Free Tequila? Yes, Please! At La Plaza, A Capitol Hill Mexican Favorite

As a born and raised Texan I take my Mexican food pretty seriously. And I can tell you from experience, most of the time, the best Mexican or Tex-Mex food is out of a totally low key, unassuming restaurant with some kind-of weird decor.  So when I walked into La Plaza for the first time and saw the cartoon characters painted on the wall for the kids section, I knew I had come to the right place!

The first time my husband and I ate at La Plaza was actually on Christmas night.  We stayed in DC for the holidays, and without any family to cook for, we decided to venture out.  We had passed signs all week on Penn for this place called La Plaza that would continue their tradition of being open on the holiday.  Enchiladas and tequila on Christmas? Hell, with a meal like that we would practically be back in Texas.

One of the best appetizers is the Chroizo con Queso. My personal favorite main dish is the No. 5 - a super flavorful chile relleno with a cheese enchilada. You know how french chef's are tested by making a soup? Well, I think Mexican restaurants should be tested by making a cheese enchilada.  It's totally basic but can either be delicious or unexciting, La Plaza's is perfect.

And did I mention they serve refried beans? So many Mexican restaurants in DC serve black beans, which is incredibly odd and incredibly un-Texas like. Side note: I once asked the crew at Tortilla Coast why (as fellow Texans) they chose to serve black beans over refried. They said everyone kept asking for black beans so they kicked the refried off the menu.  Black beans as a side at a Mexican restaurant is just unnatural. Judge them by the refried beans, it's a sign they know what they are doing.

Now, let me warn you, not everything at La Plaza is incredible. The chicken burrito, chicken enchilada, anything with chicken, I have found to be vastly under-seasoned. I would recommend sticking to a veggie or seafood option, you will not be disappointed.

Now on to the beverages...the margaritas are stout.  Tasty, and stout.  And if you order a drink they will (surprise!) bring you a free tequila shot at the end of the meal. If they didn't have me coming back just for the food, it would definitely be for the liquor, of both the paid for and free variety.

La Plaza is located at 629 Pennsylvania Ave SE between 6th and 7th.

Happy Hilling!
S.

Who is That? - A Bit of Capitol Hill History

Have you ever passed by this statue and wondered who it was and what was the history behind it? This statue is located in front of a private residence near the corner of 6th Street SE and North Carolina Ave SE. It is very large and very mysterious and has had me wondering for some time. I decided to look into this statue and see what I could find out!

The statue is of Olive Risley Seward (1841-1908) and was sculpted by the artist John Cavenaugh.  The artist wished to provide a sculpture of someone from the Seward family, since Seward Square (across the street) did not have a statue or memorial in honor of it's namesake.

Olive was the adopted daughter of William Henry Seward, who served as Secretary of State under Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Jackson.  Olive was born in New York but eventually came to DC where her birth father worked as a civil servant for the Secretary of the Treasury. After the tragic passing of William's wife and daughter, and Olive's loss of her mother, the two met and developed a bond. To squash any scandalous rumors as to the nature of their relationship (with quite a few years of age between them), William Seward formerly adopted Olive as his own daughter.

At the time Cavenaugh created the sculpture he did not have a photograph of Olive to use as a reference. With no documentation to guide is creation, he modeled the figure as his ideal Victorian lady.  Ironically enough, a picture was later found of Olive and the statue does, in fact, resemble her.  Serendipitous, I think!

Happy Hilling!
S.

P.S. I'm looking for the next bit of history to research in the neighborhood.  If you have anything you pass by all the time and wonder "What's the story behind that?" please let me know! I'd love to research it and share my findings.

Rental Round Up - Saturday's Studios

Here a few great studio apartments available in Capitol Hill.  Spend your Saturday searching for the perfect new studio apartment in the neighborhood.

Immaculate Studio at Union Station - Hardwood Floors, Granite Countertops. Great Location
http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/doc/apa/4435311621.html

Charming English Basement - Tall Ceilings, Private Outdoor Patio
http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/doc/apa/4457654302.html

Top Floor Studio at Lincoln Park - Modern Kitchen, Nice W/D in Unit, Large Bathroom
http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/doc/apa/4461764592.html

Happy Hilling!
S.

Cozy Capitol Hill Dinner: Rose's Luxury

Let me start by saying all of the hype you have heard about Rose's Luxury is true.  I have dined at Rose's for dinner three times in four weeks.  Yes, it is that good.


Rose's Luxury is the perfect modern day dining experience.

The food is sophisticated, but not fussy. The wait staff is knowledgeable, but not pretentious. The decor is elegant, but not over the top.

Rose's Luxury does not take reservations and yes, they are slammed on Friday and Saturday nights.  If you want to go on a weekend night, go at 6 or at 9:30pm.  If you show up at a normal dining time you will have a three hour wait.


Personally, I like to go on a Wednesday or Thursday around 6:30pm.  Enjoy a pre-dinner cocktail at the chic and cozy upstairs bar before being seated for dinner.

Considering the number of times I have been to Rose's Luxury I have now tried almost everything on the menu (which does change seasonally).  A few of my favorites are as follows:

1. Oysters - both Chicken Fried and Raw, absolutely delightful

2. The Bread - which is free, is omg-amazing.  The whipped butter with crispy potato skins on top, out of this world.  I could make an entire meal just from this bread and butter.

3. The Fried Chicken - drizzled with a bit of honey for a savory & sweet experience.  Try it with and without the Crystal's hot sauce.  By the way, shout out to Rose's for offering legit southern hot sauce to pair with the chicken.

4. The Brisket - juicy, savory, cooked to perfection. If you don't want the family style platter ask for a brisket sandwich - trust me, it's exactly what you want. Technically the sandwich is only on the bar menu, not the full dining room menu, but they will serve it at the table.

5. The Sourdough Donuts - mixed with the vanilla bean ice cream, this stuff is heaven.

Happy Hilling!
S.

Rental Round Up - Saturday, April 5th

Check out these awesome properties I came across over my morning coffee.  And make the move to Capitol Hill, life is good here. :-)

Fabulous 1 Bedroom at Stanton Park, Hardwood Floors, Fireplace - $2200 a month
http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/doc/apa/4401281245.html


Cute Bungalow, 2 Bed, 1 Bath with Open House Today 10am to 2pm - $1895 a month
http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/doc/apa/4408126246.html


Charming, Newly Renovated 1 Bed, WD in Unit, two blocks from the Capitol - $1800 a month
http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/doc/apa/4408033911.html


Happy Hilling!
S.

Capitol Hill Flowers: Fresh Cut & Arranged

One of the simplest pleasures I always treat myself to is having fresh cut flowers in the house every week.  I usually only fill one vase and put it in a highly visible spot, like the fireplace mantel, to keep it budget friendly but still have impact.

Up until recently I had been buying my flowers inside Eastern Market.  While that flower shop is convenient, their selection is limiting and they often run out of what I want.  I decided to go on a hunt for another source for weekly fresh cut flowers in Capitol Hill, and that's when I found Surroundings.

Located on the southeast corner of Lincoln Park, Surroundings is an adorable little shop that has a huge selection of fresh cut flowers.  They also do events, arrangements, and even landscaping.  Lucky for me, Surroundings is a quick five blocks from my house.

This morning I took the dog for a walk to the park and we stopped off at Surroundings.  I was in the midst of tying the dog to a bench when the shop worker told me I could bring her inside, dogs are welcome! I loved it!

The prices are fair and the flowers are gorgeous and they definitely won me over on the charm factor.  Buy your flowers local and support our neighborhood small businesses. You won't regret it!

Surroundings
1023 East Capitol St SE
http://www.surroundings.bz/
10am to 6pm, Monday thru Friday
10am to 1pm, Saturday
Closed, Sunday

Happy Hilling!
S.

Rental Round Up - Thursday, April 3rd

Do you have this weekend carved out to look for a new apartment?  Here are some digs that just came available in Capitol Hill.

If you live on the Hill already, you know you want to stay.  

If you don't live on the Hill yet, you know you want to move here.

Gorgeous 1 Bedroom One Block from Eastern Market - $1850

http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/doc/apa/4399178456.html

Stunning 3 Bedroom Row House at 6th and F Street SE - $3950

http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/doc/apa/4395778297.html

Well Located Studio Apartment with Full Size W/D - $1300

http://yarmouthmanagement.com/today.html

Happy Hilling!

S.