Womply Blog

Womply Merchant Spotlight: Zuppa Fresca

This week’s Womply Merchant Spotlight is on Zuppa Fresca. Zuppa Fresca specializes in creating authentic Italian and Sicilian dishes, including lasagna (multiple types), shrimp scampi, and veal parmesan. Wedding soup, crab bruschetta, and shrimp wrapped in bacon are also delicious items that can be found on Zuppa Fresca’s great menu. If you are looking for a restaurant that stems from passion and is rooted with a deep love and respect for food, you would find it when you visit Zuppa Fresca.

During lunch, Zuppa Fresca offers a special that gives you “what you want”. You choose one of the following combinations: soup and a salad, a salad and a sandwich, or a sandwich and soup, all of which come with a soda. It’s the perfect meal when you’re craving a tasty lunch. Zuppa Fresca’s mouth watering sandwich selection is superb. The selection includes sandwiches such as chicken pesto, caprese, meatball sub, and Italian sliders. No matter which one you choose, you can’t go wrong.

Italian Slider

Womply got the pleasure of interviewing Alfio Celia, who is the Owner of and Chef at Zuppa Fresca. Alfio has grown up around restaurants and truly understands what it takes to own and manage a successful restaurant. Would you like us to share a fun fact? He is only 24 years old, folks! We think that’s incredible on multiple levels. We hope you enjoy reading about Zuppa Fresca and getting the inside scoop of what goes on at the restaurant.

Womply Interview with Alfio from Zuppa Fresca

What is your name and title?
Alfio Celia, Chef/Owner

When did you know that this was your dream and passion?
When I was working in my father’s restaurant at age 14, I knew I wanted to share my food and ideas with the world.

What inspired you to start a restaurant?
Restaurants and food are in my blood. I grew up in the restaurant world and I have loved it ever since.

Where did you learn to cook, and who taught you?
I learned how to cook from my grandmother and father. Growing up around old style Sicilian food really instills passion.

How many people work in the kitchen with you? Do you enjoy a larger kitchen staff or a more intimate staff? Why?
I enjoy a more intimate kitchen. I have my hands on as many dishes as I can. I want to make sure my recipes are made the way I want them to be.

What is your favorite dish to cook up at this restaurant? Why?
Arancini are the best. It brings so many memories of growing up with my family and huge get togethers for no reason.

Do you change the menu or have specials often?
I change the menu often. I add and remove a couple items every few days. Whenever I find a great ingredient I want to incorporate it in the menu somehow.

What is your favorite night of the week here and why?
Every night is my favorite. Each night I meet another amazing customer or have an amazing night preparing the food. Every night is better then the last and I know it will continue like that.

Care to share a tip on how to run a successful restaurant with us?
I believe “success” is different for everyone. Seeing that my customers are perfectly happy and feel at home here is my success. (Opening a restaurant at 23 doesn’t hurt either.)

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Zuppa Fresca is located at 250 K St. NE Washington, DC 20002

A special thank you to Alfio from Zuppa Fresca for taking the time to chat with us!

Filed Under: Featured Merchants, Weekly Merchant Spotlight

Tags: Chef, culture, Dining Out, Dinner, Interview, Local Merchant, Merchant of the Week, Restaurant, Washington DC, Womply

14 May

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American Craft Beer Week in DC

The American Craft Beer Week begins today. This national event, put on by the Brewers Association, celebrates the community and culture of craft beer, and allows breweries and craft beer drinkers to connect and share their love for craft beer through events and tastings. Events for the American Craft Beer Week will be happening all week across the United States so now’s your chance to join in on the excitement!

For craft beer enthusiasts in the DC area, Smith Commons is our destination of choice. Smith Commons will be featuring a different craft brewer every day, and it will also have tastemakers, DJs, and Fashion and Style Experts at the events. DCBeer has provided a list of Smith Commons’ full Craft Beer Week schedule. To view it, click here. Smith Commons will also have a special menu of $5 ACBW eats as well.

You will also be able to grab $3 pints May 14-18 from 5-7pm from the following bars (organized by Drink DC):

Irish Whiskey
Meridian Pint
The Mighty Pint*
Smith Commons*
Smoke & Barrel*

*Womply Merchants

To conclude the week of festivities, Smith Commons will be hosting the grand Homebrewers’ Day party on Saturday, May 19 from 3-5pm.

Happy Craft Beer Week!

Filed Under: Events, Featured Merchants

Tags: Beer, craft beer, DC, Events, Local Merchants, restaurants, Washington DC

11 May

Cocktails, Chocolate, and Yoga: Things to Do in DC This Weekend (May 11-13)

It’s Friday! Let’s welcome the weekend with open arms because the weather in DC for Mother’s Day weekend is going to beautiful. We’ve gathered some great activities that you can do with mom, friends, or just by yourself. Win-win. We hope you get to spend some quality time with mom and that you enjoy the next couple of days.

Here are our weekend recommendations:

Tonight: Grab a $3 Grey Goose Cherry Noir cocktail at Lounge 201

Let’s face it, Fridays are one of the best days to indulge in a delicious cocktail. For $3, this Grey Goose Cherry Noir special shouldn’t be ignored. Head to Lounge 201 to relax after a long week. The special runs from 9pm-10:30pm tonight. You can also call 202-544-5201 to reserve a table.

Saturday: Take the “Chocolate Making and Tasting Workshop 101” which includes a factory tour of SPAGnVOLA

Learn the difference between crystallized chocolate and non-crystallized chocolates from the Chocolatiers at SPAGnVOLA. The factory tour will explore the entire chocolate making process, and then you will be given the chance to learn how to make chocolate ganache and truffles. The workshop concludes with a tasting of SPAGnVOLA’s signature bonbons/truffles. What’s not to love about this event? Click here for more details.

Sunday: DC Yoga Week starts today. Warrior pose, anyone?

Whether you’re an experienced yogi or just want to try yoga for the first time, this is the perfect event for you. Participating yoga studios are offering free or $5 classes all week (May 13-20) so don’t miss out. This could also be a great activity to take mom to before her Mother’s Day dinner! For a list of all participating studios, click here.

Filed Under: Events, Holidays, This Weekend

Tags: bar, Community, DC, Dining Out, Dinner, Drinks, Entertainment, Events, family, food, Holiday, Restaurant, Washington DC, weekend, Weekend Events, Womply

09 May

Ideas for Mom on Mother’s Day

Mother’s Day is just around the corner. Sometimes it’s a hassle to find the perfect gift or arrange a fun outing for someone you care so much about so we’d like to make it a little easier for you and take that stress out of your hands. All you need to do is focus your attention on your dear mother, aunt, grandma, and/or anyone else you would like to celebrate this Sunday.

Here are some suggestions to make this Mother’s Day extra special:

Be creative
Get her something that is unique and heartfelt such as a copy of her favorite movie of all time. Then, make some popcorn and spend the evening watching the movie with her. Another creative idea is creating a photo album of the great times and moments you’ve shared together. Baking something from scratch is also a great way to add a personal touch to a Mother’s Day present.

Be attentive
Every mom wants to spend more time with her children, especially if they’re grown and she doesn’t see them often. Offer to take a walk with her, sit down and enjoy a cup of coffee or tea together, or do something you normally wouldn’t do together.

Go local
At this point, ordering a present online for Mom and getting it delivered by Sunday may be cutting it close. Find a local shop or bookstore and get a more personalized gift for her from there.

Treat this day unlike others
Take your mom out to a nice dinner. Order something you normally wouldn’t, and spring for dessert. Mom will never say no to being treated like a queen on Mother’s Day. Plus, taking your mom out to a nice dinner while using Womply is a win-win situation (hint hint). The cost won’t be as hard on your wallet, and mom will be quite happy and impressed by the effort you put into planning Mother’s Day.

Regardless of what you decide to do for mom, we hope these ideas will allow you to plan a great Mother’s Day!

Filed Under: Holidays

Tags: DC, eating, Entertainment, family, Holiday, Mother's day Ideas, Restaurant, Special events, Washington DC, Womply

08 May

Womply Merchant Spotlight: Granville Moore’s

This week’s Womply Merchant Spotlight is on Granville Moore’s. Located in the H Street NeigHborhood, this is one spot you definitely need to visit. Not only does Granville Moore’s make some of the best Belgian moules (mussels) and delicious frites (crispy, twice-fried, hand cut potatoes that come with tasty sauces), but they also have a great selection of pub fare such as buffalo pork belly sliders, a steak ‘n’ cheese sandwich, and a bison burger. They also have a huge selection of beers which are all hand selected by the Beverage Director, Matt LeBarron. Need we say more?

Womply got the utmost pleasure in getting an interview with Granville Moore’s Executive Chef/Owner, Teddy Folkman and Event Manager, Farrell Parker. Teddy, a native New Yorker, has gained experience and knowledge by working in some of DC’s most well-known restaurants and eventually taking the reigns at Granville Moore’s as the Executive Chef. Since then, Teddy appeared on “Throw Down with Bobby Flay” (and won) in a battle for the best moules, competed on “The Next Food Network Star”, and became a Culinary Ambassador for the New York Brewery Ommegang all while running a very successful restaurant. Farrell is the amazing Event Manager at Granville Moore’s, and she’s one of the friendly faces you’ll see when stopping by for brunch.

Womply’s Interview with Granville Moore’s Teddy Folkman

What is your name and title?
Teddy: Teddy Folkman, Executive Chef/Owner
Farrell: Farrell Parker, Events Manager, Brunch Server

Teddy, when did you know that this was your dream and passion?
Teddy: I knew when I was 13 years old and Mrs. “C” was teaching me to make eggplant parmesan in the back of Manor Fruit Shack, a popular mom and pop Deli in New York. Something as unappealing to me as eggplant, when breaded and fried in a cast iron skillet with olive oil that came from a glass bottle with everything written in Italian on it, just makes sense. Cooking made sense and I wanted to learn everything.

And what inspired you to start a restaurant?
Teddy: What inspired me to start a restaurant was primarily my mentor asking me if I believed in myself when he had the opportunity for me to head Granville Moore’s. There had always been the desire to be able to showcase my laid back almost fine dining cuisine. Granville’s was a blank canvas.

What is the best thing you’ve ever eaten?
Teddy: Impossible. Food is not only a taste but also the memories associated with eating it that makes it great. Eating goat stew from a street vendor in St. John, with my feet in the sand, the sun setting and not a care in the world, would be my top choice. Fresh lobster and mussels pulled from the waters of Deer Isle Maine cooked 20 minutes later in beer and butter is definitely up there as well.

What is your favorite night of the week here and why?
Teddy: Sunday. I get off from brunch and spend the rest of the day with my fiancee being normal.

Care to share a tip on how to run a successful restaurant with us?
Teddy: Always remember it takes a team to run a restaurant and that every guest is a VIP. Treat your staff like family and your guests like your best friends.

Farrell, what is your favorite thing about working here?
Farrell: There’s such a great community attached to living and working in the H St neighborhood and that’s one of the things I love most about my job at Granville Moore’s. If I didn’t work at Granville’s, it is still a place I would frequent. And I’ve gotten such a great beer education!

What’s the best thing you’ve ever eaten?
Farrell: That’s impossible! Most of the best foods I’ve eaten have definitely been some kind street food. Simple, flavorful, comforting, and cheap.

What is your favorite dish here?
Farrell: Our chefs create some pretty amazing specials each day. One of my recent favorites: spanish mackerel and rice in a curry-saffron-coconut broth. Off of our current menu, our collard greens are spectacular and the steak n’ cheese sandwich can’t be beat.

Teddy and Farrell, what was one of the most enjoyable experiences you’ve had with a customer?
Teddy: I am extremely lucky and in a one in a million place at Granville’s. So many cool and enjoyable experiences. Often a lot of our customers are also our good friends. We go fishing together, Skins games, Nats games, have barbeques… So I guess the most enjoyable experience I have had with a guest is becoming friends with them.
Farrell: I love when I get a customer to try something new and they really enjoy it. Luckily, with all the fantastic and more obscure beers we carry, we get to do that every day as Granville Moore’s servers.

[THIS INTERVIEW HAS BEEN CONDENSED AND EDITED.]

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Next time you visit Granville Moore’s be sure to say hello to Teddy and Farrell!

Granville Moore’s is located at 1238 H St. NE, Washington, DC 20002

A special thank you to Teddy and Farrell from Granville Moore’s for taking the time to chat with us!

Filed Under: Featured Merchants, Weekly Merchant Spotlight

Tags: Bar Fare, Beers, Begian style, Frites, Moules, Mussels, Restaurant, Washington DC, Womply, Womply Merchant

04 May

Cinco de Mayo, the Kentucky Derby, and Wine Tasting: Things to Do this Weekend in DC (May 4-6)

We’ve got a lot of things going on this weekend! This year, Cinco de Mayo and the Kentucky Derby fall on the very same day so it’s going to be tough to choose what activities to do on Saturday. Whether your choice of drink is a Margarita, a mint julep, or neither, there are plenty of options for the weekend. We’ve also included an alternative event that has nothing to do with Cinco de Mayo or the Kentucky Derby. We hope you find something to look forward to this weekend!

Here are our suggestions:

Join H Street Country Club in celebrating Cinco de Mayo

We mentioned earlier this week that H Street Country Club is having a festive event filled with (non-rooster) cock fighting and drink specials. The event is free but H Street Country Club will be collecting donations for the Washington Humane Society. For more details about the event, click here. Don’t forget to sign up for Womply to earn rewards for your visits to H Street Country Club!

Head to The Derby Day Party at the St. Regis

Watch the race while enjoying a mint julep, bacon-rye Bloody Mary, or a ginger Old Fashioned. The last two cocktails were created specifically for this event by the the wine director Brent Knoll. The event starts at 3pm tomorrow, and there will be prizes based on categories such as “best hat” and “predicting the winning horse”.

Taste some great wines at Wine Riot

Wine Riot is back in DC this weekend. The event will be held at Daughters of the Revolution Constitution Hall. You will also be able to choose between an afternoon tasting session from 1-5PM or an evening session from 7-11PM. There will be over 250 wines to sample at this event. For tickets, click here.

Filed Under: Events, Featured Merchants, Holidays, This Weekend

Tags: Cinco de Mayo, cocktails, Holiday, Kentucky Derby, May, Washington DC, Weekend Events, Wine tasting, Womply

02 May

1 Comment

Cinco de Mayo Events in DC This Saturday

This Saturday is Cinco de Mayo. It’s a chance to eat delicious Mexican food and fill up on some tasty margaritas. It’s also a great day to join in on the celebration at your local restaurant or bar. Specials run all day Saturday so don’t miss out on the fiestas, food, and great music! Here’s a glimpse of some Cinco de Mayo happenings in the DC area:

H Street Country Club is hosting a special celebration starting at 11am this Saturday. There will be $3 Coronas, $5 margaritas, and $2 tacos. There will also be cockfighting! Don’t worry, roosters aren’t actually involved, but there will be rooster luchador masks and some boxing gloves. That’s right, now’s your chance to battle a friend and have some fun. The first one knocked off of his/her box will get sent to the “loser’s lounge” which is the bar so we don’t really consider that “losing”, and the winner will move onto the next round. The event is free but H Street Country Club will be collecting donations to benefit the Washington Humane Society.

Cockfighting not your thing? No problem. Places such as Asia Nine Bar and Lounge will have a more relaxed atmosphere where you can enjoy $5 Margaritas and $7 Tequila shots all day long on Saturday. This also includes specials such as its Berry Margarita and Tequila Sunrise. Also, The Drink Nation put together a list of places with the best margaritas in DC so be sure to check that out if you’re on the prowl for the best Margarita in the area.

Lastly, if the whole Cinco de Mayo scene is a bit much for you, celebrate at home by making a batch of these Fresh Strawberry Margaritas from the blog How Sweet It Is. They’ve been taste-tested and Womply approved.

We hope these ideas help with planning your Cinco de Mayo celebrations and that you get check out some of the local festivities going on this Saturday.

Filed Under: Events, Featured Merchants, Holidays, This Weekend

Tags: bar, Cinco de Mayo, DC Events, Drinks, Holiday, margarita, Washington DC, Womply

01 May

Womply’s Favorite Eats Photo Contest WINNERS!

The Womply crew was so impressed by all of the photo submissions to the contest! Seriously, we drooled over all of your pictures for two weeks straight. We want to give a big thank you to everyone who participated in our contest. It was a huge success!

Now, for the winners…drum roll please!

1st Place: Steven C. from Maryland!

Steven is the winner of $200 with a whopping 676 ‘Likes’ on Facebook for his Shake Shack burger! This is such a great photo, and it’s probably one of the biggest burgers we’ve ever seen. Can we eat it?! Congratulations, Steven!

2nd Place: Steven S. from Florida!

$100 goes to Steven S.! With 626 ‘Likes’, this picture really gave Steven C.’s Shake Shack picture a run for its money (literally). This Ghenghis Bowl looks like it’s filled with such delicious ingredients…where do we get one? Food coma for days!

3rd Place: Jeff M. from California!

Jeff’s eggs benedict picture received 178 ‘Likes’ and has had us craving it since day one. Not only is this a great brunch option but the picture is just incredible. We hope you enjoy the $50, Jeff!

There were also numerous entries that received over 25 ‘Likes’ meaning each of those contestants will get a pair of Womply sunglasses!

Thanks again for being wonderful Womply Fans. We hope to have more contests like this in the near future. Until then, we hope these pictures have inspired you to go enjoy some tasty, mouth-watering food!

-The Womply Crew

[If you won any prizes (cash or sunglasses) please email stephanie@womply.com within 72 hours to claim your prize.]

Filed Under: Announcements, Contests and Giveaways

Tags: food pictures, Giveaway, Photo Contest, Winners, Womply

27 Apr

Local Craft Beer, Food Recipes, and More: Things to Do This Weekend in DC (April 27-29)