Sensational Saturday, Daytime Edition!

Bestie Dibby and I have something we like to call "Sensational Saturdays", where we pick out a new hotspot in DC to explore each Saturday night, be it a restaurant, lounge, or club. Instead of always going to the same ol' spot over and over again, this forces us to check out a new place. We tend to visit at least a couple of places, because DC just has so much to offer. It feels like there is always a new place opening each weekend! Over the past few months, we've had our crazy nights (hello, Tattoo security cam!), but we have also had our share of once-in-a-lifetime, amazingly fun times. Living each day to the fullest, we both like to say!

Dibby happened to get Saturday off work, so I thought, why not start "Sensational Saturdays" while it's still light out? I picked her up and we decided to head to Dupont Circle for some lunch, sightseeing, and girl-bonding. The day was nice and the weather was the perfect reminder that it was still spring: sunny but on the cool side. We got to Dupont and looked for a place where we could dine al fresco. Dibby and I soon wandered upon Circa. Glancing at the outside patio, filled with a crowd with a fun vibe, we asked for a table. After a 15 minute wait, we got our outside seats.

Circa's menu reflects American cuisine, with International influences. This is good, since I'm dining with Miss "I don't like chewy or raw or weird food!". She's a great sport though, and said she was willing to try new things, within reason. Since we had a long afternoon and night ahead of us, we wanted to eat something light, so we both opted for the soup and salad. The soup of the day was tomato basil, and I decided on the Caprese Salad. Same ingredients, different medium. Dibbs had the same soup, but chose the Caesar Salad. To drink? Mimosas, of course! Circa must've known we were hungry, because we didn't have to wait long for the soup. I was a little concerned about it tasting like a pizza since it shared the same basic components (tomato, basil, mozzarella), but the cream in the soup added a different flavour component. The Caprese Salad was exactly what I wanted: fresh flavours, light, yet flavourful. I normally do not like tomato slices, and pick them out of burgers and sandwiches, but in this case, in combination with the fresh mozzarella, the fragrant basil, the extra virgin olive oil, and the aged balsamic vinegar, they were divine. My fave part was the fleur de sel, since I have been complaining about underseasoned food lately.

Since I am writing a concurrent article on the cupcake craze in town, I suggested we walk over to Hello Cupcake and try one of their confections. As expected, the place was busy and there was a line of people (aka: tourists) inside. I was going to have the girls over later tonight, so I bought six, two each of the Carrot, Vanilla Gorilla, and Chococo. Dibby got the You Tart. The two of us sat on one of the benches in the heart of Dupont Circle, and munched on our cupcakes. I will say that while I'm not quite on this bandwagon, the cupcakes were delish! I tried the Carrot, and I love how the cake was moist and there were visibles bits of carrot in the cake. The walnuts added a welcome crunch and change in texture. The frosting was light and airy, though a little too sweet for my tastes. Dibbs loved hers, and so did the little birdies that nibbled on her crumbs. I, with my aversion to birds, almost had a coronary when those little winged rascals came over. I repeatedly had to tell my self to focus on my cupcake!

For its inaugural debut, Sensational Saturday Daytime Edition was a success. Dibby and I will have to do it again, next time she gets the day off. But now, it’s time to strategize. Sensational Saturday, Nighttime Edition, here we come!

Circa at Dupont

1601 Connecticut Avenue NW

Washington, DC  20009

202.667.1601

Hello Cupcake
1351 Connecticut Avenue NW
Washington, DC   20036
202.861.2253