What uses 187 pounds of butter, 10 pounds of ginger, and 200 pounds of candy?

Must be a life-size gingerbread house. The entire culinary team at The Ritz-Carlton, Pentagon City has spent over 100 hours baking gingerbread, assembling “bricks,” gluing candy, and decorating relentlessly to unveil their annual life-size fanciful house in time for the holiday season, on Friday, November 28, 2008 at 2 pm.  

Always a huge hit with children, the house is eight feet tall, seven feet wide, and built completely from gingerbread. It is adorned with snow on the roof, a fireplace, and a Christmas tree. Kids can comfortably walk inside the house with an adult and pose with the three stuffed bears who make their home inside the sweet ginger residence.

The gingerbread house is located on the first level of the hotel, across the corridor from fyve Restaurant Lounge. The house will be on display from Friday, November 28 through Friday, January 2, 2009. 

For kids who want to try their hand at decorating their very own gingerbread house, there are two Gingerbread House Decorating Workshops, on Saturday, November 29 and Saturday, December 6.

Each day will have two sessions, from 10:00am to 12 noon, and 1:30pm to 3:30pm. Renowned pastry chef Noree Hatheway will help kids envision their own beautiful candy-adorned house. The cost of the event is $54 and includes a light lunch buffet. The cost for adults is $25.

The Ritz-Carlton, Pentagon City is located at 1250 South Hayes Street in Arlington, VA 22202.  For more information, please visit www.ritzcarlton.com/pentagoncity  or call (703) 415-5000.