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jayandstacey

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  1. jayandstacey
    Tom and Ray’s, originally opened in 1960, has re-opened in Damascus after a 3 year hiatus. New location, same folks: "Tom & Ray's Family Restaurant Reopens in Damascus" by Sam Merrill on mymcmedia.org
  2. jayandstacey
    And more about Batik: they are mostly dumplings with some bibimbop (sp?) and other Asian-fusion dishes. There's a nice mix of adventure and safety on the menu. Some favorites: - the sweet green iced tea- not sure why but I drink about a gallon each time I go - if it's nice out, ask to sit on the second level balcony. You can watch the traffic go thru the circle and the people walk by from above. - We usually order different kinds of dumplings then share tapas style. - I've always liked their bulgogi. Enjoy!
  3. jayandstacey
    Welp, I moved out of Gaithersburg about 3 years ago. I do get back occasionally and make a point to go to Batik. Still love it. It won't overwhelm you; it's simple and low key (wear shorts or whatever). As for the rest: Roys Place: closed in a trajedy eclipsed only by the Capital's recent loss of Nate Schmidt. Growlers: closed permanently late last week. Then came back on Saturday, talked of new ownership and plans and mentioned being open that night. Then Sunday morning announced they were closed. Go figure?!? Vasilis: moved a block away to a bigger locale. Presumed successful. Pasha: I thought I heard it was closing, but looks like it's going strong. Get the bastillas 100/100 times. Le Palais: don't know. the chains I mention are pretty well known. Safe travels and good eats!
  4. jayandstacey
    There's a bit of weird eroticism in the performance between the eager young clammier and the stuffy critic. You can listen easily here: https://www.prairiehome.org/shows/54603 Just beneath the whole-show audio link it says "view all audio clips" - click that, the skit is the third from the bottom of the dropdown list, entitled the "Bertrand Falstaff Heine script." Someone smarter than me might be able to embed it here. And yes, they said "view all audio clips".
  5. jayandstacey
    From the radio show "A Prairie Home Companion" a funny parody of pompous and wordy restaurant reviewers.... This was performed live Saturday night in Seattle, WA. Both characters pronounced Puget Sound as pue-JAYE. I could use a clammelier. https://www.prairiehome.org/story/2017/01/07/bertrand-falstaff-heine-january-7-2017
  6. jayandstacey
    With a knife? (did I win?)
  7. jayandstacey
    Good stuff - yeah, I know his "Show Me" and "Skinny Legs and All" and both are arguably suggestive or more novelty than average. But...then again...R&B was kind of like that then. From Joe Turner to James Brown - at least some of this was kept in the basement away from mom and dad.
  8. jayandstacey
    Were you around during his hits or following his career? I ask only because I was not. I knew of him only by the late 70s, when he was kind of a footnote. The hits he had seemed to pigeonhole the guy into a kind of R rated, adult party record mode - which probably paid the bills but (maybe?) kept him from greater things (somewhat like Clarence Carter). At least, that's the sense I got from afar. Am I right? Too bad - he seemed, talent-wise, like a one-man Sam and Dave.
  9. jayandstacey
    Sorry, was away on business travel and didn't see this. I can't say definitively yeah or nay on Cheshire Crab. I don't recall it being a standout out good or bad; though I may have reviewed it here. I only recall my 12' mini cooper parked under a hulking 24' boat. Pretty odd feeling!
  10. jayandstacey
    Yeah, that was always the case too. You got $400 in points value for using (say) the American Express travel service. But that $400 in points might have only cost $250 on Expedia, which was the cash value anyway. In effect, the programs create a new currency and "value" is relative within the currency and those participating. But they know the arbitrage game and know that not everyone will bother to do an actual apples-to-apples comparison. BUT - through all this, if we pay off our cards in a way that doesn't cost any interest, and have no annual fee, then in fact it is merchants that are funding our points. Right? So it's all funny money anyway. So... I play my skee-ball, get my tickets and go get my army men and crazy pencil erasers.
  11. jayandstacey
    $250 worth of travel might be, on a good day, worth more than $250 in the market. But even then, avoiding cash is still only a convenience. For instance, let's say there's an offer for a $250 round trip ticket to Indonesia. a ) that offer might only be for points holders. In which case it would make sense. b ) but even if was an offer for cash or points, you could just cash your points directly to the travel instead of the interim step through cash - during which time (the cash out to the purchase) the offer might expire. Yes, the automatic "baked in" advantage of points ($400 vs $250) is gone. They have the right to pull the plug on you, and they did. There seems to be a trend toward the squeezing of points programs. The strategy seems to (continue to) be to change programs every now and again, gaining the advantage of being the new customer and getting the come-on offers. That, or avoid them altogether and just be sure you've got the card with the best rates and terms.
  12. jayandstacey
    Hoffman's Ice Cream and Deli, Westminster, since 1947 Baugher's Restaurant, Westminster, since 1948 (there's also a thread on this somewhere here) Maggie's, Westminster, sign says "established 1903" yet they tout offering excellent service for over 40 years. So maybe they closed for a while or just changed owners, not sure.
  13. jayandstacey
    What better way for DonRockwell.com to gain additional notoriety than to determine and crown DC's signature dish(es)? The members here have the industry gravitas and independence that would likely make such a determination sticky. And there are lots of examples where sponsorship of some 'flag' is sustaining for the business or organization (think Oscars, Hot Dog eating contests, Winston cup, etc) Just an off-topic thought...
  14. jayandstacey
    Kibby's Restaurant - Wilkens Ave, opened 1934
  15. jayandstacey
    Sour Beef specialist near me: http://www.harvestinneldersburg.com/ I'm not a big fan - meat swimming in sweet/sour sauce? Meh... but maybe there's a refined version I haven't tried yet. From DaveO's linked list, I've been to Kibby's a few times and they have an excellent shrimp salad sandwich, it is their specialty. It looks like the kind of place that would serve sour beef, if sour beef places can be said to have a look. So it makes sense to have it on the menu.
  16. jayandstacey
    Yeah, and the JO website/blog touts Waterman's as a good place to get crabs...so I'd give it a 99% confidence rating they're using JO. But...I've been 99% sure before, only to turn out 100% wrong!
  17. jayandstacey
    The Cheshire Crab is like that too - driving past houses, take a right at the small sign. It is connected to a marina - last time I was there, I parked in the boat yard beneath two boats, one above the other on those giant racks, the ones that look like cubby holes but big enough for boats. My Mini Cooper looked like it could be crushed at any second beneath the hulking hulls. Have fun on your quest!
  18. jayandstacey
    My wife and I were fortunate to have visited Saturday night - what a wonderful meal. As has been the case there for many years, you start the meal upstairs on the main level of the mansion, sitting on couches in a couple of rooms while hors d'oeuvres are brought around, cocktail-party style. In reviews I've read, this seems to throw some folks off as it seems like the restaurant doesn't have a table ready for you. But that's not the case and the 30 minutes or so is a nice 'wind down' from coming in from outside. The dining rooms are downstairs in a cellar-like setting, very cozy. We enjoyed the six course meal with a wine pairing for my wife. Everything was delicious (OK, that's not enough of a description...I'll describe one dish...) My wife ordered a vegetarian main, not on the menu, as created by the chef. It was terrific - a mix of quinoa, bulgur, farro, and something else, each individually cooked, then some toasted and mixed with consommé. It was served with another vegetable side and a bit of sauce that was made from a red wine and included tiny bits of onion cracker. It was really, really good. I can't wait to go back and to bring my kids who are middle / high school age. I think it is important to occasionally bring them to places like this to show them how things *could* be - if they work hard, if they slow down, if they develop a taste for the finer things in life.
  19. jayandstacey
    To answer my own question: I'd love to see you do a weekly Olympics style approach - where you judge each place on the quality of the crabs (1-10), the atmosphere (1-10), service (1-10) etc. Heck, turn it into something you do with some of your friends here on the site, where you all eat together, post your scores, toss out the lowest and highest, then post the results and standings each week here on the site. Like this: Watermans: Averages: 8.6 - 7.9 - 9.1 - 9.4 - 7.8 - 8.7 = total score, 51.5 - currently in 3rd place Then show how each judge scored Waterman's - and how the other (already visited) places scored in a summary ranking. Like an olympic diving competition. Possible scoring categories: Drinks - Other Food - Crabs - Ambiance - Service - Location Location is things like a water view, proximity to boats, distance from DC, the overall property. Ambiance is the effort to make the place 'crabby' and comfortable, to include any music, decorations, lighting, etc. Note that 1/2 of the categories are edible, the other not - IMHO, crabs are as much an experience, in a time and place with friends, as they are something to eat. Maybe a 7th category for price, but...does that really matter?
  20. jayandstacey
    My wife and I had our wedding rehearsal dinner there - 17 years ago! We've been back a few times since, both in and out of season. The uniqueness is, as Don's pointed out, the setting. The DC area has very few opportunities to enjoy a sunset over an expanse of water. And here, the restaurant is on a kind of point of land, affording a number of different views toward different angles. Even the views back toward land are interesting. The food, as best I recall, was always steamed crabs and fried most everything else. I don't think they are looking for the culinary crowd. But a nice view, huge deck, live music, sunsets and AYCE crabs - that's just fine. Making specific complaints about their food would be like complaining about Natty Boh. It kind of misses the point. Don, I look forward to the results of your quest. You'll have to decide ahead of time - am I judging the crabs only? The ambiance? the service? the experience? Lastly, it might be worth asking - Waterman's might use JO Spice, not Old Bay. I prefer JO Spice, but too much of either is too much
  21. jayandstacey
    Glad you liked it Two interesting side notes about that film: First, it was a single shot. Not typical. Second, the filmmaker paid Springsteen for royalties ($7K) but they didn't include online use. That would have cost about $50K. The film won Sundance and he wanted to take it to SXSW...who demanded the online use rights be bought. The guy couldn't afford it so he wrote an open online letter to Springsteen, pleading his case. Springsteen then approved the online use without any more $. So...now we get to see it! The filmmaker, who's also the writer, is also the star. I just watched the Big Lebowski for the first time a few weeks ago. Yeah, same kind of thing - the humor derives from the absurdity and our ability to step back and remind ourselves..."It's just a movie...just a movie..." and laugh on that basis and that basis alone. Kaufman didn't even give us that much rope. Still doesn't.
  22. jayandstacey
    His humor was unique and unsettling. It was often difficult and confusing to experience in the moment yet tolerable now - I suppose because now we know the ending. We don't see that kind of humor (is it really humor?) much anymore. FWIW, I'll offer this short film as an example that it does still exist. "Thunder Road" won the 2016 Sundance Music festival's "Short of the Year" chosen from over 8,700 entrants. For me, it twists a person up the way Kaufman did, and like a good knuckleballer does. Enjoy "Thunder Road" on vimeo.com
  23. jayandstacey
    Point Lookout has interesting paths for walking or biking, including boardwalks through marshes and over water. They also have a lighthouse. I've had St. Mary's city on my to-do list. I hear it is like a mini Williamsburg.
  24. jayandstacey
    Last time we got a dozen (2weeks ago?), we split them 3 or 4 ways. It's about the only way to eat them anymore, as more a rare appetizer delicacy than an eat-till-you-drop avalanche.
  25. jayandstacey
    I really, really wish I'd thought of the click bait business model. Better still, I really, really, really wish I'd thought of the Google model that drives the click bait model.
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