I’ve been trying to get to Washington DC for months now. As some of my newer readers may not know is that I lived in the Washington DC metro area for over 12 years. Two of those years was managing the Sur La Table cooking school at Pentagon Row in Arlington, VA helping making it one of Sur La Table’s most successful schools.

While I was there I had the pleasure of working with Carla Hall, one of the Top 3 in Season 5 of Top Chef. I have been trying to get in touch of Carla since I found out she was going to be on the show before Season 5 aired. We have run into each other on Twitter after the show ended and she briefly said hello.

I really want to get to DC to congratulate her for her accomplishment on Top Chef. I want to share a glass of wine and a meal with her and catch up with her and see hear from her myself what being on the show was like and where she is going next in her food life. Carla was one of my favorite chefs to work with. If memory serves, I was introduced to Carla by another great DC area chef, Janis McLean.

Another reason to get to DC is to visit Teddy Folkman at Granville Moore’s in NE. As the Executive Chef of Granville Moore’s, Folkman has gotten the reputation for the best Moules on the East Coast! Well, ok…maybe in the Mid-Atlantic. What are Moules you ask? Mussels. But not just any mussels, these are mussels prepared in Belgian fashion. Granville Moore’s is all about supporting their Belgian fetish, whether it be the food, the drink (oh the beers!) and even the patrons.

Teddy’s moules made its way up the East Coast and the Food Network decided they were going to have Bobby Flay challenge Teddy to a Throwdown! Well that challenge was won by Teddy himself – a testament to his genius.

Teddy Folkman has just found out that he is one of the contestants on this year’s season of The Next Food Network Star! Can you believe it! Look forward to seeing Teddy and the other contestants as they battle it out for a show of their own on the popular Food Network. The Next Food Network Start premieres on June 7, 2009.

Oh, did I mention that Teddy is just to darn cute! :)

So there you have it. I need to get to DC. Carla, let’s have lunch. Teddy, your West Coast fan is coming to talk about mussels!