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Review: Why you should Try The World!

Published on February 19, 2016April 3, 2025 by C'est le Brie4 Comments

By Natalie Anne ❤

Ever since moving into a studio apartment by myself in Washington, DC, I have felt lonelier than usual. I have resorted to writing letters and trying out new subscriptions that I have found on Pinterest which offer free deals for signing up. I first became intrigued by Try the World when I was able to get a Japan box (a $39.99 value) for free by subscribing to the company and thought why the hell not. I had the option to cancel after receiving my first box in the mail, but there is no way I could ever part with this magical box of love. I immediately told my sister about it and now we are devastatingly hooked on our subscriptions.

Try the World is a subscription box of treats that comes right to your door once every 2 months for $39.99. Every box comes with 7-8 food items from a particular country, all of which are unique and thoughtful and with a wide array of nutritional content. The flavors range from sweet and sugary to salty and zesty. They are also sure to throw in something starchy to tie it all together too! Every element offers something different but at the same time the box remains cohesive. Every colorful box offers a country guide too that tells you about the chef and food professionals they teamed up with and offer recipes and ideas to send you on your way to creating your own personal yet exotic culinary haven.

My Thailand box has certainly been one of favorites! Thailand has always been at the top of our travel bucket lists and being able to explore the flavors of the country made me want to go even worse. My box included a packet of organic Tom Yum soup ingredients, a bag of dried Jack Fruit (so delicious), Thai spicy flavor rice balls, red curry paste, Jasmine rice, coconut flower syrup, Chaidim tea, and sweet orange coconut crispy rolls.

I absolutely fell in love with the coconut flower syrup as it adds an extra bit of sweetness to any dessert or treat. My favorite use for it is to drizzle it on waffles or pancakes. I recently made Mickey Mouse waffles with dark chocolate morsels and topped them off with this coconut syrup and it melted in my mouth.

Best Brunch Restaurants in Arlington and Alexandria, Virginia

Published on February 19, 2016February 10, 2026 by C'est le BrieLeave a comment

By Natalie Anne ❤

I moved to Northern Virginia less than a year ago, and in this short time, have brunched as much as possible. Luckily, in my neighborhood there are plenty of delicious restaurants that know how to brunch well. For my brunching experience, I almost exclusively order some combination of Eggs Benedict, my absolute favorite dish of all time. So if you really don’t like poached eggs topped with a creamy, delicious Hollandaise sauce blend, then this list may not be for you, unless of course I can change your mind.

Bayou Bakery

The first morning I woke up as an official Arlington resident, I walked down the street to check out the nearby bakery and cafe, Bayou Bakery. I was hoping for a trendy, fun experience with tasty food, and it definitely fulfilled my expectations. Their beignets are warm and rolled in a generous portion of powdered sugar. And if you want to try a bit of heaven catch a slice of their Quiche du Jour.

Fontaine Caffe and Creperie

Old Town Alexandria is the most idyllic location for brunching. The brick buildings and waterfront offer a pristine atmosphere to wake up and smell the coffee to. Fontaine’s had a bit of a wait when we arrived on a Sunday morning due to limited space, but their menu was worth it. Although it is a creperie, and I love crepes, I was dying to try their “Breakfast Bruschetta” on the menu. It is composed of brioche bread topped with two fried eggs, pancetta, tomato, and drizzled with a pesto aioli and olive oil. It was amazing to say the least.

Fuego

If indulging in a surplus of Mexican food and margaritas is your idea of a perfect brunch, then you absolutely have to try Fuego in Clarendon. It offers a three course brunch menu for a fixed price with everything from tacos, queso, guacamole, enchiladas, omelettes as well as savory desserts. Their portions are no joke so be ready to take some boxes home. I of course recommend the Mexican Benedict with Chorizo and Chipotle Hollandaise. Their Churros are an absolute must as well.

Del Ray Cafe

Del Ray in Alexandria is situated in a quaint two-story country house and emphasizes an organic farm to table experience. It feels like you’re eating at a neighbors house and enjoying the simple pleasures of life. Myles and I were on our way out of town to our grandmother’s annual Christmas party and stopped here for a little detour. We split the Eggs Benedict on a Croissant and the French Toast topped with Strawberry and Rhubarb Compote. It’s always so hard for us to decide between savory and sweet, so we opted for both.

Fireworks Pizza

I wasn’t really expecting a pizza-focused restaurant to have the best brunch options, but I was gladly proved wrong by Fireworks Pizza. They have a smaller brunch menu, but I usually like this better so I don’t have to make so many decisions. I went one morning with a friend who was visiting for a weekend from New York. I texted her the brunch menu and when we saw the description of their Eggs Benedict served over Parmesan Polenta and topped with avocado, we knew we had to try it and we suggest you do too.

Best Burger Spots in Charlottesville, Va

Published on February 18, 2016April 1, 2025 by C'est le Brie2 Comments

By Natalie Anne ❤

Charlottesville is a thriving small city with a lovable historic downtown surrounded by breweries and vineyards. It boasts having a large number of restaurants per capita, and in this case, quality and quantity are very closely tied. Charlottesville is home to some of my favorite restaurants, most of which offer southern-style cuisine paralleled with welcoming atmospheres and an abundance of beer options. Not only is there a huge variety of awesome eateries but almost all of them use fresh ingredients and support local farms. Plus, if you’re not the biggest fan of beef like me, most of them offer poultry and veggie options. Below is a guide featuring some of the best burgers and fries in Charlottesville.

Jack Brown’s Beer and Burger Joint

Featuring diverse flavors of burgers mixed with southern-style food, Jack Brown’s is completely affordable and certainly a unique experience. They have multiple locations across Virginia and the South, so if you’re in the area, try to find one near you. My favorite burger is the Greg Brady which is topped with macaroni & cheese and BBQ chips. Don’t forget to try their secret sauce with a side of their crinkle fries and if you’re looking to relax a little try one or more of their local beers on tap!

Citizen Burger Bar

Citizen burger offers tasty burgers and ingredients that are come from local farms. If you’re not in the mood for a burger, they also offer grilled cheeses, salads, appetizers, and sides that compliment the meal perfectly whether you are a type who likes fried pickles, beer battered onion rings or truffle fries with aioli. I personally can’t keep my paws off their addicting truffle fries and always make sure to order extra so I can box them up.

World of Beer

World of Beer offers hundreds of beer choices and a nice patio atmosphere on West Main Street. More importantly, their food hits the spot especially while you’re sampling a beer tray or drinking a pint of one of your favorite ales. Don’t miss either the giant traditional-style pretzel or their loaded tater tots with bacon and jalapenos.

Best Restaurants in Krakow, Poland

Published on February 17, 2016April 1, 2025 by C'est le BrieLeave a comment

by Natalie Anne ❤

Poland was one of those places I never thought I would actually get the opportunity to travel to. My sister, Millie, and I are part Polish, and it has sort of felt like a mystical place that doesn’t exist in our world. After growing up in rural Virginia, Eastern Europe seemed anything but tangible. When imagining Poland, I seemed to always fantasize about medieval pathways and towering Gothic cathedrals. When we magically got the opportunity to venture to Poland, my sister and I found ourselves staying in the historic Jewish quarter of Krakow and we certainly saw our fair share of cathedrals. But what caught us by surprise was just how delicious Polish cuisine is. We expected to experience the pierogis and Kielbasa sausage, but other than that we weren’t too familiar with what exactly classifies Polish food. We blindly found restaurants in every corner of Krakow. And not one of them disappointed us. We have compiled a short list of our favorite restaurants in Krakow to give you just a taste of what culinary delights Krakow has to offer!

1. Restauracja Szara

After finally getting checked in to our hotel after our 9 hour flight and layover in Belgium, we decided to check out Krakow’s city square and managed to find our perfect first Polish restaurant right in the heart of the city. Even though it was 4 o’clock in the afternoon and we weren’t sure if our meal qualified as a late lunch or early dinner, we eventually settled down with a glass of rosé at Restauracja Szara.

We may have been the only table in the restaurant given our unusual time of arrival, but we thoroughly enjoyed our meal with a bread basket followed by a salad with goat cheese and a perfectly tender chicken dish. This food soothed our empty and queasy souls after a long day of travel.

2. La Campana

Our second recommendation goes to La Campana, a whimsical Italian restaurant tucked on a quiet, picturesque street. We were nestled in a downstairs room wine cellar with brick exposed walls and a soothing ambiance. It was about an hour past noon and we were ready for pasta and red wine. La Campana exceeded our expectations with quite possibly the most delicious Pasta Carbonara we have ever eaten accompanied by an atmosphere that felt like Tuscany.

3. Restauraja AWIW

Right outside our hotel in the Jewish district was a slew of restaurants with patio seating and colored umbrellas, after a long decision process, we finally settled on a restaurant that appeared to offer classic Polish cuisine, pierogis and all. Restauracja AWIW was the perfect location for a relaxed Polish meal. We chose to be seated outside on the street and were given wool blankets to place over our laps after the sun went down. We shared everything we ordered, including pierogis with cheese, potato, and onion as well as a rich bailey’s ice cream sundae and a slice of the house cheesecake all downed with a few glasses of red wine.

4. Paprycyki

After going on an excursion to see Niedzica Castle, our tour bus dropped us off in the center of Krakow exhausted and hungry. Pizza was the move, so we found a nearby Italian restaurant that filled our every need. Paprycyzki Pizzeria won over our hearts and appetites with its laid back atmosphere and tasty food. I ordered a tasty lasagna made with asparagus, ham, and ricotta while Millie ordered a vegetable and cheese pizza that was both easy on the eyes and freshly flavored.

5. Manzana

By our last night in Krakow, we wanted a taste of home and found a Tex-Mex inspired restaurant, which offered comforting flavors, but with an added twist of sophisticated Eastern European style. We were seated on their peaceful Spanish-style patio in the back with beautiful mosaic tables and ivy covered walls. It was a warmer day outside so we ordered margaritas and a carafe of refreshing lemon and mint water. We indulged in the chips with salsa and guacamole for our appetizer before diving into a black bean quesadilla and fajitas. Before we could order dessert, it started pouring down rain and we moved inside where we finished our meal with mouth-watering chocolate covered cheesecake lollipops.

If you have a sweet tooth like we do, we suggest a few dessert spots as well.

6. Arlekin Cafe

Arlekin Cafe was a colorful escape from the world with a diverse array of delectable desserts and coffee. Once we saw their specialty ice cream sundaes being brought to a table beside us, we couldn’t resist and ordered a one for ourselves along with a few pieces of cake because it was impossible to pick just one thing.

7. Cupcake Corner Bakery & Cafe

We always like to try cupcakes everywhere we go for a little pick-me-up if we are in particularly grouchy moods. Luckily, the Cupcake Corner in Krakow gave us the sugar rush we needed to cheer us up. We tried the carrot cake, peanut butter cup, brownie obsession and my favorite, the caramel apple. It’s just a few blocks away from Wawel Castle if you feel the need to treat yo self, and we strongly suggest that you do.

https://www.mapcustomizer.com/map/Best%20Restaurants%20in%20Krakow

Click the link above for a map of these delicious locations.

If you have any other suggestions of delicious food in Krakow, feel free to comment and share!

❤ Natalie