Mahi mahi tacos, Bandolero

Mike Isabella (Top Chef, Graffiato) brings modern Mexican cuisine to M Street with Bandolero. Mahi mahi tacos, calamari and freshly made guac — get a full look at Bandolero here.

It’s totally normal to spend Memorial Day weekend in Canada, right?

Two of my good friends and former coworkers in Korea — a Canadian and a Scot — got married in Goderich, Ontario, this weekend and I was so happy to be there for their big day. What’s there to do in small town Canada? Explore lighthouses on the shores of Lake Huron.

Market Fair, Claude Moore Colonial Farm

Let’s file Claude Moore Colonial Farm under ‘places I never knew existed in the DC suburbs except for a sign on the side of the George Washington Parkway.’

The farm itself is nice — built in the 1970s to recreate the 1770s, complete with a rustic house, rambling fields and assorted cows, hogs and sheep — but the Market Fair is really unique. The thrice-yearly fair brings in artisans from around the country to sell their wares. Sure, they’re dressed in hokey colonial costumes, but the handcrafted wood furniture, clay pots, spun textiles and historically accurate candy — that’s all totally authentic and worth doing a little shopping. Bring your appetite for $2 sausages and chicken (roasted over an open fire) and slices of fresh rhubarb and pecan pie.

The star of the show: roasted artichokes with lemon-tarragon butter. (recipe)

With CSA broccoli and garlicky sauteed kale, super-lemony hummus (recipe), home-roasted red peppers (so easy, who knew?) and always classy Charles Shaw wine — the perfect late spring meal for patio dining.

Carolina pulled pork with truffle mac & cheese, The Pig

Logan Circle’s newest restaurant, The Pig, is a snout-to-tail small plates feast. Get all the details on HuffPost.

Julia and Paul Child bought this Georgetown house in 1948, moving abroad soon after. When they returned to Washington in the mid-1950s, Julia taught cooking classes in the 19th century home’s kitchen.

Georgetown is full of homes that make you want to move in and this adorable, cheery yellow house is the perfect example of that.

Bibimbap omelette, Mie N Yu

Asia-meets-America brunch at Georgetown’s Mie N Yu — full review here.

Musicians at the Embassy of Slovakia

Because vacations come along too rarely, events like Passport DC allow for a day-long getaway without spending a dime. Saturday’s EU Open House brought me to seven countries: Great Britain won for best drinks (whiskey and ginger ale), Finland‘s hospitality was reason enough to book a flight to Helsinki and the stunning ambassador’s residence at the Czech Republic provided design inspiration.

My passport may be gathering dust but it’s not for lack of interest or wanderlust!

Chile rellenos, Casa Oaxaca, Adams Morgan

One type of food seriously lacking in DC: good Mexican food. Last night I tried Casa Oaxaca on 18th Street in Adams Morgan, a place a dozen people said they had “walked by” but no one had actually visited. Vegan chile rellenos stuffed with corn, pumpkin seeds, soy meat and veggies were tasty but seriously lacking in heat — where’s the firepower?!

Anyone have good Mexican recommendations? For a quick bite, I’m loyal to Chipotle. For a nicer meal, Oyamel is an always delicious bet. Lauriol Plaza has a great patio and fantastic drinks but is perennially overcrowded; at Rosa Mexicano, stick to the freshly-made guacamole and go somewhere else for your main course. One friends swears by La Loma on Capitol Hill; another is loyal to Taqueria Distrito Federal in Columbia Heights.

Your recommendations?

French onion soup, Bistro Français

When I was a child, Bistro Français in Georgetown was a regular Sunday brunch spot. It’s still just as good today for dinner, with steaming French onion soup cheering up a grey, rainy spring evening.