It’s hard to imagine that it has already been a week since Scott and I frolicked in DC for our “last” official Date Night in the city. To think what has happened since is even more mind-boggling, but this #TBT is dedicated to our last few days as residents of the DMV.

The first date Scott took me on in DC was when I visited for my 29th birthday. Since I had only been back from Turkey for a year and waxed dramatic over the lack of authentic Turkish food in my life, Scott took me to Zaytinya so that I could relish in all things Mediterranean. So it seemed like Poetic Justice to return to the scene of the first date and indulge in a few of my favorite plates before parting ways – even though we’ve been back a dozen times since. One of my favorite dishes in the city has always been the Brussel Sprouts – so of course, we indulged.

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Spanikopita

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Mercimek Kofte (red lentil patty)

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Bantijan Bil Laban ( crispy eggplant)

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Scott’s favorite: house made hommus

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Everyone’s favorite: Crispy Brussel Sprouts

However, no date is truly complete for us without a pre or post-cocktail, and since we had not been in to Magnolias on King to visit the Palm Lounge upstairs since early July, we paid our friends there a visit on our way back home. This cocktail bar has become one of our favorites in the entire DMV, and we realized just how much we’ll miss it when I was handed a brilliant concoction (complete with the letter “A”) and Scott indulged in a perfect bourbon cocktail (bartender’s choice). We love that off-menu cocktails are just as thrilling as ordering from the eclectic twist of classics on the menu, but it’s a place you can always be inspired and awed by the creativity of the bartenders. We love it, and plan on visiting often whenever we are in the area. You guys truly rock.

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Sneak peek fall cocktail – stay tuned!

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I wrote about it last week, but that date night left me a puddle of tears in the car as we pulled into our garage. The familiarity of DC is something that I never expected for such a large city. Millions of people come and go every day around the area, but the faces and places became so comfortable, so welcome, that leaving it behind even for my childhood farm was heartbreaking. DC and Alexandria are in my blood now, and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t counting the days until our first visit back to the city.

Tell us – if you had to create the “last” date in your city, where would you go?? What would you include??