Monday, April 13, 2015

This and That


 Friday the 13th comes on Monday this month

Just a few notes, in no particular order.

Buzz

MFO and I returned to St. Charles Brasserie over the weekend.  It was my second visit, and her first.  Fairly pleasant, service a bit slow but it was a Saturday night.  We saw some friends and once again I was impressed by the fact that although it was on “the (Solomons) Island” the guests were more of our age than younger.   Also that for the most part, people were close to DFD.  I suppose as summer wears on and “tourists” appear ball caps and T-shirts will become more prevalent.  The food was okay, although a shared Cheese Plate to start was quite nice.

Apparently most places now feel that live music on the weekends helps with the experience.  Well, yes and noCafé Des Artistes in Leonardtown: yes.  Quiet keyboard with pleasant selections that underscores your dinner, not dominates it.  St. Charles Brasserie: no.  An amplified piano, and a player with a microphone belting out music that is not exactly what I consider dinner music.  We were about four tables away from the piano and player, and we had to lean across the table and speak in a non-private tone to be heard. "Sorry, what did you say?" The music was just too loud, and dominated everything.  And then people felt the need to clap after each selection.  It’s a dinner out, not a concert for God’s sake..

Speaking of Cheese Plates I had a very nice one at an early lunch at The Rex last week.

Had a report from a friend and sometimes stringer on a meal at China Harbor! Remember that you old timers?  Used to be next to the Tiki Bar on the Solomons, and then moved to a storefront kind of thing in the shopping center next to Roy Rogers. It has been there for years, and I think the original owner(?) Yvonne Lee has moved on and now a “younger couple” run the place.  Neither the reporter or I had been there for years.   On the occasion when I went to the old location once in a while I remember that while the usual “Chinese Food” items were offered, there was some very innovate dishes were available.  Different preparations, and unusual ingredients which were quite innovative.  I suspect they deserved more notoriety.  Anyway, the more recent visit by a friend was much enjoyed and especially some Crab Meat Cheese Wontons, which they felt was excellent.  Might be worth a return visit. 

Food and Fun(ds)

And while we enjoy meals out and cooking there are some people where circumstances has placed them in a position to not do those things.  St. Mary’s Caring has for years supplied hot meals for these individuals.   Volunteers spend time serving and cleaning and all the tasks associated with serving food.  They deserve a lot of thanks they don’t always get.  Well you have a chance tomorrow (Tuesday the 14th) to help them and also enjoy yourself.  The newly opened Elements Eatery and Mixology (more commonly called just “Elements” and hopefully less often the “Old Tides”) is holding a fund raiser for St. Mary’s Caring.   It begins at 6:30, and is $75 per person for which you get to sample the excellent food from Elements, and also avail yourselves of their creative cocktail and craft beer offerings.  They also have auctions of always unusual and interesting stuff.   You can reserve by contacting stmcaring@gmail.com or calling 301-863-5700.  See you there! 

A Tradition Like No Other

I hope you had a chance to witness what turned out to be history yesterday by watching some of the Masters Golf Tournament.  The four rounds of 21 year old Jordan Spieth were amazing.  Those of us who occasionally try that game know how hard it is, but to play at the level he did for four days on a course that is extremely difficult is just something to remember for a long time.  I have been there twice and TV doesn’t do justice to the amount of hills, the “bumps” in the greens and what the players are faced with just to achieve par let alone birdies is tremendously difficult.

And, those of us who are TV sports addicts know that we can affect the outcome of an event across the country with our actions in the living room.  You know how many times I’ve sat in the same chair for hours so as not to jinx the team? Or always eat the same snack?  Drink the same beverage?  Wear the same clothing (cheese head).  Don’t do those things, and your team is headed for defeat.  Well for the Masters, I have two lines of defense against having somebody catch the leader (if that’s who you’re rooting for), or alternatively have your man/woman/team put on a comeback and achieve victory.  The first, when only mild support is needed is a bag of Doritos.  Must be plain Nacho, not the myriad of flavors available nowadays.  And then when things look dark I go to my never miss snack for golf composed of two simple ingredients available this time of year
.


Now, it is not just jelly beans and peanuts.  No, no, dear friends.  It MUST be Brach’s Classic Jelly Bird Eggs (not the spicy ones, not some Easter variety),  and it MUST be Planter’s Cocktail Peanuts.  NOT low sodium or lightly salted, nor mixed, nor Fancy, just the plain peanuts. Then you MUST find a ceramic bowl, not stainless, not glass, ceramic. 


And the mix must approximate four peanuts to every bean (which MUST contain black or licorice).  And when eaten you MUST take care to ingest beans and peanuts in just about those proportions. 

And THAT, dear friends is how you prevent giants like Rory, Phil, and Tiger (who appears to have found it again) from overtaking a spectacular round of a twenty one year old, extremely nice kid winning his first green jacket.  Normally I would apply the beans/peanuts mojo to Phil, but he has three, and did have a great round.

And finally,  just some nice spring shots from around the neighborhood..








And even though they are trees they must be considered
DFD


One week til we leave for Holland!  Yikes!

No comments: