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Please Introduce Yourselves


curiouskitkatt

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Hi Everyone!

My name is Bud and this is my first time on the board after 1 year of getting great emails from Don and stupidly doing nothing about it. Honestly, just got the "pruning" email and kicked myself in the rear for letting the entire year go by without logging on to a sight that I was really interested in joining. Go figure.

Anyway, here I am now, exploring my passion for food that has lasted over 40 years as an ex-meat purveyor, turned restaurant owner from New York during the late 60's thru the 70's.

I've spent the last 19 years in the NOVA and DC area as,once again, a member of the foodservice community. Most importantly, let me first state that " I am not on this board to sell anything".

I am simply here because I am, indeed, a foodie of the first order and look forward to exploring where the next place is that I can dig my fork into.

Not sure how many times I will be able to get on the forums, but I know that I will be silently keeping up with the suggestions and reviews.

See ya,

Bud

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Hello,

I am not in the food industry except as a consumer. From living in Antwerp, London, Sarnia, and a few other places,struggling with postage stamp kitchens, unknown cuts of meat, seafood, weird vegetables, etc. I learned to love adventures with food, exploring new cuisines, new restaurants, new techniques. (what a run on sentence.) I collect cook books not necessarily to use but to get a vicarious thrill from the reading. The service and ambience at a restaurant is as important to me as the food. I look forward to finding new places to explore by reading this website.

Sixtyone

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Hello all. My name is James and as you can tell I'm new to this board. I work over at the Firehouse in old Town Alexandria and everyone has been telling me to join this board and I finally broke down and took the leap. So far so good. I look forward to participating and becoming an active member of this post and possible seeing some of you over here in old town.

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Hello All!

My name is Andy Stewart.

This site Rocks! Have been a lurker for awhile, but am ready to join the conversation. I am in the restaurant industry, currently a server at Zaytinya. I have a love of wine, food, and good times. Looking forward to meeting other Rockwellians!

Best,

Andy

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Welcome former lurkers and all new members! Want a great way to jump right in? Check out the next $20 Tuesday at Mi La Cay in Wheaton on March 2nd. We promise not to bite, and offer good company and great food! You can see more info in the thread and sign up here. Any questions? Ask away! We look forward to seeing some new faces...

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After 4 years of reading this website, quoting it to friends, and making restaurant selections based on its postings, I finally decided it was time to join. I'm not sure that I have much to say yet, but I am pleased to know that I can finally access the elusive dining guide.

About me --

* I grew up with parents who don't cook, so I find more comfort in a restaurant menu than a home cooked meal.

* If given the choice between returning to a restaurant that I've enjoyed in the past or trying someplace new, I will almost always choose the new place.

* I'm the person people call when they're looking for an off the beaten path restaurant recommendation.

* Recently, on a trip to Atlanta, I had to choose between nursing my husband through a stomach virus or keeping our long planned reservation at Woodfire Grill (manned by Kevin Gillespie from this past season of Top Chef). I chose the husband. I'm still wrestling over whether I made the right choice.

* I'm terrified of being called out on this board for double spacing.

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Hello fellow Food Lovers,

I'm Patricia, a humble Federal Employee, who loves to eat and explore new, off-the-beaten track place to eat in the DC area. I'm glad the New Yorker article has given this forum the credit it deserves!

Happy eating everyone!

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This is my first time posting. I am Kristin Moses Murray from Kluge Estate Winery and Vineyard in Charlottesville, Virginia. I handle the PR so it's my duty to share our story with you. In short, we were established in 1999 by Patricia Kluge and we are located on Carter's Mountain on the edge of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Kluge's 2,000-acres are just miles from the birthplace of American viticulture, Thomas Jefferson's Monticello. We have 220 acres under vine and we have 10 medal-winning wines - four well-known sparkling wines under the Kluge SP banner; our "icon wine" Kluge Estate New World Red (a Bordeaux-style blend); CRU; and the Albemarle quartet of Simply Red, Rosé, Sauvignon Blanc and Viognier.

BUT I am not writing about our wine. I wanted to tell everyone about Kluge Estate's 2nd Annual Bridal Showcase on Sunday, March 14th from 1-5pm. Some of the regions best vendors for events, photography, flowers, food, supplies, beauty, travel, etc. will join us at Kluge Estate to demonstrate their services to future brides. There will also be amazing prizes (grand prizes are a customized honeymoon from Globe Travel and a wedding at Kluge Estate, the site itself is the prize not extras). Join us for fun, food and wine. This event is open to all (not just brides), so it's a great resource for corporate entities as well or just for people looking for a fun Sunday activity. Tickets $10; advance purchase tickets $8. Please call Kathryn Schmitz at 434-977-3895 x119 for booth info, tickets and directions; or contact me regarding media queries.

Lastly, if you find yourself in Charlottesville, visit the winery's tasting room, the Kluge Estate Farm Shop. The Farm Shop was named one of the country's top 25 tasting rooms by Wine Enthusiast magazine!

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I'm Alicelouise, a newbie, recently retired and on the prowl for reasonably priced, non-chain food establishments which consider flavors and care in food preparation more important than trendy cooking and over-decoration. Clavin Trillin has been my hero ever since he wrote about his daughter always carrying a bagel with her as insurance against the restaurants her father visited.

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Hello all! After checking out the website for a few months I have finally decided to join. I am an avid Yelper - although I realize that may not be viewed that highly on this site; however, I am extremely excited to take my restaurant reviewing to the next level. I recently moved to the DC area and am looing forward to learning more about the dining scene - since I am starting to feel that Atlanta seemed to have some better culinary options (ok I think it's because I have yet to read everyone's reviews and suggestions.) I am very eager to begin contributing and thank you all for accepting me into the donrockwell community. ;))

Robin

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Hi, I'm Laura, a wife, mom and DoD employee. I've been happily cooking for my family for 27 years and was able to pass along my passion to my oldest son who graduated from L'Academie de Cuisine in Dec 2007. He's been working at 1789 since graduation. I'm always looking for new ideas and suggestions and am thrilled to have this community.

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My name is Chris and my wife and I recently moved to the DC area from Atlanta. We spent most of our time there exploring the ethnic restaurants along Buford Hwy, and look forward to doing the same here along Rockville Pike, etc.

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Hi everyone,

Here's my first post. I'm a musician and teacher. I, like everyone else here, love to eat. I live in Columbia MD, but often go down to DC and the burbs for gigs and such. My husband and I are always looking for new places to go (and often with 2 little kiddies). I can't wait to dive into this website!

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Folks,

Hello, This is my first post. I have lived, mostly, in the DC area for 30 years. I have also lived and traveled elsewhere in the world and always look for different and exciting dining opportunities. I am looking forward to learning more about and trying more of the variety of cusine in DC and the Mid Atlantic. I will be reading, and if and when I find something notable writing with interest and passion.

Cheers,

Vince

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Hi all,

I'm Diane Colasanto, a resident of DC for the past 6 years. I think DC has terrific restaurants and terrific sources of food for home cooking. I'm looking forward to discovering new tastes from all of you and perhaps also introducing a few of you to the places that excite me.

Pleased to be here . . .

D.

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Hello. This is my first post. I am a DC native and found out about DonRockwell.com from a Dino Restaurant email about the upcoming Duck Dinner ... sounds delish! Food-wise, I am roasting a leg of lamb in the oven while I'm writing this post. I was recently nourished back to health after the stomach flu thanks to the Parkway Deli matzoh ball soup and Benjarong's and PF Chang's won ton soups. Professionally, I'm a consultant .. I assist members of the alcoholic beverage industry with TTB [federal government] regulations. One of my favorite food memories was the day my friends and I had lunch at Ben's Chili Bowl and dinner at the Inn at Little Washington ..

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I love Calvin Trillin too .. The first time I went to New Orleans, I carried his book with me ["Alice Let's Eat"] and, with a group of friends, we planned our meals based on his suggestions .. I still remember the bucket of steamed crayfish I ate all by myself [and I was pregnant at the time!]

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Good day all. I'm simply an amateur cook who loves food -- both in the eating and preparing. I look forward to www.DonRockwell.com, having first heard about it a couple weeks ago in a New Yorker magazine (March 1, 2010 issue) profile about food.

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i just got an email from management that i have never posted and had better to stay on board, so here goes.

my name is amy and i have been a dr member since i started working at komi, long ago. i have lived in dc for six years and currently work at proof restaurant. i do not post, as i am a member of the service industry and sometimes it is best to keep quiet, though i often fight the urge to stick up for myself and the servers that get called out in your posts. i am often reminded that that is not part of my job. i do read this forum frequently (as many in the industry do) to keep up to date on the game and find out how we are doing. and to decide where i should eat. i am a good eater.

i am glad this forum exists and am proud to say that dr.com has helped to shape me into a devoted foodie. and ya'll have turned me on to some amazing meals!

thanks for keeping me coming back for more.

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Hi everyone,

I'm nora, and I just moved back to the DC area, where I grew up, after living for six years in Charlottesville, Va. I forsook well-paying jobs to start working in kitchens as of six months ago, so I don't have too much money (or time for that matter!) to spend on fine dining, just learning as much as I can at my present restaurant in Chinatown and eating at others occasionally. But fear not, the UVa honor code will prevent me from writing sneaky posts advocating that you all eat at the restaurant I work, so I won't even disclose it since I'm such a peon on the kitchen ladder.

Anyway, I've always loved to cook and really get a charge out of learning how to do things from the ground up, i.e. making butter, growing fruits and vegetables, going fishing and then cooking them, beekeeping, mushroom foraging, etc. I'm no pro at any of these (yet), but combined with my interest in nutrition and hoping to help spread the gospel on food education, I'm looking to forge a farm to table career ahead in some meaningful way. Chalk it up to still being young and idealistic! Also, I'd really like to go hunting someday...right as I left Charlottesville, a class on deer hunting for beginners was forming. Anything like that in the DC area?

Looking forward to contributing on the site,

nora

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Hi everyone! My name is Garrett Peck.

Many thanks to everyone who participates in this forum, and especially to Don for providing this great online community.

I'm an Arlington resident and freelance writer. I published my first book, The Prohibition Hangover: Alcohol in America from Demon Rum to Cult Cabernet, in 2009, and am excited about publishing more. It was a six year process! You never know how long it will take to publish a book once you go down the rabbit hole like Alice.

For fun, and to satisfy my deep inner desire as a history nerd, I lead a local "Temperance Tour" of Prohibition-related sites in Washington, DC. I do this a couple times a year, mainly through WalkingTown DC, but also whenever a private group requests it.

Finally, I'm the DC rep for Philadelphia Distilling, supporting this microdistillery with event management and marketing. It's so much fun working for a small company!

Thanks all for listening, and I look forward to participating in this forum.

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Hi,

I am new to the site, and got wind of it because of the article on Peter Chang in the New Yorker. I went down to Charlottesville last weekend, btw, and as many of you already know, Chang's food is superlative - best Chinese food I have ever had. Anyway, I am excited about being part of the site, and hope to read and post on a regular basis.

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I just joined after discovering the board through Dinos. We ar new to the area and love to eat good and unusual food. After living on the West Coast, east coast, South and in Europe, we are looking forward to learning of the food adventures here and contributing with our experiences experimenting.

We look forward to the discussions.

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Hi! I am Guiraudios. I enjoy cooking and sharing a meal. Add a nice wine or a good beer to that ... and I really think things can't get much better. Usually, my favorite culinary experiences are walking into an unassuming dining establishment and finding a dish so good, it makes me want to cry -- like razor clams a la plancha in a neighborhood Cervezeria in Madrid.

I love goose fat and goose liver, a good Cantal, almonds (especially in desserts) and quince paste.

I really look forward to hearing about the dishes you've cooked or eaten that make you weep with pleasure!

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Hi,

As "duranni" I will be, from time to time, letting everyone know about specials, events and happenings at restaurants in the Lake Anne Center in Reston, Va. I am helping the merchants association spread the word about Lake Anne and, hopefully, attract more people to their unique plaza and its establishments.

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Good evening everyone. I'm Russ - I co-founded and currently help run a high performing charter school with 3 campuses in Washington DC.

My wife and I are proud parents to two high-energy boys currently 3 and 1 yo. I made some Maryland Crab Soup the other night. Both boys wanted some and they were focused on eating the vegetables (what is this? - why that is a carrot chip!). Funny how kids who can be hesitant to eat veggies in raw form will gladly consume them if presented with them in form they are familiar with.

In searching for interesting places to eat I found myself frequently ending up at this site via miscellaneous searches so I finally bit down and signed up.

Things I like: Jeep Wranglers, laughing, Second Saturday's at Westover Market, being outside, Balvenie Scotches, Syrah, the bulgogi cart at 14th & L, flatiron steak, black cod

Things I dislike: mean people, lima beans (I want to like 'em - I just don't), chicken pot pie, minivans (but I do get their practicality), charlatans.

I'm a happy person by disposition and love reveling in every day. I appreciate the opportunity to swim among you all in the DR pool and look forward to making an occasional worthy (hopefully) contribution.

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Hi all,

My name is Peter and I'm delight to have found this board! I'm a marketing and communications consultant here in the DC area. My wife and I love discovering the hidden gems throughout the area and wherever our travels may take us - it really is one of life's great pleasures! We look forward to joining some of the great discussions here!

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I'm usually just a reader of all the insight that everyone provides here at Don's house; but if I ever do post again, here' s who I am....Roger Smith currently the CFO at 2941 Restaurant, Cafe 2941 and Pizzeria Orso. I sit down and watch the money because my joints won't take the pounding of being on the floor any longer. I started out as a dishwasher at Clyde's in Georgetown in 1968 and have been working ,mostly in the restaurant business ever since. Places where I've worked, consulted, managed or owned: Clyde's of Georgetown, Tammany Hall, The Old Ebbitt Grill (before it moved around the corner) , Clyde's of Columbia, Clyde's of Tysons Corner, Hunters (the first one in Oakton), Captain White's Seafood, Bistro Bistro (Reston, Shirlington & Ballston) Indigo (Great Falls) and now 2941. Best to everyone and support your local restaurants!

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Hi everybody,

I've lived in western Fairfax Co. for the past 26 years and now the spouse and I spend about 3 days a week in central Virginia. We like restaurants and we've seen good (and bad) ones come and go over the years. We don't go to DC or even the further 'burbs as much as we used to - partly because traffic is such a hassle now and partly because we can find good food closer to home. We most often choose Asian and Latin American restaurants, or beer bars with a good selection of craft brews, or bistro-type places with interesting wines by the glass.

I joined DonRockwell.com because of the high quality of the discussions here. Now I just have to collect my thoughts about some of the restaurants we've been to lately and start writing posts.

Cheers!

tangledbranches

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Hello to all the other lovers of delicious DC food and drink!

I found out about this site from a thread on Chowhound and I am really excited to now be a member. I lived in DC last summer, and I can't wait to move there permanently in May. I'm not involved in the food industry in my career, but I do waste copious amounts of time daily reading blogs and articles that have anything to do with food, cooking, eating out, etc. I love weekends at the farmer's market, and I hope that one thing I can do when I move to DC is join a CSA. Where I live now, the CSA pickings are slim or nonexistent.

When it comes to eating out, I'm as comfortable at Popeye's as I am at Citronelle--if it's good food, I don't care about all the other BS. I'm not a picky eater when it comes to ethnic food either--bring on the spice and new flavors! I do, however, think you should respect restaurants for what they are. When I was recently visiting DC with some friends, I took them to Michel Richard's Central for a memorable meal and they both ordered steak. I died a little inside.

So that's just a little about me. I am really looking forward to being in DC and participating on this great resource of a site!

-LL

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Hello,

My name is Raoul. I love great food and wine, I hate wasting calories on average food. I love all cuisines. If it's good, I will eat it. I love ethnic food. I enjoy cooking but I never really follow recipes...they are more like general directions.

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Hello all,

I'm Jared.. I just moved to D.C. last year and currently work at New Heights Restaurant as a server. I've worked in F&B my entire life and have a culinary/food service management degree from Johnson & Wales. When I moved to D.C. I decided to make the switch from the back of the house to the front of the house, and it has been fun so far. ;) I've been lurking around this website for a year now so I guess it is about time to make a post.

-J

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Hello Don Rockwell Peeps!

I'm a new member, reader and amateur baker. I've lived in the DC region for more than four years, and I'm always on the hunt for a good bargain restaurant. I also write a local food blog about pastry and baking in DC called ModernDomestic. I'm looking forward to reading everything on this site - I've heard great things!

-Jenna

http://moderndomestic.com

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Hi all - I stumbled upon Don Rockwell while googling info on the new Lyon Hall restaurant opening up nearby. I'm finally getting around to my first post. I've been in DC for almost five years now, and I'm always looking for great cheap eats. I'm a Cleveland native, so I'm also always on the hunt for Great Lakes beer to wash down those cheap eats. Looking forward to seeing what this board has to offer.

Greg

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Hello all,

I got here from the NYT piece a few weeks ago. I have been cooking for 40 years, using what my mother taught me (pie crusts, fresh vegetables from my dad's garden), the Esquire Cookbook in '69 (an interesting book to start with), Fannie Farmer in the 70's, Julia's The Way to Cook in the 90's, and lately, I have been working my way through Dorie Greenspan's Baking and Reinhart's The Bread Baker's Apprentice. I love doing pizza on a stone in my Weber gas grill. It cooks very well at 550 degrees and holds temperature well. We can't all spring for a wood fired oven.

Don

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Hi, folks. Well, I was a newspaper reporter in Kansas and now I'm a policy wonk on the Hill. My mint.com money tracker tells me that most of my paycheck goes to groceries, wine and restaurants. I've always loved kitchens, I have a weakness for diners with dingy plastic menus and I usually cook with Motown on in the background. I love restaurants with interesting menus and helpful waiters, and I'm trying to be more adventurous in my home cooking. Looking forward to the suggestions and recommendations from the regular crowd around here!

L

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