Oh wow. I've got 48 or 49 hours to move everything out of the place on Bouldin and into the new one in Mount Vernon. I'm in pretty good shape, but I can take no credit for that. When it comes time to pack, I decide I need to count and roll change or write a blog. Or, order a delicious dinner so I can be well-nourished for the task ahead.
Tonight I took one load over after work, packed this morning thanks to an early call from Taskmaster R. Now we're all supposed to be taking three cars of my stuff over, but I had to eat. So I ordered a blackened chicken quesadilla from Nacho Mama's. Really, I should have just heated up a Lean Cuisine, but I thought this might be my last time to walk to pick up take out from the square. You know, because I'm moving and will have to drive.
Nacho Mama's food is average tex-mex, served up in a funky Elvis-worshiping atmosphere. The service notoriously sucks, but the margaritas served in hubcaps make it bearable. I probably will never return to Nacho Mama's again in my life, sadly, so the detour that has put off packing is righteous, I say.
6.28.2007
Dinner, June 27
Jack's in Canton served me the second-most delicious burger I've ever eaten in my entire life.
(The most delicious can be found at Port of Call in New Orleans.)
I opted to have my burger, consisting of fresh-ground filet mignon or something, cooked "Guiness style," which I presume means basted in a spicy soy-based sauce while grilled. Mix that with a topping of shredded smoked gouda, and it was the perfect burger! The cheese's smokiness perfectly complemented the meat, and it was served with tomato and shredded lettuce. To die for!
(The most delicious can be found at Port of Call in New Orleans.)
I opted to have my burger, consisting of fresh-ground filet mignon or something, cooked "Guiness style," which I presume means basted in a spicy soy-based sauce while grilled. Mix that with a topping of shredded smoked gouda, and it was the perfect burger! The cheese's smokiness perfectly complemented the meat, and it was served with tomato and shredded lettuce. To die for!
Lunch, June 27
Lunch today on the fly, in between the final walk through and the settlement for my new place. My realtor and I swung by Whole Foods - funny that my last meal before homeownership took effect was there - and I grabbed some sushi: a spicy tuna and salmon combo with brown rice.
Few things make me feel better than sushi, especially when it's made with brown rice.
Well, one of those few things is holding the keys to my sassy new condo!
Whole Foods is now banned in my post-renter life. Since I first found the store on Esplanade in New Orleans, I've completely bought into their lifestyle marketing. I feel healthier when I buy my food at Whole Foods. I feel like an educated person when I shop there. I've convinced myself that I'm willing to pay $7.99 a pound for spinach. My consumerism there started to get a little out of hand when, enroute to work in the morning, I would drive past Whole Foods every day and stop to buy prepared hot breakfast and a salad for lunch. And then, on the way home at night, I would stop for dinner. All that said, I am obsessed with brown rice sushi. This will be a hard habit to break.
Few things make me feel better than sushi, especially when it's made with brown rice.
Well, one of those few things is holding the keys to my sassy new condo!
Whole Foods is now banned in my post-renter life. Since I first found the store on Esplanade in New Orleans, I've completely bought into their lifestyle marketing. I feel healthier when I buy my food at Whole Foods. I feel like an educated person when I shop there. I've convinced myself that I'm willing to pay $7.99 a pound for spinach. My consumerism there started to get a little out of hand when, enroute to work in the morning, I would drive past Whole Foods every day and stop to buy prepared hot breakfast and a salad for lunch. And then, on the way home at night, I would stop for dinner. All that said, I am obsessed with brown rice sushi. This will be a hard habit to break.
6.27.2007
Dinner, June 26
The board of BIG Improv met last night over greasy pizza. Like, stereotypically greasy, orange-cheese, huge-slice pizza. Mmmm.
BIG recruited me, I think, to help direct development and fundraising efforts. For me, this is very interesting and quite a challenge, as I'll find out the differences between working on behalf of an organization that raises $450 million a year and one that is striving to raise $45,000. This fledgling group has a long way to go before the troupes are performing in our own space, but I think there's a dedicated core of people who really believe in the power and value of improv. Plus, everyone is pretty funny.
Alas. Still no vegetables.
BIG recruited me, I think, to help direct development and fundraising efforts. For me, this is very interesting and quite a challenge, as I'll find out the differences between working on behalf of an organization that raises $450 million a year and one that is striving to raise $45,000. This fledgling group has a long way to go before the troupes are performing in our own space, but I think there's a dedicated core of people who really believe in the power and value of improv. Plus, everyone is pretty funny.
Alas. Still no vegetables.
6.25.2007
Dinner, June 25
Ugh.
Speechwriting class in D.C. tonight at 6 p.m., with plans to meet a friend afterward for a drink. So I figured I should eat more than the Gala apple I had in my purse.
As I cruised New York Ave. into the city, I decided to stop at Wendy's for dinner. I was -that- hungry, and frightened at the prospect of waiting til 11:30, when I'd get home, to eat. So I ordered a plain junior cheeseburger, a small fry, and a small Coke. The burger was sooo delicious, a patty of hot greasy deliciousness topped with perfectly melted cheese. How is heaven only $1.49? I couldn't eat more than a few fries, though.
And this little stop made me a few minutes late to class, but I did score a on-street parking spot, sparing me the extra time it would take to get into the garage. Of course, now I'm feeling disgusting and my stomach gurgled loudly through class. Must Eat Vegetables Tomorrow.
Speechwriting class in D.C. tonight at 6 p.m., with plans to meet a friend afterward for a drink. So I figured I should eat more than the Gala apple I had in my purse.
As I cruised New York Ave. into the city, I decided to stop at Wendy's for dinner. I was -that- hungry, and frightened at the prospect of waiting til 11:30, when I'd get home, to eat. So I ordered a plain junior cheeseburger, a small fry, and a small Coke. The burger was sooo delicious, a patty of hot greasy deliciousness topped with perfectly melted cheese. How is heaven only $1.49? I couldn't eat more than a few fries, though.
And this little stop made me a few minutes late to class, but I did score a on-street parking spot, sparing me the extra time it would take to get into the garage. Of course, now I'm feeling disgusting and my stomach gurgled loudly through class. Must Eat Vegetables Tomorrow.
Dinner, June 24
After a day of packing, er, um, "packing," the roommates and I drove across town to a friend's roof deck for a little grilling. The roof-deck owner just returned from a three-week vacation in India, so dinner was an excellent opportunity to catch up and laugh.
Amazing how easy a grill makes gourmet cooking. He skewered some shrimp, sprinkled on Old Bay, tossed them on the grill, turned them once, and served up some heaven for dinner! We also had chicken wings glazed in bbq sauce and some tender chicken breast, corn, and - another highlight - grilled asparagus.
Our delicious meal was even better with the pretty cool city and sunset views from the roof. Roof decks are a big thing in Baltimore, and they create this odd little oasis from city life. For some reason, three stories above the streets, the sky seems a lot closer and the craziness so much further away.
Amazing how easy a grill makes gourmet cooking. He skewered some shrimp, sprinkled on Old Bay, tossed them on the grill, turned them once, and served up some heaven for dinner! We also had chicken wings glazed in bbq sauce and some tender chicken breast, corn, and - another highlight - grilled asparagus.
Our delicious meal was even better with the pretty cool city and sunset views from the roof. Roof decks are a big thing in Baltimore, and they create this odd little oasis from city life. For some reason, three stories above the streets, the sky seems a lot closer and the craziness so much further away.
6.24.2007
Lunch, June 23
For lunch today, I grabbed a 6-inch veggie delight from Subway in Canton. I was driving to Sykesville to visit an old friend at a funeral home, where she and her family were receiving visitors before a memorial service for her father. He was killed last week by a (n allegedly) drunk driver, according to the papers.
On my sub, I got provolone cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, and cucumber. Usually I would have gotten red onions, too, but since I hadn't seen this girl (woman) for several years, and she had already been traumatized that week, I didn't want to breathe onion breath into her face as I expressed my condolences.
I ate the sub - or more like, scarfed it - as I drove out to Sykesville. Luckily I didn't get any oil or vinegar on my black dress. I'd hemmed and hawed over whether to go, because this girl and I had been close in high school but lost touch shortly after we entered college. We might have gotten in a fight, but I honestly can't remember. After college, we got together for lunch once, but it was awkward. I'd always felt sad about this. And then this week, when I read about her dad's death, I was struck with empathy like I hadn't felt before. Why does tragedy strike anyone, but especially, the people and the families who are the most generous and kind?
On my sub, I got provolone cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, and cucumber. Usually I would have gotten red onions, too, but since I hadn't seen this girl (woman) for several years, and she had already been traumatized that week, I didn't want to breathe onion breath into her face as I expressed my condolences.
I ate the sub - or more like, scarfed it - as I drove out to Sykesville. Luckily I didn't get any oil or vinegar on my black dress. I'd hemmed and hawed over whether to go, because this girl and I had been close in high school but lost touch shortly after we entered college. We might have gotten in a fight, but I honestly can't remember. After college, we got together for lunch once, but it was awkward. I'd always felt sad about this. And then this week, when I read about her dad's death, I was struck with empathy like I hadn't felt before. Why does tragedy strike anyone, but especially, the people and the families who are the most generous and kind?
6.22.2007
Lunch, June 22
Lunchtime starts early and extends into the late afternoon these days, as I can hardly concentrate on work while time whittles down before settlement.
A few weeks ago I realized that I was eating lunch out most days - costly not only in dollars, but also in calories. So I mustered up all the non-food snobbery I could find, a difficult task for a Koch kid, and got hooked on Lean Cuisine. It's well portioned, high in protein and fiber, and, if you can trick yourself as I have, also tasty.
Today I heated up Mediterranean Chicken with whole-wheat linguine. Pretty non-descript, as far as food goes. But I got 34% of my daily allotment of protein. So it's all good, right?
A few weeks ago I realized that I was eating lunch out most days - costly not only in dollars, but also in calories. So I mustered up all the non-food snobbery I could find, a difficult task for a Koch kid, and got hooked on Lean Cuisine. It's well portioned, high in protein and fiber, and, if you can trick yourself as I have, also tasty.
Today I heated up Mediterranean Chicken with whole-wheat linguine. Pretty non-descript, as far as food goes. But I got 34% of my daily allotment of protein. So it's all good, right?
6.21.2007
Lunch in California (retro-post)
My recent trip to California was a lunch-loving delight. One highlight was a burger lunch at In-N-Out in Culver City. It's fast-food, which I abhor, but I could try this because their schtick is that everything is fresh, never frozen, and your burger hits the grill after you order it. I was down.
At urging from my all-knowing travel companions, I ordered my fries "animal style" which I blindly learned meant with cheese, thousand-island dressing, and fried onions. And I'm alive to blog about it.
Lunch, June 21
Today I met K for lunch at Silk Road Express, the multi-ethnic Asian/Mediteranean cafe on the campus of Johns Hopkins University. There, you can order everything from "Chinese Hamburgers" to falafel to Indian samosas to curry to bubble tea to paninis. K is 24 weeks pregnant, so these days I defer to her on everything. She wants Silk Road? We will go to Silk Road.
When I left the office, I wore my suit jacket and carried a black portfolio so it would appear that I am working. Not that I'm not allowed to take lunch, but you know.
I ordered Thai Curry Samosa and a Greek salad. I also caved and drank a 20-oz. Coke. When I ordered the Samosa (2 for $1.50) the crazy lady who runs the counter like an Army Colonel told me they are tiny and that I would be disapointed. I hate when people tell me I will not like something, so I ordered it anyway. The Greek salad was excellent with an interesting pinkish dressing that appeared to be a puree of feta, olives, and olive oil. Delicious!
The Return of the Lunch Blog
Welcome to the new and improved Lunch Blog! In its new life, the lunch blog will be a little different, if only in that the daily post might be about breakfast or dinner.
Bon appetit!
Bon appetit!
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