Flashback: Savoring the "Quiet" Days of 2020

I was recently scrolling through my archives and stumbled upon this draft from December 2020. Reading it now feels like looking at a different world—the masks, the QR code menus as a "new" thing, and the way we lived for those small weekend escapes just to feel a sense of normalcy.

Back then, a trip to Philz for a Gingersnap coffee and a spontaneous trek to Navy Yard felt like a grand adventure. Looking back, those moments were more than just brunch; they were a lifeline. Even in the middle of a pandemic, the DMV had this way of showing up for us—whether it was the "bipolar" weather being kind for a day or a masterfully made Stormy Date whiskey cocktail at Albi, making the world feel a little smaller and sweeter.

I wanted to share this today because it reminds me that even when things feel uncertain (or when you’re just trying to look "cute enough" to avoid a Real Housewives casting call), there is always a reason to savor the walk.

A walk in the park

On a Sunday morning, during a pandemic, the last thought going through your head is brunch. Yet, here we were at a wonderful spot in Navy Yard, Washington, DC. So Sunday, December 13th I woke up with a mission to the grocery shop. First, I HAD to grab a coffee from my favorite spot, Philz Coffee. So I got out of bed and dressed up enough to look cute while shopping, but not so over-the-top that I’d look like a cast member of the Real Housewives of Prince George’s County. I called up my friends to see what they were doing. In our friend group, there are five of us. One is in California and missed dearly; everyone else resides in Maryland. The first person I called was my collaborator. She was in the process of moving from her current beautiful home, which she shares with her husband and three wonderful kids, to another beautiful home. Our other friend was half asleep, so I decided to get her motivated to get up. I called her and simply

said, "Get dressed, loser, we're going shopping," to which she sighed and proceeded to get dressed. I made my way over to her home, which was about a 15-minute drive. I arrive at her driveway, and we happily proceed to pick up the coffee we ordered at Philz. We arrive at Philz to find no parking space in front of the coffee shop, which makes sense on a Sunday AFTER 10:00 am. Of course me being the DMV resident I am, I put on my hazards and parked in front of another car with their hazards on. Thinking to myself, great minds think alike! I pick up the coffee and make my way back to the car. Once in the car, I take a sip of what I had longed for for so long, the gingersnap coffee, mmmmmmm. In that sip, I realized I was hungry and desperately needed to find food. Seeing as we are already in a great spot to get breakfast, we figured, why not get breakfast? We drove around looking for parking, and being the ever-frugal driver, I refused to pay for parking that day. We found an empty spot on Potomac Ave next to Jackie-American Bistro. Out of the car, I jump, slapping my mask on my face, while my friend, whom we will refer to as Kelly, begrudgingly steps out of my vehicle, mask on a coffee cup clutched in her hand, skeptical of the choices we just made. As we proceed down Potomac Ave, I think, oh, we can go to The Salt Line. The Salt Line was not going to be open for another two hours. We continued to walk down Potomac just a few steps, and I saw a food truck set up, or rather, I thought it was set up and ready. It.Was.Not. 😒.

Our Lovely Walk

To get to this food truck, we had to take a right down a paved walkway that leads you closer to the waterfront. This walkway also introduced us to a park. Diamond Teague Park is beautifully laid out and invites you to walk within it. So we decided to trek through the park to find a place to get breakfast. The path starts out paved and transitions onto the bridge that was built over the Chesapeake. As we begin our walk, we see people running in the morning with their masks on. Other Philz coffee patrons walking peacefully to a serene scene with bipolar DMV weather that was kind enough to be comfortable that day. This day I decided to wear a crop top and some cargo sweat with a jacket, so it was a pretty nice day. As we crossed the bridge, we reflected on this year and how everything has gone great. So far this year.

Enjoying this beautiful view made me hopeful in the middle of this pandemic. We proceeded to the remaining park area. There is an open field where, on a good day such as this, you see DC natives with their children. Girlfriends and friend couples are going to the wine distillery, District Winery. We walk past the restaurants inside the Navy Yard, such as Osteria Morini, Due South, and Shilling Company, to name a few. As we walk towards Water St and 4th St, I see Albi in the distance, and we decide to see what it was about.

At Albi, there was a line that was depleting itself on one side and a restaurant set up on the right. We were unsure what to do, so I went to the hostess on the right side, where the bartenders were hand-drying glasses and prepping for the day. She kindly informed me that we had two choices: we could order from the left, and it would be a breakfast that could be eaten on the go, or sit on the right for a meal. We decided to sit down and enjoy breakfast before continuing on to the grocery store.

Once seated, we began to alternate going to the bathroom to wash our hands, followed by some wonderful hand sanitizing. We sat down for a few moments and reflected on how beautiful a day it was. Our waitress, Irena, soon arrived at our table. She informed us that the menu can be found with a scan-able barcode using our phone's camera for a contact-less experience. We scanned the barcodes, and she began to ask us what type of water we wanted to drink. I chose spring water, and she was on her way.

As we ogled at the menu, I began to feel a little indecision sneak up on me. But as we were there for a quick meal, I promised myself two orders, and I usually indulge in all types of appetizers. I was not trying to shop with an overly full stomach. In comes Irena with water in her hands. She also brought along with her two glasses, of which she poured water in for us, plates, silverware, and napkins, and a little blue bottle full of HAND SANITIZER! I have been to so many outdoor eating experiences, and this is the first with provided hand sanitizer. We proceed to order drinks, my friend orders a Rose' I ordered a drink called Stormy date. I am a whiskey fan, so why not start the day with a little whiskey.

This drink was masterfully made. It was sweet but not too sweet and the worry I always have as a whiskey drinker is that if I get a mixed drink it is going to water down my whiskey. I won't get any smokiness, no caramel notes, just sugar, and juice. As a whiskey purist, I’m always wary of cocktails being too sugary. But the Stormy Date was masterfully balanced. It kept the smokiness and caramel notes of the whiskey front and center without drowning them in syrup. I enjoyed it so much, I had three. We looked at the menus again and decided what we wanted to order. We ordered the brunch sfeeha, beiruti hummus, and baklawa pancake (I love baklava).

Our sfeeha arrived first. I was the bold friend and took the first bite of this. The sfeeha was chock full ocolorful flavors, somewhat of a mix of tart (like lime and salt) with savory and oh so satisfying. Next, I moved on to the hummus, which was the best hummus I have ever had. The hummus was served with homemade pita bread. This dish was delicious as well, and I have never tasted hummus that I liked. The last dish was the baklava pancake; this dish came with a show.

Looking back at these videos of the baklawa pancake at Albi, I’m reminded that even when the world felt like it was on pause, these small moments of 'food theater' kept us going. It wasn't just about the sugar and the syrup—it was about the company, the walk through Navy Yard, and the reminder that DC always has a seat at the table for us.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1sK8VQdiw1A

Now, I want to hear from you: What’s the one meal you’ve had in the city that felt like a literal 'show'? Let me know in the comments—I’m always looking for my next audit-approved brunch spot!