Steak in Chilly DC

After we safely (but not warmly) arrived at Dulles Airport near Washington DC, it was time to grab some dinner. I was so excited when the FBO gal said that there was a Longhorn Steakhouse not too far from the airport!

With the cold temperatures and not sleeping well the night before, a juicy steak and my hotel room sounded like the two most wonderful things in the world.

Sleeping without my heater Hubby next to me always throws me off.

If you listen closely, you can almost hear the angels chorus singing in the background. Can you hear it? Isn’t it wonderful?!

Sorry. I’m just really stoked to get some steak at last after being scared off by the Outback prices a few days earlier.

I didn’t really look at the menu, since I already knew that I wanted a six-ounce sirloin steak. They call it the “Renegade Sirloin” here, but it’s calling my name today.

We ordered and then enjoyed some local ambience. We were just a smidge early for the dinner crowd, but that meant that we practically had the place to ourselves.

Good. More steak for me, right?

The decorations are awesome for such a lovely establishment. I really love eating steak out. I married a man who isn’t too fond of that stuff, so I don’t get to enjoy it very often. I like to get it once in a while on the road when I can!

But the new me will be ordering it on the healthy side! See on the menu up above? The bottom portion gives options of how to have a dinner for under five-hundred calories. Perfect!

I love me some steakhouse salads. With ranch dressing, of course. Why doesn’t it ever taste this good when I try to duplicate it at home?

It can’t be that hard, right?

I love these types of places, too, because of the yummy hot bread that usually arrives at the table with salads.

Can it possibly get any better than fresh, warm bread with butter? I mean, can it?

But enough small talk. This arrived quickly. The kitchen was probably just happy to have something to do!

This is a six-ounce beauty of pure love. I love how juicy it stays when cooked to medium…without trying to moo at me or roam off the plate when trying to cut it. I used to have my steaks cooked very well, and I’m so glad that I corrected the error of my ways in that department.

Having so much Idaho blood in me, you know that some mashed potatoes had to accompany this meal as well. And these mashed spuds were good examples of why I could never do the Atkins diet ever again.

Potatoes are a slice of heaven here on earth. Amen.

Wait, is that a country song?

After a wonderful dinner, it was time to get back to the airport to return the borrowed crew car. Then we hitched a ride with the FBO shuttle driver to our hotel just a few miles away.

I’m glad that it’s so close. I am tuckered out!

It is the cold that does that?! Yucky cold.

Hi, Dulles Tower! Oooo, looks like you’re getting a new tower in the distance. Good for you.

What recession?!

Another angels chorus is signing in the background here, too. Listen!

aaaaaaaAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!

The hotel lobby was palatial and gorgeous. Are we sure that this isn’t a castle? This is a hotel?!

Just like Miami, DC was also a very expensive night. I hate spending so much on a hotel room, but it helps that I only ate twice today. Fruit and steak. Well-rounded diet, you know?

But the golden winding staircase only hints that they are charging way too much for a bed in these parts! It’s pretty, though, huh?

The room was nice and comfortable. They didn’t have any king beds available on a higher floor, so I happily took one with two doubles so that I could enjoy a nice view.

We got here late this evening and leave early tomorrow morning, so not much time was spent in this place at all.

But I enjoyed this reading chair and ottoman. Rooms just feel more welcoming when they give me a place to read!

And I would have worked here on my computer, had they not wanted $12 a night for internet. Holy smokes, people. I know that technology can’t cost that much! Why punish me?!

The built-ins for the television are nice, though, huh?

The bathroom was gorgeous. I love the sinks that float, since they make the entire space feel larger. What a visual illusion! The mirror is pretty nifty, too.

And expensive accents were added throughout, like this sparkly glass mosaic tile in the floor and shower. I love the bright little bursts of color on the floor, but this particular type wouldn’t be one that I would pick for my own place.

This tile is very expensive. Now I know why they had to charge what they did for the night!

And I love when hotels don’t have a tub…just a shower! I passionately hate baths in any form. But I do love me some showers! And more of that pretty tile was in here as well.

I discovered a very valuable piece of information by staying here…that I don’t like rain showerheads! I only tried it for a few moments but didn’t like that I couldn’t escape the water no matter where I was! Help! I’m drowning!

Normal showerheads for me, thank you!

It was a nice day at work. But it ended very cold. Luckily, my stomach is full. That will help me make it through the night for another day at work tomorrow morning!