catharine

Latke mania was a blast. It was my lucky day and I got to help cook. Chef Spike and his mom, Cathy, were hilarious and so fun. I am hoping that the photos and/or videos will show up on the web soon so I can relive my glory.

Sorry folks - I am not going to make it tonight. See you all on the 7th!

I am going to try to join you tomorrow in Annandale. And count me in for the early-January date. I'd also like to schedule a $20 Tuesday in January. I'm thinking Hong Kong Palace (Seven Corners), my new favorite Chinese spot. How about January 29?

I can barely wait! I have been watching the progress and waiting patiently. The patio, which I can see from my window, is going to be a hot spot when the weather is warm. Good luck, Dave! You can definitely count on my support.

I'm happy to share with you the names of two charities with which I have worked over the past few years. I have seen firsthand the great work they do. Doorways for Women and Families CFC# 60586 Doorways for Women and Children (formerly The Arlington Community Temporary Shelter), serves homeless, abused and at-risk families in Northern Virginia Jubilee Jobs CFC # 67842 Jubilee Jobs' mission is to provide skilled compassionate job placement for sustenance, dignity and hope for very poor, unemployed but eager to work Washington residents. If you'd like more information about either of these groups, please feel free to contact me. By the way, there is a great event Wednesday, December 3 at the Arlington Crate and Barrel. Tickets start at $35. This event is a lot of fun, has terrific food, benefits a truly worthy cause (two emergency shelters serving area women, children and families impacted by homelessness and domestic violence) and is a great way to accomplish your holiday shopping. Best of all, Doorways receives 10% of all Crate & Barrel sales that evening and 100% of ticket sales and donations. Last year over 700 people attended, and raised more than $30,000 for Doorways. To purchase tickets, follow this link: https://doorways.ejoinme.org/MyPages/CrateB...95/Default.aspx. (You can select my name from the drop down list.) Thanks. Catharine [Edited to say that it looks like dcs and I posted at the same time. Now you've got two votes for Doorways ]

CONGRATULATIONS! I am so delighted to hear this wonderful news. You two are a great match and I am so happy for you both. Let's go out and celebrate! Cheers!

I know I am going to be sorry for spreading the word, but I feel it is my responsibility as a DR.com member to let you know about the wonderful classes being offered at Cheesetique. Monday night I attended my second class here: Leaf-wrapped Cheeses. In August, I attended the Summer Cheeses class. Both were outstanding. The class begins with the exuberant and very knowledge cheese lady, Jill, lecturing about the cheeses and wines to be enjoyed. [Note: eat a little something before you arrive. It is torture if you haven't eaten since lunchtime.] Each person is seated with a plate of roughly ten cheeses, and is later served two (or so) samples of wine. Jill talks about the different cheeses and provides handouts with lots of information. If you've ever met Jill, you can imagine how enjoyable her discussions are. You learn about the making of the cheeses, how to serve it, and you also get history lessons. Get on Jill's mailing list and you'll get her newsletter and info about upcoming classes. It now requires lightning-fast reflexes to secure a spot in a class, so don't delay. Maybe Jill will be willing to offer a dr.com class next time around. The cost for Monday's class was $35, which you pay in advance via paypal.

I've had two very good meals at Bazin's in the past month. In September, two of us dined at the chef's table, which was a great treat. It is a two-person station with barstools overlooking the kitchen. Meals were off the regular menu, though we did get an extra treat from the kitchen. I thought the tuna tartare appetizer was excellent, though my companion noted she thought it was a bit salty. We shared the sun-dried tomato risotto with shrimp and the scallops with polenta and kimchee. Both were excellent. Last night, three girlfriends and I had a very enjoyable meal. The new fall menu is in place and we give it the thumbs up. We shared appetizers: the crab rolls, the pupusas (cheese/pork), and the butternut squash ravioli. The crab rolls were the biggest hit for me, wrapped in shredded potato and fried. the other two appetizers did not disappoint. All of our entrees were excellent, too. The biggest hit was the roasted pork with vanilla mashed potatoes and spinach. The meat was perfectly tender and flavorful. I thought the potatoes were perfect, but two of my friends thought they were a tad sweet. The risotto is now a mushroom variety, and was good. It could have used a little more seasoning, but the shaved parmesan and chopped tomatoes worked well when they were included in a bite. The veal milanese and halibut were also wonderful. For dessert, we ordered the key lime pie (very coconutty, not very limely, but very good), the chocolate hazelnut bars (a la Michel Richard), and the apple cobbler with salted caramel ice cream. We agreed that the apple cobbler was the best - even though at least one of us usually prefers chocolate desserts. We noticed that the restaurant was not very loud, though we had read that noise was a problem. We noticed some panels on the ceiling, and surmised that the panels were probably installed in response to the volume issues that were previously noted. All in all, I highly recommend you give Bazin's a try. I hope to return soon.

MBK and I are planning to stop by. If it is anything like your previous open houses, it is well worth the trip! I can't wait to try the new flavors and the marshmallows. Yum!

I agree with all of the above. Great food and great people. What a nice day to be out for a fall picnic. Thanks, everyone!

I'd be interested as well, though I'm sure you'll find willing participants who are in for the whole shebang.

The 19th works for me. Looking forward to another picnic.

Nick - thanks for posting. I'm looking forward to stopping by when you open, so keep us posted. Best of luck!

Stopped in Saturday night for what were definitely the best burgers - ever. Mine was diablo with bacon and blue cheese. Delicious! I am a toppings gal...but next time, I think that a simple slice of cheese will probably be enough. The meat is so flavorful and juicy that it can easily stand on its own. And I am so looking forward to my next Ray's hell experience. The orange soda was great, but I sampled my friend's root beer and we definitely need a pitcher of that next time. We also enjoyed the corn and watermelon. While I love fries, it was refreshing to enjoy a burger without them. Thanks to Michael and Jamie for excellent service and hospitality. You guys are off to a great start! See you again soon.

Chocolates for Mother's Day is a great idea. This week's email said that there is a sale today (Friday) and tomorrow. I believe everything is 10 percent off. Presents for Mom or yourself, I say go!

No. I'm doing the Columbia Tri 5/18 (at the same time as the picnic ) and the NJ State Tri. I'll check out her blog. Thanks.

Hi all - I will be in Luray Saturday night, and was wondering if there was anywhere in the town or the surrounding area that would be worthwhile for dinner. Nothing too heavy, as I'll be attending a triathlon training clinic the following morning. Thanks! Catharine --- [The following posts have been split into separate threads: Southern Kitchen (SRJ)]

I can make the June 1 date. May 18th is my first triathlon...[Crossing my fingers for June 1.]

I'll be there, but as a volunteer. I've been helping put together this year's event. Here's a link to the ticket buying page: http://taste.strength.org/site/Clubs?club_...078&pg=main It is going to be great this year! In addition the usual gastronimical delights, there will be a chocolate bar. Also, there are tons of great items up for auction (both silent and live) and the bar chef competition will surely be entertaining. Please feel free to post or PM me if you have any questions. I hope to see lots of familiar faces on Monday.

Cupcakes no more!? A friend stopped by Stacy's this morning and was told that Robyn retired. Anyone know anything? It is a sad day. I guess we'll have to go stand in line at Georgetown to get our cupcake fix. Are there any other VA spots (besides Cakelove) where I can find a good cupcake?

Congratulations!

Just wanted to say congratulations and good luck. I can see your place from my new condo so I am rooting for you. Sounds like it will be a great addition to the neighborhood. I can't wait to try it out and become a regular! Catharine

I have been a member of both at different times, and of both at the same time. I have done a lot of comparing. In the end, I have chosen to give up BJ's and stick with Costco, but mainly because of the location issue. I noticed two main differences between the chains: 1) Quality: Overall, Costco items are generally higher quality. This applies to food items and non-food items. I remember looking at grilling tools at both. In general, you've got higher quality brands at Costco more often than at BJ's. Also, I have been happier with the Kirkland Signature line than the Berkley & Jensen products. Most importantly, the produce at Costco seems to be a cut above BJ's. 2) Sizes: As a general rule, Costco sells larger quantities than BJs. I remember a particular salad dressing that both stores had. BJ's sold a two-pack of smaller bottles, and Costco had a large bottle that was more than the two small bottles combined. So if you're not feeding a large family, BJ's potentially works better. I have noticed this trend across most product categories.

I'm sure that is not a problem. Welcome to the group! You get big points in my book for spelling my name correctly.

I am not going to be able to make it tonight. See you all next time.