last night i received an impromptu invite from the plum to a special media preview at washington place bistro and inn. while i did not take many photos (mainly due to the fact that many other bloggers would post fantastic critiques and observations), i must express how deliciously fun the night was.

the previous baricelli inn was a staple in the little italy neighborhood that essentially ran its course. while the food was tasty, the place was in need of a serious makeover. scott kuhn, who also owns 87 west at crocker park, took this opportunity and created a entirely new space and non-italian (surprise!) menu. as soon as you walk in the renovated lobby, your eye is drawn to the lit counter tops of the main bar and reception desk area. stone tiles are used throughout the interior which add a soft modern tone. clean-lined steel chairs also add to the updated ambiance.

the sleek bar/lounge space.

another lobby shot.

each of the three dining rooms have been updated with new flooring, ambient lighting and oversized chairs. the original woodwork has been kept in tact throughout the dining rooms and several original fireplaces have been restored in a few of the seven guest rooms. one of my favorite features of the guest rooms are the large remodeled bathrooms complete with glass showers.

all of the guest rooms are priced at an affordable $139/night and you have the option to upgrade to $160/night which includes brunch. for anyone interested in staying at a local boutique hotel or have out-of-town guests visiting our fair city, i would highly recommend washington place.

i cannot say anything negative about the five course meal we enjoyed. every dish that was sent out was absolutely incredible. i am not sure i can pick just one fav of the night, but the pierogi and salmon were extremely yummy. great food combined with great service puts this new restaurant in a very good spot on the cle foodie scene.

the plum photographs.

janet taking her 10th shot of the same dish.

after our tour, the plum and i headed to the battery park wine bar which def put the cherry on top of an unexpectedly fun monday evening. i must say, and i will continue to say it … i love this city.

word of the day – beets

it has been almost 2 weeks. i cannot seem to get it out of my fat head.

it doesn’t matter if you like it or not, but it’s there. these writers know exactly what they are doing, as well as the producers. they have intentionally created a monster and they know that millions of people will latch on.

i am talking about “teenage dream” by katy perry. the guy in this video shares his love/hate problem with the rest of the world to see.

as soon as you first heard this bubbly mess, chances are that your ears bled onto your shoulders just a little bit. but then you hear it 2 or 20 more times and it suddenly doesn’t sound so bad. then you actually start to like it or possibly love it. and then you start to hate it with a passion. why? because it’s now stuck in your damn head.

do you have any current songs in your head? maybe even an older tune that you just can’t seem to put to rest?

side note – remember to get your tickets to this year’s jump back ball! i attended the kick-off party this past tuesday with some other cle bloggers, including allison and shibani. this year’s event is not to be missed!

word of the day – fog

how was your weekend!? did you all take advantage of restaurant week?

while my weekend was supposed to be very lazy, a couple impromptu dinner outings happened (thank you lisa and moe) which i am highly grateful for. after dining at bar cento on friday and luxe on saturday, i can say that i am happy to be home from vacation. while relaxing in a warm, lush, all-inclusive haven is an absurd amount of fun, coming home and enjoying your friends and familiar places can be just as satisfying. that said, let’s talk a little bit about mexico!

this was my first week long vacation in quite some time. i forgot what it felt like. and i am happy we made riviera maya our choice for a late fall trip. it all started with our neighbor moe, who recently celebrated a monumental birthday and invited some friends along for the ride. in total, a group of 9 of us packed our bags and headed to the valentin imperial maya.

upon arrival, the cocktails started pouring and i was not complaining. combine that with absolutely beautiful grounds, pools and white beach and it’s basically a little piece of heaven. note to the marketing manager – i would suggest you hire a photographer to take more artistic shots of the property. your current pictures really do not do your resort justice.

lobby area.

the grounds. look at that sky!

more fountains.

during the week, we broke up time between the pool and beach. its kind of amazing how fast a day can go while doing absolutely nothing. thankfully, the weather cooperated and it stayed a mild 81-85 degrees throughout the week.

the big pool.

my right foot (foreground), heaven (background)

pretty palms on the beach.

i think my favorite part of the trip was actually dinner. our whole crew met at 6 or 7 every night at one of the several restaurant options and enjoyed ourselves for 2-3 hours each night. i cannot tell you how much fun this was. i think we really annoyed some of the other patrons with our uncontrollable laughter on a few occasions. what can i say. we just like having a little too much fun from time to time. who cares!

we did pony up and venture off on an excursion, where we did a little zip lining, atv jungle adventure and some cenote swimming. this place definitely has it’s shiz together. very buttoned up and extremely nice, accommodating staff. i would highly recommend any of the selvatica tours.

all in all, it was a terrific time with even more terrific people. nugget edited some footage on the plane and created this little movie of our mexican adventure. enjoy!

word of the day – iguana