Food and Music
Aug. 21st, 2014 05:01 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
fauxkloreCelebrity Death Watch: Leonard Fein was a Jewish intellectual. He founded Moment Magazine and the anti-hunger charity, MAZON. Jim Jeffords was a Republican senator from Vermont until he was essentially forced out of the party by increasing nonsense from right wing true believers and became an independent. Some of us would say he came to his senses. Don Pardo was an announcer par excellence, for various game shows. Note that Saturday Night Live can be thought of as a game show – or, at least, a reality show - for comedians.
Teddy and the Bully Bar: Restaurant week was last week and I went out with a couple of flyertalk friends for dinner on Wednesday night. I chose Teddy and the Bully Bar because: 1) they had their restaurant week menu on-line when I was looking to make the reservation, 2) I could get a reservation at a reasonable time, 3) they had sufficient choices for each course and 4) I’d eaten well during a previous restaurant week at their sister restaurant, Lincoln. I was surprised to see how many restaurants had restaurant week menus with no choice at all for one or more courses or had upcharges for almost everything.
Anyway, the restaurant’s theme is Theodore Roosevelt and the waiter explained that this was reflected both in their décor and in having a farm to table concept (because Teddy was a conservationist). I started with the Shoemaker’s Rickey, and was told the rickey is the official cocktail of Washington, D.C. Frankly, I found their version rather bland. Note to self: this idea about branching out from G&T’s has not been successful for the most part. The food was better, with all of the ingredients seeming very fresh. The melon soup was delicious, as was the beet salad. The chicken I had was a little bland, but still juicy. The biggest winder was a funnel cake with berries for dessert. The service was friendly, but not super efficient. Still, I would definitely eat there again.
Epic Smokehouse: I got another restaurant week meal – this time, a lunch – thanks to our group getting a spot award from my company. We went to Epic Smokehouse in Pentagon City. The smoked ancho Caesar salad was delicious. The pulled chicken sandwich was okay, but the cole slaw on it had that annoying sweetness of the southern variety. Their fries were terrible, but I am a fan of thicker cut Belgian style ones, not seasoned shoestrings. The key lime pie for dessert was a bit too sweet. It wasn’t a terrible meal, but I was glad the company was paying and not me.
Chavurah Dinner and Concert Night: My Chavurah (Jewish social group) had a dinner and concert night on Saturday night. Dinner was at M&S Grill in Reston. I wasn’t very enthusiastic about the menu, even though I’ve eaten there before, so settled for getting onion soup and salad. The food was just okay, but I did enjoy the conversation. As for the concert, this was a group called The Real Geniuses, who played rock oldies. The sound wasn’t very balanced and they didn’t seem to have a lot of energy. There was room for dancing at the front and most of the dancers had not grasped the concept that you are supposed to do it to the music. I am fairly forgiving of the dads with little girls and the obviously disabled component. But I feel free to mock the other folks there. There was still some value in getting out and socializing.
Sunday in the Park With George: I went to see Sunday in the Park With George at Signature Theatre on Sunday. I’ll admit to being somewhat lukewarm towards this musical, largely because I feel that James Lapine’s book hits people over the head with the burdens of being an artist. With that said, I thought Signature did an excellent job with it. Brynn O’Malley was right on the mark as Dot / Marie and Claybourne Elder was a competent George. I also want to note Donna Migliaccio os the Old Lady (Seurat’s mother). Overall, I’ll just say this production was well put together.
By the way, I may have mentioned this before, but if you are a big fan of Seurat (or, as in my case, just like weird stuff), you owe yourself a trip to Columbus, Ohio to see the topiary version of A Sunday Afternoon on the Isle of La grande Jette. I firmly believe that topiary French people are the touristic highlight of the state of Ohio and, quite possibly, the entire middle of the country.
Caught up: And now I am all caught up on what I’ve been doing. That should last, oh, at least 12 minutes.
Teddy and the Bully Bar: Restaurant week was last week and I went out with a couple of flyertalk friends for dinner on Wednesday night. I chose Teddy and the Bully Bar because: 1) they had their restaurant week menu on-line when I was looking to make the reservation, 2) I could get a reservation at a reasonable time, 3) they had sufficient choices for each course and 4) I’d eaten well during a previous restaurant week at their sister restaurant, Lincoln. I was surprised to see how many restaurants had restaurant week menus with no choice at all for one or more courses or had upcharges for almost everything.
Anyway, the restaurant’s theme is Theodore Roosevelt and the waiter explained that this was reflected both in their décor and in having a farm to table concept (because Teddy was a conservationist). I started with the Shoemaker’s Rickey, and was told the rickey is the official cocktail of Washington, D.C. Frankly, I found their version rather bland. Note to self: this idea about branching out from G&T’s has not been successful for the most part. The food was better, with all of the ingredients seeming very fresh. The melon soup was delicious, as was the beet salad. The chicken I had was a little bland, but still juicy. The biggest winder was a funnel cake with berries for dessert. The service was friendly, but not super efficient. Still, I would definitely eat there again.
Epic Smokehouse: I got another restaurant week meal – this time, a lunch – thanks to our group getting a spot award from my company. We went to Epic Smokehouse in Pentagon City. The smoked ancho Caesar salad was delicious. The pulled chicken sandwich was okay, but the cole slaw on it had that annoying sweetness of the southern variety. Their fries were terrible, but I am a fan of thicker cut Belgian style ones, not seasoned shoestrings. The key lime pie for dessert was a bit too sweet. It wasn’t a terrible meal, but I was glad the company was paying and not me.
Chavurah Dinner and Concert Night: My Chavurah (Jewish social group) had a dinner and concert night on Saturday night. Dinner was at M&S Grill in Reston. I wasn’t very enthusiastic about the menu, even though I’ve eaten there before, so settled for getting onion soup and salad. The food was just okay, but I did enjoy the conversation. As for the concert, this was a group called The Real Geniuses, who played rock oldies. The sound wasn’t very balanced and they didn’t seem to have a lot of energy. There was room for dancing at the front and most of the dancers had not grasped the concept that you are supposed to do it to the music. I am fairly forgiving of the dads with little girls and the obviously disabled component. But I feel free to mock the other folks there. There was still some value in getting out and socializing.
Sunday in the Park With George: I went to see Sunday in the Park With George at Signature Theatre on Sunday. I’ll admit to being somewhat lukewarm towards this musical, largely because I feel that James Lapine’s book hits people over the head with the burdens of being an artist. With that said, I thought Signature did an excellent job with it. Brynn O’Malley was right on the mark as Dot / Marie and Claybourne Elder was a competent George. I also want to note Donna Migliaccio os the Old Lady (Seurat’s mother). Overall, I’ll just say this production was well put together.
By the way, I may have mentioned this before, but if you are a big fan of Seurat (or, as in my case, just like weird stuff), you owe yourself a trip to Columbus, Ohio to see the topiary version of A Sunday Afternoon on the Isle of La grande Jette. I firmly believe that topiary French people are the touristic highlight of the state of Ohio and, quite possibly, the entire middle of the country.
Caught up: And now I am all caught up on what I’ve been doing. That should last, oh, at least 12 minutes.
no subject
Date: 2014-08-22 12:56 pm (UTC)