So last Tuesday we went to the farm and pick up our CSA share. It was a gorgeous (if warm) spring day and we got a nice bounty of fresh veggies that we gorged on later that night. Our share of food contained:
3 scallions
1/2 pound of (choose any - arugula, spinach, kale, and collard greens)
We opted for the arugula and spinach since they seemed like spring greens
1 small head of Boston lettuce
1/2 pound of carrots
1 pint of strawberries (which were teeny weeny)
3 turnips
We got to pick: Onion chives, garlic chives, sweet marjoram, oregano, parsley, lavender, mint, tarragon
- We ended up picking LOTS of the garlic chive blossoms, oregano, and lavender along with a WHOLE QUART of strawberries!!! (many of which ended up in our tummies before we even got to he car)
As an added bonus we picked the most brilliant red poppy that was hanging out in a fallow field.
When we got home I made the most Martha Stewarty arrangement of herbs. The purple blossoms of the garlic chives were surrounded by the oregano and tarragon. We did put the vegetables to more than aesthetic use. I made a salad of the arugula and spinach and turnip with a lemon vinaigrette. All of the little strawberries were screaming to be eaten. J pureed his with coconut sorbet while I whipped some cream with a little vanilla and powdered sugar.
Last night I made biscuits with the chopped chives. Tonight I am planning on doing a stir fry with the carrots, turnips, turnip greens, and garlic chive blossoms.
J took many many pictures of our bounty and he better post them!
Thursday, May 24, 2007
Monday, May 21, 2007
Weekend 'o fun Part 3
Before I begin with the final installment of the weekend 'o fun. Momma D admonished me to include one of the best part of Saturday night's meal - the cheese plate. J and I went to Whole Foods and got an incredible array of cheeses: a light cheddar with lemon zest, one laced with peppadews, a soft chevre, and a goat's milk gouda. J arranged these with an array of fruit including mango, pears, and apples. The fruit and cheese went really well with the freshness of the whole meal.
So for the Sunday of Mother's Day, J made reservations to go to Michel Richard's Citronelle. We were late in the game and it was one of the few places still taking reservations for brunch. For those of you who may forget, the Sunday of Mother's Day was gorgeous. A little chilly but blissfully sunny. It made wearing a suit on the weekend almost bearable. While I didn't necessarily need the tie to conform with Citronelle's jacket required policy, I thought "in for the penny."
What amazed me about the Citronelle space was how unpretentious it was. It was stylish but not that crazy over the top decor that many restaurants of that cailber are. The staff was friendly and fluent in French. We were seated at a table next to the entrance and what was intersting was that there were exactly enough place setting and chairs for your party. No more and no less. We splurged and ordered Mimosas for J and I and sparkling water for Momma D. The mimosa was delicious. Whatever champagne they used was utter perfection. Crisp without being metallic and complemented the acidity and sweetness of the orange juice perfectly. Then I saw the sommelier with his big ol' top sommelier medallion and realized that the yummyness of the mimosa was no accident.
Michel Richard was right there at the buffet line greeting people and thanking them for coming. I broke out in a goofy smile as I got to bathe in the Santa Claus happy aura that Michel Richard radiates. He looked genuinely happy people were eating his food. Considering a chef of his statue is usually off starting restaurants and signing books, Michel Richard seemed totally human presiding over the buffet line. It's a interesting statement about our society when chefs have become celebrities unto themselves. I'm all for it since people who have had to work their asses off for 18 hour days schlepping bags of flour and getting yelled at to pay their dues certainly should have their props. I was all smiley and tongue-tied but J had his wits aobut him and congratulated Michele Richard on his well-earned James Beard award. J was rewarded with a smile and a pat on the back from Richard.
The other thing that was interesting was that Richard's family came for brunch and they sat at the center table. It was a motley group with older people who only spoke French to slouchy teenagers to a turned out young lesbian in a natty tie. Momma D chatted them up in the buffet line and found out they came to Citronelle ALL THE TIME! I am so jealous.
So what about the brunch? Don't come expecting culinary "innovation." There was primarily traditional brunch food perpared to perfection. I've never seen the dinner menu so I wouldn't know whether the brunch is Richard's A game but the brunch was a back to basics kind of thing, smoked salmon, fishes with sauce, roast chicken, etc. But oh what basics! The humble shrimp with cocktail sauce was sent to new heights with shrimp that was tender, moist and flavorful. The smoked salmon was delightful, delicate and not overpowering pair with the traditional accoutrements of chopped onions, chopped egg whites (separate from the chopped egg yolks), capers and tomatoes.
The potato crust salmon sent me into paroxysms of delight. The potato crust added a buttery texture to the savory salmon. The halibut with saffron sauce was similarly excellent. And as wonderful as the seafood was, the meat was even better. The roast chicken had a aroma of lemon. It didn't hit your tongue, it just wafted up to your nose.
The desserts truly showed off Michel Richard's start as a pastry chef. They were all excellent with the exception of the cocoa dusted grape which tasted weird. But really all of that is obliterated by the THE EGG!!!!! We love the dessert egg with a fiery passion. It's a bit of whimsy that just made our day. Basically it's a hollowed out egg filled with a smooth sugary meringue the consistency of whipped cream and just when you think that is the egg, you get the surprise filling of lemon curd as the egg yolk. FREAKING BRILLIANT!!!!
As you can tell, a good time was had by all. This was not cheap by any means but it was a special occasion place and Momma D's visit is a special ocassion.
So for the Sunday of Mother's Day, J made reservations to go to Michel Richard's Citronelle. We were late in the game and it was one of the few places still taking reservations for brunch. For those of you who may forget, the Sunday of Mother's Day was gorgeous. A little chilly but blissfully sunny. It made wearing a suit on the weekend almost bearable. While I didn't necessarily need the tie to conform with Citronelle's jacket required policy, I thought "in for the penny."
What amazed me about the Citronelle space was how unpretentious it was. It was stylish but not that crazy over the top decor that many restaurants of that cailber are. The staff was friendly and fluent in French. We were seated at a table next to the entrance and what was intersting was that there were exactly enough place setting and chairs for your party. No more and no less. We splurged and ordered Mimosas for J and I and sparkling water for Momma D. The mimosa was delicious. Whatever champagne they used was utter perfection. Crisp without being metallic and complemented the acidity and sweetness of the orange juice perfectly. Then I saw the sommelier with his big ol' top sommelier medallion and realized that the yummyness of the mimosa was no accident.
Michel Richard was right there at the buffet line greeting people and thanking them for coming. I broke out in a goofy smile as I got to bathe in the Santa Claus happy aura that Michel Richard radiates. He looked genuinely happy people were eating his food. Considering a chef of his statue is usually off starting restaurants and signing books, Michel Richard seemed totally human presiding over the buffet line. It's a interesting statement about our society when chefs have become celebrities unto themselves. I'm all for it since people who have had to work their asses off for 18 hour days schlepping bags of flour and getting yelled at to pay their dues certainly should have their props. I was all smiley and tongue-tied but J had his wits aobut him and congratulated Michele Richard on his well-earned James Beard award. J was rewarded with a smile and a pat on the back from Richard.
The other thing that was interesting was that Richard's family came for brunch and they sat at the center table. It was a motley group with older people who only spoke French to slouchy teenagers to a turned out young lesbian in a natty tie. Momma D chatted them up in the buffet line and found out they came to Citronelle ALL THE TIME! I am so jealous.
So what about the brunch? Don't come expecting culinary "innovation." There was primarily traditional brunch food perpared to perfection. I've never seen the dinner menu so I wouldn't know whether the brunch is Richard's A game but the brunch was a back to basics kind of thing, smoked salmon, fishes with sauce, roast chicken, etc. But oh what basics! The humble shrimp with cocktail sauce was sent to new heights with shrimp that was tender, moist and flavorful. The smoked salmon was delightful, delicate and not overpowering pair with the traditional accoutrements of chopped onions, chopped egg whites (separate from the chopped egg yolks), capers and tomatoes.
The potato crust salmon sent me into paroxysms of delight. The potato crust added a buttery texture to the savory salmon. The halibut with saffron sauce was similarly excellent. And as wonderful as the seafood was, the meat was even better. The roast chicken had a aroma of lemon. It didn't hit your tongue, it just wafted up to your nose.
The desserts truly showed off Michel Richard's start as a pastry chef. They were all excellent with the exception of the cocoa dusted grape which tasted weird. But really all of that is obliterated by the THE EGG!!!!! We love the dessert egg with a fiery passion. It's a bit of whimsy that just made our day. Basically it's a hollowed out egg filled with a smooth sugary meringue the consistency of whipped cream and just when you think that is the egg, you get the surprise filling of lemon curd as the egg yolk. FREAKING BRILLIANT!!!!
As you can tell, a good time was had by all. This was not cheap by any means but it was a special occasion place and Momma D's visit is a special ocassion.
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Weekend o' Food - Part 2
Saturday night I put together the most coherent menu I've ever made. Momma D requested that we make a meal for her and she belongs to a Gourmet club at her retirement community so the bar was set high. J and I wanted to make a meal that was over the top. It all started with the mango mousse recipe in Martha Stewart Living (the color issue). With a mango mousse and a macadamia nut crust, this was THE recipe. Light, refreshing and indulgent. It lived up to its promise of being extremely easy to make and crazy good. I am giving it its own entry but rest assured, its amazing. I decided to class it up a notch by making Nigella Lawson's macadamia nut brittle. This brittle is so easy I didn't use a recipe, I just roughly chopped macadamia nuts, melted sugar until it became a light amber and poured the sugar on top of the chopped nuts sitting on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Don't worry about using a candy thermometer or any such nonsense, just melt the sugar and watch it like a hawk. If I were to do proportions it would be 1/2 cup of macadamia nuts to 1 cup of sugar.
So with the mango mousse tart as the centerpiece, I built a menu around that. With a tropical theme, I went Iron Chefish with macadamia nut crusted chicken breast with a mango-pineapple salsa. As a side dish, I would make a napa cabbage slaw with a sesame dressing. I got my inspiration from Cafe Asia's divine Asian coleslaw. And in a huge bit of inspiration from Kylie Kwong, I made Asian brined cucumber. The true fun of the evening was actually PLATING the meal. I am fairly indifferent about presentation but Saturday night, I went all out. I used our nice square Asian plates and matching napkins. For once, the food looked as good as it tasted.
Here's the recipes:
Macadamia Crusted Chicken with Pineapple-Mango salsa
6 Chicken breasts pounded (you can find pre-pounded ones at Whole Foods)
2 cups of homemade breadcrumbs (it makes for a coarser crumb)
1 cup ground macadamia nuts
2 eggs
Mix breadcrumbs and ground nuts in a bowl. Dredge chicken breasts in the egg and then dredge in the breadcrumb mixture. Let site for 5 minutes. Heat up a skillet with thin layer of vegetable oil. When the oil is hot, pan fry the chicken for 3 minutes a side. Don't worry about not cooking it through. Place the cooked chicken on a greased baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes.
Pineapple mango salsa
1 cup of chopped FRESH pineapple (I have to be a purist about that)
1 cup of chopped fresh mango
2 finely diced jalepeno
1 scallion finely chopped
1 tablespoon of fish sauce
Juice of 1 lime
Pinch of sugar
1/2 teaspoon Chinese chili paste
1 clove of garlic, minced
Throw everything into a bowl and mix. Let sit for at least a half an hour.
Asian Salad with Sesame Dressing
1 head of Napa cabbage finely shredded
2 large carrots, grated
1 scallion, chopped
For the dressing
1/2 cup of tahini
1/4 cup of peanut butter
1/2 cup of rice wine vinegar (or lime juice)
2 tablespoons sweet Thai Chili Sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce or fish sauce
1 teaspoon of sesame oil
1/4 cup of vegetable or peanut oil
1/4 cup of water
2 tablespoons of chopped ginger
3 cloves of garlic
Throw everything into a blender and blend until smooth. Add more water if the texture is too thick. Toss with the vegetables.
Asian Brined Cucumber
1 English hothouse cucumber with the seeds scooped out (just a preference as I hate seeds), thinly sliced
1 teaspoon of salt
2 tablespoons of sugar
2 tablespoons of rice wine
Throw everything into a bowl and toss together until sugar and salt dissolves. Let sit for at least 15 minutes and then pour out the liquid (actually the liquid with some peanut oil is a great salad dressing)
So with the mango mousse tart as the centerpiece, I built a menu around that. With a tropical theme, I went Iron Chefish with macadamia nut crusted chicken breast with a mango-pineapple salsa. As a side dish, I would make a napa cabbage slaw with a sesame dressing. I got my inspiration from Cafe Asia's divine Asian coleslaw. And in a huge bit of inspiration from Kylie Kwong, I made Asian brined cucumber. The true fun of the evening was actually PLATING the meal. I am fairly indifferent about presentation but Saturday night, I went all out. I used our nice square Asian plates and matching napkins. For once, the food looked as good as it tasted.
Here's the recipes:
Macadamia Crusted Chicken with Pineapple-Mango salsa
6 Chicken breasts pounded (you can find pre-pounded ones at Whole Foods)
2 cups of homemade breadcrumbs (it makes for a coarser crumb)
1 cup ground macadamia nuts
2 eggs
Mix breadcrumbs and ground nuts in a bowl. Dredge chicken breasts in the egg and then dredge in the breadcrumb mixture. Let site for 5 minutes. Heat up a skillet with thin layer of vegetable oil. When the oil is hot, pan fry the chicken for 3 minutes a side. Don't worry about not cooking it through. Place the cooked chicken on a greased baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes.
Pineapple mango salsa
1 cup of chopped FRESH pineapple (I have to be a purist about that)
1 cup of chopped fresh mango
2 finely diced jalepeno
1 scallion finely chopped
1 tablespoon of fish sauce
Juice of 1 lime
Pinch of sugar
1/2 teaspoon Chinese chili paste
1 clove of garlic, minced
Throw everything into a bowl and mix. Let sit for at least a half an hour.
Asian Salad with Sesame Dressing
1 head of Napa cabbage finely shredded
2 large carrots, grated
1 scallion, chopped
For the dressing
1/2 cup of tahini
1/4 cup of peanut butter
1/2 cup of rice wine vinegar (or lime juice)
2 tablespoons sweet Thai Chili Sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce or fish sauce
1 teaspoon of sesame oil
1/4 cup of vegetable or peanut oil
1/4 cup of water
2 tablespoons of chopped ginger
3 cloves of garlic
Throw everything into a blender and blend until smooth. Add more water if the texture is too thick. Toss with the vegetables.
Asian Brined Cucumber
1 English hothouse cucumber with the seeds scooped out (just a preference as I hate seeds), thinly sliced
1 teaspoon of salt
2 tablespoons of sugar
2 tablespoons of rice wine
Throw everything into a bowl and toss together until sugar and salt dissolves. Let sit for at least 15 minutes and then pour out the liquid (actually the liquid with some peanut oil is a great salad dressing)
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
A Weekend of Food - Part 1
So this past weekend was my birthday where I turned a year older than dirty whore (flirty jive?). With the confluence of my birthday and Mother's Day on the same weekend, my mother-in-law, Momma D flew in from Texas to join in the festivities.
It turned out to be a weekend of food. Friday started off with a dinner for 15 at Malaysia Kopitam. There's been mixed reviews about this place but they were wonderfully flexible about accommodating our large and unwieldy group. Say what you want about reheated entrees, Malaysia Kopitam really knows their rice noodles. Not only that, they serve this sticky rice in a banana leaf packet that is to die for. This was a theme for me that night as I ordered their salmon cooked in a banana leaf as well. This was firm but wonderfully tender. The flavor of the salmon was exceptional. Other standouts included the greasy, street food quality roti.
At my insistence, we took a contingent to the Black Cat to dance. I have been itching to go out dancing for months as I talked with the Timily's and realized the ONLY time any of us danced as at weddings. I talked with Slim and Married Boy who both have extensive knowledge of the DC nightlife and charged them to find a place where I could dance in my running shoes that played music that I could sing along to. They recommended the backstage room of the Black Cat that had a small dance floor and access to the bar and pool area for the non-dancers. We arrived at the scandalously early time of 10:30 pm and were rewarded by having the entire dance floor to ourselves. We love the DJ as he seemed determined to play fun remixes of 80's B-side songs. Among the quasi hits were songs from New Edition (!), The Cure, and Madonna. By 11:45 pm, the dance floor was full of people dancing their hearts out. Apparently, this DJ plays the first Friday of every month so count me in for June!!!!
It turned out to be a weekend of food. Friday started off with a dinner for 15 at Malaysia Kopitam. There's been mixed reviews about this place but they were wonderfully flexible about accommodating our large and unwieldy group. Say what you want about reheated entrees, Malaysia Kopitam really knows their rice noodles. Not only that, they serve this sticky rice in a banana leaf packet that is to die for. This was a theme for me that night as I ordered their salmon cooked in a banana leaf as well. This was firm but wonderfully tender. The flavor of the salmon was exceptional. Other standouts included the greasy, street food quality roti.
At my insistence, we took a contingent to the Black Cat to dance. I have been itching to go out dancing for months as I talked with the Timily's and realized the ONLY time any of us danced as at weddings. I talked with Slim and Married Boy who both have extensive knowledge of the DC nightlife and charged them to find a place where I could dance in my running shoes that played music that I could sing along to. They recommended the backstage room of the Black Cat that had a small dance floor and access to the bar and pool area for the non-dancers. We arrived at the scandalously early time of 10:30 pm and were rewarded by having the entire dance floor to ourselves. We love the DJ as he seemed determined to play fun remixes of 80's B-side songs. Among the quasi hits were songs from New Edition (!), The Cure, and Madonna. By 11:45 pm, the dance floor was full of people dancing their hearts out. Apparently, this DJ plays the first Friday of every month so count me in for June!!!!
Tuesday, May 01, 2007
Eastern Market - A Friend In Need
Eastern Market - A Friend In Need
Time and time again, I am reminded of the powerful connection between food and community. We eat together to celebrate, to mourn, to comfort, to nourish. We eat to catch up with an old friend, to celebrate the arrival of a guest visiting from many miles away and to just make it through another day when we need sustenance. We do eat alone, but often we use a meal together to connect to and enjoy one another.
Community presents an opportunity to build tiny or tremendous connections. It's where we have the great opportunity to become students of our interactions with many different teachers, to become part of something bigger than ourselves.
Eastern Market has for years been the best of food and community for me. Not flawless, not without challenge or evidently controversy, but, at its core, a unique place of escape from the work-weary world of modern life and whizzing digital input.
Here, my friends and neighbors have shared in the beauty of food, the excitement of a delicious bargain, a new taste or a reliable standby. From quick hellos to conversations that drag a bit too long, we run into each other and make exchanges great and small. But it all roots us. Some would argue that it all nourishes us.
Monday morning, I walked into the office to a disturbing "Did you hear?" Never a good sign. An hour later, I stood before a battered and burnt Eastern Market, one of many customers, neighbors, and friends coming by to pay our respects. I had to see for myself. It was worse than I imagined.
Hadn't I just been there on Sunday? My freezer and refrigerator were full from my trip. Many words came to mind once I stored everything away: fresh, quality, delicious. What would I make tonight?
Eastern Market has provided my family with wonderful food and a sense of community for more than 8 years. Until recently, we lived just a few blocks away. What a treasure to be able to take a nice walk on a crisp morning and come back with a few bags of fresh produce, meats, fish, and the occasional cookie or three.
Fresh cut flowers, a wrapped up sandwich from the Market Lunch, a container of baba ghanouj.
For the life of me I can't recall bringing anything home that I did not think was first rate. A huge bag of stunning Valencia oranges, freshly peeled garlic, a bag of magic lettuce that would somehow keep for nearly two weeks.
And I usually saw a colleague, a parent of a friend, a business owner I knew, someone I just met at a meeting, an artist I admired.
I stood there and worked over the entire horrible situation. Was everyone ok? What on earth were all these wonderful people going to do without their shops and the friends and neighbors who were in some way their families? After all, they have had a hand in preparing our tables for some of the great occasions of our lives, the delicious stolen moments when Washingtonians stop living their heads long enough to prepare a dinner party for people we enjoy, the quick fly-by snack when we're pushing the stroller or walking the dog.
Flowers to brighten the house when an out of town guest visits or just because. A cake for that last minute staff celebration. Thick, smoky bacon that makes breakfast with the newspaper an experience and makes the weekend real. An artichoke to eat or to pose on the still life plate.
The people are paying their respects. Those who know the vendors offer hugs and assurances. We are here for you. We must rebuild.
24 hours later the press conference begins and I see more vendors from the South Hall, community leaders, neighbors who have been eating food from the Market for ten, twenty, thirty years. People who gave up their cars because they could walk to the market. People who rarely enter a chain grocery store. We are hanging on the words of the Mayor, our Councilmember, the Fire Chief.
The sign says we will rebuild. The Mayor agrees. The community speaks too. The media. We are left with hope and the feeling that we must come together even more deliberately than our Market trips. We must be vigilant in supporting this community and using our best ideas and abilities to lessen the impact.
Eastern Market matters to us. It's not just where we buy food. And that should be enough. But it's more than that for the neighborhood and for those who love it. It's a beautiful reminder of the power and the possibility of human connection. It's family business given the best opportunity to thrive. It's a community saying we value all of this.
There are so few spaces in public life where we can all be together, greet our neighbors, get to know the people who grow our food. We need these moments, and those of us who have come to love it need Eastern Market. There is a simple but vital interdependency here that I cherish.
We want our friends and neighbors who have taken care of us for so many years to be taken care of. In some small way, in spite of all the cynicism in the world and all the exciting and challenging back-and-forth that happens in the halls of the great buildings nearby, many of us know these vendors as family. At the very least we are grateful for what they do and what they produce.
Eastern Market will be back and we will be there. Republicans and Democrats, politicians and nonprofit workers, artists and farmers, parents and children, tourists who visit occasionally and neighbors who visit daily.
We just aren't going to give that up.
How can you help?
1. Many of the vendors lost an incredible amount of food and equipment in the fire. Most have lost their livelihood. The Capitol Hill Community Foundation has set up a fund for the merchants and their employees. http://www.capitolhillcommunityfoundation.org
2. There will be a fundraiser at 6:00 p.m., Wednesday night (5/2) at Marty's, 527 8th St SE (zip is 20003).
3. Come to Market Day on Sunday. This is an all-day festival with great bands and entertainment. It's always a great time and a huge turnout would be wonderful.
4. Do not forget to visit the other shops and restaurants in the area. Petite Gourmet, The Forecast, The Village, Montmartre, Fairy Godmother, Tortilla Cafe (also owned by the Canales family that ran several stands in the South Hall), Blue Iris Flowers, Murky Coffee, Uncle Brutha's, Bread and Chocolate, Ben and Jerry's, Dawn Price Baby, Marvelous Market, and more. These places will surely be affected by loss of foot traffic and offer some great food and gifts!
5. Keep the story alive. There will be a lot of attention at first, but let's visit the market, shops, and vendors in the coming months. If it really takes two years, it is going to take some serious effort and promotion to keep these shop doors open. Keep bringing out of town guests.
Here's to Eastern Market and all it represents!
Time and time again, I am reminded of the powerful connection between food and community. We eat together to celebrate, to mourn, to comfort, to nourish. We eat to catch up with an old friend, to celebrate the arrival of a guest visiting from many miles away and to just make it through another day when we need sustenance. We do eat alone, but often we use a meal together to connect to and enjoy one another.
Community presents an opportunity to build tiny or tremendous connections. It's where we have the great opportunity to become students of our interactions with many different teachers, to become part of something bigger than ourselves.
Eastern Market has for years been the best of food and community for me. Not flawless, not without challenge or evidently controversy, but, at its core, a unique place of escape from the work-weary world of modern life and whizzing digital input.
Here, my friends and neighbors have shared in the beauty of food, the excitement of a delicious bargain, a new taste or a reliable standby. From quick hellos to conversations that drag a bit too long, we run into each other and make exchanges great and small. But it all roots us. Some would argue that it all nourishes us.
Monday morning, I walked into the office to a disturbing "Did you hear?" Never a good sign. An hour later, I stood before a battered and burnt Eastern Market, one of many customers, neighbors, and friends coming by to pay our respects. I had to see for myself. It was worse than I imagined.
Hadn't I just been there on Sunday? My freezer and refrigerator were full from my trip. Many words came to mind once I stored everything away: fresh, quality, delicious. What would I make tonight?
Eastern Market has provided my family with wonderful food and a sense of community for more than 8 years. Until recently, we lived just a few blocks away. What a treasure to be able to take a nice walk on a crisp morning and come back with a few bags of fresh produce, meats, fish, and the occasional cookie or three.
Fresh cut flowers, a wrapped up sandwich from the Market Lunch, a container of baba ghanouj.
For the life of me I can't recall bringing anything home that I did not think was first rate. A huge bag of stunning Valencia oranges, freshly peeled garlic, a bag of magic lettuce that would somehow keep for nearly two weeks.
And I usually saw a colleague, a parent of a friend, a business owner I knew, someone I just met at a meeting, an artist I admired.
I stood there and worked over the entire horrible situation. Was everyone ok? What on earth were all these wonderful people going to do without their shops and the friends and neighbors who were in some way their families? After all, they have had a hand in preparing our tables for some of the great occasions of our lives, the delicious stolen moments when Washingtonians stop living their heads long enough to prepare a dinner party for people we enjoy, the quick fly-by snack when we're pushing the stroller or walking the dog.
Flowers to brighten the house when an out of town guest visits or just because. A cake for that last minute staff celebration. Thick, smoky bacon that makes breakfast with the newspaper an experience and makes the weekend real. An artichoke to eat or to pose on the still life plate.
The people are paying their respects. Those who know the vendors offer hugs and assurances. We are here for you. We must rebuild.
24 hours later the press conference begins and I see more vendors from the South Hall, community leaders, neighbors who have been eating food from the Market for ten, twenty, thirty years. People who gave up their cars because they could walk to the market. People who rarely enter a chain grocery store. We are hanging on the words of the Mayor, our Councilmember, the Fire Chief.
The sign says we will rebuild. The Mayor agrees. The community speaks too. The media. We are left with hope and the feeling that we must come together even more deliberately than our Market trips. We must be vigilant in supporting this community and using our best ideas and abilities to lessen the impact.
Eastern Market matters to us. It's not just where we buy food. And that should be enough. But it's more than that for the neighborhood and for those who love it. It's a beautiful reminder of the power and the possibility of human connection. It's family business given the best opportunity to thrive. It's a community saying we value all of this.
There are so few spaces in public life where we can all be together, greet our neighbors, get to know the people who grow our food. We need these moments, and those of us who have come to love it need Eastern Market. There is a simple but vital interdependency here that I cherish.
We want our friends and neighbors who have taken care of us for so many years to be taken care of. In some small way, in spite of all the cynicism in the world and all the exciting and challenging back-and-forth that happens in the halls of the great buildings nearby, many of us know these vendors as family. At the very least we are grateful for what they do and what they produce.
Eastern Market will be back and we will be there. Republicans and Democrats, politicians and nonprofit workers, artists and farmers, parents and children, tourists who visit occasionally and neighbors who visit daily.
We just aren't going to give that up.
How can you help?
1. Many of the vendors lost an incredible amount of food and equipment in the fire. Most have lost their livelihood. The Capitol Hill Community Foundation has set up a fund for the merchants and their employees. http://www.capitolhillcommunityfoundation.org
2. There will be a fundraiser at 6:00 p.m., Wednesday night (5/2) at Marty's, 527 8th St SE (zip is 20003).
3. Come to Market Day on Sunday. This is an all-day festival with great bands and entertainment. It's always a great time and a huge turnout would be wonderful.
4. Do not forget to visit the other shops and restaurants in the area. Petite Gourmet, The Forecast, The Village, Montmartre, Fairy Godmother, Tortilla Cafe (also owned by the Canales family that ran several stands in the South Hall), Blue Iris Flowers, Murky Coffee, Uncle Brutha's, Bread and Chocolate, Ben and Jerry's, Dawn Price Baby, Marvelous Market, and more. These places will surely be affected by loss of foot traffic and offer some great food and gifts!
5. Keep the story alive. There will be a lot of attention at first, but let's visit the market, shops, and vendors in the coming months. If it really takes two years, it is going to take some serious effort and promotion to keep these shop doors open. Keep bringing out of town guests.
Here's to Eastern Market and all it represents!
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
A Wrong and a Rice – Part 3 The Reception
Let me write the recap of the reception as my reception self –
Whee! Evelyn looks pretty! OMIGOD there's wine. And it tastes SOOOOO good. My tablemates rock. J is freaking hot. Evelyn looks so pretty! More wine? Mmmkay! God this food is good. Is it appropriate to lick the plate? Champagne? Prosecco? EVEN BETTER! WOOOOO!!!! The Ice Cream Sandwich table is the best EVAH! I think we should make promises to all stay in touch and go drinking like 4EVAH! More wine? Mmmkay! OMIGOD can I bathe in this fig-wine reduction that’s on the pork chop? While we’re at it can I mainline the savory brioche pudding? Why is it I am so tipsy and I’ve only drank one glass of wine? OOOOH! My table is SOO funny. The best man is so funny. SNIFF. Emma said the sweetest thing. WAAAH! HEEEEEEEE. Evelyn's father is singing Elvis’ “It’s Now or Never.” THIS IS THE BEST RECEPTION EVER!!!! OMIGOD. Evelyn’s father is forcing her and Rikel to dance! As he sings “I Can’t Help Falling in Love With You.” I CANNOT BREATHE!!!!! Why did Rikel make fun of Evelyn’s dancing? She and Rikel look sooooooo pretty on the dancing floor. The bartender is the nicest man on Earth. He just gave me the big bottle of Perrier so my liver isn’t permanently damaged by all the wine I’ve been drinking. I just got a hug from the groom’s mother! She’s the nicest lady on earth! I hope she doesn’t notice I am massively buzzed. Another YOOOOOGE bottle of Perrier. Thank you Mr. Bartender! Tomorrow I’ll owe you for my lack of a hangover.
So did anyone get the impression I drank a lot at the reception?
Here’s me recapping as my sober self.
1:00 pm After hitching a ride with the best man and the maid of honor who loathes him, we get to the reception which is going in full swing. I reconnoiter with J who tells me that he and the MC, Karen have everything set. The venue looks perfect. I hope this doesn’t give anything away but the reception was held at The Stained Glass in Evanston. I have to give the folks at The Stained Glass their props because this reception was perfect. The wine chosen was delicious, the service was warm, friendly, and efficient, and the food was once in a lifetime good. Malik, the manager on duty, worked with J and Karen to make sure everything was set and treated me, J, and Karen as folks who would help make the reception the best it could be, as opposed to hindrances and pains in his ass.
1:10 Servers are bringing out tasty nibbles on puff pastry. You can put pretty much anything on puff pastry and it will taste good. I scarf down five of them. Karen reminds everyone to sign the guestbook. The guestbook has holders for Polaroids and people can take a Polaroid and sign the guestbook next to their picture. Can I sing the praises of Karen the MC enough? No I can’t because she is a true rockstar. Her voice is able to be heard above the din of conversation without overpowering it. She’s already setting the tone of this fun frolic of a reception.
1:20 Rikel and Evelyn arrive. 10 minutes ahead of schedule. Could I love them even more? Karen announces the arrival and we all applaud.
1:30 I begin to herd folks into their seats. After there’s a critical mass of people seated, I find my seat at the Ice Cream Sandwich table. I find out that Ice Cream Sandwich is the couple’s “safe word.” It appears that Rikel is an excellent bullshitter who can tell outrageous lies with a straight face. When the phrase Ice Cream Sandwich is uttered, the couple has entered the no bullshit zone. This becomes even more appropriate when we end up being THAT TABLE. You know THAT TABLE. The one where everyone drinks a little to much, yells a little to loudly, and talks a little too dirty. J and I are surrounded by college friends of Evelyn’s and their significant others. We are truly THAT TABLE.
1:45 My wineglass is never empty. This will be a fun afternoon! The sassy server comes to take our order. J in his Southern way has already learned where they found the wine and where she grew up. He also finds out that Malik is from our neck of the woods. Lance, the boyfriend of Accomplished Writer Lady, sasses the sassy server. I order the calamari with gnocchi, the pork chop in a fig-wine reduction with brioche bread pudding, and the crème brulee sampler. J orders the crab cakes with avocado, the duck with polenta and cabbage, and the chocolate bombe.
2:00 Karen starts off the festivities by introducing Ella and Cupcake, the best man who will give their toasts. Our glasses are filled with some amazing prosecco. I am so glad they chose Prosecco which is lighter and fruitier than champagne which I always think has a metallic flavor. Sadly for Ella, Cupcake kills his toast. He talks about his friendship with Rikel and the weird code words Rikel uses. Cupcake talks about the need for no bullshit zones and how he had to declare one after Rikel announced his engagement to Evelyn. I can’t capture how crazy funny and affectionate Cupcake’s toast was but take my word for it, it was memorable. He thanks me for organizing the wedding and I give my best Miss America wave. Ella gives a wonderfully loving and heartfelt speech and everyone’s in tears.
2:10 And then it’s time for Evelyn’s family to give their toasts. Her brothers give these jokey, stream of consciousness toasts. They’re sweet in that awkward family way. And then comes the most awesome thing ever. Evelyn’s father stands up and says he learned to sing Elvis songs so that he could sing them at his daughter’s wedding. With a totally thick Chinese accent he croons Elvis’ It’s Now or Never. The Ice Scream Sandwich table loses its shit. We start screaming as if we are watching the Beatles. And then something awesomer happens. Father Wrong asks the couple to come on the makeshift dance floor (better known as the area in front of the bar) and make his dream come true. Yes, he wants to serenade the bride and groom for their first dance. There wasn’t supposed to be any dancing at the reception but Evelyn and Rikel are trapped. They dance like Fred and Ginger. I get misty watching him move her around the dance floor with gentleness and love. That quickly dissipates as our table screams lustily when Father Wrong sings “I Can’t Help Falling in Love with You.” We give Father Wrong a standing ovation.. Father Rice can only meekly congratulate the couple and thank everyone who traveled to the wedding. It’s hard to top and Chinese Elvis impersonator. Karen asks if anyone else wants to make a toast. There is no way the Ice Scream Sandwich table isn’t all over that. I get the microphone and thank Evelyn for putting all of us in a table together. It’s a testament to the love they have that we’re all here rooting for them. I end my toast by saying that we vow to be the rowdiest table ever and scream “I’m throwing down the gauntlet RIGHT NOW!!!!!”
2:30 The food comes at it is excellent. I simply cannot believe how wonderful the food is. Seriously the best wedding food I have ever eaten and that includes my cousin’s country club wedding that had lobster AND filet mignon. The standout for me is the bread pudding which is completely original. Hearty and delicate at the same time.
3:50 After we have eaten. Karen introduces the traditional Asian tea ceremony. As neither the Bride, nor Karen, nor I were really told what the tea ceremony entails, Karen heroically tries to do color commentary on the proceedings. Evelyn and Rikel also look completely befuddled by what they are supposed to do. Karen does a great job under the circumstances by presenting the parents, uncles and aunts, and Grandpa Wrong. We all cheer for each of them. I am seriously giggling like a hyena and I hear Karen say “The tea ceremony symbolizes respect for the elders and…good luck…and BABIES!” She continues with the babymaking jokes and pretty soon all of the elders are cracking baby making jokes. The baby jokes turn into some kind of baby bidding as each elder predicts more and more babies for the newly minted couple. I grumpily turn to J and say “noone at OUR wedding was auctioning off our fertility!”
4:15 Rikel and Evelyn cut the cake. They give in to the urge to smash it in each other’s faces. Hilarity ensues. The cake is wonderful. Chocolate AND vanilla with a chocolate ganache center. Not too sweet with a light as air buttercream frosting.
4:30 The guestbook SLOOOOWLY gets passed around. Jessie, the groom’s sister, grumbles, “It’s like they’re signing their senior yearbook.” Did I tell you how much I love the Rices?
5:00 The guests file out and J and I take the loot to the bridal suite.
6:45 I am in the hotel Jacuzzi with Rikel’s mother, father, and aunt. They thank me profusely for organizing the wedding as we collectively get all pruny.
8:52 Emma brought KARAOKE REVOLUTION!!!!!!!! I finally break 50,000 singing Time After Time. Oh and the marriage license gets signed in the bridal suite’s bathroom.
10:14 We are shooed out of the room so that the bride and groom and get it on. By which I mean they will get some well deserved rest.
Congratulations, you two crazy kids. The world believes in you.
Whee! Evelyn looks pretty! OMIGOD there's wine. And it tastes SOOOOO good. My tablemates rock. J is freaking hot. Evelyn looks so pretty! More wine? Mmmkay! God this food is good. Is it appropriate to lick the plate? Champagne? Prosecco? EVEN BETTER! WOOOOO!!!! The Ice Cream Sandwich table is the best EVAH! I think we should make promises to all stay in touch and go drinking like 4EVAH! More wine? Mmmkay! OMIGOD can I bathe in this fig-wine reduction that’s on the pork chop? While we’re at it can I mainline the savory brioche pudding? Why is it I am so tipsy and I’ve only drank one glass of wine? OOOOH! My table is SOO funny. The best man is so funny. SNIFF. Emma said the sweetest thing. WAAAH! HEEEEEEEE. Evelyn's father is singing Elvis’ “It’s Now or Never.” THIS IS THE BEST RECEPTION EVER!!!! OMIGOD. Evelyn’s father is forcing her and Rikel to dance! As he sings “I Can’t Help Falling in Love With You.” I CANNOT BREATHE!!!!! Why did Rikel make fun of Evelyn’s dancing? She and Rikel look sooooooo pretty on the dancing floor. The bartender is the nicest man on Earth. He just gave me the big bottle of Perrier so my liver isn’t permanently damaged by all the wine I’ve been drinking. I just got a hug from the groom’s mother! She’s the nicest lady on earth! I hope she doesn’t notice I am massively buzzed. Another YOOOOOGE bottle of Perrier. Thank you Mr. Bartender! Tomorrow I’ll owe you for my lack of a hangover.
So did anyone get the impression I drank a lot at the reception?
Here’s me recapping as my sober self.
1:00 pm After hitching a ride with the best man and the maid of honor who loathes him, we get to the reception which is going in full swing. I reconnoiter with J who tells me that he and the MC, Karen have everything set. The venue looks perfect. I hope this doesn’t give anything away but the reception was held at The Stained Glass in Evanston. I have to give the folks at The Stained Glass their props because this reception was perfect. The wine chosen was delicious, the service was warm, friendly, and efficient, and the food was once in a lifetime good. Malik, the manager on duty, worked with J and Karen to make sure everything was set and treated me, J, and Karen as folks who would help make the reception the best it could be, as opposed to hindrances and pains in his ass.
1:10 Servers are bringing out tasty nibbles on puff pastry. You can put pretty much anything on puff pastry and it will taste good. I scarf down five of them. Karen reminds everyone to sign the guestbook. The guestbook has holders for Polaroids and people can take a Polaroid and sign the guestbook next to their picture. Can I sing the praises of Karen the MC enough? No I can’t because she is a true rockstar. Her voice is able to be heard above the din of conversation without overpowering it. She’s already setting the tone of this fun frolic of a reception.
1:20 Rikel and Evelyn arrive. 10 minutes ahead of schedule. Could I love them even more? Karen announces the arrival and we all applaud.
1:30 I begin to herd folks into their seats. After there’s a critical mass of people seated, I find my seat at the Ice Cream Sandwich table. I find out that Ice Cream Sandwich is the couple’s “safe word.” It appears that Rikel is an excellent bullshitter who can tell outrageous lies with a straight face. When the phrase Ice Cream Sandwich is uttered, the couple has entered the no bullshit zone. This becomes even more appropriate when we end up being THAT TABLE. You know THAT TABLE. The one where everyone drinks a little to much, yells a little to loudly, and talks a little too dirty. J and I are surrounded by college friends of Evelyn’s and their significant others. We are truly THAT TABLE.
1:45 My wineglass is never empty. This will be a fun afternoon! The sassy server comes to take our order. J in his Southern way has already learned where they found the wine and where she grew up. He also finds out that Malik is from our neck of the woods. Lance, the boyfriend of Accomplished Writer Lady, sasses the sassy server. I order the calamari with gnocchi, the pork chop in a fig-wine reduction with brioche bread pudding, and the crème brulee sampler. J orders the crab cakes with avocado, the duck with polenta and cabbage, and the chocolate bombe.
2:00 Karen starts off the festivities by introducing Ella and Cupcake, the best man who will give their toasts. Our glasses are filled with some amazing prosecco. I am so glad they chose Prosecco which is lighter and fruitier than champagne which I always think has a metallic flavor. Sadly for Ella, Cupcake kills his toast. He talks about his friendship with Rikel and the weird code words Rikel uses. Cupcake talks about the need for no bullshit zones and how he had to declare one after Rikel announced his engagement to Evelyn. I can’t capture how crazy funny and affectionate Cupcake’s toast was but take my word for it, it was memorable. He thanks me for organizing the wedding and I give my best Miss America wave. Ella gives a wonderfully loving and heartfelt speech and everyone’s in tears.
2:10 And then it’s time for Evelyn’s family to give their toasts. Her brothers give these jokey, stream of consciousness toasts. They’re sweet in that awkward family way. And then comes the most awesome thing ever. Evelyn’s father stands up and says he learned to sing Elvis songs so that he could sing them at his daughter’s wedding. With a totally thick Chinese accent he croons Elvis’ It’s Now or Never. The Ice Scream Sandwich table loses its shit. We start screaming as if we are watching the Beatles. And then something awesomer happens. Father Wrong asks the couple to come on the makeshift dance floor (better known as the area in front of the bar) and make his dream come true. Yes, he wants to serenade the bride and groom for their first dance. There wasn’t supposed to be any dancing at the reception but Evelyn and Rikel are trapped. They dance like Fred and Ginger. I get misty watching him move her around the dance floor with gentleness and love. That quickly dissipates as our table screams lustily when Father Wrong sings “I Can’t Help Falling in Love with You.” We give Father Wrong a standing ovation.. Father Rice can only meekly congratulate the couple and thank everyone who traveled to the wedding. It’s hard to top and Chinese Elvis impersonator. Karen asks if anyone else wants to make a toast. There is no way the Ice Scream Sandwich table isn’t all over that. I get the microphone and thank Evelyn for putting all of us in a table together. It’s a testament to the love they have that we’re all here rooting for them. I end my toast by saying that we vow to be the rowdiest table ever and scream “I’m throwing down the gauntlet RIGHT NOW!!!!!”
2:30 The food comes at it is excellent. I simply cannot believe how wonderful the food is. Seriously the best wedding food I have ever eaten and that includes my cousin’s country club wedding that had lobster AND filet mignon. The standout for me is the bread pudding which is completely original. Hearty and delicate at the same time.
3:50 After we have eaten. Karen introduces the traditional Asian tea ceremony. As neither the Bride, nor Karen, nor I were really told what the tea ceremony entails, Karen heroically tries to do color commentary on the proceedings. Evelyn and Rikel also look completely befuddled by what they are supposed to do. Karen does a great job under the circumstances by presenting the parents, uncles and aunts, and Grandpa Wrong. We all cheer for each of them. I am seriously giggling like a hyena and I hear Karen say “The tea ceremony symbolizes respect for the elders and…good luck…and BABIES!” She continues with the babymaking jokes and pretty soon all of the elders are cracking baby making jokes. The baby jokes turn into some kind of baby bidding as each elder predicts more and more babies for the newly minted couple. I grumpily turn to J and say “noone at OUR wedding was auctioning off our fertility!”
4:15 Rikel and Evelyn cut the cake. They give in to the urge to smash it in each other’s faces. Hilarity ensues. The cake is wonderful. Chocolate AND vanilla with a chocolate ganache center. Not too sweet with a light as air buttercream frosting.
4:30 The guestbook SLOOOOWLY gets passed around. Jessie, the groom’s sister, grumbles, “It’s like they’re signing their senior yearbook.” Did I tell you how much I love the Rices?
5:00 The guests file out and J and I take the loot to the bridal suite.
6:45 I am in the hotel Jacuzzi with Rikel’s mother, father, and aunt. They thank me profusely for organizing the wedding as we collectively get all pruny.
8:52 Emma brought KARAOKE REVOLUTION!!!!!!!! I finally break 50,000 singing Time After Time. Oh and the marriage license gets signed in the bridal suite’s bathroom.
10:14 We are shooed out of the room so that the bride and groom and get it on. By which I mean they will get some well deserved rest.
Congratulations, you two crazy kids. The world believes in you.
Monday, April 23, 2007
One Wrong and a Rice - Part 2 The ceremony
Saturday April 21 - Wedding Morning
7:45 I'm so excited that I ended up waking up at 6:00 am. I am already abuzz with activity, checking things off, gathering stuff. At 7:45, I meet with Evelyn and
Emma at the bridal suite to get instructions on transporting the wedding dress. I see it for the first time and gasp. It's seriously beautiful. Champagne silk charmeuse, it's Badgley Michska by way of Donna Karan. A draped cross-cross v-neck with and empire waist that creates a slim and columnar shape that is Hollywood glamour at its most elegant and refined. After giving us instructions on how to handle her Precious,
Evelyn leaves for Elizabeth Arden to do her hair.
8:15 I meet with Rikel to go over all the things he will be transporting. He's tender and kind and wanting to make sure his wife to be is taken care of. Evelyn chose a winner.
10:00 I get to the chapel and go over the logistics with the person in charge of the site. She points out the rooms where the bridal party and groom's party will be sequestered. The chapel is small and intimate. J works on the ribbon that will mark where the families will sit. It keeps falling off but we decided it's more
elegant todrape the ribbon over the pew.
10:30 The photographer comes and he and his wife/assistant are awesome. J chats
up the assistant in that Southern way of his and ends up finding out her and her husband's life story. I go over the shot list with him and he and his wife come up with an order of the wedding photos.
10:45 The mother of the bride and her Aunt Doris arrive. I LOOOOOOVE Aunt Doris. She lives in Gaithersburg and is one of those warm funny ladies who everyone ends up calling Aunt Doris. We had dim sum with her last summer and she schooled us on dim
sum. The mother of the bride will be doing the bride's makeup.
11:00 The groom, officiant, and best man come and I quickly shoo them into
the groom's room. I check to make sure they have the rings and programs. Another person I love? The officiant. He's the brother of the groom and became an officiant through the Church of the Back Cover of Rolling Stone (TM Pauline). He's one of those laid back surfer types who exudes cool. I grab the programs and put them at the entrance. I also have Aunt Doris call the brothers of the bride who should have
been at the chapel at 10:45 since they will be ushering.
11:15 The rest of the groom's family arrives along with the bride's father.
Here's another reason why Evelyn picked a winner - his family rocks. They are warm and funny and totally organized. Everyone is where they are supposed to be and are already thanking me. They give MY in-laws a run for their money in the awesome in-law sweepstakes. And still, the brothers have not arrived.
11:30 The flowers come and I distribute them to the appropriate folks. I see the bride in her dress for the first time and I come close to tears. She's stunning. The dress flatters her perfectly and she looks like a goddess. Sadly though, I come in at the point where she is telling her mother/makeup-artist, "Nature is imperfect and unique Mom!" This is going somewhere great. I scurry out the door to check on the groom and get the wedding party in their their respective rooms. Aunt Doris is calling the brothers who seem to be perpetually 5 minutes away. She tries to calm me down but I will seriously kick some bridal brother ass. I assign J and the Maid of
Honor's brother to usher duty. The Maid of Honor's brother is also awesome and admonishes everyone to turn off their cell phones. At least SOMEONE's brother is responsible.
11:45 The groom asks for a lint brush. I try and get one from the bridal sequestering room and the bride asks me to clear the sequestering room of everyone except for
herself and the maid of honor. In true Asian mother fashion, the mother of the bride decides that 15 minutes before the wedding is the perfect time to bemoan the fact her daughter's eyes are not symmetrical and her eyebrows should betattooed on. The junior bridesmaids, the father of the groom and the mother of the groom all get sent to the groom's room. Evelyn's mother and Aunt Doris get sent to the vestibule. Still waiting
for the brothers and Grandpa Wrong.
11:55 I give the heads up to the groom's party to line up. I escort the junior bridesmaids, father of the groom and mother of the groom to line up at the
vestibule. I ask the mother of the bride for a contingency escort in case the brothers never show up. She conscripts a cousin. By the way, J looks REAAAALLLLY good in his suit and pink tie. I am wearing a yellow and black striped tie.
12:00 pm The prelude music starts playing and I line up the bridal party. No sign of the brothers.
12:10 pm I ask the Jessie and Phil to play one of the prelude songs again to
give some time for the brothers to show. They don't. I promptly say fuck it and line the bridal party up. I give a thumbs up to Jessie and Phil (who at this point have the patience of saints) to play the processional. Bach's Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring sounds almost like a lullaby played by the French horn and marimba. The groom's mother and father go down the aisle and the ceremony is under way.
12:15 pm J and I open the doors and Evelyn and her father walk down the aisle. She looks so beautiful and everyone is standing up taking pictures of them like thepaparazzi. Rikel looks dapper in his suit and his brother the officiant looks totally hot. His voice is warm, clear, and projects to the back of the room. He asks everyone to please be seated.
12:25 pm The brothers, uncle, cousin and Grandpa Wrong finally arrive right in the middle of the reading and right before the vows. They are laughing like frat boys who just saw someone throw up on the carpet. Well if you are going to be late. I hold my breath for the exchange of rings. They go easily from junior bridesmaid, to maid of honor/best man to bride/groom. I relax as the hard part is over. I prematurely cheer as the officiant pronounces Evelyn and Rikel man and wife. Everyone else cheers when they are allowed to kiss. It's a good kiss. Sweet, loving, and little sexy. Much
like the couple themselves.
12:30 Recessional. J and I gather the families and have them line up outside the church for a receiving line as Evelyn works on her bustle. While J and nervous about the time a receiving line would take, I remember that our clearness committee
had us do a receiving line and it really made a difference. People need time to say congratulations. The guest themselves form a line for Evelyn and Rikel to walk down so they can bathe in the glow of their guests' good wishes.
12:35 J heads out to the reception to meet with the MC and check on all the
last minute details. I wrangle the families for posed photos. The photographer is friendly, directive and efficient. It's a beautiful, breezy, sunny, day and the combined Wrong Rice family look incredible. I can't stop smiling. Aunt Doris gives me a hug and thanks me for everything.
7:45 I'm so excited that I ended up waking up at 6:00 am. I am already abuzz with activity, checking things off, gathering stuff. At 7:45, I meet with Evelyn and
Emma at the bridal suite to get instructions on transporting the wedding dress. I see it for the first time and gasp. It's seriously beautiful. Champagne silk charmeuse, it's Badgley Michska by way of Donna Karan. A draped cross-cross v-neck with and empire waist that creates a slim and columnar shape that is Hollywood glamour at its most elegant and refined. After giving us instructions on how to handle her Precious,
Evelyn leaves for Elizabeth Arden to do her hair.
8:15 I meet with Rikel to go over all the things he will be transporting. He's tender and kind and wanting to make sure his wife to be is taken care of. Evelyn chose a winner.
10:00 I get to the chapel and go over the logistics with the person in charge of the site. She points out the rooms where the bridal party and groom's party will be sequestered. The chapel is small and intimate. J works on the ribbon that will mark where the families will sit. It keeps falling off but we decided it's more
elegant todrape the ribbon over the pew.
10:30 The photographer comes and he and his wife/assistant are awesome. J chats
up the assistant in that Southern way of his and ends up finding out her and her husband's life story. I go over the shot list with him and he and his wife come up with an order of the wedding photos.
10:45 The mother of the bride and her Aunt Doris arrive. I LOOOOOOVE Aunt Doris. She lives in Gaithersburg and is one of those warm funny ladies who everyone ends up calling Aunt Doris. We had dim sum with her last summer and she schooled us on dim
sum. The mother of the bride will be doing the bride's makeup.
11:00 The groom, officiant, and best man come and I quickly shoo them into
the groom's room. I check to make sure they have the rings and programs. Another person I love? The officiant. He's the brother of the groom and became an officiant through the Church of the Back Cover of Rolling Stone (TM Pauline). He's one of those laid back surfer types who exudes cool. I grab the programs and put them at the entrance. I also have Aunt Doris call the brothers of the bride who should have
been at the chapel at 10:45 since they will be ushering.
11:15 The rest of the groom's family arrives along with the bride's father.
Here's another reason why Evelyn picked a winner - his family rocks. They are warm and funny and totally organized. Everyone is where they are supposed to be and are already thanking me. They give MY in-laws a run for their money in the awesome in-law sweepstakes. And still, the brothers have not arrived.
11:30 The flowers come and I distribute them to the appropriate folks. I see the bride in her dress for the first time and I come close to tears. She's stunning. The dress flatters her perfectly and she looks like a goddess. Sadly though, I come in at the point where she is telling her mother/makeup-artist, "Nature is imperfect and unique Mom!" This is going somewhere great. I scurry out the door to check on the groom and get the wedding party in their their respective rooms. Aunt Doris is calling the brothers who seem to be perpetually 5 minutes away. She tries to calm me down but I will seriously kick some bridal brother ass. I assign J and the Maid of
Honor's brother to usher duty. The Maid of Honor's brother is also awesome and admonishes everyone to turn off their cell phones. At least SOMEONE's brother is responsible.
11:45 The groom asks for a lint brush. I try and get one from the bridal sequestering room and the bride asks me to clear the sequestering room of everyone except for
herself and the maid of honor. In true Asian mother fashion, the mother of the bride decides that 15 minutes before the wedding is the perfect time to bemoan the fact her daughter's eyes are not symmetrical and her eyebrows should betattooed on. The junior bridesmaids, the father of the groom and the mother of the groom all get sent to the groom's room. Evelyn's mother and Aunt Doris get sent to the vestibule. Still waiting
for the brothers and Grandpa Wrong.
11:55 I give the heads up to the groom's party to line up. I escort the junior bridesmaids, father of the groom and mother of the groom to line up at the
vestibule. I ask the mother of the bride for a contingency escort in case the brothers never show up. She conscripts a cousin. By the way, J looks REAAAALLLLY good in his suit and pink tie. I am wearing a yellow and black striped tie.
12:00 pm The prelude music starts playing and I line up the bridal party. No sign of the brothers.
12:10 pm I ask the Jessie and Phil to play one of the prelude songs again to
give some time for the brothers to show. They don't. I promptly say fuck it and line the bridal party up. I give a thumbs up to Jessie and Phil (who at this point have the patience of saints) to play the processional. Bach's Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring sounds almost like a lullaby played by the French horn and marimba. The groom's mother and father go down the aisle and the ceremony is under way.
12:15 pm J and I open the doors and Evelyn and her father walk down the aisle. She looks so beautiful and everyone is standing up taking pictures of them like thepaparazzi. Rikel looks dapper in his suit and his brother the officiant looks totally hot. His voice is warm, clear, and projects to the back of the room. He asks everyone to please be seated.
12:25 pm The brothers, uncle, cousin and Grandpa Wrong finally arrive right in the middle of the reading and right before the vows. They are laughing like frat boys who just saw someone throw up on the carpet. Well if you are going to be late. I hold my breath for the exchange of rings. They go easily from junior bridesmaid, to maid of honor/best man to bride/groom. I relax as the hard part is over. I prematurely cheer as the officiant pronounces Evelyn and Rikel man and wife. Everyone else cheers when they are allowed to kiss. It's a good kiss. Sweet, loving, and little sexy. Much
like the couple themselves.
12:30 Recessional. J and I gather the families and have them line up outside the church for a receiving line as Evelyn works on her bustle. While J and nervous about the time a receiving line would take, I remember that our clearness committee
had us do a receiving line and it really made a difference. People need time to say congratulations. The guest themselves form a line for Evelyn and Rikel to walk down so they can bathe in the glow of their guests' good wishes.
12:35 J heads out to the reception to meet with the MC and check on all the
last minute details. I wrangle the families for posed photos. The photographer is friendly, directive and efficient. It's a beautiful, breezy, sunny, day and the combined Wrong Rice family look incredible. I can't stop smiling. Aunt Doris gives me a hug and thanks me for everything.
One Wrong and a Rice - Part 1
Sorry for the lack of posting everyone. I came back from a whirlwind trip that included Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Chicago. You'll be happy to know I ate well in all cities. Most of the trip was for work but the tail end of the Chicago trip include my friend Evelyn's wedding to quite possibly the awesomest straight man on Earth Rikel Rice. Evelyn's been a friend of mine way back in the last milenium when we were working for a sexuality nonprofit. We spent as much time talking about lives as urban singles as we did reproductive rights. It's been one of those friendships where we can go years without seeing each other and pick up where we left.
Evelyn did me the immense honor of asking me to be her wedding coordinator. For those of you who have just started reading this blog, I LIIIIIIVEEEEE for weddings. I had a blast at my own and really enjoy making sure everyone has a good time. And you know what? After three weddings, endless fundraisers, two open houses and countless dinner parties, I can throw an event. Not only that, Evelyn is crazy organized with detail spreadsheets and lists out a minute by minute schedule, a list of vendors, a list of the wedding party WITH THEIR CELL PHONES, and the ceremony and reception program.
Thursday, April 19
I just finished my working meeting and am now officially in wedding mode. I take the El from Chinatown to Andersonville where Evelyn lives. I meet up with Evelyn and her maid of honor Ella for lunch. We head over to Evelyn's place to finish the programs. Many Asian sweatshop jokes are made as we painstakingly put together the programs. Richard, Evelyn's dog has taken a distinct dislike to me, barking when I make sudden movements or loud noises. Poor Evelyn has the leash tied around her waist.
We make quick work of the programs and review some wedding stuff before we head over to the W Lakeshore hotel to prep for the bachelorette party. If anyone is looking for the rockstar experience, I highly recommend staying a a W hotel. We got a suite with a lake view and felt royalty. We asked their whatever, whenever service to a lint brush, just 'cause.
We then went to meet up with the bridal party at a Thai restaurant downtown. This week was best behavior week as the maid of honor and I supressed our attention whore ways and Emma, another college friend who is always late arrived on time. While the food was hardly remarkable, the dinner was a blast as folks from Evelyn's college days, days in DC, days in Boston, and current Chicago days all converged. Our comraderie was solified by two rounds of flaming volcanoes and a rousing game of Two Truths and a Lie. After dinner, we settled into the rockstar suite at the W. And this is where the fund gets into high gear. Emma brings karaoke revolution and after downing what feels to two bottles of wine each, we all bust loose on the karaoke. Two things that are surprising. 1. Everyone knows the lyrics to Atlantic Starr's "Always." 2. "Crazy in Love" is really hard to sing. I come OH SO CLOSE to breaking 50,000 points while singing "Time After Time." We have such a good time it's 2:00 pm before I drag myself back to my own hotel.
Friday, April 20
I wake up to the hangover that won't die and drag myself to breakfast at my bed and breakfast near the Convention center. The chef is kind enough not to comment on the fact I look like crap. After breakfast I drag myself to the W and we all figure out how to get to the nail salon. While the ladies are getting thier nails done, I go to a hole in the wall hair place and get my hair cut. We then go to eat qhat is quite possibly the best Middle Eastern food I have ever tasted. Simply called Turkish Restaurant and Bakery we order the cold and hot appetizer samplers. The standouts are their eggplant dips. And there are multiple eggplant dips. We then move into the main courses which consist of lamb pizza on flatbread, a Turkish calzone and skewers of lamb, chicken, and lamb shwarma on rice pilaf. We hang out together and Ella and I take a cab to the wedding hotel. At the very moment we walk in the door, I see J, who came in the night before, downstairs. I am very happy having beeen away for a week. We go to our room and I promptly sleep off the remains of the hangover that will not die. When we wake I talk to the MC of the reception to go over the logistics. Already I know she is kicing ass and taking prisoners. J drops me off at the chapel for the rehearsal that I am running while he does a few errands.
I come a bit early and hang out with the best man while we wait for the rest of the wedding party. The wedding party comes promptly and we start with positioning the wedding party. After many episodes of Whose Wedding is it Anyway? I have found that the first step in doing a rehearsal is making sure everyone in the wedding party knows where they stand. Afterwards we run through the program without music. Rikel is a professionally trained trombonist while his sister Jessie and her husband Phil play the French horn and percussion respectively. Phil will be playing mmarimba for the wedding. The sound has the soothing airy quality of a harp with the percussive quality of a xylophone. While Jessie and Phil warm up, we walk through the program again. Particularly difficult is making sure the junior bridesmaids give the rings to the maid of honor and best man who will then give the rings to the bride and groom. It takes a few tries and a little manhandling of the bride from the wedding coordinator (aka the Queen Bee) but we get it right. At that point, the bride and groom's parents arrive and we practice the processional and recessional. The maid of honor looks uncomfortable with giving her arm to the best man during the recessional. Later we learn she's cultivated an unreasonalbe hatred of the best man owing to the fact that at the engagement party all of the old madies were trying to set up him while ignoring the Ella and all of her fabulousness.
The rehearsal dinner is at Giordano's, a Chicago institution that serves deep dish pizza. Owing to the buffet nature of the meal the pizza is disappointing, having sat out a bit and gotten lukewarm. Even worse is the pasta which is completely overcooked in a tasteless tomato sauce. Nevertheless, the great company and moving toasts more than make up for the mediocre food. J and I get some special time with Evelyn as she drives us back to the hotel. I tell her she's pretty, her husband to be is awesome, and they have planned this wedding to a T. We all go to bed early.
Evelyn did me the immense honor of asking me to be her wedding coordinator. For those of you who have just started reading this blog, I LIIIIIIVEEEEE for weddings. I had a blast at my own and really enjoy making sure everyone has a good time. And you know what? After three weddings, endless fundraisers, two open houses and countless dinner parties, I can throw an event. Not only that, Evelyn is crazy organized with detail spreadsheets and lists out a minute by minute schedule, a list of vendors, a list of the wedding party WITH THEIR CELL PHONES, and the ceremony and reception program.
Thursday, April 19
I just finished my working meeting and am now officially in wedding mode. I take the El from Chinatown to Andersonville where Evelyn lives. I meet up with Evelyn and her maid of honor Ella for lunch. We head over to Evelyn's place to finish the programs. Many Asian sweatshop jokes are made as we painstakingly put together the programs. Richard, Evelyn's dog has taken a distinct dislike to me, barking when I make sudden movements or loud noises. Poor Evelyn has the leash tied around her waist.
We make quick work of the programs and review some wedding stuff before we head over to the W Lakeshore hotel to prep for the bachelorette party. If anyone is looking for the rockstar experience, I highly recommend staying a a W hotel. We got a suite with a lake view and felt royalty. We asked their whatever, whenever service to a lint brush, just 'cause.
We then went to meet up with the bridal party at a Thai restaurant downtown. This week was best behavior week as the maid of honor and I supressed our attention whore ways and Emma, another college friend who is always late arrived on time. While the food was hardly remarkable, the dinner was a blast as folks from Evelyn's college days, days in DC, days in Boston, and current Chicago days all converged. Our comraderie was solified by two rounds of flaming volcanoes and a rousing game of Two Truths and a Lie. After dinner, we settled into the rockstar suite at the W. And this is where the fund gets into high gear. Emma brings karaoke revolution and after downing what feels to two bottles of wine each, we all bust loose on the karaoke. Two things that are surprising. 1. Everyone knows the lyrics to Atlantic Starr's "Always." 2. "Crazy in Love" is really hard to sing. I come OH SO CLOSE to breaking 50,000 points while singing "Time After Time." We have such a good time it's 2:00 pm before I drag myself back to my own hotel.
Friday, April 20
I wake up to the hangover that won't die and drag myself to breakfast at my bed and breakfast near the Convention center. The chef is kind enough not to comment on the fact I look like crap. After breakfast I drag myself to the W and we all figure out how to get to the nail salon. While the ladies are getting thier nails done, I go to a hole in the wall hair place and get my hair cut. We then go to eat qhat is quite possibly the best Middle Eastern food I have ever tasted. Simply called Turkish Restaurant and Bakery we order the cold and hot appetizer samplers. The standouts are their eggplant dips. And there are multiple eggplant dips. We then move into the main courses which consist of lamb pizza on flatbread, a Turkish calzone and skewers of lamb, chicken, and lamb shwarma on rice pilaf. We hang out together and Ella and I take a cab to the wedding hotel. At the very moment we walk in the door, I see J, who came in the night before, downstairs. I am very happy having beeen away for a week. We go to our room and I promptly sleep off the remains of the hangover that will not die. When we wake I talk to the MC of the reception to go over the logistics. Already I know she is kicing ass and taking prisoners. J drops me off at the chapel for the rehearsal that I am running while he does a few errands.
I come a bit early and hang out with the best man while we wait for the rest of the wedding party. The wedding party comes promptly and we start with positioning the wedding party. After many episodes of Whose Wedding is it Anyway? I have found that the first step in doing a rehearsal is making sure everyone in the wedding party knows where they stand. Afterwards we run through the program without music. Rikel is a professionally trained trombonist while his sister Jessie and her husband Phil play the French horn and percussion respectively. Phil will be playing mmarimba for the wedding. The sound has the soothing airy quality of a harp with the percussive quality of a xylophone. While Jessie and Phil warm up, we walk through the program again. Particularly difficult is making sure the junior bridesmaids give the rings to the maid of honor and best man who will then give the rings to the bride and groom. It takes a few tries and a little manhandling of the bride from the wedding coordinator (aka the Queen Bee) but we get it right. At that point, the bride and groom's parents arrive and we practice the processional and recessional. The maid of honor looks uncomfortable with giving her arm to the best man during the recessional. Later we learn she's cultivated an unreasonalbe hatred of the best man owing to the fact that at the engagement party all of the old madies were trying to set up him while ignoring the Ella and all of her fabulousness.
The rehearsal dinner is at Giordano's, a Chicago institution that serves deep dish pizza. Owing to the buffet nature of the meal the pizza is disappointing, having sat out a bit and gotten lukewarm. Even worse is the pasta which is completely overcooked in a tasteless tomato sauce. Nevertheless, the great company and moving toasts more than make up for the mediocre food. J and I get some special time with Evelyn as she drives us back to the hotel. I tell her she's pretty, her husband to be is awesome, and they have planned this wedding to a T. We all go to bed early.
Monday, April 02, 2007
Saravana Palace has 467,000 vegetarian options
Saravana Palace has 467,000 vegetarian options. Seriously.
OK, not really, but let's just say you won't have to search for the errant vegan throwaway item or make a meal out of canned sides resting in their own murky soy juices. The 150+ dishes that they do have offer an astounding variety of Indian yum. Many I've seen in most other Indian restaurants, but I had not heard of most dishes.
Saravana Palace is in a strip mall in Fairfax not too far from the Wegman's. On two recent trips we enjoyed a broad representation of the menu. Service was a bit slow both times and a touch discombobulated the second time, but, in general, just fine. If trickling dishes are bothersome, or if you are in a rush, consider another option.
After multiple visits, I feel safe saying it is hard to go wrong here. A mushroom curry id wonderful, dosas are ambitiously large and tasty, breads come out warm and stuffed as requested.
When in Vienna, this is the go-to. And yes, we think it is worth the trip!
OK, not really, but let's just say you won't have to search for the errant vegan throwaway item or make a meal out of canned sides resting in their own murky soy juices. The 150+ dishes that they do have offer an astounding variety of Indian yum. Many I've seen in most other Indian restaurants, but I had not heard of most dishes.
Saravana Palace is in a strip mall in Fairfax not too far from the Wegman's. On two recent trips we enjoyed a broad representation of the menu. Service was a bit slow both times and a touch discombobulated the second time, but, in general, just fine. If trickling dishes are bothersome, or if you are in a rush, consider another option.
After multiple visits, I feel safe saying it is hard to go wrong here. A mushroom curry id wonderful, dosas are ambitiously large and tasty, breads come out warm and stuffed as requested.
When in Vienna, this is the go-to. And yes, we think it is worth the trip!
Sunday, April 01, 2007
Tempo - I'd probably go again . . .
Last night we were surprised with a last minute invitation to be guests of good freinds at Tempo, a purple restaurant on Duke Street in Alexandria.
The outside of the restaurant was purple in a big way. It was like the one color of purple you could always find on the remainder racks at the Esprit for girls outlet in 1987. I expected some Nagel prints on the inside, but no such luck. It was actually pretty.
The room was open with fresh flowers on the tables, chrome-framed landscapes and other prints on the walls. There were only a few young people in the place, bit it filled up quickly. I felt like I was in South Florida for just a moment.
The menu was standard brunch meets French-Italian. French toast, prosciutto eggs benedict, omelets, etc. for the brunch crowd and a regular menu of pastas, seafood, and meats for the more lunchable set.
Hot rolls and butter arrived after a bit of a wait, a theme that would continue throughout the meal. It did seem like Tempo was slightly understaffed and that those servers who were present were, well, a bit lost. Coffee was only refilled after a reminder and we had to ask a few times for a juice they were bringing. T's meal came with soup or salad and we were told it was coming, but it never did.
Some odd and minor service issues aside, Tempo makes good food at a reasonable price.
T was pleased to see grouper on the menu, a favorite from our trips to Sarasota and Tampa where grouper abounds. It did seem to fit with the scene as well. The grouper was cooked perfectly and dressed with a flavorful beurre blanc that was also very well prepared. Like many of the day's dishes it was served with whipped potatoes piped on the plate. Overall the portion was a bit small, but it was very good.
I shared two dishes with my friend RootBeer. French toast was thick and tasty, if a bit eggy in the middle (hey, I actually like it that way). The berries scattered on top were ripe and tasty. No mushy berry messes here!
We also enjoyed the prosciutto eggs benedict. The hollandaise was delicious and the eggs were just right. I was not familiar with the particular type of prosciutto but it was a nice salty friend to it's english muffin base and the tang of the hollandaise.
The orange juice, in spite of a struggle to get a second glass, was cold and delicious, either freshly-squeezed or a great approximation thereof.
It should be noted that Tempo seems active in the community and, like many area restaurants, supports area nonprofits and other programs. Yea for them!
The outside of the restaurant was purple in a big way. It was like the one color of purple you could always find on the remainder racks at the Esprit for girls outlet in 1987. I expected some Nagel prints on the inside, but no such luck. It was actually pretty.
The room was open with fresh flowers on the tables, chrome-framed landscapes and other prints on the walls. There were only a few young people in the place, bit it filled up quickly. I felt like I was in South Florida for just a moment.
The menu was standard brunch meets French-Italian. French toast, prosciutto eggs benedict, omelets, etc. for the brunch crowd and a regular menu of pastas, seafood, and meats for the more lunchable set.
Hot rolls and butter arrived after a bit of a wait, a theme that would continue throughout the meal. It did seem like Tempo was slightly understaffed and that those servers who were present were, well, a bit lost. Coffee was only refilled after a reminder and we had to ask a few times for a juice they were bringing. T's meal came with soup or salad and we were told it was coming, but it never did.
Some odd and minor service issues aside, Tempo makes good food at a reasonable price.
T was pleased to see grouper on the menu, a favorite from our trips to Sarasota and Tampa where grouper abounds. It did seem to fit with the scene as well. The grouper was cooked perfectly and dressed with a flavorful beurre blanc that was also very well prepared. Like many of the day's dishes it was served with whipped potatoes piped on the plate. Overall the portion was a bit small, but it was very good.
I shared two dishes with my friend RootBeer. French toast was thick and tasty, if a bit eggy in the middle (hey, I actually like it that way). The berries scattered on top were ripe and tasty. No mushy berry messes here!
We also enjoyed the prosciutto eggs benedict. The hollandaise was delicious and the eggs were just right. I was not familiar with the particular type of prosciutto but it was a nice salty friend to it's english muffin base and the tang of the hollandaise.
The orange juice, in spite of a struggle to get a second glass, was cold and delicious, either freshly-squeezed or a great approximation thereof.
It should be noted that Tempo seems active in the community and, like many area restaurants, supports area nonprofits and other programs. Yea for them!
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