1400 replies to this topic

[kitkatpaddywak]

First Post ever....
Hello to all. A brief introduction- I'm Kathryn Hull- recent addition to the staff at Corduroy. I am interested in learning more about this city through other people that work at other restaurants. A " dining tour guide " of sorts, I am in search for- the more the merrier. Anyone interested in filling this position or at least giving me some direction is well appreciated. It seems that HH at FF is the place to go to get started- but any other suggestions I would love as well.

[mdt]

  First Post ever....
      Hello to all. A brief introduction- I'm Kathryn Hull- recent addition to the staff at Corduroy. I am interested in learning more about this city through other people that work at other restaurants. A " dining tour guide " of sorts, I am in search for- the more the merrier. Anyone interested in filling this position or at least giving me some direction is well appreciated. It seems that HH at FF is the place to go to get started- but any other suggestions I would love as well.

Welcome!

You will find a good deal of information reading through the various threads on this site, and others. Since you are working at Corduroy, you will meet more of us than you could imagine! But do not let that stop you from joining us for HH.

[JPW]

Welcome Kat.

At Corduroy, you're certain to get to know a fair number of us rather quickly.

Keep an eye on the "On a whim ..." thread. Most of us don't bite. Although Peanut gave me a doozy on the leg the other night.

[FunnyJohn]

Welcome Kathryn: I guess we'll have to have an HH at FF tomorrow (Friday) if you are able to attend. But if not, as mdt and JPW have pointed out, you will inevitably find us at Corduroy at some point in the near future.

[starfish]

welcome to dc, kat.

you will find that the community of restaurant professionals here to be a fun, interesting, passionate, and generally happy lot. there are high concentrations of industry people at the old ebbitt corner bar for the late night happy hour, bedrock billiards for the adams morgan set, bistro du coin for those who are still hungry after work, the bar at capital grille on sundays, monday nights at palena.

welcome again.

[Giancarlo Buonarotti]

  First Post ever....
      Hello to all. A brief introduction- I'm Kathryn Hull- recent addition to the staff at Corduroy. I am interested in learning more about this city through other people that work at other restaurants. A " dining tour guide " of sorts, I am in search for- the more the merrier. Anyone interested in filling this position or at least giving me some direction is well appreciated. It seems that HH at FF is the place to go to get started- but any other suggestions I would love as well.

WELCOME TO DC. I HAD A GREAT DINNER AT CORDUROY TUES NIGHT BEFORE GOING TO SEE PORGY AND BESS. GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR QUEST.
CV

[kitkatpaddywak]

Such a warm reception from everyone. Thank you- In the short time I have been in the city I have received nothing but the kindest words from all that I have met. I was very fortunate to win the lottery for the Dec 5th dinner and am looking forward to meeting many others. Chin Chin

[starfish]

i know that we all think of ourselves as an affable and approachable lot, however, i have heard from more than a few people that one’s first post can be a little intimidating to write. i think that it would come easier after an introduction.

since i have a few friends who have recently joined the board, i have been thinking about this a bit recently. therefore, i am nominating this thread as the place to say hello. all of you lurkers, members without a post, etc, feel free to drop a line or two here. say hello. i swear it gets easier after your first one.

still not sure? ok, i'll start...

good day to everyone. i am new to the board. i am danny, i manage a little italian restaurant in foggy bottom. i found this board after a friend mentioned it to me, and am very happy to be here. i hope to be an active part of this community.

thanks, don and everyone else for letting me play in your sandbox.

[SrtaJRosa]

Greetings and salutations!

My name is Julia, I work with Danny at our lovely italian trattoria down in foggy bottom. I had heard some buzz about this board through various friends in the industry, and decided it was time to join after teaming with Danny at Notti Bianche. I am bilingual and speak fluent Spanish, a talent I hope to utilize in the restaurant.

I look forward to meeting everyone, though I doubt I'll get much of a chance. You know how much of a slavedriver Danny is.

In any case, you're more than welcome to stop in and say hi. I love to meet others who are as fond of cuisine and the art of the restaurant business as I am.

Gracias.

[Tweaked]

Please allow me to introduce myself
I'm a man of wealth and taste

I'm Tweaked and I've been putzing around food boards for about three years. I'm not associated with any restaurants but once wrote for a lightly regarded food blog.

Come in and join the party

[mattkantor]

I am Matt Kantor, Owner of "a slightly retarded food blog" (see previous post). I am not currently associated with a restaurant, but hung out in several for a while, mostly taking up space and eating mise en place. Sometimes I would cook stuff.

Now I work at Discovery channel, having required a break from the $10 an hour as a line cook. Somehow, I still manage to mis-use sodium alginate on a regular basis, probably due to an over-indulgence of Barolo (new style) and Burgundy (old style).

Used to rent a house with Mr Tweaked (also see above) back in the University at Albany days, where we would almost daily ruin a perfectly good chicken with pataks curry paste. Thus my finding this website.

Turn ons: Happy hour, saffron, pimenton, sitting on Pennsylvania Avenue with my laptop and a beer and enjoying the sights walking by.

Turn offs: Overcooked food, liquid smoke, speeding ticket cameras, people who talk about themselves too much on food boards, quotes on menus (thanks Eric Z for not having any).

[hillvalley]

My name is hillvalley and I spend too much time on donrockwell.com. At least I used to until the firewall at work started blocking the site forcing me to get actual work done.

I love natto, french fries and a good Bloody Mary. I don't like strong coffee, taking anything out of the freezer and doing the dishes.

My days are spent cajoling teenagers to do their school work and running the special education program at a charter school downtown.

I spend my nights planning blowout dinners and events for you to enjoy and then nagging you to pay using paypal. The former is one of my great joys, the later is one of my least favorite activites.

My screen name is a combination of where I grew up and my birthday. Come to an event and I'll introduce myself with my real name and explain my screen name I followed Rocks here from eGullet and tried to be a supportive sounding board back when Don was creating our little world. It has since grown above and beyond our craziest dreams.

When I grow up I want to spend my days eating around the world.

[ferment everything]

I'm Eric.

I have a nerdy food-blog-googlemaps-website (EricEatsLunch) which is more focused on getting decent food at cheap-lunch prices than on eating the actual best food.

I used to be a bartender but I'm taking a break from that.

I brew beer, bake bread with the spent grains, make cheese, have dabbled in making sausage, mayonnaise, marmalade (failed), sauerkraut (failed twice), mead, and I'm sure I'm forgetting a few others. I like to make food products more than I like cooking dishes.

I eat fine dining when I can, but I'm on a limited budget so more frequently just end up eating grilled cheese in my apartment.

I am addicted to Good Eats and owe my foodie inclination mostly to it.

These websites are fun. I look forward to being a very effective lurker and occasionally chiming in.

[sunshine]

Hello, I'm sunshine, a relatively new member and still a shrimp.

My husband and I love reading your posts. We are not restaurant industry folks or food writers. We're both stereotypical DC professionals. He works on the Hill and I'm a guv'mint lawyer. We both enjoy great food (cooking and eating it), farmers markets, and found Don.Rockwell through chowhound.

I'm always thinking about my next meal. And I love natto too! hillvalley, i knew I'd find someone in this community who loves it also.

One day we'll get the gumption to attend a DR event. We live vicariously through a lot of you.

[joncephine]

My name is Kate, and I've been lurking on this board for a number of months.

Surprisingly enough, I didn't actually have fear of posting for the first time - I am more nervous about the subsequent responses. I'm still curious as to how some people get up to 4 digits worth of posts! But, since I believe in irony, I'll re-post this post when I have 3,578 posts to my credit.

Since I came to the DC area 6 years ago, my boyfriend and I have moved through several stages of eating out -- from "ooh, dennys!" to "if its ethnic, we love it" and finally to "almost-foodie." We're always looking for quality eating experiences for a value. At some point, we'll even move from a "value" experience to "ooh, let's spend money for the hell of it" as we make more money. I know the Rockwellians will help us make this transition.

Matt Kantor, you and I can bond over a hatred of speed cameras, and I can bond with everyone else over great Indian food and Rieslings.





_____
Kate
"Its like the Olympics and the World Series multiplied by x, where x equals awesome."

[Heather]

As most of you probably guessed by now, my name is Heather. I love cooking and eating and usually get my husband to do the dishes. Right now my job is the care and feeding of two small foodies. My favorite cuisine is Thai and latest project is home canning.

Latest food-related pipe dream: currently a friend and I are hatching a scheme to open a small fancy housewares/pastry counter in downtown Rockville.

[Seeker]

Hello, my name is Carol . . .

I'm a foodie from way back. It started in the 'hood - the real 'hood - Flatbush in the '50s. Wonderful Italian food. Great delicatessens where the male waiters with white aprons told you what to eat (Kishka? No, you don't want the kishka. Trust me, you want the stuffed cabbage.) Ebinger's mocha buttercream cakes. Great Chinese food just over the Brooklyn Bridge in Chinatown. Nathan's at Coney Island where the cognoscenti ate in the dining room. Lundy's incredible seafood. An array of Armenian restaurants on Atlantic Avenue. Kamehachi Sushi on 42nd Street where we ate this new delight in 1966.

Then in the '70s I moved to Philadelphia where the town has gone from nowheresville-to-eat to a Restaurant Renaissance, and now a lively BYOB dining scene as well as full-service restaurants. There are also fun ethnic haunts I frequent with fellow members of the Dangerous Dining Club. Among the cuisines we've sampled recently are Moroccan, Puerto Rican, French, Brazilian, Burmese, and Venezuelan.

I've had some great meals in the DC area when there visiting my daughter and son-in-law. Two weeks ago when I was in town for a professional meeting I had a memorable meal at Notti Bianche - grilled octopus appetizer, raviolini in a cream sauce with morels and fresh peas, and a delicate semi-freddo with a light honey sauce for dessert. We also enjoyed a leisurely dinner in the cafe at Palena in Cleveland Park where my only quibble was the music was inaudible.

Full Disclosure: While my delightful daughter Julia is the assistant manager at Notti Bianche, she had nothing to do with preparing the food. Tony Chittum is a great chef. And kudos to Heather Chittum for the dessert!

[ScotteeM]

Hey, Carol, Welcome!

Looks like we did the changing of the guard. I left Philadelphia in 1977, after growing up and getting married there. My sister and her husband are in the business in the Montgomery County suburbs.

I look forward to more posts from you.

Just one question: What kind of cheese do you prefer on your Philly cheese steaks?

[jblum]

Hi, I'm Julie, and I found this website maybe from a link from DCFoodies.com, or maybe through Google, I can't remember.

I'm a scientist-turned-lawyer-type who thinks that cooking and science experiments are a lot alike - just mix things together in different ways until you get the result you want. I don't have a lot of time to cook, though, so I really enjoy eating delicous food.

I have lived in Baltimore for 6 years, so I feel like I know that restaurant scene pretty well. But I just started a new job here in DC and need to start discovering the delicious things that it holds.

I love reading the posts here on DR.com - the posts always alternate between making me hungry and making me laugh.

[Pool Boy]

I'm a foodie that likes to say 'I'm brian and so is my wife.' as well as 'We worship the gourd.'

But that's just trying to be funny.

I actually got in to being a foodie and a wino maybe 6, 8, 10 or more years ago depending on your definition. But my wife and I plan our travels and our calendar based on places to eat and experience. Not as the sole basis, of course, but it clearly comes in to play in the decision-making process.

Mega expensive dinners. Cheap eats. Dives. Joints. Cooking. Experimenting in the kitchen. Wine tastings. All that and more.

I found out about this place I am not sure how, but not long after it opened, probably due to info over on eGullet but I do not really remember. I used to post there and Chowhound, but not anymore. I rarely even read those places much anymore. I spend most of my wine-time on Vinocellar.com and WinoDepot.com and then spend my foodie time here and on my wife's joint, Roguefood.

[Seeker]

Hey, Carol, Welcome!

Looks like we did the changing of the guard. I left Philadelphia in 1977, after growing up and getting married there. My sister and her husband are in the business in the Montgomery County suburbs.

I look forward to more posts from you.

Just one question: What kind of cheese do you prefer on your Philly cheese steaks?

Well, I am originally from Brooklyn. I like my soft pretzels without mustard, and provolone on my cheesesteaks along with tomato sauce and grilled onions. That's a pizza steak. Not the classic, but I highly recommend it.

[Nadya]

Oh good grief, another thread to respond to and forget as always.

My name is Nadya, I drifted here from egullet.org that encouraged my till-then dormant interest in eating and blabbing. I am famous for my ability to work the word "bottom" into every sentence and the knowledge of many adjectives.

From 9 to 5, I'm a nonprofit health communicator who gets paid to make using condoms sound like fun. At night, I'm either fronting the door at Bis or walking into the door some place else. I write a column for dcist which some people say is masturbatory. Well, the real truth had to come out eventually, you know. Typing with one hand ain't easy.

Also, I grew up in a very tough place with actual breadlines where at times food was so scarce that we had no bread and had to eat our caviar straight out of the jar.

[Roger Troutman]

I am best known as the leader, founder, songwriter, singer, and guitarist of early-'80s funk masters Zapp. I was shot to death by my brother Larry on April 25, 1999. I really liked eating and drinking, so that's why I'm here now. Here is the cover of an album of mine that was re-released a couple of years ago, of which I am quite fond (the cover, mostly).

[giant shrimp]

Here is the cover of an album of mine that was re-released a couple of years ago, of which I am quite fond (the cover, mostly).

this is eerie, and outrageously bare chested.

[DonRocks]

I am best known as the leader, founder, songwriter, singer, and guitarist of early-'80s funk masters Zapp. I was shot to death by my brother Larry on April 25, 1999.

Afterwards, the band was called Led In Zapp ... or was it Led Zeppelin?

this post will self-delete in four minutes

[ljauss]

Hey all,

I'm Lindsay, and I realized that I have a few posts on another board for foodies (which is where I found this board).

My husband and I are big time food fans, so that's why I work for Whole Foods now. It's amazing to finally be able to taste my produce! This is all after years of thinking I only liked pasta and chicken, when really I only dislike my mom's cooking. So now after some cooking classes and tons of samples (and miles of running so I can keep eating!) we're both certified junkies.

The boards have turned us on to some AWESOME folks who have just out of the goodness of their hearts said hi and gave us extras at meals. So to those who even remotely recognize me (all one or two of you) hello! And to those I haven't yet met - see you soon.

My Ray's dinner this Friday will actually be my first group outing - DH let me out of the cage every now and then.

[NotQuickDraw]

"Who are you?" “No one of consequence.”

“I must know... “ “Get used to disappointment.”

Actually, my name is Colleen, and mostly I commit that most evil of sins, lurking. (You can guess my last name from my screen name – if you’re old enough.) I’ve met a number of you out there, as I have attended some of the dinners and a happy hour or two. I am married to agm, and he posts sometimes – often I am relegated to the +1.

I am a Program Manager, a contractor for one of the local beltway bandits, so nothing interesting there.

I love good wine, but I know very little about wine, so I rely on the kindness of strangers – or at least really good sommeliers, wine managers, and bartenders. And I’ve met some pretty great ones through this group!

I love good food, but I totally can’t cook. I mean I suck! (I have trouble with toast. Toast is very difficult. You have to watch it all the time or it burns up. Julia Child ) I’ve never worked in the biz, except once in college as a waitress (back in the stone age) and a pizza cook. I was the worst server in the world! Not smart enough. I was ok as a pizza cook, mostly since I could toss the dough in the air while people watched. It was my only cooking skill. Don’t know if I can still do it.

It’s DanielK’s fault I’m here at all, since he introduced me to you all, but he will probably disavow all knowledge.

Can’t wait for Saturday, when agm and I are coming to RTC. Also, I may be a bad person, but I have been incredibly entertained by the Sushi Kappo and Agraria threads – after all, “If you can’t say anything nice, come sit by me!”.

[Venerable Bede]

I'm here to post, if only to say that I am saddened that I was never able to make it out to a happy hour. As, alas, I have moved to San Francisco (I know, poor me). Nevertheless, I do find time to check in every once in a while to see how D.C. is going. That being said-

I'm Chris, and I lived in D.C. for over 8 years. I came to DR from that other web page that Don used to moderate. I guess I found a place to hang out after my first visit to Rosa Mexicano, and found that I wasn't alone in my thoughts about it- ventworm and all.

Anyway, like I said above, I hope to keep checking in every so often.

[DonRocks]

Lots of new members sign up, but many are hesitant about taking that first-post plunge.

This is a great place to do it - it doesn't have to be about food, or restaurants, or much of anything.

Do you have a dog?

Enjoy pogo-sticking?

People here are ALWAYS looking for a good plumber, urologist, or mechanic - maybe that's you?

Tell us, please! We want to know about you.

And thanks for joining. And welcome!
Rocks.

[bettyjoan]

My name is Betty, and I'm a Rockaholic.



Seriously, this website is one of my favorite workday distractions. Not that I don't love my job (I'm a standard-issue government lawyer, but I really do enjoy my work and feel strongly about my agency's mission), but I love food even more! I really dig the interactions on this board, and the fact that chefs and diners come together for open, interesting, and (usually) cordial dialogue.

I like to cook, but I'm more of a recipe-follower than a recipe-creator. Plus, my schedule is pretty hectic (in addition to my work, I dabble in community theater and volunteer for the American Cancer Society), so I'm often too zonked out to do anything impressive in the kitchen. So, eating out is my main food-related passion, and I do it as much as my paltry paycheck will allow. I'll eat just about anything, and I've had a lot of fun exploring the DC dining scene for the past 2.5 years (I came here from Atlanta by way of Knoxville, and I was born in New York--I also lived in Spain for a while in college).

I live with my baby sister (who is moving to San Francisco in May--sniffle), my boyfriend, and my very well-fed cat, Boo. I love to read, I am a HUGE college football fan, I'm a closet TV junkie, and I'm a pretty darn good bowler. I try to work out to reverse all of my dining damage, but I really hate to exercise. I love beer, especially if it's good and hoppy. I like wine, too, but I know very little about it and I can't always drink it because it triggers my migraines. I write for two blogs, one of which (www.EatFoo.com) is food-related and neither of which gets updated as much as it should.

I hope to attend a happy hour or dinner one of these days--maybe those of us who are in town for the December holidays can get together. Thanks for everything you all bring to this forum!

[figureitout26]

Hi I'm Jeannine the newest newbie.

I found out about this site from some some friends and co-workers. I am the manager at Grapeseed Bistro in Bethesda. Right now we are closed for expansion and I'm just waiting in the backround to find out about when these inspectors will approve our site. I am both nervous and excited about the new dig but I have utmost confidence that in a few weeks time we'll have everything down to a science...or so I say.

In any case, these days I spend a lot of time trying to master my Grandmothers recipies...my latest project was empanadas. Yumm. I'm honing my cooking abilities as we speak but I have lightyears to go. For now I'm just having fun with it and trying to develop a few "go-to" recipies for different types of cuisines that I like.
Food and wine facinates me and I look forward to getting downtown more often to check out all the aforementioned places.
I love the trend of modern asian-inspired cuisine and the joys that classical french cooking offer. Trying new restaurants and food is one of the greatest pleasures I've experienced, next to scoring goals in soccer (hasn't happened in a yr+), and traveling abroad.

Things I love: The smell of grass & rain, hot chocolate w/marshmellows, soy cappuchinos, cheese w/wine, REM sleep, Uefa Champions League.
Things I don't like: Bad drivers, over-priced food, 2 checkout lanes open out of 20 at the grocery, poor customer service, single-ply toilet paper, and warm wine.

Thanks for having me...I look forward to reading more amusing and educational posts.

[DonRocks]

Betty and Jeannine, thank you for writing about yourselves. I enjoyed reading what you had to say, and I'm looking forward to reading your posts.

Would others consider following suit? Even those of you who have been around for awhile? It's so much more personal and (gulp) meaningful when you know who is writing something - at least it is to me.

Nevertheless, it's optional as always.

Thanks,
Rocks.

[SrtaJRosa]

Hi. My name is Julia. I speak fluent Spanish and am musically inclined, and I am from the city of brotherly love (now known as the city that loves you back and then some. Maybe they changed the name of Philly yet again. No, I did not grow up in the burbs, but in the heart of the city.) I share the pleasure of enjoying a delightful cocktail with others and occasionally trying my hand at one of my own. I used to be connected to Notti Bianche, although I have ventured otherwise in a year's time. Today I enjoy my time when Tabatha isn't waking me before it is time.

[monavano]

Welcome fellow Philadelphian! Welcome to the land of steak and cheese...

[vahomewinetastings]

Hi, I am also new to DonRockwell and also from Philadelphia area. It seems like there are a lot of us out here. I am not the traditional Philly Cheesesteak eater. I do not like the Cheezwhiz type cheese used as some of the better known establishments. I prefer good old Provolone or American (yikes). I grew up in Rosemont, PA (near Villanova University) so I guess I am more of a Philly Suburbs person.

I now live in Vienna, VA with my husband and three kids. I work part-time from home so you will probably see me a lot on this board. I love to cook - especially anything new. I love wines and learning about wine. I also love Good Beer.

My husband is on his way to China for a business trip so we are about to order take-out Chinese for dinner.

Thanks for setting up this introduction area.

Cheers,

Mary Michelsen
Independent Wine Consultant
www.myttv.com/mary9129

[DonRocks]

New members, would you consider coming to this event?

Please post on the thread that you're coming, and we'll all make sure you're welcome just like an old friend.

[bettyjoan]

I wish I could attend the PS 7's event, as I'm a big fan of the place and have yet to try the charcuterie, but I'll be in Vegas that week (eating well, I hope). Hope everyone has fun! I look forward to meeting folks at a future shindig.

[jigones]

My name is Juan (would be a lot cooler if it was Don Juan. ) I am not associated with a restaurant and probably will never be, but I love to cook and eat good food. With that, comes my love for good wine.

I am on a constant search of the perfect meal, but I often find that I can cook half of the items on the menu . This leads me to my biggest pet peeve...... bad service and lack of atmosphere .

When I find a gem, I like to stick to it but I am never opposed to trying something new.

[Red]

Hello all,
I've been lurking on the board for about a year and finally decided to come out of the shadows. This is such a great community and well run bulletin board that I'm really starting to feel guilty that I haven't contributed anything to it.

I'm a transplant to DC by way of Chicago. I'm here for the next few years repaying my debt to Uncle Sam for putting me through medical school. I live on U Street and plan to post some updates on my experiences up there soon. I grew up in TX and spent quite a few years in NM so I have definite opinions on BBQ and Mexican food. I'm planning on making it to the PS7 Happy Hour next week and look forward to meeting some of the faces behind the posts.

[chefjim]

Hello Everyone,
My name is Jim. I am currently running a Country Club kitchen in Scranton PA. (I grew up in the Chicago area)
I am serving my 20th year of a life sentence in the foodservice industry. I still love all aspects of our business (well at least the ones in the back of the house).
I am semi functional out in the real world, but am still working on my mis en place there.
I am currently searching for a property to turn into the best restaurant I can possibly run. (the working for other people has run its course, and I finally paid off my C.I.A. loans a couple years ago.)
I look forward to learning some new things here and hopefully helping out where I can.
Thanks for letting me be part of this community.

[ghostrider]

Hey folks,

I've drifted in & out & back into a few other food boards. When we were planning a trip to DC in Oct, someone suggested I look here for restaurant suggestions. I remembered Don from one of my "in" periods at eG & so I ran the board down.

Don't know how much I'll have to contribute here, since we live in NJ just outside of NYC, but I became an instant fan of DC last month, had a wonderful time, & know we'll be back at least once a year, hopefully more. I expect I'll have some sporadic comments on the foods we find in our travels.

My name is Anton but since I've been ghostrider everywhere I've gone on the Net for the last 7 years, it's too late to change now. No I'm not a leather-clad crime-fighting biker; I pinched the name from a John Fogerty lyric, who of course was referencing Ghostriders In The Sky.

I grew up in suburban St. Louis. Unlike most of my peers, I was raised on fresh vegetables from our backyard garden. I've never lost my taste for the fresh stuff since. Moved to NYC after college, lived there approx. 20 years, then moved across the Hudson 16 years ago, but still within easy striking distance of Manhattan.

In the 1970s I taught myself Indian & then Chinese cooking. I became quite good at certain aspects of both, if I may say so, particularly the Indian dishes. Over the years my ambitions dwindled; I still do all the cooking in our house, but these days I tend towards a quasi-Italian minimalist approach, a description that seemed to resonate with some folks on another board. I do a lot of greenmarket shopping (enjoyed Dupont Circle market greatly!) & generally let whatever's fresh & in season shape our meals.

I'm "transitioning" toward a third career, or something like that. I was a literary agent for 10 years, then a system analyst for a big insurer, then I got downsized in the new millenium. While I figure out what's next, I've been working as the lunchtime delivery guy at Belgiovine's Italian Deli in Montclair, NJ, a shop widely known for having the best mozz & store-made ravioli in North Jersey. It's run by 2 brothers-in-law who came over from Bari 25 years ago & believe me, it's the real deal. Somehow this transition phase has entered its 3rd year. One of these days I'll figure out what comes next.

Oh yes, my great-grandfather invented the corncob pipe, the well-known Missouri Meerschaum. Unfortunately my grandfather had no head for business & lost the company, and with it my chance to be a corncob pipe tycoon. Such is fate.

I have a short list of places I want to try when we get back to DC, which I hope will be soon. Cheers, see y'all in cyberspace.

[DonRocks]

Oh yes, my great-grandfather invented the corncob pipe, the well-known Missouri Meerschaum. Unfortunately my grandfather had no head for business & lost the company, and with it my chance to be a corncob pipe tycoon. Such is fate.

According to my mom, my Uncle Don (after whom I was named) "invented the Gradall" - a story absolutely debunked by this website. Then again, she also tells me she used to walk five miles to school in the snow, and had to wrap rags around her feet because they couldn't afford proper shoes. Honest, she still says this if you ask her! I didn't believe her when I was ten, and I still don't believe her now.

A bunch of malarky, just like Al Dente claiming his great-great-great grandfather was shot by Billy The Kid.

Yeah, and I'm the Queen of England. It's nice to see you here, Anton!

[ghostrider]

Thanks!

Shot by Billy The Kid? How poetic.

Those ingenious Dutch immigrants! When they weren't inventing corncob pipes it was excavators.

It's actually true about my great-grandad though. If you go to Washington MO, where this all happened, there's a big historical plaque in a park overlooking the Missouri River that tells the story.

We used to drive out to Washington frequently when I was a kid, one of my dad's brothers lived there, back when it was still a slieepy little farm town. I think the real purpose of those trips was the German butcher in town - the bacon, the sausages, & the infamous "raw hack" that we used to bring back, my lord - well, it's no wonder that my dad survived 3 heart attacks. Or had them; the wonder is that he survived them.

[pax]

Oh dear Rockwellians, I have left my introduction too late. I found you all some monthes ago and lurked happily, guzzling up ideas and suggestions and some yummy calories.

I finally started posting recently and really enjoying this place and this week my husband came home and told me he'd been offered a buy out and an early retirement. He's taking it and we are bugging out of here as early as January.

Washington has been good to us. Thanks for all the fun, and if any of you know anyhting about Brattleboro, VT, please feel free to contact me or start a thread, if Don doesn't mind.

Slan!

[Steve R.]

A lot of what ghostrider had to say goes for me as well. My wife and I will be in DC for a long weekend the end of Dec so dr.com was recommended to me, actually by ghostrider and Heather, among others. Of course, in order to do that, I guess it's clear that, I too, am a member of other food boards, crossing paths with many dr members over the last 10 years or so. However, in case anyone's wondering, I'm one of the nicer ones on those boards .

At any rate, except for a 6 year stint teaching High School and going to grad school in St.Louis (mid-70s), I am born, raised and currently live in Brooklyn, NY. And we eat out in Bklyn and other parts of NYC approximately 8 nights/week, so I'm familiar with a lot of places. Not so much the high or molecular end(s), having little interest in Per Se, WD-40 (that's a joke, folks; I know it's 50) or similar. I am very approachable for recommendations as long as you dont mind opinionated answers that reflect my taste but take into consideration your stated interests. I'm also one of the more social folks on the boards and go out to dinner regularly with many, many others from the assorted food boards out there. I'm still active on all, although my "home" is on one particular board the past several years (I dont know dr preferences on giving other board names here so I wont). That means, if you're going to be in NYC and want to meet me or others over a meal, I'm open to it & can try to set it up. Similarly, I plan to have dinner with at least one, if not more, dr members in late December.

That being said, my name is really Steve R.

And thanks for this board. What I've seen/read so far, I really like.

[Al Dente]

A bunch of malarky, just like Al Dente claiming his great-great-great grandfather was shot by Billy The Kid.

Yeah, and I'm the Queen of England.

The Malarkeys were on my mother's side of the family. Deppity Bob, rest his soul, was on my dad's side.
 Bob_Ollinger_death_marker.jpg   1.1MB   120 downloads

[legant]

New members, would you consider coming to this event?

Please post on the thread that you're coming, and we'll all make sure you're welcome just like an old friend.

Or this one.

[JLK]

Hello Everyone,
My name is Jim. I am currently running a Country Club kitchen in Scranton PA. (I grew up in the Chicago area)
I am serving my 20th year of a life sentence in the foodservice industry. I still love all aspects of our business (well at least the ones in the back of the house).
I am semi functional out in the real world, but am still working on my mis en place there.
I am currently searching for a property to turn into the best restaurant I can possibly run. (the working for other people has run its course, and I finally paid off my C.I.A. loans a couple years ago.)
I look forward to learning some new things here and hopefully helping out where I can.
Thanks for letting me be part of this community.

Welcome! Which club in Scranton? I'm from Taylor.

[plusone]

Hello!

My name is Lisa, and I've attended several events as ErikOx's "+1." I thought it might be time to become a legitimate member of the board. I've met a few of you in person and don't know your screen names, which feels a bit backwards to me..

Anyhow, I only really became interested in food a few years ago, when I got engaged and moved to DC with a man who has a love of fine dining. I enjoy cooking as well as dining out, but find that I'm much more successful at the latter. I love wine, but need to work on my pairing skills, because there isn't anything quite so lovely as beautiful dish, beautifully paired, in my estimation. I have no relationship with the food industry other than a grateful participant, and I'm not a writer of any kind, just an enjoyer. My typical thoughts after a good meal are, "I like that. It was yummy. When can we do this again?"

I'm looking forward to reading for myself everyone's thoughts, experiences and recommendations!

[Joscmt]

Hi Everyone! My name is Marylisa Lichens and I'm the owner of FireFlies Restaurant in the Del Ray neighborhood of Alexandria. A dear friend told me about this site and I'm excited to check it out.
If anyone has any questions or comments about the restaurant, please don't hesitate to ask. I look forward to reading through the threads!

www.firefliesdelray.com