dcs

The months of May through September find me almost exclusively in shorts and my Teva sandals. Not that there is anything wrong with that.

Gil was strong at the 8:00pm show tonight at Blues Alley. Thru Sunday. A few seats left for the 10:00pm Sunday. Don't miss it. This train won't be running through town forever.

I had a nice brunch at the Blue Water Grill a couple of years ago. It is right there on Union Square West in a converted bank space.

So, how did it turn out?

It could be worse. In Ireland the tax is 33 cents per plastic bag. The large A Better Bag is an affordable 99 cents at Whole Foods and received the top rating in Consumer Reports a couple of issues back. I've stuffed them with all sorts of heavy items with nary a rip or tear.

I walked by BlackSalt Fish Market on Saturday and they had a sandwich board out front advertising fresh crawfish in the market.

Stop eating with these cheap bastards; or Let someone else handle the reservation and bill; or Ask everyone who wants to attend to pay $30 or $35 in advance, ostensibly to avoid delay and confusion at the restaurant when the check arrives. That way you get to keep a running written list of who has paid rather than have a bunch of random bills being tossed at you at the restaurant while you try to keep a mental tally of who has given what. This way, you can confirm that everyone has given the same amount and you control the tip. Give people back their change that eveining or the next day.

FYI, I haven't been in but my friends tell me that the independent grocery store across the street has seriously upgraded its beer and wine selections. They even do a wine tasting on the first Friday of each month. It may be a better alternative to the Lost Dog in that neighborhood for take-away beer.

D'accord. I have always found that simple is better here. Brie with tomato on a fresh baguette = very good. Escargots bourguignon with the snails cooked into a piece of bread kind of like how some places serve a piece of french toast with a fried egg in a cut hole in the center = not so much.

You can't go wrong with El Pollo Rico, but don't overlook the quality birds at Crisp & Juicy on Lee Highway. At under $10 for a whole chicken cut up, it is quite the bargain as well. With a couple of orders of papas grande as sides, we can feed the entire family for well under $20. The hot sauce and the green mild sauce are recommended.

On a sad note, Roy Passin of Roy's Place passed away last Friday, as reported in the Montgomery Gazette.

The Cowboy Cafe in Arlington is in league with Fresh Lunch on a BBQ catering enterprise. I have had their BBQ items and they are very good, imho. You could give them a call at 703-243-8010, or call Fresh Lunch at 703-237-5550, and see if they can help you.

Since you asked, yes, there is a law pertaining to this issue. See also: Signs in the Chinatown Overlay District are subject to review by the Chinatown Steering Committee pursuant to 10 DCMR, Chapter 24. Signs and streetscape elements using Chinese characters and design elements are encouraged in this district.

The Tabard Inn is nice, opens at 7am for breakfast, and positively reeks of local flavor and history.

Have you called Backyard Barbeque & Catering? They are based in Arlington, but will probably service Montgomery County. I have had their stuff and it is pretty good. They can do a whole smoked pig.

Any reason for omitting the name of the restaurant in question? Perhaps others in similar circumstances would benefit from being forewarned of a potential for a rigidly inflexible application of the seating policy.

Have you asked the American Emu Association?

The New York Times says "yes" in an interesting article today regarding freezing food.

Given that choice I'd take the Greek salad at Panera with a side of all-too-chewy bread for just about $5.00. Not a bad value.

The Secret Service must really love this Twitter stuff.

$60k?!! Public interest law must pay better than I thought if you can afford to risk that kind of dough. Good luck.

I got what I think they call the Amazin' Panini. It was pretty darn good. Smoked pit ham on pumpernickel, with pepper jack, cole slaw and pickles. The pit ham was thick cut and so tender it melted in my mouth. Also tried some of the herb roasted turkey. It was fresh and good, but a little dry for my tastes. The sandwiches are fairly priced at $7.50 - $8.50 each, I suppose, though it is $1.00 each extra to add bacon, cole slaw, sauerkraut, or guacamole to a sandwich. They also charge $1.00 to panini grill any standard sandwich. In addition to the ham and turkey, the daily roast meat offerings include beer-braised corned beef, herb roasted top round of beef, and homemade meatloaf.

The Liberty Tavern turns out some pretty good sandwiches at lunch. The “Primanti Brothers” Style Sandwich and the Cubano Panino are both excellent renditions of those two classics.

Pandemic Flu Song Either you will get sick, or you won't. No use fretting over it.

High-End Restaurants Are Now a High-Stakes Business