My Career at WTD thus far: A Retrospective

I was supposed to write about my first month working for WTD, but in typical Andy fashion, I’ve been procrastinating and now it’s closer to 2 months.  So this is my official Two Month Anniversary at WTD Blog Entry.  (What’s the gift for 2-month anniversaries?  Poster board?)

Anyway, so far it’s been a wild ride.  A wild ride.  I’ve learned a lot about the business, from where Rob keeps the pencils to how Deals are made (they’re flown to us by a magical stork) (named Jarcho).  By writing write-ups I’ve become a better writer, and now I know not to write my writings redundantly.  From a graphic design point of view, I’ve relished the opportunities to draw for the website, whether it’s “How To” comic strips that demonstrate, in clear metaphorical terms, why anthropomorphic fruit should not be given credit cards, or caricatures of the WTD staff that never get posted to the website no matter how long it took me to draw them.

What else, what else… By programming content I’ve become more skillful with HTML, which of course stands for “Hot Tranny Mess Loving”.  I’m really good at that.  In assuming more responsibility than I had in my early “freelance” days, I’ve been given clearance to the top secret back-end web editing portal at So What’s The Deal, which is great.  I’ve planted my Omega virus which will render the site completely hilarious by the time I’m done writing this blog.  Most importantly, by joining the WTD team as a part-time writer guy, I’ve learned the joys of working from home (Pants are a thing of the past!).

On a more serious note, it’s been great working for WTD.  I get to write silly stuff and bring great Deals to the people, all while sharing laughs with an awesome staff and learning about cool businesses in DC.  This is definitely way more fun than my last job as a Corpse Dumper for the morgue!

Thanks for 2 great months, WTD!  Here’s to many more!

-Your Writer Drawer Thing Guy

Kiteboarding in Assateague!

When we ran a deal for Kiteboarding back in June, I snatched up one of these right away.  My lady friend Jamie and good buddy Manny also decided to get in on the fun as well and we finally made our way to Assateague this past weekend.

We actually drove down from NYC and partook in a good old fashioned road trip (complete with a Cracker Barrel dinner on Friday night).  By the time we finally got to Assateague (after a few wrong turns and a pleasant but completely unnecessary stop in Chincoteague), it was go time.

We met Camille Spencer from YK Kiteboarding and she introduced us to Matt from YK as well.  Unfortunately, there wasn’t a ton of wind (which is integral for kiteboarding) but we learned how to put a kite together and some of the basics of the sport.  It’s actually incredible how far its come given that the sport itself has only been around for 10 years.

After our education session, Matt and Camille let us run wild on the stand up paddle boards (see pics below).  This provided several memorable falls and reminded me, yet again, that I do much better work indoors behind a computer and away from the sun and any form of athletic activity.

We ended the day being taught how to properly fly a trainer kite and do some fun tricks.

Even though we didn’t get out on water to do some real kiteboarding, it was a great time in the sun and we got a chance to learn about the new fun sport.  Camille and Matt were great and I’m glad we had a chance to work with them.  YK Kiteboarding gives lessons on kiteboarding and stand up paddleboarding well into October, so if you’re looking for a fun and different activity, definitely give them a shout.

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Bred For Its Skills in Magic

The Black Fox is named after a mythical creature created by mating a black bear and a fox, bred for its skills in magic.  It was supposed to be the 7th team in Legends of the Hidden Temple, but unfortunately they had to remove the Black Foxes because harnessing the power of the Black Fox gave them too large an advantage, especially in the shrine
of the silver monkey.

The Black Fox Lounge harnesses the abilities of the Black Fox in its establishment. Located conveniently only a few blocks from the Dupont Circle, it serves as an upscale lounge and chill happy hour bar. With nice leather couches and tables in the rear of the bar and a cool bar with a mirror front, the ambiance is luxurious but comfortable. You also can’t beat the happy hour specials with $4 beers. After purchasing a WTD coupon, my buddy & I headed over for food and drinks. The bartenders were personal and funny, as we finished off a few lagers with a delicious plate of melted brie with brown sugar, walnuts, fruit, and fresh toast.

Around 6:00, live musicians started playing at the front of the bar, which was really cool. At that point, we decided to get stupid crazy fresh and try some of their signature cocktails. I went with the Black Fox, while my friend got the Jack Russell. These drinks were true to their name, as I became a magic creature, while my friend tried to hunt me. This lasted for approximately 3 days but ended in a stalemate when I forded a river which he couldn’t cross, but my family died of dysentery. So after that, we went back, where my drink came in a martini glass and was a crisp rye with fresh notes of chocolate and orange, and his drink was Maker’s Mark with crème de menthe and muddled mint—kind of like a whiskey mojito without the sugar. For dinner, I had the spinach salad which was delicious and he had the crab mac & cheese which was a helping of mac & cheese with an entire crab cake.

-Dan A., WTD Supporter Extraordinaire

What’s For Dinner Tonight?

So it’s Wednesday.  What are the chances that I want to go to the grocery store, pick up some grub, wait a million hours in line to gawk at the final amount, lug my ridiculously heavy bags, in my sweaty mess of a body while dodging logs of dog poop to get back to my apartment, wrestle with my keys while managing said ridiculously heavy bags, to plop them in my kitchen to only realize I forgot my Diet Coke?

Probably nil.

So I look in my wallet, find a What’s the Deal coupon, and head out to eat.  Tonight’s grocery shopping saving destination – Social 14.

*Tip for Cheapies like me.  Every time before I go to a restaurant, I go to Open Table just to reserve a spot.  For those of you who do it, you know the more bookings you have, the more points you earn towards a gift certificate.  They occasionally do specials that if you make a reservation at a certain place at a certain time, you get 1,000 points (half of what you need for the gift certificate).  Social 14 is one of them.  BOOM!  Go there twice, you have extra $$ to spend.  Don’t say I never try to help you.

Living in Columbia Heights, Social 14 is a close walk-  up 14th St.  (hence Social “14”… get it?) past the crazy intersection by the Target in a more quiet and low key part of the area.  They have more outdoor seating than most places in the area, but one look at my dining mate, and we wanted to feast on the cool AC.  Good choice Dining Mate.

The space is mostly grey and red; very clubby looking.  The bar/lounge area is filled with leather and velvet couches and even some of the tables have overstuffed chairs.   Most of the menu items are served tapas style but with 3 prices- one for a single serving, one for a double serving, and one for a triple serving.  When I asked the waitress what a single serving was, she said most of them consisted of 3 items, which for 2 people I think is enough to share.  We started off with the poke with is rich, raw tuna covered in a sweet seaweed salad.  This dish was my favorite; I could have just ordered the triple and have been happy.  My dining mate had the lamb special which also did not disappoint.  Round 2 we got the pulled pork sliders topped with asian slaw and the fish tacos.  Again, the food was wonderful – warm, tasty and fresh, and definitely enough for the 2 of us.

Of course we had to sample the drink menu.  The one they have online is not up-to-date; they actually have more selections that are better for the warmer weather.  I had a really refreshing Bacardi Limon with Ginger Beer.  Dining mate got the Manhattan.  Both delightful.

Oh Dining Mate would like to add something.

Dining Mate:  I really liked the music.

Thanks Dining Mate.

We peeked in downstairs at the lower bar area, which was a little more basement-like, but had a bunch of big TVs with sports on.  I see this place in the future as a good place to bring a bunch of friends to sit, chat, share a couple of good places and be social… oh hey, that’s where they get it!  I bet on the weekends, it’s a little more bumpin’ and the outside tables are pretty full.  If you’re a night owl, I bet you could just stay there and order from their great brunch menu.  Or, you can just stumble down the block to my place.  Just avoid the dog poop.

-Jackie Carl-WTD Lover

Hela Spa Pinot & Polish event—Hela Good!

I am a staunch believer that the best things in life are free. You know, like life-long friendships, toothless grins babies give you at the supermarket, that retro-chic mid-century modern chair you scored off of Craigslist and, if your stars are aligned, spa massages.

So when I heard that Hela Spa would be “hosting an exclusive day of food, drinks, and relaxation at their Chevy Chase location” on Saturday for WTD customers, I signed myself and a friend up like there was no tomorrow. With perks like free polish changes, mini-facials, chair massages and brow waxes, who could say no?

The Pinot & Polish event started at noon, and my spa virgin friend Wakako and I hit it up shortly after. I thought we were being fashionably late, sauntering in a cool 20 minutes past the hour, but…it turned out we were the first ones to walk the magenta carpet. Yes, apparently, red is so 2008. After quickly marveling at the mouth-watering spread that Ruth’s Chris Steak House had prepared for the occasion in the welcoming lounge/lobby area, Wakako and I were whisked to the back for a skin consultation and an incredibly painless brow wax with Sedi. After brow waxes, I usually look as though I’ve just caught Terms of Endearment on cable, but with Sedi’s technique, I shed not a tear.  It was really nice of her to allow Wakako and I to be in the same room as she worked her wax magic—it was Wakako’s first time under the brightly lit magnifying glass and I just had to document the moment. Hey, that’s what friends are for, right?

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We emerged from the modernly accented treatment area with perfectly arched brows to find that the party had officially started. Wine, champagne and even cognac was flowing, while sushi rolls provided by the ever popular SushiKo were being snapped up by dozens of newly manicured hands. Not ones to miss the action, Wakako and I feasted on Ruth Chris’ crabtini’s (a scrumptious crab meat salad sitting pretty in a small plastic martini glass) and beef tartar and bruschetta hors’deouvres and samples from the cheese and veggie plates, all the while sipping red wine and feeling fabulous.

Fabulosity, of course attracts fabulosity. Wakako and I made some great friends in that lobby area, including Bonnie and Martin, (Hi, y’all!) as we schmoozed and/or waited for our names to be called for additional services. The wait list was long, but so was our patience. Shots of the not-for-sale-yet-surely-expensive cognac sangria certainly helped in that department as well. I felt like I could drink that marvelous peachy-pineapplicious concoction (courtesy of Trey Wheat, of BarStars Bartending) for hours, it was that good.

I just wished there had been more chairs or stools—save for the three that early birds Wakako, Bonnie and I occupied, people were left standing; their hands full from double fisting drinks and/or plates and cocktail napkins heaped with sushi rolls. It did make for a lively party scene though.

After a while, Wakako and I were called to experience a little taste of nirvana through Alma’s chair massage. I slumped onto the contraption like a sack of potatoes and after some rhythmic kneading, stood up 15 minutes later feeling shiny and new.

Next up was the polish change manicure. Wakako and I went in bare-pawed, but we encountered no problems. I received a wonderful hand massage and a perfect-length square nail shape I somehow always failed to “nail” on my own…(sorry, bad pun), not to mention two coats of a very come-hither, barely work appropriate nail color I won’t name here. I was beyond happy.

Before I knew it, our free spa-day was winding down to a close. Martin looked dapper with his newly groomed brows and Bonnie was glowing from her nearly full-session facial. Wakako and I never managed to receive our mini facial during the promotion hours, but Hela Spa graciously gave us a voucher for a free skin consultation session to use at a later date. I was impressed. Here was an extremely upscale spa delivering excellent and unpretentious full price service for nada throughout the day, willing to go the extra mile for WTD customers. Wow!

All in all, I must say that Hela’s Pinot & Polish event was a wonderful opportunity for these two girlfriends to catch up, bliss out and make new friends. Wakako and I are already consulting our calendars for our next spa day. Thanks, WTD and Hela Spa! You reaffirmed my beliefs that the best things in life are indeed free.

— Mineko, deal-disseminator and WTD enthusiast

WTD turns 1 this week!

The rumors you’ve been hearing are true.  No, not that Zach Morris died in a car crash (he didn’t) but that What’s the Deal is celebrating its 1-year anniversary this week.  We’ve come a long way since our launch last August 10th and look forward to another incredible 12-months of growth.  From what I remember, the weekly happy hour events have been a huge success and we’re steadily increasing our deal sales each and every week.  Who knows, maybe at some point I can even start paying the staff?

We owe all our success to you guys (our faithful customers) and have some really special surprises in store this week and over the course of the next few months.  It’ll definitely be fun stuff that you wouldn’t expect from a daily deal website (probably because we’re a little weird).

In the meantime, enjoy this anniversary video featuring yours truly and a special guest: What it’s like to be a 1 year old.

I hurried to the curry…

My love affair with Indian cuisine began during my study abroad in London. The clichés about English food, sadly, are clichés for a reason. It wasn’t long before I abandoned pub food for the curry house. So, how could I resist a $30 for $15 deal to Capitol Hill Tandoor and Grill?

Despite spending a fair amount of time on the Hill, I had never been to CHT before. Browsing the menu online, it seemed like a pretty standard selection of dishes, at a reasonable price.

My girlfriend and I arrived and consciously tried to soak in the atmosphere. The building was spacious, we never felt as though we were crammed in with other diners. There were the seemingly mandatory pictures of elephants and the Taj Mahol on the raw brick walls. The ceilings and upper walls are painted a deep red that gives the restaurant a low, comforting light.

We began by ordering Vegetable Pankora. While waiting, I was surprised to see they served a complimentary basket of unleavened bread with Hari and Tamarind Chutney. After a few minutes, the Pankora came. The vegetables were crisp, and not at all greasy and absolutely delicious with the chutney.

For Entrees, I got the Gosht Korma Kashmiri and my girlfriend ordered the Seekh Kabob and we shared a basked of garlic Kulcha. The portion size of the Kabob was huge. Several skewers of meat and vegetables arrived on a sizzling fajita-style platter. If you ask for this dish to be spicy, they will take the request seriously. The heat was not abrasive, but slowly built as the meal went on. For those who don’t do spice, the flavor would have still been excellent in a toned down version.

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My Korma was not nearly as hefty a portion as the Kabob, but certainly more than adequate. The lamb was tender and fell apart in my mouth. The sauce itself was quite good, though not the best Korma in town. It was smooth in texture, not overly grainy from the nuts as often happens with Korma, nor did the coconut milk drown out the other flavors. Perhaps the best part was being able to dip chunks of the Kulcha into the little pot. Between the two of us, not a drop was left.

I was tempted by a number of items on the dessert menu, particularly the rice pudding with cardamom, but I was full far beyond my ability to handle another bite.

Capitol Hill Tandoor and Grill really left me without complaints. The service was good, the food was good, and the prices were good. It has not replaced my favorite spot for Indian, but it definitely offers a great alternative in a location I often find myself near. If you missed this deal, then you really missed out.

-Greg A., WTD Enthusiast

Taste of Gaylord in Review

As a recent college graduate, money is tight as always. But I still like to live and eat like it’s not. So I heard about his great deal at Gaylord National Resort every Friday in August from 5:30pm to 7:30pm you can kick-off your weekend with the Taste of Gaylord National experience, a sampling of four food and beverage pairings for ONLY $20.   I attended last week’s “sneak peak event” which was a real treat.

The sample sizes are quite fulfilling and you finish each one off with a two-ounce “adult” beverage sample….delish! My absolute favorites were the Lobster Fritters and the Crispy Fried Calamari with Citrus Emulsion which was paired with a Moon Bay Breeze Cocktail double yum! Some other samples if you’re not a seafood lover were a mouth-watering Steak Sandwich with Onion Sauce and Ossau-Iraty Artisanal Cheese.

On top of that, once you get your passport stamped at all four restaurants (Old Hickory, Moon Bay Coastal Cuisine, Pienza Italian Market, National Pastime Sports Bar & Grill) you will receive 10% off your entire meal at any of the participating restaurants until Sept. 6, 2010. I definitely recommend this to all my fellow college grads and everyone else who likes a delish bargain.  Check it out if you’re looking for something new and fun on a Friday night!

– Tanja Klacar

I wanna be a kid again… So freaking bad

I don’t know about you guys, but if someone told me that I could go experience Summer Camp just like I did when I was a kid with all the awesome activities but as an adult with booze provided – I’d jump on the opportunity faster than (insert your own clever analogy here)!

Thanks again to Urban Escapes for providing such an amazing opportunity! If anyone reading this is looking for the best Labor Day Weekend plans ever, then you have to get a group of your rowdiest and bestest friends and all come to Urban Escapes Adult Summer Camp! They’ve rented out 500 GORGEOUS acres at Team USA Sports Camp up in the mountains in New York and are opening it up to us crazy DC goers for 3 days of all-inclusive INCREDIBLENESS!

Imagine being able to do all the fun things you remember you did at summer camp when you were a kid, except this time there are (almost) no rules and the booze is PROVIDED for you at night (and, of course, you are more than welcome to bring your own). If you can think about a summer camp activity that you loved, I guarantee you it will be there. Pick-up dodgeball games, kickball games, hiking, rock climbing, zip lining, morning yoga and/or pilates, frisbee, soccer, arts and crafts, late night improv bon-fire dance parties (WITH A REAL LIVE DJ!!!) and my personal favorite – the BLOB on the lake. You know, that thing that you sit on the edge and then people jump on the other end to launch you 30 feet into the air to land tastefully in a lake. Oh yeah – they got that too. Check out their video from last year to really see it in action: Urban Escapes Extreme Blobbin’.

And here’s the best part guys, if you’re ready to pack your swimming trunks and floaties and do this thing – you can save $25 by buying through What’s the Deal! You get lodging, food, booze at night and unlimited access to the entire camp for 3 days. Stellar. Here’s the link to the page if you wanna check it out for yourself: Urban Escapes Labor Day Adult Summer Camp. When you’re ready to check out, a pop-up box with an orange “Add A Coupon” will come up. Just enter the code “WTD-25” and your hooked up fo sho! Our little gift to you guys since we know how much fun you’re gonna have here.

For those that come – I’m looking forward to meeting you… and then launching you off the blob! And then we can all share a few beers at the bonfire later that night and recap about how much ridiculous air we all got whilst doing an improv tribal dance to some sick beats. It’s going to be EPIC. See you there fellow DC adventurers!

Happy Adventuring,

Ryland Greenhouse

WTD and Adventurer Extraordinaire

One Pint Does Fit All

Now I love a deal.  And I love beer.  So when WTD staffers finagle a new coupon to a bar, I never hesitate to deal in.  WTD you have me pegged like a square peg in a square hole.

So checking out The Mighty Pint online blew my mind away.  Of course you have your regular tap beers in a pint glass – no big whoopee there.  But PINT SIZED WINES? A MANMOSA?  A menu of BOMBS? 22oz of love drinks served with a CONDOM or a CANDY NECKLACE. Sounded like a perfect way to spend a Saturday afternoon.

Now I am a believer that beer is only as good as the people you drink it with.  So I asked my good friend, native Ohio-ian, self proclaimed historian, and beer-lover, Abby Bell to tag along to this mecca.  On the hotter –than-you-can-stand-it Saturday, we sweated our way to the old location of Madhatters, to the new Mighty Pint.  In that cool dark basement with two cold pint glasses in front of us, I asked Abby the deepest, most soul searching questions that only pints of booze will release.  And, dear reader, pray privy to this wisdom.

1.    Let’s start with your expertise.  What is your favorite brew?

Being an expert beer drinker, I can’t pick just one. Below are my top 3 favorites and the reasons why:

Warsteiner Dunkel – The dark version of a German classic. It’s prevalent in Southwest Ohio and can often be found on a traveling keg at Bengals games. (WHODEY!)

Miller Lite – What I was forced to drink when my older sister bought my beer because my fake ID was rejected. Plus, who doesn’t love the slogan “Less Filling. Tastes Great?” I also rekindled my love of Miller Lite when they came out with the “Man Law” commercials.

PBR – What I bought when I was 21 and my only source of beer money was the 8 hours a week I worked at Old Navy. PBR was able to make those paychecks go much farther than anyone could ever imagine.

2.    How do you feel about the beer selection at the mighty pint?

They carry 16oz cans of PBR and IC Light. What more can a girl ask for?

*If you are said girl, I’m assuming you’re asking for draft Blue Moon, Yuengling, Miller Lite and Guinness and a bottle selection that includes New Castle, Brooklyn Lager, and Flying Dog in Heat Wheat. Said girl would be satisfied at the Mighty Pint.

3.    Were your thirsts accurately serviced?

My glass was never empty! More importantly, while the barmaster was expertly pouring my beverages, he provided some great conversation about the short history of the Mighty Pint and what is in store for me as a future customer.

4.    What beer should Obama drink?

Now that he’s in the greater DC area, he should drink local brews. I’d recommend anything from Heavy Seas Brewery in Baltimore…and the Might Pint carries their Marzen, which pairs nicely with their homemade pizza.

5.    In a perfect world, beer should:

a.    Get you drunk.

b.    Make you smart.

c.    Cure hangovers.

d.    All of the above.

Answer D. All of the above. I’d like to add one caveat to C. Beer cures hangovers best when mixed with Clamato Juice. My experience has found that 1 can of beer to 1 cup clamato juice is the best combination.

6.    Any more thoughts you’d like to add.

As a self-proclaimed DC Dive Bar Expert, I have experienced all that the city has to offer in terms of cheap beer and even cheaper patrons. Based on its location, friendly staff and selection of beer choices (again, 16oz cans of PBR and IC Light!), I’ll definitely be gracing the Mighty Pint with my presence again.

OK, OK, so maybe we needed some pint-sized waters in between.  But the Might Pint is mighty good.  And they take their “one pint fits all” motto very seriously.  I have to give a shout-out to my fellow Pittsburghers (City of Champions) – you can throw back a cool IC Light. And for you Bostonians out there, I made the valient discovery of finding an actual fifth of Abolut Boston.  Although this tea-flavored vodka is rumored to be wanted to throw overboard, if you pair it with lemonade or soda water, it’s not too bad… after a few pints of beer.

So take a good friend, your deal, and drink it’s worth at The Mighty Pint. See you next Saturday

-Jackie Carl, WTDist