Omni Shoreham Hotel cares about their role in the DC community, and they deserve your business.
We can't wait until the trees around Omni Shoreham look like this again (credit: flickr/Tom20008)
Andrew Beaujon of City Paper kindly requested in his posting yesterday that the Omni Shoreham hotel clear the bike path that’s not so close their hotel and not their responsibility, yet close enough that it’d be looked upon kindly by the riders that take that route every day.
The gang at Omni Shoreham could have overlooked it, but that would have been the wrong approach. Instead hotel manager Paul Sharp stepped up – along with his grounds team – and got to work.
Sometimes it’s not about what you have to do, but what you can do to take care of others. And it’s great when that courtesy extends beyond people and into businesses. After all, business are just a bunch of people like you and me, making easy and hard choices that sometimes cost a little extra money and time.
Thanks for being a great citizen, Omni Shoreham. You’ll be seeing us real soon.
Huge news: Giro d’Italia bicycle race is making its way to Washington, DC in 2012.
Giro d'Italia comes to Washington DC
The Giro is second only to the Tour de France in its importance worldwide, and this will be the first time any of these events have been hosted outside Europe.
Snowpocalypse Sunday: sunny with an 80% chance of helplessness.
The M-Ones HQ is snowbound in its first full day without the rapidly falling white stuff, wondering what the rest of the world is doing to escape the great white hostage-taker. Though we’ve devised 3 to 4 reasonable escape plots, we also realize none of the holds a shread of value until VDOT opts to start clearing the roads within a couple miles of here. Neighbors across the way have formed a chain gang of shovels that enter their second day attempting to clear an incredibly long driveway in a way only a government agency would normally dare. Others are rumored to have attempted using newfangled devices that routinely spit snow into the air, however they’ve found those modern machines no match for the sheer size of the neverending pile.
As we get closer to total elimination of our provisions we’ll keep you posted and alerted. And if you work for the Army don’t hesitate to bring some big equipment this way. Have fun!
With all these massive snowstorms in DC, are organized snowball fights the new kickball?
Photo: DamirM (flickr)
With these megasnows continuing to thrash the DC Metro, Washington City Paper asks, “Are Organized Snowball Fights The New Kickball?”
Perhaps there’s some opportunity for organized sponsorship here.
Snowpocalypse 2 edges ever closer to total weekend annihilation.
Snow falls on the Capital once again. (Credit: William Couch / flickr)
We wanted to take a moment to interrupt your peaceful thoughts of a mundane weekend out and let you know – if you’re one of the five left who hasn’t heard – that Snowpocalypse 2: The Crummy One is on. The DC Capital Weather Gang has updated their view, and there’s good news and bad news: the good news is the snowfall amount seems to be moderating at 16 inches (no more throwing around the scary phrase “20 inches”, though we’ve gotta believe 20 isn’t a big jump when you’re on track for 16. The bad news, however, is (as with seemingly every storm this year) the concentration of the snow shoots northeasterly in a path with Washington DC is its absolute epicenter.
What does this mean, aside from the fact that we seem to have the most pristine snowmaking-machine-in-the-sky known to man? Simply put, if the storm can make it, were going to get more of it than anyone.
Time to buy some board games!
DVD by mail showdown: Netflix versus Blockbuster. There is a clear winner.
…that is, provided you have no intention of renting Blu-Ray discs. We don’t here at Meandering HQ (and frankly we’re not content with the selection of online titles) so we’re what you’d call “high usage customers”.
On the surface, Blockbuster looks like the better deal: they match Netflix price for price (for example, the 3-at-a-time plan gives you unlimited access to three movies at once for $16.99) plus Blockbuster throws in Blu Ray rentals at no additional cost.
If you like prompt service and an easy-to-use web movie queue, that’s where the similarities end.
Site Usability
Let’s start with searching: predicting titles based on the first few letters you’ve typed in the search box makes Netflix incredibly intuitive and fast. Blockbuster’s search box? No such luck, since it only delivers the old ‘type and hope’ method of searching.
Netflix spends an admirable amount in R&D and it shows in both the functionality of their site and its ability to recommend and predict favorites based on your past rentals and reviews. And once you’ve add the movie to your queue you can still easily access a synopsis, a rating, and even the reason this movie was recommended for you by Netflix.
Simply mousing over a movie in your Netflix queue reveals detailed information
Its elegant interface also makes it easy to add, move, and delete (and even Undo Delete) movies in your queue.
It's elegantly easy to delete (and undo) movies from the Netflix queue
The Widescreen Dilemma
Now that our TVs are widescreen I find myself almost repulsed at having to watch anything in the old 4:3 aspect ratio. Of course early movie titles will often leave us stuck with no choice, but for those DVDs from an era when distributors would release theatrical and television aspect ratios simultaneously I insist on something as close to widescreen as possible. Oddly, this information is impossible to find when selecting a movie from Blockbuster and simple with Netflix.
Why is adding the aspect ratio so stinkin' hard, Blockbuster?
Same Price, Totally Different Value
Even if these or other issues are nits you’re willing to overlook, there’s still price to consider. Before we grabbed a Blockbuster subscription our thoughts were pretty simple: if both are the same price and Blockbuster includes Blu-Ray it must be the way to go.
Wrong. We overlooked an important part of the process: the movie processing facility. How promptly do these guys accept movies you’ve sent back to them, and how quickly do they convert that newly opened slot in your movie queue and get your next movie in the mail and on its way?
Here there’s literally no contest. Both get your movie the next day in most parts of the country, but the magic is in Netflix’s handling. When Netflix receives your movie it gets checked in well before you get up in the morning (you’ll see the email when you check your inbox first thing after that cup of coffee). With Blockbuster – well let’s just say it could be another day, or maybe even two. So it could be awhile before you see that next title.
Spread these delays over a month and you find $16.99 doesn’t always equal $16.99. With Netflix you can potentially turn that $16.99 into 27 DVD rentals sent to your door. Based on Blockbuster’s lethargic turnaround system we estimate you can’t get any more than 12. Oh, and did we mention Netflix even staffs crews on Saturday’s and holidays, even receiving their mail from the USPS when the rest of us don’t?
A Queue That Isn’t
And queues are almost meaningless at Blockbuster. Netflix has complex algorithms that decide who gets what first and movies with a wait get reported correctly. Blockbuster? My top queue item says it’s currently available and has for the last two weeks. Seven items have been sent out since then, and none of them have been that top item in my queue. Ugh.
Conclusion
In conclusion, choices are easier when they’re cut and dried. Based on promos and pricing alone it would be easy to choose Blockbuster for your rental needs.
This is, however, a choice between a company that’s doing everything it can to get your business versus one that’s consistently followed other companies innovations rather than leading themselves. From purely a pocketbook standpoint Netflix is far easier to recommend.
And from a conscience standpoint it’s almost impossible to want to give Blockbuster another dime for making what appears to be the least possible effort while driving itself ever closer to the dustbin of once great American brands.
M-Ones most recent online wine store recommendation: Twenty Twenty Wine Merchants
Located in LA and most of the country over the net, Twenty Twenty Wine Merchants carries an excellent stock, with selections perfect from budget to the highest of the high end. And 2020 knows service, having a history of delivering stock to some of the biggest names (and pocketbooks) in Hollywood.
But winos and snobs, don’t let the Tinsel Town rep and what it sometimes implies discourage you. To give 2020 a try, we recently purchased a mixed case of the biggest bangs for the buck you can find on Wine Spectator’s recent Top 100 lists – finding many available, competitively priced, and easy to order from Twenty Twenty’s web site. In under a week our shipment made it to Meandering HQ in Virginia from 2020’s store in California, impeccably wrapped and protected for no more than about three bucks shipping per bottle.
So far we’re finding our choices have been superb, including this 2006 Vina Santa Rita Cabernet Medalla Real Special Reserve. Most importantly, it’s a confidence builder knowing 2020 exerts their power to deliver the best the market has to offer in every price range without reservation.
Head on over to their website and take a look for yourself.
Red Kabob (Mediterranean – Leesburg, VA)
Red Kabob Leesburg Virginia
Red Kabob entered the Loudon exurban strip mall family-owned restaurant act in mid 2009, giving dominant player Moby Dick a much needed run (the Loudoun area lacks the sometimes overwhelmingly diverse Mediterranean options found in other parts of the DC Metro). We stopped in for lunch yesterday and would use one word – serviceable – to describe the experience.
Meat was great as were the spices used, beef was cooked to order and not dry like some kabob joints. Rice was great but would pass on the bread (not fresh or wood fired in preparation from what we could tell) and sauces were solid but a bit thin. Still, the family atmosphere and readiness to take on any special preparation requests make Red Kabob worth a try.
Would we recommend? Yes, with only minor reservations. Food quality of everything but the bread was solid, and it’s an owner operated, friendly, local business. Considering the serious lack of quality cuisine in central and eastern Loudoun County, Red Kabob probably should be on your list.
Red Kabob
521-A E Market St (right by Starbucks and Dunkin’ Donuts)
Leesburg VA
http://redkabob.com
DC Record Store Day 2010: Save The Date!
The Vinyl District DC Record Store Day
Here’s more on the DC Record Store Day, May 10. If you’re still into vinyl – or even trying to get back into vinyl, be there.
Want to try great ethnic food in the DC Metro? Start here.
Photo Credit: Chris Buck / Source: The New York Times
Here’s Tyler Cowen’s Ethnic Dining Guide. Now go.
Seriously, though, Tyler’s recognized as being an authority on great ethnic eats around DC. And the best part for suburbanites: you don’t always have to go into town to get it. Cheaper strip mall leases mean great ethnic food all around the ‘burbs.
Enjoy!
Belgian Bargain at Brasserie Beck (and mo’ great beer deals at Pizzaria Paradiso)
Brasserie Beck
The M-Ones will take any chance we get to plug Beck and Wiedmaier. Great guy, great food, great beer selection.
Been to Pizzaria Paradiso as well, and we think it’s the among the very best pizza and best microbrew selection in town.
Get out there!
Tim Carman: Favorite Northern VA restaurants, and why DC has less ethnic food that it should.
Simple: economics. Come on over to Northern Virginia and you’ll find lots of great options because the rent’s cheaper.
There’s also a great list of NoVA eats here. Try ‘em out!
Carman on Why D.C. Has So Little Great Ethnic Food – City Desk – Washington City Paper.
Three ways to avoid baggage fees.
Will baggage fees ever stop going up?
Every penny – or thousands of pennies – counts.
A Foodie Manifesto and Resolution
Food doesn’t have to be predictable to be wonderful. And food doesn’t have to be eaten in the Taj Mahal to be memorable. Don’t judge food as great because you waited in line to have you name added to a list, the customers are all dressed well, or several expensive SUVs or sports cars are parked close by.
Source every ounce of food you eat at home and in restaurants. If the proprietor can’t or won’t tell you where he gets his ingredients don’t trust him and move on to the places that will. Fresh food without chemicals or warehouse time and distance should be a prerequisite for anything you put in your mouth, regardless the end taste.
Surprise yourself and a small restaurant owner by stopping by that tiny place you keep meaning to check out. Remember, both the Olive Gardens and Cheesecake Factories of the world and Walmart are systmatically destroying small business owners in their categories, but only Walmart is actually putting money and value back into their customers’ hands. That’s not the giant food conglomerates’ faults: it’s ours.
Union Jack’s British Pub of Ballston (Arlington, VA)
On entry an unexciting, nondescript, even slightly dingy joint located in Ballston Common Mall, Union Jack’s fails to deliver the sort of energy I anticipated. Food and tap are so-so – in other words, as bland as UJ’s atmosphere. A decent but not remarkable beer selection delivered by overworked, unexceptional wait staff possessing minimal knowledge of anything they serve.
The one standout item on the menu is the Spotted Dick. Outside a consistency which made it a tad rubbery (read: nuked), the sauce and the cake share space with a sauce that was more caramel in texture and color than the custard of a conventional spotty. The taste of it, however well surpassed conventional and kept me coming back for more bites.
Perhaps dining next door at the predicatable, solid Rock Bottom and moving to Union Jack’s or dessert is your best bet.
The Dock at Lansdowne (Leesburg, VA)
Seriously? If The Dock strives to avoid exceeding the low food quality of the Lansdowne restaurant bloc, they’ve succeeded wildly. Overpriced, often frozen seafood at premium prices, all served in a passable attempt at urban hipness. Though the bar/lounge is generally hopping with the middle-aged suburban set many nights, don’t let this fool you into thinking their congregation is an appreciation for great food. Their web site home page is an ‘equal time’ split between the two, further validating a less than relentless commitment to cuisine.
Skip The Dock. And unless you’re headed for a quick, cheap bite at California Tortilla, so far our advice is to skip Lansdowne entirely. And if you’re looking for great seafood, don’t stop at Hooked in Sterling, either. Look for the M-Ones Hooked review here.
19286 Promenade Drive
Suite P-101, 102
Leesburg, VA 20176
571.333.4747
http://www.thedockatlansdowne.com/
Mountain View Diner (Charles Town, WV and Frederick, MD)
Fits the image of the big, dumpy, great diner – all the way down to the food and the service. And the menu’s massive: if you can’t get it at Mountain View you probably can’t get it at any American restaurant.
Mountain View Diner is M-Ones’ favorite breakfast places within half an hour of Northern Virginia’s outer suburbs. Order the hash browns no matter what: they’re fresh and never cooked quite the same each time we get them, and that’s the best part. Omelettes come loaded with the stuff you order; no skimping on meat here. You can’t come underdressed either. The Meandering Wrangler stops here on its way to lots of different outdoor activities.
811 Willow Spring Dr
Charles Town, WV 25414-4440
(304) 728-8522
http://mountainviewdiner.com
Mario’s Pizza (Berryville, VA)
Pizzas, subs, and basic Italian dishes served in a more or less typical pizza parlor atmosphere that’s open and feels not unlike a firehouse. Diverse menu featuring great pizza, a few different beer selections, and footlong subs that only cost fifty cents more than their six inch versions. Mario’s is a family favorite and a great alternative to cheaper chain restaurants in its class. Highly recommended for a casual, inexpensive meal in a casual atmosphere anytime.
36 West Main Street
Berryville, VA 22611-1341
(540) 955-4848
Barrel Oak Winery off to a strong start
Barrel Oak Winery (Delaplane, Virginia)
Barrel Oak south of Rectortown off to a strong start. They worked closely with Chris Pearmund of Pearmund Cellars (one of the best in the business) to get their vineyard off the ground, though they’re forging a different path. If you’ve found yourself looking for a larger production like Tarara or Prince Michel – except with maybe a better consistency across selections, like Pearmund – this might be the one.
Front Royal, Virginia
A great Virgnia small town that respects its heritage and still isn’t afraid to cut loose from time to time.
Welcome
We’re all about fun, food, wine, travel, and seeing cool places in Virginia, the DC Metro, around the country and throughout the world. We don’t want to be the place you come for everything. We just want to be your favorite place to get ideas for your next great excursion. Get out there and have fun!
Air travel must-haves
Here’s a quick list of air travel must-haves:
Food and beverage. No one’s serving anything for free and what you can get tastes just as bad as it always has on a place, regardless of how much more attractive the packaging is now relative to the past. Exceptions to the “no free food” rule are generally routes to or from European destinations since non-Americans traditionally have higher expectations of service – even on our domestic carriers. Check with your airline if you’re unsure of the accomodations, or (much better still) bring along healthy non-liquid items that will be a much better caloric investment. Remember, you’re going to be more or less dormant for several hours so light occasional healthy snacking is easily your best bet. As for drinks, water’s still free on every flight – or at least it is at the moment.
Easy, organized access to items you plan to use on the flight. Walk through your expectations of what you’ll be doing on the flight, especially if you’ll be cramped in the metal tube for over a couple hours. You’ll be surprised at how inaccessible simple things like headsets are when you want them. While your at it, reconsider the security process. Where do you intend to put your jewelry, wallet, or other important items you’d prefer not testing with the metal detector? When I went through this process the first time I realized I didn’t own a bag that worked for my purposes and hopped online to purchase a new one. Stranger yet, the next time I traveled my old bag was more well suited to the trip I was taking. This is a really important step to making your trip easy and predictable.
Two pens. If you’re traveling internationally, this is a must. You will fill out customs paperwork. If not, it’s always a good habit to have pens on hand to document things like dings in your rental car or contact information when you meet someone new. You’re going to thank me on this one, because someday when you take an international flight you’ll be begging one from a neighbor after the one you have stops working (or you’ll just want your flying partner to help expedite all the forms writing).
Anything that keeps children in your custody extraordinarily quiet. You’re likely used to the cacophony of family life but your nearby seatmates are often nervous at the prospect of even getting on a plane. That tension is amplified when the simplest of actions – a bumped chair, a continual banging or clicking noise, or a crying child – interrupts an otherwise focused attempt to stay calm. Some might be offended by what we’re saying here. After the number of flights we’ve been on where we’ve seen ourselves and others fray at the seams, we side with them over parents who take anything less than full responsibility for their childrens’ actions. We’re parents as well, and sadly there is such an overwhelming prevailing lack of responsibility people have often felt compelled to thank us for our child’s behavior despite it being our responsibility and not some bonus we threw in for the heck of it.
Your itinerary. If you aren’t going nonstop, and your next transportation or action plans if you are (nothing sucks more than landing and wanting to move things along with no interruptions or confusion, and a bonus would include previous trips to websites which help you know what to expect – things like sitting at Heathrow for 4 hours waiting to get through security instead of enjoying London)
La Golandrina – Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
Our first nice meal was spent at La Golandrina, a pleasant outdoor grill in the Cabo San Lucas area. The weather had been pretty chilly through the day with steady winds and little to no humidity – both weather factors which should be accounted for this time of year. Like most beach destinations, it’s really easy to believe the weather’s going to always be hot but that’s definitely no guarantee for early spring in BCS.
Having made “Trapper’s List” – not sure if that’s Trapper John, MD or some other lesser known Trapper – the strong review and our understanding of the surroundings led us to believe this was going to be a great experience, and it was.
When we arrived, we saw reasonably prevalent entourage of Californians staring at us on our way in (I think Virginians look weird to Californians and vice versa, though we tend to look down more rather than stare). We lack tans, enemas, facial peels, skin (and other body) surgeries but we’re pretty easy to get along with if that can be overlooked in favor of a reasonably cerebral bent.
Once we were properly put away (er, sat down), we were shown the local rules: head down to the giant menu board, and choose from what would seem to be an endless range of options for meat. You’ll see the usual quality meat choices – alone or in tandem – scattered throughout the board, and a few possibilities that we definitely think shouldn’t be overlooked despite their inconspicuous placement.
There are plenty of options up and down the bill, running anywhere from $25-30 for single items to $45-50 for combinations, but that’s not to say that no great combinations can be found in the $30-35 range. My dinner choice was the Seared Ahi Tuna and Shrimp combination, and both were fresh and cooked as expected.
Again, there’s really not much complexity here: you look at the board and return to your table, you order your food, and – if the food quality is good and it’s cooked right – you’ve hit the jackpot in much the same way you would at any grill. With respect to food quality, on a 1 to 10 scale I’d give my Ahi Tuna a strong 8 or 9, the shrimp an 8, and the lobster tail I stole from a neighboring plate a solid 8 (you need to favor warm weather lobster over the cold weather creatures to truly enjoy it, though).
Now for what you need to know… the can’t miss menu item is the caesar salad, prepared fresh at the table. This was without a doubt the best caesar salad I have ever had, prepared with incredibly moist, fresh romaine lettuce and paired with a dressing created right in front of you with the focus and capable results of a fine chemist. I truly have now idea what went into the end concoction – it’s consumed consistency seemed much thinner than a typical caesar despite what looked like a mayonnaise-like substance going into the mix with an egg or two early in the process. This was one of those items on my ’still can taste it’ list, and I’m inclined to see how to import it to the states for several attempts in the home kitchen.
Now that I’ve raved about the first item last, let’s get to what matters… the summary.
Location:
You’ll like it if: you enjoy freshly grilled food in a festive, yet refined outdoor patio environment and aren’t bothered by an occasional West Coast sniff (yes, we know we look pale, misshapen, unblonde, and all that)
You might not like it if: you’re expecting some strong Mexican or Latin-fusion experiment from each of your BCS dining experiences
If you could only order one thing, it would be: the caesar salad
Overall rating: 3.5 to 4 out of 5 stars
Is it on my list of “must eats” in the area? Definitely
