the bridge, and a polar bear ice fishing :)

Around the corner there were some sculptures of a Christmas morning scene in an ice "living room", of which we neglected to take any pictures. There was also an ice sleigh that you could sit in to pose for a picture. There were people everywhere so it was a bit difficult. I was impatient like usual and didn't want to wait to get pictures of that stuff. Instead we ran further ahead to these funky dancing penguins!

There was an igloo behind the dancers with more penguins. I was definitely glad to beat the crowds to this scene. These penguins remind me of something out of Willy Wonka (if he had penguins)!

An ethereal fiber-optic lighted tunnel leads ahead to the ice castle.

...And here it is, the fantastic ice castle. At either side are two foot tall ice slides!

The view from the top of the ice slides



Woo hoo! This is one more reason to take that parka they offer! To go really fast down the slide, lean way back and lift your feet up a little.

Wheeeee!
Following the ice castle and slides were more sculptures. This adorable stuffed tiger was randomly tucked in with some other, chillier wildlife.

This teddy bear wuvs me. (I couldn't resist)

After all of the secular-themed sculptures, more spiritual icons began to appear representing the Christmas story. Here's the angel, although you can't really see the wings too well.

Random ice column that glowed blue on and off

Ice nativity scene. This was HUGE and took up a whole room. It was pretty spectacular.

I wanted to climb up on it, but I was afraid the security guard who conveniently appeared around the corner just as I got the idea would yell at me and make a big spectacle

Stable animals keeping watch over the Baby Jesus.

The exhibit wishes you a Merry Christmas as you leave with some ice poinsettias. And that's the end of it. You turn in your parkas and then you can browse a gift shop. (Eric bought me a pretty snowflake bracelet.) You also have the opportunity to take a computer survey regarding your experience. I wrote that I had a great time but I would have appreciated taller ice slides and more sculptures for the money.

Once we left ICE!, we headed back down toward the water. Eric was just a little excited about eating some lunch.

These miniature Christmas trees line the walkway.

I can never resist an opportunity to play in a fountain!

Eric's hunger didn't distract him from a need to practice his kung fu skills.

We decided to eat at Ketchup before the Christmas on the Potomac mini-shows started that evening. Unfortunately we had to wait a long time for our food. You can read all about that in my previous blog post!

By the time we got our meals, I was so hungry I decimated my crab wrap before I realized that most of the ingredients had been left out. These are the remains of Hurricane Hungry Girl

Ketchup's main gimmick is its variety of odd ketchups. You get this sampler of six to dip your truffle fries in. The ketchups were the best part of our entire experience.

Christmas on the Potomac is a big display inside the atrium of the Gaylord Resort. Hanging in the front window is this large tree made out of "candy glass". (I don't believe you can eat it :)

One of the things we waited to see was this fountain show. While no match for the Bellagio in Las Vegas, it was fun and splashed significant numbers of surprised people, much to my amusement. ;) At some points, the fountains shot 60 feet in the air in time with the music! Each fountain show lasts about three minutes.

One of the draws of Christmas on the Potomac is a contest in which you have to find giant stuffed Peeps that are hidden around the atrium. Some of them are in really odd out of the way places, but Eric and I found most of them. Now, you don't think I'm going to give the answers away, do you? :) But here's one fella hiding in the bushes!

Looking for all those Peeps was a good way to waste time while waiting for the next "show" which was the nightly lighting of the glass Christmas tree. The show consists of several minutes of lights flashing around inside the tree while music plays. "Northern lights" also shimmer across the banners hanging around the tree.

A few minutes after the Christmas tree lighting show is over, a snowfall begins. We waited around for a while waiting for it to start before we realized it's in a very small area by the coffee shop in the middle of the atrium. You can't see it here, but the "snow" is really like foamy dish-soap bubbles wafting down. It does get stuck in your hair though :)

There were some other shows involving the fountains and singing choirs, but by this time I was tired and ready to go home and eat some dinner that didn't involve slowpoke waiters. Here's the tree down by the river all lit up at night. There's a stage right next to it where different bands play periodically. When they're not playing, parents let their kids scamper all over the stage right in front of a huge sign telling you to keep off of it. Hahaha

I had a fun time and thought it was a good way to spend a Sunday afternoon. Maybe they'll have bigger and better things next year. If you live in the area, try to go on a Sunday or even a weekday if you can to avoid the crowds. Make sure you drive in or take a water taxi over from Old Towne in Alexandria. Just be aware that some of the special shows may not be available on the weekdays.


ICE! and Christmas on the Potomac run through January 10th. You can find more information and purchase tickets here: http://www.gaylordhotels.com/gaylord-national/special-events/washington-dc-events/christmas-on-the-potomac/index.html?intcmp=gn-tsr-cotpevents.

Restaurant Review: Ketchup, National Harbor (Prince George's County, Maryland)

My boyfriend Eric took me on a date to National Harbor today to see two wonderful holiday exhibits there. (Those were Christmas on the Potomac and ICE -- more on those in a later post.) After viewing ICE, we decided to eat lunch and settled on Ketchup, owned by celebrity-backed Dolce Restaurant Group. We knew little about it at the time - I've referenced their website and menu at http://www.dolcegroup.com/ketchup/ for this review - but we were enticed by the name and the Andy Warhol-like decor we could see through the windows. We could also see a family sitting and eating through the window on our way up the hill to ICE at 2:25 and they appeared to be close to done with their meal ... and then we saw them again as we came back down a little past 3 p.m. and they were still there! It was an omen I chose to ignore for the moment. Silly me.

We went inside and were confused as to where we were supposed to go to be seated. We passed a large bar on our left and saw a couple standing by what appeared to be a hostess station at the far end. I was surprised the station wasn't closer to the main entrance. The hostess appeared and told us it would be a moment. We were finally placed at the back of the restaurant; I was in a little red booth and Eric was across from me in a chair. Our table was unusually close to the table next to it, where a large family was seated.

Our waitress took a few minutes to appear. When we finally ordered, we placed our drink and meal orders at the same time. Our Diet Cokes took several minutes to come out and then the waitress had to wait at the bar for a while after that to get the Raspberry Mojito I'd already ordered with my soda. (I could see her standing there waiting on them to finish making it.) The Mojito was tasty enough, but not really worth the $12. We then began the wait for our food ... a long, long, long wait. It was abysmally slow, but I could see that several other tables around us (seated before us) were also waiting. I don't blame our waitress for this ridiculous slowness. She appeared to be the only one handling the entire (large) section and she was pleasant despite this. I suspect the restaurant didn't plan well for this Thanksgiving weekend and probably had only one cook back there making the food.

A tall man dressed like a manager finally brought us our food with an apologetic tone, and then a third person (a lady) who was either a manager or a member of the waitstaff brought us ketchup. By this point, I think we'd been at the restaurant for at least 45 minutes.

I had ordered the Crab Salad Wrap ($13), which came in an "old bay" wrap and was supposed to have Maryland lump crabmeat (check), spinach leaves (check), hearts of palm (nope), tomatoes (nope -- but who cares, I didn't want them anyway and forgot to ask them to leave them off), and lemon herb vinaigrette (nope). I caught a taste of Old Bay seasoning here and there on the crab. By this point I was so hungry that I demolished almost the entire wrap without noticing. It wasn't until we were waiting on the check that it suddenly occurred to me that the wrap was supposed to have more than just spinach and crab! (Now WHY exactly did THAT take so long? Put the spinach in the wrap! Put the crab in the wrap! Roll that mess up and serve!) Eric ordered the Grilled Chicken Sandwich ($13) which had banana peppers, herb mayo, spinach, and tomato, and he devoured the entire thing before I had even finished one half of my wrap. He says he thinks his sandwich had all of the ingredients. The wrap and the sandwich both came with "truffle fries" sprinkled with Parmesan cheese. The fries were good enough, but the real joy was trying the ketchup. You see, what that third person brought us was a sampler of six different flavored ketchups: chipotle, raspberry, maple syrup, ranch, regular, and I forget what the sixth one was (barbecue?). It was fun to try them all and they were definitely all extremely delicious and unique -- except the regular, of course.

By the time I realized my wrap was not up to par and the check arrived, we were so close to the starting time of the next attraction that we had to haul out of there and I decided not to bother complaining about the wrap. (I'd eaten most of the food, anyway!) I'd almost like to come back here sometime and try some more of the menu, but I'm really not sure it's worth it, especially not with so many other fine restaurants right in the same development. Besides, I can probably make that crab wrap -- the way it was meant to be made -- right here at home.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Wishing all my blog readers a wonderful Thanksgiving. I've certainly had a great one and was very lucky to spend it with my fantastic family. Of course, it's now the day after Thanksgiving over here, so perhaps I should be wishing you a Happy Black Friday instead. Are you all now getting ready to stake out the stores for all those hot deals? I've never been able to do it, myself ... I desperately love my nightly visit to the Land of Nod. Interestingly enough, however, ever since I got back from my trip to Europe a couple of weeks ago, I have been waking earlier and earlier each morning ... so maybe next year you'll find me in line too :)

Beverage Review: MetroMint Water ... It's Really That Good

Let it be known before I begin this review that I am not a fan of bottled water. Most of it tastes like plastic, like bathwater, or - hey! - like unfiltered tap water, which is what I preferred in the good old days when I lived in the country! However, the tap water in the Metropolitan DC area tastes like a mouthful of silt, so bottled water it is for me. I usually throw a flavor packet or two in there first, though. Occasionally, I'll grab a "flavored water beverage", but even those are just ehhhh.

Enter the only bottled water that literally makes me dance with excitement when I see it in the store aisle: Metromint water!

What is Metromint?

It's only the best bottled water on the face of Planet Earth! I've been crowing about it for about two years, and every time a new flavor comes out, I practically do a dorky cartwheel of joy in the middle of the street. (Um, well, I would, if I knew how to do a cartwheel.)

If you ever want to get me a present, and you aren't sure what to get, I'll take a carton or two of this joy-inducing elixir, thanks! Actually, maybe it's not fair to call it an "elixir" because the ingredients in a bottle of spearmint-flavored Metromint are the following:

Purified water, mint.

And that's it. (Other flavors, with the exception of Peppermint, all contain "essence" as well -- e.g., cherry essence, cocoa essence.) But that's what makes it so GOOD!!! It's cool, smooth, and refreshing. You can drink it at room temperature and it still feels like a rush of slightly cold air traveling down your throat into your tummy! (Metromint rates each flavor with a "cool factor" number that tells you just how cooling that rush is.) There are days when I grab a bottle of this stuff rather than a caffeinated beverage because it actually makes me feel better AND keep my eyes open. But I take a bottle of it to bed with me, too, because it's not like it makes my heart race.

So what kinds of flavors does this nectar of the gods come in?

There's...

Peppermint - The original. It's crisp and packs a bit more of a powerful punch than the others, so if you want a ton of mint taste, go for this one.
Spearmint - Very sweet and refreshing. Still lots of mint flavor, but it's not as "bold" as the peppermint, and it goes down so easy.
Lemonmint - Tangy and very slightly tart. Very nice lemon flavor with smooth mint finish. Interestingly enough, the mint and the lemon flavors taste equally strong to me. I thought one might kick the other's butt.
Orangemint - Nice and citrusy. The orange tastes absolutely delicious and to me, it appeared to mellow out the mint flavor quite a bit.
Chocolatemint - Just the slightest hint of delightful cocoa flavor. It kind of kisses your taste buds, then vanishes, while the mint flavor dances around it. This is a very mellow mint. It's wonderful.
Cherrymint - Surprisingly, this might be my favorite Metromint of the moment (and it's also the newest addition). I've found many cherry-flavored beverages to be cloyingly sweet, which is gross to me. (I'm looking at you, 7-Up Plus Cherry.) Cherrymint defies them to win my heart! The mint and the fruit flavor really complement each other quite nicely and are lip-smacking!

I'll sing the praises of this stuff for as long as Metromint keeps churning it out. You get amazing flavor that refreshes you (and your breath!) without leaving a nasty aftertaste of fake sugar, and there isn't a single ingredient that's bad for your body. And, I can't wait to see what the next flavor will be. (How about grapemint?)

If you're looking for it, Whole Foods grocery is your best bet on the East Coast (they usually stock all six flavors), but you could also check out Harris Teeter or Safeway (any Safeway, anywhere). Other chains that carry Metromint include Cost Plus, World Market, and Bel Air and Raley's (for those of you on the West Coast).

Still can't find it? Order it online at http://www.metromint.com/.

The CONS of Working from Home: A Practical Guide

Since September 2008, I have enjoyed the incomparable luxury of working from home. I probably don’t have to make a list of the pros for you. If you are currently thinking about working from home, all of the perks you can imagine are there: a five-second commute (roll out of bed, walk to computer); doing work in pajamas; stretching out luxuriously in the La-Z-Boy with a laptop as cold winds blow outside. Needing to toss in a load of laundry or make a lunchtime run to the post office is no longer a big deal. Me personally, I buy gas maybe twice a month tops, and I have plenty of time to work on my master’s degree or attend evening exercise classes or seminars. For my teleworking colleagues with children, that extra time is especially invaluable.

So, uh, what is the negative side? IS there a negative side? The answer to that, my friends, is YES. There aren’t a ton of cons, but they are there, and they’re much different from what you encounter at a desk job.

With teleworking becoming more and more popular as the population swells, transportation woes worsen, and the H1N1 virus rears its ugly head, I thought this would be a timely thing for me to address. Let me tell you about the brand new set of negatives you’re likely to face – and how to come out on top of them.

1. Your friends think you don’t work a “real” job.

This is a minor problem that can quickly become a major one, especially if you’ve got lots of friends with flexible work schedules of their own who love to hang out with you (and that’s awesome, when you yourself aren’t busy). You may suddenly hear a lot of requests for two-hour-long lunches, rides to places 45 minutes away, or extensively long chats on the phone. While you can probably spare a run to Subway for lunch or a ride to the Metro station around the corner, things that really take away from your job or distract you should be nipped in the bud immediately. Don’t ever give the impression that you sit at home doing nothing all day (ahem … even if you do). Talk about your job as though it’s a real job. If someone thinks you can accompany them on a shopping spree or talk for an hour in the middle of the day, just respond as you would if you were working away from home: “Sorry, dude, I gotta work. Want to go later?” Good friends will understand. For those that don’t – don’t pick up the phone, and call them back after you’re done for the day.

2. You have a tendency to be distracted very easily.

Ask yourself: How do you work best? I personally cannot work at my best anymore when I a) do not have enough light, b) have too MUCH light blaring right in my face, c) feel overheated, d) have to listen to loud noises such as construction right outside or loudmouthed people shouting back and forth in the hall, e) have to sit in complete dead quiet, f) feel like I’ve been cooped up indoors too long, g) have something talking at me, to me, or around me, and h) do not have proper seating either curled up in my recliner with the laptop adjusted just-so, OR at the dining room table with the chair just right and the laptop right at eye level.

Yep.

Um, so how DO I manage? Well, I took the first day or so to figure out how to set myself up. Where did I want my personal office? How much light or heat was there? Was there too much noise in the building? How would I handle it if my phone or Internet suddenly went out? Figure out the answers to these questions early on and nix distractions before they ruin your drive!

3. You just don’t know HOW to work at home.

Hear me now, believe me later: you need to address this prior to working from home full-time. Remember, above all, that deadlines are still deadlines, and you will still be held accountable for what you do or don’t get done in your designated 8-hour time frame each day. Regardless, there are some people out there who simply cannot focus without a structured office environment and peers to keep them from spending all day on Facebook. If you think this might be you, you should do a few “test runs” before you attempt to begin teleworking full time. Ask to try working at home a couple of days on your own first; if your employer has already suggested you work at home or is at least open to the idea, then they will probably happily oblige and will be pleased with your honesty.

If, on the other hand, you are considering a brand new job that is specifically work-at-home position – you need to know your capability to do the job before you apply for it. Be honest with yourself: Could you really do your job completely unsupervised, when you’re literally surrounded by things you’d rather be doing, and no one to tell you that you can’t? (Are you REALLY going to avoid watching TV or surfing the ‘net all day?) Are you disciplined enough to get a job done on your own with zero direction or supervision – especially a job you may not particularly like? What usually happens when you have to do a chore for someone else – say, when your spouse asks you to mow the lawn, or you need to spend an afternoon putting together a new bookcase? If the answers to these questions don’t sound good, look for another job. Most employers who hire for work-at-home positions do so for a good reason – usually, lack of office space – and they are not going to be very pleased with you if you suddenly tell them you just can’t do the work unless you’re in the office. In this economy, that isn’t something to fool with.

4. You still have to come in the office sometimes – and you’re no longer used to it.

Working at home will spoil you. You will eventually forget what it's like to get up super early, put on a suit, and then battle traffic each morning. But if you think you won't ever have to do these things again, you're wrong. Unless the office happens to be on the other side of the country, you can expect to be asked to drive in each week for status meetings. (You may be allowed to dial in.) You might be expected to drop everything to head out to a seminar or session that's almost an hour away. You may be asked to come in for a meeting that winds up being even shorter than your commute!

The key is to never be unprepared. Feel free to do your work in your pajamas, but make sure you always have a spotless suit hanging in your closet, with accoutrements close by. Don’t put off taking a shower, figuring you can just wash your hair later. Keep your briefcase or laptop bag ready so that all you have to do is stuff your computer in there and go. Make sure your important items like keys, badge, cash, etc. are in a spot where it’s easy to just grab them on your way out. (Try the Doorganizer, $18, at www.fredflare.com.) Never put off doing important work – you don’t want to suddenly find that you now have no time to do it because you have to go give an important presentation instead. And most of all – don’t whine about having to come in or develop a bad attitude. At best, it guarantees a bad day at the office. At worst, your boss will notice and start to think of you differently.

5. You don’t feel like a true part of the team. You feel left out when you do come to work or hang out with the team.

Assuming you aren’t working from Oregon for an office in Virginia, this is easy to handle. Make a point to attend after-work happy hours and get to know everyone in the room. Don’t shy away from friending coworkers on Facebook. Find a club of interest that is sponsored by your workplace. (Try Toastmasters!) Don’t be afraid to email your colleagues for help or advice with a professional issue. If you have regular weekly or monthly meetings, make sure you show up and chat up your coworkers beforehand. Call in to every meeting that you can’t attend personally. Even consider (yikes) coming in to the office on days you don’t have to just to be seen. Facetime counts more than you think it does.

Even better: Spearhead an initiative that will really help your office and bring people together. Check out a great charity or other cause that you can all do volunteer work with. Set up a trip to a local baseball or football game, karaoke bar, or silly outing on a slow weeknight. Offer to edit and publish a newsletter for the team and solicit contributions from everyone.

Overall, don’t get nervous if you feel like you aren’t instantly “one of the gang.” You’re really there to get a job done, but being on pleasant, easygoing terms with everyone is invaluable.

6. You find it hard to get ahead. You’re the last one assigned important or “stand-out” tasks.

Kill two birds with one stone using the above tips to make yourself more visible. But just as you want your coworkers to see more of you, you also want them to see what you are capable of. If you find yourself with downtime, use it to explore new creative avenues related to your job. For example, one time I was asked to edit a demo script draft that someone else had written. As I was doing the editing, I realized there were several other scripts our team could create that might be useful. I called my boss to tell her the editing was done and then suggested the new scripts. She was intrigued by the idea and we discussed it for some time. While I don’t know when we might actually go forth with the idea – more pressing matters have taken precedence – it showed her I was using my head! When you send work back to your own superior or other office-mates, take the time to suggest additional avenues or new ideas that you have. If you have a particular area of expertise, ask if you can present to your coworkers on the topic.

Back Home!

I'm back home from my most recent vacation, what I fondly call EuroTrip 2009! Of course, this means I now have two vacations (and a host of other things) to blog about. I haven't forgotten! Since I'm at work right now, I don't have time to make a thorough update, but here is a list of upcoming articles:

*Hilton Head Island

*The Netherlands (adding elements from 2006 and 2009)

*Other recent Europe jaunts/visits: Dublin, Brussels, Luxembourg, Cologne

*The CONS of working from home: a practical guide

*More reviews

*Surviving a fear of house centipedes

...And more!

Stay tuned! I have been working on some of these offline and should be posting something early this week.

The Black Jack Taco = Huge Frown Face

So I just ran out of the apartment with Eric for the sole purpose of driving 15 minutes up the road ... to go to Taco Bell. Yes, I just left the house to go get faux-Mexican fast food. Why? Because I saw a commercial a couple of hours ago for the new Black Jack taco, and I couldn't stand the thought of knowing about a cool new Taco Bell item and not eating it! Pepper jack sauce on a beef taco ... in a black taco shell? Ohhh, yeah.

It's a total letdown. I could just get a regular beef taco and throw a mild hot sauce packet on it and probably have more spice. Come ON! The pepper jack sauce tastes more like mayo with a tiny bit of pepper tossed in. FAIL.

Get rid of this, and bring back the Cheesy Gordita Crunch. Or the Encheritos with the green sauce!

Tasty Dogs at Arlington's Weenie Beenie

Weenie Beenie is the type of place in Arlington that many folks might consciously avoid. Located in a more blue collar stretch of Shirlington, in an area just beginning to show signs of gentrification -- rows of freshly built brick townhomes sit on the hill nearby -- Weenie Beenie is right across the street from a station for day laborers to wait for work, who used to swarm the cars as they pulled up in the parking lot (or so I've been told). But those who choose to speed right by on Shirlington Road have no idea what they are missing. Weenie Beenie's orange-roofed building has a dignity all its own -- the server behind the counter was kind and friendly, and a sign posted on the wall showed the Ten Commandments (in English and Spanish). Our half-smokes were the kind of food that made me thankful to live right around the corner -- the small-looking sausages had a juicy bite with a pleasant 'snap' that warmed my tummy AND my heart. That's right -- this stuff is so good that I've been reduced to waxing corny about it. Mmm, mmm, good.

If you happen to be in the area, swing on by.

I apologize for the lack of updates lately. I have no less than five articles being prepared just for you :)

Restaurant Review: Vapiano (Ballston, Virginia)

Vapiano is a chain that originated in Germany, and only recently came to the United States. Its first U.S. location is this one on Wilson Boulevard in Arlington's Ballston neighborhood. There are a few others in the Tri-State area, so I'm guessing it became pretty popular, pretty quickly.

We arrived for our meal a little after 6 p.m. The restaurant was fairly empty, but a light crowd started to pick up around 7. The gimmick of this place is pretty cool -- you walk in, get a plastic card, and carry it with you to the bar for dessert and drinks or over to the meal line for pasta, salad, soup, and/or pizza. After you order each item, the chef or bartender just has you scan your card, then hits a few buttons to load the price onto your "account." On the way out, you hand the card to the person standing at the exit, who scans it and gives you your total for the entire evening. The idea is that you can just wander all around and get whatever you want, whenever you want without having to pay for it separately each time, keep a tab, or go through a cafeteria line with a tray. I have to say it worked pretty well for me -- but make sure you don't lose that card, because each one is worth $50 (even with nothing on it)!

I went straight to the salad line because I saw a Greek salad on the menu and was in the mood for some olives. My friend Annette (a grad school classmate; visiting from Germany) and boyfriend Eric got pasta and a kind of pizza with asiago cheese, respectfully. We watched our meals made in front of us (except for the pizza, which takes too long) and went to sit at one of the high elevated tables with bar stools. We choose an area in a corner next to a wall full of herbs growing in flower pots. The atmosphere was casual yet classy, and not too terribly noisy, even when a larger dinner crowd started pouring in. It was nice to be able to hear my dining companions talk, although I don't know what it would be like when the joint is full.

The Greek salad was really disappointing. It was a large portion, so I just got that and a Coke Zero, but I ate very little of it. There were maybe six or seven olives thrown in, far more capers (which are yum), and not enough feta cheese. These are the things that make a Greek salad, Greek salad, so why skimp on them! The chef does make the salad right in front of you, so I would at least recommend paying closer attention to how much of each thing he is throwing in. But other parts are out of the diner's control. The dressing tasted like ranch out of a bottle. The lettuce leaves were mostly iceberg with a bit of romaine here and there, but it was all watery and tasteless. I wound up picking through the bowl for "the good parts" and eating all the crust off Eric's pizza. Then Eric placed an order for a margherita pizza for me. It takes a long while to cook, so I just planned to eat a couple of slices at home to make up for the lack of in-restaurant meal.

Annette and I headed over to the bar to pass the time, which is also where you pick up the desserts, and I grabbed a mosaic bande. This is basically a chocolate mousse cake with a white chocolate topping, which has little geometric chocolate shapes sprinkled across the top -- hence the "mosaic" in the name. I also picked up a vodka cranberry to wash it down with. The bartender made the drink very strong, which is fine by me, but just an FYI for anyone else who prefers more cranberry than vodka. The cake was okay, but not chocolately enough to suit my tastebuds. That's my own fault -- I saw a slice of nice chocolate mousse or cheesecake or something there, but the "mosaic" on the "bande" won me over.

When the pizza was finally ready, we took it home and I had a couple of slices for my "real" dinner. I had asked for black olives and was again disappointed to find they didn't even put enough olives on the pizza to have one for each slice. BUT -- the pizza itself was DELICIOUS. The sauce was tangy, the cheese nice and chewy, and the crusts had a lightly oven-baked flavor. While I didn't try any of the pasta, Annette seemed pleased with it.

Based on my own experience, I would not recommend this place for the salad. (Although if I'm being honest, who goes to a restaurant just for the salad?) Go there and get a big tasty pizza -- but make sure you ask for extra toppings, especially olives. For some reason, I feel like they're deliberately skimping on those. And, enjoy the atmosphere.

Restaurant Review: Cafe Promenade, Washington, D.C.

My friend Suzi and I have headed out for Restaurant Week in our neighboring Washington, D.C. the past two Augusts. In case you haven't heard of Restaurant Week, it's a weeklong event in which the priciest restaurants offer a special menu for just 40 bucks. This year, I chose Cafe Promenade in the historic Renaissance Mayflower Hotel on Connecticut Avenue.

I was excited to see the inside of the hotel, as it's been around for over 80 years and looks decidely noble and beautiful on the outside. The inside is no different. Everything is decorated in mirrors, golden facades, red carpets, or gleaming crystal chandeliers. This includes the cafe, whose silverware appeared to be real silver and whose atmosphere was decidely comfortable and relaxing.

From the Restaurant Week special menu, I made the difficult selection of the roasted beets with goat cheese and watercress as an appetizer. It was difficult because pan-seared crab cakes were also present on the menu, and crabcake is my absolute favorite food. This decision was made easier when Suzi ordered the crab cakes and agreed that I could have a bite.

Our waiter was attentive and kind, and the appetizers did not take long to come out. My beets just tasted like regular old beets out of a can with crumbles of feta cheese on top, but it was a tasty and (for me) unusual combination. Suzi's crab cakes were small, which seemed appropriate for an appetizer. (She still let me have a bite, and I thought they were yummy, although she noted that they weren't the best she had ever tasted and I must agree.)

Our entrees took a while to appear. I ordered the Atlantic cod with chile and mango sauce and herb risotto. It was tasty, but did not quite have as much flavor as I was expecting. Suzi ordered a chicken entree with summer squash slices underneath and found it bland. I ate a big bite of her squash and thought that, at least, was tasty.

Lastly, we had our desserts. I had the fruit tart which was delicious and had a lemon filling. It seemed like something I could easily make at home, however. Suzi's peach cobbler seemed odd to me, as it was not a typical peach cobbler but similar to a big square of bread pudding.

Our check took a very long time to arrive; in fact, we didn't receive it until we placed our credit cards directly on the table in a none-too-subtle gesture.

All in all, I found the atmosphere very enjoyable and the food less so. It was very good, but I didn't think it was all that special and definitely not worth the prices we would have typically paid. I would return if staying at the Mayflower or visiting a guest there, but would not go out of my way.

Summer Travel and the Joy of Traffic Jams

Well, I said I would have pictures up while on my trip ... I lied! This wasn't intentional; we just forgot to bring the SmartCard to upload the pics. Whoops. Rest assured I'll have an entry up soon covering the drop-dead gorgeous Hilton Head.

But while we wait, let's talk about the inevitable joy of many long summer road trips ... Traffic Jams! As the drive to Hilton Head from D.C. is well over 400 miles of I-95, a few snafus here and there are to be expected. Unfortunately, as I rode with my aunt and boyfriend, we came across two nasty accidents. One snarled traffic so badly that we went 2 miles ... in 1.5 hours! This happened near Lumberton, North Carolina. I'd like to thank my sister and brother-in-law for waiting patiently for an hour at The Cracker Barrel for us, then turning around and going back there when they learned we were free of the misery and on our way for lunch! They played checkers and repeatedly changed our reservation as we lumbered along in Lumberton ... hehehe, I couldn't resist that bad pun.

Thankfully, traffic was much lighter after my aunt treated us to our wonderful hearty meal, and we only stopped again two more times, once to get gas in the refreshingly-named town Summerton, South Carolina, where a couple sold peaches at a fruit stand in the parking lot. The second time, we pulled into a Stuckey's farther along for Dairy Queen and a look at some trashy souvenirs. We also met a mother cat and her kittens, all gray and brown tabbies, who are apparently cared for and loved by the Stuckey's owner.

And ... 13.5 hours later, we made it! I think it's worth mentioning that the trip BACK to Northern VA took only 9 hours. What are your worst traffic jam tales? And what do you like to do to pass the time in a jam? (My aunt had fun watching rock videos on her new phone :) but I saw other people getting out of the cars and just walking a few miles for some much needed exercise!)

Hello from Hilton Head

Greetings faithful readers! :) I'm writing from Hilton Head Island, where my family has rented a drop-dead gorgeous beach house.

We arrived at something like 7 PM today after an exhausting drive replete with strange happenings ... which, rest assured, you will hear all about later.

For now, I'm still somehow covered in chlorine, sand, and salt water despite a signature hour-long hot shower. Maybe that stuff just never really comes off when you're at the beach. Maybe this isn't a bad thing.

More tomorrow! Will post night beach pictures! (Stars at night over the total black of the ocean ... there is no comparison)

Journeys: Lake Martin, Alabama, August 2008

When I took a trip out to Lake Martin with my family to visit my Uncle Cliff and Aunt Barbara at their beautiful lake house, I was expecting just a lazy summer vacation. I was definitely not expecting the fascinating history and sights that make up this 44 acre reservoir. Spanning three counties in the southeastern area of Alabama, the lake was created in the late 1920s by opening up a dam and washing over several small towns. It's today home to multiple small islands, many with distinctive histories and names.

Despite this, Lake Martin may perhaps be most famous for its recreational appeal. Pontoon boats go out into the water and dock (anywhere), with eager swimmers leaping overboard into the surprisingly warm, bathlike water. Uncle Cliff would drive his boat out a couple of times a day: once to find a good place to float around for a few hours with beers, rafts, and the family dog, and a second time to watch the sun go down behind the trees.

A typical August afternoon at Lake Martin

It was very peaceful in the surprisingly clear water (visibility about 10 feet down), except when my sister tried to grab my foot under the water or send a mini-tidal wave my way. (Sisters lose all sense of adulthood when they are together.) But our swims were often accompanied by a trip out to see some of the islands that are scattered in handfuls across the lake. With Uncle Cliff as our tour guide, we learned a good deal.

This is Chimney Rock Island, home of two popular jumping points: Chimney Rock and Acapulco Rock. The more popular rock is Acapulco (because it's higher), but it's often confused for Chimney Rock.

Sadly, many people have died or been injured by jumping off the rocks, including a teenaged boy who is now memorialized by a plaque on Acapulco Rock. My dad was apparently one of the (thankfully unharmed) jumpers back in 2006, but this time we wouldn't let him near it!

The rocks do have a friendlier history. Every 4th of July, hundreds of boats line up around Chimney Rock Island for partyin' and carryin' on.

Just in case you think your eyes are deceiving you, let me reassure you that yes, those are goats hanging out by the water! This colony of six goats lives on Goat Island, uninhabited by humans. Someone drops off hay for the critters, but they love seeing visitors, whom they openly solicit for carrots or, well, anything. We got close enough that they ran down to greet us, then made loud goat noises.

This is The Ridge Bridge, better known as the Bridge to Nowhere. Constructed to link two islands at the lake, and then seemingly abandoned, it just sits there ... no visible roads on either side, just plenty of trees! Supposedly, one day, homes will be built on one of the islands, and those residents will use this bridge. For now, it's just ... going nowhere.

Another island that we docked at often was Sand Island, a long stretch of sandy beach with a bit of sparse woods. Partygoers often dock here, leaving behind fire pits and various and sundry other items. The water surrounding the island is full of micah, so that it glitters gold in the sun.

One island we didn't get to see is Graveyard Island, so named because it's mostly a tiny graveyard left over from before the days of Lake Martin. It seemed to be too far for us to go out there and get back to the house in time to watch Michael Phelps collect more gold medals in the Olympic Games. I guess I'll have to make a trip back to check that out!

The little communities around Lake Martin are interesting themselves. They are full of "meat and twos" or "meat and threes." These are so named because you get a meat and two or three vegetables for one great low price. We ate at the Kountry Kitchen (or Kountry Kafe, depending on which sign you're looking at) and found the meal hearty and yummy, although my green beans were a bit too stringy, and an old farmer made a weird pass or two at me and my sister!

We also ate at Sinclair's, a nice restaurant with a deck overlooking the lake, which really shines when you watch the sun set on it. That kind of view combined with a beer or two is incredibly relaxing.

I'm looking forward to visiting my relatives at Lake Martin again some future summer. Having done my fair share of traveling in the United States, I can honestly say there are few places that provide this type of tranquility, combined with a strange sort of intrigue and curiosity.

Photo credits: Bridge to Nowhere photo by Martha V. Lynch; all others by Jim Lynch.

Adventures with Restaurants: Clyde's Willow Creek Farm

Clyde's is well known for owning a series of fantastic restaurants in the DC Metro area. But I had never heard of this beautiful little place out in the Broadlands community of Ashburn, Virginia (part of Loudon County). According to Clyde's web site (www.Clydes.com), the idea came about when Clyde's owners decided to reassemble some dismantled antique wooden buildings on this spot near Dulles International Airport. I'm so glad they did. Comfy and cozy, the restaurant has the excellent service of fine dining and the romance of a family homestead.

A large group of old friends and myself assembled in a rented private room upstairs for a buddy's surprise party, organized by his wife. I felt supremely sorry for the waiter as he carried huge tray after huge tray up the stairs to us, but if he felt fatigued or irritated, he didn't show it for one second. I ordered the Jumbo Lump crabcake, which came with an assortment of fries, corn, and tomatoes. Since most crabcakes I get are usually huge, I decided on just the single rather than the double. I was surprised when the crabcake turned out to be rather small, although delighted it came without breading -- just big lumps of delicious crab. Next time I'll make sure to get a double order. The fries were so-so, but a liberal dousing of vinegar improved them greatly.

All in all, I was impressed with Willow Creek Farm. I'm eagerly awaiting a chance to get back and eat two crabcakes. (A friend challenged me to a crabcake eating contest, so we may have to get more than that ;) And yes, our buddy was pleasantly surprised by the party. Unfortunately, the evening ended with my having to go through two tolls (Dulles Greenway and Dulles Toll Road), when I was just expecting one! Not having enough change for the second, we had to just drive through with the sound of the violation bell screaming in our ears. (It's LOUD!) I called today to make the rest of the payment, and yes, they had recorded the violation! Maybe should I make myself more familiar with the Ashburn area (or get a better GPS). I suppose another trip out to Willow Creek would be the perfect way to do that!

Strange Delights: Mo's Bacon Bar by Vosges

Bacon and chocolate. Bacon and chocolate?! I bet you never mixed some of that up at the breakfast table, did you? Not to worry, because Vosges fine chocolates are here to correct any previous misconceptions on your part that this wouldn't be a good idea. This incredibly smooth, thin, dark chocolate bar (also available in milk chocolate) is interspersed with delightful little pings of real, honest-to-goodness bacon throughout. No Bacon Bits here -- this is the real deal. I was surprised and delighted by how well the two tastes go together, and thankful I thought to pick up two bars (although one was supposed to be for Eric...oops). The chocolate melts right in your mouth, and the hint of bacon flavor is neither overpowering nor weak.

If you live here in Arlington, VA, you can find Vosges products at The Curious Grape in Shirlington. Or, order right from the maker at http://www.vosgeschocolate.com/. Check out their other yummy, unique flavors while you are there -- and their giant bacon-chocolate gift set, including a corresponding pancake mix I am dying to try!

Thanks for keeping life interesting, Vosges (and Mo)!

How Did I Forget...

....to mention Bob and Edith's, that little hub of anytime good old fashioned eating?

Located in the 2000 block of Columbia Pike, the little square building, mounted on a concrete block, sits between gas stations and serves up everything from scrapple 'n' eggs to whole pies. Arlington has a nice set of tasty all-night diners, but stepping inside this one makes me feel like I've just been transported to a little sea port town, or a tiny, one-stop-sign area in the middle of Georgia. The food is served piping hot and super fast, but there's no innate sense of the hustle and bustle that defines the metropolitan Washington area. Open since 1969, the place embraces modernity - a flat-screen TV is mounted on one wall - while holding onto the past with its bright jukebox and faded pictures of celebrities and school kids hung crookedly on the wall. On a recent night there, my dining partner (Eric) and I devoured a Couples' Waffle Sundae in a booth next to a familiar man -- familiar because I swear he's been there every evening, eating his dinner at the counter, for the two years I've been in Arlington. Further down the aisle from us, a man moved over in his booth seat so his female companion could scoot next to him to watch Law & Order: SVU. It was a typical weeknight at the diner, but I knew that when the weekend came up, the joint would be packed full of loud young partygoers enjoying an early breakfast before heading home to sleep it off.

So come on in, and pore over the bright yellow laminated menu before making your selection. Whether you're coming here to relax at the end of a hard work day or crowded into the booths with six friends after a night out at the bars -- Bob and Edith's is happy to serve you.

Note for my fellow former Blacksburgians: If you're looking for Arlington's answer to Joe's Diner, here it is!

Food That Isn't Good For Your Heart, But Definitely Good for Your Taste Buds ...

Food, glorious food! If you want something tasty this summer (and can stand to stop countin' calories for a day), just venture to the D.C. area for some classic eats! My recommendations for a ...

Nice, juicy burger: You won't find any better than Ray's Hell Burger at 1713 Wilson Boulevard in Arlington (Rosslyn neighborhood). I've only been here twice now (on the other side of town) but I'll gladly venture back again and again. I got the au poivre burger, a peppercorn-encrusted behemoth that dripped with tastiness all over my plate. Good thing Ray's provides plenty of paper towels! I got my burger with pepperjack cheese and some guacamole on the side, and a big tasty bottle of Moxie soda (which is pretty rare around here). You can pile your own burger with a wide variety of toppings or take one of Ray's suggestions on the flipside of the menu. Oh, and they have root beer on tap! Final verdict: Best burger I've ever had, bar none. (Now to try Ray's other restaurants: Ray's: The Steaks and Ray's: The Classics.)

Hot dog: Want it with chili? Head over to Ben's Chili Bowl on U Street - an area rich with African American history. This home of the famous half smoke has been in the business since 1958. It survived riots following the asassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. and sits on what was once known as "Black Broadway." (See http://www.benschilibowl.com/ for the full story and lots of great photos!) Now a landmark, we happened to visit on a day an independent documentary was being filmed. Our group was struggling to find a place to sit in the popular restaurant when a nice lady said, "Oh, honey, you can sit back here!" and showed us to a back room, which was reserved for the film crew that day (who took pictures of us eating)! My half smoke was smothered in generous amounts of delicious chili and I almost died and went to heaven devouring it.

The back room's walls were decorated with a beautiful painting of prominent African American figures, multiple photos of famous people who have visited the place (Bill Cosby was an avid Bowl-goer), and an amazing portrait that Eric said was made entirely out of wire. (I couldn't see that well across the room.) Visit this place for the yummy, perfectly cooked food ... and the bustling, friendly neighborhood atmosphere!

Pizza and beer: The Lost Dog Cafe serves up meals for a cause: The owners are directly involved in the rescue of hundreds of dogs and cats, and restaurant proceeds help out The Lost Dog and Cat Foundation (http://www.lostdogrescue.com/). I visited the brand new location on Columbia Pike and found a HUGE menu with 52 different speciality sandwiches (and plenty of "build-your-own" options), and at least 31 gourmet pizza options, not to mention a wide variety of appetizers, soups, salads, pasta, and desserts. The Crabmeat pizza comes with slabs of yummy crustacean across the top, while the Burro Pie equals homemade pico de gallo and black been dip with cheeses right on the crust. Speaking of crust, it's so good you might want to munch on that alone for a snack -- soft and doughy. And then there's the beer menu ... it's a brew-lover's dream with scores and scores of imported and domestic (including many IPA) beers, plus several wines and non-alcoholic options. Try the Clemson Tiger Tea to wash down your food -- it's a mixture of lemonade and iced tea.

The restaurant itself is clean and well-lit, with a friendly, down-home feel, a wall of beer bottles behind the bar, and a slew of framed rescued (or waiting-to-be-adopted) doggie pics. If you live closer to Washington Boulevard, there's another location there. Also on Washington Boulevard: sister eatery and animal helper The Stray Cat Cafe, which features many Meditteranean options as well as another giant menu full of sandwiches, burgers and platters galore. (Haven't been there yet, but rest assured I will soon :) For more information, visit http://www.lostdogcafe.com/ or http://www.thestraycatcafe.com/.

Bolivian, anyone?: Have you ever had a saltena? If not, get thee to My Bakery & Cafe. My coworkers introduced me to the joy of Bolivian food here, and I have been back several times. With a few locations in Alexandria, Falls Church, and Manassas, you can find one somewhere near you in the Washington D.C. outskirts.

So, what is a saltena? It's a round pastry with beef, chicken, and veggie stew inside. Warm and hearty, even just one is great for a satisfying meal, especially on a chilly, rainy day. You will get a side of green spicy sauce to dole onto your saltena. It's delicious, but beware -- it will also set your mouth on fire!

Aside from that, there are many other delicious options, many of which come with yuca (like french fries, only thicker and chewier), fried plantains, and egg. It's all quite yummy, but the food is heavy and the portions are generous, so be prepared to bring some home for dinner! (Please don't waste this good food!) My Bakery also has a wide variety of yummy-sounding cakes for all kinds of occasions, including Tres Leches (Three Milks) in a cup!

A gathering in your own backyard: My advice is this: Get a bushel of crabs, sprinkle liberally with Old Bay seasoning, and pass around the Honey Moon (Blue Moon's summer seasonal brew!). Ahhhhh...now that's heaven!

Horrible Hotels!

My latest poll is now closed, and it seems the overwhelming "worst part of travel" is gross hotel rooms! Thankfully, I've rarely come across a truly horrible hotel, but I do have all kinds of quirky lodging stories - some nastier than others. I'll avoid naming names since some of these are just minor, onetime complaints!

Not What It's Cracked Up to Be ...

There was the nice, rustic-looking Radford (Virginia) lodge, in a bucolic setting, that turned out to be poorly lit and somewhat dirty on the inside. The real killer for me was the low showerhead, which forced me to do all kinds of uncomfortable stooping and bending. When the water suddenly went freezing cold out of nowhere, I thought it was time to demand a refund! (My father, who laughed uproariously as I angrily rinsed shampoo out of my hair in the sink, apparently thought differently - he booked another stay there later!)

Then there was the high-rise Manhattan hotel (is there any other kind?) that promised a luxurious two-bedroom suite at a bargain price. We should have understood that "bargain" is a bad word in NYC. After walking through the dingy, darkly lit hallways to find our "suite," we entered two cramped bedrooms joined by a tiny, slimy, slightly hairy bathroom. My bedroom doubled as the living room, with a twin bed covered in rough sheets and pillowcases. My parents' double bed took up most of the space in their room and was jammed against the door to the outside. They also had the privilege of having the sink in their room, since there definitely wasn't enough room for it in the bathroom.

What about when it's not the room that is a problem? Staying at a large resort and casino in Atlantic City, my friends and I went in search of a good pool to swim in. The rooftop pool we'd heard so much about was drained and closed off. The courtyard pool had dirt and feathers floating in it, and the pavement under one chaise lounge displayed a pile of orange vomit. My best friend and I hopped in anyway, joking about catching a disease. We stopped laughing when a HAZ-MAT team showed up and began spraying down the deck. We wound up going to the luxurious rooftop pool and hot tub complex at the resort next door!

When It's Good for a Laugh ...

The Embassy Suites (a chain I always highly recommend, although it's rather pricey!) in Raleigh gave my coworker, Donald, and I a good laugh when we stayed there last June. After flying in from New Orleans, we were exhausted and went straight to our neighboring suites to unpack, then dashed downstairs to enjoy the free dinner and happy hour. Heading upstairs, we were both ready to sleep off the jet lag (or, in my case, ready to do work all night on my laptop). Not too seconds after I'd shut my suite door, Donald banged on it. "Come over here," he hollered from the hall. I ran out and he pointed into his open suite. "Can you tell me what's wrong with this picture?" he asked. I peered in and saw the TV, which he'd just channel-surfed on not 45 minutes before, was missing! He called the front desk to report it -- it turned out maintenance had taken it and was getting ready to come back with a new one, but they'd failed to leave a note. We had a great laugh about that one!

The One That Takes the Cake ...

But, by far, the worst hotel story I have is about the Holiday Inn Express in Hillsborough, North Carolina. I'm going to go ahead and put a name to this one because it was that bad. We wound up complaining to both the HIE president and to AAA.

We stayed there on the way back from Lake Martin, Alabama, where we enjoyed a one week vacation with my aunt and uncle at their summer home. We had three rooms, and as soon as we walked in we noticed the walls were banged up and dented, and that the corners were all dirty. My sister and brother-in-law's room stank of mildew and had ladybugs, my father's room wouldn't lock properly, and the bathroom door in my room (shared with my aunt) wouldn't shut at all unless we shoved a trashcan in front of it. We were both a little irritated also that the notepads in the room had been used, with coffee cup rings on them, and that only one of our rooms had a microwave when it was specifically stated that all rooms did. But, no matter, we figured we'd go off to the pool and get a swim and forget about it ... except the pool was worse. Our first clues were the large ant colony living amid old pieces of food, and the cracked, dirty pool furniture. Our second clues were the pieces of dirt, debris, and feathers floating on the water, and the paint peeling off the bottom! My sister and I, seasoned swimmers who have entered all kinds of water (remember the gross Atlantic City pool?), hopped in, but had to leave when night approached since the lights around the pool were all burned out. Unfortunately, we found the pool's towel supply was also completely depleted and we had no way to dry off.

Dripping wet, we dropped by the exercise room so my dad could get a good look. We found a small room with three machines wedged in -- and a paper requiring guests to sign over all responsibility for the machines' condition. I've never seen this anywhere. What if the machine breaks through no fault of your own? Are you then responsible for paying to replace a crappy treadmill? We went back upstairs to enjoy watching TV and lounging around -- and to wrestle with two of the toilets. My dad's didn't really flush at all, but when he complained, he was told it couldn't be fixed! My brother-in-law's got clogged. When he complained, he was handed a plunger and told to go fix it himself and then leave the dirty plunger out in the hall!

All of this was bad, but the real killer came at 3 AM. The phone rang loudly in our room, and my aunt picked it up to find a wake-up call that we of course didn't request. Two hours later, it went off again -- with yet another wake-up call! My aunt stormed downstairs and was told someone had failed to de-program previous guests' wake-up call requests. It appears someone also failed to remove previous' guests dirt and hire appropriate maintenance!

The Bottom Line ...

The best you can hope for is to do your research -- and hope what you find is correct. Trip Advisor (tripadvisor.com) is always a good place to read "real people" ratings and reviews. The AAA guidebook is generally trustworthy, but not always -- we chose the Hillsborough hotel because they had given it three diamonds!

What are some of your "Worst Stay Ever!" stories? Please share so we can all feel revolted :)