Meredith

The view at Mather Point and Bright Angel Lodge is virtually identical. I really suggest people only visit one or the other, because the view is so similar I didn’t even take pictures at the second one I visited. As for which one to visit, that is a bit tougher, because Mather Point has a great bookstore but Bright Angel Lodge has some historical information as well as a couple of places to eat.

This is unquestionably my favorite restaurant in the DC area, period. I am lucky to live just a couple of miles away! Sunflower is actually mostly vegan, I think the “Vegetarian” in the name might just be to appeal to people who think vegans are…whatever evil things those people think.

The food is really good, my favorite dish is the Sweet & Sour Sensation which I have ordered many times; my wife’s favorite is the General Tso’s dish. These are both seitan-based and they’re really wonderful!

I love Sanrio like you wouldn’t believe, but I can’t ever bring myself to buy anything here. They don’t have anything you can’t get at Sanrio stores elsewhere, except for a few NYC-specific Hello Kitty items. The prices are high, of course, and the selection is not so great. I enjoy going to look around, but I no longer walk in there with the intention of buying anything because I know I’ll be disappointed in what I end up finding.

SeamlessWeb is great. I have ordered from them several times and it’s been great every time. Occasionally the confirmation e-mail is delayed, but whenever I call the restaurant they always have my order. In the early days of SeamlessWeb, I had a problem that they fixed very quickly and personally. They have a great list of restaurants and the site functions well. Highly recommended.

The line is often very long, but their special concotions are so unique it’s worth the wait! Unfortunately they have nowhere near enough seats, and the seats they do have are uncomfortable. But the rice pudding is awesome, so who cares? I like their little take-home bowls and spoons; I’m sure they drive up the cost of each purchase but I still have the ones I got shortly after this place opened.

Peanut butter is my favorite food in the world, and nobody does it better than PB&C. They make great sandwiches and their special flavors of peanut butter are awesome. I bought some of the “Dark Chocolate Dreams” to take home and it was great on toast!

The Magnolia Bakery has been famous for years, and for good reason! Their cupcakes are fabulous. They keep very odd hours, and I’ve found that if you go in the afternoon or evening the line will be out the door and around the corner. If you want to get some cupcakes with a very short wait in line, go in the morning – at least before noon. The inside is still crowded but they move you along very fast and you can get in, buy your cupcakes, and get out in 10 minutes.

They make wedding cakes, too!

My friend lives in Chelsea and we go to the Moonstruck all the time. We thought for a change we’d try the Empire – bad idea! We were condescended to the whole time. I asked for a Diet Coke – oh sorry, they only have regular. I asked for Splenda – oh sorry, not only do they not have Splenda, they don’t have any sugar substitutes – only the real thing. I heard another customer ask to have her omelet made with EggBeaters instead of real eggs – oh sorry, we only do it with real eggs.

This is clearly not the place for someone who is health-conscious. The piano player was also obnoxiously loud, the staff was rude, and I’m sticking with the Moonstruck from now on.

It’s so wonderful to have vegetarian options that are equivalent to what my friends are eating. Often when I go out to eat with friends, they get a great meal and I get a salad. But at Better Burger, my friends get a burger – and I get a burger! Or my friends get a hot dog – and I get a hot dog! The sides are also very good, particularly the mashed potatoes. The delivery is really fast too.

I am going to Las Vegas from Feb 14-24, 2007! My spouse has a conference there and we are extending a few days past that so we can turn it into a vacation. Neither of us has ever been before. I am going to have a lot of time on my own (while she’s in the conference), so I have a lot to do.

We already have tickets to see Zumanity, and we are hoping to see Penn & Teller although their February schedule hasn’t been released yet. I want to make sure to go to Luv It Frozen Custard, and a friend recommended Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba as well. I want to go on the roller coasters at Adventure Dome and NY-NY, I want to see the Dolphins at Mirage and check out the Bellagio’s water fountains. I am going to pre-book a ticket for the Titanic artifacts exhibition at the Tropicana, and I might see the Bodies show there too.