DameEdna

According to the Cork Bar website (www.corkdc.com) they will be closed Dec. 31 and Jan. 1.

No amateur night for them? Or are their staff members going to provide amateurs to other

establishments?

Corduroy for dinner, then probably a house party. Corduroy has yet to post their menu on the website. The anticipation is killing me...

To Eartha Kitt.

Sometimes a woman's voice can have the most unexpected effects on a young boy's physiological processes.

Starbucks ... Pentagon Row.

Ordinary coffee was ... ordinary.

A group of chatting women turned out to be enjoying a visit and coffee while kids

zoomed in circles, ice skating.

Customers, not that many, no glitterati, or even many in prime demographic (under 30).

I was happy, but how can Starbucks survive like this?

ML has a fine collection of kibbitzers ... not that he ever seems to listen to their good ideas.

I would call some of his schemes hare-brained, but rabbit is rarely on his menu. The necessary business

numbers are, magically, unexplainably, usually there somewhere. I will wait and see.

Interesting that the 'Mardi Gras Method' is proposed ... party up to the big day,

then leftover revelers will be given the "I told you I love you, now get out" treatment.

Forced to listen to random readings from Newt Gingrich's novel 1945, then put on a

bus to Woodbridge.

Urban Nob may come across as a jaded Washington insider, but we all know that he is

planning to party like a minor party functionary liberal Democrat from Lubbock, Texas,

with tickets to the 'Boots and Black Tie Ball' (they have been exiled National Harbor in PG,

but whatever).

The idea of Washingtonians playing Mardi Gras by exposing themselves and throwing

cheap trinkets to anyone who will watch ... just not right.

Adams-Morgan plans to sell millions of slices of 'Super Slice' pizza, mostly to people who couldn't

get into Ben's Chili Bowl for a half-smoke. And several supertankers worth of crappy beer.

Party on, Garth.

Not worrying about turkey ... I have leftover chicken liver pate with Port and figs to consider.

Intrepid devotee of truth that I am, I have discovered the cause of Taylor's inconveniencing closure:

Their baker, Sarcone's, does not deliver Tuesday, Wednesday (or Thursday) this week and the owners did not want to serve a lesser, or less authentic, product.

So, I'd score this one: Plus one point for authenticity, minus two points for not anticipating the inconvenience and travel times of non-local business, no points awarded either way on the question of whether businesses are allowed to have different schedules the week of a major holiday, for a net result of -1.

are going to do what they want, no matter what advice (or criticism) they get.

I say: screw 'em.

OMG. Next I will be hearing that bitter tears add a little je ne sais quoi to

those glasses of Bordeaux.

1933 ... repeal of Prohibition, economy gloomy, great hats.

2008 ... return of the cocktail, economy gloomy, And will we now again have great hats?

A virtual event ... yes, communicate collectively, say, online, but everyone stays home, then

reporting "ummmm!!!". I know some of you like nothing better than a bit of faux pho from the

crockpot, whilst lounging around in your flannel jammies. A few of you (and you know who you are)

even like to nibble pizza at home whilst nude. That's right, stark, raving "don't drop that pepperoni

on me!" nekkid! That's fine. Just report that tasty yum. Now switch on that webcam. Let's see that pie.

It is the White House sommelier who has had the loneliest job in Washington.

The cry of "bottoms up!" has not been heard at the Executive Mansion since

Jeff Gannon lost his White House press credentials.

Trend? This has been going on for a long time and is certainly nothing new. Way too many places under cook bread and other baked goods. For some reason most folks think that a dark crust is burnt. When is the last time you have seen anything but a lightly colored crust on a loaf anywhere but a specialty bakery?

(edited to add:

I think (based on no real facts) that what used to be considered a good crunchy

crust is now considered a defective product.)

Unfortunately Maurice Bessinger is a noted racist and white supremacist. His restaurants and his socio-political views have been widely and heatedly discussed elsewhere; a few years ago Jim Leff had to call a halt on Chowhound due to the venom. Several major supermarket chains stopped selling his products back in 2000. OTOH, it is said he himself is no longer associated with the restaurants, having sold out, so take it FWIW.

According to Washington folklore, the arrival of airline flights from certain southern points

at RR National Airport are announced by the packages labelled "Maurices" in the baggage claim area.

Oh my lord there are perfect for a bachelorette party......let me know if anyone sees these anywhere in the city.

Chocolate Chocolate is moving from L Street and Conn. Ave. to 1130 Conn. Ave.

(just up the street) sometime in October. More space, more goodies.

click

Chocolate Chocolate is important to women with a chocolate jones, and husbands who have been very, very, bad, indeed.

Ellwood Thompson's Natural Market has signed a lease for a new store at 14th Street and Irving.

Rumors about this have been drifting around for a long time, so I will believe it when I see it.

The DC city council is involved, with tax breaks for the new store.

The ETNM web site has more.

Will someone please explain what the French toast RPLC stands for?!

Derek, strangely enough your brother mentioned last night that he was looking to bring back the stripper shot (although the one I was served does not seem like the likely drink of choice for your average DC stripper; this was more of a Nexus Gold level of shot).

And here's an opposing data point. At 8 PM last night, both Roberto and Claudio were at the the restaurant, Roberto making pasta, and Claudio manning the pizza oven (which I hear he's been doing a lot of lately).

'Are you sure?' they said. 'The <such-and-such> is really good this evening, and ...' All I could do was wish that these well-meaning, helpful people would walk away from the table so I could spit out the cork. When I finally did, my table began laughing, now knowing why I was mute and in pantomine.

"Which one is he?"

"The putz with the cork in his month"

"Pretend you don't notice!"

"About the placenta, is it fresh?"

Hey, if it is good enough for Tom Cruise ...

Urine is aseptic. I fear that many will take your comment about flossing being unhygienic, and extrapolate that it's somehow healthier to partake in a golden shower between dessert and coffee. I see this as a potentially unwelcome trend that I'd prefer not to see cropping up in restaurants, and feel that I must speak up about it now, before it becomes a problem.

(what next, a discussion on the joys of "decanting"? (see Urban Dictionary).

No thank you. And no pictures, either.)

Chalking up the cue for another year ... Happy Birthday, Starfish!

(only how many days late? Some. A few. Not that many)

At the risk of drifting into barroom theory (ideas and opinions based on few, if

any, facts), the farmer's market is a minor rebuke to the modern supermarket.

When frozen orange juice concentrate was introduced in 1946, and sold in the

supermarket, it was an amazing marvel. I wasn't there, but "people who know"

assure me this true.

When the supermarket started to sell those three rubber balls in a plastic container

and labeled them "tomatoes", I think we reached the nadir.

Now I go to the farmer's market looking for ... what? something more real, more

tasty? When I buy a juicy, tasty peach, I am happy. A tasteless plum ... what an inexperienced,

knowledge deficient shopper I am. It is just a different kind of shopping experience, with it's

own pitfalls and rewards.

When I bought asparagus at a farmer's market and thought " the stuff from the

supermarket was better", I kept that thought to myself.

Now, the farmer's market is a great new thing. Next year it will be something else.

And there will be more for me.