Red Maple:: I've been really enjoying me some tapas lately, and after gushing all about Tapas Teatro, I tried Red Maple, also on Charles Street. First of all, gorgeous, gorgeous ambiance. They've got this total Spanish/Japanese decor thing going on, which sounds like it wouldn't work, but is really visually beautiful. Ohhh, I thought. This is where all the cool kids hang out. The food was Asian-fusion style, and just as tasty as it was interesting to look at. I tried lobster tempura, a spicy beef tips dish, a shrimp and greens salad in a crispy cheese bowl, and the dessert was a to die for chocolate cake with mousse. Oh, and I had a sparkling wine with lychee that complimented everything perfectly. And just as interesting as the food was the plating and sauces. Not to mention entertainment-- I went on a Tuesday evening, and there was live music and a gorgeous Flamenco dancer to watch while we ate. I would definitely, definitely go back for a special occasion.

The 13th Floor at the Belvedere Hotel:: The main reason I'm recommending this place is the view. The decor is urban swank, but from that high up, there's a view of the entire city that you just can't beat. The drinks were okay-- they have a great list of specialty martinis, but they'll run you about $10 a pop. And they also have really great live music-- the night I went, there was a latin band playing, and the smallish dancefloor was totally full-up. They did cha-cha, salsa, meringue, the whole nine. Heh, plus a funny version of The Rolling Stones' "Sympathy for the Devil." But overall, as bars go, this one was pretty unique.

Pier 1 Citrus Cilantro:: I'm transitioning to spring scents-- things that remind me of sunshine. Clean, fresh. This one is absolutely delicious. It's a leafy, green lime scent that completely fills up a room. A pillar will last you a couple of months-- it's well worth the $8.

Archipelago Mediterranean:: I'm coming to find that many of the scents that I wear as perfumes are not necessarily scents that I want to use as room scents. For instance, while I rarely wear floral blends, I find that gardenia and freesia work beautifully in candles. Mediterranean is galbanum, Bulgarian rose, and bergamot, and is also one of the most gorgeous blue colors I've ever seen-- matches the decor of my room pretty nicely. I'd only bought some votives and tealights when I visited Candleman in DC, because I wanted to test how these guys burned. Archipelago is fairly high-end. A 4x6 pillar will cost you $12-16, depending on where you look. As it turns out, they burn beautifully, and the soy base lasts forever. Sadly, Archipelago doesn't have an official site, and there's no online source that carries the entire line (I remember also liking Stonehenge and Tuscany), so I suppose I'll have to make another trip to DC to pick up a pillar. At any rate, if your local candle shop stocks 'em, give them a try. I think I also wanna sniff Wasabi Mint.