Father’s Day At The Grill Room

June 17, 2013 by 2 Comments
The Grill Room

Father’s Day is celebrated differently across the world.  In America, a woman named Sonora Louise Smart of Arkansas inspired the national observance of Father’s Day.  The story goes that Sonora lost her mom when she was a teenager and she helped her father, a farmer by the name of William Jackson Smart raise all her younger brothers.  Her family eventually moved to Spokane, Washington and after witnessing all the things that her Dad did for her and her siblings, Sonora decided to approach a local Church organization and ask them to help her recognize the fathers in their community.  June 19, 1910 was the first official Father’s Day celebration. (Read more here).

Yesterday, Capella Washington, D.C. hosted the first ever Father’s Day celebration at The Grill Room.  One guest I had the pleasure of speaking with was John Oliver Smith of Lima, Ohio.  He is the father and stepfather to eight children – seven boys and one girl.  As I sat with John on the outdoor terrace, enjoying a delicious Chesapeake Egg Benedict, I was reminded of how history repeats itself in many surprising ways.  John represents all the father figures, who are patriarchs that give so much of themselves to make others happy.  It was a pleasure to sit down with him and get to know his family and honor and appreciate the love our father’s bring to each and every family across the world.

The Grill Room

During our breakfast, John spoke happily to me about how the outdoor seating on the C&O canal felt very European, much like sitting along an Italian canal, or sipping coffee at a Paris café.  “The whole ambiance had a city vibe but was tucked away in such a quiet and luxurious location, with unbelievable architecture,” says John.  I couldn’t agree more and was so delighted that he was able to relax and enjoy this special day in such a peaceful and gorgeous setting.

If you were not able to be here to celebrate this past weekend, there are plenty of other opportunities.  I highly suggest looking into the Fourth of July special, with rooftop views of the firework show at the National Mall!  To see a description of this package and specials for this year, click here.

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Seafood At The Grill Room

May 20, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Seafood At The Grill Room

If you are an East Coast native, I am almost positive we have at least one thing in common, the love for SEAFOOD!  It’s difficult not to love seafood when you live on the East Coast, where Chesapeake Bay crabs (my personal favorite) and many other types of seafood are so readily available and the quality cannot be beat.  I was so happy to learn that The Grill Room at Capella Washington D.C. would feature some of the most mouthwatering seafood dishes I have ever seen and I would like to share several of them with you.

Seafood At The Grill Room

For starters, Chef Esko presents the “Seafood Tower for Two”, featuring Main Lobster, Blue Point Oysters, Alaskan Crab Legs and Prawns, all served with a delicious champagne mignonette & cocktail sauce.  This first course has already won me over because it brings back memories of my childhood, when I learned how to open my first crab and lobster tail, so much fun!  The @CapellaDC Twitter followers have also been raving about the Seafood Tower, which tells me our Washington D.C. locals really love it!

Next up, the “Maryland Jumbo Lump Crab Cake.”  The dish is also served in mini crab cake slider form at The Rye Bar.  This dish is served with Piquillo Pepper Aioli & Radish Salad.  I have to tell you, my brother came to visit and when he tried the crab cake, he said it was the best one he has ever had in his life! (That says a lot coming from a boy who’s grown up in Maryland and has tasted hundreds of crab cakes in his lifetime).

For the main course, Chef Esko presents a variety of seafoods.  My personal favorite has to be the “Grilled Scallops”, served with Sundried Tomatoes, Pearl Barley, Caramelized Endives, Mustard and Sherry sauce.  Also on the menu, “Roasted Wild Rockfish” served with Parsley Risotto and Orange & Horseradish Shrimp- this is one of my go-to dishes for lunch!

With summer just around the corner, these are my picks for all the seafood lovers in Washington D.C. and guests planning to visit Capella D.C. this season.  View The Grill Room’s full menu here.

I love sharing culinary images and updates with you from The Grill Room & Rye Bar so be sure to follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter and most recently, Instagram!

See you all soon!

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A Visit To Washington D.C.’s Cherry Blossom Festival

April 19, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Cherry Blossom Festival

Earlier this month Washington D.C. began the spring celebration of the 101st National Cherry Blossom Festival!  Hundreds and thousands of visitors from all over the world attended this special two week event that began on March 20th and ended April 14th.  During this period I had the chance to watch each cherry bud grow into flowering pieces of art on my way to work.  It was during the days of the peek bloom when I had the opportunity to actually walk through the Tidal Basin, taking photos; admiring the beauty of the trees and interviewing a few Cherry Blossom visitors!

Over two thousand cherry trees arrived in Washington, D.C. as a gift from Tokyo on January 6, 1910.   I could see the remarkable difference between the stunning ancient tree trunks of the original trees versus the more recently planted saplings.  After speaking with one of the ladies at the help desk, she said this season was particularly wonderful because of the great weather during peak bloom.  The cherry blossom trees bloom when the weather reaches above 70 degrees.  But it is the evening time that can’t be missed, as that is when the flowers truly start to flourish.

Cherry Blossom Festival

Capella Washington D.C., Georgetown is located less than 3 miles from the Cherry Blossom Festival, making it the perfect destination for springtime.  I look forward to next years events!  If you join us during the Cherry Blossom Festival be sure to let your Personal Assistant help plan the experience for you.

 

Photo Credit, Sarah Corneal

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Chef Jakob Esko Joins Capella Washington D.C.

January 31, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Chef Jakob Esko

I have been patiently waiting for the day when I would meet Executive Chef, Jakob Esko and get the chance to learn more about his vision for The Grill Room at Capella Washington D.C.  I finally had the opportunity earlier this month when our team gathered together for a much-anticipated welcome for Jakob at our pre-launch office!

On a brisk wintery Monday, Jakob seemed more than delighted to join us as we assembled for our first New Year cultural potluck.  He had traveled across the world from Capella Singapore, where he was the executive chef, to join our team.

With great anticipation, we sat down for our first interview!  I am certain it will have you planning your next trip to our hotel and The Grill Room, set to open this spring.

Chef Jakob Esko

What excites you most about the restaurant industry in Washington D.C.?

The quality of the produce, seafood and meat is amazing and really top notch.  I enjoy being able to find local ingredients, which is exactly what The Grill Room will focus on.

What unique experiences can guests expect when dining at The Grill Room?

You can expect to see constant diversity in our menu, altering to the pace of the local produce available in Washington D.C.  Guests can continually expect fresh, vibrant and simple food that is straightforward and certain to be filled with flavor.

Do you see yourself having to adapt your cooking style?

Adapting will be easy with the facility of local produce that will give me the opportunity to create incredible food and seasonal menu items that will showcase only the finest ingredients for our guests.

Can you give us a sneak peek into the menu at The Grill Room?

I can tell you that guests will be in for a unique dining experience when they taste our exclusive Rye Whiskey infused dishes, like our Orange & Rye Cured Salmon and our signature Rye Whiskey sauce served alongside a perfectly grilled and seasoned steak.

 

 

I am eager to share even more about The Grill Room & Rye Bar concept at Capella Washington D.C. as well as more recipes & cooking tips from Chef Jakob Esko.  As the countdown continues, be sure to follow me, your Capella Washington DC Insider, on Facebook & Twitter for plenty of live updates and exclusive images!

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Behind The Scenes: Capella Washington D.C.

December 24, 2012 by Leave a Comment
Walk in Refrigerators

The holidays are in full swing here in Washington D.C.  In between all of the decorating, baking, shopping and parties, construction at Capella Washington D.C. has continued.   It is so fascinating to walk through the hotel and see changes, like the recently installed walk-in refrigerators in the kitchen and the dry wall that has been mounted around the hotel!  Each room has its own unique flow and design, and I can begin to envision where the stone tub will be or where the gorgeous living room furniture will sit.  I am also in love with the brand new floor to ceiling windows that look over the historic Georgetown C&O Canal!

Walk in Refrigerators

One of the main focuses this month has been perfecting all the details and components for the deluxe king bedroom photo shoot!  After many hours and days of transforming, beautifying and patiently waiting on furniture arrivals from Europe, the look is nearly complete.  I can’t wait to share it with you… (but that is for a future post!)

Up next I would like to share my December insider video update with General Manager, Alex Obertop!  After watching you might ask, what is that beautiful building behind him?  Well, what else than the recently landscaped restaurant and bar view of Capella Washington D.C., Georgetown!  Be sure to follow me for all the up-to-date info Facebook and Twitter!

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Introducing Capella Washington DC & Alex Obertop

October 5, 2012 by 2 Comments
Capella Washington DC

It was a beautiful September day and not a cloud in the sky as I heard the metro train arriving at Navy Yard. I hopped on the green line, switched to the orange line, and got off at Foggy Bottom where I waited for the Circulator bus to take me to 31st and M street.

There in historic Georgetown, I looked up and saw the newest Capella property.  Opening in January 2013, Capella Washington DC Georgetown is poised to be the talk of the town.  Like every other day, construction workers were hard at work building our dream.  This neighborhood has been bustling with activity for centuries making it the perfect location for this hotel.

Just a few doors down I walked into our office and greeted our General Manager, Alex Obertop. Together, we walked towards the Potomac River, just a block away from Capella Washington DC Georgetown.  I adjusted my camera and began rolling for a video chat. It was incredibly exciting getting to know a little bit more about Alex!


I know you will love getting to know Alex and the rest of our team behind Capella Washington DC Georgetown. As your Insider, you can also connect with me on Facebook and Twitter. I have great stories and updates to share with you during the upcoming months as we prepare for our launch!

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