Beltway Bambinos

(re) discover Washington DC through the eyes of your children

What’s the spread? At home Super Bowl eats, decor and more!

What is the Super Bowl without a party?! Welp, as the pandemic approaches a year, it only seems fitting that we will be watching at home as a family and having some Zoom calls to talk trash with family and friends while also betting on football squares. My favorite part aside from the half-time show and commercials are the delicious appetizers and Pinterest inspired food! Just like everything in 2020, I plan to make this a memorable event for our Bambinos with decor and fun food.

Decor:
-Kansas City Chiefs decor and Bucs decor
-Super Bowl supplies (including a football squares board)
-Super Bowl decor (includes a cute banner)
-Keep it simple with this tablecloth and grab a few of these cups
-Get inspired by Living with Landyn’s DIY display

Food:
–Delish has a great 80+ list of Super Bowl food to make
-Grab Kansas City cupcake rings to add to a basic cupcake and Tampa Bay
-This is the dessert my kids look forward to each Super Bowl
-Use these fun football bags to serve snacks

Fun:
-Grab this free printable bingo card or buy this fun family-friendly printable game from ETSY
-Surprise them with photo booth props
-Everyone loves a piñata
-For the crafty person, Good Housekeeping has a list of Super Bowl DIY crafts
-Pure Wow has a great post 15 Super Bowl party games

Local:
–Henry’s Sweet Retreat has cookie decorating boxes; choose your home team and have a blast!
-More to come….check back!

Recent posts:
Celebrate Valentine’s Day
Valentine’s Day Chocolates

Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. All opinions remain my own.

Find the best chocolate in Washington, DC for Valentine’s Day (or anytime)

Valentine’s Day for me is just another excuse to shove even more chocolate in my mouth than I did the day before while giving extra tight snuggles to those I love. It also means the quality of the chocolate is definitely better than my typical 3 o’clock pick-me-up from my hidden stash. There are plenty of delicious places to shop this Valentine’s Day for yourself, your love or your Bambinos that don’t include the heart shaped milk chocolate box from the drug store. These are worth the trip, guaranteed while supporting local businesses. 

Photo: Artisan Confections

Artisan Confections: Arlington, VA
Jason Andelman’s recipes creatively blend high-quality ingredients that subtly enhance the star of the show – Valrhona chocolate – considered the best in the industry. The result is a collection of smooth and creamy confections that look as stunning as they taste. These are my absolute favorite and must-have each Valentine’s Day!!!

Fleurir Chocolates: Alexandria, VA
Hand made artisan chocolates that are works of art made of high-quality, natural ingredients in small batches.

June B. Sweet: Chevy Chase, DC
They have a selection of Brigadeiro flavors, mini cakes and Brazilian Mousse available every day at Write for You.

The Chocolate House: DuPont Circle, DC
The Chocolate House is a tasting room and boutique store where you can experience over 300 unique chocolate bars and confections from artisan chocolate makers and chocolatiers from all corners of the world.

Harper Macaw: Georgetown, DC
Harper Macaw is a fine chocolate venture founded by a Brazilian chocolate maker and a U.S. Marine Veteran with an ambitious yet tangible objective: To turn chocolate into a force for tropical reforestation.

SPAGnVOLA:Gaithersburg, MD
Crisoire Reid is an award winning Chocolatier and co-owner of SPAGnVOLA. Having been raised in her ancestral hacienda in Hato Del Rey, Dominican Republic. With her passion in land cultivation and agriculture, she began to focus her interest in improving the quality of their crops. They offer gift boxes, hot chocolate, caramels and more. 

Café Chocolat: H St NW
The hot chocolate has been featured in Washington City Paper as a “must-have”. They specialize in small bean-to-bar chocolates from around the world and the US. The latest feature is the only chocolate-maker from Haiti, Askanya Chocolates.

Chocolate Chocolate: Downtown, DC
D.C.’s first independent chocolate shop, in 1984 serving chocolate from around the world.

Godiva: Various locations
Hand dipped strawberries, truffles for miles and drinks made to order. You can become a Rewards member for free and receive a free truffle each month.

Balduccis: Locations in Bethesda, Alexandria and McLean
This is a premiere destination for many things such as meats and cheeses, the section of chocolates and confections is very impressive too.

Related post:
Ways to celebrate Valentine’s Day

Holiday tea for families in and around Washington, DC

Holidays are a time for creating memories, whether it be continuing a family tradition or beginning new ones. I’ve been lucky enough to go to a few high teas; my favorite was at The Plaza Hotel in New York City with my best friend followed by a Holiday Tea at the Willard Intercontinental with family. For those of you looking to take your Bambinos {or go without kids} here’s a list of some venues in our area where you can enjoy tea and crumpets; most with a holiday theme and following covid guidelines.

Photo: Pentagon City Ritz Carlton Kids Tea at Fyve

The Ritz-Carlton Pentagon City is now offering Afternoon Tea, bringing a time-honored tradition at an affordable price – all with safety and the health of guests in mind. Offered in their fyve restaurant, the hotel’s Afternoon Tea service is available at three price points, including a Teddy Bear Tea for children. It’s the perfect place to celebrate a special occasion or for those just looking for a weekend respite from the day-to-day. The selection includes:   

  • Teddy Bear Tea
    • Selection of Children’s Tea Sandwiches
    • Chef’s Sweet Plate
    • Hot Chocolate or Tea

Afternoon Tea is currently available Saturday and Sunday, 11 a.m.- 4 p.m. Starting November 12, tea will be offered Thursday- Sunday, 12:00pm – 3:00pm. Come December 3, tea will be served every day from 12:00pm – 3:00pm. guests can make a reservation at (703) 412-2762. 

Served Saturday & Sunday, 12:00pm to 4:00pm, as part of the regularly served Afternoon Tea. Enjoy the Ritz-Carlton Tea experience with your young ones with a menu especially designed for guests ages 12 and under.

They offer a Kids Dessert Tea Tour as well as high tea and various other kids events.

The Willard’s Holiday Afternoon Tea is one of the hotel’s most cherished holiday traditions. Seated in the grandeur of Peacock Alley, among the festive decor and elegant sounds of the harp, guests can enjoy a tantalizing array of festive teas, sandwiches and seasonally inspired pastries. Holiday Afternoon Tea is offered Seating Time: 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. (90-minute dining restriction) Offered:  Friday – Sunday, December 4-20, 26th.

The soothing sounds of local musicians fill the room, as you enjoy Afternoon Tea in the cozy atmosphere of The Shapiro Music Room at Strathmore. They do hold special events around various holidays so check their schedule to plan ahead. Charles Dickens’ Tea and Mrs. Claus Tea are a few of the popular holiday teas.

Not holiday specific. Seating is limited, so reservations are encouraged. $28.50 per person inclusive of tax and gratuity.All tea sandwiches and pastries are served family-style. 

Creativity is called for every Christmas season.  This year it is especially important to create good times and fun memories for all. Joyfully, in the past years, Mrs. B and St. Nick often sat together for a private tea party to review the ‘naughty and nice’ list of little children. Now Mrs. B invites little ones to join her and Santa for a special event. This is the 9th year for them getting together for tea and you are invited! Please join in what promises to be a merry and memorable time for you and your children.  It will be a festive party as only Mrs. B can create with her team of hard working little elves who love Christmas time.  All ages are welcome but children under 4 years old are required to have a parent in attendance. Tickets are limited to children only. Each and every child will have professional photos available for downloading to share with family and friends, far and near, the week following. This holiday season will be so special by starting it with Mrs. B, Santa Claus and her merry team of elves.

Enjoy a special dining experience with a variety of dainty tea sandwiches and assorted sweet treats. Several dates for Holiday Tea and Santa events. Situated within Tyson Corner Mall with access to Santa, an ice skating rink, Pottery Barn Kids, the Disney Store and over-the-top holiday decorations! See a guest review on an afternoon at Tysons.

Other establishments that offer tea service, not all with a holiday focus but some with children in mind:
The Tavern at the Henley Park Holiday Tea
Children’s Holiday Tea at The Mandarin Oriental
The Jefferson
Tea Cellar in the Park Hyatt Washington
The St. Regis

The Lodge at The Yards socially-distant outdoor dining experience

Following the sold-out success of Glamp Yards in October, The Yards, DC’s most exciting waterfront neighborhood for living, dining, shopping and relaxing, is bringing back the socially-distanced curated dining experience with a new twist. While it may not be cold enough to ski, The Yards will host a socially-distanced après ski-themed area called The Lodge at The Yards, which will accommodate 2-4 guests each. Similar to Glamp Yards, the instagram-worthy individual areas will feature alpine-chic decor and cozy seating in an exclusive section of the Sun Deck. Special snacks and drinks only available for Lodge patrons from several of The Yards’ restaurants will round out the rustic experience – no skis, boots or lift passes required!

Lodge seating is available by reservation only and can be reserved for 90-minute windows for the evening on Friday, November 20th and during the day on Saturday, November 21st and Sunday, November 22nd. 

On Saturday and Sunday mornings from 10:00am-11:30am, Lodge reservations will be kid and parent-friendly with safe, socially-distanced activities for young ones within the Lodge area. Now the whole family can enjoy a cozy outdoor experience with no waiting in line for ski lifts!

Reservations include snack boxes and drinks from a variety of restaurants in three different tiers: 

  • Trail Run (serves 2 guests) – $50 
  • Back Country (serves 4 guests) – $100
  • Double Black Diamond (serves up to 4 guests with additional exclusive treats) – $150

At the time of your reservation, you will pick up drink and snack boxes from your restaurant of choice and head to your Lodge seating area to relax and enjoy. Guests can also purchase items from other participating restaurants from The Yards via QR codes at their lodge site. 

WHEN: Reservations can be purchased (TODAY) Monday, November 9th at 10am on Tock while they last! Lodge seats are reservation-only for all seatings and can be reserved for 90-minute windows with 30 minutes in between reservations for sanitization. The Lodge will be open from:

  • November 20th
    • 4:30pm-10:00pm
  • Saturday, November 21st
    • 10:00-11:30am for families
    • 12pm-9:30pm 
  • Sunday, November 22nd
    • 10:00am-11:30am for families
    • 12pm-7:30pm 

WHERE: The Yards Sundeck, located between Ice Cream Jubilee and District Winery. Directions can be found here. The Yards is metro accessible via the Navy Yard Metro on the Green line and Capitol South Metro on the Orange/Blue line. Parking is also available on The Yards’ surface parking lots. The Lodge is rain or shine.

HOW: Reservations are open beginning Monday, November 9th at 10am via Tock. Reservations include snack boxes and drinks from the restaurant of your choice are available for $50, $100, or $150 per group. 

SAFETY MEASURES: Guests will have their temperature taken before they enter the Lodge area and each space will be sanitized between service. Per DC COVID-19 mandates, guests will be required to wear masks anywhere outside their designated seating area and the Lodge will not exceed 48 people at any given time. 

Get in the spooky spirit with COOK KITZ

This Halloween season certainly is different and while some may be carrying on with traditional trick or treating others may not. We want to highlight a local business that can help you celebrate Halloween in the comfort of your home.

COOK KITZ

COOK KITZ was featured last month on our blog. We loved the curated box that arrived at our doorstep which had step by step directions for baking. This month you can get a Halloween themed box! This KITZ includes all the ingredients and supplies for the spider web cookies, edible slime and 3 interactive games. It does not include ingredients for the spooky lunch menu, however we share a grocery list + recipes if you choose to make this optional activity.

COOK KITZ delivers weekly themed cooking boxes to your doorstep

COOK KITZ delivers all-inclusive, educational and delicious family cooking projects to your doorstep for all ages. What began as a way to keep your family deliciously occupied during quarantine, has now become a household staple- there’s always a reason to have a COOK KITZ on hand!

Each themed KITZ provides “choose-your-own-adventure” elements that teach basic cooking techniques paired with culinary imagination and recipe versatility! This service provides a fun, family activity that does not require any pre-planning and is fully curated, scripted and totally flexible for when you need something to do!

Each delivery includes all pantry and fridge ingredients, detailed instructions and overviews for each recipe and any specialty tools or equipment needed for the project. You also have the option to pickup the kits.

Past KITZ have included; Go Crazy for Cookie Dough, Popsicle Party, “Grow’ Your Own Focaccia Garden and more.

This fall, COOK KITZ launched their first 4-in-1 KITZ series in partnership with Creative Enrichment. The series gives kid chefs an inside look at the baking process and how using different ingredients impacts rise, taste and texture of baked goods. Click here to purchase a kit!!

My kids made the current KITZ which is biscuits + strawberries + cream. What I loved about this box was that there were instructions for each age group. My nine year old could make the recipe by himself while reading through it with his younger sister who also was a part of the cooking. The instructions are age appropriate and easy to follow with just the right amount of information. We will definitely be ordering from COOK KITZ as a way to intertwine math, reading, cooking and togetherness this school year. The best part is, I get to reap the benefits of this tasty new service.

Fun from home: 5 ingredient healthy popsicles

Our fun from home series has given you an easy and quick slime recipe, directions to make a bird feeder with a milk carton, a recipe for homemade ice cream without a machine as well as a mesmerizing cloud dough recipe. Today we will give you a quick, 5 ingredient healthy and refreshing popsicle recipe for these summer afternoons.

Need popsicle molds?
Silicone molds with various shapes (zombie, penguin, tiki, monster, dino and sword)
Stainless steel mold
Ice cream cone mold
Standard mold with wooden sticks

Popsicle molds linked above

Ingredients:

  • 3/4 cup of a liquid (for a creamier popsicle use yogurt or fruit juice for a more traditional popsicle)
  • 2 1/2 cup of any fruit (berries, pineapple, mango, peaches, pineapple)
  • 4-6 tablespoons of honey
  • 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

Instructions:

Step 1: Mix ingredients in a blender until smooth
Step 2: Pour into six popsicle molds and secure the sticks and lids
Step 3: Freeze for 8 hours or overnight
Step 4: Release from the molds by running warm water over the mold. Do not keep the popsicles in the mold.  To freeze for later, once the popsicles are removed from the molds place them on a baking sheet to flash freeze them for 30 minutes and then store in a container or ziploc in the freezer until you are ready to eat them.

Recipe makes 6 popsicles

Inspiration for eating dinner at home: week 3

Hopefully your family is staying healthy and you are starting to get into a better routine. Our family made the decision to support DC’s restaurants once a week and order from a place that was offering contactless or curbside pick-up. We’ve been using some tips we have read to minimize any spread of the virus when ordering take-out. You can find our family meal plans from week 1 and week 2 of quarantine. If you are prepping for Passover, here is a list of to-go options.
A local resident started Feed the Fight which sends meals to those on the frontlines if you are interested in sending a meal.
Lastly, The Defined Dish has a Quarantine Meal Plan worth checking out for your meal planning purposes.

Dinners
Day 1: Quiche from Delish {throw in veggies that may be going bad} with our new go-to Winter Crunch Salad from Bon Appetit.
Day 2: Frozen burgers we had on hand because in our Imperfect Box this week we ordered hamburger buns. We made sweet potato fries with sliced sweet potatoes that were also delivered in our Imperfect Box.
Day 3: Fusilli & Roasted Cauliflower with Capers from Melissa Clark {HIGHLY RECOMMEND}
Day 4: Celebrated my husband’s birthday with dinner from Rose’s Luxury.
Day 5: We did the 2 night dinner option from Rose’s Luxury so we enjoyed another night of delivery, contactless dinner!
Day 6: Harissa Chicken with Leeks, Potatoes and Yogurt from Melissa Clark {HIGHLY RECOMMEND}

Desserts
Chocolate Babka from Dinner with Julie
Peanut Butter Cheesecake from Bake or Break

My kids were the chefs again when it came to the desserts. I’ve decided baking is a time I let go and allow them to measure while making a mess and be in charge of adding the ingredients while reading the recipe. They are then in charge of cleaning up the mess and after-all it just killed 30-45 minutes of time! These knives have worked great for our kids in the kitchen.

Drink
For those of you wanting to get some alcohol delivered to your door, this article showcases many ways.

Past posts:
Connect virtually with friends & family
Friday freebies #1
Friday freebies #2
Best places to see cherry blossoms to avoid crowds
Virtual weekday adventures
13 kid-worthy podcasts
20 classic outdoor games to introduce to your kids
Hour by hour weekday live streaming events and activities for kids
Sample schedules and ideas for the week
Educational resources at your fingertips

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