Food + Drink
FOOD: Sweetlife Festival [DC]
Merriweather Post Pavillion hosted the annual Sweetlife: music + food festival over the weekend. Headliners for Saturday and Sunday included Kendrick Lamar and Calvin Harris. Other notable artists to hit the stage were Billy Idol, the Weeknd, The Pixies, and Banks . Expanding to two days that boasted sweltering temperatures, the music artists weren’t the only enterntainment generating heat.
When sweetgreen, an uber successful healthy food company, hosts a music and food event, the palatable expectations are epic. And as always, Sweetlife lived up to the hype. There wasn’t a processed hot dog or overcooked burger in sight. Below you’ll find the Kendrick-inspired Sweetlife recap.
------------------------------
“First you get a swimming pool full of liquor, then you dive in it. Pool full of liquor, then you dive in it. I wave a few bottles, then I watch em all flock. All the girls wanna play Baywatch. I got a swimming pool full of liquor and they dive in it. Pool full of liquor I'm a dive in it. Pour up (drank), head shot (drank). Sit down (drank), stand up (drank). Pass out (drank), wake up (drank). Faded (drank), faded (drank)” - Kendrick Lamar from Swimming Pools
Entering the venue, I was already sweating bullets. With temperatures approaching Hades, all I could hear in my head was the tantric chorus and hook above. Hydration is key to surviving at summer festivals and I was determined to quench my thirst. Beyond that drunken stupor mixed with a heat stroke phase of life, I headed over to the Tavern to down an ice cold craft beer coupled with Boxed Water. Flying Dog Brewery produced by favorite brew of the day, the Bloodline Blood Orange IPA. Back in the VIP area, they also offered cask conditioned hopped variations of their wheat ale. Although I strayed for most of the day from one of my favorite local breweries Stillwater Artisanal, I did enjoy their saison later in the evening.
-----------------------------
“It’s 2:30 and the sun is beaming, air conditioner broke and I hear my stomach screaming, hungry for anything.” - Kendrick Lamar from The Art of Peer Pressure
While everyone knows that I am pseudo-obsessed with Toki Underground and Maketto, it was a bit too hot for me to slurp some ramen and inhale some of their baos that Washingtonians have come to love. And I wanted to try something new since I have been destroying the sweet green x Kendrick Lamar collabo, Beets Don't Kale My Vibe salad, since its inception. Thus I opted for a cool, savory treat from the new fast casual concept, Beefsteak. José Andrés’s latest outfit has a winner on its hands and I can’t wait to venture to their brick and mortar shop on 22nd street. A juicy beefsteak tomato, sprouts, pickled onion, herb dijon, and avocado on a soft crusty bun. Perfection at its best.
------------------------------
I'm important like the Pope, I'm a Muslim on pork. I'm Makaveli's offspring, I'm the King of New York.
King of the Coast, one hand, I juggle them both.” - Kendrick Lamar from Control
Round two consisted of the pork belly tacos from Pho Wheels. I’ve raved about these before and this food truck never disappoints. The pork belly was tender and full of great flavor that went well against the cilantro, sriracha lime mayo, pickled radishes, and carrots. All that goodness was stuffed inside of the Malaysian flatbread that I’d kill my next of kin for. When the sun went down, I grabbed a Spanish-style pulled pork sandwich from Pepe to serve as my last supper. It was the perfect prelude to Kendrick’s performance, a nod to the old school preparation of slow cooked meats with a modern twist. Succulent, savory pork on crusty bread. Enough said.
------------------------------
I don't smoke crack, [ ] I sell it! - Kendrick Lamar from Control
Momofuku’s crack pie is legendary stuff. Gooey butter filling in an oat pie crust. The struggle was real. I tried my best to eat this delightful treat in a humane manner and not end up looking like Ashy Larry from The Chappelle Show. But, I failed!
------------------------------
As usual, the food did not play second fiddle to the music. And I got to hear some of my favorite artists while devouring some of the best food in the region. That’s the sweet life!
