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May 27, 2004
Best Bumper Sticker.
Ever.
Get your Apocalypse now!
Posted by Samer at 11:01 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Brood X
That's what they call the cicadas that come out every 17 years.
They are finally here. Not quite as massive and impressive as I was expecting. I still want the skies to darken with the critters. And I want to hear their singing.
At least I am not cicada obsessed like some people are.
Posted by Samer at 10:42 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
May 20, 2004
An Old Friend
Do you remember Bardo?
It was a quirky place. Descended from Amdo and Roratonga Rodeo, Bardo Rodeo filled a huge gaping hole in the Arlington/DC beer scene. And by gaping, I mean gaping: the place sat 1100 people.
It was inside a car dealership, the old Olmstead Oldsmobile on Wilson Blvd. It was monstrously huge. The beer was great, the food not so much. Stories abound of people ordering pizza delivered to their table. By Dominos.
The quirkiness extended from the location to the decor to the beers themselves. Because it used to be a car dealership, an old car was jut in half. One half was turned into an advertisement for the place, firmly planted in the asphalt outside the entrance. The other half was turned into a juke box.
The beers had quirky names and tastes, as well. James Brown Ale was always a favorite. American Headlight, in keeping with the car theme, was the light beer. Then there was the strong and award winning White Lightnin'! What a great brew. And they had the best happy hour: from 11a until 7p. $2 pints. I spent many a day there.
Well, after that long ramble, I get to the point. Bardo closed down a while back, the brew house having been moved off site. It tried to reopen, and eventually came back as Dr. Dremo.
It tried to be different things. They tried a 24 hour format. A sushi bar. But, most recently and most successfully, it has become what it always was: an excellent beer house.
They have about 36 beers, most of them excellent, on tap. They have no hard liquor. They have a small, but decent menu. And they have the old Bardo beers.
Sometimes, it is good to rediscover an old friend.
Posted by Samer at 08:20 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
May 19, 2004
Mudbug
Went to a crawfish and music festival over the weekend. It was a benefit for Hungry for Music.
There was a boat load of crawfish. It was something else. We ate and ate and ate. Drank a fair share of beer, too.
If you like a good cause and if you like crawfish, go to the site and look out for next year's event.
Posted by Samer at 08:21 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Metro Sucks (four in a continuing series)
Heard a new Metro ad on the radio. A guy is obviously agitated about his date being late. She tells him a sob story about not finding parking. When he says he had no problems getting there, she says something about him having magical powers.
So the guy responds that he took Metro and got there early. Fine so far. Then he adds, "I wouldn't call it magic". Right. Cause it sucks.
Why, when they are millions in debt, are they spending money on these awful ads? And why are they spending money adding a holding bar on the second generation Breda trains?
The new trains have these holding bars that stretch from the pole closest to the inside of the car at the far doors for about three feet. So, since we don't want cars that don't have the same aesthetic, it seems they are now retrofitting the older cars.
If they are going to make changes, they should be changes that make getting on and off the train easier. Like moving the poles away from the doors. And putting poles on the backs of ever seat so people will move inside.
Sigh.
Posted by Samer at 08:19 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
May 16, 2004
Cicada Watch
Well, I've just seen my first live one. It is hanging on the screen of my window. Has been for hours.
Prepare for Armageddon folks. The cicadas are here.
Posted by Samer at 02:33 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
May 14, 2004
Directions
I went to a BBQ joint this evening for some fine pulled pork. I got messy as all hell, covered in sauce. To the rescue comes the moist towelette. Or, as the packaging says, in three places, it is a "MOIST TOWELETTE". Huh, it actually looks better in all caps.
But, the thing that bugs me about the MOIST TOWELETTE is not the caps. Nor is it the thanks they give for my patronage (how does one patronize a MOIST TOWELETTE anyway?), or the reason to use the MOIST TOWELETTE, nor even the "pleasing lemon scented lotion".
What gets my ire is that they have to put directions on it. I quote: "Tear open packet, unfold MOIST TOWELETTE and use." Really. Honest, that's what it says. I mean, if I need those sorts of instructions, I could probably use some help in figuring out how to use a MOIST TOWELETTE to begin with.
Posted by Samer at 08:25 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
May 13, 2004
Gambas al Ajillo
Those of you who have been to Jaleo have probably had the gambas al ajillo. Shrimp cooked in oil with garlic. And as good as the shrimp is, you just want it done so you can soak up that garlic oil with the hearty bread they provide.
I set out to make this fantastic dish at home, and here's how you can, as well:
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
3-5 dried red chili peppers
3-4 cloves of garlic, sliced
1/2 lb 31-40 count shrip, peeled and de-veined
1/2 medium lemon
Place the oil, peppers and the garlic (sliced very thin) into a bowl and let set for about 20-30 mins to allow the flavors to mingle.
Place contents of the bowl into a 12" skillet and heat on medium until garlic starts to dance across the oil and bubbles form, about 2 mins.
Dry the shrimp, then salt and pepper them. Add to oil and bring heat to medium-low. Cook for three mins, or until shrimp has turned pink. Be careful not to over cook.
Remove shrimp to serving bowl, and bring heat back up to medium. Continue to cook until the garlic shows signs of browning. Turn off heat and let rest for two mins. Add a touch of olive oil to cool and to add some fresh oil taste. Pour over shrimp.
Finish with a squeeze of lemon, a couple of wedges on the side and some chopped parsley on top. And don't forget to pair with a good bread to soak up the garlic oil.
Posted by Samer at 09:23 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
May 12, 2004
Missing A
We dated for a very short while, a couple of months. But 'A' opened my heart and she touched my soul. Her smile was infectious and her concern for her causes was very deep.
I don't talk to her a lot these days, her law schooling and all these time zones make it a bit difficult. And I miss her, because of it.
Posted by Samer at 08:42 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Metro Sucks (three in a continuing series)
So I see this ad on the side of a Metro Bus. It has a woman checking out some information on some sort of hand held device. The tag line is something along the lines of "She's Making Sure Her Red Line Train is Running On Time."
Shouldn't people expect that the trains will just run on time. Why should we need to check? Having to advertise that people do this, seems to imply that the trains don't actually run on time a good deal of the time.
Oh. Right. They don't.
Posted by Samer at 08:38 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Signs I Drink Too Much pt II
So, in the last two weeks or so I've been to my favorite beer bar in DC, RFD, seven times. Last Wednesday, I went with seven colleagues. We got sat in my favorite waitress' section.
She comes bounding around the corner and, upon seeing me, says, "Oh, no! Not you again!"
The sad part is, in the previous four visits, she's not even been there. Cause she was off planning her sister's wedding. Yeah, I know too much about the lives of the people who bring me beer.
Well, after that inauspicious start, she says, "Well, my name is ...," and points to me. With only a mere hesitation, I reply, "... Kardin".
She continues, "the blue menus have our ...," and I finish, "... bottled beers." She adds, "and the pink ones are for ...", "... draught beer."
She then told the group that if they have any questions on the beers, they should just ask me.
So, do I drink too much?
Posted by Samer at 08:34 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack