Up until recently, I hadn't been to the movies in ages and ages. In the past few weeks, I've seen 4 oddly. Here are some brief (amazing for me, right?) thoughts:


Walk The Line: LOVED it. Walked out thinking this was an amazing movie. I loved the performances, singing, the energy, the love story, everything. Read some reviews after the fact, some of the negative items weren't a factor for me: yet another biopic, following the same biopic formula - I haven't seen the other big biopics that have been out recently so I wasn't biopic-d out. inaccuracies in the story: when I see a movie, I'm interested in the movie itself, not as much into the backstory. Yeah, it's interesting that's it's a true story (or based on one), but I'm usually into the actual movie, not the non-fiction part of it. Even though it was long, I could have easily sat watching it another hour and would definitely see it again. 5 stars.


The Matador: Again, really liked this one. If Walk the Line was 5 stars, this would probably be 4. Pierce Brosnan and Greg Kinnear play an assasin and a businessman, respectively. I didn't know much about the movie going in, but it was delightful!! The characters are really well developed (and really well acted), and the story is interesting as well. I'd see this one again too, and recommend it.


Pink Panther: Ugh, it sucked. Mike wanted to see it (he was a big fan of the originals), but it blew. I laughed a few times, but it was very very painful. Mike agreed. Might be more amusing for a young teenager or something. 2 stars.


Match Point: We saw this one last night, hated it. I found it long, boring, and tedious. The characters all seemed like actors reading lines, not believable at all. The "surprise" twist at the end was interesting, but no more so than any episode of a crime scene drama on tv. This was more painful than the Pink Panther to watch, I often wanted to kill myself. I know the reviews were good, so obviously many people will disagree, but 4 out of 5 people in our group did not like it. 1 star.

Mike and I went to Zengo, a fusion of Latin and Asian flavors, on Friday for my birthday dinner. I usually enjoy the flavors of "fusion" and ethnic-inspired foods, I like the different combinations of taste, and the subtle hints in them. (I enjoy full-on ethnic restaurants also, but for for special meals, we usually end up picking a place that mixes it up a bit). Anyway, as expected, we enjoyed the food at Zengo very much. They serve small plates as well as entrees. We decided on 2 appetizers/plates and 2 entrees:


Won Ton Tacos
charred ahi tuna / sushi rice / pickled ginger / mango salsa, on guacamole


Empanadas
thai chicken /chile poblano rajas / oaxaca cheese / mango~curry salsa


Both appetizers were very tasty. At no point did the different types of flavors clash at all, they just worked together to make some terrific bites.


The entrees were:
Crispy Whole Striped Bass
chile ancho / asparagus / guajillo hot ’n sour sauce


Excellent fish and sauce, I even ate my greens (the asparagus was great).


Oregon Kobe Beef
cooked on a hot stone / wasabi dipping sauce


I've only had Kobe beef once before (last year at Minibar, so just one morsel of it) but it was just sooo good. So I couldn't resist this entree, to try it again. (I obviously haven't had it enough to discern any difference between Japanese and Oregon, I'm not exactly a beef connoisseur). But damn, it was good! They gave us thin slices of the beef, you'd take one slice, dip it in the sauce, then put it on the hot stone for a few seconds, then eat it. Actually a great way to serve it, the amount of steak is probably fairly small, but the fact that you're cooking one slice at a time, draws it out more and lets it linger. The beef was so smooth, literally like butter.


We also had two great desserts, one w/ chocolate (churros and chocolate sauce, just like at Ceiba and one w/ different fruit sauces. I also liked that they weren't huge portions, I'd much rather have a small and super-tasty dessert than a huge, overwhelming one (especially after a big meal).


The restaurant itself was a great looking place, definitely a "scene". And it's part of the totally bustling Chinatown, er, Penn Quarter section of town.


Although the food was great, I'd still rank it a little lower than some of the other price-comparable restaurants. It was great, but not earth shattering. Also bringing the rating down a little was the service. It was very friendly and nice, but there were big gaps (like a 10 minute wait before our waiter came by to take our dessert order). So, not bad service by any stretch, just not the same caliber of other places in the same range. Also, I'd rank the drinks poorly as well. We tried the Mango Mojitos and the Carapinhas , both were delicious, but the alcohol content was super low. For the calories and the price, I should get a buzz after 2 drinks (I'm a lightweight these days) :-)


I'd definitely go back though, most likely just for the small plates. There were a few that looked great on the menu or that we saw going by that I'd like to check out.

Pie-tanza is a new pizza/Italian restaurant in the Lee Harrison shopping center in Arlington. The main event is wood-fired pizza, which is extremely tasty, and somewhat similar to the pizza you get in Italy (more so than others anyway). I've been there twice so far, the first time for some reason I was drawn to a salad (huh, salad, me?), but it was a great description:
chicken & walnut salad
chicken breast poached with carrots, celery and fresh herbs, served cold with raisins and walnuts over crisp romaine, with parmesan and light lemon olive oil
I enjoyed it a lot, but desperately needed a slice of pizza to go with it, luckily I was given one. One was not enough though and I was anxious to return.
The next visit, we split a "small" caesar salad (plenty for two people!) and two pizzas. The sausage, onion, and peppers pizza was realllly good, the sausage was actually tasty not like the generic sausage usually found on chain pizzas.
Like the other restaurants in the shopping center (including Sushi Zen and the always fabulous Taqueria Poblano Mexican), it is very neighborhood-y, a nice friendly atmosphere.
They also serve sandwiches, lasagnas, and desserts. Their grilled cheese looks really good too, I may need to stop in to try that next!

It still has the neon "EAT" sign flashing, but this sure ain't Whitey's!

From divey broasted fun to uber yuppie tastiness, the new Tallula is a quality spot. First off, it is a SHOCK when you walk in. I knew they had renovated, but I can't even imagine the old Whitey's in here anymore. A fountain in the middle of the restaurant, pressed tin ceiling, fashionable color scheme, it really is a striking restaurant and bar. We actually had a pretty early dinner and were seated right away, but from what I read, the wait can be very long during normal times and they only take reservations for over 7 people.

They have a wine store (Planet Wine) attached and the restaurant has a HUGE wine selection (over 65 selections by the glass alone). Or according to the write up below, you can also get 1/2 glasses to try out the more expensive ones w/o commiting if you want. However, we both had cocktails. Fun drinks, we couldn't resist.
For me: The Wimbledon
Vodka, Champagne, Strawberry Puree, Honey and Pop Rocks Rim
Verdict: Kitchy and Good. I haven't had pop rocks in like a million years and it's a neat idea to have them stick to the rim via honey.
For Mike: The Tallula Lassi
Bacardi Vanilla, Traditional Indian Mango Lassi
Verdict: not the best drink, I think it would have been better if it was somehow a little thicker.
We also split:Second Wind
Vodka, Green Tea, muddled raspberries, fresh mint
Verdict: It was actually a really refreshing drink. I still don't know what "muddled raspberries" mean, but it was good anyway.

The next part of their menu is what they call "Amuse Yourself". Get your mind out of the gutter, they are "two-biter" mini appetizers. They range from $2 to $3 each, you order what you want, and they bring them by at once on a big plate. They are each big enough to share between two people, so each person can get a taste. I went two-biter crazy and ordered:
Baby Burger
truffle butter, onion marmalade
I had never heard of truffle butter before, but I am now wondering why it isn't on all burgers all the time. Very delish!
Scallop Ceviche
fresh mango, serrano chilies, fresh mint
A little bit of a kick, good.
Duck Mezzaluna
shredded leg, fresh basil
This was our least favorite of the bunch, a little dry
“Steak and Cheese”
classic steak tartare, parmesan cheese tuile
This was awesome. Again, I wasn't sure what Tuile was (in relation to food), but it ended up being the little crackery wrapper thing the steak was in. This was one of my favorites!
Beer Battered Corn Dog
chorizo sausage, whole grain mustard
Just look at it, is there anything NOT to like about this one? This seems to be a favorite with a lot of diners there too.
Crispy Corn Beignet
corn custard, pickled red onions
This was actually my favorite I think. The corn custard filling tasted eerily close to Mike's great grandma's famous chicken soup. (Well not really). But this one was a surprise hit (plus the beignets remind us of our France trip)!!

OH, their bread was really delicious as well and today's spread was "lemon infused cream cheese" or something like that. In any case, it was a great bonus as cream cheese is food of the gods.

We skipped the regular appetizers and jumped ahead to entrees. Had the Pork Chops with bread pudding and some other sides. I've actually only had Pork Chops a couple of times, very nice. And the Seared Red Snapper, also very yummy (ok, I may have run out of adjectives).

We also bypassed desserts, but they had some interesting looking choices.

For the quality of the dinner and the atmosphere, it seemed well priced. I would definitely return, especially for the "Amuse Yourself" menu and some cocktails in the big bar area. The service was also excellent, worth noting due to the lack of good service in these parts.

From looking at their menu, it looks like they have a fab brunch which I'd like to try out as well. And when it gets nicer out, it'd be nice to walk there and back. A little bit of a walk, but that just means room for more food!

Tallula Restaurant
Tallula write-up

Jill and I have subscriptions to two local theaters. This year's offerings have been mixed, some have been very good, others not so much. But nothing so far had us walking out of the theater grinning ear to ear (and nothing had me rushing home to write a review!).
Tonight's performance "Fallen from Proust" did just that!

It could be categorized as a sexual farce, but it wasn't over the top like some farces are. There is good character development and you care about them. There are some really great lines, a lot of having to do with Roger, a supposedly gay republican. I wish I was better at remembering lines, there were some classics.

Michelle and Gary are a long-term couple, but not married or living together. Gary gets a roommate (to keep from committing to Michelle?), Roger, who is gay (at least we think so). There's a 4th character in the 2nd act (Alan), a gay prostitute. Relationships and hijinks ensue.

I really enjoyed this play, I laughed out loud for much of it. A smart, witty, and fun night! It's playing until 20-Feb, so if you're near DC, I'd recommend to check it out. Only $20 on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

From Signature Theater
THE WORLD PREMIERE
Fallen From Proust
By Norman Allen
Directed by Will Pomerantz

The author who brought us the poetic majesty of Nijinsky’s Last Dance, the religious conundrums of In the Garden and the literate beauty of Melville Slept Here returns with a comic tour-de-force. Modern-day San Francisco is the setting for this roundelay of sexual shenanigans as three hip thirty-somethings manipulate an ever-changing triangle of friendship, love and Clumber Spaniels. All bets are off in a world where Republican affiliations are anathema, homosexuality is passé and an ancient volume of Proust holds the key to all mysteries.

Culture Vulture Review

Washington Post Review

Fortune Seafood is our favorite Dim Sum restaurant. Located in Seven Corners on Arlington Blvd, it's Huge!
The carts roll every day, weedays and weekends, during lunch time. They also serve a traditional Chinese menu, but I've only ever had the dim sum The selection is awesome, with a good focus on seafood.
Whenever we go, we always get our "usuals" then vary it up a little as well. The three core plates are shrimp rice noodle with a dark sweet soy sauce (I could eat 10 plates of them and they are one of my all time favorite foods), beef chow foon, and some of the differerent steamed seafood dumplings. Other favorites include bbq pork triangles, a fried shrimp ball on a sugar cane stick, a somewhat fried sesame roll thing with shrimp inside, and sesame balls with bean paste. The quality of the food is excellent, no matter what you order. During the week, it can be a very quick lunch actually since the food comes around so fast. If you do want something specific that you don't see on a cart, just mention it to one of the many servers and they'll get it to you. On weekends, the place is packed! It probably seats a few hundred people and there is still a line out the door.
Fortune's got great quality food, fast and friendly service, and is always a treat!

The Italian Store sells subs, calzones, pizza, italian groceries, wine, and more. It gets very busy on weekend afternoons and most evenings, you need to take a number and wait for it to be called. The subs are top notch and (although it's hard to find good pizza in NoVa/Washington) their pizza is excellent. They sell an Extra Large that feeds plenty. This is a great place to get pizza from, pick up a sub before heading to Great Falls, select a nice bottle of Italian wine and frozen lasagna to cook up, or just pick up all sorts of random Italian products. They also sell (Baltimore-based) Berger cookies which are quite possibly the best cookies on earth.

If you haven't been to the area lately, this is not your father's Crystal City!

A slew of restaurants are opening up in this newly redesigned section of Crystal City. About half are open now, one of which is the just-opened Oyamel Cocina Mexicana. Oyamel is the brand new restaurant by Jose Andres of Jaleo, Zaytinya and Minibar. Like Jaleo and Zaytinya, the portions are appetizer sized and you're encouraged to share among the table. The type of food is modern Mexican, featuring a lot of ingredients you'd find in Mexico but not in Mexican food served in America typically.

The restaurant itself is extremely stylish, really impressive looking and well decorated. While it is a large space, it's broken into sections separated by slightly different styles, levels, and curtains. You could get a sense of the whole space at once without it feeling cavernous. Although it was so stylish, it didn't seem like it tried to hard, it just was very well done.

As we walked by the windows on the way in, we noticed people drinking some very cool cocktails. Turned out to be margaritas with "salt air" on top. The "air" was a feature in the Minibar menu also, it was a great and unusual way to get the salt flavor with the drink (see pic below). The other drink we had was a sweet (and tart) combination of passion fruit, ginger, tequila, and jalapaeno, awesome!

Fried plantain and tortilla chips were brought to the table and served with a green tomatillo guacamole dip. A good start! The huge menu is broken into sections featuring ceviches and seafood, soups, cold dishes, salads, tacos, meat, and some more (the section headers weren't translated so even some of those were guesses). Some of the dishes we shared were: squash blossom quesadilla (not the usual quesadilla, it was more of a deep fried corn tortilla pocket, very tasty); sauteed shrimp with a tomato/olive/onion sauce (surprisingly good); a dragon fruit salad with lime squeezed onto it at the table; a baby corn dish topped with corn nuts that was identical to the Minibar version!; a mushroom and cheese enchilada with a chili salsa; a melted cheese with tequila dish (reminiscent of the top of a french onion soup, yum); flank steak with pineapple; tacos filled with chicken (and supposedly chorizo but that dish was a disappointment). We also saw plenty at our neighbor's table that made us want to come back...and soon! Although at times ordering was sort of a shot in the dark (even some of the English translations still had non-English descriptions), it was evident right away that it would be hard to go too wrong.

The restaurant has only been open for a short while and they are still working out some kinks: they had run out of menus and a few dishes weren't available. However, the service was absolutely impeccable, friendly, and professional. We were wondering if they had brought in some of the staff from Andres's other restaurants as even though it was so new, they were really excellent.

The dessert menu looked pretty interesting, but we opted to try out the new Coldstone Creamery next door. Can't go wrong at Coldstone, especially as it's brand new so no lines!

From the moment we walked in the door until we paid the check, we enjoyed every moment of our Oyamel dining experience. I literally said "I love it here!" about a dozen times. It will be a shame when they start to publicize it because no doubt, the wait for tables will be long. But give us a few of those awesome cocktails and I'm sure we won't mind the wait!

Run through Fairfax County Public School's adult education, the 3-hour Thai Gourmet Kitchen class was taught by Flora Yang. It was originally scheduled for the kitchen at Marshall H.S. but was moved to Fairfax H.S.

On the cooking agenda:
Mango w/ sticky rice
Chicken satay
Basil chicken red curry
Sour shrimp soup w/ lemon grass
Pad Thai w/ shrimp

It was actually a bit of a disappointment. It was a lot of fun and we had a blast being there. But we thought it would be more hands-on, like we'd each prepare and make our own dishes. But instead, everyone just chopped and prepared different items and the dishes were all cooked at once. Plus the food wasn't actually very good. Or in Mike's words "This is the worst Thai food I've ever eaten." He did notice things as they were being done, like the skillet not being hot enough, so the chicken soaked up all the oil. However, we learned lots of techniques and about Thai ingredients and stuff like that, which is useful. The instructor was very personable as well.

So .... I wouldn't recommend this class specifically, but I think the idea has potential! I think it would be fun to do a class in a restaurant where they also have wine and even a good chef. Not as fancy as all that, but I know Lebanese Taverna in Arlington has cooking classes weekly, with wine and all, that would be fun maybe!

also p.s. to any single guys, the class was 12 women and 1 guy, seems like a great place to meet women!!

Just a little sushi place in a strip mall, but it was really good! They have a huge menu, even their a la carte menu was over two full pages. If you order over a certain amount from a la carte ($14 for dinner), it includes soup and salad, which is nice.
The nigiri was excellent, both the tuna and salmon were so tender you could bite right through it. The portions were generous, hanging over the rice. And they offer a huge selection of rolls, I had one with soft shelled crab and avocado, very delicious.
The service was surprisingly friendly and efficient, the place seemed to be filled with neighborhood regulars, families and otherwise. And since it is in a strip mall, there is plenty of parking anyway!
I will definitely return for sushi fixes in the future.....

sushi zen

"The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America" is a non-fiction book that reads like fiction. The time is the end of the 1800s, the place is Chicago. Chicago won the bidding for the 1893 World's Fair. This book covers two pretty independent tracks. One is the World's Fair itself, the politics, policy, design, and implementation of it. The main "character" in these chapters is Daniel Burnham, Director of Works for the World's Columbian Exposition.
I found this story so fascinating. I love reading about policy in any case, what goes on behind the scenes to make something (a law, a movie, a fair) happen, and this was such a great example.

You can really see how much "smaller" the country was in this time. Name any Name of the time and that person probably attended the Fair. The book dropped lots of tibits about these people:

A new device was unveiled to make plates for printing books in Braille. The inventor had previously invented a machine for typing in Braille. "Upon learning that Hall was the man who had invented the typewriter she used so often, the girl put her arms around his neck and gave him a huge hug and kiss" Helen Keller

Mark Twain came to town for it, but was sick in his hotel the whole time and missed it.

Susan B. Anthony riled up the "Sabbatarians" (who forced the Fair to be closed on Sundays, even though that was only day most working people weren't working so many couldn't attend) by saying that a son of hers would learn more at Buffalo Bill's Wild West show (then at Church)!

And those were just some side items. The most interesting facts and stories came from the main players of the fair. One story that weaves its way through the book was an engineering feat they searched for an American to think up, then built. They needed to "out-Eiffel Eiffel". (The Eiffel tower had been the centerpiece of the World's Fair in Paris a few years earlier.) The result: George Ferris's wheel!
It was just really interesting.

Then... there was an entire separate story throughout book, usually alternating chapters. This told the story of H. H. Holmes, a serial killer. He built a macabre "hotel" (including his very own gas chamber) where he killed a slew of people, mostly young women on their own in the big city. These killings were so disturbing. Everytime a new woman character was introduced in one of these chapters, you knew what the horrific end would be.

This book just had everything for me. I learned a lot and I was thoroughly entertained (and disturbed). I was also pleased that it was non-fiction. Historical fiction has been annoying me lately because I never know which parts are real vs. invented. I am interested now, in reading some more about this time period and about the Fair, what a fascinating time period for our country!!

The concept: Upstairs at Cafe Atlantico restaurant, it is a 6-person bar. Behind the bar are 3 chefs working to prepare and present about 30 tiny dishes to you. It's a fixed menu, including snacks, cocktails, main dishes, and dessert.

I might say this abut 10 times in this review, but this was the coolest meal ever. It was just so amazing. Watching the chefs prepare each tiny meal, seeing the level of detail and creativity is incredible.

And yes, this review is incredibly long! But I want to remember this awesome meal so I may as well share it!!

The drinks: We started off with cocktails from the bar, a triple mango daiquirie and a Caipirinha. Once at our "table", we decided on a wine flight to go with our meal. I had heard that sparkling wine was supposed to be a good drink for the whole meal (because there are so many dishes and flavors, it is a neutral drink and will go with everything). However, we weren't sure if we'd want that the whole time. The wine flights were designed with the Minibar in mind. The one we chose started with a sparkling white wine, 2 whites, then 2 reds. We split the one flight and also got a pomegranate margarita during the meal which was very good too (with seeds).


The service: In front of each person was a plate on top of a large coil. As the chef presented and explained the next dish, you would take it from the bar and put it on your plate. When you were finished, you'd just leave it on the plate and the waitress would remove it. If you got any food on your big plate, the waitress would remove it, wipe it clean, and put it back. The utensils were sporks! But not the 7-11 variety, it was a short piece with a two pronged fork on one end and a shallow spoon on the other. But at one point, one of the chefs did actually call it a spork. It was the perfect utensil for this meal though!

Besides the 3 chefs, the main chef of the restaurant - Katsuya Fukushima, would pop in behind the bar to supervise and assist at different times. And, yes, I was almost starstruck when Jose Andres himself was there! Jose Andres is the guy behind this restaurant, Jaleo, and Zatinya. He chatted with us, supervised a bit himself, it was very cool. And I like how this guy, who heads some of the best restaurants in DC, was wearing jeans under his chef's apron. Nice!

Even though this is definitely an over-the-top meal with plenty of fancy schmancy food, the chefs were all very friendly and made it a great experience. They answered our sometimes detailed questions, gave great explanations, and seemed down to earth. And when you see the amount of preparation for a dish that you eat in one bite, you get such a great appreciation.

The food: OK, I won't go through each and every dish. But I really want to! I'll start and see how far I get, I'll list the dishes anyway (they presented a menu to take home after the meal was completed) and comment on some.

Chocolate Foie Gras Truffle: Eh, this was our least favorite. It is what it sounds like. The sparkling wine helped wash it down though. (At this point, I think Mike was nervous about the rest of the meal...).

Snacks (presented in cute boxes or containers). They were all savory and yummy:
Caramelized Pork Rinds with Vermond Maple Syrup
Lotus Chips with Star Anise
Crispy Nori Rice


Passion Fruit Cocktail : I think he said it was like a Whisky Sour. Refreshing, very frothy on top.
Mojito Spritz: Yup, you spritzed it in your mouth.

Salmon roe cone: cream cheese and lox in a crispy wrapper. Neither one of us are big fans of roe, but I liked wrapper and cream cheese made it not too bad.

Pineapple & salmon ravioli with avocado and crispy quinoa

Jicama Wraps: 2 with tuna and sesame, 2 with apples and cabrales. These were tiny sushi rolls. Shoot, I forget what the sauce was for dipping, but this was an excellent dish.

Deconstructed glass of white wine: OK, this seemed very frou frou, but it was actually good. A dish with fermented grape gelee on the bottom. Then tiny tiny dots of pomegranate,orange, mint, passion fruit, vanilla bean, things that go into a white wine.

Cantaloupe Ravioli: This was the most interesting dish to watch get prepared. They said it was a new technique they have been working on. Take a spoonful of canteloupe puree and spoon it into a bowl of water with calcium. It stays together and ends up looking like an egg yolk. Then they remove each and place it into another bowl of water. However, there was some drama in this dish. One chef didn't wipe off the spoon each time he placed the puree into the water and apparently this affected the chemistry. They ended up doing it again. I think at this point, the main chef was back there as well and it did seem like a little laboratory. Once the "yolk" or ravioli was removed from the last bowl of water, it was put into a big spoon with tinytiny portions of mint, zest, etc. After all that work, we ate it in one bite!

Melon tenderloin with Arugula & caramel

Tomato, Tomato, Tomato: I love tomatoes. This dish was a cool refreshing one. There was a tomato gelee and on top of that a tomato "sponge" with more tomato.

"Caesar Salad": Again, watching the effort that went into this dish was so interesting. Long jicama wraps with anchovy, romaine, tiny croutons. Then rolled up, sliced, and served like a small sushi roll. One was topped with a quail egg and the other was topped with parmesan. What a nice "salad"!

Cotton candy foie gras: "Huh" you say? This was the coolest dish! I've had fois gras before and didn't dislike it but would never have ordered it in a restaurant. The first foie gras (remember, in the chocolate?) didn't inspire me to start. But this dish along with a later one may have done the trick. This dish was just a cube of fois gras on a stick, then they swirled it in a cotton candy machine to weave a light halo of the cotton candy around it. It was really good, the flavors actually went really well together, oddly enough. p.s. I LOVE cotton candy!

Baby peach with yogurt: The tiny baby peaches were green, they had been pickled. On a bed of yogurt with olive oil. The peaches were very sweet and the combination of flavors was a great example of the creativity throughout the meal.

[small break] Each of the dishes had many other seasonings, ingredients too, I just can't remember exactly. Watching one bite sized dish being prepared, I was just amazed at the tiniest amount of flavors that were added. Zest of an orange - literally one tap of the orange to get the small amount.[ok back on to the dishes]

Conch fritters

"Corn on the Cob". This was one of my favorites. Chinese baby corn, grilled, on a small skewer. A few other ingredients then sprinkled with corn nuts! A tiny lollipop of corn.

Zucchini "Caviar". OK, THIS was one of my favorites. I can't remember exactly but the bottom was a zucchini puree, then two more levels of zucchini prepared differently. It was so tasty. The guy next to us noted how he doesn't like zucchini and loved this dish. I really loved it. These dishes are out of order, this was closer to the beginning though. When we ate this one, we just knew we were in for an amazing meal.

Hot & cold foie gras soup. OK, now I'm getting redundant. But this tiny cup of soup was so damn good. This was one of a handful of dishes that are served on the regular Cafe Atlantico menu, I would definitely order it. I actually don't know what was in it, but there were two layers of soup plus some toppings. When you drink it from the cup, all the flavors just blend together perfectly.

Guacamole & tomato sorbet: Thin slices of avocado on top, lots of other ingredients below. Topped with crushed fritos. I'm not a big avocado fan, but this was very good.

Sea urchin with pomegranate air: Didn't really like this one. Only one of the evening I did not finish.

Frozen mango soup with oyster: Frozen mango mousse, one oyster, a little blossom on it. Damn, another favorite!!

Egg 147 with caviar.

Lobster americaine: ok, reading about this after the fact, apparently there was an injection in the skewer we were supposed to squirt. Guess I didn't catch that one...

New new England clam chowder: Too creamy for me or something, didn't do it for me.

Breaded cigalas: This was very good. I hadn't heard of cigalas, it is a shell fish like a lobster. It was delicious!!

Meat & potatoes: This was friggin incredible. Round slices of Kobe beef, just seared on the outside. I don't think I've eaten beef that raw, it was like butter! Honestly, it was so tasty. I've heard of Kobe beef but never understood the buzz. Now I know!

Watermelon air

Apples with red wine "Freddy Girardel": Dessert has started.

Pina colada: This was an amazing dish. In a tiny cup (of course!).

Petit Fours: Brought out with a candle for Mike's birthday, the dish contained chocolate covered corn nuts, small marshmallow-type things, and a bevvy of other delights.

At the end, the waitress brought out a full egg, placed it down on the bar, and smashed it! Instead of yolk, it contained the bill. Just a fun fun night with amazing food!!

The verdict: I would HIGHLY recommend this to someone, especially for a special event dinner. They ask you if you have any allergies or food restrictions when you make the reservation. However, this meal would be hell for picky eaters. If you aren't willing to try most things (after all, most were bite sized. How bad could it be? And you might even discover something new to like!) it would be a downer. But if you like most foods and are willing to try new things, it is heaven. For me, it was perfect because I love interesting food combinations and variety, I loved that there were a slew of practically bite sized dishes. (Actually for some dishes, the chef would tell you "Eat this in one bite".)

Honestly, I think this is the best meal I've ever eaten!! We were even saying that during the meal, it was such an event, every minute trying something new with perfectly-thought-out tastes, just for us. I know it seems (and probably is) pretentious but it is soooo worth it. And with being up close while the chefs prepare it all, it makes it seem more down to earth. And pretentious or not, at the end up the day, the dishes were just out of this world. And if price is an object (it's about on par with other nice DC restaraunts), consider that it is also entertainment. So instead of going to dinner and a show, just skip the show and eat here! If you think you would enjoy it but your regular dining partner is more of a picky eater, it's worth going to with someone else. You won't forget it!!

I found some random person's photos of their dinner at Minibar. Many of the dishes are different and some that have the same name are actually prepared differently. But it gives a sense of it anyhow, Pictures. I took a few pictures (only about 4) also, I'll load em up as well.

I have a hard time trying to imagine a better dining experience than this!

I haven't seen any of the other M. Night Shyamalan movies before. My problem is that I insist on being told the twist and then there is really no point after that to see it. But my friend Nadia wanted to see The Village this evening, so that's cool.

So I know to expect some big twist, but the problem is that what ended up being the twist at the end, I had assumed from the very beginning. I wasn't trying to guess the twist, I just assumed that what was going on. So I was very disappointed on that front.

But as far as the rest of the movie goes, I enjoyed it. I liked the way he told the story, sort of throwing you in there w/o the backstory. It was slow but also well paced, I never felt it drag. The lead character Ivy (spunky blind girl) was very well played. I actually enjoyed the movie in its own right, w/o the so called surprise ending.

I guess I might as well put this in my own review (in addition to replying to Kayt's: Kayt's Review of Reading Lolita in Tehran: A Memoir in Books ).

I just finished it. It was indeed wonderful. After reading the first few pages, my initial thought was that it was going to be too wordy, too verbose. But after a page or two, I got totally absorbed. The book had so much in it.

The discussion of literature was worth it alone. Her writing made it all very accessible. Then discussing it in context to their lives in Iran added a whole other dimension to these books. I loved the scene when her class put the book The Great Gatsby on trial. Perhaps there is something about living in a turbulent time in a turbulent place, but I can't imagine any class of literature students here getting so worked up and passionate (one way or the other) here!

I also found the description of day-to-day life in Iran fascinating. I always knew Iran had once been very open for women and then closed up, but to "see" it happen was just devastating. And even the younger women who spent a larger part of their lives in the restrictive environment, how even they never accepted their role. Iran just seems like such a bundle of contradictions, the highly educated women, constantly changing rules and consequences for breaking /bending them. I am very interested to talk to some Iranian friends and colleagues now and hearing more of their stories and background.

I sometimes had a little trouble keeping the different characters straight. There were very many in the book: her students in the university classes, the ones in her private class, and even the literary characters seemed an integral part to the book. I loved her use of "fiction" throughout the book, how eventually as she left the university and doing the private class, how her own life became "fictionalized" in a way, as she became more removed from the sometimes harsh reality of living in Iran. But also seeing how this harsh reality could be different for men. As one of the students and her husband are deciding whether to move to Canada or not, this discussion occurs: "Sometimes I think men just can't relate to how difficult it is to be a woman in this country, she said with frustration. For them it's easier, said Yassi. In a way, this place can be a man's paradise. Hamid tells me, said Mitra, that if we made a good living, we can always take our vacations abroad." As if a vacation away from Repression is a substitute!!

Near the end, I felt like she threw a lot of stuff in, I would have liked some of those themes to have been explored more: the women's warped sense of sex and physical attraction; the killing (or attempted killings) of the writers and other intellectuals; the (lack-of) music/entertainment and the monitoring of it to make sure it wasn't un-Islamic. I loved the description of the concert of young men playing the Gipsy Kings although they weren't allowed to sing or show enthusiasm. But the crowd just loved it anyway because they had so little of it (even though they weren't allowed to clap). And aren't men the same everywhere "Only Bijan (the writer's husband) seemed unconcerned by the awkwardness of the moment. He had made a sacrifice by leaving his comfortable home on a weeknight and felt no obligation to socialize as well." Well, actually you get a sense of that throughout the book. People really are the same everywhere. If more people understood that, I'd imagine there'd be a lot less of killing civilians in these conflicts of ours, it's a lot easier to wipe people out when they are "different" than us.

I really enjoyed this book. There were so many layers to it (her classes, her students, her family, her magician, the Islamic Republic, politics, day-to-day life in Iran, literature) and it all tied together and made for an awesome read.

Another book I'd recommend is Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China. It doesn't have the extra layers this book does, but it is an interesting account of three women spanning about the 20th century in China. Of course, there are some similar themes as well.

In Arlington, VA on Lee Highway (between Quincy and Kirkwood).

I hate Home Depot. It intimidates me, it's too big, the people are unhelpful, I can never find anything, just too big. I much prefer to go to Cherrydale Hardware. When you walk in, someone always asks to help you. For that sized store they have a very good number of people working there. I can usually find anything I need. And it is very convenient (about 5 min. drive from my house).

Their prices are definitely higher then Home Depot. I bought a 6-ft ladder last week. It was about $10 more then it would have been at Home Depot. However, I was able to call them and after a 3 minute phone conversation, I knew what they had in stock and how much it was (imagine trying to get that info from Home Depot). I got there 5 minutes later and 5 minutes after that was on my way home.

Besides hardware, they also have a decent sized garden center which I frequent a lot. The people are friendly and helpful. I don't mind paying a little more for that level of service and convenience, in addition to being able to patronize a locally-owned store. I'm not a big do-it-yourselfer so I don't spend too much money there. If I was doing a big project, then I would probably have to go to the big store to save some money.

If you're familiar with the area, you might know of Virginia Hardware in Clarendon. I much prefer Cherrydale, it has a much bigger selection and it is easier to park.

Cherrydale Hardware

Saw The Producers at the Kennedy Center on Saturday. It was a very fun and big show, we enjoyed it. It starred Lewis J. Stadlen as Max Bialystock and Alan Ruck (of Ferris Bueller's Day Off and Spin City) as Leo Bloom. They were both very good in their roles. At times you could tell that Stadlen had a great voice, but most of the time he sang with effects (raspy voice, etc) so it didn't always shine through. Ruck didn't have that strong a voice but it was nice enough and he was very funny and entertaining in the role. I thought I would be thinking of how Matthew Broderick would have played it, but instead I kept imagining Gene Wilder (probably because I've seen the movie and not the NY show).

The show is just very fun, very big (oh, I already wrote that!). The sets were elaborate and very well done, the dancing and choreography were excellent. The show is both silly and clever, mocking a slew of types (gays, jews, swedes, etc.). That may be the key in being un-PC, as long as you mock everyone, you're safe. People don't mind laughing at themselves as long as they're not singled out and as long as there's enough leeway to make them think they are different than the stereotype being mocked.

Lee Roy Reams as a flamboyant director (who eventually plays Hitler in an even more flamboyant way) and Harry Bouvy as his assistant/partner were priceless and stole every scene they were in. I enjoyed the big production numbers and there were plenty of them (old ladies doing acrobatics, nazis doing acrobatics, prisoners doing acrobatics, etc.). I wouldn't rank this as one of my favorite musicals ever, but it was enjoyable and I left with a smile on my face...

Waterfront restaurant in Annapolis, in the Easton section. There is some outside seating and also wonderful views from inside as well.

The menu is varied, lots of seafood, but also steak, lamb, etc. Entrees are in the $20-$30 price range and for an additional $12, you can also add on their cream of crab soup, salad, and dessert (we added on to one of the entrees and split the soup, etc). I appreciated the wine list. I am no connoisseur, but I liked that we could get a $20 bottle of Australian Shiraz (I hate when you can't get a bottle of wine for less than $35.). Plus some of their pricier selections were available in a half bottle.

The food was wonderful. We split an oyster sampler (2 oysters of 3 different kinds). All 3 types were great. The one minor disappointment was that the oysters could stand to be colder, I really like when they are served on ice.

One entree we had was a herb crusted rockfish which came with a sun-dried tomato risotto, wilted spinach, and lump crab. It was awesome. The second entree was a filet mignon (cooked to perfection) with polenta and onions, excellent.

So, food was wonderful, views were nice. BUT... service was crap. After we were seated, no one came to our table for probably about 10 minutes. Finally we stopped someone who sent a waiter over, the waiter apologized, he didn't know he had that table. OK, but even after that the service was poor. He said he was going to come right back with the soup but it took ages (along with the bread and we were starving!). When he brought the oyster sampler, I asked which oysters were which and he didn't know. All small things, but along with overall slowness, it ended up diminishing the experience, thus the 3 star rating! That said, I would definitely return when in Annapolis!

A new Indian restaurant in Clarendon, it is where one of the smaller Vietnamese places used to be, near Hard Times. We went there for dinner, it was only their second night open. Their grand opening is in about 10 days, they should get their liquor license in the next week.

I was impressed with the food. For appetizers we shared a potato dish which I forgot the name of and the "Bhel Puri" a puffed rice dish. Both were good, I especially liked the Bhel Puri.

For entrees, the four of us shared: Butter chicken, an Okra dish, Seekh kabab (ground beef skewers), Lamb kabobs, and a creamy chicken curry dish with ground pistachio and coconut. This last dish was incredibly delicious with an added benefit of being a liittle out of the ordinary. All the chicken dishes consisted of nice white meat, were very tasty. The lamb kabob was the weakest, I didn't really enjoy that one (and I didn't personally have any Seekh Kabab although people seemed to like it). They had about 6 different types of breads, we got a selection of 3 in a bread basket. Very tasty naan!

The prices are reasonable. They have a bunch of vegetarian options, multiple biryanis, tandoor/kababs, curries, and more. Their dessert selection was only Gulab jamun and Rice pudding. From their flyers it seems like for lunch they will serve a faster Indian meal with some dishes available in a wrap or sandwich of some sort.

So far, the decor is pretty sparse but maybe it will be spruced up a bit before their grand opening. The service was very good. All in all, I think this is a nice addition to the Clarendon area!!!

Spices is my favorite regular-priced DC restaurant. It's a regular lunch spot, as well as dinners out and even delivery (when eating in the district). Pan Asian with excellent sushi and other asian cuisines.

Some of my personal favorites:
Aged tangerine peeled beef (crispy beef tossed with red chili and aged tangerine peel sauce) : Warning, this dish is ADDICTIVE. Almost every person who has tried it now has to have it every time they go.
Peking chicken - all the same ingredients as peking duck but with chicken.
Nabeyaki Udon soup (thanks Mia!)
Veggie Tempura Sushi Roll
Wafu salad (just a small salad with a really nice sesame dressing)
Spring Onion Cake (appetizer, pan fried pancakes with scallions; sweet and sour ginger sauce)
Grilled Vegetable Combination with crispy tofu in ginger soy sauce

I have trouble straying from my favorites (or more sushi if I'm in the mood) since they are so good, but all the dishes seem delicious!

From what other people say (this is not for me!), the Suicide Curry is extremely hot and not in a particularily tasty way. However, everytime we bring a new co-worker there for lunch the first time, someone pretends that it is really good, the new person tries it, and then proceeds to die. A fun time for all.

Although there are plenty of meat-free dishes, there aren't a lot of choices if you are totally vegetarian (i.e. the pad thai has fish oil in it).

Very reasonably priced, plus decent wine list and other drinks. For dinner (especially on weekends), you may want a reservation, but even without one it is usually OK. Spices Rocks!!!

I love the Accu-broadway section on www.accuradio.com. I can listen to broadway tunes while working (I'm a show-tune freak), an excellent selection of them. They have an overview of showtunes, or you can select a sub-channel (by Decade, Composer, Genre, etc.). When on a channel, you can unselect certain albums (but only a limited amount, so you can't deselect everything but say, Miss Saigon).

No commercials except a few second riff every so often saying their name.

AccuRadio also has many other genres (what? there is more than just show tunes to life??), like Indie Rock, Brit Rock, Jazz, Swing, Classical, etc..

I haven't tried out many other Internet Radio sites, so I don't know how it compares (what other good ones are out there?).