Oh Sandy

I'm really grateful that all of my friends in NYC and VA are doing ok.  Some are without power and fresh water but happy they have friends that have those things and are willing to share.  I miss NYC but I would have been one of those without power this week.  It's not an enviable position.

My DC Hurricane Experience and Necessities

1) iPhone - thank you for all of the Facebook and Instagram updates.  Loved seeing all of the photos.  I learned my Twitter feed is all about NYC but I'm slowly adding DC sites. I'm sad how often I picked this phone up but it's my link to my friends and loved ones.

2) Cable - so so happy this did not go out.  I watched such classics as Ghostbusters and Dazed and Confused.

3) Time - I did those things that have been hanging over my head for months like balancing my checkbook and filing.  I also watched the two Netflix dvds that have been gathering dust because I was kind of dreading watching them.  It turns out A Separation is beautiful and not slow like I had thought.  I also finished watching the last chapters of The Decalogue which is incredible but not uplifting or happy.

4) Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies - I found the recipe here and it is delicious.  The trick is not just eating them today.

5) Books - I kept the reading to today thinking that my power would turn off eventually.  It didn't but I grew tired of TV.

I don't know how I got this book on my list.  I looked at it when it finally arrived and realized it was a nonfiction book about the holocaust.  I was not excited.  I'm finding it to be extraordinary.  It's a thoughtful attempt to look at the roles the prisoners played, the importance of communication, the grey areas of camp life, specifically in Auschwitz where Levi was imprisoned.  

Another nonfiction book that Brigham recommended.  Mitchell was a writer for the New Yorker magazine for years and this is a collection of many of those writings.  I loved learning about the eccentrics of New York in the early Twentieth Century.

Honey Boo Boo Halloween

I was Melanie Daniels from The Birds.  In this costume, Melanie is being attacked.  I should not have been smiling but I couldn't help it.  I tried a more scared look for other people's photos but apparently I looked like I was smiling in those as well.  I did love my costume.

Jenica was an amazing Mrs. Roper from Three's Company or Ms. Hannigan from Annie.  The wig is just the awesome part of it all.

I love the NY representation with Dave as a disgruntled Mariner's fan.  Apparently, this comes easy for him.

Jill is the adorable Alice.

And then it's people whose names I don't know but I can tell you who they are dressed up as.  Wonder Woman.

William Wallace.  

This is Jared who I thought was just a cute pink bunny.  But then I found out that he's Ralphie from A Christmas Story and his costume became that much better.

A little Kenny G to play for the party.

This is Marcilyn dressed as Princess Leia, obviously.  Jenica and I were so impressed that this is her real hair.

Bane and Miranda.  

This was my favorite costume of the night.  I don't even know her name but she even spoke Honey Boo Boo.  

Shera turning Wolverine's claws on himself.

And a non-traumatic snack of baby doll part cupcakes.  I was impressed by the mind that came up with this little treat.

The Black Cat

I have seen some of the best bands in my lifetime at the Black Cat.  I remember seeing Blur in 1997 where 200 of us went crazy listening to Song 2.  I was standing next to a man completely dressed in leather and I kept sticking to him because I was so sweaty.  Damon Albarn poured bottles of Evian on us because it was so hot in that club.

I saw Sufjan on the Seven Swans tour here in 2004 with Robin.  I saw Bon Iver here in 2007 and the Kills that same year.  This is where I saw all of the bands before they became big.

Last night Phor and I saw AC Newman on his solo tour from the New Pornographers.  We started out in the front where I took these pictures.

Every band needs a flautist.

We then moved to the back because the sound in that place is always better in the back.  And then it was just fun to see all of the people. We saw one man in a full goose costume.  I tried to take a picture but it was too dark.   People just wanted to touch the goose and it was fun watching them try to do this undetected.  We all saw the couple making out full on locked lips but still dancing.  And that one guy who is so drunk that he cannot focus on anything.  The music was great but this really is the best place for some serious people watching.

D.C. United, the Screaming Eagles, and Winning

I remember going to DC United games in 1996, the first year the MLS was created.  There were not a whole lot of people in the stands but they wanted to be there.  DC United have won 5 championships since then but there has been a long recent dry spell.  It was exciting to go to a game at RFK with near capacity crowds last week (not counting the upper deck where seats aren't even sold).

DC played Columbus and this was the game that decided if DC was in the playoffs.  We only had to tie to ensure a spot.

It was Jenica's first DC United game and we sat right behind the Screaming Eagles, the support club.  I forgot how much fun they can be and also the raining beer when DC scores a goal.  Fortunately, we were far enough behind to only get the confetti.

But we got to see the flags and hear the chants.

We even got to hold the enormous flag that the crowd pulled up over us.

Neither of us had eaten so we tried out the food at RFK.  Don't ever do this.  We ate churros which were hard and sesame chicken which was very brown. 

The last half was exciting but when United scored a goal in the 90-something minute of the game, the stadium erupted.  It was incredible to see DC so excited after the Nationals failed in their bid in the playoffs.

I ♥ José Andrés

José Andrés is one of the best chefs in DC and has done a lot to make it a good food city.  I've eaten at all of his restaurants from Minibar to Cafe Atlantico (when it was still open) and returned often to all of them.

Phor and I went out last week to Jaleo.  I remember coming here years ago when there really was no reason to be in downtown DC.  Penn Quarter has exploded with restaurants and bars since then but this place is still one of the best in the area.

I wasn't going to take pictures of the food for this meal but I loved the colors in this salad.  It's a warm Brussels sprouts salad with apricots, apple and Serrano ham.  It tastes like early fall to me.

And this dish looks ridiculous plated but it is delicious.  It's the perfect comfort dish of chorizo with olive oil mashed potatoes and cider sauce.

So the outside and the food are lovely but the interior is a mess and not picture worthy.  It's almost worth a look because it makes no sense.  You'll see when you visit.

My First Ever Whaling Museum

On our almost last day in Nantucket, Mom and I explored pretty much the only thing still open after the season closed - The Whaling Museum.  We sat through an hour documentary made by Ric Burns about Nantucket which was good but it took itself far too seriously. 

I just couldn't stop staring at the 46 foot skeleton of a Sperm Whale.

But I couldn't figure out how to get the entire skeleton in a photo.  It was just so incredible to look at and to imagine all of the flesh and fat that was once on that skeleton.  

I thought it was a lost cause so I focused on the mouth.  Apparently the whale died from an abscessed tooth which is on the upper left side of the mouth.

But they also had scary items in the museum like this doll that was supposed to be in the likeness of the Dauphin of France.

And items made from whale teeth and bones.

And then I found a balcony where I almost got all of the whale in the picture but not really.  It is kind of sad that it's right by all the instruments used to kill and skin a whale.

Another Lighthouse

I rented a bike and rode to the far east side of the island.

I saw this lighthouse on the other side of the golf course.  I think it's my favorite view on the island.  I tried to find a route to take me closer to it but then I decided that this view was enough.

An Old Cemetery

The side view of the Oldest House on Nantucket.

The kitchen garden of the Oldest House with all the plants that could have grown when it was first built.

There were multiple cemeteries near our house but I walked out to one of the older ones.  I could see all of the wear and tear the headstones received from the sea air and winter storms.

My dad was a historian who loved walking through old cemeteries.  I developed this love from walking with him.  He taught me that much can be read by a person's headstone - his wealth, life accomplishments, war record and if or when an epidemic swept through a town.  A cemetery is a town's history.

A Lighthouse

There was something about the light in Nantucket that made all of the colors that much more vivid and alive.  There was so much richness in what I was seeing.  The cooler weather just added more to the dream aspect of the time I was there.  I wanted the Moonrise Kingdom-kind of scenery and I found it.

I was shocked when I realized all of the seagulls on top of the house were real.  I guess it's a nice perch.

I kind of love watching my mom use her iPhone.  She can't figure out how to use the dvd player but she knows how to text.

Nantucket Food

My favorite restaurant in Nantucket closed on the Monday we were there which made me so sad.  Unfortunately, a lot of the restaurants closed and it became more of a chore to find a place with good food to eat.  We ended up eating pizza by the slice and cold cereal for most of our meals.  But if Provisions Sandwiches had been open the entire week we were there, I would have been there everyday.  It's the kind of place that stays open until 5 pm or until all of the bread is gone which can happen in the early afternoon.  It really is just that good.

Mom had the Turkey Terrific which is essentially Thanksgiving between two pieces of Portuguese bread - turkey, stuffing, cranberry and mayo.

I had the Other Turkey with avocado, bacon, pickled shallots, horseradish mayo and arugula on herb bread.  I wish I could have ordered 6 more to last the week.  I did order the almond butter and cherry jam on Portuguese bread to eat that night for dinner.  I have dreams about the turkey sandwich. 

Black-Eyed Susan's was open for the week we were there and it's kind of famous on Yelp at least for good brunch.  It was fine.  I was just really impressed with the breakfast sandwich I ordered.  It looks fine, right?

But then I opened the other side and realized all of the bacon.  It became all that much better.

Moral of the post - visit Nantucket when Provisions is open and bacon makes everything better.