dracisk

5 hours ago, DonRocks said:

I'm pretty sure there's a thread on here about this - does anyone remember where it is?

I think this is the thread you're looking for. Bart has a great post on December 17th (top of page 2 in the version I'm looking at) about TSA Pre-Check and Global Entry.

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[Yes, indeed it is. Many thanks! Rocks]

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought TSA Pre-Check was for getting through security before getting on a plane (you don't have to take off your shoes, take out your laptop, etc.) and Global Entry was for getting through immigration upon arrival after an international flight (kiosks rather than waiting in line to see a CBP officer).

I think I know where that other thread is -- I'll try to find it.

20 minutes ago, Kev29 said:

Still (kind of) lives on with the name and signage for the strip on its old plot.

I could have sworn I'd seen the Anchor Inn sign, but since it closed in 2004 and was torn down in 2006 according to Wikipedia, I thought I was wrong. Good to know I'm not losing my mind!

19 minutes ago, ktmoomau said:

we went to Wagamama and had teriyaki chicken and yakisoba

Did you go to the Wagamama in the Prudential Center? My college aged stepdaughter waitresses there. :-)

Pictures show horrible devastation.  Never visited there but oh my it holds or held so much old architecture.  Very tragic.

Some older recipes focused on pancetta and red pepper flakes--> very peppery tomato sauce.  Very tasty.  Don't think I've had it with bucatini or ziti or tubular pasta.

That sauce was prevalent in NY area in my youth as I recall.

The footage of the 8-year-old girl being pulled out of the wreckage of her bedroom killed me.

The origin story of Friday's was indeed fascinating! I never would have suspected that it was "'a hotspot for the Memphis counterculture,' known 'for its boozy adventures, drug experimentation, and sexual subversion—including an underground queer scene.'”

Not much to add to the above, but I finally walked over on this beautiful day. I had the chickpea pita and the labneh. Both delicious, especially the labneh. I'm kind of a labneh freak since discovering it at Zaytinya many years ago. I have no idea how Shouk made labneh without dairy (well, I kind of do since I just read a vegan labneh recipe), but it was amazing!! The pita was pillowy and delicious, and like people said above all the flavors were fresh and bright tasting. I really wanted to try to the polenta fries, but I was afraid that would be way too much food (not sure why I let that stop me). I didn't see and forgot about the cardamom chocolate chip cookies! I would have loved to have tried one of those.

Someone above mentioned that their pita was $10.75. The prices aren't online and I don't seem to have my receipt, but I'm pretty sure all the pitas were $9.75 today. There are a bunch of others I'd like to try (and I'm not a vegetarian -- much less a vegan! -- either).

Oh, and their address is actually 655 K Street, not New York Avenue, as the thread title indicates.

2 hours ago, ktmoomau said:

Has anyone ever been to Costa Rica?  People have been telling me it should be on my list too?

4 minutes ago, Simul Parikh said:

Costa Rica is pretty amazing. Great beaches, eco tourism, some heavily touristed areas and some natural beauty that blows your mind. I think that's a nice trip b/c it's about 6-7 hours with one connection, variety of things to do. Food kind of stunk.

I was there in 2006 so wouldn't be a great source for current information, but I'd give a plus one to what Simul said about Costa Rica. Unfortunately in my experience food is not a high point of travel to Central America.

Nicaragua (Granada, the Corn Islands) is supposed to be beautiful, too, but I haven't been.

I'm going to give another plug to Guatemala here, too. I thought it had all the natural beauty of Costa Rica but also a fascinating (Mayan) culture and (sad) history. Again, I'd look into the current conventional wisdom on safety. We didn't go to the beach in Guatemala, but I can't imagine that the beaches aren't beautiful.

I noticed a sign while driving today for Chutney Indian Restaurant supposedly coming soon to a space near the intersection of Georgia Avenue and University Boulevard in Wheaton. I don't know what used to be in the space. The only information I can find online is this skeletal Eater post. I'm wondering whether this place has any relation to the restaurant of the same name in Columbia, for which I can't find a thread despite rave reviews on Yelp and TripAdvisor (I know, I know ... but still).

I wouldn't mind at all having a closer option for Indian food than Ghar-E-Kabab, which I think is our closest option now. (I live near the Forest Glen metro.)

8 hours ago, Gadarene said:

But in that area, Toki Underground probably still merits a mention.

I thought about Toki Underground, too, but apparently they take limited reservations according to their website.

I thought Machu Picchu was amazing. I went there with my mom when she was in her mid-60s. She's healthy overall but not very active. We did NOT hike the Inca Trail. :-) We took the Hiram Bingham train, which was very nice. I think there are other train options as well. I'd seen important Mayan ruins in Guatemala (Tikal) and was relatively unmoved, but Machu Picchu really moved me, and I'm not a spiritual person. My mom was pretty affected by the altitude at Machu Picchu and couldn't really hike around with our tour group, so that's something to consider (she was OK the rest of the trip), although your mom sounds like she might be more active with her scuba diving. We spent 2 or 3 days in Lima, which was OK. We didn't really explore food very much (at least we didn't seek out exceptional places), but I understand there are some great places. We did have chifa food in Chinatown, though! Other than Machu Picchu, which I think was 2 or 3 hours by train from Cusco, we explored Cusco and the surrounding area, which was interesting and beautiful. We didn't go to Lake Titicaca, but it looks beautiful and I believe has cultural traditions unique to the rest of Peru. People were nice everywhere we went. My broken Spanish was handy but not essential.

I also love, love, love Guatemala. I've been there twice but the last time was several years ago, and I'm not sure what the deal is with safety issues these days. When I was there we were told to be very careful in Guatemala City, but otherwise the country was safe as far as we knew. We always felt safe (even in Guatemala City, although we only spent a day or so there). It's a beautiful country, not very far away, cheap (I assume that's still the case), with a fascinating culture and history and very nice people. The only problem is that the food was rather meh. I got sick of chicken, (freshly made) tortillas, and beans. Not sure if that's improved over the last several years. Again, broken Spanish was handy but not essential.

34 minutes ago, Simul Parikh said:

We are a "lifestyle" oriented practice, slightly over-staff the practice, thereby sacrificing income for sanity ... So, a lot of vacation, which means a lot of trips! Tuscany and likely China to close out 2016

Love it. That's one of the reasons I went the government route and not the big firm route after law school.

To get back on topic, I've sadly never been to Chile so don't have any recommendations for you. :-)

1 hour ago, Simul Parikh said:

Going skiing in Chile next weekend

45 minutes ago, ktmoomau said:

Man, I am envying your vacation plans this year.

Seriously. You're traveling again?! (People used to say that to me before I had a kid.) ;-)

I just came across this article: July 19, 2016, A Terrifying Journey Through the World's Most Dangerous Jungle, by Jason Motlagh in Outside. I haven't read it yet, but it looks fascinating.

9 minutes ago, silentbob said:

I can't emphasize enough how friendly and accommodating the staff members are to families with young kids

That's great to know. I ate several years ago in the dining room and wouldn't have thought to bring my 2-year-old there. Nice to know the Tavern Room could be an option.

On 8/14/2016 at 10:14 AM, ElGuapo said:

All Set is donating 100% of their sales on Monday, August 15 to help those displaced by the Long Branch Apartment Fire.

According to an e-mail I received from someone very involved in the relief efforts, All Set ended up donating $12,820.

Providence

Gotta give props to my native state since Bon Appétit named Oberlin in Providence the seventh best new restaurant of 2016. I'm only in RI a couple times a year and usually have a toddler in tow for meals, but I'm going to keep this in mind for a future date night.

The Cava Grill in Silver Spring is donating 100% of sales from 6pm-10pm tonight to the Red Cross' relief efforts relating to the Flower Branch Apartments explosion and fire. Apparently two of their team members were affected.

Here's the text of an e-mail they sent:

This past Thursday, an explosion and fire broke out at the Flower Branch Apartments complex in Silver Spring. More than 30 people were injured, including three firefighters, and nearly 100 people were forced from their homes. Among those evacuated were two of our Silver Spring team members.

The Red Cross was immediately on the scene, setting up a shelter a few blocks away for a safe place where families could reconnect with one another. They provided beds, food, counselors, and caseworkers for all of the victims. 

Join us at our Silver Spring Cava Grill tomorrow night, Tuesday, August 16th, between 6pm - 10pm for dinner. Cava will donate 100% of sales during this time to The Red Cross' relief efforts, supporting the residents of the Flower Branch Apartments and our two team members.

2 hours ago, Al Dente said:

I had never thought of South/Central America as a destination for refugees from so far away.

Many of them are en route to the U.S. There are well-established smuggling routes starting with a flight or ship ride from Africa or Asia to Brazil then up though South and Central America to Mexico and then over the southern border of the U.S.

More African and Asian Migrants Are Arriving in Mexico After Long Latin American Journeys

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The rise of African and Asian migrants in Latin America reflects both the tightening of border restrictions in Europe and their loosening in some Latin American countries, such as Ecuador.

Migrants who would never be granted a visa to fly directly to the US, find Latin America an easier point of entry into the continent.

3 minutes ago, Al Dente said:

Buenos Aires. I'm assuming it's worth the visit?

YES. I was supposed to take a day trip to Colonia from BA but ended up not being able to because of flight snafus and having to cut a day from my trip. Others will need to weigh in on whether it's worth cutting a day or several from your Uruguay trip to visit BA, but I thought BA was amazing. I visited in 2010, but I don't think that matters.

According to their website they're opening soon in Downtown Silver Spring.

Does anyone know of good bubble tea in the vicinity of Mass Ave and North Capitol Street? I've never been much of a fan or connoisseur, but for some reason I'm jonesing for some. Tomorrow is my birthday, and I have a very busy day at work, but I might be able to sneak out at lunch for a treat (before dinner avec toddler at Sergio's in Silver Spring!). I'm not too far from Chinatown but only want to schlep over there in this heat for something good. I think the Penn Quarter Teaism is too far unless I get really desperate and decide to Uber. Apparently the Bubble Tea Licious truck is sometimes at Union Station at lunch, but they'll be in Franklin Square on Thursdays in August. Any intel would be greatly appreciated!

P.S. Happy birthday, Don! (I think yours is either today or the 12th.) :-)

I love ginger and gingersnaps and am VERY intrigued by this sauce!

According to their Facebook page (can't find a website), Duda's was established in 1949. This is great procrastinating.

I wasn't that impressed with the original location in Austin, yet I find myself excited about this. Of course, it'll probably be perpetually mobbed, so who knows how often I'll end up there.