Posted by
ChrisR on Tuesday, August 19, 2008 2:27:11 PM
Since I missed yestreday's post due to some real work, today I am doing double-duty. The only problem is that, really, nothing interesting happened today. So it's mostly yesterday's posts and a healthy dose of linkage. Let's get started, shall we?
Awesome weekend. Friday I hung out and was productive. Saturday morning I ate some killer chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast, then hit the road to go tubing out in Harper's Ferry with a solid group of individuals. There were 13 of us total and it was a really good time, some brew dogs and a large river doesn't sound like a good combo, but it really was relaxing and a lot of fun. At only an hour and fifteenish from DC and $25? Very awesome day. Good sunburn too, which is always good.
Saturday night went and hung out with thge same group and just watched the Olympics. Michael Phelps is an animal.
Sunday woke up, went to church, ate a pretty acceptable cheese quesadilla despite extremely low expectations (all I had was american and mozarella cheese... not ideal). Then, the massive grocery shop. Since I don't have a car, I have to take the Metro to the grocery store. I have a Giant right around the corner from me, but it is small and extremely ghetto, so I opt for the brand new facitility in Columbia Heights. I bring a backpack and a duffle bag (I probably look homeless, I know) to carry my junk back. Since I hadn't gone to the store in months, it was quite a bit of shopping. Upon checking out and starting to load up my bags.... I realize, there is absolutely no way in hell that I manage to carry all of this stuff home. I'm between a rock and a hard place. Ihave foods that need to be kept cold, and there are somehow, mysteriously, no cabs in sight. I have to whip out the phone, embarrassed and defeated, calling anyone with a car and in the general region. Attempt 3 finally got me Alison and Gertrue, my savior and chariot. I have been known to endlessly mock Gertrude, Alison's 1988 Buick, covered in dirt, collapsing ceiling, roaring (literally) engine, and now it's newest feature - the crushed grill/hood from a little fender-bender action. I am now putting my foot in my mouth, as it saved me much difficulty. Thank you Gertrude, I must now accept you despite your shortcomings. Not everybody can be beautiful like my whip, Agnes. Or my old ride, the Ultimate Warrior. But that's neither here nor there. In conclusion, I am an idiot, but likely will not have to go to the grocery store until I move out (10 weeks, give or take).
I am watching the women's Olympic volleyball, and one of the girls on the Chinese team is drinking something that seriously looks like pond water. yuck.
Speaking of the Olympics, i watched Brazil play soccer this morning, and Ronaldhino really is that good. Wow.
I watch all of the Olympics sports, and I love it. Great stuff.
My bromance Jake is moving back on Friday and I am super excited.
Olympics commentators are awesome - these guys are so good with the versatility (going one sport to another) and with the foreign names - I am very impressed.
Shawn Kemp is coming back. He needs to pay those 45 children child support somehow. (But in all seriousness, it's well into the teens, all from separate mothers).
Jared Leto's band is
getting sued, but it's cool becuase he was Paul Allen in American Psycho, one of my favorite movies.
Yesterday was the 88th anniversary of the passage of the
women's suffrage act. This was the motivation for absolutely one of my favorite segments ever of the man Show. Actually...why don't you just watch it...
Being young myself, this is an issue that I am very passionate about -
the drinking age. I do not want to get into the politics and stupidity of it, but I am happy to see the argument being raised again.
Ben's Chili Bowl has a
book coming out, and I have to be honest - I am really pumped. This is very cool. I love Ben's and I love history - it will be perfect.
Spekaing of Ben's, they are celebraitng their
50th anniversary this week, and I find it very cool. I am going to try to get to at least one of these events.
Dolphins can
walk?! And teach?
Also, a review of my Sunday evening out to dinner.
After speaking with several of my coworkers, confidantes, associates, fans, friends, sidekicks, and any other word I can come up wit to mean "someone associated with me", I lowered my standards a bit for the next installment of restaurant week. I went to Ceiba Restaurant in DC, a Latin American place that I had heard excellent things about. I went with 3 others, of which I am probably the least knowledgable about food, so that was fine with me. It gave me an opportunity to learn a little somehting. So anyways, this was a little bit less dressy than the Caucus Room, but more hip. Having been to some other "hip" places, I knew what to expect - all presentation, small plates, good but not fantastic food. I was fine with that, in this case. It's a Sunday night and I was looking forward to it.
To start, I had heard that the cocktails there were excellent. Problem #1 - I don't find a cocktail to be terribly refreshing with a meal. The girls had mojitos, a pisco (something foreign) sour, and a ... well Ihave no idea what the third drink was. I opted for a Spanish beer. It was quite nice - not a stout but a good, thick dark beer. That was exactly what I was interested in. Our waiter was really really gay. Not like there's anything wrong with that.
Anyways, moving on, I ordered the Bermuda Fish Chowder to start, the Gaucho Ribeye for entree and the banana caramel mouse cake for dessert. I kind of cheated because, really, the ribeye was nothing groundbreaking, but that's what I ws seriously in the mood for. I am a little mad at myself for not being adventurous, but whatever, I survived.
The Fish Chowder came, and it was completely not what I expected. I was thinking a white, cream-based chowder with white fish in it. Not at all - it was a broth-based soupy thing, with all sort of fish in it. It was absolutely delicious as wlel. Good kick, nice, tender vegetables and fish in the chowder, and a very nice flavor. It wasn't too hot, and I really enjoyed it. With the meal they brought out two miniature beakers with rum and something else in them. I guess they were "accents" for the dish, as explained by the waiter when I looked puzzled. It was not just thrown out there, assuming I was clueless. He waited until I was looking clueless before explaining. That's the way it should be handled. Two of the girls had shrimp ceviche and the fourth in our party had a yellow tomato gazpacho. All said they were delicious.
Then the entrees came. As I complained about alst week, the dishes are never as large as you would like at fancy places. It happens. However, my ribeye was GIGANTIC. Probably close to 12+ ozs, with a mountain of fried onion and chimichuri sauce. Again, it was delicious. The chimichurri had just the right amount of flavor and heat, the meat was perfectly cooked, tender, juicy, and the onions really hit the spot. This was a HUGE dish which I actually had some difficulty finishing. The girls had more adventure dishes - tuna, grilled pork tenderlion, and pork shank "feijoda". The tuna scares me - I cant think about eating something that looks purple like that. Regardless, it was said to be wonderful. The pork was complimented in both cases - the first was a bbq pulled pork that was not so much bbq or pulled, but generally delicious looking. tHe latter was sort of a giant piece of pork in a black bean and who knows what else stew - also looked and smelled great. That diner said it was fantasic as well.
Desserts were great, all around.
I really have to hand it to Ceiba - this meal was really excellent and should be what Restaurant Week is all about. Sure, we may have been treated a little bit lesser than if we were full-scale patrons, but we were not belittled. The staff was courteous and the food was really very very good. I had feared that presentation would have played too large a part, but such was not the case at all. It was just, all around, great. Best restaurant week experience I have had. In fact, as this week should have done for everywhere I went, I now want to go back there. The other 3 I have gone to (Bobby Vans, Caucs Room, Oya) - I doubt I would ever return. I was not wowed for the price. Ceiba, on the other hand, was a great experience. Strongly recommended.
And now, to close out this post, 2 more additions to the Journey countdown since I missed yesterday. Take it away Steve Perry.
Send Her My Love (embed disabled)
and
Who's Crying Now