The Washington Post food critic is Tom Sietesma. He's a fascinating guy. I want to figure out how to be his friend - or at least his dining companion!
Every week in the Post Magazine, after the weekly restaurant critique, Tom fields a question from a reader. Well, I just sent one in!
Good evening,
I have a question I'd like to ask Tom Sietsema! As an occasional solo diner, I try to be cognizant of the impact that my lower tab has on waitstaff. I don't linger and I tip well. I sit at the bar when I can to keep tables open for larger, more lucrative parties. However, now that the weather is getting nicer and outdoor seating areas are open, I'd like to know Tom's take on solo diners sitting at outdoor tables. Often, outdoor seating is at a premium and I feel guiltier about taking a two- or three-top table outside than I would inside. Does it go against dining etiquette for a solo diner to sit outside? Do waitstaff look down on this practice?
What do my faithful readers think? Much has been writting about the etiquette of solo dining but nowhere have I seen the particular aspect of outdoor dining addressed.
I will be sure to post back if my question gets answered!
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Hockey Helplessness
I don't have cable. I love not having cable. I get all the local channels plus a couple of news channels and the CW free over the air through my digital converter box and antenna. I even get Al Jazeera (which is excellent for international news, by the way). I can watch the news, many sit-coms, some sporting events, and am blessedly saved from the irresistable quick-sand that is the Real Housewives series (except when I catch reruns on hulu.com)
This frees up much of my time to read, crossword, exercise, cook, listen to music, play my banjo, and generally lead a more peaceful and productive life that I would if I were glued to the cable for five (plus!) hours per day.
The only time that my cable-free life becomes a burden is during hockey playoff season! Now, I can catch certain games on NBC or watch the good ones at my SO's place. But, most often, I'm relegated to listening to them live on streaming radio.
There's really nothing wrong with this. I've been watching hockey for a long time (over 20 years) and at this point I need to see a game OR hear it, but not both. Watching and listening to games at the same time is considered a luxury at this point!
The downfall of listening to games is the feeling of helplessness that comes with not being able to see things like the teams' energy, the coaches' expressions, all those intangibles that go toward how optimistic I feel about the game.
For example, last night the Wings shot a puck into the Coyotes' net but apparently the entire thing didn't go over the line. NHL rules state that the entire puck must cross the goal line in order for the goal to be counted. Well, it was a close call so the referees had to review the play to make their determination.
I'm sitting here in my living room feeling totally out of control. At least if I could see the game on my TV I could maybe read lips or watch their body language. But having to rely solely on the announcers, as they babble away about various rules and regulations was absolutely driving me nuts!!
These are the things I ponder here in the evenings as I contemplate my life choices and their impact. As seeing as how hockey playoffs are the most important event in my life right now, I figured it was worth a post.
PS, they determined that the first goal was no good. Later in the second period we scored again and again the refs decided to review the shot. They said it was a good one and we ended up winning the game, but it was definitely a stroke-worthy couple of moments.
This frees up much of my time to read, crossword, exercise, cook, listen to music, play my banjo, and generally lead a more peaceful and productive life that I would if I were glued to the cable for five (plus!) hours per day.
The only time that my cable-free life becomes a burden is during hockey playoff season! Now, I can catch certain games on NBC or watch the good ones at my SO's place. But, most often, I'm relegated to listening to them live on streaming radio.
There's really nothing wrong with this. I've been watching hockey for a long time (over 20 years) and at this point I need to see a game OR hear it, but not both. Watching and listening to games at the same time is considered a luxury at this point!
The downfall of listening to games is the feeling of helplessness that comes with not being able to see things like the teams' energy, the coaches' expressions, all those intangibles that go toward how optimistic I feel about the game.
For example, last night the Wings shot a puck into the Coyotes' net but apparently the entire thing didn't go over the line. NHL rules state that the entire puck must cross the goal line in order for the goal to be counted. Well, it was a close call so the referees had to review the play to make their determination.
I'm sitting here in my living room feeling totally out of control. At least if I could see the game on my TV I could maybe read lips or watch their body language. But having to rely solely on the announcers, as they babble away about various rules and regulations was absolutely driving me nuts!!
These are the things I ponder here in the evenings as I contemplate my life choices and their impact. As seeing as how hockey playoffs are the most important event in my life right now, I figured it was worth a post.
PS, they determined that the first goal was no good. Later in the second period we scored again and again the refs decided to review the shot. They said it was a good one and we ended up winning the game, but it was definitely a stroke-worthy couple of moments.
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Back on my Feet
A certain someone is out of town this week and I am taking the opportunity to run every day, go to bed early, eat salads for dinner, and abstain from alcohol. It's amazing how much I can eat and drink when I'm out at a neighborhood bar with excellent company! But no. I've gotta rein it in and get my life back under control after a more-than-slightly indulgent weekend in Atlanta.
"Charge it to the room" are words that are all too easy to say as you see no reason why not to have that third or fourth drink. No credit card to be swiped, nowhere to go except up the elevator... and yikes. Food and drink go down way too easy!
Yep, I'm back on track. How many times have I said that before?
"Charge it to the room" are words that are all too easy to say as you see no reason why not to have that third or fourth drink. No credit card to be swiped, nowhere to go except up the elevator... and yikes. Food and drink go down way too easy!
Yep, I'm back on track. How many times have I said that before?
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Strangest Phenomenon
I'm heading out of town for the weekend and I thought I would leave you all with a strange, somewhat creepy, and probably paranoid post. Yes, I have nothing better to do than to notice and wonder about these weird things.
I've noticed lately that some Walk/Don't Walk signals that were previously lined up with crosswalks, and thus in full view and facing crossing pedestrians, are now tilted. They don't face the crosswalks anymore and make it impossible to see whether a pedestrian has the walk signal. As some of these intersections have one-way left-turn signals, crossing safely isn't always as obvious as simply waiting for the opposite light to change.
I photographed three of these signals. These are intersections that I walk through on a regular basis and only recently have they not been lined up with the crosswalks. I snapped some photos with my cell phone but it's difficult to tell what I'm talking about. Just look at the actual crosswalks and you'll see that the Walk/Don't Walk signals don't line up with them. They're pointed sort of at the oncoming traffic instead of at the pedestrians across the street (i.e. the perspective of me taking the picture).
20th St & N St (downtown):
16th St & New Hampshire Ave (U St):
1st St & East Capitol St (Capitol Hill):
I know this is a weird thing to notice. But I swear the tilt is recent. Any ideas WHY or HOW these signals have become skewed so they don't line up with the crosswalks??
I've noticed lately that some Walk/Don't Walk signals that were previously lined up with crosswalks, and thus in full view and facing crossing pedestrians, are now tilted. They don't face the crosswalks anymore and make it impossible to see whether a pedestrian has the walk signal. As some of these intersections have one-way left-turn signals, crossing safely isn't always as obvious as simply waiting for the opposite light to change.
I photographed three of these signals. These are intersections that I walk through on a regular basis and only recently have they not been lined up with the crosswalks. I snapped some photos with my cell phone but it's difficult to tell what I'm talking about. Just look at the actual crosswalks and you'll see that the Walk/Don't Walk signals don't line up with them. They're pointed sort of at the oncoming traffic instead of at the pedestrians across the street (i.e. the perspective of me taking the picture).
20th St & N St (downtown):
16th St & New Hampshire Ave (U St):
1st St & East Capitol St (Capitol Hill):
I know this is a weird thing to notice. But I swear the tilt is recent. Any ideas WHY or HOW these signals have become skewed so they don't line up with the crosswalks??
Sunday, April 11, 2010
For the Love of Hockey
My favorite time of year is coming up - NHL playoffs! It hasn't been the best year for my Red Wings. We were sidelined by massive amounts of injuries for the entire first 2/3 of the season and were placed in the middle of pack, standings-wise. But recently we've had our full lines again and shown our true colors, recently winning seven straight games and ten out of thirteen, rocketing from tenth place to fifth, well within the playoff berth.
This average standing actually poises us for playoffs quite nicely. We're matched with the Vancouver Canucks for the first round, another middle-ranked team. But, since we're playing well above our standing, we should have no problem eliminating the Canadians in Round One.
The only annoying thing is our strange placement in the Western Conference. Detroit is so far east yet we're in the Western Conference, so the first round of playoffs tends to be against Vancouver, San Jose, Anaheim, Phoenix... all those teams on the east coast. We basically have to travel all over God's creation and deal with jet-lag issues that other teams don't... but alas, we're quite accustomed to it, and there are no plans to redraw the conference boundaries. So we deal with it.
Right now I'm watching the Capitals vs. Bruins on network TV. I don't care much for the Capitals but I adore two Bruins - Zdeno Charra and Miroslav Satan. I can't get enough of watching them play together, and I'll be especially ecstatic if they beat the DC team.
It's a nice afternoon of hockey watching and Sudoku before I head off for the evening. Windows thrown open, cats lounging around, feeling relaxed and ready for the week. Doesn't get much better than this.
This average standing actually poises us for playoffs quite nicely. We're matched with the Vancouver Canucks for the first round, another middle-ranked team. But, since we're playing well above our standing, we should have no problem eliminating the Canadians in Round One.
The only annoying thing is our strange placement in the Western Conference. Detroit is so far east yet we're in the Western Conference, so the first round of playoffs tends to be against Vancouver, San Jose, Anaheim, Phoenix... all those teams on the east coast. We basically have to travel all over God's creation and deal with jet-lag issues that other teams don't... but alas, we're quite accustomed to it, and there are no plans to redraw the conference boundaries. So we deal with it.
Right now I'm watching the Capitals vs. Bruins on network TV. I don't care much for the Capitals but I adore two Bruins - Zdeno Charra and Miroslav Satan. I can't get enough of watching them play together, and I'll be especially ecstatic if they beat the DC team.
It's a nice afternoon of hockey watching and Sudoku before I head off for the evening. Windows thrown open, cats lounging around, feeling relaxed and ready for the week. Doesn't get much better than this.
Wednesday, April 07, 2010
Spring blues?
We've all heard of (and experienced) the winter blues but is it possible to have a touch of the spring blues? The weather is gorgeous, the blossoms are blooming, and yet I have no motivation to run and would love nothing more than to take a nice long nap (except that I have mysteriously lost the ability to nap in the past 6-months).
Maybe I am burned out at work? I'm not particularly bored at the office, nor am I (more) short-tempered (than usual), but I haven't had a break in a while. Well, that's not true, I had two days off in a row in February during the snow storm.
Oh well, I guess there doesn't always have to be a reason to feel down. Just having a low-energy couple of weeks, I guess.
Maybe I am burned out at work? I'm not particularly bored at the office, nor am I (more) short-tempered (than usual), but I haven't had a break in a while. Well, that's not true, I had two days off in a row in February during the snow storm.
Oh well, I guess there doesn't always have to be a reason to feel down. Just having a low-energy couple of weeks, I guess.
Monday, April 05, 2010
Whine and complain
I do not feel good. I have a pounding headache and am exhausted. I feel chubby and thick. My feet hurt.
And I don't have any cheese to go with my whine.
And I don't have any cheese to go with my whine.
Sunday, April 04, 2010
Road Trip Creepiness
Yesterday we took a nice drive down to the mouth of the Potomac. The weather was hazy and warm and we had a few memorable excursions along the way. The little St. Clement's Island museum was deserted but charming, and we found an interesting graveyard in historic St. Mary's City.
After a few stops and walks around, we found ourselves hungry. Both of us having a fondness for 'local color' - whatever that may entail - we pulled into a little inn and restaurant, looking for a sandwich or slice of pizza. What we walked into resembled the twilight zone.
Five round, dingy tables sat in what looked like someone's living room. An old fat woman with flabby arms sat at one table, stringy hair hanging over her shoulder. She was complaining about not being able to smoke. A family sat at another table, finishing some pizza. A third table was covered with pizzas, 2-liter sodas, and cupcakes.
In a darkened room resembling a private living room, off the main dining area, two diners sat still, not talking, not eating, no lights on. Were they alive? Asleep? The place was silent - no music playing, no one speaking.
The fourth table housed a manger scene, still going strong into the first week in April, and at the fifth table sat a partially blind man in an electric wheelchair.
The hostess told the wheelchair-bound man that she would need his table for the 'eat-in guests' and he said he was on his way. As he attempted to wheel past us he said, to my partner, "Excuse me sir, or ma'am, or whatever you are..." Now, he is very much a man and resembles one as such, though I suppose for a blind person it would be difficult to tell. He seemed to be able to get himself by the tables and out the door, though.
As we ordered (water and iced tea, onion rings, and an Italian sub to split), the door opened and eight young children poured into the room, aparently in the middle of a birthday party.
On a dare, I went to the bathroom - mostly to explore the back room with the catatonic women. Back there were three sofas arranged in a partial square, bounded off by shelves and boxes. Several people were lounging on the couches doing nothing - not talking, no TV, not reading. Just sitting there. Staring straight ahead. Doing nothing.
Where the heck were we?? What had we wandered into? And would we get out alive??
Thankfully, our food arrived and was actually pretty good. We had to sit through an awful rendition of "Happy Birthday" (to Bruce) and listen to the fat woman complain more. We ate our food, wide-eyed and confused, and got the hell out of there as quickly as we could!
I was craving a coke and we needed gas, so he pulled into a no-name gas station that happened to share space with a laundromat. We looked at each other and understood. As my hand gripped his knee he pulled straight through the row of fuel pumps, exited the parking lot, and we kept going until we found a large Exxon station.
After a few stops and walks around, we found ourselves hungry. Both of us having a fondness for 'local color' - whatever that may entail - we pulled into a little inn and restaurant, looking for a sandwich or slice of pizza. What we walked into resembled the twilight zone.
Five round, dingy tables sat in what looked like someone's living room. An old fat woman with flabby arms sat at one table, stringy hair hanging over her shoulder. She was complaining about not being able to smoke. A family sat at another table, finishing some pizza. A third table was covered with pizzas, 2-liter sodas, and cupcakes.
In a darkened room resembling a private living room, off the main dining area, two diners sat still, not talking, not eating, no lights on. Were they alive? Asleep? The place was silent - no music playing, no one speaking.
The fourth table housed a manger scene, still going strong into the first week in April, and at the fifth table sat a partially blind man in an electric wheelchair.
The hostess told the wheelchair-bound man that she would need his table for the 'eat-in guests' and he said he was on his way. As he attempted to wheel past us he said, to my partner, "Excuse me sir, or ma'am, or whatever you are..." Now, he is very much a man and resembles one as such, though I suppose for a blind person it would be difficult to tell. He seemed to be able to get himself by the tables and out the door, though.
As we ordered (water and iced tea, onion rings, and an Italian sub to split), the door opened and eight young children poured into the room, aparently in the middle of a birthday party.
On a dare, I went to the bathroom - mostly to explore the back room with the catatonic women. Back there were three sofas arranged in a partial square, bounded off by shelves and boxes. Several people were lounging on the couches doing nothing - not talking, no TV, not reading. Just sitting there. Staring straight ahead. Doing nothing.
Where the heck were we?? What had we wandered into? And would we get out alive??
Thankfully, our food arrived and was actually pretty good. We had to sit through an awful rendition of "Happy Birthday" (to Bruce) and listen to the fat woman complain more. We ate our food, wide-eyed and confused, and got the hell out of there as quickly as we could!
I was craving a coke and we needed gas, so he pulled into a no-name gas station that happened to share space with a laundromat. We looked at each other and understood. As my hand gripped his knee he pulled straight through the row of fuel pumps, exited the parking lot, and we kept going until we found a large Exxon station.
Friday, April 02, 2010
Three Gratuitous Photos
My kitties, gazing at the wonderful view:
A shot of the stone lantern with cherry blossoms blooming:
A view of the Tidal Basin during the Cherry Blossom Festival:
A shot of the stone lantern with cherry blossoms blooming:
A view of the Tidal Basin during the Cherry Blossom Festival:
Thursday, April 01, 2010
March Savings Round-Up
CVS:
Subtotal: $2.11
Coupons: $0
Total: $2.11 (lip gloss)
Harris Teeter:
Subtotal: $194.70
Coupons: $95.57
Total: $99.13
This does not include about $30 spent on miscellaneous trips to the corner store for last minute/small items when I needed them and didn't feel like going to the store. It also includes $43.33 - $16 = $27.33 in pet supplies that should last me a while.
My most faithful commenter mentioned the hard-core couponers who have zero balances at the store. I get a lot of stuff for free but I rarely have a zero balance because I do buy produce, meat, and other things I just want.
A lot of people who routinely have zero balances take advantage of the huge deal-making promotions - but those are usually from Pillsbury or Wishbone or other junky type foods that I don't eat.
Subtotal: $2.11
Coupons: $0
Total: $2.11 (lip gloss)
Harris Teeter:
Subtotal: $194.70
Coupons: $95.57
Total: $99.13
This does not include about $30 spent on miscellaneous trips to the corner store for last minute/small items when I needed them and didn't feel like going to the store. It also includes $43.33 - $16 = $27.33 in pet supplies that should last me a while.
My most faithful commenter mentioned the hard-core couponers who have zero balances at the store. I get a lot of stuff for free but I rarely have a zero balance because I do buy produce, meat, and other things I just want.
A lot of people who routinely have zero balances take advantage of the huge deal-making promotions - but those are usually from Pillsbury or Wishbone or other junky type foods that I don't eat.
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