Winter had finally come to the critters of Frogtown Hollow

And so it has. Snowfall in DC. An event of epic proportions. There is the typical hysteria caused by the news stations who use the term "storm" to refer to any snowfall (is this required in their contract? Or is it simple sensationalism of the sort that FOX practices daily?). There is the run on toilet paper and milk at the supermarkets (I blame that correlation on lactose intolerance). And there is the wishful thinking of thousands of government employees hoping and praying that they get out of work early--a wish that extends to the numerous nonprofits and contractors who follow OPM rules.

Admittedly, this snow event (I refuse to use the term storm for a mere dusting) wasn't as bad, or hysterical, as those in the past. A little history first: I moved to Washington 10 years ago, from Buffalo. Yes, that Buffalo. The place with the chicken wings and snow. When I first moved here I worked at a not-for-profit in Old Town. I remember being sent home early the first time it snowed (a total of maybe 2 inches!). Thereafter, I understood that a little dusting here and there was a great way to get home by 2:00 and have a few 40s. Now that's what I call livin'! Anyway, I do enjoy the way that DC looks in the snow. It takes on a completely new appearance and actually simply looks better. So I was happy when the snow finally began to stick last night and the buildings were covered.

Commuting during snow in DC is another story. Even though I have a 4-wheel drive, I prefer not to drive in DC after a snowfall. I have full faith in my driving abilities; it's the other jackasses out there that scare the shit out of me. Driving too slow and cautiously is just as dangerous as driving too fast. Throw in the mix of people from snowless states and the foreigners who have never driven in snow either, and you've got a recipe for disaster. My commute involves walking a mile to the Foggy Bottom Metro and taking the metro to Ballston. So rather than drivers, I have to deal with the shoddy condition of the slick sidewalks. They're usually not salted everywhere, so you have a 50/50 chance of slipping on your ass. Because it was cold this morning, most of the sidewalk was slick, but not horrible. The roads seemed to be completely clear. That fact makes it unbelievable that the only accident I saw this morning was some schmuck who rear ended another guy at Washington Circle. It wasn't slippery, he was just stupid. Oh well.

The other thing that intrigues me is how people dress in the snow. Let's drill that down a bit--I'm amazed at what people wear on their feet. Ladies, I love that want to look fashionable in your fuck-me pumps and stilettos and whatnot, but do you really think it makes sense to wear a platform pump with a 3-inch spiked heel in the snow? Seriously? I mention this specifically because I had to do a double take when I was walking down to the metro platform behind a girl who was wearing just that style. The fashion factor takes a huge downswing because at that point, no matter how good you look, you lose points and end up looking stupid due to impracticality. And to anyone who says, "People can wear what they want!", well yes, yes, people can wear what they want. But when that person slows the flow of traffic because they are tiptoeing so they don't fall, or when they actually do fall, then common sense has just won over fashion sense. So at the very least, put on a pair of boots with the stiletto heel and you won't be scoffed at as much.

And there you have it folks. A little taste of DC winter. To be sure, there will likely be another decent snow in January or February. Those are the good ones where work gets out early and the bar is the only place to be at 2:30. Also, we will likely see a couple of 60-degree days before the end of the month. That's how Baby Jesus likes it.

Merry Christmas is on its way!

Pescado Perfecto

Being an indecisive soul, I really struggle picking a meal on the days when I don't bring my lunch to work. My office is located in Ballston, so there's a plethora of options--some good, some bad. I am a tried and true food court appreciator and will occasionally hit the court at the Ballston Mall. It's not on the same caliber as Pentagon City mall, but there are some decent choices. One place there that I always enjoyed is La Choza, which is now called Fabian's. I hadn't even realized that they switched names and spruced it up because I haven't been to the court in a while, but they did a nice job.

While deliberating over what to get for lunch I opted to hit Fabian's because I had a coupon for a free specialty drink with the purchase of a meal. A lady was handing them out a few months ago and it was set to expire on December 31 of this year! I figured, no sense letting a good coupon go to waste! Upon my arrival at Fabian's I stared at the menu like I usually do and let a few people go ahead of me, like I usually do, because I couldn't make a decision. Looking for something on the lighter side I went with the "Pescado", described on the menu as, "Flounder sauteed with green peppers, onions, and tomatoes." You get a choice of two sides and I got black beans and salad. The lady told me it would be about 5 minutes since it's made to order. No problem. As I was standing there I also decided that I should add some yuca to my order (there goes a perfectly healthy meal). While waiting I asked the lady if they still take my drink coupon and she said "absolutely." She asked me if I had tried them and I said no. So she proceeded to pour me little samples of each one! The choices are pina colada (minus the booze), horchata, tamarindo, and maranon. Daaaaammnnnn! These treats were great! They reminded me a bit of the juegos frescos and agua dulce I've had in Costa Rica. After tasting them I chose the maranon--cashew fruit drink with a light citrus flavor. The lady told me about the fruit it comes from with the poisonous cashew nut. Interesting. She also told me how they changed the menu a little bit and the new stuff that's available.

My food came and I sat down. The plate was jammed full of salad (tomatoes and lettuce with a little sauce), black beans, and a huge portion of flounder. The fish was so tender and flavorful that I was taken back a bit! I've had the food here before, and while tasty, was nowhere near this level. The fish was fresh and tender and brought together nicely with the peppers, onions, and sauce. I also added some salsa verde and red salsa for heat. And my maranon was a great addition to the whole meal. Also, the yuca was some of the freshest I've ever had. Often, yuca is tough and tastes like it's been sitting around for a week. This was crisp on the outside from the fryer and nice and soft in the middle.

So what? So there you go. A nice meal at a nice little food court establishment. The lady at the cash register was awesome because she was friendly and told me interesting stories. So that's what I would call service Salvadorean style.

Their new menu has a Website, which says "coming soon." So check back later if you want to see what's cookin'.

The Holidays are Near--Let's Be Careful Out There!

So I went to the local Starbucks near my office. I had the yen for their Christmas Blend, which is actually a decent cuppa joe. I considered getting a scone too, but opted just for the coffee. Instead of turning this into a rant about my love/hate relationship with Starbucks, I'll stick to the subject at hand--be careful! As I was going up to place my order, one of the workers spilled a scalding hot coffee on the leg of the cashier who was taking my order. Yowza. She yelped because, in case you don't know, Starbucks coffee is otherworldly hot. But the main point is the worker who did the spilling. She was carrying a venti coffee by the lip of the cup. A venti coffee, Starbucks largest, is 20 oz. When filled with scalding hot liquid it doesn't take a rocket scientist to realize that 1) the integrity of the cup is going to deteriorate because of the hot liquid, 2) 20 oz of coffee is heavy when viewed in context of a top-heavy cup, 3) you shouldn't carry a top-heavy, deteriorating cup with no lid by the lip! Common sense. Oh well. I'm sure the cashier will be OK. Maybe I'll bring her some salve later. First I'll drink my coffee, which is finally cool enough to sip. Moral of the story--be careful folks. Here come the holidays.

Hollywood Writers Strike. Family Guy

Just a quick note regarding the writers strike in Hollywood. Frankly, I embrace the notion of no new shows for a couple weeks because it gives me time to catch up on the other stuff that is in the backburner. TiVo is full with programming just ready to be watched and if I'm able to catch up, all the better! Plus I can catch up on some newspaper reading. It's not that I like to see people out of work, it's just that TV gets you sometimes. What with it's funny programming, hilarious bloopers, captivating reality shows. Wait. Sorry. Those are all lies. TV is a vapid wasteland that will suck you in and not even have the courtesy to give you a reacharound. But damn, I love it!

Speaking of TV: I was watching the 100th episode of "Family Guy" this past Sunday and a thought came to me. Surprising right? How did the Kool Aid Man always break through walls with breaking himself? Presumably he was made out of glass, right? Well how come he never broke. He used to beat the piss out of those walls. God forbid you tap some wine glasses just right: shattered glass everywhere. But Kool Aid Man? He can break through a wall (full mind you!), and just stand there and scream, "OH YEAH!" I guess that was American construction for you back in the day. A full pitcher of juice can bust through a wall and live to talk about it. Outstanding.

Spoof Sex PSA

A friend sent this and it really hit the spot. Enjoy.

Red Sox rock it

How about those Red Sox??? Yeah. Four game sweep. Feels good, right? The games were solid all in all. And there were only 37 arrests on Sunday night! Good for you Boston: way to stay classy. If you're going to watch baseball, of course you have to watch commercials. I do not want to see any of the commercials that Fox broadcast ad nauseum during the game ever again. I won't even mention them here because that would mean that I'm supporting the cause. And unless I get a cut I ain't supportin' shit! The only thing I will say is that you can get your free taco from Taco Bell because Jacoby Ellsbury stole a base and now everyone in America gets a free taco. So head out there today for your treat.

A False Start

Mea culpa. I'm back after a false start. In April. Yeah, 7 months might seem like a long time to go without doing something here, but in the grand scheme it's not that bad. Especially if you're a master procrastinator like me. Much has probably happened since April, but since that time has gone and went, nobody cares much. I have become another year older in the past few days, so I'm getting closer to becoming a full fledged curmudgeon!

And speaking of getting another year older, I spent my birthday in a way that is quickly becoming a custom--at a concert with a bunch of friends! And nothing makes me happier. This year we went to the 9:30 club for the New Pornographers. What a freakin' show! I caught the New Ps twice earlier this year, and while good, the shows weren't great. Neko Case wasn't with them because she was on her solo tour and Kathryn Calder was sick and unable to do much singing at both shows we saw. Oh well. This time around more than made up for it. They played a lot off the new album ("Challengers") and threw in a lot of older tunes as well. The disaffected hipsters were as stoic as usual, but that didn't stop us from dancing. Because after all, if you can't dance to the New Ps, then you might as well be dead. Seriously. They'll infect you with a groove and some mojo quicker than you can scream, "I love you, Neko!" But I digress. Overall impression -- great show. So there you have it.