Happy Birthday Queen Keiristin!

September 28th is a holiday in the Bacon & Bellini world, because it is our Founder’s Birthday.  We picked some of the coolest locations in the Baltimore and DMV area to celebrate.

Here’s a glimpse of Keiristin’s birthday from her perspective.

First stop – Lunch at Gertrude’s
Gertrude’s is located in the beautiful Baltimore Museum of Art.  Lunch on the patio was perfect.  A scenic view of the fountain and scultures was a wonderful backdrop to a scrumptous meal.

I had Gertie’s Crab Cake.  For those unfamiliar with the area, Baltimore has the best crabcakes in the nation.  Gertie’s is known for their Broiled “all-lump” Baltimore-style cake, served with basil-caper tartar sauce.  I also had bread, homemade fries, and fresh fruit. Simply. Delicious.   I understand why Baltimore’s crab cakes are so popular.

Lunch was topped off with Raspberry Sorbet surrounded by “Happy Birthday” written in Chocolate!

After lunch, I viewed the artwork inside of the Baltimore Museum of Art, including the new exhibit “Tomorrow is Another Day” by Mark Bradford.  Other well-known artist, Amy Sherald (known for her famous portrait of First Lady Michelle Obama) also has exhibits in the museum.
I also looked at a few pieces of Art by Picasso, and I fail to realize why his artwork is still viewed as the best. To me, it is just a painting….nothing remarkable.

Next Stop – Dinner
I had dinner with family and friends at The Smith on U Street in Washington, D.C.   The Smith was bustling with people.  I had the Blue Catfish Schnitzel with blackened spice Risotto, melted leeks, and zucchini. The dish was just OK. It was filling, but I will not order it again.

After dinner, to unwind, we went to Point of View on the rooftop of the W Hotel in Washington, D.C. POV has fabulous views of Washington, D.C. The music was current, the drinks were great, but average $17 each.
Overall, I enjoyed my birthday in both cities. I have a feeling that this new year will be great.