Almond Butter and Barricades

Almond Butter: lately i've slipped into a routine where i come home, throw my keys and purse on the table, let waffles out and have a spoonful of almond butter. when i worked as a legal assitant/nanny (ha) this past summer, the kids loved cashew butter. it was so good, but i like almonds a lot more so i decided to get myself some.

MaraNatha raw almond butter from whole foods: so good.

Trader Joe's brand: so bland, i contemplated putting up an ad on craigslist for a gently used jar of almond butter for free. it would include a sentence about the fact that i may or may not have double dipped the spoon into the almond butter, but i'm sure someone would have taken me up.
anyways, i decided to maybe throw it out the window one day to hear the glass shatter (i'd clean it up, probably?)

but really the whole reason for half a post on almond butter is because Whole Foods has a nut grider that grinds whole peanuts, honey roasted peanuts, cashews and almonds into butter. maybe half the fun is using the machine, but i tried it yesterday and it is pretty damn good.

Nuclear Summit: police cars are flooding Georgetown. apparently a lot of the participants are staying on the Four Seasons on M, so they've put up barricades and blocked off a few streets. it took me double the time to walk to Foggy Bottom because there was a policeperson directing traffic at each crossroad (jaywalking is great). seeing all of the security is really humorous because each representative seems to have 2 security guards so everywhere there will be pairs of two people of different ethnicities, like noah's ark.
it's especially funny when you see the asian security guards standing outside of Miss Saigon's and the french security guards standing outside of Bistrot Francais. fact.

One Picture

more from jamaica to come

...And We're Back!

get it?
know how it says that on gchat when it sometimes randomly disconnects you all the time?

well anyways, i'm back from Jamaica and i just wanted to say i'm going to post pictures of the trip and also do a post on why i hate monkeys (inspired by heather's easter trip to the zoo). for now i'm gathering information on their violent nature. until then, please try to avoid contact with all monkeys until you've been properly warned.

things i need. now.

not one, but a whole box of georgetown cupcake's red velvets. okay, maybe i had a chocolate and vanilla one last night but i mean, it is what it is.

i'd also like my puppy and a bloody mary.

(okay fine i had a bloody mary last night too)

Team Jacob

dear twilight, why can't i stop watching you? you are not as good as so many movies i own yet, yet i only ever want to watch you. sometimes your dialogue borders on unbearable. hold on tight spider monkey? really, really? and edward, you can't act. you were a terrible cedric diggory.

last night i finished the movie up from a few nights ago when i started it. this morning i started it again to have as background while i got ready for work. i'm even listening the soundtrack right now. and i found yoooooooooouuuuu flightless birrrrrrrrrd. tears. just kidding what? i definitely don't cry at the end of that movie every. time. i. watch. it. i don't.

anyways, now it's just become a comforting movie to me. i watch it when i'm upset or when i can't sleep. it's my drunk movie. i can repeat lines from it. i've incorporated bits of the movie into my vernacular. i love it.

and now a taylor swift song is on derrell's radio yessssssss!

Poo-tee-weet?

magnolias on m.

pork sin.

gluttony. it's a deadly sin and whoopsy daisy, i committed it this past weekend in new york city.
the amount of pork we ate is almost (almost) atrocious. i'll bold all the pork.

nearly the first thing we did upon our grand entrance via bolt bus was go to porcetta. for how simple the pork sandwich was, i was really impressed. it was a truly medieval meal we had in the park that afternoon. i had the rip the chewy bread out of my two hands with my teeth and then work through the crispy bits of skin.

that night we went to momofuku ssam bar. we started with a bottle of champagne in our coffinesque hotel room before walking the 3 blocks to restaurant. here's what we got:
raw oysters with pureed kimchi. drew said it tasted as if someone was holding you underwater, which i thought was beautiful.
steamed buns. so delicious! the softest and sweetest buns folded around pork belly and pickles.
pig's head something or rather. the other stuff doesn't really matter. i still cannot believe i ate pig's head, and while i wouldn't recommend it to anyone who doesn't want to venture to the fringes of charcuterie, i'm very proud of myself.
pork shoulder steak with baby spinach. the pork was braised and so sweet, with so much flavor.
long island skate. the skate was really good and surprisingly approchable. i'd recommend it to anyone who likes crab cakes.
ssam bar was definitely the best meal in nyc and one of the best i've ever had. it was truly exciting.

on saturday we went to stumptown coffee and wichcraft, then later that night, ventured out to brooklyn to go to motorino.

stumptown was interesting, i had a really great cappachino and the baristas all wore antiquated clothing like suspenders and caps.

the pizza at motorino was amazing. it was crispy and thin in the middle and soft and chewy in the crust. sam sifton said it's new york's best pizza, which really pissed drew off, but i thought it was prettty pretttttttttty pretty good. oh and we got proscuitto as an appetizer. even though we were stuffed, we got a late-night hot dog at gray's papaya. okay FINE we got one the day before as a snack as well at the papaya dog knock off.

sunday, even though by this point i was feeling all the rich food, we tried shake shack in madison square park (after visiting stumptown again). a good burger, crispy krinkle cut fries and an hour wait. fortunately it was a beautiful day, so the wait wasn't awful.

we did other stuff in nyc, i swear. we looked at some art at the met and the new musem, see?

we also went shopping, to the high-line and the new york public libary.

but i won't lie, we mostly ate like kings.

Yesterday was a Day.

it would be really easy to be completely negative on this here blog, but jesus christ my commute was awful yesterday, so cut me a break.

things I forgot:

- my Smarttrip, well actually i lost it.

- that regular metro cards become demagnatized near your phone.

- that sitting backwards on the metro sometimes makes you gag into Georgetown sidewalk trashcans.

- that metro hasn't fixed the price guide to buy a card since the 10 cents raise.

- that people do not know how to use the exit fare machine. it is simple, so ridiculously simple.

- my shoes on the shuttle. oh and the shuttle driver threw them away.

- also: my lunch and my work swipecard.

sometimes i feel so uptight, but if you make me miss my train because you want stand next to your girlfriend on the escalator and hold her hand i will push you onto the rails!

metro hating? maybe a little bit, just for today, but it's still better than the subway.

Reality Check

The 2009 Poverty Guidelines for the 48 Contiguous States and the District of Columbia:

1 person family: $10,830
2 person family: $14,570
3 person family: $18,310
4 person family: $22,050
5 person family: $25,790
6 person family: $29,530
7 person family: $33,270
8 person family: $37,010

For families with more than 8 persons, add $3,740 for each additional person.

I found this yesterday and it was shocking. I'm living with the same means as an 8 person family.

TGIF am i RIGHT?

oh leon, how we laugh. remember today when you passed me the big peice of cake and then kept saying i needed another?
you are just too much.
you get so proud when i eat oatmeal, you just love oatmeal.
it's too funny when you try and talk me into becoming a vegetarian. i mean really, it's too funny, stop.
oh the things we bond over: smells wafting from the kitchen, bob and his antics, when tim walks by the cubes really fast and you can tell he's upset.
should i be changing your names? whatever.

it is weird watching basketball games on play-by-play updates. especially while doing an excel spreadsheet.

i feel like a computer.
the "p" key never works on my keyboard, it sometimes makes me seem inappropriate/illiterate. (see first sentence: it would be really awkward if Leon assed me a peice of cake)

Metro Raises Fare by One (moderately priced) Anthropologie Top!

immediately after i heard that lady's assertive yet calming voice over the intercom telling me metro fares would rise 10 cents i did some quick math and realized, one less moderately priced anthropologie top for Kerry this year.

things i would buy with metro savings + $50:

for jamaica, but i'd cut off that silly bow.

pretty.

rainbow urchin sandals, i could almost afford one with the metro savings.

also what's with that MAN in the spring catalogue? what clothes are you even wearing? that looks suspiciously like a jcrew top.
girls only!

IRRITATING

prologue: there are certain rules, which must be adheared to when working in an office.

for the past 2 days someone has been reheating fish in the office kitchen.
now maybe i'm biased because i don't like fish, but am i wrong in assuming fish shouldn't be reheated? it smells foul, i mean really foul. whenever my mom cooks fish i am unhappy and my brother has a fit, saying it gives him a headache. so stop reheating your disgusting food in our microwave! IRRITATING.

instead, you could bring: peanut butter & jelly, peanut butter & jelly or peanut butter & jelly.


let's reverse this for a minute. it's breakfast, and i'm enjoying a nice warm bowl of strawberries & cream oatmeal. i'm satisfied, and then someone starts cooking bacon.
really?
really?
you're going to cook bacon, quite possibly the most delicious and permeating smell known to man?
how are you even cooking bacon? you're AWFUL. IRRITATING.

i'm going to start putting bacon salt in my oatmeal.

credit to monica.

annie anyone?

oh my

oh my

photo taken today on my iphone at the good stuff eatery with heather.

Richmond

Virginia's capital: A place that is seeped with history and PBR. A place where hipsters and hoodlums can live in harmony.

Richmond, VA. Okay, i'll admit you have some pretty good restaurants and porches and maybe the church bells sound really good on Sundays. And okay, so it was 60 degrees over the weekend, bigggg deal. Remember that time it snowed and everything was closed except Kuba Kuba?
Yeah you're right, i guess that's the exact place we wanted to go for lunch, but still, i didn't even bring boots for godsakes. And yeah, i guess the Byrd Theatre was open as well and I got to see The Fantastic Mr. Fox, which was soooooo good.

What i'm trying to say, Richmond, is that I had a pretty good time with you this weekend. The pickle plate at Balliceaux was a lot of fun and the fried oysters and truffle fries were delicious. The duck hash at The Black Sheep was pretty good too (and i've now been there for breakfast lunch and dinner).

Also you look good in warm weather. No really, you do.

What the Hell is That?

Seriously, what is that? It's red and brown and squarish. Oh could that be the goddamn ground?

Good News, i can walk again. Apparently Georgetown needed one good weekend of sunlight to make the sidewalks appear for the first time since i've moved here.

Me: This calls for a celebration

Me: What kind of celebration?

Me: A run!

Me: That's not a celebration

Running in the rain is really fantastic, it feels great. How do I know this? Well, 1. because i do and 2. a Georgetown student said so as i was running on the campus and dey smart.

Something not so fantastic is when scary people sit in their cars and say things to you as you go by.

"Yeaaaah you got that longevity girl."

Uhhh thanks? Wait:

Longevity

Noun. [lon-jev-i-tee]: 1. a long individual life; great duration of individual life.

No yeah, I was right before. Thanks.

Dear Shaun White,

aka, the Flying Tomato. It has been said that you are what it would look like if Kathy Griffin and Carrot Top had a daughter.

you give me faith in America.

i am fascinated by you.

Wake up in the Morning feeling like P Diddy

Or at least Shaun White: Last night I had a dream that I was snowboarding a half pipe and did a really "sick" trick and immediately woke up after I landed it. I knew then that it would be a good day.*

Georgetown Steps

A lot of funny little things happened before 9am this morning: My daily walk to the metro is always peppered with odd sights, especially since everything has been buried in snow. Every once and a while you will see bike handles poking through the top of the snow. Today I decided to take a peek through a break in a fence because I heard barking behind it. Here's an incomplete list of the dogs I saw playing in a makeshift doggy playground:
Golden
2 Bloodhounds
German Shepherd
Beethoven
3 Labs
English Setter annnnnnd
A Wolf.

I want a dog, big time. The rest of the walk was dedicated to deciding which was best: golden retrievers or bloodhounds. Still not sure.

I also saw a little boy walking down Barracks Row marking Xs in the snow drifts with a stick.

*It only turned out to be an okay day.

Oyamel

I've been very fortunate in that i've been to some amazing restaurants over the past few months. Was Oyamel on my list New Years list? I don't know, but I loves me some Jose Andres. Megan and I went on a whim during DC restaurant week. The decor was clean, interesting and colorful and the tables were pretty intimate, perfect for the date night Megan and I had planned. It's also located right in Penn Quarter near a ton of shops and the verizon center (i'm always amidst Caps traffic).

My Menu

Drink: Ponche. Pretty unimpressive, but it was just too cold to get a Margarita. It sounded like a Sangria formula with wine, tequila and fruit, but it honestly tasted like lightly flavored water.

To Start: When we sat down at the table they brought us chips and salsa, which had hints of coffee in it.

Dinner: Oyamel is a small-plate restaurant, so we had a choice of 3 entrees and a dessert. My first entree was a mexican squash casserole. It was a squash sliced and topped with crumbled queso, crushed peanuts and hibiscus dressing. The flavors were interesting but it's nothing I would ever order again. My second entree was scallops. They were seared, topped with pumpkin seeds and garnished with pumpkin seed sauce and orange segments. Though the presentation was really interesting, that's ultimately why i put that picture at the top (and i took it from yelp because when mine uploaded it was too brown), I could have done without the garnishes. The scallops were, however, cooked perfectly and melted in my mouth. The third entree was a choice of a soft-shell taco. I had a classic beef taco, the beef was amazing. It was simply topped with fresh salsa. Megan had a mushroom and guacamole taco, which was better than mine.

Dessert: Amazing. It's not on the menu anymore (I went to look it up to make sure I got it right) but maybe they will bring it back for the sake of mankind. The dessert was a chocolate custard with fresh pomegranate seeds mixed in. The custard was topped with a dark chocolate sorbet and coarse sea salt. CHOCOLATE AND SEA SALT TOGETHER IS AMAZING. This was really the stand out for me.

So all in all very good, I thought Megan was going to die because she was so full, she couldn't even finish her last two plates (pish-posh, i was fine).

Ellicott City, MD

A few weeks ago I went to visit some of my family Maryland. Saturday morning we went to Ellicott City, a charming town built around the history of a train stop. They had a lot of antique shops and restaurants, a classic combo.

It is supposedly one of the most haunted places on the East Coast. Discovering this tidbit was not a surprise to me because it seemed that nearly every building we passed was haunted, according to my younger cousins.

Ellicott City is part of the B&O Canal that runs through DC, and the many of the buildings along the Main St. are built over the river, it was pretty neat.

Anyways, here are some pictures, the colors really seem to be off when I post them up here, but I'm not dealing with it now because my hot chocolate is almost ready. The last picture is of a black stiletto inexplicably up in a tree.

DC Winters, enough already.

After being snowmageddoned in this weekend, i've learned a few things:

1. i love all things Trader Joe's.*

2. i could star in a Campbell's Soup commercial.

3. sledding has lost zero of its charm.

*when shopping at Trader Joe's, always check to make sure your corn dogs aren't meatless.