July, 2007 - - Page 3

by 30 Minute Abs

Have Your p.i.n.k., And Drink it Too

Editor’s Note: Our friend 30 Minute Abs is a recently minted lawyer who makes no claims about the legality of statements made on this site; even the ones typed by his own two hands. He likes his food the way he likes his men: sharp, spicy, and adventurous. Here’s 30MA on a drink so trendy, it needs 4 punctuation marks.

I spend a significant amount of my time entertaining the DC Mafia. And while these people come with their perks, they can also be quite demanding. In an effort to maintain their healthy sex lives, they prefer their cocktails to be as low in sugar and calories as possible. Not an easy feat I assure you.

This quest to keep the boys happy eventually led me to a new vodka curiously named, p.i.n.k. As the label proclaims, p.i.n.k. is “the world’s perfect party spirit.” Sounds promising. To be more specific, p.i.n.k. is “flawlessly infused with caffeine and guarana.” What the hell is guarana you ask? An excellent question! According to the most reliable resource in existence, Wikipedia, guarana is a climbing plant native to the Amazon basin which produces a fruit the size of a “coffee berry.” Each fruit contains one seed which holds approximately three times more caffeine than a coffee bean. In addition to its stimulative effects, guarana has been found to contribute to weight loss, increased memory retention, and a reduced risk of stroke and heart attack. Brilliant!

So we have this amazing elixir which gets one drunk, high, and causes weight loss, but what exactly is the best way to drink it?

Answers post-jump.

Brasserie Beck

In a new District dining trend, popular chefs are opening casual bistros to complement their higher-end counterparts; now Robert Wiedmaier of Marcel’s has the Belgian cuisine of Brasserie Beck. With a large, open, industrial-chic interior, the restaurant still has a bit to learn. The leek-potato soup could be confused with the rim of a margarita glass, but don’t miss the scrumptious spinach salad with bacon and blue cheese. The crispy skate wing soars, yet other fish entrees are as exciting as the National Postal Museum. Try to track down the “beer specialist” to help sort through a beer menu that rivals Brickskeller’s (except these beers are actually in stock.) Make sure to stay for dessert—the Belgian bread pudding is as warm and cozy as the womb.
For: Slow-paced service that allows you to enjoy plenty of Belgian beers and fries.
Entrees: $17-$24. 202.408.1717. 1101 K St, NW
Originally in the Onion / DC local edition / June 28, 2007

Photo: Heather Freeman Media & Public Relations, LLC

by BS

Will You Marinate Me?

Wedding season is over for me this year, which means it’s time for a wrap-up (of the food of course, what else?) Two valuable notes:

I’ve noticed that sometimes it’s not a bad idea to order the veggie at a big event like this. They have to prepare far fewer of them, so often it’s something way more original. Check out the crazy layered concoction our one veggie friend got at Travis’ wedding (above), compared to the typical dry steak (below) served to the rest of the table.

At Coli’s wedding in Chi-town, the stand-out dish was the shrimp ceviche. (Am I behind the foodie times? Hadn’t heard of this before.) Now, shrimp is the one food left that my still developing taste buds can’t handle, yet I loved this dish. Somehow the citrus dulls the taste of the shrimp, which I usually find to be too strong. Or maybe it’s just that my taste buds themselves were dulled enough, since this was served quite awhile after cocktail hour started. Anyway, I clearly know eff-all about preparing shrimp, but can someone cook this for me please? FoodNetwork.com’s got a recipe.

in Fish / Veggie 9 comments

by 80 Proof

Nerd Alert!!

(Editor’s Note, RE: It’s Getting Hot in Here)

Ok, so you all are smart individuals. You realize that there are not that many people who think these gorgeous women are hot. No one in this contest really gets 10,000 votes in a day. Fortunately, we here at Endless Simmer have done the background research for you all. Turns out, nerds always win.

It seems our good friend Ms. Catherine, the current leader in the FishbowlDC Hottest Media Types contest, does indeed have a close relationship with a few automated bots….check out these quotes from the blog unfogged…congrats, Catherine.

Attention All Hackers

Posted by Ogged
on 07.24.07

I don’t think any of your are running any bots to help Catherine win, but if you are, please turn them off, because the contest coordinator has informed her that he’d like to avoid that this year. Let’s discuss in comments.

My fav part is the “I don’t think any of you are running any bots to help Catherine win,” because if you read the comments on the previous post, it’s pretty obv. they are indeed running bots. One of the best quotes:

It just goes to show you; having nerds for friends literally makes you hotter than everyone else.

Huh, Catherine, I guess you did have some big web sites working for you.

And furthermore Catherine, care to explain these comments of yours?

——————————-

i am going to CUT that girl who’s calling me a cheater. i’m not a cheater…not yet anyways.

Posted by: catherine | Link to this comment | 07-24-07 3:04 PM

You’re not cheating, Catherine, we are.
Posted by: ogged | Link to this comment | 07-24-07 3:06 PM

y’all aren’t cheating. you’re just being very kind. that said, i’m still gonna cut that girl. i can’t stand being called a cheater. unless, of course, i go and cheat. which i haven’t. yet.
Posted by: catherine | Link to this comment | 07-24-07 3:09 PMYES!

i knew hosting unfoggedcon would pay off at some point! thanks! voting goes until friday, so if capps and catbots can run on and off until then, i’d be eternally grateful.

Posted by: catherine | Link to this comment | 07-24-07 6:20 PM

Wow. All we ever wanted was to cut was some nice steaks. Congrats on your “victory.”

in Contests / Personal 25 comments

by BS

It’s Getting Hot in Here

The polls are open and our own Stefanie Gans is prepared to ride to victory in the FishbowlDC Hottest Media Types contests. So run, don’t walk, your way over to FishbowlDC and get your votes on!

So far Stef is in a three-way tie for second place, trailing only Catherine Andrews of Washingtonian Magazine, who is clearly a cheater. We aren’t going to try and influence your decision-making and of course expect everyone to vote their conscience. But just in case you don’t know enough about the candidates, here is a handy voting guide:

UPDATE: Catherine Andrews is a sweetheart, and totally not a cheater. We officially endorse her for second place. Liz Gorman, however, is a bot.

UPDATE 2: OK…so, by “a lot of big web sites” did you mean a click farm in Bangalore or what? That’s a lot of votes, Catherine. We’re gonna need an explaination here.

Catherine Andrews, Washingtonian, CHEATER

Kara Rowland, Washington Times, PSYCHO

Kerry Howley, Reason, REPUBLICAN

Bridget Garwood, York Zimmerman, Inc., CRAZY

[photo redacted]

Stefanie Gans, endless simmer, DING DING DING!!! WE HAVE A WINNER!

VOTE NOW

in Contests / Personal 13 comments

by gansie

Guess Who’s Coming to Breakfast

(My current mess of a kitchen)

About a month into the lease, 80 Proof and I are still settling in to our new living-in-sin apartment. Maybe 2 or 3 boxes have to be unpacked, we’re waiting for some furniture from 30 Minute Abs, and I’m clueless as to where to store my — no joke — 60 purses. (And in case you were wondering, the first room set up — the kitchen.)

So as we take our time to get the apartment together, I find out 80’s mom is coming over THIS SATURDAY MORNING to watch the last leg of the Tour de France.

And now this women and gender studies student has suddenly turned into to June-effing-Cleaver and I’m freaking about scrubbing the floors, dusting the mantel (we don’t have one,) and vacuuming in a skirt and heels.

Not to mention, cooking breakfast.

I’m thinking maybe a French toast, on some to-be-determined really great bread with a fruit topping (never done before,) or some sort of egg scramble that highlights the neighborhood Hispanic markets, such as using chipotles, chilis, Hispanic cheeses… But I’m open to suggestions.

So, my ES readers, I need your help. What breakfast spread do I make for 80’s momma? I need something that will say, yes, it’s okay that your son and I share a bedroom without a legal commitment.

HELP!

in Breakfast / Personal 19 comments

by gansie

Mark and Orlando’s

(That’s really them!)

Mark and Orlando’s ever-evolving seasonal menu makes it hard to know what to expect. But that’s why you should frequent this neighborhood find; Mark and Orlando’s competes nicely on one of the most enticing food blocks around. The upstairs, dubbed “Mark’s,” caters to casual diners with burgers and salads. The more-refined downstairs—called, shockingly, “Orlando’s,”—celebrates good wine and fresh catches from the sea. Resist the carb-counter in your head: Reach for the bread and whatever crazy schmear is offered (it ranges from butter to beets.) For dessert, homemade ice creams change constantly, so go with the waiter recommendation. (Black-pepper ice cream—yes, it’s delicious!)
For: A meal that screams for ice cream.
Entrees: $9-$25. 202-223-8463. 2020 P St, NW
Originally in the Onion / DC local edition / June 28, 2007

Photo: Washington Post

in Fish 0 comments

July 2007