Rieux

Not long, but you don't need the card. They automatically update your passport number in the system. Don't forget to add your global entry number to your frequent flyer accounts. Otherwise you won't get the pre check benefit in your reservations.

A friend was recently in and out of the Reagan Building center in 5 minutes with an appointment. There is ample pay parking in the lot there.

This is correct

Do global entry. It is marginally more expensive but it includes precheck for free and let's you basically skip immigration and customs. If you have status with an airline or credit card they may reimburse you the fee.

Osaka in the W hotel is great for Japanese/Peruvian fusion. Also, try to get out to Valparaiso if you can. It's beautiful in a gritty street art way and you can stop at one of Neruda's houses on the way there.

I have another dream where I take over the spot around back of BestWorld and Subway and turn it into a restaurant/shop (which shall remain detail-less, as I may actually try to do it some day). And another dream where the BestWorld is replaced with a Yes! Organic Market.

I have a dream that one day the paint store will close and a french bistro will open in that spot with a huge outdoor patio where the parking is currently.

This is unfortunately true. I used to be in Radius weekly some time ago but the menu/quality just seemed to slip and I can't even remember the last time I have been in there (18 months ago, at least). Every time I walked past it was empty. I hope something good goes in the location, given I live 2 blocks away.

What are the chances of getting two seats tomorrow around 7? Thinking of making this my stop for dinner on the way to the airport.

Amigos, I am flying out of National tomorrow night at 10:10 - aiming to get to National around 9. Since it is such a late flight, my husband and I are thinking of grabbing dinner beforehand somewhere in VA in Arlington or Crystal City. We NEVER go out in VA so I am looking for suggestions of low-key, good places that we should consider trying. Caveats: will only have an hour and 15 minutes or so; we will arrive around 7:30 and need to be able to sit without a wait; I'll be in shorts; should have relatively easy parking; should not be too far from the main roads leading from Mt. Pleasant to DCA; not looking for seafood/burgers because I am about to go to Maine and Cape Cod for 3 weeks of vacation and will be eating plenty of those things. Was thinking maybe good Asian or Middle Eastern; or Turkish, Ethiopian, etc. Something I won't be eating in the next 3 weeks in New England.... Ideas?

For bagels: Essa Bagel in midtown East is very very good. Also, the smaller bagels at Russ and Daughters (or their cafe) are excellent with lox.

100% worth a visit to BA.

Also, I think punta del este is way overrated. Basically it is like Tampa. From Colonia you can take a ferry to Buenos Aires if you want to spend a few days there too.

Uruguay is one of my favorite places to visit. Definitely try to go to Colonia. Surprisingly the NYT has had many good articles about Uruguay which you can find if you google. Of course get a chivito or two. Uruguayan Tannat is one of the best wines in the world that no one has heard or or drunk. Drink as much of it as possible. There may even be some good wineries to visit The sierra de caracol region (north of punta del este) is beautiful to drive through. If I could figure out how to embed a photo I would (the stupid invasion board limits me to very small photos in terms of size and who has time to bother resizing a photo!!)

There was no better place to sit by a fire, in the bar, and order some onion soup, fries, and drinks, served up by delightful bartenders. They also used to give a discount for locals within the 20010 zip code before a certain hour, which was lovely for the neighborhood. I will miss it.

Except for the 8 years bit, it could be Coppi's, which is supposedly for sale.

DBGB or Centrolina.

Parkway Deli?

I'd drive. Honestly many of the major charming places in Italy are the small villages accessible only by car

Agree 100%. One can define best and brightest in many ways... For example immigrants tend to be entrepreneurial, risk-taking, and go-getters - just think what it takes to have the wherewithal to leave your friends, family, language, and everything you know to move somewhere else. It takes guts and spirit and hard work. I would equate those characteristics with the "best and brightest" any day.

Maybe they had a rare "on" night when I was there because Michelle O was in the house.

It could be rancid oil. I ordered some spring rolls from Meiwah an month or so ago and had the same reaction. I actually thought I might have been poisoned. In the end I'm pretty sure it was old rancid fry oil.

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Um, I think I just started a thread! Inspired by Sietsema's first bite article last week, friends called us and asked us to join them for an early dinner on Saturday at the new Ottoman Taverna. We had all traveled to Turkey on various trips (separately) so we were psyched to get some good Turkish food. TL:DR - Really good food, really average service, decent price (for DC), Michelle Obama sighting. Details follow: We were only able to get a 5:30 reservation so we decided to get there, have drinks, then order mezze, then wait, then eat mains, and proceed on. That was a good strategy. The room is gorgeous - really really nice with interesting decor. The hostesses were a little flaky (trying to give us someone else's table even though the last name on the reservation was a simple as could be) but nice, and we were seated. As soon as we sat we realized that something was going on -- Secret Service were swarming the place and started wanding all the people coming in just after us. The waiter told us Michelle Obama was there, in the private room (which we had guessed) hosting a party. (Coincidentally this is the second time in a year that I have been at dinner when Michelle shows up -- last time was Rose's Luxury). The Michelle situation may have been the reason for all the weird service. For more on Michelle, see this: "Michelle Obama Dines at Ottoman Taverna" by Anna Spiegel on washingtonian.com I'll get the service out of the way. Our waiter (not Turkish, Latino, which only matters because he didn't know much about the food and was hard to understand) was a bit amateurish. Knocking into glasses, not really knowing the cuisine, not able to answer many questions, and just a bit bumbling. I think the service (at the prices they charge) needs to be much more polished. That's all I'll say. The food, however, was great. We started with 4 mezze - a cold chicken salad, Imam bayidli (cold eggplant with tomatoes), kofte kabob, and something else I can't remember (but was the best of the bunch.) The chicken and kofte were well spiced and moist. My Imam bayildi was just OK. It was the weak link. I love this dish at Zaytina and think theirs is better. For mains I had the Iskender Kabob, which was shaved lamb and beef over cubed fluffy pita with spicy sauce. It was the best dish on the table and I LOVED it. Two others had the Manti (small pasta filled with meat in a cream sauce) and it was good (if a small portion) and authentic. My other friend had some sort of kebab I can't recall. Desserts were Turkish coffee and some really nice baklava with walnut ice cream. Drinks-wise I had a gin and ginger cocktail that was out of this world refreshing and good (with beach plum gin) and we split a bottle of Turkish red wine (I didn't choose it, so don't remember what it was). For 4 of us with 4 cocktails, a bottle of wine and a glass, 4 mezze, 4 mains, 4 desserts, and 3 coffees the bill was about $350, which was not cheap, but seems to be the norm in this town these days. I'll be back. Funny moment (I was talking about artificial insemination during dinner and turned my head and happened to say "sperm" really loudly just as an older couple walked by. The husband was in a non-ironic Donald Trump hat. They kind of looked at me and continued on. They sat a bit far down from us. Later in the meal, when their server told them that Michelle was in the house the woman loudly exclaimed "Oh GOD!" and they left shortly thereafter. I guess you really can't escape politics in this town. And, Trump lady, I am sorry I seemingly shouted "sperm!" at you.)

Does anyone know anything about wait times in Arlington? If two of us show up tonight around 7/8 is it possible to get a seat without a reservation?