Smouie Kablooie was in downtown Fairfax City the other night for dinner at Le Tire Bouchon – which has been well reviewed by the Washingtonian and Washington Post.  We had mixed opinions about the experience – but would recommend it overall.

The restaurant itself is quite small – which can provide either an intimate experience – or a very loud one – depending on who you are sharing the restaurant with.  We were lucky to have only a few other tables seated when we arrived – though the volume of their conversations increased exponentially with every bottle of Chateau consumed.  The heat was also turned up a bit too high for our comfort – particularly given how pleasant the weather outside was that evening.

We began the meal with two sets of appetizers.  The French Onion Soup was quite good – probably some of the best we’ve had locally – with a generous portion of cheese and a flavor that was just salty enough to enhance the flavors.  The Caesar salad did not fare as well.  The lettuce seemed to be the kind of pre-cut romaine you would normally buy from your local grocery store and the dressing lacked even a hint of anchovy.

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Back in May I snarked here about an ad for Mitchum’s deodorant which fell somewhere between homophobic and generic moronic. Some time later I was contacted by a writer for OUT magazine asking me a few questions about the ad, where I’d seen it and my reaction to it. Amusingly, he asked me if I’d seen it in any of the local gay bars and what message I thought it sent to gay men. I had to plead ignorance on an informed opinion on both counts, but I’m pleased that I got quoted anyway – it tickles me that I’ve apparently got more gay street cred than my actually homosexual sibling.

In case you wondered about the ad, by the way, the odds seem to be on moronic: the author of the OUT piece first noticed the ad himself in a men’s room that had only a single urinal, making the text nonsensical. And that men’s room? In a gay bar, making the text outright farcical.

Yeaahhhhh… if you’d ever wondered if advertising writers and advertising space buyers communicated with each other, this should pretty much clear that up. I wonder what went up in that NYC men’s room the following month? Maybe an ad for Summer’s Eve or spermicide.

Hess

Originally uploaded by tbridge.

Yeah, prices are going down to sane levels again, as evidence by this Hess station, but what’s going on that it’s happening in such an odd fashion? Check out the Shirlington Shell by my house, which is $0.30 more per gallon for regular as of Monday afternoon, compared to this Tuesday afternoon capture of the Hess on Washington Boulevard. A few cents, yeah, I can let that slide, but $0.30 more per gallon? That’s like $5 more per tank for my Jetta.

How are gas prices in your neighborhood?

Back in 2003, Duane "Dog" Chapman crossed the Mexican border to apprehend Andrew Luster, the Max Factor cosmetics heir, who jumped bail and fled the US to escape charges of poisoning and rape. Apparently Mexican authorities weren’t pleased about the way chapman handled the situation- they say he wrongfully arrested Luster and violated Mexico’s anti-bounty-hunting laws.

Nearly three years later, Chapman, along with his son Leland, and co-worker Timothy were arrested by U.S. marshals and released on $300,000 U.S. bail. They are now trying to strike a deal with the Justice Department in order to avoid extradition. There was a rally today at 1:00 PM in front of the White House – advertised in the Washington Post Express.

I can’t decide where I stand on this issue. On the one hand, I think it’s great that we have people who will pursue possible criminals that violate the terms of their bail. Luster was actually returned to California and is currently serving a 124-year jail sentence for sexually assaulting three women. On the other hand, tenets of international law have to be respected – and we really can’t have a "vigilante" crossing the border and detaining people without being concerned about the consequences.

Did anyone go to or see the rally?

Photo by DC Metroblogger

Location: The elevator in Potomac at Riverhouse, Pentagon City

Notice anything odd about this elevator panel? Look closely…

Did you count the floors? You notice that its missing one (or two).

First there is no first floor, which is common, “Ground Floor” and “First Floor” are interchangeable. But that there isn’t a 13th floor, now that I think is odd.

Wouldn’t those on the 14th know they are really on the 13th? Aren’t we a little past that superstition by now? Do you know of any other buildings that do this?

OK, I know I recently wrote about how most attempts at photographing the Metro fall short of being interesting, but when I stumbled across this shot by Flickr user kerron7, I nearly ran for the hills. Maybe I should have waited until Halloween to post this, as I find this shot downright spooky. I almost expect to see the ghost of Abe Lincoln standing on the platform waiting for the next train to hell.

Now the execution of this isn’t overly difficult, given that you have a steady hand (or other sturdy device) for a long exposure such as this. Oh, and owning a copy of Photoshop is a must. But I want to compliment kerron7 on his eye for a good shot when he sees one, and for his post processing work. I think he did a great job converting the original shot into b&w as well as the contrast adjustment for added effect.

I think I’ll stay off of the Metro for a while.

Photo by DC Metroblogger

Dad, I wanna paddle!

No, I wanna paddle, you paddled on the way up here.

Okay kids, stop fighting, you both can paddle.

Wait, what about me, Dad? Can I drop the rock anchor?

No, little miss, let your brothers paddle. You navigate.

I what?

Just tell the boys to paddle downstream, that way.

Okay, but they’re making us go in circles.

Don’t worry, we’ll be going downstream anyway.

Paddle yourself these beautiful fall days at The Boathouse at Fletcher’s Cove. Open till the end of October

2005′s two biggest arrivals on the D.C. sports scene , the Nationals and Alex Ovechkin, converge tonight at RFK Stadium. The second year winger will be throwing out the first pitch before tonight’s game aganist the Phillies. Prior to that, Ovechkin and seven of his teammates will take batting practice. Hopefully no one will get hurt and someone will get the footage on youtube or um, Google Video.

Of all the DC based indie heroes that have come and gone – J. Robbins is my personal favorite. Today I picked up the latest offering from the mastermind behind Jawbox and Burning Airlines – Waiting For The Next End Of The World the debut full-length from his new band Channels.

Channels is a trio composed of Robbins on guitar and vocals, Janet Morgan (J.’s wife) on bass and harmony, and former Kerosene 454 drummer Darren Zentek.

Waiting… is a terrific return for Robbins to the DC music scene.

This album bares Robbins’ trademark guitar-style (albeit with a few deeper riffs than usual peppered through-out) and his vocal delivery is still as impassioned as his lyrics are poetically vague. Zentek’s drumming on this album flat-out destroys, the guy has still got it, that’s really the only way to put it. While those elements make Waiting… a truly rocking album the real highlight of the album for me is Janet Morgan’s harmonizing with both Robbins’ voice and his guitar.

Robbins’ has worked some pretty great call-and-response into his songs in the past but I would say that the harmonizing on Waiting… is some of his best. Maybe it has something to do with Robbins’ wife being his partner on this one – all those unspoken signals between a husband and wife expressed beautifully in sound – or maybe I’m just being a romantic sap. But hey, that’s what Robbins’ music does to me.

Pick up Waiting For The Next End Of The World by Channels at your local record shop.

And don’t forget to catch Channels live at the Black Cat on October 6th with Medications and Victory At Sea.

Sometimes you can’t help but notice certain changes that occur in the greater DC metropolitan area in conjunction with particular events in the Federal government.  Of course there are the obvious variations in congestion on are highways, crowd sizes at local watering holes, and wait times at upscale restaurants (or even Cosi) that occur every time Congress convenes or goes on recess.  Of course all of these issues can be frustrating – but nothing a quick trip to the gym or weekend marathon can’t remedy.

However, if you are married, dating, or friends with someone who works for the federal government – be they feds, contractors, consultants, or interns – you know that this time of year can often be one of the most challenging.  Why?  Because not only is every October the start of the new fiscal year, it is also when the Office of Management and Budget conducts its “fall review” of every federal agency’s budget proposals for the following fiscal year.  Agencies must then revise their budgets to reflect OMB recommendations reflecting Presidential priorities, assessments of program performance, and other budget constraints.  It’s not until February that the President’s budget is even presented to Congress…and you’ve been living under a rock if you think that Congress just painlessly passes a budget resolution by mid-April.

Mom always told you that some things aren’t easy or polite to talk about with others – like sex, religion, politics, and money.  Somehow all of these elements seem to get wrapped up into the federal budgeting process – and the consequences can be more direct than your favorite public service having their funding cut.  Like the child who doesn’t see their parent for weeks because they are working long into the night reconciling figures from disparate financial systems.  The couple that divorces when one person consummates a torrid affair atop the endless piles of documentation legally required for each submission.  Or the family that loses a child to addiction when they turn to illicit substances for a much needed release from the stresses of endless partisan negotiations.

Ok… I admit that I’m being a bit overdramatic in my presentation… but I have to compete with that new Fall lineup somehow… and I have been working for/with people involved in the budgeting process long enough to know that some of these stories aren’t too far from the truth.  Plus, with so many agencies scrambling to de-obligate monies in an effort to keep the war in Iraq funded, this year’s budget request is going to be pretty intense.

So, if you know someone who seems to get a bit overworked, overwrought, and overwhelmed this time of year – give them a quick call or stop by their place with a six pack.  They may not be able to talk or drink when you do – shoot, they may not even be home – but they’ll appreciate the attempted human contact and your concern for their well being.

Besides, in the end it’s really friends and family – not OMB Circular A-ll – that makes our lives worthwhile.