Having Fun at 31: Wine & Dine at the Watergate Hotel

A few weeks ago, I celebrated my 31st birthday with my family.

For months, I racked my brain trying to figure out what I actually wanted to do to celebrate. As a kid, most people wants a birthday party, which involves cake and sweets and being around their closest friends and family as they play simple party games. As you get older, parties still happen, but alcohol starts to become involved. In your 20s, most want to party the night away at clubs and bars with friends and enjoy their youth before you reach true adulthood. By the time you reach your 30s, one want to feel adult and experience those once-in-a-lifetime experiences - explore the world around me and take in those experiences with loved ones.

For my 30th last year, I wrote about 13 goals I hope to pursue in my 30s, which is still ongoing. I also enjoyed the day pursuing around the mall and investing in self care/beauty products. It was a great time to just be myself and celebrate such a momentous milestone on my own time. This year, I wanted to do something involving the city and make it a momentous occasion - not simply just another candle in my metaphorical cake. Recently, in my writings, and because of the world around us, I was thinking on the idea of visiting a historically significant site and celebrating my birthday amongst a historic backdrop. One of the sites that I was most interested in seeing since I first laid eyes upon, it was the Watergate hotel, famously known for the Watergate Scandal in the 1970s during Nixon’s presidency. I wanted to take the time to write a simple recap blog about my adventure to the Watergate Hotel.

When we first arrived to the Watergate Hotel, it was just as grand as I had imagined it. There was a hotel staff man waiting to open the doors for its fellow guests. The marquee on the front was grand and luxurious, keeping with both, it's nostalgic time. And modernized all in the same time. We had a few minutes before our reservation so we decided to look into the library. Some of the photos below were captured within the library. One of the most interesting things that I found was a book published at around 1914.

The restaurant that was located inside of the Watergate hotel was called Kingbird. The architecture inside can be best described as a modernized mix of imperialist and abstract. I think that the inside displayed both what a modernized 1960s atmosphere could feel like.

After enjoying some wine, we all settled on getting a two course meal. For my options, I chose the shrimp cocktail and a Wagyu cheeseburger.

Shrimp Cocktail

It threw me for a loop when this was what was presented. They took the traditional shrimp cocktail and not only elevated it, but made it deconstructed in a way that I had never seen it before. It was also strange that they included a lime, as this dish is usually a shirt served with just a lemon. Additionally, the cocktail sauce was also very different, but it was very delicious and creamy.

Waygu Burger

I have had many cheeseburgers in my life, but it is always a treat when I get to eat an elevated cheeseburger, such as the one pictured. The full description of the burger : 8 oz wagyu beef, brioche bun, raclette cheese, arugula, crispy onions, whiskey aioli, french fries.

The flavors were tangy and savory. I also can’t complain when there are crispy french fries that come with a meal :)

Along with a quick stop into the National Air & Space Museum, I also got to explore Washington D.C. with my mother and sister - something that we had not done together in a long time (I have been to D.C. since my school days and even within the last couple of years, but the three of us exploring together was a first in a long time). These were just a couple of great shots of my sister taken in our nation’s capital. With everything that happened in January, and even now, it was surreal to walk through the crisp streets of D.C., feeling the very heartbeat of the United States during this tumultuous time.

All in all, it was a fun birthday, albeit chilly. I am truly thankful that once again my family was able to make the trip up to Northern Virginia, if only for a brief visit, to celebrate this momentous occasion with me. <3