Zagat's 5 D.C. Area Restaurants With Killer Views

1.  Charlie Palmer Steak
2.  L'Auberge Chez François
3.  Sequoia
4.  The Source
5.  2941

What I’ve learned since moving to D.C. (some of which should be obvious): 0042

2051.  Fake breasts are (rather) soft;

2052.  Apparently, I have soft hands;

2053.  Every night after 8:00 PM, Mango’s Tropical Café (MangosTropicalCafe.com) in South Beach has a free cabaret style singing and dancing show;

2054.  Most of the food served on Ocean Drive (in South Beach) is pretty boring. . . . The restaurants are touristy.  They serve similar things.  And the food isn’t very good or authentic;

2055.  The News Café (NewsCafe.com) (in South Beach) has great tomato soup;

2056.  You can get (free) discounts to local restaurants (and shops) using the Scoutmob (Scoutmob.com) app;

2057.  Some (Sicilian) baristas have birthdays on January 23^rd;

2058.  During the summer, Sicilians like to eat gelato in brioche (i.e., brioche con gelato). . . . It’s literally an ice cream sandwich. . . . It’s actually pretty good;

2059.  Some banks (i.e., SunTrust) charge fees to check your account balance at out of network ATMs even if you don’t withdraw any money;

2060.  The first cardinal virtue manifests in your daily life as unconditional love and respect for all beings in creation.  This includes making a conscious effort to love and respect yourself, as well as to remove all of the judgments and criticisms.  Understand that you are a piece of God, and since you must be like what you came from, you are lovable, worthy, and Godlike.  Affirm this as often as you can, for when you see yourself in a loving way, you have nothing but love to extend outward.  And the more you love others, the less you need old excuse patterns, particularly those relating to blame.  Excuses originate in a false belief that the universe and its inhabitants aren’t there for you;

2061.  Allow yourself to see others as willing to assist you in maximizing your human potential.  The more reverence you have for yourself, and for all of life, the more you see everyone and everything as willing assistants, rather than inhibitors to your highest life;

2062.  Using an excuse to explain why your life isn’t working at the level you prefer isn’t being true to yourself–when you’re completely honest and sincere, excuses don’t even enter into the picture;

2063.  Make truth your most important attribute.  Walk your talk; that is, become sincere and honest in all that you say and do.  If you find this to be a challenge, take a moment to affirm: I no longer need to be insincere or dishonest.  This is who I am, and this is how I feel.  From now on, when you make a commitment, do everything in your power to live up to what you’ve promised.  Remember that when you’re living your life from the perspective of your truest nature, you connect to Source.  This is the very foundation of the spiritual life.  As you work at being totally honest with yourself and others, those old self-defeating habits no longer crop up;

2064.  “When you have the choice to be right or to be kind, always pick kind.”  So many of your old thinking habits and their attendant excuses come out of a need to make yourself right and others wrong.  When you practice this third virtue, you eliminate conflicts that result in your need to explain why you’re right.  This virtue manifests as kindness, consideration for others, and sensitivity to spiritual truth;

2065.  The more kindness and sensitivity you extend to everyone in your life, the less likely you are to blame others for not living up to your expectations.  Gentleness means accepting life and people as they are, rather than insisting that they be as you are.  As you practice living this way, blame disappears and you enjoy a peaceful world–not because the world has changed, but because you adopted gentleness;

2066.  Stop identifying yourself on the basis of what you have, whom you’re superior to, what position you’ve attained, and how others view you.  See yourself as a piece of God, willing to act as close to that consciousness as possible.  When you desire something, try wanting it more for someone else than you do for yourself; in fact, act to make it happen for them before you even think about yourself.  Or if you’re about to be critical or unkind to anyone, remind yourself that your original nature is gentle;

2067.  When they’re next to each other, the number 1 and the number 8, which is the symbol for infinity, signify one infinite Source;

2068.  In Hebrew, the number 18 signifies life;

2069.  With constant practice, your mind can be trained to overcome any habits of thought.  The key is with constant practice;

2070.  Act as your Source would in every instant.  What would God do right now?  If you’re ever perplexed by your habitual thoughts, asking this question will serve as a way to reinforce that there’s an alternative;

2071.  Initiate a conversation with your habitual mind.  As you work to overcome your self-created limitations, talk to your subconscious, telling it that instead of reacting, you’re now going to respond with conscious choices.  This will work rather quickly for you if you’re serious about breaking a pattern–awareness of feeling locked into automatic reactions, along with a serious commitment to change, will allow you to choose a new response;

2072.  If you want to break a pattern, you need to truly commit, and then start conversing with your habitual mind.  You’ll be amazed at how fast the excuses disappear;

2073.  Get quiet.  Decide to reduce the noise level of your life.  Noise is a distraction to your highest self because it keeps your ego on red alert.  Ways to discard habits along with their attendant excuses are often found in silence, in the void that’s the creative Source of all form;

2074.  The Law of Attraction works when you surround yourself with people who are on a spiritual path similar to your own.  Remember, this law states that like is attracted to like, so you attract Source energy to you by being like it.  Similarly, when you’re continually in the company of low-energy, angry, depressed, shaming, hateful people, you’ll probably find life a little more challenging;

2075.  It’s your responsibility to yourself to create the right energy for you.  Stay in your place of peace, regardless of how tempting it may be to lash out or argue;

2076.  The more peaceful and loving your environment (and the people in it), the more you’re in a serene place where excuses aren’t on the agenda.  This is the environment in which self-defeating habits are most likely to fade from your consciousness.  Further reinforce your new way of being by having your surroundings reflect the design of what you want your life to look like.  In this energy, like-minded people will appear;

2077.  Love your family (and everyone else on this planet).  Treasure all of your relationships, but first and foremost make your relationship to your highest self your priority.  When you see God simply as love, there will be no room left for excuses and bad habits.  You will only be able to give away the love that is your creative essence;

2078.  Work the paradigm: 1.  Is it true?  Probably not.  2.  Where did the excuses come from?  I allowed them.  3.  What’s the payoff?  I get to avoid risks and stay the same.  4.  What would my life look like if I couldn’t use these excuses?  I’d be free to be myself.  5.  Can I create a rational reason to change?  Easily.  6.  Can I access universal cooperation in shedding old habits?  Yes, by simply aligning with my Source of being.  7.  How can I continuously reinforce this new way of being?  By being vigilant.  If you work the paradigm several times, you’ll soon see where you’re guiding your life with thoughts that aren’t necessarily true.  You’ll be able to discern where those thoughts came from and what your life would look like without them, and then you’ll create a rational reason to change them by accessing Divine guidance through perfect union with your Source of being.  To be consciously merged into that perfect union with God is a feeling that’s difficult to explain, but ego does take a backseat.  You know that you’re allowing yourself to be guided by a force that’s bigger than you are, yet if you so choose, you can stay infinitely connected to it.  In this state of knowingness, excuses become a thing of the past;

2079.  The Washingtonian (Washingtonian.com/happyhours) is another place to look for Happy Hour specials in the D.C. area;

2080.  Penn Social (PennSocialDC.com) in D.C. has Happy Hour on Saturdays from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM;

2081.  I know a part-owner (with three shares) of the Green Bay Packers;

2082.  5 ways you’re accidentally making everyone hate you: Hint: It’s almost always about power.  1.  You assumed that because you were OK with a situation, everybody was.  2.  You wasted their time.  3.  They think you owe them.  4.  You accidentally asserted power over them.  5.  It’s not what you said, it’s what you didn’t say;

2083.  The mezzanine corner seats at the (very) top of the Verizon Center aren’t all that bad . . . at least for hockey games;

2084.  Green potatoes are poisonous. . . . Who knew? . . . Apparently, green potatoes contain high levels of a toxin, called solanine, which can cause nausea, headaches and neurological problems.  Potatoes naturally produce small amounts of solanine as a defense against insects, but the levels increase with prolonged exposure to light and warm temperatures.  The green color is actually caused by high levels of chlorophyll, which by itself is harmless.  But it is also a sign that levels of solanine, which is produced at the same time as chlorophyll, have increased as well.  According to a recent report by Alexander Pavlista, a professor of agronomy and horticulture at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, a 100-pound person would have to eat about 16 ounces of a fully green potato to get sick.  That is the weight of a large baked potato.  Most green potatoes never reach the market.  Still, to avoid the development of solanine, it is best to store potatoes in cool, dimly lit areas and to cut away green areas before eating.  Another good rule: If it tastes bitter, don’t eat it;

2085.  Cantina Marina (in D.C.) closes in the winter;

2086.  Britt McHenry or at least someone who looks like Britt McHenry (of ABC7) hangs out at the bar at Oyamel Cocina Mexicana in D.C.;

2087.  What do you do when you spill coffee on your digital timers?  The answer is: Put them in an airtight container of rice;

2088.  Basic rules for matching suits and ties: 1.  If you don’t know what shirt to wear, choose a white one.  White shirts go with pretty much any tie.  2.  No matter how amazing the match between a suit and tie, an uncoordinated shirt will throw the entire outfit from a “do” to a “don’t.”  Knowing this, keep the following rules of coordination in mind: Light tan shirts match with brown ties.  Light pink shirts match with burgundy or navy blue ties.  Light blue shirts complement red, navy, yellow or burgundy ties.  When dealing with striped shirts, determine what its base color is and coordinate with colors as above.  Just make sure the stripes on the shirt do match the stripes or pattern on the tie.  3.  A suit with a solid base of dark colors is the safest way to emphasize solid, bold-colored ties.  4.  Pattern sizes (stripes, etc.) across your suit, shirt and tie need to vary – nothing looks weirder than a man who is wearing the same pattern on every layer. . . . The Classic Power Combination: The classic power combination of a dark, solid or slightly pinstriped suit with a bold-colored tie is a cornerstone of every man’s wardrobe.  Though teaming a dark suit with a classic white shirt allows you to choose almost any tie pairing short of one with bright yellow polka dots, a traditionally yet impeccably cut deep-red tie has been a go-to “power” look since John Kennedy wore the pairing in his first presidential debate. . . . The Formal Combination: After the suit and tie a man wears to work, the most crucial combination in a man’s closet is best described with two magic words: “black tie.”  A classic black suit paired with a classic black tie or bow tie is one of the most painless combinations to pull off for most men, but can also make a guy feel like he’s lost all of his personality for the sake of formality.  If that’s the case for you, try to find unique bow ties in order to get some second looks. . . . The Summer Combination: One of the worst habits men adopt is continuing to choose the same dark-suit and bold-tie combo they wore all winter, when the temperature has risen 70 degrees.  The rules for summer suit-tie combinations?  First find a solid, light-colored cotton suit with a good cut that also allows you to move in the summer heat.  Then, the fun part: choosing a provocatively patterned, bright tie in shades like pink that would be unacceptable for the other six months of the year. . . . The Casual Combination: Any suit-and-tie combination worn before noon on the weekend should have a sense of whimsy about it.  To find a look for those occasions that don’t involve your usual 9-to-5 work responsibilities, take the color of your power suit and find a suit a few shades lighter.  Likewise, find a tie a few shades lighter than your favorite power tie that also throws in a mix of wild patterns with other colors.  As this is your combination that is most likely to clash, test your look with a couple of off-white or very light-colored shirts to ensure that everything pulls together in the end;

2089.  If you’re looking for (cheap) parking garages in a city, use Parkopedia (Parkopedia.com). . . . They also have an app;

2090.  Besides Carah Faye Charnow, the members of “Shiny Toy Guns” are pretty forgettable on stage;

2091.  A “very dry martini” means no vermouth;

2092.  There are women who drive us to madness and to foolishness, and the heart does mend, even if the scar remains;

2093.  Alan May (of Comcast SportsNet) hangs out at Clyde’s (of Gallery Place) after (Washington) Capitals home games;

2094.  Wataru Misaka was the first player of Asian descent (i.e., Japanese) and the first non-Caucasian to play in the NBA;

2095.  The “Loft Bar” upstairs at the Hamilton (TheHamiltonDC.com) in D.C. has a speakeasy vibe to it. . . . It seems like a good place to bring a date;

2096.  “Commander Cody” (i.e., George Frayne IV) walks with a limp;

2097.  You have to work harder than you think you possibly can.  You can’t hold grudges. . . . And it doesn’t matter how you get knocked down in life because that’s going to happen.  All that matters is that you’ve got to get up;

2098.  It’s interesting how people can affect our lives.  Some people affect our lives more than we thought they would while others are just the opposite and affect us less than we thought they would;

2099.  It makes sense (from a safety standpoint) why a bar would want to use plastic drinkware, but, for some reason, it just feels less classy and cheap;

2100.  Watch out for groups of (black) women celebrating their girlfriend’s birthday.  They might molest you by fondling your abs;