Graffiato Review

 

I am sitting in my workout clothes, shoes on, i pod in hand, water bottle ready and dreaming of the moment when I was devouring a nutella chocolate cookie at Graffiato, Mike Isabella's new digs in D.C
Word is his wife makes them and he brings them in all adorable style in the mornings. I picture a basket, but I am sure they have something more efficient.  Got me thinking... Rather than opening a place maybe I have a future in sourcing some sort of edible to a local restaurant.

 I loved the look of the place, clean, simple, woodsy but with modern metals. Small dishes Italian style, not pretentious just good. I loved the desert like plant in a tin can. simple detail.

The bread isn't included, and I wouldn't order it again. Good but you know it is bread. Must order the gnocchi, this gnocchi ruined any other experience I may have with gnocchi ever again. It was light and cloud like. Usually gnocchi is good because it is paired with a creamy great sauce, but even then it just ends up being way too heavy. This gnocchi was the tops.
Also order the chicken thigh with the oh so famous seen on Top Chef sauce that Gail Simmons was all giggly about. She was right.

Make sure to share the cookies and order the off the menu "secret" dessert zeppoles. A fluffy donut ball rolled in sugar that is good but not as good as the special feeling you get ordering off the secret menu. Really quite genius adding this element to a restaurant, the average eater like me can feel like bff's with a Top Chef.

does this look like an inappropriate relationship to a cookie or what. 

this is my journal

I am the worst person to share ice cream with. I treasure out all the good chunks of brownie or cookie dough and leave just a swarm of cream. But this guy totally shares with me. and doesn't complain.

This was at big brothers wedding, it was beautiful, packed full, and went by so fast. I only have around two weeks left in this sticky city. I don't mean sticky as a judgment it really is just sticky. I find relief in ice cream. and spending a relaxing day pajama clad doing four loads of laundry watching inappropriate amounts of Dexter. I keep waiting for Dexter to jump out behind my closet with a syringe to stick into my neck but I don't really fit his profile of victims so I should be safe. My week tends to go like this- day out touring about, day in pretending I am busy. Is it creepy I have a crush on a tv character serial killer?

I have enjoyed the break but am really excited to get back to work. My tear ducts have been strangely loose the last few weeks, maybe the progesterone shot I had to get (which didn't work). I cried during a cooking show when the contestant got a good critique from the judge. Yesterday I started crying at the Smithsonian Imax about orphaned baby elephants and baby orangutans. And then on the metro coming home I cried to my husband and shouted out, "I miss Cafe Gratitude". I am sure he misses my job just as much as I do seeing how sane it keeps me. I miss a good sit down with my family at Cafe G.

the creepy part is most tearful moments end with a hearty chuckle because I am so alarmed by the tears.

what am I doing tomorrow? It is going to be 100 degrees. I will search out the cool in one of the many museums in this fabulous city (feeling bad for calling it sticky). I recently checked out at the Smithsonian a shiny diamond and blue stone clad diadem that Napoleon gave his first wife. Check it, I have been fantasizing about wearing it about, wearing it while I search recipes online in my over sized stained t-shirt, while I brush my teeth, talking on the phone. Remarking to my neighbors while on the elevator "oh this silly thing..." might I add this adoration of the gems is coming from a girl who barely gets a bra on by 4pm. 

 I am a master of the day dream. 

It may be hindering my focus.

Confession: my favorite parts of my educational summer has been seeing the diamonds and stones at the natural history museum and the first lady dresses at the american history museum. Especially Michelle Obama's  white Inaugural ball gown designed by Jason Wu, they even included the Jimmy Choo shoes she wore.  Don't worry my loose tear ducts were moved by this as well. 

 How is my training I ask myself?  oh crap. I am scared I am going to end up like some large squishy dork among all the skinny triathletes. Really though who cares about that, can I survive and finish in a less than embarrassing time... Husband is tired of having this conversation where I whine and he feels like he has to tell me I am crazy.  

i don't blame him. It is unattractive. and boring.

about 8 weeks..

 tonight I Googled pot roast, i know what it is, but I don't really know what it is. I got a really great diagram of a cow and where parts come from. I find it fascinating. 

Did i say we have this really silly distant dream of being farmers. Jeremy has been reading Joel Salatin's book, "The Sheer Ecstasy of Being  a Lunatic Farmer". Now he is all pumped on the idea. 

I think we should start small. 

maybe keeping a potted plant alive. or maybe not moving back and forth every six months....  

just saying.

this is my journal