Slapshot

For Prince the trip to Italy was all about the wine, for Slapshot it was all about the food (this does not, of course, mean that he did not enjoy his share of Chianti and Prosecco). As Slapshot wandered up and down the charming streets of villages such as Monteriggioni, a wonderfully preserved walled medieval town, he was always on the lookout for his next treat. Gelato was top on his list, and he was able to partake in it on multiple occasions.


He snacked on tiramisu and yogurt gelato in Radda in Chianti, and enjoyed even better gelato in Castellina in Chianti, where he opted for yogurt, nocciola and banana. Unfortunately the sugar high was not enough to fend off exhaustion from hours of walking (too many hills!), so he found a place to chill while his more energetic traveling buddies kept going.


Although he spent most of the week dining on pasta, Slapshot also indulged in pizza, one of his preferred foods, at a restaurant on the outskirts of Siena. There he ordered his all time favorite, the Margherita with buffalo mozzarella.


He enjoyed the simple yet tasty pizza, a welcome break from many of the pizzas back home, which come smothered in cheese and sauce (as a fan of food he knows the importance of moderation…well, most of the time). Slapshot also enjoyed many delicious home cooked meals, and was even won over by the local sheep's cheese, which, as a cow’s milk cheese kind of penguin, he had never cared for in the past.

Slapshot was ever so sad when it was time to leave Italy, and he was less than happy when he found out that his flight was delayed by almost three hours. He passed the time in Fiumicino Airport’s not so fabulous Le Anfore lounge – sadly there were no enticing treats to be had so his last meal in Italy was yogurt and a not very good coffee.


He was, however, happy to find out he had been upgraded to Business Class, and eagerly took advantage of the pre-flight glass of bubbly he was offered (and many more during the flight).


If you have to go back to the real world you might as well do so in style.

Prince

Prince is a great fan of red wine, Chianti in particular. He was thus extremely happy to have been invited to spend a week in Tuscany, where tasting as much of this local product (with a little bit of culture thrown in for good measure) was top on his agenda. He first hit the medieval fortress Castello di Brolio, much of which was reconstructed during the 19th century in the neo-gothic style. Prince waddled around, enjoying the lovely views (his eyes in particular drawn to the castle’s vineyards).


Even more, he enjoyed hitting the Barone Ricasoli tasting room, where he sampled various wines. The Ricasoli family has owned the castle since the 12th century, and it was Bettino Ricasoli, known as the Iron Baron, who is reported to have devised the Sangiovese blend that has become the Chianti Classico.


His next stop was Badia a Coltibuono, a former monastery that was transformed into a wine estate in the 19th century, and which now produces organic wine and olive oil (another rather tasty local product). Visitors can also stay at the monastery and take cooking classes (Prince prefers that people cook for him when on holiday). Prince enjoyed his tour of the building and its beautiful grounds, in particular admiring the cellar where Badia a Coltibuono’s historical vintages are stored.


It was hard for Prince to leave Tuscany, but as he was flying out of Rome and would be spending the night in the city he figured he should hop on an early(ish) train and check out the place. He was able to cover much of the city during a manic four hour waddling tour - luckily his petit stature allowed him to duck between the hordes of tourists that made the experience less than relaxing.


It was a characteristically muggy Rome summer day, so he was constantly looking for ways to cool down, first taking a quick swim in a water fountain near St. Peter’s Basilica, and then indulging in a treat from Gelateria del Teatro, which Prince stumbled upon on a charming cobblestone side street.


He had difficulty choosing amongst the wide selection of both traditional and unique gelato flavors, but finally opted for his favorite, yogurt, and the more unconventional ricotta fig almond.

Fuzzy

Fuzzy is a jetsetter who likes to escape DC as often as possible (especially during the hot and humid summer months). He recently spent a glorious week in Tuscany, where he visited a good friend and her husband, who were themselves escaping a muggy city (in their case Milan). Fuzzy had a wonderfully relaxing time enjoying the lovely countryside - he even managed (miraculously) to avoid getting carsick on the windy roads as he toured various charming towns in the Tuscan hills.


Among his favorites was Loro Ciuffenna, a small medieval town with a still functional water mill.


He also visited Siena, where he hit major tourist sites like the Piazza del Campo and the Duomo, but preferred waddling around the city’s many charming streets, discovering and admiring its architectural and decorative details. He even indulged in an unexpected snack when he stumbled across a fig tree (which unfortunately spoiled his appetite for gelato).


A lover of art, Fuzzy also admired the ceramics made by his friend’s husband’s parents, who have a studio in their home. He liked many of the pieces, but was partial to a bowl depicting one of the lizards (he’s a fan of the creatures) that can be found running around the Tuscan countryside.


His favorite part of the trip, however, was catching up with his friends. They spent long lazy evenings dining outside, under the grapes, drinking good wine and prosecco, eating fruits and vegetables from the garden, and enjoying home cooked Italian meals (he wondered for a moment if his friend had married her husband for his cooking skills, but then she is a very good cook too).


Fuzzy isn’t much of a cook (he prefers baking), but wanted to be useful, so he helped when he could, whether shelling beans for pasta e fagioli, or always being on hand to open the next bottle of prosecco. Being on holiday really is such hard work!

Smitty

Smitty is a fan of dairy products, and thanks his lucky stars every day that he is not lactose intolerant. From yogurt to cheese to ice cream, he loves it all. He recently met up with a friend at Dupont Circle’s Sweet Green for a frozen dairy treat (the humid Washington summer provides the perfect excuse for this kind of indulgence). He felt very healthy as he enjoyed his nonfat frozen yogurt with fresh mango, raspberries and blueberries (nothing likes some antioxidants with one’s treat).


Little did Smitty know that there were more dairy delights in store for him, as his fabulous friend gave him a belated birthday gift from Cowgirl Creamery, home to some of the most divine cheeses he has tasted in the US. It didn’t take long for him to dig into the Mount Tam and Point Reyes Blue (even though he had a dinner invitation for later in the evening, and knows better than to spoil his appetite).

After feasting on some cheese Smitty grabbed a taxi and headed out to Virginia to see his friends. He got a tour of their house, and then sat down to a lovely dinner, which included a Caprese salad (he was happy to get a taste of Italy, as some of his penguin friends are headed there this week). Smitty enjoyed an evening of good food and wonderful company, and went to bed a full, happy boy.

JC

JC loves when friends come to visit, and he recently had the pleasure of hosting a friend from Chicago (home of the Lincoln Park Zoo, infinitely superior to the penguin-less National Zoo). His friend hadn’t been to DC in years, so JC decided to show him all of the new stores, galleries and restaurants on U and 14th Streets. They first perused the exhibition Almost Surely, Almost Everywhere, at the Hamiltonian Gallery, where an overly inquisitive JC almost got tangled up in Ken Fandell’s Approximately 100 Feet of Tracings of a Crystal Geyser Water Bottle Label.


They then went to Irvine Contemporary to see Introductions 5, the annual exhibition of works by recent art college graduates. They watched Paris Mavroidis' Divers, which JC most enjoyed. He also really liked Matt Sartain’s photographs (as a long-legged penguin he was particularly drawn to the Very Long-Legged Woman). Of course his favorite part of the visit was gossiping with his fabulous friend who works at the gallery.


After enjoying an afternoon of art, JC and his guest did some shopping (he loves the store Pulp for its fabulous selection of cards) and playing (they had the Stead Park playground all to themselves!). All of that activity left them feeling rather peckish, so they ambled up to JC’s favorite local fast food place, the Amsterdam Falafelshop.


Its falafel and wide assortment of toppings are very tasty, but what he really loves are the twice-cooked Dutch style fries. Who counts calories on weekends anyway?

Annie

Annie is very proud of her toned, feminine figure. She believes in the importance of daily exercise, and not just during bathing suit season. Of course this is not because of an obsession with healthy living, but because it enables her to eat her treats and drink her bubbly without it showing. Annie is not a fan of recreational team sports, as there is always at least one overly competitive penguin that ruins the fun. She much prefers the gym, whether she takes classes or uses the cardio machines, which give her the perfect excuse to catch up on bad TV (Real Housewives of New Jersey is a favorite) and read trashy magazines (anything but Cosmo…she does have her standards after all). Lately Annie has been working out in the apartment, as it’s much too humid to waddle over to The Sports Club/LA. She loves to hula hoop (it’s great for her core), and she also uses free weights. Her favorite move, however, is the penguin. Who knew that waddling with an exercise band could lead to a firm butt, arms, abs and outer thighs.

JJ

JJ, who is London born and bred, has been a DC resident for almost three years. While he enjoys life in Washington and loves his new friends, he misses home, and is always on the lookout for a bit of Britain in the US. He was thus eager to check out the Fredericksburg Pub during a recent weekend getaway.


JJ was happy to be welcomed by a familiar friendly face, although he was not too convinced by the pub’s claim to be “really authentic mate.” He liked the large handcrafted bar, and the restaurant does offer an extensive selection of draught beer and delicacies such as bangers and mash, but he was somewhat confused by things like the “British” dip platter, which included spinach and artichoke dip, crab dip and a marinara goat cheese dip. He did also wonder if the place was a sister restaurant of Hooters, due to the very very mini tartan skirts worn by the waitresses. Still, he had fun, and hopes to go back for quiz night, as a taste of England, albeit American-style, is always welcome.


After lunch JJ wandered over to the recently opened Wegmans. He had heard lots about the store, and was keen to check it out. Although he wasn’t quite as excited by the place as many people he knows, he was still impressed, and spent a fair amount of his afternoon waddling up and down its many aisles. In particular, he enjoyed the endless bins of sweeties; it reminded him of England's now defunct Woolworths, where he used to stop by for pick ‘n’ mix as often as possible. Sadly though, Wegmans does not carry white mice.


After perusing the sweets JJ, not surprisingly, waddled over to the store’s wine shop. He picked up some Austrian wine and bubbly, well aware of the fact that life is too short to not have a fully stocked bar.

Humbee

The penguins are all about diversity – regardless of the fact that they are the most fabulous (and cutest) creatures on earth, they enjoy hanging out with critters of all species and backgrounds. Humbee, always eager to expand his social circle, has recently developed a close friendship with the all-American Pillsbury Doughboy. There’s tons of Doughboy Fun to be had, and the pair do all kinds of things together. The Doughboy is quite the dancer, and Humbee has a great time choreographing dances for him (he loves watching him do the running man).


The Doughboy has also inspired Humbee to experiment more in the kitchen. Humbee isn’t overly confident when it comes to his culinary skills, so he has started with various semi-homemade creations. While he appreciates artisan breads and knows there’s nothing like a good baguette, he is not ashamed to admit that he loves Pillsbury Crescent Rolls and Breadsticks. Not only are they yummy plain, they can be transformed into diverse party hors d’oeuvres. Humbee has been experimenting with assorted crescent pinwheels and breadstick bites, but decided, upon discovering these penguin candies, that it’s time to expand his culinary repertoire to include desserts.

Perry

Perry is a global nomad, and as a result has friends scattered across the country and all over the world. He enjoys visiting those who live in far off glamorous locales, but prefers that friends visit him when they live in not so exotic places. He was thus very happy to find out that a friend was in town from Indianapolis (a city he has no particular desire to visit and that his friend would like to escape). They met up at Poste, in the Hotel Monaco, and enjoyed a lazy evening sitting outside, catching up over sparkling rosé and snacks. Perry wasn’t too impressed with the misshaped homemade pretzels, although they were presented very nicely.


Perry is an outgoing guy, so even when catching up with old friends he likes to make new ones, in this instance Marilyn Monroe and JFK, the hotel lobby's goldfish. Unfortunately their bowl was rather small, so there was no room for Perry to jump in and go for a swim.


Sunday is always treat day, and since Perry wasn’t able to cool off with a swim the previous evening, he was really craving an icy delight. Perry typically ventures outside of the neighborhood in search of edible delicacies, but he was feeling lazy this past weekend. He realized he had never tried the nearby Rita’s, so decided to head there. The girl serving him tried to convince him to sample the Swedish Fish Italian Ice, but Perry is much more of a dairy dessert kind of guy, so he opted for a frozen custard hot fudge sundae (which he thoroughly enjoyed).