Meaghan

In the U.S. this year, I will sit my ass at:

Joël Robuchon at the Mansion, Las Vegas

French Laundry/Per Se, (CA/NYC)

Coi, San Francisco

Maestro, McLean

The "fried calamari served with homemade spicy miracle sauce" = (frozen) rubbery fried calamari + side of miracle whip blended with that red chili sauce in the plastic bottle that is a good friend of pho. Delish.

Wait...I'm totally confused: My girlfriend and I were walking around looking for Lia's on Sunday afternoon and stumbled upon Famoso. I told her that there had been some buzz about it and we decided to skip Lias and check it out. It was just about full and we managed to get a table, once we sat and looked at the menu(caprese salad), decor(like blackbird meets Americas Next Top Model) and shared door with Max Mara(it always creeps me out when people doing other things share a space with my eating), we decided to bolt. I just skimmed the Post review and decided it cant be the same place...can it?

When you say: "...decor(like blackbird meets Americas Next Top Model...," do you mean a caw caw-blackbird, or do you mean Blackbird, aircraft manufactured by Lockheed? Trying to get a picture here.

We should use our numbers to get a special rate on a pricey gym. The binge and purge special...

Do my words even have weight here anymore? I do not know. But I do know it would only be sin to keep this evening's tongue under wraps. The first present of the night came packaged as such: An amuse of sweet scallop tartare loafing atop just a tablespoon of its counterpart in tuna. The gem artfully glistens like a star atop a Christmas tree with the aid of calculated measurements of both olive oil and salt of the sea. Must be the time of year for cleansing: Next, my choice, the well-known carpaccio of lobster. More citrusy, more wet and papery than I had remembered, but a perfect plate to engage me with the brighter of the night's wine selections; it quietly moves me to the next level. That is: (surprisingly, a game that has never once passed my gullet) The goose. It arrives hearty in portion with its gravy of foie gras, a puree of mashed rooty vegetables, and a few just-cooked turnips. It was a duck-confit-meets-holiday-turkey delight. I could have taken it home, it was so good, so rich, but I knew it wouldn't be the same. And where else in this town have we indulged in goose? I reward the dish by finishing all.
For dessert, I give into tastes of the apple tartine (delightfully buttery and tragic for a soul like me, who has hopes of being in a bikini in less than a week), the kit kat (no need to comment), the pistachio bread pudding (a proper finish to such a meal and not too much on the plate) and the artisanal cheeses (petite, yet satisfying. I find it best eaten straight; no bread, crackers or jams).

Thanks Corduroy staff for being the most gracious out there.
There are few places better than this one on a holiday, or any day.

-Meaghan

Thanks for the drunken inspiration, Dark Wing and Rocks.

Go fish

Cod Peace.

I'm disappointed that not a single woman was on the cover.

A fascinating story by Molly Moore.

Think about those caterpillars the next time you’re trying to save a dime.

Just wanted to add that some of the FF issues are apparently dependent on the version. I use FF 1.5.0.8 (Windows) and all those things work fine (the last time I looked and I guess I'd better not update my version of FF!). Still no spell check though...

One problem I do have is saving copies of sent PMs. I get a message that my storage limit is exceeded and it most certainly is not. The funny part is that it only happens when I try to save messages sent to certain members. With other members, the function works fine.

This new version is so smooth and techy that it discourages old people from posting. AARP would not be down with this.

My least favorite is clementimes because it's like, I don't want something that says you thought of me within fourteen seconds of walking into Whole Foods. That's no gift, that tells me you grocery shop. How about just a card?

I like drinking gifts best. Santa got me this. Love that Santa.

I'm still figuring this whole "friend" thing but if the little person next to a screen name is lit then it means that person is on the board right now. If it's dull it means the person is off living in the real world.

ETA: Ewww-I don't like the new wink icon. It's cheesy.

+ <----those guys are funny looking

I've never felt sorry for myself for missing The Inn at Little Washington. You can go vacation for the money; a vacation overseas.

It is called a deadline.

But bear in mind, mania is not associated with PMS. Deadline is life or death. Almost dying sucks and makes people bitch. I think I've got it.

He's just jealous that he's missing out. That's why he is so supportive when we have PMS.

Rocks has some sort of mutant PMS himself. Very cyclical.

Or your could strategically eat chewable contraceptives.

Citronelle! The lounge for cheaper...

So, Tommy's column got me thinking. Where can I find a big bowl of Pozole that doesn't suck?

Lately, I've been craving good zesty Mexican, but I'd love to hear about all stellar soups, particularly ones that have a short life on the menu.

Woo Hoo. Truckers!

When I was a kid, I ate carrots and vinegar everyday after school. A heaping bowl of shredded carrots, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. I loved it, and kids in the neighborhood would come over in the afternoons to watch cartoons and eat "ensalada" with me. That was freakin' strange. But no one ever messed with me.

And I have this new thing where I eat celery sticks with pepper jelly. I like the whiter, less stringy stocks-the hearts- and they must be washed and dried by me. I got a friend of mine hooked and we get together to watch the visualizer on the huge screen of his G5 and listen to itunes, eat celery and get schwilly. Other days we just eat tater tots.

Me thirsty.

Could we please, for once, stop picking on some place that hasn't even opened yet?

Nope! It's like the sushi place with the conveyor belt. "Chip card ordering system," "fast casual" "Opening in Ballston". It's gonna be yucky. There might be a couple of yummies there, but mostly, my sources say yucky.

That place is gonna be yucky.

I've got some more.

Pharmacy Bar

(Afterwards: Go to Bourbon, eat tots, drink Circus Boy and watch Family Guy or whatev at bar)

Guarapo (Courthouse)

Eleventh Street Lounge (Clarendon)

At Chi Cha you get good signal from Health Bar [they advertise that]

Hellish January column fff (finally fucking finished), pretty much.

Donny Rocks is going to be drinking well tonight, my brethren!

If anyone sees me in a gutter at 3 AM, just throw a blanket on top of me.

Dingo? It's prolly best to wait 24 hours after filing before declaring war on your liver. Your editor might have more questions.