Union Market DC

After hearing about it for so many weeks, I finally made my way to Union Market!

Instead of brunch, one of my roommates suggested get some of our fresh air for the day and walk to NoMA with her. After a pit stop for some coffee, we walked from our Dupont home down Florida Ave and arrived at Union Market.

When you first walk up, it’s not entirely what you might expect. There are butchers and wholesale warehouses and it looks as though nothing has been renovated in quite a few years.. but then as you turn the corner you run across an all white building, with orange accents that looks a bit out of place.

You have arrived!

Tada!

Union Market is a DC foodie and gifters paradise. Many of DC’s most loved restaurants have mini outposts inside. You can find empanadas, bagels, a diner, a wine bar, fresh meats and artisan cheeses, a chocolate shop, a tea shop, an oyster bar, a knife shop, a macaroon shop.. to name a few.

There is also a shop section called Sweet and Savory, devoted entirely to home goods and gifts. Here are some of my favorite views from the market:

For your favorite cooking friend

I probably need this.. this is generally how I feel

For your friend who always knows what to order

For your furry adopted friend

For your adventurous friend

For your home making friend

mmm CoCo Sala

Pearl – Tea

CoCo Sala

Look at that in the back

Red Apron meats and sandwiches — I must go back

Buffalo Bergen – Diner/Deli

I think that my favorite part was the artisan cheese section — they have an unbelievable variety and if you can get a spot, you have the option to do a tasting with 3 different types of wines and cheeses.

Who will go with me next time? Perhaps for brunch?

Yes PLEASE

I highly suggest making the trek, if you don’t want to walk like we did there is plenty of parking, or the NoMA metro stop is only a few blocks away. Sample everything you can, and come hungry — you wont be disappointed!

xE

What’s Getting Us Through the Week

It looks like it’s an indulge yourself kind of week over here at Liberty on Less. We’re barely holding on until Friday, but check out what’s been keeping us alive and getting us through the week:

E says…

Both of my WGUTTW are liquids today.. I’m not sure if that’s a bad thing but it definitely shows that this week has been CRAZY at work, and there’s been barely any time to actually consume solid food.

1. Starbucks Mocha

As I said, the week is crazy. I generally try to avoid spending money at Starbucks, but on Monday my boss and I went for a walk down the street to grab coffee and I suddenly decided on a whim that I wanted a hot mocha. It hit the SPOT.
I know, I know..calories.. but with the walk outside, which has been hard to find time for this week, the delicious chocolaty warmth, and the shot of espresso? Here’s my $3.95, Starbucks!

2. Wine Nights

This week was my roommates birthday.. so we went out for dinner and drinks at Ezme on P street in Dupont. I HIGHLY recommend it. Delicious Mediterranean tapas, and fantastic wine selection. Last night was a work happy hour and again the wine came out. I’m not saying over-do anything, I’m just saying a glass or two to wind down at the end of a crazy day is fantastic. Even if it just lets you SIT for a minute. Tonight’s plan? The mimosas nail salon… I see a theme, but hey its a quarter close! Forgive me?

S says…

1. Reese’s Pumpkins

We warned you this week was about indulgences! Maybe it’s the pumpkin shape, or maybe it’s just the chocolate…but I have eaten so many of these this week! Festive and delicious, though…how could I turn them down?

2. The Return of Fall Television

Between Mindy last week and Modern Family & Nashville this week – I’m in fall TV heaven! My favorite shows are all back and funnier than ever! I’m very easily entertained, so naturally I’m a total TV junkie. And thanks to Hulu Plus I can watch all my favorites even if I miss them at their original air time. 🙂 These little television indulgences have been keeping me going all week and giving me something to look forward to when I get home from work each night!

Well, I guess you can tell the kind of week we’re having! Are you as ready for Friday as we are?

-E&S

Live Blogging from Northside Social!

Today I randomly came across an article that talked about the best places for outdoor Wifi in the D.C. area. Among them was Northside Social in Clarendon, so since its in Shianne’s neighborhood we decided to check it out after work today! We’re there as we type so here is what we’re seeing from the outside patio:

First impression & curb appeal:

When you first walk up you notice a big red building with blue umbrellas and a large crowd of people outside. You can’t miss it! Everyone has their computer, iPad  or smart phone and out they’re drinking beer and wine (our kinda place!).  We’re getting excited…

Food: 

Italian Grilled Cheese… mm pesto

BLT!

Shianne went for the Italian Grilled Cheese and Elyse opted for the BLT. Both were delish! and it helped that we were beyond starving…

Drinks:

And may our hearts, where’er we roam,
Forever loyal be
To our beloved college home
Beside the Genesee.

What to get what to get..Northside is a coffee shop but they also serve beer and wine and after perusing the cooler Shianne noticed that they had Genesee beer?? That pretty much was an automatic yes since we both went to school in Rochester where the Genesee river is and where the beer hails from. Oh the fraternity basement memories… The guy working the register made fun of us for going for the “not so great” beer but we don’t care.

Overall Thoughts:

This is the prefect place to come and do work, read, people watch or whatever you need. Its finally nice out and everyone is in a great mood! You’re also surrounded by dogs.. which is always a good thing.

A+ Northside Social!

xS&E

Drink The District : Wine Edition

This past weekend my friend Amanda visited from the big apple! Knowing that those new yorkers are hard to impress and that she had already seen the tourist sights of D.C. I found something a little different for us to do…

Living Social puts together many different alcohol-centric events and this weekend happened to be the Drink the District: Wine Edition. Aka, you pay $23, get a special tasting glass and are then invited from 12-4 to unlimited wine tasting from local vineyards and ones across the rest of the world!

Held down by the Navy Yard, this weekend was perfect weather for some wine, some friends and some food trucks… and yes that does say Trapeze School and I hope to do more investigation if there are really people swinging around inside!

I’ve purchased this at the Walgreens up the street before…

You taste it you finish it!

Ever seen a wine bottle with a pouring spout? Now you have. Plus our special tasting glasses! Note the thumb indent for easy holding.. they really thought of everything!

As the day continued on, we decided to do a food truck run. Crepes, Bubble Tea, Gourmet Grilled Cheese and some ice cream later…

Brie, Apples, Onions and Honey? Why yes.
If you ever see the Big Cheese food truck I highly recommend it because EVERYONE loved their sandwich and we tried all 4 flavors.

And then this guy happened..

Its a macaroon, ice cream sandwich. with brownie pieces inside.

There is a beer version of this coming in May again thanks to Living Social, who’s in??

-xE

Hand Painted Wine Glasses

This weekend was BEAUTIFUL in our nations capitol, only made a little crazy by the 1.8 million people that are around today for the inauguration. For us, being here is nothing new so we continued life as usual.

Saturday morning Elyse drove and handled a few pups at lucky dog, and we both fell in love with Lawrence (who is known to his friends as Larry)

He had ginger eyelashes.. and was the best snuggler

Larry got an adoption application in, so fingers crossed to him and his new furever (haha, get it?) home!

After some Mexican food and manicures,  Elyse and I decided to have a quiet night in this Saturday and finally do the craft project we’ve been talking about doing for months. Inspired by images like this on etsy,  we bought a couple wine tumblers (not glasses) and decided to spruce them up a bit by hand painting designs on them with acrylic paint.

Given that we’re not the most crafty individuals, it took us a while to warm up and our second glasses were much better than our first.

But all in all it was a fun activity and now we have personalized glasses to impress guests with (okay, maybe just the second two will actually impress anyone…). So if you’re feeling crafty, this is definitely something to try! And hopefully you’re a little better with a brush!

xO -S&E