In the past week or so, I've had a falafel from two new middle eastern eateries in Richmond. Now, I'm a bit of a completest when it comes to falafel. If a place is serving something and they're calling it a falafel, then I feel compelled to try it, and then rank it on my falafel spectrum of tastiness. For instance, Aladin's is a 9.5 (see my previous post on their pita paradise wrapped in foil) and the same (but oh so different) sandwich from Mediterranean Bakery and Deli also scores highly. The pita pocket sandwich that I once had at the chain restaurant, Pita Pit, was clearly made from a mix of dried ingredients. They even asked me what kind of cheese I wanted on the it and they didn't have tahini sauce. They scored a 2 out of 10.
But there's more to this system than a simple authenticity test. Not every restaurateur of middle eastern decent serves up decent falafel. And not every bohemian sandwich maker screws up their pita sandwiches (feel free to chime in on this). Some of my favorite falafels are at places like Harrison Street Coffee Shop near VCU and Sammy T's in Fredericksburg. However, when it comes to the real complex flavors of a well seasoned falafel ball, I do tend to put my money on places that also sell baba ganouj and brandish hookas along the walls.
Last week, I stopped in at the new place on Meadow, near Broad Street. It's called the Mediterranean Market. Inside, I was greeted by Abraham, a really friendly guy who used to work at Aladins. This was a good sign. On that day, I had already eaten and was just browsing. However, I did decide to take home some goodies for my wife (tabouli, halva, canned stuffed grape leaves, and pita chips). When I got to the register, Abraham had a falafel ball waiting for me. He said, "Still vegetarian, right? You will love my falafel." And I did.
It was sitting on a plate in a little pool of tahini sauce. The crunchiness was impressive. I could see whole fennel seeds in the crust and the insides were moist and lumpy with the remnants of chick peas. Not bad at all. The tahini sauce was also seasoned with something extra, but I couldn't tell what. I prefer more lemon juice in my sauce, but most traditional falafel's have a pretty plain tahini sauce going on. At this point, I'm not sure if I can rate the falafel, because I haven't had it served as a sandwich (I never order the "platter" version). But, what I've tasted so far is pretty exciting. Plus, the house tabouli is fantastic. Lots of lemon and parsley, just the way Karen likes it.
So, do yourself a favor and support this new market while you wait for Trader Joe's to materialize. And then, keep going back cuz Abraham deserves your support. In fact, order a sandwich and a side and maybe some Turkish coffee and then sit at the table by the window and watch the comings and goings at 7-11. Inner peace will soon follow.
The next falafel came from The Phoenician, a Lebanese restaurant which has replaced La Casita in the 4400 block of W. Broad St. A coworker and I popped by to get some take out while on lunch break. The place looks fancy! I mean, it is awash in red tapestries that spiral to the ceiling and the lighting is intimate. Not really suited for lunch take out, either. We sat in the lounge area looking over the menu and narrowed our focus to the sandwiches. They had falafel, so I order it. Of course, they had shwarma and lamb kababs, etc. And don't even get me started about their list of entrees and specials, cuz I don't wanna get off topic by talking about the $45 Mezza plate.
My coworker ordered a strange sounding cheese appetizer to go along with his falafel. They gave us styrofoam containers, which was instantly off putting for me. I mean, what's wrong with a foil wrapped falafel? No fries come with these pitas, anyhow. Once back at the office, we opened up the boxes and found a beautiful scene of hummus adorned with diced tomato, onions, and parsley and swimming in olive oil. There were fried pita chips as well strewn around, and of course, a fairly large falafel pita wrapped in foil. Not bad for $5.00.
The humus was great; garlicky, lemony, and oily. My fave. The falafel balls were also really good, featuring lots of seasoning, but not quite enough tahini for my taste. When I finished, I was singing the praises of the Phoenician. The falafel-o-meter gives it: 8/10 for the falafel and 9/10 if the accouterments are taken into account.
Now, about that cheese. I wish I could remember the name of the stuff. Wow, was it strong. And unfamiliar tasting too. Really, I couldn't handle more than two bites. Same for my friend. It wasn't haloumi (which was also on the menu). I'll be getting that next time instead of this stuff.
At any rate, the Phoenician surprised and pleased. You can eat cheaply there, but not if you really want to experience the Lebanese full treatment. Appetizers start at $5 and so do sandwiches. But, maybe that's all you need for lunch anyhow. As for the entrees, tune in next time, cuz I'm headed back for dinner.
Monday, February 04, 2008
Friday, January 25, 2008
Trader Joe's Comes to Richmond (for real this time?)
Trader Joe's is coming to Richmond. Okay, actually, it's Henrico County. Well, okay, it's sort of just a rumor. But, I trust that the rest of you interweb-sleuths will figure it out for sure. A coworker showed me this aerial map of the hideous overdevelopment plans for Short Pump and there's Trader Joes' nestled in with the new PetCo across from Best Buy and Target (thanks West Broad Village message board).
Do you believe it? Trader Joe's takes the guess work outta my bargain hunting hobby, but if I can get Charles Shaw Shiraz for $3.29, who's complaining? Anyhow, to answer my own question, no I don't believe it. I had heard that Trader Joe's tried to come to Richmond a few years back, but they were blocked by the Ukrops family, who believed that only heathens and blasphemers paid less than $6.50 for fancy cheese, much less buying groceries on the lord's day. Sorry, I just threw-up in my mouth a little bit.
The story goes that Trader Joe's sought out an ideal spot at Libbie and Grove, but just as the paperwork was going through, Ukrops swooped in and planted something there called "Joe's Market," a pale impersonation to say the least (with a name to add insult to injury). One can only guess what sort of backroom shenanigans and feeble flexing (that is the hallmark of our local politics) reinforced this move and has persuaded Trader Joe's from attempting to expand into Richmond until now. If that story is true, I wonder what's changed of late.
I still think the possibility of Trader Joe's in Short Pump is good news, even though I'll have to wade deep into the big-box wonderland in order to splurge on 3-4 items at Whole Foods and then fill my trunk full of Trader Joe's goodies. Sure, it would make a much better anchor store at a struggling strip mall (or Willow Lawn type installation), but it's closer than Newport News or Vienna. Do me a favor, dear readers, and let me know if there is any merit to this "news" (or break it to me gently if this is old news). Also, my previous posts about healthy living are in need of attention (I mean, you're perfect the way you are, but...).
-----------------
update: it looks like someone else mentioned "unconfirmed whispers" of TJ's in RVA earlier this month.
Do you believe it? Trader Joe's takes the guess work outta my bargain hunting hobby, but if I can get Charles Shaw Shiraz for $3.29, who's complaining? Anyhow, to answer my own question, no I don't believe it. I had heard that Trader Joe's tried to come to Richmond a few years back, but they were blocked by the Ukrops family, who believed that only heathens and blasphemers paid less than $6.50 for fancy cheese, much less buying groceries on the lord's day. Sorry, I just threw-up in my mouth a little bit.
The story goes that Trader Joe's sought out an ideal spot at Libbie and Grove, but just as the paperwork was going through, Ukrops swooped in and planted something there called "Joe's Market," a pale impersonation to say the least (with a name to add insult to injury). One can only guess what sort of backroom shenanigans and feeble flexing (that is the hallmark of our local politics) reinforced this move and has persuaded Trader Joe's from attempting to expand into Richmond until now. If that story is true, I wonder what's changed of late.
I still think the possibility of Trader Joe's in Short Pump is good news, even though I'll have to wade deep into the big-box wonderland in order to splurge on 3-4 items at Whole Foods and then fill my trunk full of Trader Joe's goodies. Sure, it would make a much better anchor store at a struggling strip mall (or Willow Lawn type installation), but it's closer than Newport News or Vienna. Do me a favor, dear readers, and let me know if there is any merit to this "news" (or break it to me gently if this is old news). Also, my previous posts about healthy living are in need of attention (I mean, you're perfect the way you are, but...).
-----------------
update: it looks like someone else mentioned "unconfirmed whispers" of TJ's in RVA earlier this month.
BEEFCAKE! BEEFCAAAAAKE!!!
Most of you probably recognize this phrase from South Park's Eric Cartman. He took a lot of body-building supplements in order to get buff, but didn't realize that you're supposed to work out to burn the calories and turn the carbs into muscle. Sometimes I feel like Cartman (see this and...)...
It's gotten so I'm afraid to step on the scale, because I'm not finding enough time to work out, but I'm doing those protein shakes like clockwork. Luckily, I'm not downing weightgain 4000, the variety that Eric Cartman fell for. Stop reading right now and go back and click those links. They're great (even better en espanol).
Seriously though, the scale doesn't lie, but it doesn't tell the whole truth either. Personally, I'm getting stronger. My man-boobs aren't jiggling quite as much. And, although I don't yet have six-pack abs, my pony-keg isn't splooshing around like it used to. And it's all because of the diet advice that I listed in my previous post (...and ovo-lacto-pesca vegetarianism, progressive politics, sporadic weight training).
It's gotten so I'm afraid to step on the scale, because I'm not finding enough time to work out, but I'm doing those protein shakes like clockwork. Luckily, I'm not downing weightgain 4000, the variety that Eric Cartman fell for. Stop reading right now and go back and click those links. They're great (even better en espanol).
Seriously though, the scale doesn't lie, but it doesn't tell the whole truth either. Personally, I'm getting stronger. My man-boobs aren't jiggling quite as much. And, although I don't yet have six-pack abs, my pony-keg isn't splooshing around like it used to. And it's all because of the diet advice that I listed in my previous post (...and ovo-lacto-pesca vegetarianism, progressive politics, sporadic weight training).
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Enough diet advice to go 'round
I've been stock piling techniques to lose weight, never fully committing to any of them, but dabbling and searching for some dynamic equilibrium. These rules go through my head constantly, usually when I'm breaking them. They often contradict each other, but I'm not big on absolutes. Some of the advice here actually has done me some good, but regardless, they need to be shared cuz some of this might work for you as well.
Here's my ever growing diversity of dietary tactics:
-In the AM, eat nothing but fresh fruit - as much as you want. (I lost 7 lbs in three weeks doing only this)
-Eat all of your favorite foods, but swap dinner for breakfast. In other words, eat a breakfast that is the size of your normal dinner and eat a dinner that is the size of your normal breakfast.
-Green smoothies. Put your favorite fruits in a blender, along with water or juice AND A BIG HANDFUL OR TWO OF KALE OR SPINACH. Blend until the greens are totally liquefied (you may decide to pick up a Vitamix for this if you get into it). Drink about a quart of this with lunch or sometime before dinner.
-No food after 8pm, not even ice cream.
-Bring some weights into the living room and do a few sets of this or that during TV time.
-Quite calorie counting. That doesn't help you choose healthy foods. Too many low-cal foods are processed, full of preservatives, carcinogenic fake sugar, and just plain "untasty." Instead, find out how yummy healthy food can be. As you expand your healthy repertoire, the stuff the weighs you down will slowly get crowded out of your routine.
-No sugar in your coffee or tea (but keep the cream... incremental change, yall). Slowly, you'll grow to appreciate the true flavor of your favorite hot beverages.
-Before a meal, drink a low-calorie smoothie. If you exercise, make sure to add some kind of protein (like powdered soy, whey, etc). This should cut back on your appetite come meal time.
-Smaller plates. This generally leads to smaller portions at meal time and tricks your mind into thinking you've accomplished the ritual of eating a whole meal by "clearing your plate."
-Eat at these Richmond restaurants for a change.
-Don't finish your spouse's meal after s/he is done. Let it go. One of you can take the leftovers to work for lunch the next day.
-Eat more of these. Not the book, the stuff inside.
-Do like my wife: Eat small portions slowly. Chew with deliberate mindfulness. Save room for desert and then make that small as well.
-Don't order salads at restaurants. They generally suck and are laden with heavy dressing. Eat what you want when you go out, and learn to make some really kick-ass salads that you like. Eat those at home for dinner twice a week.
Here's a satisfying salad recipe:
-Another approach I've taken to my nutrition is to buy supplements that are in the clearance bin at Vitamin Shoppe, GNC, etc. Sometimes the discounts are around 75% and they'll have a bunch of stuff that is really trendy and would otherwise be expensive. Sure, the expiration date is probably approaching or past, but don't let details like that keep you from a bargain and a worth-while experiment.
Here's some stuff that I'm taking religiously right now:
(no idea if/what these might actually be doing for me at this point)
Here's my ever growing diversity of dietary tactics:
-In the AM, eat nothing but fresh fruit - as much as you want. (I lost 7 lbs in three weeks doing only this)
-Eat all of your favorite foods, but swap dinner for breakfast. In other words, eat a breakfast that is the size of your normal dinner and eat a dinner that is the size of your normal breakfast.
-Green smoothies. Put your favorite fruits in a blender, along with water or juice AND A BIG HANDFUL OR TWO OF KALE OR SPINACH. Blend until the greens are totally liquefied (you may decide to pick up a Vitamix for this if you get into it). Drink about a quart of this with lunch or sometime before dinner.
-No food after 8pm, not even ice cream.
-Bring some weights into the living room and do a few sets of this or that during TV time.
-Quite calorie counting. That doesn't help you choose healthy foods. Too many low-cal foods are processed, full of preservatives, carcinogenic fake sugar, and just plain "untasty." Instead, find out how yummy healthy food can be. As you expand your healthy repertoire, the stuff the weighs you down will slowly get crowded out of your routine.
-No sugar in your coffee or tea (but keep the cream... incremental change, yall). Slowly, you'll grow to appreciate the true flavor of your favorite hot beverages.
-Before a meal, drink a low-calorie smoothie. If you exercise, make sure to add some kind of protein (like powdered soy, whey, etc). This should cut back on your appetite come meal time.
-Smaller plates. This generally leads to smaller portions at meal time and tricks your mind into thinking you've accomplished the ritual of eating a whole meal by "clearing your plate."
-Eat at these Richmond restaurants for a change.
-Don't finish your spouse's meal after s/he is done. Let it go. One of you can take the leftovers to work for lunch the next day.
-Eat more of these. Not the book, the stuff inside.
-Do like my wife: Eat small portions slowly. Chew with deliberate mindfulness. Save room for desert and then make that small as well.
-Don't order salads at restaurants. They generally suck and are laden with heavy dressing. Eat what you want when you go out, and learn to make some really kick-ass salads that you like. Eat those at home for dinner twice a week.
Here's a satisfying salad recipe:
- lettuce or other tender greens
- sunflower seeds (or pepitas or other salad topper type nuts)
- ginger dressing (make this one if you can't find the divine stuff from Makoto)
- strips of wanton wrappers (saute them on the stove for 1 min w/a little oil until crunchy)
- seared tuna with an Asian spice rub (veg-heads: just use some tofu, but be sure to get some char marks on that thang).
-Another approach I've taken to my nutrition is to buy supplements that are in the clearance bin at Vitamin Shoppe, GNC, etc. Sometimes the discounts are around 75% and they'll have a bunch of stuff that is really trendy and would otherwise be expensive. Sure, the expiration date is probably approaching or past, but don't let details like that keep you from a bargain and a worth-while experiment.
Here's some stuff that I'm taking religiously right now:
(no idea if/what these might actually be doing for me at this point)
- Tahitian Noni juice, but not from pyramid scheme marketing sales guys (smells like liquid antibiotics - ew)
- Whey protein isolate (taken as a smoothie, partial meal replacement cuz you eat less after drinking it)
- Dehydrated ground Acai berries (added to the whey shake for antioxidant properties)
- Royal Jelly 300mg (good enough for the queen bee, good enough for me)
- Men's Multi-vitamin (Origin brand from Target, super cheap, but has some cool stuff like Q10, green tea extract, etc)
- Vitamin D3: 1000mg megadose (father in-law says it's the ticket to health)
- Migra-ease (contains butterbur, ginger, etc, cuz I get headaches)
Friday, January 18, 2008
The Virginia Immigrant People’s Coalition
If you are tired of seeing the important politics of our state hijacked by fear-mongering anti-immigration campaigns, here's a chance to take a stand: Join the Virginia Immigrant People's Coalition.
----------------
Dear Friends,
The Virginia Immigrant People’s Coalition was founded to organize an effective community response to the anti immigrant policies and bills that are being proposed at the Virginia General Assembly.
The coalition is a collective effort of grassroots immigrant organizations and individuals working in Virginia including Madre Tierra, Virginia Justice Center, Woodbridge Workers Committee, Immigrant Solidarity Network of Charlottesville, Making a Difference Foundation, Mexicanos Sin Fronteras and The People United.
The VIP Coalition would like to acknowledge the organizations and individuals throughout Virginia and across the United States who work tirelessly to support human rights and dignity for all people. We respect and honor the work that you have been doing in your community. It is with this in mind that we reach out to you during this very disturbing time. We ask you to join us in the Virginia Immigrant Peoples Coalition, to stand up against the tidal wave of anti-immigrant activity sweeping
the state and the nation.
We will gather in Richmond on February 11th to lobby and protest against the dozens of inhumane and mean-spirited bills being introduced which would strip the immigrant community of basic human dignity and criminalize families, children, students, families, and churches and community groups that provide support. We are also protesting the upsurge in racist ordinances attacking immigrants and human dignity in general, including the use of housing ordinances against immigrant families, the use of school children to target immigrant families, and the use of local police
to enforce federal immigration laws.
The VIP Coalition will be joined by a number of church, labor, Native American, African American, civil and human rights groups.
STRATEGY MEETING THIS SATURDAY
The VIP Coalition invites you to participate in the Regional Immigrant Peoples Solidarity Gathering. On Saturday, January 19th the VIP Coalition and many other groups and individuals will meet to organize a political strategy and build an action plan that will include the Immigrant Day of Action at the VA Assembly and other initiatives. The meeting will take place at St Augustine Catholic Church of Richmond, 4400 Beulah, Richmond, VA 23237 from 10 am to 5 pm.
Organizations or individuals wishing to endorse or participate in the actions are asked to contact:
Jeff Winder: (434)906-0421, info@thepeopleunited.org
Ricardo Juarez: (571) 288-9903, Ricardo@mexicanossinfronteras.org
For more info, you can also visit this page on internet, click on the link below or copy and paste into your browser:
http://www.mexicanossinfronteras.org/virginia_asamblea_general_2008/index.htm
As Dr. King wrote, “We are all tied up in an inescapable network of mutuality.” We appreciate your support and look forward to working more closely with you.
In Solidarity,
Ricardo Juarez Nava
General Coordinator – Mexicanos sin Fronteras (Mexicans Without Borders)
on behalf of The Virginia Immigrant Peoples Coalition
----------------
Dear Friends,
The Virginia Immigrant People’s Coalition was founded to organize an effective community response to the anti immigrant policies and bills that are being proposed at the Virginia General Assembly.
The coalition is a collective effort of grassroots immigrant organizations and individuals working in Virginia including Madre Tierra, Virginia Justice Center, Woodbridge Workers Committee, Immigrant Solidarity Network of Charlottesville, Making a Difference Foundation, Mexicanos Sin Fronteras and The People United.
The VIP Coalition would like to acknowledge the organizations and individuals throughout Virginia and across the United States who work tirelessly to support human rights and dignity for all people. We respect and honor the work that you have been doing in your community. It is with this in mind that we reach out to you during this very disturbing time. We ask you to join us in the Virginia Immigrant Peoples Coalition, to stand up against the tidal wave of anti-immigrant activity sweeping
the state and the nation.
We will gather in Richmond on February 11th to lobby and protest against the dozens of inhumane and mean-spirited bills being introduced which would strip the immigrant community of basic human dignity and criminalize families, children, students, families, and churches and community groups that provide support. We are also protesting the upsurge in racist ordinances attacking immigrants and human dignity in general, including the use of housing ordinances against immigrant families, the use of school children to target immigrant families, and the use of local police
to enforce federal immigration laws.
The VIP Coalition will be joined by a number of church, labor, Native American, African American, civil and human rights groups.
STRATEGY MEETING THIS SATURDAY
The VIP Coalition invites you to participate in the Regional Immigrant Peoples Solidarity Gathering. On Saturday, January 19th the VIP Coalition and many other groups and individuals will meet to organize a political strategy and build an action plan that will include the Immigrant Day of Action at the VA Assembly and other initiatives. The meeting will take place at St Augustine Catholic Church of Richmond, 4400 Beulah, Richmond, VA 23237 from 10 am to 5 pm.
Organizations or individuals wishing to endorse or participate in the actions are asked to contact:
Jeff Winder: (434)906-0421, info@thepeopleunited.org
Ricardo Juarez: (571) 288-9903, Ricardo@mexicanossinfronteras.org
For more info, you can also visit this page on internet, click on the link below or copy and paste into your browser:
http://www.mexicanossinfronteras.org/virginia_asamblea_general_2008/index.htm
As Dr. King wrote, “We are all tied up in an inescapable network of mutuality.” We appreciate your support and look forward to working more closely with you.
In Solidarity,
Ricardo Juarez Nava
General Coordinator – Mexicanos sin Fronteras (Mexicans Without Borders)
on behalf of The Virginia Immigrant Peoples Coalition
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Are immigrants ruining Virginia?
Does the thought of sharing our state with "illegals" make your blood boil? Are you worried about your children's future in a climate of shifting demographics? Do you judge every presidential candidate by their immigration plan? Are you thinking of joining your local "Help Save Virginia" or starting one in the Richmond region?
If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, I think we need to talk (not just you and me, but a great many Virginians need to step up and engage in this debate). I'm not sure how the conversation should procede (and frankly, I think there are more pressing issues), but I'm not interested in seeing enflamed adversarial clashes that leave everyone scarred. A blogger buddy-o-mine has posted a couple short entries here and here that I'd like to share with you. These posts didn't get much attention, but I enjoyed them.
"Where are they from and why do they come here?"
Isn't this the question we should be starting with? For me, Stakolee's contributions serve as valuable food for thought, and it is these kinds of arguments that will create more introspection about our own reactions to the immigration issue and appreciation of the human beings that are the subject of this debate.
The local and national pressure around immigration doesn't seem like it is really headed toward a workable solution. The current byproducts of the anti-immigrant campaign is are: fear, anger, and possessiveness, to name only a few unhealthy attitudes. I have trouble believing that actually uprooting people by the millions would be satisfying to anyone, nor would our future generations be proud to have that as part of their history. As we go forward, I think we should focus on the VALUES that we want to see endure through this dilemma. For me, those values are: trust, cooperation, equality, education, mutual understanding, and compassion. How about you?
If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, I think we need to talk (not just you and me, but a great many Virginians need to step up and engage in this debate). I'm not sure how the conversation should procede (and frankly, I think there are more pressing issues), but I'm not interested in seeing enflamed adversarial clashes that leave everyone scarred. A blogger buddy-o-mine has posted a couple short entries here and here that I'd like to share with you. These posts didn't get much attention, but I enjoyed them.
"Where are they from and why do they come here?"
Isn't this the question we should be starting with? For me, Stakolee's contributions serve as valuable food for thought, and it is these kinds of arguments that will create more introspection about our own reactions to the immigration issue and appreciation of the human beings that are the subject of this debate.
The local and national pressure around immigration doesn't seem like it is really headed toward a workable solution. The current byproducts of the anti-immigrant campaign is are: fear, anger, and possessiveness, to name only a few unhealthy attitudes. I have trouble believing that actually uprooting people by the millions would be satisfying to anyone, nor would our future generations be proud to have that as part of their history. As we go forward, I think we should focus on the VALUES that we want to see endure through this dilemma. For me, those values are: trust, cooperation, equality, education, mutual understanding, and compassion. How about you?
Monday, January 14, 2008
Baby-moon Road Trip!!! RVA to DC and Back
We picked out a couple museums, a fancy Italian restaurant, a hipster brunch spot, and a hotel with a pool. Every stop was a high point for us and we didn't argue once. All in all, it was an ideal getaway.
First Stop: the Native American History Museum
Actually, having skipped breakfast and just getting off the road, we went straight for the very popular cafeteria which featured food inspired by many of the ingredients and dishes that were typical to Native Americans. The place was a chaos of curious customers and a frenzy of confusion. However, once past the lines the swarming throngs, we could see the grub and their labels. We split up and brought back a tamale, savory corn pudding (our fave), smoked squash salad, fry bread with honey, and a white chocolate papaya smoothie. The food was fantastic! I don't think I've had fry bread like that before.
As for the exhibits, we were less than impressed. Sure, there were lots of Indian artifacts and examples from the modern day Native American experience, but something connecting these two was missing. It was almost as if the Indians have simply assimilated seamlessly into American culture as soon as Columbus showed up. I didn't see any overt references to the extermination of the First Nations in America. In fact, the impressive modern layout of the museum was on display more than anything else.
National Gallery of Art
Karen showed me a bunch of her favorite artists, some of which gave us ideas for baby names (that's the only hint you're getting). This all came about when I spotted three books about Joseph Cornell on Karen's shelf and had no idea who this other man was in my wife's life. So, she took me there and showed me three cute little shadow boxes. My assessment: No threat.
Dinner at D'Acqua
After lounging and swimming at the Hilton (and reading this awesome interview with Anthony Bourdain in the Onion newspaper), we took a series of trains to a charming little Italian seafood restaurant on Pennsylvania Ave. It was a bit of a splurge for us, but Karen had just come home with some good financial news (good enough to afford a nice dinner, anyhow). So, this restaurant was fine dinning for sure, but it was also really special. The first two courses were easy enough. We put in our orders for the seafood carpaccio platter and the fennel/endive insalata and then we asked for help deciding on the rest. This was a great choice on our part, because the server brought us over to the "fish market," which was a really attractive display of iced down fish, octopuses, lobster, etc. The chef, Enzo Febbraro, explained that their fish are brought in each day from the Mediterranean. The guy was the real deal and the seafood looked like it might even be worth the hefty prices.
I ordered a whole branzino baked in a mound of sea salt. This salt crust cooking style is a traditional method and is said to lock in moisture. Holy-moly was this fish de-lish. I'd seen the salt baking technique on TV, but this place actually brings it to you, breaks through the salt and debones the fish for you. Since it was only about a one pounder, there wasn't a whole lot to eat, but what was there melted in my mouth. Karen ordered sea bass fillets in a saffron reduction and she loved it. The broth was phenomenal. There were some sides that also pleased: perfectly grilled veggies and a potato pancake with Italian ham and moz cheese (just for Karen). After this dining treat, we walked back to the metro with our heads in the clouds.
Teaism in Dupon Cirle
On the way to brunch, we passed through a tempting farmer's market. I bought some high-brow pepper jack and Karen took a picture of these awesome looking mushrooms.
By the time we made it to Teaism in Dupont Circle (after more swimming and checking out of the hotel), I was not in the mood for tedium. And Sunday at brunch time is probably not the best time to get introduced to this very hip zen libation laboratory. Since all the seats were taken up, we wound up out front on a bench under an over-sized bonsai tree. We each had our own pots of tea (green for me and something fruity and herbal for karen), a couple of their famous "salted oatmeal cookies" (pretty darned good), and we split a cilantro eggs scramble (divine!). The combination of soothing teas and satisfying foods really helped us get closer to the dharma. After that, we weren't even phased by the the site of Burrito Brothers replaced by a 50's style burger joint.
the hightened state of consciousness made me take this pic in the Dupont Circle Metro station
Sammy T's in Fredericksburg
On the way back to Richmond we stopped at what might be my favorite restaurant in the world. Did I just say that? Sammy T's on Caroline Street in "downtown" historic Fredericksburg was a frequent treat when I was attending Mary Washington College. The place is a vegetarian mecca, but you wouldn't know it by it's appearance. It just looks like a plain old wood grain restaurant where you'd find sandwiches and a few semi-fancy entrees. Well, that's actually Sammy T's to a "T", but they also happen to have numerous vegetarian items that simply couldn't be better (felafel, tempeh, bean and grain burger, lentil burger, tabouli, and a bunch of invented classics like the Camper's Special).
Sure, Sammy's serves meat too, so you can bring your finicky friends, but why would you when you can order veggie and get a ramekin of lemon tahini sauce that will blow your mind. Seriously, if you have tried tahini and wondered why people eat the stuff, this sauce will clue you in to the potential of sesame paste. Sammy's was sooo good to both of us on Sunday that we couldn't even squeeze in a cup of joe from the best coffee shop in all of Virginia: Hyperion Espresso. I religiously order the Sumatran, but everything is good at Hyperion when enjoyed from one of their extra-wide mugs.
So, that pretty much concluded our trip. On the way home, we jumped off the highway one more time at Masaponax to visit a strip mall where there's a Marshalls and a Ross next to each other. Hunting for bargains at these two discount stores is one of our favorite past-times, but this visit was simply an attempt to squeeze in one last favorite. I strapped a baby harness to my chest and walked around Marhsalls looking for my wife (everyone probably wondered where my infant could be, until they saw my pregnant wife), but didn't end up buying it. Ross is good for some clearance clothes, but not for high end brands. They're fading from my list of top discount shopping stores (too bad Willow Lawn put so much hope in their allure).
Once home, Karen and I basked in our successful "budget baby-moon" and had a home cooked meal from one of my favorite cookbooks, Perfect Vegetables. We had braised baby bok choy with shallots (and fake bacon and bacon salt). There were also some Trader Joe's dumplings from a previous visit to NoVA (is there a pattern here?. Anyways, now it's time to hunkner down for the rest of this pregnancy. The due date is early April and we've got my graduate course starting this week, Lamaze classes, and what's that other thing? Oh yeah, the dreaded awkward immobility of the third trimester. Well, wish us luck. Better yet, buy us stuff.
First Stop: the Native American History Museum
Actually, having skipped breakfast and just getting off the road, we went straight for the very popular cafeteria which featured food inspired by many of the ingredients and dishes that were typical to Native Americans. The place was a chaos of curious customers and a frenzy of confusion. However, once past the lines the swarming throngs, we could see the grub and their labels. We split up and brought back a tamale, savory corn pudding (our fave), smoked squash salad, fry bread with honey, and a white chocolate papaya smoothie. The food was fantastic! I don't think I've had fry bread like that before.
As for the exhibits, we were less than impressed. Sure, there were lots of Indian artifacts and examples from the modern day Native American experience, but something connecting these two was missing. It was almost as if the Indians have simply assimilated seamlessly into American culture as soon as Columbus showed up. I didn't see any overt references to the extermination of the First Nations in America. In fact, the impressive modern layout of the museum was on display more than anything else.
National Gallery of Art
Karen showed me a bunch of her favorite artists, some of which gave us ideas for baby names (that's the only hint you're getting). This all came about when I spotted three books about Joseph Cornell on Karen's shelf and had no idea who this other man was in my wife's life. So, she took me there and showed me three cute little shadow boxes. My assessment: No threat.
Dinner at D'Acqua
After lounging and swimming at the Hilton (and reading this awesome interview with Anthony Bourdain in the Onion newspaper), we took a series of trains to a charming little Italian seafood restaurant on Pennsylvania Ave. It was a bit of a splurge for us, but Karen had just come home with some good financial news (good enough to afford a nice dinner, anyhow). So, this restaurant was fine dinning for sure, but it was also really special. The first two courses were easy enough. We put in our orders for the seafood carpaccio platter and the fennel/endive insalata and then we asked for help deciding on the rest. This was a great choice on our part, because the server brought us over to the "fish market," which was a really attractive display of iced down fish, octopuses, lobster, etc. The chef, Enzo Febbraro, explained that their fish are brought in each day from the Mediterranean. The guy was the real deal and the seafood looked like it might even be worth the hefty prices.
I ordered a whole branzino baked in a mound of sea salt. This salt crust cooking style is a traditional method and is said to lock in moisture. Holy-moly was this fish de-lish. I'd seen the salt baking technique on TV, but this place actually brings it to you, breaks through the salt and debones the fish for you. Since it was only about a one pounder, there wasn't a whole lot to eat, but what was there melted in my mouth. Karen ordered sea bass fillets in a saffron reduction and she loved it. The broth was phenomenal. There were some sides that also pleased: perfectly grilled veggies and a potato pancake with Italian ham and moz cheese (just for Karen). After this dining treat, we walked back to the metro with our heads in the clouds.
Teaism in Dupon Cirle
On the way to brunch, we passed through a tempting farmer's market. I bought some high-brow pepper jack and Karen took a picture of these awesome looking mushrooms.
By the time we made it to Teaism in Dupont Circle (after more swimming and checking out of the hotel), I was not in the mood for tedium. And Sunday at brunch time is probably not the best time to get introduced to this very hip zen libation laboratory. Since all the seats were taken up, we wound up out front on a bench under an over-sized bonsai tree. We each had our own pots of tea (green for me and something fruity and herbal for karen), a couple of their famous "salted oatmeal cookies" (pretty darned good), and we split a cilantro eggs scramble (divine!). The combination of soothing teas and satisfying foods really helped us get closer to the dharma. After that, we weren't even phased by the the site of Burrito Brothers replaced by a 50's style burger joint.
the hightened state of consciousness made me take this pic in the Dupont Circle Metro station
Sammy T's in Fredericksburg
On the way back to Richmond we stopped at what might be my favorite restaurant in the world. Did I just say that? Sammy T's on Caroline Street in "downtown" historic Fredericksburg was a frequent treat when I was attending Mary Washington College. The place is a vegetarian mecca, but you wouldn't know it by it's appearance. It just looks like a plain old wood grain restaurant where you'd find sandwiches and a few semi-fancy entrees. Well, that's actually Sammy T's to a "T", but they also happen to have numerous vegetarian items that simply couldn't be better (felafel, tempeh, bean and grain burger, lentil burger, tabouli, and a bunch of invented classics like the Camper's Special).
Sure, Sammy's serves meat too, so you can bring your finicky friends, but why would you when you can order veggie and get a ramekin of lemon tahini sauce that will blow your mind. Seriously, if you have tried tahini and wondered why people eat the stuff, this sauce will clue you in to the potential of sesame paste. Sammy's was sooo good to both of us on Sunday that we couldn't even squeeze in a cup of joe from the best coffee shop in all of Virginia: Hyperion Espresso. I religiously order the Sumatran, but everything is good at Hyperion when enjoyed from one of their extra-wide mugs.
So, that pretty much concluded our trip. On the way home, we jumped off the highway one more time at Masaponax to visit a strip mall where there's a Marshalls and a Ross next to each other. Hunting for bargains at these two discount stores is one of our favorite past-times, but this visit was simply an attempt to squeeze in one last favorite. I strapped a baby harness to my chest and walked around Marhsalls looking for my wife (everyone probably wondered where my infant could be, until they saw my pregnant wife), but didn't end up buying it. Ross is good for some clearance clothes, but not for high end brands. They're fading from my list of top discount shopping stores (too bad Willow Lawn put so much hope in their allure).
Once home, Karen and I basked in our successful "budget baby-moon" and had a home cooked meal from one of my favorite cookbooks, Perfect Vegetables. We had braised baby bok choy with shallots (and fake bacon and bacon salt). There were also some Trader Joe's dumplings from a previous visit to NoVA (is there a pattern here?. Anyways, now it's time to hunkner down for the rest of this pregnancy. The due date is early April and we've got my graduate course starting this week, Lamaze classes, and what's that other thing? Oh yeah, the dreaded awkward immobility of the third trimester. Well, wish us luck. Better yet, buy us stuff.
Monday, January 07, 2008
Builds Schools Now! Chimes in on Prez issue
Today, I had the privilege of taking a peek at a press release for the Richmond Council of PTAs as it was being edited and sent out. It's titled "Crisis in School Board Leadership." Their Build Schools Now! initiative has been trying to light a fire under Richmond's education system, particularly calling for the city's political leadership to come together with the business leadership and invest in new state-of-the-art schools that would demonstrate a new direction for education in Richmond. The text from the press release is pasted below, but first, here's my current take is the situation (not speaking for any group):
The blogs that have been beating the drums for George Braxton's removal as School Board prez are being a little shortsighted. They highlight a lot of problematic behavior that I believe need to be addressed. However, I don't think the buck stops with Braxton. Other members of Richmond's elected "leadership" have as much blame, if not more (in the case of Wilder), to assume for our school system's current state of disrepair and lack of direction. Personally, I really want to see progress at any cost, to establish some forward momentum. Because when my (yet unborn) kid is ready for school in five years, I want him to go to RPS. But, I don't believe that swapping figureheads does much to change the political distrust and habitual finger-pointing at City Hall (see misguided at-large "strong mayor" mistake). In the words of fed up Argentinians in 2002, "Que se vayan todos" (throw them all out). The only way to ensure change is to let the officials know that they are ALL wearing a badge of shame until progress is made. Nothing is granted without a demand and we need to tell the system WHAT we want, not WHO we want.
-------------------------
Richmond City Council of P.T.A’s
Build schools Now
Contact Art Burton: 804-467-6408
Press Statement
Topic: Crisis in School Board Leadership
The main premise behind Build Schools Now is the fact that our City’s leadership has been unwilling to make a capital investment in its children, i.e. building schools that demonstrate the widespread desire for a 21st century education system in Richmond. This ongoing disappointment is a major indicator that our leadership is failing the children of this city.
In December, Build Schools Now members attended a City Council committee meeting where the school board audit was to be discussed. The auditor of the City of Richmond announced that he was short on staff and was not able to conduct the audit in a timely manner. Nonetheless, the City Council and the Wilder administration seemed to be at odds over the purpose and goal of the audit. The school system seemed to be simply using the audit as a way to “redirect” money identified as potential savings to other areas. In this case, the City Council would have zero input into the process on “redirecting” surplus education funds. City Administration and School Board administration seemed to be at odds over whether the School administration was to be “redirecting” or “capturing” savings. In general, there seems to be no agreed upon goal for the audit, no timeline for completion of the audit, nor any benchmarks to measure compliance by the School Board.
Also in December, we reported to the Health, Education, and Human Services committee of City Council that we could not support the building proposal sent forward by the school board of the city of Richmond because it did not address two pressing needs while prioritizing new construction that is not immediately necessary. The proposal did not address our concerns about Richmond’s lack of a first class high school, and it did not address concerns regarding a two school solution for the East End of Richmond. We also disagreed with the idea that an alternative school should be built prior to any other building taken on by the school system.
Moreover ADA information included in the package was dated and contained information about schools that were already closed or offline. The fact that the school board had not taken the time to update its information showed a lack of seriousness around the matter of both school construction and ADA compliance.
Build Schools Now has repeatedly attempted to address the Mayor’s demand that there should be school closings in the city. We have sought a meeting were Mayor Wilder could clarify his position and perhaps assist us in developing a reasonable plan for school building and school closings. However to this date, we have not been invited to meet with the Mayor on this matter. Furthermore, the current political climate does not suggest to us that the school administration will work to get to a “bottom line” from the Mayor on school closings, and we do not believe that the City Council has the political courage to demand that schools be closed. We believe that the Mayor’s unwillingness to collaborate with the School Board is at the heart of the current impasse.
Our children, our families, and our community are being held hostage by demands for school consolidation, perpetually delayed school construction, and the continued stalemate around the audit of the Richmond’s education system. On every turn we are being greeted by political infighting, distrust among those in leadership positions, and ongoing neglect and disregard for the wellbeing of our children and community. We continue to see a lack of vision for quality education in this city. The School Board has clearly decided that “misdirection” and infighting are more important matters than building schools and creating a “new direction”, while our mayor and City Council remains locked in a power struggle.
The Richmond City Council of P.T.A’S will continue to put forward its demand that the political leadership in this city (including the influential members of the business community) end the blame game, infighting and finger pointing, and get serious about the children of the city of Richmond by making a capital investment in them and Build Schools Now.
• We are asking that the School Board of the City of Richmond put forward a “real” plan that begins to address the building needs over all of its community to include ADA compliance.
• We are asking that the City Council of Richmond direct its auditor to complete the audit in a timely fashion and that goal, objectives, timelines be established to insure all parties have the same understanding of outcome measures.
• We ask the Mayor and administration to assist in the development of a realistic school consolidation plan that includes community input. His role should also include the cultivation of political will around the need to engage in and invest in such a plan.
While all leadership in this city states a love for the children of this city and a desire to provide a 21st Century education, move them “from good to great,” ensure that they have a “20/20 vision” and offer us a “new direction”; leadership’s actions to date do not match their words. To remedy this the Richmond City council of PTA’s can only say:
BUILD SCHOOLS NOW!!!!’
Contact Art Burton: 804-467-6408
The blogs that have been beating the drums for George Braxton's removal as School Board prez are being a little shortsighted. They highlight a lot of problematic behavior that I believe need to be addressed. However, I don't think the buck stops with Braxton. Other members of Richmond's elected "leadership" have as much blame, if not more (in the case of Wilder), to assume for our school system's current state of disrepair and lack of direction. Personally, I really want to see progress at any cost, to establish some forward momentum. Because when my (yet unborn) kid is ready for school in five years, I want him to go to RPS. But, I don't believe that swapping figureheads does much to change the political distrust and habitual finger-pointing at City Hall (see misguided at-large "strong mayor" mistake). In the words of fed up Argentinians in 2002, "Que se vayan todos" (throw them all out). The only way to ensure change is to let the officials know that they are ALL wearing a badge of shame until progress is made. Nothing is granted without a demand and we need to tell the system WHAT we want, not WHO we want.
-------------------------
Richmond City Council of P.T.A’s
Build schools Now
Contact Art Burton: 804-467-6408
Press Statement
Topic: Crisis in School Board Leadership
The main premise behind Build Schools Now is the fact that our City’s leadership has been unwilling to make a capital investment in its children, i.e. building schools that demonstrate the widespread desire for a 21st century education system in Richmond. This ongoing disappointment is a major indicator that our leadership is failing the children of this city.
In December, Build Schools Now members attended a City Council committee meeting where the school board audit was to be discussed. The auditor of the City of Richmond announced that he was short on staff and was not able to conduct the audit in a timely manner. Nonetheless, the City Council and the Wilder administration seemed to be at odds over the purpose and goal of the audit. The school system seemed to be simply using the audit as a way to “redirect” money identified as potential savings to other areas. In this case, the City Council would have zero input into the process on “redirecting” surplus education funds. City Administration and School Board administration seemed to be at odds over whether the School administration was to be “redirecting” or “capturing” savings. In general, there seems to be no agreed upon goal for the audit, no timeline for completion of the audit, nor any benchmarks to measure compliance by the School Board.
Also in December, we reported to the Health, Education, and Human Services committee of City Council that we could not support the building proposal sent forward by the school board of the city of Richmond because it did not address two pressing needs while prioritizing new construction that is not immediately necessary. The proposal did not address our concerns about Richmond’s lack of a first class high school, and it did not address concerns regarding a two school solution for the East End of Richmond. We also disagreed with the idea that an alternative school should be built prior to any other building taken on by the school system.
Moreover ADA information included in the package was dated and contained information about schools that were already closed or offline. The fact that the school board had not taken the time to update its information showed a lack of seriousness around the matter of both school construction and ADA compliance.
Build Schools Now has repeatedly attempted to address the Mayor’s demand that there should be school closings in the city. We have sought a meeting were Mayor Wilder could clarify his position and perhaps assist us in developing a reasonable plan for school building and school closings. However to this date, we have not been invited to meet with the Mayor on this matter. Furthermore, the current political climate does not suggest to us that the school administration will work to get to a “bottom line” from the Mayor on school closings, and we do not believe that the City Council has the political courage to demand that schools be closed. We believe that the Mayor’s unwillingness to collaborate with the School Board is at the heart of the current impasse.
Our children, our families, and our community are being held hostage by demands for school consolidation, perpetually delayed school construction, and the continued stalemate around the audit of the Richmond’s education system. On every turn we are being greeted by political infighting, distrust among those in leadership positions, and ongoing neglect and disregard for the wellbeing of our children and community. We continue to see a lack of vision for quality education in this city. The School Board has clearly decided that “misdirection” and infighting are more important matters than building schools and creating a “new direction”, while our mayor and City Council remains locked in a power struggle.
The Richmond City Council of P.T.A’S will continue to put forward its demand that the political leadership in this city (including the influential members of the business community) end the blame game, infighting and finger pointing, and get serious about the children of the city of Richmond by making a capital investment in them and Build Schools Now.
• We are asking that the School Board of the City of Richmond put forward a “real” plan that begins to address the building needs over all of its community to include ADA compliance.
• We are asking that the City Council of Richmond direct its auditor to complete the audit in a timely fashion and that goal, objectives, timelines be established to insure all parties have the same understanding of outcome measures.
• We ask the Mayor and administration to assist in the development of a realistic school consolidation plan that includes community input. His role should also include the cultivation of political will around the need to engage in and invest in such a plan.
While all leadership in this city states a love for the children of this city and a desire to provide a 21st Century education, move them “from good to great,” ensure that they have a “20/20 vision” and offer us a “new direction”; leadership’s actions to date do not match their words. To remedy this the Richmond City council of PTA’s can only say:
BUILD SCHOOLS NOW!!!!’
Contact Art Burton: 804-467-6408
Shopping for Internet : Leaving Comcast for...?
I need help. Karen and I are fed up with Comcast. First, we ditched their cable TV signal for Dish Network, but we haven't found a new internet provider. I'm going to run down some of the options we're looking at, but please let me know if there are alternatives that I'm leaving out. Hopefully, this post will help others find the most affordable in-home internet access, but let's start with ME FIRST.
Since we moved to Byrd Park, we've been paying $55 a month for internet and basic cable (combined). Now that the mini-dish is hooked up (200 channels!), Karen went to Comcast to have them take the basic TV cable off of our deal and lower our monthly payment for internet access. And what do ya know? The price actually goes UP if you discontinue the TV aspect of the Comcast bundle. It goes up from $55 to $60.
Plus, we don't have a need for a land line since we're content with our respective cell phones: an important point, since this keeps us from benefiting from the economical benefit of bundling services.
Okay, here are the options that I'm aware of:
Verizon: High speed internet is $24.99 per month. The new FIOS (fiber optic 5 Mbps) service is $47.99/mo. Anyone have any experience with either of these? How fast is the non-FIOS cable? The answer: 786 kbps. How does that compare to Broadband?
Clearwire: $19.99 (256 kbps) ($14.99 w/2yr commitment) These guys seem pretty shady with their incessant mailings. The site only quote promotional prices and doesn't include monthly prices after the initial promotional period.
Richmond FREE WiFi: Don't really now how this works, but I'm waiting to hear back from them. Obviously, the best possible option would be FREE internet for my whole neighborhood.
Comcast: $42.99/mo (6 Mbps). What gives? Why am I paying more for this? Is it really faster than FIOS?
------------------------
Okay, that's enough research for now. Where do I go from here? Your comments and suggestions are appreciated.
Since we moved to Byrd Park, we've been paying $55 a month for internet and basic cable (combined). Now that the mini-dish is hooked up (200 channels!), Karen went to Comcast to have them take the basic TV cable off of our deal and lower our monthly payment for internet access. And what do ya know? The price actually goes UP if you discontinue the TV aspect of the Comcast bundle. It goes up from $55 to $60.
Plus, we don't have a need for a land line since we're content with our respective cell phones: an important point, since this keeps us from benefiting from the economical benefit of bundling services.
Okay, here are the options that I'm aware of:
Verizon: High speed internet is $24.99 per month. The new FIOS (fiber optic 5 Mbps) service is $47.99/mo. Anyone have any experience with either of these? How fast is the non-FIOS cable? The answer: 786 kbps. How does that compare to Broadband?
Clearwire: $19.99 (256 kbps) ($14.99 w/2yr commitment) These guys seem pretty shady with their incessant mailings. The site only quote promotional prices and doesn't include monthly prices after the initial promotional period.
Richmond FREE WiFi: Don't really now how this works, but I'm waiting to hear back from them. Obviously, the best possible option would be FREE internet for my whole neighborhood.
Comcast: $42.99/mo (6 Mbps). What gives? Why am I paying more for this? Is it really faster than FIOS?
------------------------
Okay, that's enough research for now. Where do I go from here? Your comments and suggestions are appreciated.
Thursday, January 03, 2008
He makes me wanna vote TODAY
We're gonna have a new president (elect) by this time next year, and I have to admit that the process is less than empowering and invigorating. There are countless lessons that we should have learned from W's first term, but we didn't. And those errors in our collective judgment have snowballed into an embarrassing lame duck that we currently wear like a wart on our faces as we ride out this second term. It begs the question, "Who do we vote for this time around?"
I don't know about you, but I believe the Republican party deserves defeat. Every single one of their presidential candidates represent the same bass-ackwards intolerance and mis-leadership that we've endured for the past seven years (yes, that goes for Ron Paul too). But are the Democrats much better? For me, the big D often stands for disappointment. Luckily, there are degrees of hope in the primary pack and there are some flamboyant personalities to help us sort it all out. To help begin this process (and in honor of the Iowa primary) I am posting a message that I got from Michael Moore the other day. I enjoyed it, and I hope you do to.
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Who Do We Vote For This Time Around? A Letter from Michael Moore
January 2, 2008
Friends,
A new year has begun. And before we've had a chance to break our New Year's resolutions, we find ourselves with a little more than 24 hours before the good people of Iowa tell us whom they would like to replace the man who now occupies three countries and a white house.
Twice before, we have begun the process to stop this man, and twice we have failed. Eight years of our lives as Americans will have been lost, the world left in upheaval against us... and yet now, today, we hope against hope that our moment has finally arrived, that the amazingly powerful force of the Republican Party will somehow be halted. But we know that the Democrats are experts at snatching defeat from the jaws of victory, and if there's a way to blow this election, they will find it and do it with gusto.
Do you feel the same as me? That the Democratic front-runners are a less-than-stellar group of candidates, and that none of them are the "slam dunk" we wish they were? Of course, there are wonderful things about each of them. Any one of them would be infinitely better than what we have now. Personally, Congressman Kucinich, more than any other candidate, shares the same positions that I have on the issues (although the UFO that picked ME up would only take me as far as Kalamazoo). But let's not waste time talking about Dennis. Even he is resigned to losing, with statements like the one he made yesterday to his supporters in Iowa to throw their support to Senator Obama as their "second choice."
So, it's Hillary, Obama, Edwards -- now what do we do?
Two months ago, Rolling Stone magazine asked me to do a cover story where I would ask the hard questions that no one was asking in one-on-one interviews with Senators Clinton, Obama and Edwards. "The Top Democrats Face Off with Michael Moore." The deal was that all three candidates had to agree to let me interview them or there was no story. Obama and Edwards agreed. Mrs. Clinton said no, and the cover story was thus killed.
Why would the love of my life, Hillary Clinton, not sit down to talk with me? What was she afraid of?
Those of you who are longtime readers of mine may remember that 11 years ago I wrote a chapter (in my first book) entitled, "My Forbidden Love for Hillary." I was fed up with the treatment she was getting, most of it boringly sexist, and I thought somebody should stand up for her. I later met her and she thanked me for referring to her as "one hot s***kicking feminist babe." I supported and contributed to her run for the U.S. Senate. I think she is a decent and smart person who loves this country, cares deeply about kids, and has put up with more crap than anyone I know of (other than me) from the Crazy Right. Her inauguration would be a thrilling sight, ending 218 years of white male rule in a country where 51% of its citizens are female and 64% are either female or people of color.
And yet, I am sad to say, nothing has disappointed me more than the disastrous, premeditated vote by Senator Hillary Clinton to send us to war in Iraq. I'm not only talking about her first vote that gave Mr. Bush his "authorization" to invade -- I'm talking about every single OTHER vote she then cast for the next four years, backing and funding Bush's illegal war, and doing so with verve. She never met a request from the White House for war authorization that she didn't like. Unlike the Kerrys and the Bidens who initially voted for authorization but later came to realize the folly of their decision, Mrs. Clinton continued to cast numerous votes for the war until last March -- four long years of pro-war votes, even after 70% of the American public had turned against the war. She has steadfastly refused to say that she was wrong about any of this, and she will not apologize for her culpability in America's worst-ever foreign policy disaster. All she can bring herself to say is that she was "misled" by "faulty intelligence."
Let's assume that's true. Do you want a President who is so easily misled? I wasn't "misled," and millions of others who took to the streets in February of 2003 weren't "misled" either. It was simply amazing that we knew the war was wrong when none of us had been briefed by the CIA, none of us were national security experts, and none of us had gone on a weapons inspection tour of Iraq. And yet... we knew we were being lied to! Let me ask those of you reading this letter: Were YOU "misled" -- or did you figure it out sometime between October of 2002 and March of 2007 that George W. Bush was up to something rotten? Twenty-three other senators were smart enough to figure it out and vote against the war from the get-go. Why wasn't Senator Clinton?
I have a theory: Hillary knows the sexist country we still live in and that one of the reasons the public, in the past, would never consider a woman as president is because she would also be commander in chief. The majority of Americans were concerned that a woman would not be as likely to go to war as a man (horror of horrors!). So, in order to placate that mindset, perhaps she believed she had to be as "tough" as a man, she had to be willing to push The Button if necessary, and give the generals whatever they wanted. If this is, in fact, what has motivated her pro-war votes, then this would truly make her a scary first-term president. If the U.S. is faced with some unforeseen threat in her first years, she knows that in order to get re-elected she'd better be ready to go all Maggie Thatcher on whoever sneezes in our direction. Do we want to risk this, hoping the world makes it in one piece to her second term?
I have not even touched on her other numerous -- and horrendous -- votes in the Senate, especially those that have made the middle class suffer even more (she voted for Bush's first bankruptcy bill, and she is now the leading recipient of payoff money -- I mean campaign contributions -- from the health care industry). I know a lot of you want to see her elected, and there is a very good chance that will happen. There will be plenty of time to vote for her in the general election if all the pollsters are correct. But in the primaries and caucuses, isn't this the time to vote for the person who most reflects the values and politics you hold dear? Can you, in good conscience, vote for someone who so energetically voted over and over and over again for the war in Iraq? Please give this serious consideration.
Now, on to the two candidates who did agree to do the interview with me...
Barack Obama is a good and inspiring man. What a breath of fresh air! There's no doubting his sincerity or his commitment to trying to straighten things out in this country. But who is he? I mean, other than a guy who gives a great speech? How much do any of us really know about him? I know he was against the war. How do I know that? He gave a speech before the war started. But since he joined the senate, he has voted for the funds for the war, while at the same time saying we should get out. He says he's for the little guy, but then he votes for a corporate-backed bill to make it harder for the little guy to file a class action suit when his kid swallows lead paint from a Chinese-made toy. In fact, Obama doesn't think Wall Street is a bad place. He wants the insurance companies to help us develop a new health care plan -- the same companies who have created the mess in the first place. He's such a feel-good kinda guy, I get the sense that, if elected, the Republicans will ea t him for breakfast. He won't even have time to make a good speech about it.
But this may be a bit harsh. Senator Obama has a big heart, and that heart is in the right place. Is he electable? Will more than 50% of America vote for him? We'd like to believe they would. We'd like to believe America has changed, wouldn't we? Obama lets us feel better about ourselves -- and as we look out the window at the guy snowplowing his driveway across the street, we want to believe he's changed, too. But are we dreaming?
And then there's John Edwards.
It's hard to get past the hair, isn't it? But once you do -- and recently I have chosen to try -- you find a man who is out to take on the wealthy and powerful who have made life so miserable for so many. A candidate who says things like this: "I absolutely believe to my soul that this corporate greed and corporate power has an ironclad hold on our democracy." Whoa. We haven't heard anyone talk like that in a while, at least not anyone who is near the top of the polls. I suspect this is why Edwards is doing so well in Iowa, even though he has nowhere near the stash of cash the other two have. He won't take the big checks from the corporate PACs, and he is alone among the top three candidates in agreeing to limit his spending and be publicly funded. He has said, point-blank, that he's going after the drug companies and the oil companies and anyone else who is messing with the American worker. The media clearly find him to be a threat, probably because he will go after their mo nopolistic power, too. This is Roosevelt/Truman kind of talk. That's why it's resonating with people in Iowa, even though he doesn't get the attention Obama and Hillary get -- and that lack of coverage may cost him the first place spot tomorrow night. After all, he is one of those white guys who's been running things for far too long.
And he voted for the war. But unlike Senator Clinton, he has stated quite forcefully that he was wrong. And he has remorse. Should he be forgiven? Did he learn his lesson? Like Hillary and Obama, he refused to promise in a September debate that there will be no U.S. troops in Iraq by the end of his first term in 2013. But this week in Iowa, he changed his mind. He went further than Clinton and Obama and said he'd have all the troops home in less than a year.
Edwards is the only one of the three front-runners who has a universal health care plan that will lead to the single-payer kind all other civilized countries have. His plan doesn't go as fast as I would like, but he is the only one who has correctly pointed out that the health insurance companies are the enemy and should not have a seat at the table.
I am not endorsing anyone at this point. This is simply how I feel in the first week of the process to replace George W. Bush. For months I've been wanting to ask the question, "Where are you, Al Gore?" You can only polish that Oscar for so long. And the Nobel was decided by Scandinavians! I don't blame you for not wanting to enter the viper pit again after you already won. But getting us to change out our incandescent light bulbs for some irritating fluorescent ones isn't going to save the world. All it's going to do is make us more agitated and jumpy and feeling like once we get home we haven't really left the office.
On second thought, would you even be willing to utter the words, "I absolutely believe to my soul that this corporate greed and corporate power has an ironclad hold on our democracy?" 'Cause the candidate who understands that, and who sees it as the root of all evil -- including the root of global warming -- is the President who may lead us to a place of sanity, justice and peace.
Yours,
Michael Moore (not an Iowa voter, but appreciative of any state that has a town named after a sofa)
MMFlint@aol.com
MichaelMoore.com
Friday, December 14, 2007
My Fight with Piccola's Owner
After years of eating Piccola’s pizza, tonight, the owner told me not to order from him any more. It all started at 6:08pm when I ordered my usual eggplant parmesan pizza. For a medium, the price was $15.27 before tip. The guy on the phone said it would be 25 minutes. Of course, I should know better. (if this piece seems too long, hang in there for the action-packed epilogue)
Piccola’s is notoriously slow. You can go in and ask for a slice of cheese pizza and wait 10-15 minutes after paying. During that time, you'll pace back and forth, thinking of people to call on your cell phone and you’ll probably wonder why they don’t shove your simple single slice into the oven before assembling the other guy’s six topping extra large pie. No, silly. Instead, they’ll just put the ticket for your order in line behind all the others. And eventually, your blood will probably boil at a temperature rivaling that oven behind the counter that still doesn’t have your slice of pizza in it.
Now, I know that I’m a fussy customer. It’s me who is obsessive about knit-picky details that other’s pay little mind about. And I often don’t know when to let well enough alone. Nonetheless, there are some standard practices and common decency that I hope will endure at the places I like to eat. Although I really prefer to write foodie raves, tonight’s experience amounts to a complaint that must be heard by someone, because, well, I've already gone through the proper channels.
When my pizza hadn’t come by 7pm, I started waiting on the porch. Eventually, I went inside and picked up the phone to see if it was coming at all. The phone said I had called Piccola’s at 6:08 and it was 7:08 when I called them to check on my order. The young lady who answered didn’t know about the status of the pizza and put me on hold. Eventually, a brusk sounding deep voice appeared on the line. He checked my address against the order and said the pizza was on its way. Then, before hanging up, he said, “It’s been 50 minutes.” Excuse me? “You said it’s been over an hour, but it’s only been 50 minutes.” Um... Okay. After hanging up I went back to the porch and wondered if there was any way that he could be right and me wrong or if it mattered either way. I concluded that it didn’t matter. That pizza just better not be cold.
About 5 minutes later, a delivery guy in a VCU sweatshirt brought the pizza and I tipped $2, figuring that there’s no sense in punishing the messenger. Carrying the box into the kitchen, I could feel that the bottom was not the temperature that usually indicates a piping hot pie awaits inside. Regardless, my wife and I were feeling ravenous, so I plated a couple slices and asked Karen if she wanted me to heat hers up. We both took bites. Yup. Too cold.
I put half the pie in the oven and wondered if I should complain. I played it all out briefly in my mind and then convinced myself that I would be doing Piccola’s a disservice if I didn’t bring the cold pizza to their attention (seriously though, silence is complicity) . Stifling any hint of attitude or self-righteousness, I informed the young lady who picked up the phone at Piccola's that my pizza arrived cold. She apologized and said they’re breaking in a new delivery guy.
“Well, I tipped him anyways. That brought the bill to $17.27 for a medium pizza and it's cold.”
“Sorry.” She clearly hadn't been given any pointers in customer service .
“That’s it? No coupons or refunds or anything?”
“I can’t do anything. Do you want to speak to the owner?”
“He was kinda rude last time. You don't have a process for correcting mistakes?”
“I dunno and I can’t tell him that because he’s my boss.”
“Okay, I’ll talk to him.”
While I’m on hold I pictured the boxed pizzas and bagged subs that Piccola’s piles up on top of their oven while they put other aspects of their service ahead of bringing you your food. I’ve stood at their counter countless times watching my slice of cheese pizza languishing in a brown paper bag on top of that oven – the staff too busy taking orders and making pizzas to hand it to me. Like today, I would contemplate asking if my pizza was ready (knowing it was) or just waiting for someone to decide it was time to call out my number. Tonight, I'm willing to bet that my pizza sat in that pile until the delivery guy had four orders ready to be delivered. Then, he brought mine last. Just an educated guess.
The owner picked up.
“Hey, I called to check on my pizza a few minutes ago.”
“Yeah, eggplant parmesan pizza. You said it was over an hour, but it was only 50 minutes.”
“Well, the pizza was cold when it got here and I thought that I should tell somebody.”
“If you want a refund, then I'll come to your house and take the pizza back. Is that what you want?”
“No, I just wanted someone there to know that there was a problem with my order because I got a cold pizza and it took an hour.”
“That’s not possible. We deliver them in a bag that keeps them hot.” He's clearly getting louder and angrier.
“I know. But it was cold and now I’m putting it into the…”
“It’s not possible that the pizza is cold.”
“Are you serious? I think I know a cold pizza when… look it’s right here in front of me.”
“The pizza is not cold. You are wrong.”
“Uhhhhh… what happened to the customer is always right?”
“The customer is not always right, because I know how to run my business.”
“Well, your business brought me a cold pizza. Now, you had no problem taking my money and now you should be able to accept some feedback.”
“I don’t have to listen to you and I would appreciate it if you didn’t order from us any more.”
I sigh and shake my head. “Naw. Fuck you, man.” And I hung up - instantly regretting the F-bomb.
Deep breath.
That’s the story - warts and all. I didn’t hide anything from you (probably should've), nor am I proud of every moment that transpired. I’m sure some of you will take issue with my approach to this situation, while others will wonder how Piccola’s stays in business (answer: best pizza in town). You might see two bulls in a field, squaring off over a little thing they both claim for their own: an arrogant ownership of food rights and wrongs. I just see a story that should be told. NY style pizza with NY style 'tude. Stop the presses. Good pizza, bad service. Not exactly breaking news.
Karen comes in the kitchen and gives me a big hug (being careful of her protruding 5 month baby bump. “That sucks, Jase. You were right though.” Thanks, babe.
An hour later, Karen and I have eaten half of the pizza (although the bad taste in my mouth from dealing with the owner really ruined it along with the effects of reheating) and we’re on the couch watching a movie. There’s a light knock at the door. Is it the owner, coming to pay me back for my four letter word? Oh shit, I’m in my socks. You can’t fight in socks. I'll slip. It’s gotta be either bare feet or shoes. Should I put on shoes? Should I take off my socks? Oh wait! I’m a pacifist. I’ve never fought anyone in my life. Besides, he won’t try anything on my property. I can do anything to him I want, if he’s in my house. Where's my baseball bat? Hey, pacifist! Chill out!
I open the door. It’s the delivery guy. The owner sent him back to my house to pick up the pizza in exchange for a refund. This guy clearly felt awkward returning an hour later and asking me for a pizza. He quickly clarified that he was just the messenger in this dispute. I told him that we didn’t have a whole pizza left, only half of it and that we had heated it up in the oven. "Do you want that?" He didn’t. I told him I was sorry that I had caused him to come back to my house for no reason. Then I explained, “Look, I called and tried to tell the owner that the pizza was cold and he was a total jerk about it. I hope he treats his employees better than he does his customers.” The guy just shrugged and said that this was his first day as a pizza delivery guy and went back to his car. (lesson #1: deliver hot pizzas.)
Before restarting the movie, Karen expressed her disbelief. “What, do they think we’re just gonna stare at the pizza for an hour?” I dunno, babe. Then I asked her, “Umm, who’s ego is fueling this dispute right now?”
“Well, he seems to want to have the last word.”
“Yeah. So do I, babe.”
So do I.
Piccola’s is notoriously slow. You can go in and ask for a slice of cheese pizza and wait 10-15 minutes after paying. During that time, you'll pace back and forth, thinking of people to call on your cell phone and you’ll probably wonder why they don’t shove your simple single slice into the oven before assembling the other guy’s six topping extra large pie. No, silly. Instead, they’ll just put the ticket for your order in line behind all the others. And eventually, your blood will probably boil at a temperature rivaling that oven behind the counter that still doesn’t have your slice of pizza in it.
Now, I know that I’m a fussy customer. It’s me who is obsessive about knit-picky details that other’s pay little mind about. And I often don’t know when to let well enough alone. Nonetheless, there are some standard practices and common decency that I hope will endure at the places I like to eat. Although I really prefer to write foodie raves, tonight’s experience amounts to a complaint that must be heard by someone, because, well, I've already gone through the proper channels.
When my pizza hadn’t come by 7pm, I started waiting on the porch. Eventually, I went inside and picked up the phone to see if it was coming at all. The phone said I had called Piccola’s at 6:08 and it was 7:08 when I called them to check on my order. The young lady who answered didn’t know about the status of the pizza and put me on hold. Eventually, a brusk sounding deep voice appeared on the line. He checked my address against the order and said the pizza was on its way. Then, before hanging up, he said, “It’s been 50 minutes.” Excuse me? “You said it’s been over an hour, but it’s only been 50 minutes.” Um... Okay. After hanging up I went back to the porch and wondered if there was any way that he could be right and me wrong or if it mattered either way. I concluded that it didn’t matter. That pizza just better not be cold.
About 5 minutes later, a delivery guy in a VCU sweatshirt brought the pizza and I tipped $2, figuring that there’s no sense in punishing the messenger. Carrying the box into the kitchen, I could feel that the bottom was not the temperature that usually indicates a piping hot pie awaits inside. Regardless, my wife and I were feeling ravenous, so I plated a couple slices and asked Karen if she wanted me to heat hers up. We both took bites. Yup. Too cold.
I put half the pie in the oven and wondered if I should complain. I played it all out briefly in my mind and then convinced myself that I would be doing Piccola’s a disservice if I didn’t bring the cold pizza to their attention (seriously though, silence is complicity) . Stifling any hint of attitude or self-righteousness, I informed the young lady who picked up the phone at Piccola's that my pizza arrived cold. She apologized and said they’re breaking in a new delivery guy.
“Well, I tipped him anyways. That brought the bill to $17.27 for a medium pizza and it's cold.”
“Sorry.” She clearly hadn't been given any pointers in customer service .
“That’s it? No coupons or refunds or anything?”
“I can’t do anything. Do you want to speak to the owner?”
“He was kinda rude last time. You don't have a process for correcting mistakes?”
“I dunno and I can’t tell him that because he’s my boss.”
“Okay, I’ll talk to him.”
While I’m on hold I pictured the boxed pizzas and bagged subs that Piccola’s piles up on top of their oven while they put other aspects of their service ahead of bringing you your food. I’ve stood at their counter countless times watching my slice of cheese pizza languishing in a brown paper bag on top of that oven – the staff too busy taking orders and making pizzas to hand it to me. Like today, I would contemplate asking if my pizza was ready (knowing it was) or just waiting for someone to decide it was time to call out my number. Tonight, I'm willing to bet that my pizza sat in that pile until the delivery guy had four orders ready to be delivered. Then, he brought mine last. Just an educated guess.
The owner picked up.
“Hey, I called to check on my pizza a few minutes ago.”
“Yeah, eggplant parmesan pizza. You said it was over an hour, but it was only 50 minutes.”
“Well, the pizza was cold when it got here and I thought that I should tell somebody.”
“If you want a refund, then I'll come to your house and take the pizza back. Is that what you want?”
“No, I just wanted someone there to know that there was a problem with my order because I got a cold pizza and it took an hour.”
“That’s not possible. We deliver them in a bag that keeps them hot.” He's clearly getting louder and angrier.
“I know. But it was cold and now I’m putting it into the…”
“It’s not possible that the pizza is cold.”
“Are you serious? I think I know a cold pizza when… look it’s right here in front of me.”
“The pizza is not cold. You are wrong.”
“Uhhhhh… what happened to the customer is always right?”
“The customer is not always right, because I know how to run my business.”
“Well, your business brought me a cold pizza. Now, you had no problem taking my money and now you should be able to accept some feedback.”
“I don’t have to listen to you and I would appreciate it if you didn’t order from us any more.”
I sigh and shake my head. “Naw. Fuck you, man.” And I hung up - instantly regretting the F-bomb.
Deep breath.
That’s the story - warts and all. I didn’t hide anything from you (probably should've), nor am I proud of every moment that transpired. I’m sure some of you will take issue with my approach to this situation, while others will wonder how Piccola’s stays in business (answer: best pizza in town). You might see two bulls in a field, squaring off over a little thing they both claim for their own: an arrogant ownership of food rights and wrongs. I just see a story that should be told. NY style pizza with NY style 'tude. Stop the presses. Good pizza, bad service. Not exactly breaking news.
Karen comes in the kitchen and gives me a big hug (being careful of her protruding 5 month baby bump. “That sucks, Jase. You were right though.” Thanks, babe.
An hour later, Karen and I have eaten half of the pizza (although the bad taste in my mouth from dealing with the owner really ruined it along with the effects of reheating) and we’re on the couch watching a movie. There’s a light knock at the door. Is it the owner, coming to pay me back for my four letter word? Oh shit, I’m in my socks. You can’t fight in socks. I'll slip. It’s gotta be either bare feet or shoes. Should I put on shoes? Should I take off my socks? Oh wait! I’m a pacifist. I’ve never fought anyone in my life. Besides, he won’t try anything on my property. I can do anything to him I want, if he’s in my house. Where's my baseball bat? Hey, pacifist! Chill out!
I open the door. It’s the delivery guy. The owner sent him back to my house to pick up the pizza in exchange for a refund. This guy clearly felt awkward returning an hour later and asking me for a pizza. He quickly clarified that he was just the messenger in this dispute. I told him that we didn’t have a whole pizza left, only half of it and that we had heated it up in the oven. "Do you want that?" He didn’t. I told him I was sorry that I had caused him to come back to my house for no reason. Then I explained, “Look, I called and tried to tell the owner that the pizza was cold and he was a total jerk about it. I hope he treats his employees better than he does his customers.” The guy just shrugged and said that this was his first day as a pizza delivery guy and went back to his car. (lesson #1: deliver hot pizzas.)
Before restarting the movie, Karen expressed her disbelief. “What, do they think we’re just gonna stare at the pizza for an hour?” I dunno, babe. Then I asked her, “Umm, who’s ego is fueling this dispute right now?”
“Well, he seems to want to have the last word.”
“Yeah. So do I, babe.”
So do I.
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Cajun Bangkok's Heaven and Hell
Last week, I convinced my wife that she deserved a treat for carrying our first child for the past five months. On the way home from errands, we stopped in Carytown and ventured into Cajun Bangkok, which replaced the Thai Curry House, which replaced Chopstix. I told Karen, "you and the little boy in your belly should order whatever you like" (big talk from a cheap-skate like me). The subtitle of the restaurant is "spicy cuisine," and that's one of our favorite flavors, despite the queasiness associated with pregnancy. (it's a boy, by the way)
With the unveiling of Cajun Bangkok, Carytown has gone from four Thai places down to three and a half – a babystep toward moderation. The menu seemed to show appetizers and entrees that pulled from both
We started with the calamari, which was described as being "southern fried" or something that conjured up a cajun influence. However, what we received were perfectly lightly breaded ringlets (not unlike Mom
Next came Karen's bowl of she-crab soup, which was also described with some yee-haw down home verbiage. The soup, however, was stark white opaque and refined. My wife's spoon brought up loads of crab meat and an enormous smile spread across my wife's face. The soup was seasoned with a touch of red curry and plenty of sweet coconut milk. Holy sh*t, was this stuff good! Again, more fighting over the last drops. Folks, go to Cajun Bangkok and order this soup.
Across the room, a couple tables had ordered an exotic looking coconut appetizer that was the day's special. There were 8-10 ingredients spread out on a platter and you had to wrap them all up in a collard green leaf and eat it like a mini-wrap. They seemed happy and I felt pretty jealous as I got acquainted with my entree, which didn't measure up to the previous two items.
My order was a blackened tuna steak, topped with crawfish ettoufee, and served over rice. What came was a big chewy piece of overcooked fish. There were specks of cajun seasoning, but it wasn't blackened or even seared - broiled maybe. All of the pink was gone from the center and most of the juice as well. It gets worse. I think they overcooked the fish because it wasn't fresh. It tasted fishier than any tuna I'd ever eaten before. "Are you sure you want to finish that?" asked Karen after trying a tiny bite. I resolved to take my chances and see what happened. The rice was buttery and delicious and the ettoufee wasn’t bad either, but I felt pretty deflated. Going from ecstasy to revulsion so quickly made my head spin.
Meanwhile, Karen sat in front of a boring iceberg lettuce salad whose pecan vinegrette added only the flavor of sour burnt nuts - a half-hearted attempt to keep in line with the theme of the restaurant. It needed sweetness and spice – maybe they should have gone for a Thai curry prailene vinegrette or something like that. To her credit, Karen knew she wasn’t very hungry (one of the reasons that I said, “order anything”) and so she hadn’t placed much stock in the salad. Instead, both of us were happy to have discovered the two dishes we’d already gone ga ga over.
At the time of this writing, I’m not too excited to be writing another mixed review. Is it realistic to fall for the idea behind a restaurant (or the image I project on it) and expect it to change over time to suit me? Viva
Don’t let me forget that, yall.
Ps: I did not get sick from the fish. In fact, we went to Ben and Jerry’s where Karen’s appetite picked up again. She got a Hot Float (ice cream in steamed milk) that was served up by a confused teenager who hadn’t quite figured out how to sell or prepare his store’s latest featured item. But, I got to be the gracious big spender, which is sometimes worth more than tasty vittles.
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update: I went back and things went much smoother. Check it out.
Monday, November 26, 2007
Sunday Brunch at Cirrus Taken Too Seriously
First off, I want to fess up that I’m somewhat biased in favor of any restaurant at Allen and
For these reasons, I was excited when I saw the brunch menu in the window at Cirrus. Seeing the vegetarian biscuits and gravy on the menu put a trip to Cirrus at the top of my priority list. (Well, that and the allure of reasonably priced entrees, with an modern black/white backdrop.) Surely, this place was going to be a hipster brunch destination. That said, I want to acknowledge that you really can’t judge a restaurant by it’s brunch service. The head chef is rarely on duty weekend mornings and the dishes don’t usually receive the attention that you’ll find on the dinner menu (aside from Millies, of course). So, please take this review for what it is: a story of brunch, over scrutinized.
Considering that Style Weekly had just posted dueling reviews (both relatively positive), I was sure that Cirrus would be crammed with people enjoying a holiday weekend indulgence by going out to brunch. We walked up to the place at 11:20am, but were the first customers of the day. Inside, we sat in the two-tone dining room feeling kind of awkward and receiving loads of friendly attention from our server. My wife loved the interior design, but I would describe it as severe and cold (not that there’s anything wrong with that). I kept wondering if I had anything in my wardrobe that would disguise my crunchy granola look and help me fit in with the austere environment. Nonetheless, the shimmering pendant lights and matte silver and white sconces are touches that deserve to be seen by everyone, regardless of your attire. Hopefully, they’ll complete their design by painting or replacing the wood grain entrance, which sticks out like a sore thumb.
At first, I was worried about the brunch menu because there was no mention of sides. Would a plate of quiche, or eggs and bacon come unaccompanied, like at Can Can? Paying extra for must-have elements is a major pet peeve for me. Luckily, everything comes with homefries (except for the breakfast pizza, which sounded so decadent that you wouldn’t want anything more).
My wife ordered eggs benedict (we'll address my dish in a minute). When our respective plates arrived, I was alarmed at the whiteness of the home fries, so I rushed to put one in my mouth before the server left. Yup. Raw potatoes. Some feint skillet marks could be seen on a few of he diced spuds, but most of them actually crunched like apples. For the rest of the meal, we were showered with apologies. We laughed it off. "Hey, at least we know they’re fresh, right?” was all I could muster. Potatoes take time, so one would think that an 11am brunch opening would have given them time to prep the side dish that accompanies every breakfast item on the menu.
The potato mistake turned out to be a good thing, actually, because they quickly brought out some potatoes wedges and thin cut sweet potato fries. Both were seasoned heavily and put smiles on our faces. This was ironic, because the uncooked potatoes had next to no flavor, making me wonder if they would have been worth eating regardless. At any rate, they quickly brought Grey Poupon when I requested it for my sweet potato fries. This is a perfect combination, as I learned from years of eating at Ipanema Café. They should just bring a bottle of the stuff out with each sweet potato fry order to ensure that every diner experiences that revelatory flavor combination. The eggs benedict wasn't bad, with it’s perfectly poached egg and rich hollandaise. The only fault was the piled-on rough-cut ham, which, according to my wife, made the dish too salty. She just removed some of it and moved on.
Like clockwork, I ordered the vegetarian biscuits and (fake) sausage gravy. At this point, I should probably stop and explain my fixation with this dish. My parents have been ordering the real sausage stuff at diners and Denny’s since I was a kid. When I got serious about vegan cooking, I quickly learned that it is ridiculously easy to make tasty white gravy at home and then spike it with store bought fake meat (that link is the best recipe). When this gloppy goodness is served on top of fluffy biscuits, it’s the ultimate comfort food. My wife, who eats meat, loves my vegan version and frequently urges me to make it for her. For me, to have this brought to my table at an eatery just blocks from my home was a dream come true.
Well, almost. The version served at Cirrus featured some great homemade biscuits, but the gravy lacked the copious amounts of black pepper that gives white gravy it’s punch (and the charming black speckles in white sauce would fit the aesthetic of the Cirrus decor). Hopefully, they’ll refine their recipe in time, because I know that there is a constituency in
All in all, I’m excited about Cirrus, despite my complaints. All the indicators point to the probability that the details that I focused on were exceptions to the standard practice at Cirrus. Next time around, I’m going to try their dinner service where I've noticed more veggie options and I'll find something fashion forward to wear for the occasion.
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After reading this post, my wife informed me that a) Cirrus has brown and white interior and not black and white (more evidence that I'm going color blind) and b) that I went overboard with my dissection of the biscuits and gravy. Ya know what? She's right. The food at Cirrus all smacks of homemade goodness and care - undeserving of my anal-retentive vegan-nazi fundamentalism. Shit, I'm not even vegan anymore. My point is that the inspiration for my diatribe wasn't Cirrus' food, it was my adoration of the perfect batch of biscuits and gravy that exists in my mind. Sunday brunch was simply a convenient excuse to prattle on about one of my favorite foods.
Friday, November 16, 2007
Food was meant to be enjoyed, but...
A recent comment on my blog "gently" blasted my critical approach to
dining out. Although Ibelieve that most of my posts heap praise on
tasty dishes, I do consider it my obligation to share my questions and
concerns with other consumers. For me, part of the satisfaction of a
good eating experience is not only the flavor, ambiance, service and
company (hi Karen!), but also the monetary value of the meal, the ethic behind the operation, and the educational opportunity of a new experience. Therefore, when an meal is puzzling or troubling, then I feel compelled to share my thoughts. For instance:
I love to eat fish and, for me, Carytown Seafood is the most convenient place to buy it. I'm also an admitted cheapskate. I'd rather pay $6.99 a pound for mahi or wahoo and heap on the marinades and rubs, than pay $11.99 for grouper that sings with a squeeze of lemon. Of course, I waffle back and forth depending on the occasion or if I need to impress my wife. Either way, the folks at Carytown Seafood usually don't steer me wrong. However...
One day while at Carytown Seafood, I saw the most beautiful looking fillets for only $5.99/lb. They looked like Chilean Sea Bass, only smaller (and hopefully not nearing extinction). The sign read: Escolar. The firm cuts would be perfect for grilling. I went with a simple salt/pepper rubdown, figuring that its mackerel-like oiliness would offer a flavor to be savored.
Let's fast forward. The meal was great and my wife and I were happy with the
bargain fish. But, as the night went on, we both independently sequestered ourselves in separate bathrooms. Why? Let's ask Wikipedia about Escolar.
Like its relative the oilfish (Ruvettus pretiosus), it cannot metabolise the wax esters (Gempylotoxin) naturally found in their diet, which accumulates to give an oil content in the muscle meat of 18–21%. These wax esters may rapidly cause gastrointestinal symptoms following consumption; however, these effects are usually short lived. The gastrointestinal symptoms, called "keriorrhoea", caused by these wax esters may include oily orange diarrhea, discharge, or leakage from the rectum that may smell of mineral oil. The discharge can stain clothing and occur without warning 30 minutes to 36 hours after consuming the fish. The oil may pool in the rectum and cause frequent urges for bowel movements due to its lubricant qualities and may be accidentally discharged by the passing of gas.
If you dare read further in the Wikipedia entry, you will find out about the legislation against commercial use of the fish, or the ban on escolar in certain countries, or the list of fish that you buy regularly, but might actually take home escolar. At any rate, I don't think Carytown Seafood should sell the stuff, and I told them as much. Their response amounted to a shrug and I don't blame them. Being a bargain hunter, I'm still almost tempted to buy it every time I see it in the case. Well, almost.
Another food that seems almost too good to be true is the sunchoke,
or Jerusalem Artichoke. The other night, Karen and I had them sauteed
with garlic as well as a razor-thin-sliced raw preparation drizzled with
olive oil. Both were awesome - possibly the best tubers I'd ever had.
The next day, my wife wound up conferencing about the effects, a
pattern that is becoming all too familiar for us. That night, when
Karen went to bed early, I went down to my basement office and didn't
consider my bubbling combustion to be abnormal or offensive, since I was by myself. However, in retrospect, I probably could have levitated on a pillow of air that night. It was my polite and dainty wife's experience at work the next day after having leftover sunchokes for lunch that inspired this post (and probably a few gripes from her co-workers).
Again, let's consult Wikipedia about Sunchokes (Jerusalem Artichokes):
The inulin is not well digested by some people, leading to the misconception that sunchokes are not edible or an assumption that they cause flatulence and gastric pain. Gerard's Herbal, printed in 1621, quotes the English planter John Goodyer on Jerusalem artichokes:
"which way soever they be dressed and eaten, they stir and cause a filthy loathsome stinking wind within the body, thereby causing the belly to be pained and tormented, and are a meat more fit for swine than men." [4]
This account was not typical of most peoples' experience eating the tubers and they were cultivated in the gardens of Native America and the Pilgrims. They continue to be planted and consumed.
Yeah, right. I'd like to know if others have had this experience to these squash tasting parsnip-like root veggies. And how about a little warning next time, huh? While at work, coping with her intestinal distress, my wife found a blog post from a sympathetic foodie who uses a Rolling Stones song to summarize thesunchoke experience. I also turned up a fart-free
preparation tip that might inspire me to try these root veggies again one day.
Culinary misadventures aren't only suffered at home. Often times they begin while dining out and we are rewarded for patronizing a restaurant with stabbing pains in the gutz and hours sweating it out on the commode. I hear it's a common risk, but what is a consumer to do for recourse? Can you imagine going back the next day and complaining that you got the runs? Do people do that? And who wants a free meal in return? I'd like to name names and rattle off some restaurants that I can't bring myself to visit ever again, but it could be construed as slander and it's just plain embarrassing all around. Of course, not every customer gets struck by a bacterial chain reaction. So, as much as I'd like to break the apparent silence, I don't really know if it's right to mention offending restaurants by name. And who knows, maybe it's me (no matter how infrequently it happens or the fact that everyone around the table is usually victim of the same symptoms). Do any of you have any suggestions? Do you want names? Is it safe to say?
I will say that I used to live near El Rio Grande Cafe on Cary Street in the Fan. Since it's closed now, I can say that no matter how many times I went and ordered different (always vegetarian options) I had the worst digestive response. I started calling the place ElDiarrheo Grande. And then there's OBurrito , also thankfully defunct. Really painful problems thanks to a bunch of teens shoveling who knows what into enormous tortillas. This is usually my favorite recipe, by the way. But my problem isn't just withtex-mex, the unnamed establishments are mostly asian , but I don't think it matters. If you readers respond with your tales, I'm sure that every type of cuisine would be charged with allegedly poor practices in terms of hygiene.
As you can see, I like to point out the potholes in the roads that cut through an otherwise splendid neighborhood. For me, it's worth navigating a minefield to have those few transcendent experiences where I wind up talking endlessly about a restaurant (see Taqueria del Sol) and becoming a regular customer. But, as a guy who likes to write and share, it's the questions that really compel me, even to the point that I'm willing to paint myself in the most unflattering scenes and admit my own guilt as a frugal freak. But I'll make no apologies, because it's my curiousness that keeps me going. One day, you'll probably read my obituary: RVA Foodie, died of botulism from eating food from dented cans purchased at his favorite grocery store, Salvage Barn. My dying word, "It was 75% off the retail price. I couldn't help it."
dining out. Although Ibelieve that most of my posts heap praise on
tasty dishes, I do consider it my obligation to share my questions and
concerns with other consumers. For me, part of the satisfaction of a
good eating experience is not only the flavor, ambiance, service and
company (hi Karen!), but also the monetary value of the meal, the ethic behind the operation, and the educational opportunity of a new experience. Therefore, when an meal is puzzling or troubling, then I feel compelled to share my thoughts. For instance:
I love to eat fish and, for me, Carytown Seafood is the most convenient place to buy it. I'm also an admitted cheapskate. I'd rather pay $6.99 a pound for mahi or wahoo and heap on the marinades and rubs, than pay $11.99 for grouper that sings with a squeeze of lemon. Of course, I waffle back and forth depending on the occasion or if I need to impress my wife. Either way, the folks at Carytown Seafood usually don't steer me wrong. However...
One day while at Carytown Seafood, I saw the most beautiful looking fillets for only $5.99/lb. They looked like Chilean Sea Bass, only smaller (and hopefully not nearing extinction). The sign read: Escolar. The firm cuts would be perfect for grilling. I went with a simple salt/pepper rubdown, figuring that its mackerel-like oiliness would offer a flavor to be savored.
Let's fast forward. The meal was great and my wife and I were happy with the
bargain fish. But, as the night went on, we both independently sequestered ourselves in separate bathrooms. Why? Let's ask Wikipedia about Escolar.
Like its relative the oilfish (Ruvettus pretiosus), it cannot metabolise the wax esters (Gempylotoxin) naturally found in their diet, which accumulates to give an oil content in the muscle meat of 18–21%. These wax esters may rapidly cause gastrointestinal symptoms following consumption; however, these effects are usually short lived. The gastrointestinal symptoms, called "keriorrhoea", caused by these wax esters may include oily orange diarrhea, discharge, or leakage from the rectum that may smell of mineral oil. The discharge can stain clothing and occur without warning 30 minutes to 36 hours after consuming the fish. The oil may pool in the rectum and cause frequent urges for bowel movements due to its lubricant qualities and may be accidentally discharged by the passing of gas.
If you dare read further in the Wikipedia entry, you will find out about the legislation against commercial use of the fish, or the ban on escolar in certain countries, or the list of fish that you buy regularly, but might actually take home escolar. At any rate, I don't think Carytown Seafood should sell the stuff, and I told them as much. Their response amounted to a shrug and I don't blame them. Being a bargain hunter, I'm still almost tempted to buy it every time I see it in the case. Well, almost.
Another food that seems almost too good to be true is the sunchoke,
or Jerusalem Artichoke. The other night, Karen and I had them sauteed
with garlic as well as a razor-thin-sliced raw preparation drizzled with
olive oil. Both were awesome - possibly the best tubers I'd ever had.
The next day, my wife wound up conferencing about the effects, a
pattern that is becoming all too familiar for us. That night, when
Karen went to bed early, I went down to my basement office and didn't
consider my bubbling combustion to be abnormal or offensive, since I was by myself. However, in retrospect, I probably could have levitated on a pillow of air that night. It was my polite and dainty wife's experience at work the next day after having leftover sunchokes for lunch that inspired this post (and probably a few gripes from her co-workers).
Again, let's consult Wikipedia about Sunchokes (Jerusalem Artichokes):
The inulin is not well digested by some people, leading to the misconception that sunchokes are not edible or an assumption that they cause flatulence and gastric pain. Gerard's Herbal, printed in 1621, quotes the English planter John Goodyer on Jerusalem artichokes:
"which way soever they be dressed and eaten, they stir and cause a filthy loathsome stinking wind within the body, thereby causing the belly to be pained and tormented, and are a meat more fit for swine than men." [4]
This account was not typical of most peoples' experience eating the tubers and they were cultivated in the gardens of Native America and the Pilgrims. They continue to be planted and consumed.
Yeah, right. I'd like to know if others have had this experience to these squash tasting parsnip-like root veggies. And how about a little warning next time, huh? While at work, coping with her intestinal distress, my wife found a blog post from a sympathetic foodie who uses a Rolling Stones song to summarize thesunchoke experience. I also turned up a fart-free
preparation tip that might inspire me to try these root veggies again one day.
Culinary misadventures aren't only suffered at home. Often times they begin while dining out and we are rewarded for patronizing a restaurant with stabbing pains in the gutz and hours sweating it out on the commode. I hear it's a common risk, but what is a consumer to do for recourse? Can you imagine going back the next day and complaining that you got the runs? Do people do that? And who wants a free meal in return? I'd like to name names and rattle off some restaurants that I can't bring myself to visit ever again, but it could be construed as slander and it's just plain embarrassing all around. Of course, not every customer gets struck by a bacterial chain reaction. So, as much as I'd like to break the apparent silence, I don't really know if it's right to mention offending restaurants by name. And who knows, maybe it's me (no matter how infrequently it happens or the fact that everyone around the table is usually victim of the same symptoms). Do any of you have any suggestions? Do you want names? Is it safe to say?
I will say that I used to live near El Rio Grande Cafe on Cary Street in the Fan. Since it's closed now, I can say that no matter how many times I went and ordered different (always vegetarian options) I had the worst digestive response. I started calling the place ElDiarrheo Grande. And then there's OBurrito , also thankfully defunct. Really painful problems thanks to a bunch of teens shoveling who knows what into enormous tortillas. This is usually my favorite recipe, by the way. But my problem isn't just withtex-mex, the unnamed establishments are mostly asian , but I don't think it matters. If you readers respond with your tales, I'm sure that every type of cuisine would be charged with allegedly poor practices in terms of hygiene.
As you can see, I like to point out the potholes in the roads that cut through an otherwise splendid neighborhood. For me, it's worth navigating a minefield to have those few transcendent experiences where I wind up talking endlessly about a restaurant (see Taqueria del Sol) and becoming a regular customer. But, as a guy who likes to write and share, it's the questions that really compel me, even to the point that I'm willing to paint myself in the most unflattering scenes and admit my own guilt as a frugal freak. But I'll make no apologies, because it's my curiousness that keeps me going. One day, you'll probably read my obituary: RVA Foodie, died of botulism from eating food from dented cans purchased at his favorite grocery store, Salvage Barn. My dying word, "It was 75% off the retail price. I couldn't help it."
Thursday, November 01, 2007
Build Schools Now! Take Education OFF the Back Burner in RVA
Hey BLOGGERS! YOU ARE INVITED. In lieu of local MSM coverage of this grassroots mobiliation, your attention is sorely needed. COVER THIS CAMPAIGN KICKOFF aimed at breaking up the power-struggle in City Hall and demanding that Richmond's elected officials start prioritizing public education. Please read the following press release for specifics. Big things are on the horizon for the Build Schools Now! coalition and YOU ARE INVITED to spread the word and participate in this community mandate.
----------------
News Release
BUILD SCHOOLS NOW!!!
CAMPAIGN KICKOFF - PRESS CONFERENCE
NOVEMBER 5, 2007 - CITY HALL - 5:15PM
Contact: Art Burton (804)467-6408
Richmond City Council of PTA outlined the BUILD SCHOOLS NOW initiative prior to the regularly scheduled School Board meeting today.
The BUILD SCHOOLS NOW initiative was born in response to the letter written by the business community calling for the elimination of the elected school board and is the people’s cry to leadership to end fighting and finger pointing and make a capital investment in public education.
The BUILD SCHOOLS NOW initiative is the creation of a coalition to begin a public movement on behalf of the children in Richmond City Public Schools that calls for the groundbreaking and development of new schools as the first phase towards enhancing the public school system. On November 5, 2007, at 5:15pm you are invited to come and meet the organizational and community leaders of this coalition. At this press conference we will share details of our plans to end political in-fighting and advance educational opportunities for our children and move this city towards a new vision for public education.
We are calling on the leadership of this city to make good on its promises. These promises began as early as 2001 with the Facility Study conducted by the RPS system, in addition to the City of the Future plan developed in 2006, by the Mayor and City Administration. To date all promises have gone unfulfilled. Phase One of BUILD SCHOOLS NOW provides for new and improved facilities beginning with the following:
A. New Fulton Elementary School - the 2001 Facility Study showed over 300 students attending elementary schools live in the Fulton areas, and if an elementary school were built in that community, many of these students would attend that community school.
B. New Huguenot High School - addresses the issues of the lack of high quality middle and high schools to reverse the negative trend of losing middle class families from public schools after elementary school.
C. New Summerhill and Broad Rock Elementary Schools - addresses the issue of out-dated school buildings and shifting population south of the river.
D. Richmond Technical Center - addresses the business community need to have high school graduates who are prepared to enter the workforce.
These locations were largely selected as a result of the Facility Study recommendations; however, being aware of the recent draft Facility Study provided to the School Board which gives consideration to other schools and considering necessary funding, the BUILD SCHOOLS NOW initiative includes necessary flexibility to address the most important needs for all students and what should be the most reasonable course of action.
The BUILD SCHOOLS NOW initiative also has two other critical components that should be introduced in the beginning phase. These two components are:
1. Local School Councils - individuals should be selected from local unit PTAs, parents, community leaders, business leaders, school board, school administrators and teachers, and city officials to provide a voice for all stakeholders during the creation and implementation of projects relating to new school facilities, including; but not limited to, the building design and identification of curriculums and programs.
2. Fiduciary Control Board - individuals selected from the same groups as identified in item 1 to have the responsibility of financial accountability to allow for a third-party check and balance system.
The BUILD SCHOOLS NOW initiative opens the door for collaboration between all stakeholders committed to ensuring a 21st Century public education system that allows equal access and success for all children in the city of Richmond. To do any good for the public education system we must have a clear and specific discussion of the only things that really matter - children and classrooms. No plan to improve the schools can succeed without input from the parents - and parents must be included from the beginning.
# # #
CONTACT INFORMATION - ART BURTON (804)467-6408
----------------
News Release
BUILD SCHOOLS NOW!!!
CAMPAIGN KICKOFF - PRESS CONFERENCE
NOVEMBER 5, 2007 - CITY HALL - 5:15PM
Contact: Art Burton (804)467-6408
Richmond City Council of PTA outlined the BUILD SCHOOLS NOW initiative prior to the regularly scheduled School Board meeting today.
The BUILD SCHOOLS NOW initiative was born in response to the letter written by the business community calling for the elimination of the elected school board and is the people’s cry to leadership to end fighting and finger pointing and make a capital investment in public education.
The BUILD SCHOOLS NOW initiative is the creation of a coalition to begin a public movement on behalf of the children in Richmond City Public Schools that calls for the groundbreaking and development of new schools as the first phase towards enhancing the public school system. On November 5, 2007, at 5:15pm you are invited to come and meet the organizational and community leaders of this coalition. At this press conference we will share details of our plans to end political in-fighting and advance educational opportunities for our children and move this city towards a new vision for public education.
We are calling on the leadership of this city to make good on its promises. These promises began as early as 2001 with the Facility Study conducted by the RPS system, in addition to the City of the Future plan developed in 2006, by the Mayor and City Administration. To date all promises have gone unfulfilled. Phase One of BUILD SCHOOLS NOW provides for new and improved facilities beginning with the following:
A. New Fulton Elementary School - the 2001 Facility Study showed over 300 students attending elementary schools live in the Fulton areas, and if an elementary school were built in that community, many of these students would attend that community school.
B. New Huguenot High School - addresses the issues of the lack of high quality middle and high schools to reverse the negative trend of losing middle class families from public schools after elementary school.
C. New Summerhill and Broad Rock Elementary Schools - addresses the issue of out-dated school buildings and shifting population south of the river.
D. Richmond Technical Center - addresses the business community need to have high school graduates who are prepared to enter the workforce.
These locations were largely selected as a result of the Facility Study recommendations; however, being aware of the recent draft Facility Study provided to the School Board which gives consideration to other schools and considering necessary funding, the BUILD SCHOOLS NOW initiative includes necessary flexibility to address the most important needs for all students and what should be the most reasonable course of action.
The BUILD SCHOOLS NOW initiative also has two other critical components that should be introduced in the beginning phase. These two components are:
1. Local School Councils - individuals should be selected from local unit PTAs, parents, community leaders, business leaders, school board, school administrators and teachers, and city officials to provide a voice for all stakeholders during the creation and implementation of projects relating to new school facilities, including; but not limited to, the building design and identification of curriculums and programs.
2. Fiduciary Control Board - individuals selected from the same groups as identified in item 1 to have the responsibility of financial accountability to allow for a third-party check and balance system.
The BUILD SCHOOLS NOW initiative opens the door for collaboration between all stakeholders committed to ensuring a 21st Century public education system that allows equal access and success for all children in the city of Richmond. To do any good for the public education system we must have a clear and specific discussion of the only things that really matter - children and classrooms. No plan to improve the schools can succeed without input from the parents - and parents must be included from the beginning.
# # #
CONTACT INFORMATION - ART BURTON (804)467-6408
Friday, October 26, 2007
Crunch Time Recommendation for Entertainment Coupon Book Owners
If you own an Entertainment Coupon Book, you've only got til the end of the month to make use of your discounts. Where to go? What to do? The clock is ticking and in this case, time is definitely money because there are bargains to be had.
Okay, maybe that's a little too emphatic. But that's what the voice inside my compulsively frugal head keeps telling me. Another year and another Entertainment Book that has largely gone to waste. Often, my wife and I will drive around thumbing through the book hoping to find somewhere to eat and use a coupon to get one of the entrees for free. I always think it's going to be fun, but as our stomaches growl louder with each moment of indecision, closed down restaurant, and "under new management" excuse, sometimes the Entertainment book can be more trouble than it's worth.
Lucky for you, I've got an indulgent suggestion. Read my recent write-up of Bistro R review and consider that destination as your last Entertainment book hurrah of the 2006-07 cycle. You have until Wednesday of next week. The review was an unfortunately neglected post wherein I reclaimed this space for food writing over my frequent distration with politics. Plus, the owner of Bistro-R has chimed in with a courteous response that you may find informative.
Okay, maybe that's a little too emphatic. But that's what the voice inside my compulsively frugal head keeps telling me. Another year and another Entertainment Book that has largely gone to waste. Often, my wife and I will drive around thumbing through the book hoping to find somewhere to eat and use a coupon to get one of the entrees for free. I always think it's going to be fun, but as our stomaches growl louder with each moment of indecision, closed down restaurant, and "under new management" excuse, sometimes the Entertainment book can be more trouble than it's worth.
Lucky for you, I've got an indulgent suggestion. Read my recent write-up of Bistro R review and consider that destination as your last Entertainment book hurrah of the 2006-07 cycle. You have until Wednesday of next week. The review was an unfortunately neglected post wherein I reclaimed this space for food writing over my frequent distration with politics. Plus, the owner of Bistro-R has chimed in with a courteous response that you may find informative.
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