Restaurant details

<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeq-igYFgm4gqLPVwG9ONTB4u-C_2YDk53jp1MD4aKlxrzy68X3XH_irX8We5FBwny4YO82WxCwn2zJ-5rs0sThKYiYhPHS6sBXdY6Z9uoTNdbBUgghwW7xtYXocqwdYckdb06vomQHTw/s1600-h/133-3324_IMG.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5210067977731515778" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeq-igYFgm4gqLPVwG9ONTB4u-C_2YDk53jp1MD4aKlxrzy68X3XH_irX8We5FBwny4YO82WxCwn2zJ-5rs0sThKYiYhPHS6sBXdY6Z9uoTNdbBUgghwW7xtYXocqwdYckdb06vomQHTw/s400/133-3324_IMG.JPG" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" /></a>I was emailing my new friend <a href="http://decorfellow.blogspot.com/">Decor Fellow</a> about his post yesterday about small things in restaurants making big differences. Well, Sunday I went to <a href="http://www.theinnatlittlewashington.com/restaurant.asp">the Inn at Little Washington</a>, AGAIN ( see the other complete post <a href="http://architectdesign.blogspot.com/2008/01/inn-at-little-washington.html">HERE</a> ) to celebrate my birthday. This is a place where they get the details RIGHT and it shows!<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5210067990648773954" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXDof2ZfvYdtyC6evLSCAUrpxqs6-cjXkAW3LC-QUuBgivfRHP95owiawezRRgiH5pw2GrJHQWrqZqiKcgtKyJRqd3ws9L1raKqGJsJKifZ8Q824HaQW1M5KGqONikHNkF1BBx4oQdMTg/s400/133-3326_IMG.JPG" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" /><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5210067998728334514" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMdWZnI7-jTQJUBeNFWhSu4BdMRwPN1sAh6vbqcDjNXTJRGx93uZo5LNlxARXXDw4GGof7AfHVJ7aET-YYiiWOhZvyogP4lyVlvvN9uuLtqerd_Jw7JiSKcuTUa9XZMQTakHjOzdkY6rs/s400/133-3327_IMG.JPG" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" /><em>'night and day'</em> </div><div><br /><div>This time we were seated in the greenhouse room off the garden which we faced, on a cozy loveseat facing the french doors and a beautiful patio with koi pond and flowers. I took a few pictures and hopefully you can see what I'm talking about. The ambience here is perfect. The couple you see here in the picture below actually became engaged DURING dinner -big excitement! I thought for a brief moment he was having a heart attack when he was down on the floor and she was crying and let out a scream -but it was a more happy moment than that :-)<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5210068001007343554" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoDqWlQgto-1JHN-yUCHQ6ANbAD5NsHVLGD-yzN0XIgmyeZ9fubpV9ckwTXdpf32Z1ET1_rrTPfHaVBy6mjkUpeyKUJNrOhoaKQKVHJFFsrlyGIKOALngW3un-GsiPPlwmY0-T9XsmCVQ/s400/133-3328_IMG.JPG" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" /></div><em>the silhouettes of the happy couple at the end of the room - BEAUTIFUL flowers everywhere - this room is 'tented' in striped fabric with tassels at the edge.</em> </div><div><br /><div>The little details continue; when you leave the restaurant, you are given a small picnic basket with cookies and little treats. The basket has a butterly 'flying' above it on a wire and a little china plaque that says 'the inn at little washington'; such a nice keepsake and such DELICIOUS little cookies ( I only ate the candied orange peel so far ). <img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5210068338699869234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOqrAoJZl6BVCiAuEE7x8RhR0AN3rBerFsCI5CSTRwJLUcq06l1jUeLlSEQxa5Xm0waN7jiOEjqYxzkjlGCwSmFRwtaLbxL1qgsVjDIuobnR0NjpjnW5l65uaVujbmfkHgzZFum-2XySc/s400/133-3337_IMG.JPG" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" /><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5210068314891194370" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTkzDAtLp-BHj1hEqbeDApzbCU9nIQkuFVNQJwCrUbhcxTCJXKJ6ufLBeJJIQaENofWIgqBQl7WNVFo9sBxFthSjyoTJBooso6LK91XsCMBSs-eqtm5mz5hcvXDYHqogbiVQd_V6-A374/s400/133-3333_IMG.JPG" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" /><em>the goody basket at home -an open and shut case</em><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5210068270535022594" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbXCPD9K5HxQcOgFs0T1KO2T3JATe2TA0lES2K-lGrWoK-JKgWNUDIh92l1AIO2GB_QLrBTQzav740nG0R4j461JYy1zmBHSBJyRNJFdMxNL6dtp1FI8hnLeNO41Nf0ygR7kXe05K8z1g/s400/133-3330_IMG.JPG" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" /></div></div><br /><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5210068288766023682" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYFAquGyXWdGvN8PMgCZ6budnwfdPmKtUATTTkN1mfHjsD_NVyWbyAFCfWgUFdtEBzxM_EUaWsY75T1p5KVeuaiyv9oIqh-wOPoAjpf4VUfqlLa8QDecyfVuTxs1BLZ0CNRM0_L7ZEX_c/s400/133-3331_IMG.JPG" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" /><em>2 desserts -sorry for the poor lighting -the first is mint ice cream with WILD chocolate 'streamers' and the 2nd is their most famous dessert - the '7 deadly sins' which is 7 of their featured desserts -YUMMY - a taste of everything - my favorite was the apple tart on the lower left hand corner or maybe the key lime pie on the lower right hand corner, or maybe the mint ice cream in the center bottom with the chocolate ganache..... or maybe the lightest cheesecake in the WORLD on the upper right hand corner -ok they were all my favorites....</em>

Restaurant details

I was emailing my new friend Decor Fellow about his post yesterday about small things in restaurants making big differences. Well, Sunday I...

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The INN at Little Washington

<div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcLuLIUIoYrHBjVTTI7GriumjNbLuRWKbkw19GQgDIfM0wvagf9HgEpKyTVr8Lba9q2N3fqc4xuag_eQclVTDvrnMKm6JUaIiLVqe6cz06QdybUKP1MBxQIfF7mKUV0hvdg-74bEdHcr4/s1600-h/front+door.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5156928593946933106" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcLuLIUIoYrHBjVTTI7GriumjNbLuRWKbkw19GQgDIfM0wvagf9HgEpKyTVr8Lba9q2N3fqc4xuag_eQclVTDvrnMKm6JUaIiLVqe6cz06QdybUKP1MBxQIfF7mKUV0hvdg-74bEdHcr4/s400/front+door.jpg" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" /></a> A few weeks ago I went for a culinary ADVENTURE. I know that sounds corny, but really..there was no other way to describe it! I was going to wait to talk about this, but the one friend who took pictures has been a slacker in sending them out *ahem* - but I did find an article on <a href="http://www.newyorksocialdiary.com/">http://www.newyorksocialdiary.com/</a> that had written an article about the place just a week before we went with some GREAT photos.<br /><br /><div>Where to start -this place is in the middle of nowhere. Let me rephrase that.......'nowheresville' to be exact. I took a bus, a train and a car to get there. Well, took the bus from work to the metro to one of my friend's car exactly-and then it was about a 2 hour drive. FUN!!! So we get there and it's like 5 buildings with no lights in this tiny town. This is basically what greeted us:</div><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5156928215989811042" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMSfe3NLkUGTQs5Il6804TGipUxNin1jZ_k3nIQu3zwMbBk2m7U-Sru32DU1jR5qg-DXIwSRuYCzJNrWGN4Ulc4-SGHt2ION0p86G3Oo1H-JdGkjM2cYTCgtbzxeApvJvIaKxGhsK2dco/s400/the+town.jpg" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" /><br /><br /><div>I think I've grown used to living in the city because to me this screams: NO GOOD CAN COME FROM THIS PLACE - RUN QUICKLY!!!! But after finding parking ( behind a barn or something - no joke ) it quickly became pleasant. The front of the place is CUTE as seen above and 2 friendly porters were there to greet us and open the door. I think it may have even been this guy, but I'm not sure. And we got 2 doormen, not just this guy ;-) They know we're special:<br /><br /></div><br /><div><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5156928735680853890" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGyugEwme4gi6zV9Suu2KEWVK2LOSVTHpw1GukhHBe8OpGRyFUYOUJbtLRle410mPmKyrP4T58Jx71VPwqnBrbMe7r7Si_Kg4Vm6Zjrb0h0E7Nkwr6f7QidnTZJ_tKp4YKqlvkBMdhkRA/s400/front+door+person.jpg" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" /></div>We quickly were greeted here in the entry:<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5156929324091373458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBJ85CYPK764kpg9EMrDHyXQwtBq6tRYiLmppTOFWuImxmM-9IScbcEYKWN2O8PxhActmSo8OD8ZH6f9GpAgGUATlrGUXbhnPAgLoK8PqQY-HtkCNZDfP73_6zv-NvTm9wdFWTS-aEsQ8/s400/the+entry.jpg" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" /></div><div><br />Of course - we were there the week after New Years, and I don't think these pointsetta were there. Anyways - it's really charming in a cluttery victorianish way. Not GENERIC at all, thank god. Literally every surface was patterned, covered and decorated. Again - ignore the Christmas decorations.</div><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5156929547429672866" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz3OCB8xRG8Kd57EOTKWTvDRfMONnjDEixnuvyen8s6204SWvOeRJZDzofh9bqiWzfzRfbazOgykmLvEXeJhnffE6ZfBvwrYJN0gtgP5d9nBlmFlGhGZcBtPXAnmbFMFbsBtUo9bCjlfI/s400/the+entry+1.jpg" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" />Knowing us, they quickly escorted us to the bar.........and what a surprise............. <img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5156929852372350898" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7_E6a3Vx5iVqxJQy-W8HwefXdwITY9-Ek2GlgkOrVlXTMszQx1MCXIiGZxiBNKLUUy5-KTl2BeLV0lnAeymm5ng3XvKB0qRpwRFiI2pTbb8yA32-b-NQXydCN8qPCApH9EJTdxaxwPqI/s400/playful+monkey.jpg" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" />Yes....it's the 'monkey' bar............there are monkey's EVERYWHERE........... <img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5156935057872713778" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfH5J1CROaQIiqpDlqXAFP2qnX2XXln5CV81jWha_GN8E8qaknCHf5tmHeJRgi68Wg552A1xK82UoqrY7VpKMgeVKeLnuM_vzi5GpRlyKnpJYgHqjSnLhFPb6jE0veYrHxoKTCpazTk0g/s400/the+bar.jpg" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" /><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5156930058530781122" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6kZk56t74vuLnYdC10ZMrSGhu1kecE-qIQpsKTY7RVRDiFOE-O_u5XOF70pBP5omOZxsiBl_qXMJZkW8OvDL6qM-A67B0UTYe3yIg-ji3-uo9dZ-SlmqIQMZHkKOrTrTcRqr0ejM9LpM/s400/sadistic+monkey.jpg" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" />SCARY monkeys!!! I mean -look at that guy! Trust me, he is even SCARIER after 2 Kir Royales ( with watercress and blackberries in it! yumm ) and a gin and tonic. And yes -those are carved monkey heads in at the bar.</div><div>They also had these little dried fruit and nuts that were AMAZING with this cyane pepper on them - even if you don't like spicey -this was DELICOUS. So after we were all sedated from the monkey's and the long drive -we were escorted to our table in the cozy dining room. This is actually even the exact table the 6 of us sat at!! Each table has one of those fringy lampshades -it really makes each table feel very seperate.<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5156930672711104466" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghuQyN8oYi5-CzDhkqi6wh2I3bGdSlyFGS89yHernSBT70QliOgKInCsDw3OhAmcWTtqH1sHI5LktnmBIyulaAaUTqvI4C-vQVDhp16diFkeXjjedzJPksln3ZWnzxVdaHYRg5vV4efD4/s400/our+table.jpg" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" /><br /><div><div>And just as a reminder -thats not us. We're not a group of 60 yr olds out celebrating.....god knows what....kids out of college? viagra 1/2 off at walmart?</div><div>But the crazy thing is that this cow cart thing was parked RIGHT near us.......... <img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5156930964768880610" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF4aRDTWAMBjmB163NT_Y3OTrAXSEotQMyFORX6tJdi5CAcucfG41zgPzCbLwp5MH-6xBwqAWflz9T8-WZjOwbgbIe9h0u65c4yYohy69_NbRoajC5HxQIUk1-s89AIqcc2exHsvpy4hU/s400/the+cheese+cow!.jpg" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" /><br /><div>Yes, friends....that is a cheesey cow......pun intended!!! But it really is a lovely dining room, cow and all. But really - monkeys....cows....the place is a ZOO! I think I spotted a few rooster statues as well.<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5156931196697114610" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4YmWAKZ1e6bDD8tCd-eARCizSN6ZRVh1f6VL0OE76b8NMvlPGqo7fWwbDocQ-OeiZxTq6o7V6c5UgN9kTRcMHMff3efpoihAeULOLYI1mdY8GSEe1hF1uJz9jfvZBNns6hhuwQBqQ73k/s400/our+table+2.jpg" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" />Have you ever seen 'Hello, Dolly!' - the movie version with Barbara Streisand, not the GOOD version with Carol Channing? Well - imagine that on a smaller scale - that is the inn at little washington. Anyways....so it was all cute that they had about 9 waiters working us over. The water was poured in unison to all of us at once, our food as well. The wine list is a novel - like 100 pages long and has...I kid you not....an INDEX! It's not a novelette - this is a NOVEL. But it's a novel that someone should make a movie out of....the food is OUT OF THIS WORLD, darlings. Now it's a pre-fixe type meal -but 2 'extras' were thrown in. Before ordering we had a smattering of cute little bites on little soup spoons - creme fresh with caviar, an ADORABLE mini bite sized baked potato...some creamy beet thing I had with caviar and stuff - it was yummy. I'm sorry my food descriptions aren't very vivid, I'm really more visual. I'd say that Creme Fresh was on...everything -as well as cavair and truffles. They LOVE them some truffles....and boy...do I love them too! So after that we had our starters. Each starter was like...a work of art. So pretty you didn't want to eat it -but when you did - AMAZING. Every bite was like nothing you've ever tasted before. The flavors were so deep, rich and.......flavorful. LOL It was the sort of sensation where you just close your eyes and meditate on it for a bit while savoring each different flavor SENSATION then go........."DAAAAAAAAM thats good"</div><br /><div>Unfortunately -I don't have the pictures of this food yet. They'll come, chickies. Each course was more meat filled ( except for my vegan friend ) and artful. After the appetizer that we ordered we were served this ultra creamy red pepper soup in a CUTE teacup. It was so delicious! And just the right consistency! </div><div>Everyone who knows me knows I have a china obsession. Well -this place did not disappoint. They weren't the normal boring restaurant china. This was like, the fine china your grandma ( or me ) has at home! No boring 'modern' or 'contemporary' china. And different for each course - not a boring matched set! That really helped out an aesthete like me. Well, I'll skip each course but let it suffice to say that they were all delicious beyond belief. The wine was also very good. The service was IMPECCABLE. <img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5156934409332652050" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyxZlGqMuSoDyrd5KD5XsI7SKSahyphenhyphenyyMU-aN09Bc2sw7TPcFl2bYw6MKwK6sQfThc0F7WesmA_PCX39bkECbr1qJ36M7_fpYfLbgBP2m3mQvmcbO1ZjwhDcslSKmrZpEEOL0mKVZ4CNEs/s400/the+service.jpg" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" />Our very friendly and knowledgable waiter ( who was also cute if memory serves me correctly ) quickly became our conspirator for the evening. </div><div>Well - so down to dessert -about 1/2 the table got their FAMOUS dessert 'the 7 deadly sins' -which basically is a plate of 7 different little desserts. I DO have a picture of that...... <img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5156933666303309826" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIwINHbQLwiRVfVEmFd6URyz45tao5VwgdFZyXGvKIk91NnVrZayYss17r5vyC_C_ID-_GwZ7MoeDaYcdOHVtFNX4KvnP6GhqJnzLZn8iN2AtZf7qS4NhFjfMrem6wRWzlA5_GpllIESo/s400/the+desserts.jpg" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" />Now, I do remember it being prettier than that....and larger..but maybe the night they took this photo they had an intern pastry chef do the plate who was disgruntled. However, I didn't get that - I ordered the apple tart. </div><div>I LOVE apple or pear anything -especially desserts. Well of course they were out of them and would have to make it for me from scratch, so that everyone at the table woudln't have to wait they brought me a apperatif while everyone else got their desserts: Gratis!! FREE! Now isn't THAT lovely :-) Now -this was SO YUMMY and such a great way to finish up the evening -and the apple tart was to die for of course. </div><div>Now anyone reading this, get thee to the 'Inn at Little Washington' , not to be confused with the Inn at Big Washington - which probably doesn't exist and if it does I can guarantee you it isn't as good!! I've never spent that much money that lightly or without some misgiving -but it was SOOOO worth it!!! Tell them a satisfied customer sent you :-) They'll have no clue who that is because I'm sure everyone who stops by is satisfied.<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5156934649850820642" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuGtgnnB0As6zQWyn5E9XcF5tXj8Ov0y-5z22nt1nkZXkzL15FUvL-nVG0sIJhmg-G5eX9z0NFFPFn77PBb_tsQ421Lr0g-m843R97O8vjWXWZXyOgKZ5YaXFss_XQ9IOgBYO9BczrY0o/s400/entry+to+dining+room.jpg" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" /><br /><br /><div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>

The INN at Little Washington

A few weeks ago I went for a culinary ADVENTURE. I know that sounds corny, but really..there was no other way to describe it! I was going t...

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