DC, briefly

It's Monday afternoon at Denver airport.  I left Pasadena early last Wednesday morning.  So, a handful of days away, and not blogging during that time.  Bad me.  I'm back.

I made it to the airport by about 5:30 last Wednesday.  Even for me, that's an early start.  I hunkered down for a bit in the United Club (nicely decked out). 

Once aboard the first flight

(I connected through Chicago), I dozed a good long while.  Then it was mostly reading on both flights, making it to my hotel in Washington, DC (The Lyle) by 5:30, well in time to get to my room,

unpack, change, and head to meet colleagues in the hotel restaurant for dinner.

Thursday morning I was up early on the east coast, meeting colleagues at 6:15 in the lobby for a walk. 

That accomplished, it was over to a nearby office

for a day of meetings, capped with dinner with colleagues and then some wine and my book at the hotel bar.

Friday started much the same.  A little different route,

one fewer colleague, but a walk at 6:15.  Cool statue of Gandhi! 

Meetings, and then on to Dulles. 

My DC time was done, and I was glad to have it behind me so I could meet up with my men and enjoy the weekend ahead....

weakness

I love food.

No, not a surprise, is it. Nor should it be a surprise that I have a reputation as a food snob. Pricey mushrooms, name brand chocolate. People have me tagged.

So. Bloody. Unfair.

Let me start by saying that I am a VERY good dinner guest. I recall years ago someone I already didn't care for terribly much joking that you could always tell where I sat at dinner parties because it would be near a large potted plant, and remnants of my dinner that I couldn't stomach would have been hidden there. Hmmmm... nope, still don't like him years later.

Anyway, I have my weaknesses. Not that I'll reveal them ALL, but they are there. And so, in DC, I indulged one: fast food burgers and fries. Mmmmm... fries. Crispy, soft on the inside, hot, salty. Oh so good!

I met up with Dan for lunch one day at the recent conference. Limited time and, on the weekend, limited good options nearby. Almost by chance, though, we came upon a Five Guys outlet.

I know we have them in Chicago, but I've never been. Hey, I have food snob cred to keep up - I almost never go get fast food beyond Subway, Sbarro, or burritos in the student centre at lunch. This was my maiden expedition, and Dan offered good advice on ordering.

Ultimately, though, it was a good burger and an embarrassment of fries. A small order, in the cup, then more shoveled into the bag. No, please, don't stop. Heaven!

No dessert - gilding the lily if there were. Just a full belly and... hmmmm... did I go nap afterward? I can't recall.

post-ALA quick post

So here am I, ages removed from the last blog entry (scant opportunity/access while a week in DC, other excuses, blah blah blah), scarfing down lunch at home before Conrad gets here, we pack up, and head north to the UP. Time enough to at least say hello to my four readers.

[hello!]

So let me check in by saying a few quick words on recent things, and over time catch up in more detail:

A week hanging out with my best friend, Todd? Wow. Lucky me! More raving to come. Also, a note to self: make sure to have the makings of cookies for next weekend on hand.

Bonus marks for the quality time with Buster and Coney, those gorgeous Labs. I am truly in love with those dogs.

A week hanging out with my longtime conference roomie and close friend Martin? Wow. Lucky me again! And again, more raving to come.

Cute outfits!

Coordinated outfits!

Great food!

OK, Conrad just got in the door. Time to get motoring and enjoy a long holiday weekend as an honourary Yooper!

DC weekend

Oh gosh, was it really so long ago? Early this month. Wow. So long ago. Can I go back?

Geoff is a former Smelt. Not for long, but we got to know him and Kent in their time in Chicago and have gotten to know them better since their return to DC. Last year we spent a very fine weekend with them in the spring, and the recent Computers in Libraries conference trip for me gave us the opportunity to see them again.

I'm giving them short shrift by posting this one entry (though I did mention their dog, I recall), and I am sorry for that. In truth, my famously sieve-like memory means that I struggle to remember some of the fun we had. Let me try.

Conrad and I had an easy flight, were picked up at DCA, and headed to Jaleo in nearby Crystal City. We'd been to the Bethesda location with Geoff and Kent, and given our love for Spain and Spanish food, we were delighted. And it was good food, good wine. A weekend starting well.

The next day was as perfect a spring day in DC as we could ask for. Mild temperatures. Trees all in bloom. After an easy start to the day, we all walked Maggie - gorgeous girl that she is - down to a nearby park for some play, some photos.



Lunch next. I think we were in Maryland by this point - my sense of direction can be poor - and we moseyed into The General Store. Down home cooking? Soul food? Southern food? How do we classify it? I'll give them this: good fried chicken and onion rings, tasty buttermilk chess pie. Oh, and in homage to Todd (and because I was in the mood for it): sweetened iced tea. Iced tea, not ice tea. I'm learning.

Right by the restaurant are the remnants of the National Park Seminary. Geoff's mother was part of the last class at the college before the military commandeered it in the Second World War. The military never really used it, apparently, and now it is in a state of long neglect and disrepair. Well, save for the rehabilitation of some buildings as part of a condo development. There's some interesting potential there, in fact, and we did wander around the grounds, into a few show condos, and on to the restored ballroom.










No meal out that night. I took over the kitchen (with two helpers/spectators)(well, three if you count Maggie)

and set to work on a fairly easy meal: fettucine with shrimp and a chipotle peanut sauce. A salad on the side, some wines to enjoy. Not my best effort ever, but I think it was tasty enough, and certainly the food was much improved by the company. We had a terrific evening of chat around the table and in the living room.

And Maggie? Mostly quiet, but the lucky girl has a bounty of toys to play with.
A happy dog, really.

I wonder if Geoff and Kent will let us turn this into an annual weekend visit...




More photos from the weekend are over at Flickr.