If you’re looking for a truly awesome place to grab breakfast in the D.C. area, Café Aurora is widely regarded as one of the top spots. The menu is an invigorating and unique blend of menu items from the Northern African region of Eritrea. The cuisine is somewhat similar to Ethiopian food, but with some differences. They also offer some more traditional dishes.

Some of the best breakfast options include the kitcha fitfit, which is a traditional flatbread chopped into pieces, coated with an irresistible spice mixture and pan-sauteed, then served with yogurt, as well as the fuul, a dish made from fava beans and served with French bread and a variety of vegetables. Prices are extremely reasonable and the service is amazing, with the owner happy to regale you with tales of his homeland and explain more about the exceptional cuisine. Make sure to get a cup of the house special tea with your meal.

Café Aurora
50 S. Pickett Street
Alexandria, VA 22304
(703) 567-4050
http://www.yelp.com/biz/cafe-aurora-alexandria-2

CC-BY-SA-2.0/Flickr/naama

Who would have thought that espresso, sorbet and pie would be such a great combination? It all comes together at Killer ESP. Located in Old Town on King Street a few blocks from the park, Killer ESP says it all in the name. Come for the comfortable ambiance, with brick walls, nice tables and friendly counter people.

The espresso drinks are made with beans from Stumptown coffee, so you know it’s good. The sweet and savory pies are baked fresh (try one of the empanadas), so you can always come back for lunch. And the sorbet is made daily on site, with so many different flavors that everyone will find something they like. Sit back and relax, the world can wait while you pamper yourself.

Killer ESP
1012 King Street
Alexandria, VA 22314
(703) 200-3200
http://www.yelp.com/biz/killer-esp-alexandria-2

CC-BY-2.0/Flickr/slightlyeverything

With so many beautiful photos of inspiring home offices floating around the Internet, you may start to feel a bit insecure about your own humble workspace. Even if you can’t hire your own personal interior designer to re-vamp your office, there are a number of ways to make it more attractive and functional. Here are some tips for organizing a home office.

1. Make a place for everything. One of the main problems with messy home offices is that the storage space to clutter ratio is off. Incorporate more storage solutions, from a tall shelving unit to a traditional file cabinet, depending on what type of clutter is most prominent in your workspace.
2. Clear clutter. Throw away any papers or files that you haven’t looked at in years, broken or outdated office supplies, and especially any furniture or other home goods that don’t belong in the office area.
3. Add wheeled furniture. If you often have tasks that require more surface space than you have, purchase a wheeled cart or filing cabinet that can be tucked away when not in use.
4. Add shelving. Although many people think of floor space when maximizing storage, it’s usually more beneficial to think of wall space. Most people’s walls are under-utilized, so add some sturdy shelves for storing paper files, office supplies, books and other small items.

10 Ways to Organize Your Home Office by Monday [How Stuff Works]
20 Home Office Organizing Tricks [Real Simple]
10 Steps to a Cleaner Office [Oprah]

CC-BY-2.0/Flickr/John Ward