Happy Lunch Hour!

Hello all!


Firstly, I just want to say thanks to everyone who reads this. I'm having a lot of fun writing it, which is basically what matters to the only child in me, but it's good to know that someone is reading and enjoying, versus me putting un-fun chatter into cyberspace. Actually, it seems like several folks are reading. Score! 

I want to go for a walk in the beautiful weather outside, so this shall be a quick lunchtime check-in.

Nags: I am missing several pieces of pop culture that must be you-tubed or Hulued. (I have no idea how I'd spell that last one. Yes, I realize it's my own fault for making up verbs.) Namely, Whitney Houston's interview with Oprah and Kanye West's interview on Jay Leno. I'm super duper curious about both, and the snippets I heard from Whitney's were pretty deep. I have got to get on it.
Brags: I just had the BEST.SANDWICH.EVER. Well, maybe not ever, but what's a blog without a touch of hyperbole? It was turkey and avocado and had swiss cheese, and I'm so FULL. But not that uncomfy full, where you feel like you should be wearing stretch pants and be near a pillow. That satisfied full where all is right with the world. The kind I'd grant to all those starving children in Africa my aunt used to talk about when she wanted me to finish my food. The good kind, lol. I hadn't made myself a sandwich in a good minute, and clearly my socks have been rocked.
 

Note: this is not my sandwich, but I think blogs with pictures are more fun, and this one has the right idea.







Okay folks, I know this wasn't the most riveting post ever, but I had fun anyway, hope you did too. After all, when is talking about food not awesome?!

OH! Adventure update-

1. I start modern dance class this week! On Thursday! Yay! It will either be so much fun, or so much humiliation. More likely some combo of the two, lol. 
2. I have every intention of making sushi on Saturday, now that funds are not too tight to buy ingredients.
3. I'm thinking something cultural for the 3rd one. The DC Short Film Fest is still around til Thursday. Perhaps I can convince a co-worker to come with, or go post dance if the dance buddy is down. We'll see. If not that... something, lol. I am NOT feeling being behind schedule.
   

Falling off the Wagon

I am most definitely slacking on these adventures. In my defense however, I had two friend dates, both of which could be seen as adventurous.

Eating Mexican food in Chinatown, it has been alleged, could truly have put my tummy in peril (all was well, thank goodness). That episode on Thursday was supposed to be an adventure, as I had plans to ask someone who appeared to have been in Chinatown when it actually was Chinatown about the area's history. Now, this could have been really fascinating, as I like random interviews, but I felt a little racist. I mean, I'll admit that I can't tell country of origin by sight, and what if the person I'd approached wasn't Chinese? Major faux pas. Or, what if a shopkeeper was just as new to the area as Urban Outfitters. I refuse to be one of those people who thinks they're all liberal and aware and PC, but then fails epically. So, rather than sounding like the kid who's "best friend is black! HONEST!", I skipped it, and ate my Chipotle.

I diiiid do some google research though. Apparently Chinatown was more of a Germantown until the 1930's, and hasn't been "authentically" Chinese since about the 80's. The city actually built the famous bridge more to commemorate what was once there rather than what is.

It's actually pretty sad to me, and yet another comment on gentrification in the District (I haven't made any on this blog to my remembrance, but it's a ponderance of mine in real life). Basically there isn't much of old Chinatown left (we looked, and so did this great photojournal). Apparently both Chocolate City and Chinatown suffer from urban renewal. Who knew?
So that I'll count as half an adventure, since I didn't totally follow through, but learned something anyway.


I also went out on Friday, and didn't get home until after midnight! I know what you're thinking "Whoooaa! Party animal!" It could be construed as an adventure, since I didn't know most of the people, and don't usually stay out that late anymore.

So together, I'll count it as 1 adventure total last week, which works since I still need to make sushi. I'll find a way to work in three this week and stay on track. Go team!

Today is a good day...

Gooood morning blogosphere!

I am in a good mood today. The sun is out, I got to work on time with little incident, and it's Thursday! I have always loved Thursdays even more than Fridays, because on Thursday I feel like there's so much to look forward to. Not like Fridays, where there's so much expectation and pressure that you're likely setting yourself up for a letdown.

Meanwhile, the poll is closed, and I'm on schedule to make sushi! Yay!

Not a clue about this other adventure, but hoping something will spring to mind by Monday. I like to make my deadlines. (In grown-up life anyway... let's not talk about anything prior.) Next week I'm thinking dance class and DC short film fest. I'd go see a film this week, but I'm attempting frugality. *Sigh* responsibility.

And for Nags and Brags.

Nags: I really wanted the poll results to be cheesecake. I love cheesecake.
Brags: As I write this, I've already checked 2 things off of my to-do list at work! Aaaaand I'm wearing some superfly polka-dot tights, thanks to the pleasant chill in the air.

Mine are actually gray and white, but you get the idea. Yay!

Have a great day guys; I'm getting back on the productivity train. :)

Foooood!

In thinking about next weeks adventures, I kinda struggled. I'm gonna finish this week strong by buying myself some red lipstick today or tomorrow (you know Labor Day extends the week so it counts), and I signed up for dance lessons, which will be a major adventure starting mid-September, and I've climbed my treeeee (pics later today promise). But, that and being frugal leaves next week as a bit of a black hole...

And, naturally, in walked food! I've listed a few things I've always wanted to make, or been afraid to eat.

Cheesecake

 

Brussel Sprouts

  

Sushi

Egg Rolls

I've got recipes for all of them, just gotta do the cooking, so please:
Help me decide!

Thanks much! Hope everyone is having a wonderful Labor Day weekend :)

"Wow, they're not slimy at all."

Adventure number 2: SNAILS!

Of course I mean escargot.  That's right, I ate it. And it was gooooood. Actually, French food generally is good, as I discovered on Friday evening. It was a pretty expensive discovery, but I'm gonna call it worth it.
How on earth did this come about, you ask? The wife (a future food writer extraodinaire) took me out of my funk... straight to Brasserie Beck. Absolute deliciousness, and I loved it as soon as we were greeted by the staff upon entering. They greeted us like there was no tomorrow, and it made me smile.

Apparently they have the best snails in the city. (I know this not, but Ms. Zagat says so, and I believe it.) And since I'd never eaten whatever sort of animal family snails belong to, and it definitely enriched my life (or at least my tummy), it totally counts as a spontaneous adventure!

Score! Pictures below :)

This is Duck Confit (pronounced cone-fee by the way). It was delicious, but not really the point.

This is the point: escargot! It looks nothing like I expected.

 

This is what I pictured. Not nearly as appetizing... But kinda friendly looking, no?

But, I got over it, my anxiety, and here's proof!

And here's Korsha, who had fewer hangups I believe, trying it out too.

(She's laughing at me taking a pic of everything. Isn't she adorable?)

So we ate them, and they were good- excellent even. They were tender, actually very savory, not the least bit slimy, and I'm glad I had them. I might even have them again.

Luckily though, after the snails and duckies, we went back to much more familiar territory, though still delicious.

This is mussels with apples and curry... 

 

...And this, is a whole bowl of FRENCH FRIES!  WHOOHOO!

And such concluded the first week's adventures. With good old freedom fries. 

Coming up this week, the top two votes in the poll- tree climbing (technical difficulties appear to be resolved) commences Friday. And, at some point I'll pop on some red lipstick...  Still psyching myself up for it a little, but it'll happen! And you'll read all about it! (I hope.)

I got it in...

(...the second adventure that is.)

No, I have not climbed a tree just yet. Technical difficulties continue, though they are being resolved forthwith.

In the meantime, I managed to stay on schedule with a bit of spontaneity and the help of my wife- by that I mean platonic, non-exclusive life partner. Our motto has always been "there's always food." So, despite the fact that the sky seemed to be falling (literally, the weather was kind of gross yesterday) we brightened up the day with... SNAILS.

That's right, I ate escargot yesterday. Most definitely counts as an adventure, and ya know what? They were darn good.

So I have officially completed the adventure tally for the week, and owe the blogosphere some pictures! Get excited!

Hope everyone is having an excellent weekend :)