One of my earliest memories is walking to the door on Halloween and being met by someone in a very scary mask (or at least a mask that was scary to a 3 year old).  I cannot recall what type of mask the person was wearing, but I remember running away from the door screaming and being afraid to answer the door at night for the next few years of my life.  Looking back, I’m sure that teenager got a huge kick out of my reaction.  After that I remained a pretty scared child, and have never been a fan of scary movies or haunted houses since.

Last night, Ted and I went to Fright at the Museum at the Museum of Crime and Punishment with our Groupon.  We grabbed dinner at the District Chophouse & Brewery next door and I was so nervous that I could barely carry on a conversation (which, yes, I admit is pretty pathetic).   As we stood in line at the museum, the loud haunting music got me even more spun up and I told Ted a few times that I wanted to leave…I’m such a wimp.  (I also had read last weeks review in the Washington Post, which didn’t help.)

We were paired with two girls and the four of us were instructed to stay together in the museum.  In the beginning they showed us a video that I barely watched in hopes that not knowing the story behind the haunted house might make it a little less scary.   When the video was over we were sent on our way — I must admit that I jumped and screamed at least once when ghosts seem to pop out from everywhere and follow you throughout the museum….but the scariest and creepiest may have been the ghosts that didn’t say anything, just looked at you and followed your every move.

Note: Photos were not allowed during the haunted house.  Photos below are borrowed from The Washington Post.

I ended up getting way to nervous before hand.  While at times I admit that I was scared, I survived easily and did not have any nightmares.  If you have the same feelings about haunted houses as I do, this is probably a good one for you…but if you are looking for the fright of your life, you might not want to pay the $20.

Grade: B+

I LOVE Chocolate!  Saturday afternoon, my roommate, Tippins, and I ventured over to 14th Street to redeem our Groupons at ACKC Cocoa Gallery.  We both wandered around the store for a while, not sure what to purchase — most of the chocolates didn’t have prices or descriptions.

We finally talked to a guy behind one of the counters who told us that we could buy a box of 6 truffles for $12.00 and get a hot chocolate drink from the cafe to total almost $20.  6 truffles for $12.00??…I’ll take a Hershey bar instead, please! … So, I continued to shop, and ended up leaving with…

A chocolate bar with Fruit & Nuts for $6.50 — Delicious!

Some Dark Chocolate covered pineapple for $3.25 — not my favorite, but OK.

Five Milk Chocolate covered Oreos for $1 each — YUM!

…and a Judy Garland Hot Chocolate (Hot Chocolate with a shot of hazelnut!) for $4.25.

ACKC was an adorable chocolate shop — a great place to meet a friend for a treat.  The chocolates were a little pricey, but we shopped around and ended up getting a good deal for $10 thanks to Groupon!  I’d definitely go back for a hot chocolate, especially on a rainy afternoon…or to treat myself to some chocolate on a special occasion.

]]> http://grouponguru.com/2009/10/26/ackc-cocoa-gallery/feed/ 0 grouponguru ackc ACKC IMG_0563 DSCN0758 DSCN0753 IMG_0569 http://grouponguru.com/2009/10/22/alternative-health-associates/ http://grouponguru.com/2009/10/22/alternative-health-associates/#comments Thu, 22 Oct 2009 12:45:32 +0000 grouponguru http://grouponguru.com/?p=133 ]]> Deal: $45 Swedish Massage at Alternative Health Associates (AHA) ($89 value)

Grade: B-

After my massage at AHA, I realized that the best part about this blog is having an excuse to try all the spa deals!  …

…However, I’ve been putting this post off because there just isn’t much to say.

Yes, the massage felt amazing.  Yes, the people at AHA were friendly, helpful, professional…and so on.  Yes, I left relaxed.

The experience overall just wasn’t something to rave about.

AHA is located in what I think is an old town home with lots and lots of floors.  I was taken to a room in the basement for my massage.  The room itself was clean and comfortable, but throughout the massage I could hear people running up and down the stairs and water running when people would turn on a sink.  I guess I may have gone into the treatment expecting it to be too much like a massage at an actual spa, but I still don’t think it should have been so loud.  So — if you are looking for a full blown spa massage, I’d try another place, but if you’d like to squeeze in a massage after work and just want a chance to lay down and de-stress, then check out AHA

The entrance to Alternative Health Associates

The inside of AHA from the waiting area - lots of levels!

Overall, the experience was a great way to wind down after a busy week of work.  If the same deal is featured on Groupon in the future, I’d consider going back but I would not pay full price.

Grade: B

When I walked into Policy, I felt like I was having deja vu — the front entry area of the restaurant felt more like a club than a restaurant, and I immediately thought of our dinner at Current.

From the entryway, the hostess walked us into another room that looked like a dark, deserted 50s diner with red patent leather booths, a reflective ceiling and  wire chandeliers. The booth was dark, with a small light that lit up our table almost like a tiny spotlight.  The room felt empty, with only 2 other tables occupied.  My expectations for dinner were not high.

Although Gracie’s Grapefruit Margarita and the Watermelon Fizz cocktail sounded delicious, Ted and I both decided to order beer.  I love Allagash and couldn’t pass it up since they had it on draft.

The menu at Policy is tapas style and our waiter informed us that their kitchen is what they call a “floating kitchen” — the food comes out whenever it’s ready, not all together.

We ordered Hawaiian Sunfish, Madras Curry Lamb Sliders, and Grilled Hanger Steak.

The sunfish was recommended by our waiter, but was my least favorite.  The fish itself was good, especially with the grapefruit, but I wasn’t a huge fan of the lobster sauce.

Hawaiian Sunfish with Bok Choy, Lobster-Ginger sauce and Ruby Red grapefruit

The Lamb Sliders were good — the gorgonzola and mint pesto definitely made the dish.

Madras Curry Lamb Sliders with Gorgonzola and Mint Pesto

The Hanger Steak was by far the best. I’d go back to policy just to order this.  It was cooked perfectly and very tender.

Grilled Hanger Steak with Vineyard Nursery Green Beans and Edamame puree

Throughout dinner more and more people arrived and Policy started to come more alive.  The noise level was perfect — not too quite, not too loud.  Our waiter was exceptional – he couldn’t have been more friendly and was happy to answer our numerous questions about the dishes he recommended.  I didn’t get a chance to check out the upstairs, but Daily Candy describes it as a “chic lounge” with graffiti walls (hence the club feeling when we walked in).

Policy exceeded my initial expectations and if they are featured on Groupon again, I would probably buy the deal (but might go back just for drinks and the Hanger Steak).