Pulpology: Mark & Sonia's Intercontinental Absurdities!

Photo Friday: leave no trace

2010-08-27T00:00:00-05:00

Part 4 in a series of Burning Man-themed Photo Friday posts. (Links to the previous weeks' posts are below.)

some funky-ass Burning Man trash

And in the end, to paraphrase The Beatles, the trash you take [out] is equal to the trash you make.

The exodus at the end of Burning Man involves cleaning up every scrap of anything you brought with you, packing it into your vehicle, and hauling it out. One of the key principles, Leave No Trace, is taken verrrrrrrry seriously. Legions of volunteers remain behind, combing the Playa for weeks to make sure even the most minute bit of MOOP (Matter Out of Place) is removed. This is yet another thing that sets The Burn apart from most festivals.

But let's not think about the end when we've not yet even begun! This concludes my four-part Photo Friday series leading up to Burning Man, which means the moment is finally here! Tomorrow we initiate the liftoff sequence. (For further details on that, check out Monday's post.) Since we'll be off the grid for the week, this is the last you'll hear from me until after Labor Day. Stay tuned for LOTS of stories and pics streaming your way in September!

For those who will be at this year's Burn, we'll be camped with Great Balls of Fire at 8:00 & Athens. C'mon by and say hi!

Check out more fabulous travel photos at Delicious Baby's Photo Friday.

RELATED LINKS:
* week one: Ringing the Virgin Bell
* week two: Desert eats
* week three: Beyond the mmp-tss mmp-tss mmp-tss
* browse all 2008 Burning Man pics
* all Burning Man blog posts
* my BM photos on Matador
* my photos in the BM Gallery
* Burning Man website

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Pack it up, pack it in, let me begin

2010-08-23T00:00:00-05:00

our living room as of about midnight on Saturday

and on Sunday morning

Whew! This weekend we managed to pack up about a dozen boxes and send them on the road with a fellow DC Burner who is driving cross-country.

Thus officially begins the logistical complexity that is Burning Man. The first step is shipping out furry costumes, inflatable furniture, bike decorations, and other essentials. Check! Early Sunday, we'll hop a plane (carrying as little as possible) and land in Sacramento, where we'll spend a day collecting other supplies like groceries, booze, and our bikes. Then on Monday we'll pick up the Mothership of Love & Justice -- aka a Cruise America RV -- and lumber our way out to Nevada. With any luck, once on the Playa we will be reunited with our gear, and the festivities can begin!

Word to your moms.

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Photo Friday: beyond the mmp-tss mmp-tss mmp-tss

2010-08-20T00:00:00-05:00

Part 3 in a series of Burning Man-themed Photo Friday posts. (Here's part 1 and part 2.)

Everybody's going to the party have a real good time.
Dancing in the desert blowing up the sunshine.
- System of a Down, "B.Y.O.B."

Pringles IS Guitarzan!

We all know there's lots of rave music at Burning Man. Ditto for drum circles. After all, this festival is the equivalent of Holy Week for hippie-ravers the world over.

However, there are alternatives to the standard mmp-tss mmp-tss mmp-tss! Many camps offer open mic events for musicians of all genres, and one of our favorites in 2008 was The Golden Cafe. Self-described as "a casual sidewalk bar offering exotic cocktails and live music," this camp was a great place to visit during the late afternoon hours. Mark went there to jaminate more than once, and was even bestowed a Golden Cafe VIP medallion.

the Golden Cafe

This year, we'll no doubt be hanging out at the Cafe, but in addition Mark & Keith have been working on their own musical act: Mystical Shit, a King Missile cover band! (You remember King Missile, don'tcha? They're best known for "Detachable Penis.") I've heard them practice a few times -- OK, once -- and can attest that Mystical Shit will be a spectacular addition to the Playa festivities at our camp.

For those who will be at this year's Burn, we'll be camped with Great Balls of Fire at 8:00 & Athens. C'mon by and say hello, and join in the Mystical Shit sing-a-long!

And for those who aren't Playa-bound but still want to bask in the glow of Mark's shred-a-licious guitar skeelz, stay tuned for announcements about his latest band project, AquaSpank.

Check out more fabulous travel photos at Delicious Baby's Photo Friday.

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Photo Friday: desert eats

2010-08-13T00:00:00-05:00

Part 2 in a series of Burning Man-themed Photo Friday posts. (Last week's post is here, in case you missed it.)

them's good desert eats!

Most who come to Burning Man camp in tents. They tend to eat things like jerky and trail mix and those godawful camping MRE packets that are loaded with sodium and some vague chicken-like flavorings. If they're lucky enough to have a camp stove or a makeshift camp kitchen, some might even consume hot food from time to time.

We are not like most. (Hardly a newsflash, I realize.) Mark and I arrived at the Burn in 2008 in a big honkin' Mothership of an RV, which was outfitted with a pretty decent kitchen. Being the ridiculous foodies we are, we'd stocked up on plenty of delicious culinary supplies, and ate pretty well throughout the week.

The last night of the festival, just prior to the Temple Burn, we held an impromptu dinner party for anyone remaining in our camp. Nothing too fancy, just a little clams marinara over some pasta, maybe some red wine thrown in for good measure. But after a week of grubby camp food, as you can see from the photo above, this meal qualified as the Best.Spaghetti.Ever.

For those who will be at this year's Burn, we'll be camped with Great Balls of Fire at 8:00 & Athens. C'mon by and say hello, and we'll likely gift you with some hospitality from our kitchen!

Check out more fabulous travel photos at Delicious Baby's Photo Friday.

RELATED LINKS:
* last week's post: Ringing the Virgin Bell
* browse all 2008 Burning Man pics
* all Burning Man blog posts
* my BM photos on Matador
* my photos in the BM Gallery
* Burning Man website

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Join us for Meet, Plan, Go! on Sept 14

2010-08-10T00:00:00-05:00

Registrations are rolling in! I'm so excited to report that due to the overwhelming response, we've had to move to a bigger venue. (Woot!) Meet, Plan, Go! DC will now be taking place at the very hip Policy DC, in their upstairs Liberty Lounge. I was just there for a @Sisarina tweetup last week and can confirm that this is an excellent space, with plenty of room to mix & mingle, and a plethora of $5 happy hour food & drink specials.

Policy's Liberty Lounge

Special thanks to fellow DC travel blogger Matt at LandLopers for giving me the opportunity to do a recent guest post about Meet, Plan, Go!: Get Out & Go: Make Your Travel Dreams a Reality.

Have you registered yet for this free and fabulous event? Don't wait until it sells out a second time!

Not in DC? Not to worry, MPG is happening at over a dozen locations throughout the US and Canada.

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Fruition

2010-08-09T00:00:00-05:00

...because sometimes it's nice to have a visual reminder that all your hard work really IS paying off.

Photo Friday: ringing the Virgin Bell

2010-08-06T00:00:00-05:00

In honor of our trip to Burning Man later this month, all of August's Photo Fridays will be related to The Burn. I've posted many of my favorites before, in various places (see below), but this is an attempt to dig a bit deeper into the experience.

Sonia & Andre ring the Virgin Bell

First-time Burning Man attendees have the opportunity to ring the "Virgin Bell" at the entrance and then roll around in the dust. When we arrived around 1am, it was freezing, there was dust flying everywhere, the whole thing was completely bewildering and yet strangely festive. And thus the week began.

Those who will be at this year's Burn, we'll be camped with Great Balls of Fire at 8:00 & Athens. C'mon by and say hello!

Check out more fabulous travel photos at Delicious Baby's Photo Friday.

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WanderFood Wednesday: prezzemolo, a cautionary tale

2010-07-28T00:00:00-05:00

Penne Rosate in Treviso

It started innocently enough.

Penne Rosate. Four simple ingredients on a bistro menu:
salsa di pomodoro | panna | salmone affumicato | prezzemolo

Little did I know this dish would turn into Mark's Holy Grail. Ever since sampling this delectable fare at Piola in Treviso, he's been obsessed with recreating the perfect penne rosate at home. And in typical Italian style, a deceptively simple ingredient list means the dish can be articulated about a million ways.

mmmm, golden tomatoes

Renown chef Patrick O'Connell of the Inn at Little Washington says you should make a dish eight times before serving it to friends. That always seemed a bit extreme. But we're starting to understand. Each time Mark makes this dish, he writes little notes in the margin about how to tweak the recipe next time. Not too much tomato paste. Be sure to use large golden tomatoes. Let the pasta sit and soak up the sauce before serving. He's even asked me to plant extra golden tomatoes in the garden so he can continue his exploration and and near-scientific quest for the flawless formula.

stir, stir, stir

I don't think he'll ever achieve penne perfection. But, as with most things in life, it's about the journey, not the destination! I'm happy to have him keep experimenting with this dish forever.

some cream, a little smoked salmon

It just so happens that there's a Piola right here in Northern Virginia, and they do have Penne Rosate on their menu. Part of me is curious to try it, part of me doesn't want to spoil the mystique of that first perfect taste back in Treviso.

the finished product, topped with lots of fresh prezzemolo!

And at the end of the day, I just like saying "prezzemolo." Try it with me: pret-ZEH-mo-lo. It's fun! I think Robin at My Mélange should add it to her list of beautiful Italian words. Who knew that humble parsley could be so entertaining?

Hop on over to Wanderlust & Lipstick's WanderFood Wednesday for more mouth-watering travel foodie posts.

RELATED LINKS:
* Photo Friday: Treviso spritz
* My Mélange: Italian lessons
* Piola
* our other Treviso pics
* WanderFood Wednesday carnival of foodie blogs

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Photo Friday: The Jersey Shore you'll never see on MTV

2010-07-23T00:00:00-05:00

CousinFest 2010, down the shore

Last weekend a handful of Zamborsky cousins convened for our quasi-annual gathering. We're fortunate to have access to a family house in Spring Lake, NJ, about a mile from the beach. Great Aunt Agnes isn't around anymore, but what better way to celebrate her memory than spend some fabulous family time in her former abode!

kitchen time machine!

Part of the charm of the house is that it hasn't changed much since Great Aunt Agnes lived there.

throwback to a time when books were actually valued

mandatory and omnipresent beach decor

Thanks to the MTV show, which I have to admit I've never watched, most people have a certain image of the Jersey Shore.

bet they don't have these at the MTV beach house

We had a vastly different experience.

ouch, what the hell was I wearing in that picture?

Most of the time, we sat around eating and drinking and looking at silly old pictures from our childhood.

oktapodi <3s Spring Lake

And, of course, there was plenty of beachy goodness!

The rest of the pics can be seen here. Or, rather, a subset of the rest of the pics, because what happens at CousinFest stays at CousinFest. And maybe also on Facebook.

Check out more fabulous travel photos at Delicious Baby's Photo Friday.

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Naked in the rain

2010-07-14T00:00:00-05:00

And thus, with this unwittingly prescient #FollowFriday tweet from @SpudHilton, was kicked off a weekend of naturist antics.

Sadly, none of the other tweeps mentioned above were present at Pine Tree on Saturday for the 2nd Annual AANR Guinness World Record™ Skinny-Dip Challenge. We managed to have a grand time nonetheless.

We'd been to this event last year, and once again invited a posse to join us for the festivities. Unfortunately Mother Nature chose Saturday to bless us with the rain she'd been withholding for the past two weeks. ::: shakes fist at sky ::: Even with the drizzle, nearly 20 of our friends showed up, and there were close to 300 people in the pool at the time of the photo. The local tallies are sent into the AANR national office for final number-crunching. So I don't yet know if we broke any records. But that's really not the point.

I don't talk much about our nudist pursuits, because, frankly, there's not much to say. There are few things more relaxing than shedding your clothes and hanging out by the pool for an afternoon. Nudists are among the friendlist people on the planet. Shedding your outer trappings means you have to rely solely on your personality, which brings out your sociable side right quick! And once we got over the initial weirdness of pulling into a lushly-wooded parking lot and unceremoniously dropping trou, the hardest part has always been putting our clothes on at the end of the day.

In fact, we were so loathe to leave that we wound up staying an extra afternoon. We'd already planned to stay overnight (in a surprisingly luxurious cabin with air conditioning, a full kitchen, and a full bath!) but when we awoke on Sunday morning to a gorgeous sunny day, it was impossible to return home. So we spent another uber-relaxing day paddling around in the pool, catching up on some reading, and chatting with the amiable denizens of Pine Tree. Unfortunately the naturist population is aging and they seem to be having a hard time finding new recruits. As a result, we got more than our share of sales pitches. I'm not much of a joiner, and the idea of spending every weekend with the same people holds little appeal for me, so we'll probably never shell out the extra bucks to become members. But we try to get out to Pine Tree a few times a season. And we may have turned one or two friends on to the possibility of membership. So I think our work here is done.

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PhotoFriday: TBEX10 in pictures

2010-07-09T00:00:00-05:00

TBEX is a full-contact sport!
@AOBDolce got her tongue pierced mid-weekend

I'm still trying to synthesize my whirlwind weekend at TBEX10 (this year's Travel Bloggers Exchange conference, held June 25-27 in NYC) into a coherent written post. But in the meantime, here are a few pics that summarize the experience:

SocMed + travel bloggers = ha-yuge!
@myessis & @jimbenning of WorldHum kickoff the opening session

one word: vuvuzela!
it was so excellent to meet @CareekBrkHQs & @ottsworld and the entire MeetPlanGo crew

oh, maybe THAT'S the word
@everywheretrip tells it like it is, as always

TBEX10 was allllll about the peeps & personalities
@savvytravelblog samples some of NY's finest fare

and if the all that weren't enough, 'twas also Pride Weekend!

I swear I'll write more soon, once my brain fully recovers. In the meantime, there's a great recap roundup here.

RELATED LINKS:
* browse all TBEX10 pics
* check out more fabulous travel photos at Delicious Baby's Photo Friday

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WanderFood Wednesday: what, no f***in' ziti?

2010-07-07T00:00:00-05:00

definitely some f***in' ziti!

I dunno about you, but I associate Manhattan with the world of "clackers" and carb-avoidant anorexic supermodel types. Well, our June weekend spent in NYC — I will post a TBEX recap one of these days, I swear! — proved that starchy goodness is alive and well in the City That Never Sleeps. The above photo was taken at after heading home from one of the TBEX afterparties. I'm not sure if you can quite tell from the photo, but it's a SLICE OF PIZZA WITH ZITI ON TOP. ZOMG, carb catatonia, anyone?

Chocolate-Chocolate at DBGB's

Just to clinch it, we spent Sunday night noshing with our DC friends Wil & Sherri, who are in New York for the summer. Apparently, despite an onslaught of visitors, they'd been experiencing a dearth of hardcore foodie goodness, and gleefully took us to DBGB's for a splurge-tastic meal. This fabulous restaurant specializes in delectable small plates and to-die-for desserts. Their notorious "Chocolate Chocolate" sundae was recommended by our waitress and did not disappoint.

And, by the by, we also visited this charming wine bar, although I have no photographic evidence of that portion of the program.

Boof. To the gym!

(But first, hop on over to Wanderlust & Lipstick's WanderFood Wednesday for more mouth-watering travel foodie posts.)

RECOMMENDED:
DBGB Kitchen & Bar
299 Bowery (btw Houston & 1st Street)
New York, NY 10003

'inoteca
98 Rivington Street (at Ludlow)
New York, NY 10002

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Hi-ho, hi-ho, it's off to TBEX we go

2010-06-24T00:00:00-05:00

Tomorrow morning, Mark and I will be hopping the Chinatown bus for the Big Apple. We're spending the weekend there to attend The Travel Blog Exchange (TBEX '10). We'll actually, I'm attending the conference during the day, and Mark will be catching up with friends and hopefully not getting into too much trouble. We'll regroup at night to compare notes. We haven't been to NYC since hitting the Fancy Foods show in 2008, which I didn't even write about because Mark's car died on the way up and the whole weekend was fairly traumatic. Let's hope the bus proves to be a better transportation option!

TBEX will have lots of interesting sessions about how to improve your writing and monetize your blog and work with PR folk. Not to mention lots of free schwag from a dizzying array of sponsors. But the real reason I'm going is to finally meet, face to face, so many of the travel soopastars whose blogs/podcasts/Twitter streams I've been following for years. What will they be like in person? And what will they think of me? I think Sherry of Ottsworld said it best: "What if the physical me isn’t as interesting and likeable as the virtual me? ...What if they expect me to be funny... smarter... younger... taller?" It's a relief to know I'm not the only one who feels this way. But I'm bringing my platform flip-flops just in case.

There are so many people I'm looking forward to meeting that I can't even begin to list them here. I'm also psyched to meet up with some of my fellow Meet Plan Go hosts, to continue the fantastic online brainstorming and amp up the excitement for our September event. It's gonna be like a reunion, except for the most part we've never even met the first time. Stay tuned for updates on what promises to be a redonkulously good time, no matter your elevation.

WanderFood Wednesday: beer & cheese, who knew?

2010-06-23T00:00:00-05:00

In honor of DC Foodies Do Good's June tweetup this evening (Macarons & Moscato, yum!) I thought I'd post a few pics from last month's event.

The group gathered in May at my favorite local wine & gourmet foods shop, Red White & Bleu, for a tasting of artisan beers and a sampling of cheese and sausage. I have to admit that I'm not normally a big beer drinker, but I am a steadfast admirer of passion and craftsmanship. And this saucy lineup of beers was something else!

Especially paired with pungent cheeses and melt-in-ya-mouth cinghale sausage. Om nom nom.

The good folks at Red White & Bleu may have made a convert out of me yet. I still have some catching up to do if I want to get to Edward's level though.

Hop on over to Wanderlust & Lipstick's WanderFood Wednesday for more mouth-watering travel foodie posts.

And be sure to visit the DC Foodies Do Good site to see what tasty treats and feel-good-do-good events are lined up!

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Sweet green sublimation

2010-06-20T00:00:00-05:00

wildflowers blooming

The #1 question I get these days is "When's the next big trip?" Unfortunately, the way this year has turned out, it looks like we won't be doing any extended international travel. I know, it's killing me! My passport is highly offended to be sitting in the closet collecting dust. We've got some fun US trips coming up, but it's not the same.

So what's a Global Grrl to do when faced with a travel hiatus? Transfer that impulse into something more homebound, namely gardening. I took some of the lessons learned from last year's experimentation with the Special Olympics Victory Garden, and decided I was going to crank it up a notch this year. Notably:

* Move the veggies out to the front yard, where there's a whole lot more sun!

* Start seedlings inside with a proper grow light in more stable conditions.

* You can just never, ever have enough compost.

* Start early and plant late; cool weather crops like brassicas and root veggies can go out much earlier than other crops. I'm also planning to re-plant a bunch in the fall.

I got a set of cheap plastic shelves from Home Depot, hooked up some fluorescent lights on a timer, and gathered a handful of leftover pots and recycled plastic packaging. Suddenly every container that passed through the kitchen was a potential planter! I got pretty handy with the drill, too, to make sure each vessel had the appropriate drainage. Add in some free seeds from excellent sources like Wintersown and Washington Gardener Magazine's seed swap, and we were in business! After a few weeks, our basement looked as though something highly illicit was going on. I don't watch the show "Weeds," but I began to feel a strange kinship with Mary-Louise Parker, even though it really was just boring stuff like parsley and kale being grown down there.

hardening off plants by setting them out on the deck for a few hours a day

Soon enough, it was time to start moving the plants outside. I struggled once again with having to create a garden plot from scratch, and wasted some time dithering over materials. This time it wouldn't be enough to nail some boards together in an odd corner of the backyard. We were moving into front yard territory, where the stakes are higher! I spent some time ripping out scraggly evergreen bushes (backbreaking work) and layering compost and shredded newspaper in their place. And I eventually decidd to buy some pre-made raised beds from Gardener's Supply, in conjunction with some cheap border material from Home Depot. No point spending time and money building expensive permanent structures when I didn't even know if this latest experiment was going to work any better than last year!

It was pretty funny to see an area that had been covered in three feet of snow not that long ago transformed into an edible landscape. And 'twas so subversive to rip up patches of grass, that sacred symbol of The American Dream! Moo hoo ha ha haaaa.

my spanky new Grow a Row sign

I ended up with four raised beds in the front yard. There's actually a considerable amount of shade from nearby trees, but I'm hoping there's enough sun to produce lots of delicious veggies. In fact, this year I've decided to participate in the Grow a Row program, where the Capital Area Food Bank pairs gardeners with food banks and other nonprofits that feed the hungry. Mark thinks the whole concept is pretty funny. I don't think I grew an entire row of anything all season last year, and now we're going to give stuff away? We'll see. So far I've had a profusion of leafy greens, and a few radishes. I didn't get the brassicas in the ground early enough, and while the broccoli and bok choi plants got huge, some started to bolt (flower and go to seed) before I was able to harvest anything edible. But, the experiment continues!

lush purple bush beans

I decided to try a "Three Sisters" patch with corn, several types of squash, and beans. Almost all plants were grown from seeds I got for free! Gotta love that.

tomaters a-comin'

I started a *ton* of tomato plants from seeds this year. The seeds came from a variety of places: saved from last year's few tomatoes, obtained for free, or in a few specialty cases actually purchased. These mostly-heirloom tomatoes have fun & funky names like "Razzleberry," "Black Cherry," and "Woodle." We'll see what kinds of 'maters start showing up! So far I've spotted a few flowers, which is a good sign, but most of the plants are still too small to produce anything so early in the season.

Cherokee lettuce, my new fave!

At the end of the day, no matter how many veggies get eaten in our kitchen or donated to charity, I still enjoy this pursuit. There's something zen about digging in the dirt and communing with earthworms. (They sure don't talk back or complain that your project is behind schedule or ask where your updated budget figures are!) It's a connection to my mom and grandmother, who taught me to appreciate the magic of popping a seed in some dirt and coming back to find a living plant. OK, it's not as much fun as spending a month in Italy, but if we're gonna be stuck at the homestead it's not a bad way to pass the time.

perennial wildflower mix

RELATED LINKS:
* read all garden-related blog posts
* browse all garden pics
* our upcoming travel schedule
* support the Capital Area Food Bank
* more info about Three Sisters Gardens
* Wintersown - learn to sow seeds outdoors!
* Washington Gardener Magazine

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Meet, Plan, Go!

2010-06-14T00:00:00-05:00

The movie version of Eat, Pray, Love is coming out later this summer, amidst great hoopla. Fans of the book are excited. Fans of Julia Roberts are excited. Fans of chick flicks are just about beside themselves. And the travel community is psyched for an entirely different reason: yet another mainstream outlet is helping legitimize the concept of a career break.

Back in 2007 when I quit my job to travel through Central America, I didn't realize I was taking a "career break." I just knew it was time for a change! Inspired by superstars Rolf Potts and Rita Golden Gelman as much as "real" travel bloggers out there living the dream like Christine Gilbert of Almost Fearless and Sherry Ott of Ottsworld, I was able to find lots of support and inspiration among the online travel community. And I was fortunate to have been raised in a family where international travel was always highly valued. So while it wasn't all that tough for me to make the leap, it was still a pretty big leap to make. Knowing in your heart that you can do something, and convincing your rational brain that it's a good idea, are two totally different things!

Which is why I was so jazzed to hear that the folks at Briefcase to Backpack are planning an event this fall to connect future cubicle escapees with the resources and encouragement to make it happen. Meet, Plan, Go! is a nationwide event happening simultaneously in a dozen locations on the evening of September 14. Despite being common in Europe and Australia, taking a break for extended travel is still anathema to our workaholic US culture. This is a chance to make the leap from "I wish I could do that!" by MEETing with like-minded travelers so you can PLAN to make that dream trip a reality and get out there and GO! Speakers will discuss practical topics like how to financially plan for a big trip, share inspirational stories about how they made the leap, and provide helpful advice on how to capitalize on your experience when you return to the job market.

Interested in learning more? Sign up for the Meet, Plan, Go! newsletter by June 18 for a chance to win Lonely Planet's "The Big Trip," a guide to career breaks. Event registration will be up and running soon. This event is free and will be held in cities around the US and Canada, so check the site to see if it's coming to a location near you. One lucky attendee will win a trip from Gap Adventures. I'm honored to be hosting the DC event and am working on lining up speakers and sponsors. If you're interested in helping out, drop me a line.

So, let's review:

    * You get to come to a free event and learn about traveling the world
    * You get to network with other people who have traveled the world
    * You get the chance to win a free trip somewhere in the world

What are YOU waiting for???

RELATED LINKS:
* Meet, Plan, Go!
* MPG Facebook fan page
* MPG Twitter feed
* Gap Adventures
* Eat, Pray, Love [the book]
* Eat, Pray, Love [the movie]
* Rita Golden Gelman's site
* Rolf Potts's site
[for other great travel blogs, check out our blogroll at right]

Photo Friday: another view of colonial Williamsburg

2010-06-04T00:00:00-05:00

On a last-minute whim, we spent Memorial Weekend with our friends Mat & Jen in Williamsburg, VA. None of us are particularly history buffs, so we wound up visiting slightly more alternative sights. (Are you the least bit surprised? I thought not.)

brewery tour of Williamsburg Ale Werks

lunch and tour at Williamsburg Winery

grapes and sunshine... a happy place

this MY United States of Whatever!

one if by land, two if by beer

obligatory colonial building shot,
just to prove we were there

RELATED LINKS:
* browse all Williamsburg pics
* check out more fabulous travel photos at Delicious Baby's Photo Friday

Photo Friday: showing your O face

2010-05-28T00:00:00-05:00

This time last year, we were heading out to Osyrusfest 2009, a music festival in Pennsylvania hosted by our friends Preston & Paul Hoffman.

Relaxed cookouts in a bucolic setting by day...

creek and old schoolhouse

Rocking shows in the quarry by night...

I'll see you on the dark side of the moon

And oktapodi made friends with a whole slew of hippie-ravers!

Check out more fabulous travel photos at Delicious Baby's Photo Friday.

RELATED LINKS:
* original post: Kicking off summer with The Big O
* browse all Osyrusfest 2009 pics
* Osyrusfest 2010, June 10-12

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WanderFood Wednesday: wait for it...

2010-05-19T00:00:00-05:00

Happiness is plucking a juicy, ripe, red strawberry off a plant in your own backyard, before the birds and squirrels get to it.

This one is juuuuuuuuuust about ready. It's been taunting me from out on our deck for about a week now. I can see it from my kitchen window. So close!

Ah, the yearnings of springtime.

Technically, this post is a bit of a stretch for WanderFood Wednesday, since I didn't even leave my house. But I'm pretty sure anyone who saw me on the deck this morning, in a bathrobe, meticulously photographing this strawberry, would strongly recommend a trip to the looney bin. So there you go.

Hop on over to Wanderlust & Lipstick's WanderFood Wednesday for more mouth-watering travel foodie posts.

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Photo Friday: make a run for the border

2010-05-07T00:00:00-05:00

US-Mexico border, um, fence?

With all the recent talk of immigration reform, I thought I'd post a few Photo Friday pics from our recent brush with the border. While we were out visiting the Jacumba Hot Springs, about an hour outside San Diego, my aunt took us on a short detour to see The Border. It was kinda trippy.

Auntie, Mark, and oktapodi consider making a run for it

even crappier fencing, and the Border Patrol on the hill

At one segment, there's this weird porous fencing with metal beams. (Someone speculated it may be designed that way in case of flooding. Who knows?) Then there's another segment with flimsy corrugated metal sheets. And the Border Patrol, in their shiny SUVs, are omnipresent.

warning! warning!

the Mexican side actually looks quite lovely, through the fence, anyway

I was expecting to get stopped for taking photos, but I guess we didn't look suspicious enough.

More photos from our spectacular San Diego junket coming soon, I promise! In the meantime, please check out the fabulous travel photos at Delicious Baby's Photo Friday.

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Photo Friday: EarthFair in Balboa Park

2010-04-23T00:00:00-05:00

In honor of the 40th anniversary of Earth Day, here are a few teaser pics from EarthFair which took place in San Diego's Balboa Park last Sunday, April 18. This enormous fest, which spread throughout the entire park, provided classic California crunchy goodness, and of course some great people-watching!

plastic baglady from the Algalita Marine Research Foundation

En route to find the world music stage, we encountered this woman dressed entirely in plastic bags. Her group's exhibit raised awareness on the perilous impact our society's addiction to overpackaging has had on our planet. (Can you tell this is an issue I am firmly behind?) I also loved her octopus accoutrement, and she was happy to strike a pose with oktpodi.

representation of the Pacific Garbage Gyre

save the shrimp!

reducing our plastic consumption is everyone's responsibility

More fun pics coming soon from EarthFair and the rest of last weekend's San Diego trip! In the meantime, check out more fabulous travel photos at Delicious Baby's Photo Friday.

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WanderFood Wednesday: fish tacos and a fabulous view at George's

2010-04-21T00:00:00-05:00

I took a llllllllllot of pictures during our recent visit to San Diego, indeed I did. (Hey, it's not my fault everything is so damn gorgeous everywhere you look!) You're going to have to wait a bit longer while I process all those photos, gentle reader. But in the meantime I have a delicious teaser, just in time for WanderFood Wednesday.

Oh, how did I love our lunch at George's at the Cove in La Jolla? Let me count the ways.

well, there's the ridiculously amazing view

the wonderful beer & wine list

pasta with clam sauce

mmmmm, fish tacos

um, yeah, a good time was had by all

and here's a view looking up at George's from down in the Cove

If you find yourself in La Jolla, you just gotta check out George's. Be sure to head to the "Ocean Terrace" on the top level, where you get the best views. The food is amazing on all three levels; you just can't go wrong. The ceviche was so good I couldn't even get a picture of it before we scarfed it down. And you can walk off all those delicious calories afterwards by taking a nice stroll down to the Cove to admire the birds, seals, and oceany goodness.

Hop on over to Wanderlust & Lipstick's WanderFood Wednesday for more mouth-watering travel foodie posts.

RECOMMENDED:
George's at the Cove
1250 Prospect Street
La Jolla, CA 92037

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Torrey Pines

2010-04-17T00:00:00-05:00

Day 2 of our long weekend in San Diego kicked off with a leisurely breakfast and chillaxification at the homestead. Since the whole point of coming out to the Left Coast was to spend time with my new nephew, it was nice to hang with him in his natural habitat. We'd met him a few weeks before at Nana Z's funeral, but there was just too much hustle & bustle to truly appreciate The Jack Attack in full form. Plus he'd almost doubled in size since we last saw him! (Many Cartman jokes ensued, through the course of the weekend.) It was fun to see my brother in dad mode; Eric and Dey are clearly relishing their new role, even if they're not getting much sleep.

The afternoon's activities centered around a hike to Torrey Pines National Reserve, a true So Cal experience. While some people (you know who you are!) hear Torrey Pines and think world-class golf, those less inclined to chase after a little white ball come to Torrey Pines for the dazzling coastal desert landscape and friendly hiking paths along the beach. There are several trails to follow, all of them fairly accessible even to pallid TPS reportjockeys. It was delicious to be out in the fresh air and exercise our floppy appendages!

the gang at Torrey Pines

We took the beach path back to the car, watching with some bemusement as the entire beach patrol and several emergency vehicles were called in to rescue some dumbass twentysomethings who'd ignored the huge PLEASE DO NOT CLIMB THE BLUFFS signs. Sheesh. After a quick lunch in Del Mar (swank!) we headed to the supermarket to get supplies for the evening's festivities.

chillaxed and garlicrific dinner party

A perfect California day was topped off by a perfect California BBQ at Eric & Dey's place. With the addition of Dey's sister and nephew, Eric's chum from high school, and a vendor-turned-comrade whom I rarely get to see, we grilled up a bunch of kebobs and had a garlic-laden Mediterranean meal. Good friends, good food, and good weather. What more could you ask?

RELATED LINKS:
* Torrey Pines National Reserve (highly recommended!)
* browse all San Diego pics
* previous day's post: California's all right, somebody check my brain

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California's all right, somebody check my brain

2010-04-16T00:00:00-05:00

We began our San Diego junket, after an uneventful flight and a quick lunch, with a trip out to Jacumba Hot Springs. Some might question the logic of a cross-country journey followed immediately by a drive out to the middle of nowhere. But when my aunt offered to take us to the natural springs, it seemed an opportunity not to be missed.

We drove nearly an hour outside San Diego, past some stunning desert landscapes. It's easy to forget that the lush green scenery we take for granted on the East Coast is not the norm in other parts of the country. Or, as my grandmother famously declared upon first visiting her daugher in San Diego, "These mountains don't grow trees, they grow rocks!" OK, it's not for everyone, but I relished the change of surroundings.

Auntie, Mark, and oktapodi consider making a run for it

Before hitting the springs, we made a run for the border. Jacumba is literally right across the border from Mexico, and this was an opportunity to check out the infamous fence. Politics aside, it was a bit of a trippy experience. The actual fence was a mishmash of materials, ranging from corrugated metal sheets to a porous-looking series of rusty beams. The omnipresent border patrol skulked around in the shiny SUVs, and the Mexican side of the fence actually looked more well-maintained.

Border approach duly documented, it was time to hit the Springs! Jacumba Hot Springs Spa is a quirky little morsel of times gone by, when Depression-era movie stars came to soak in the sulfuric salubrity. The place is retro and then some! Back in its heyday, it was the place to be seen. These days... well... my aunt put it best as we were getting out of the car: "funky!"

frozen in time

There are several different pools fed by the nearby spring, but to really soak up the essence of the place I recommend spending time in "the spa," a small room containing a tiled pool about the size of a hot tub. It was hot & stinky and a little slimy, but the most interesting characters streamed through there. For, as with days gone by, one goes to the Jacumba Hot Springs as much for the peoplewatching and conversation as for the purported health benefits of the mineral-laden water.

Sufficiently aromatic, and more than a little pruney, we piled back into the car and headed back to civilization. By the time we got back to my brother's place in San Diego, between the jetlag and the somnolent car ride, we didn't last long before crashing. But our San Diego stint was off to a great start!

Next up: Torrey Pines

RELATED LINKS:
* Jacumba Hot Springs site
* browse all San Diego pics

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WanderFood Wednesday: what a pair!

2010-04-14T00:00:00-05:00

Tahitian Vanilla Bean, Hazelnut, and 64% Bittersweet chocolates

You can keep your raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens... Two of *my* favorite things are red wine and chocolate. And clearly I'm not the only one who feels this way, as evidenced by the near-maximum-capacity crowd at DC Foodies Do Good's April Tweetup: What a Pair! A Blind Red Wine and Chocolate Tasting at Carafe Winemakers in Alexandria.

Tanisha pours mystery wine #3

Wine educator Tanisha Townsend of The GrapeVine set the stage by explaining that we'd be served three wines in a double-blind tasting. This meant that we would need to pair the wines with both the correct varietal and the correct description on the sheets in front of us. Whew! Fortunately the DC Foodies crew was up to the task, and we diligently set about identifying the merlot, cabernet sauvignon, and grenache (which, craftily, was a fortified wine similar to a port).

handmade baked goodies

Meanwhile we were treated to chocolates by Artisan Confections and some handmade baked goods from Cakes by the Pound. Heaven! Tanisha explained the difference between “dark fruits” prominent in a cabernet sauvignon and “red fruits” that typically dominate merlot. Darker chocolates, with deep-roasted flavors, pair well with wines having dark, toasty, or chocolatey notes themselves. And the less-sweet the chocolate -- typically those with a higher cacao percentage-- the more likely it will play nice with red wine.

Jennifer, Amy, and Mark do their homework, while Fox 5's Gwen Tolbart supervises

But, let's face it, you can dutifully listen to all the wine education your little pea brain can hold and it still comes down to this: Drink What You Like. Break the rules, it's more fun that way! And I can say without hesitation: red wine & chocolate, me likey! Very erudite, eh?

more fabulous Artisan chocolates

This post is part of Wanderlust & Lipstick's WanderFood Wednesday series. Head on over there for more delicious foodie travel posts!

And if you're a DC-area foodie do-gooder, please join us for one or both of our May events:
* May 6 - Tweetup #5: Stout & Stilton, An Extraordinary Night of Beer and Cheese Pairing
* May 22 - Do-Good Event: breakfast service at Carpenter’s Shelter

RELATED LINKS:
* Carafe Winemakers (where you can blend and bottle your own wines!)
* The GrapeVine LLC | Facebook tasting club
* Artisan Confections
* DC Foodies Do Good

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Photo Friday: wish I were here

2010-04-09T00:00:00-05:00

It's been one of those weeks where I look at a picture like this and just sigh...

Bella Venezia: stunning little random canal

RELATED LINKS:
* browse all Venice pics from our 2009 trip
* check out more fabulous travel photos at Delicious Baby's Photo Friday

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Photo Friday: signs of spring

2010-04-02T00:00:00-05:00

Roll the car windows down, dust off those flip-flops, take whatever allergy medications allow you to go outdoors without dissolving into a sneezing-wheezing mess... it's springtime, kiddies! After a fairly brutal winter, we've skipped a few short weeks ahead and it's time to celebrate Mother Nature instead of cursing her.

Here are a few quick before & after signs of spring around my 'hood:

the pear tree in our backyard, circa mid-Feb during snOMG

same pear tree this week, white for a totally different reason!

cherry tree in our front yard, mid-snowpocalypse

same tree, much happier this week!

I have no idea what this tree is called...

...but it sports the most gorgeous blossoms this time of year

joy! the hostas I thought I killed last year have actually returned

yeah, the mint in the front planter always comes back, but it's still nice to see it

A totally different sort of wildlife comes out this time of year, too. Witness:

wild & woolly winter creature

mild springtime urban deckdwellers

BTW, with the exception of that last shot, which was taken by one of my brothers during a recent family gathering in Philly, all of these photos were captured with my iPhone. It definitely doesn't replace my trusty SLR, but I'm pretty psyched with the quality of the snaps.

The other two classic signs of springtime in Washington are, of course, the Cherry Blossoms and the WaPo Peeps Show Diorama contest. How are you celebrating spring?

For more great travel photos, be sure to visit Delicious Baby's Photo Friday.

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WanderFood Wednesday: DC Foodies Do Good at Miriam's Kitchen

2010-03-31T00:00:00-05:00

It's no secret that I'm both a foodie and a do-gooder, so I was really psyched to find a group that combines both of these pursuits. Started by acclaimed cookbook author Robyn Webb and fellow foodie Line Storgaard-Conley, DC Foodies Do Good gives folks a chance to sample the finer things in life *and* give back to those who have much less. Mark and I helped out at their January event serving dinner at Miriam's Kitchen, and also enjoyed a fabulous chocolate tasting in February. Good times.

DC Foodies Do Good were at Miriam's Kitchen again this week, serving breakfast, and I am so proud to show off the coverage they got on Fox's morning news! Check out my multi-talented man, who not only answers Holly Morris's questions with impressive aplomb, given the ungodly hour, but also pours and flips pancakes like a pro. Is he a keeper or what?

Congrats, Robyn & team, for a great segment! There's also a lovely writeup and link to this video on HuffPo. I hope this inspires people to get out and volunteer, either with DCFDG or another group.

DC Foodies Do Good next events:
* April 7 - red wine & chocolate tasting
* April 25 - lunch service at New Endeavors by Women

Hop on over to Wanderlust & Lipstick's WanderFood Wednesday for more fantastic foodie posts.

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Celebrating Joan at the National Cherry Blossom Festival

2010-03-28T00:00:00-05:00

blossomtastic

This year, I decided to celebrate my mom's birthday by volunteering at the National Cherry Blossom Festival. It was a beautiful, if slightly chilly, day to be downtown on the Mall.

The Cherry Blossom Festival lasts two weeks and tends to be one of those things Washingtonians do once or twice and then cross off the list. It marks the official start of tourist season, wherein legions of fanny-packin' clueless zombies invade the National Mall and clog up the Metro by not standing on the right side of the escalators. That being said, it's also a wonderful time to celebrate the classic beauty of our Nation's capital.

NCBF volunteers and our new Park Service friend

The focal point of the Fest is the Tidal Basin, where thousands of cherry trees frame the Jefferson Memorial. (These trees were presented in 1912 by the mayor of Tokyo, to replace the original batch, which all died of disease a few years earlier.) However, this year the organizers moved the performances, and the info booth, to the Sylvan Theatre Stage. You may remember this stage from such memorable gigs as American Giant's May 2009 show. It's at the base of the Washington Monument, which is a pretty kickass setting. There are plenty of cherry trees at this site as well, so even though the volunteers spent our time at this location we were able to see lots of blossoms.

Kyo Daiko troupe from Philly

All in all, it was a great way to commemorate my mom while doing some community service and getting some fresh air. Happy Birthday, JEZ!

RELATED LINKS:
* browse all Cherry Blossom pics
* Celebrating Joan with the first seedlings of the season
* I'm with the band
* Celebrate Joan, a site to celebrate the bright & shiny life of Joan Zamborsky
* National Cherry Blossom Festival official site | performance schedule

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WanderFood Wednesday: I <3 kale

2010-03-17T00:00:00-05:00

kale veggie stirfry

This is the perfect time of year to wax poetic about kale.

Still with me? (You're a hardcore bunch of readers and I LOVE you for it!) Allow me to 'splain. We all know that kale is a superstar veggie, ridiculously chockfull of vitamins and minerals and sooooooo good for ya. It's one of the world's healthiest foods. But it's not all that celebrated in its raw form, most notoriously known as salad bar garnish because of the rigidity of its leaves.

nagoya kale seedlings

Well, I'm excited to be growing several kinds of kale in the garden this year. So I did a bit of research and found some fabulous recipes befitting this fabulous vegetable. One particular recipe, a sausage & kale soup I found in an organic seed company's newsletter, has become my new favorite food and I've been singing its praises every chance I get. The recipe is pretty simple -- spicy turkey sausage, fat-free chicken broth, a ton of kale & garlic, and some cannelini beans, with a dash of your favorite spices to kick it up a notch -- and is really easy to make. It freezes well too. Everytime I eat this soup, I feel like Popeye! It's been a truly awesome tool to battle the nasty colds going around in this season of transition. And the massive amounts of garlic have helped keep vampires away. :)

lacinato kale seedlings

We'll see how my two types of kale -- a purplish nagoya and an heirloom lacinato -- do in the garden. So far the seedlings seem to be pretty robust, and I've been hardening them off for a few hours outside each day, but I haven't had the chance to actually put them in the ground yet. They'll definitely go in soon, as kale (like fellow brassicas broccoli and cauliflower) flourishes in cool spring weather. I am *so* stoked about the possibility of lots and lots of fresh kale coming straight from my front yard! BTW, the pic at the top is from a kale-barley casserole recipe. It was a bit bland the first time around, so I'm going to experiment with it some more. The stirfry was just gorgeous, though.

If you have any favorite kale recipes, send 'em my way!

Hop on over to Wanderlust & Lipstick's WanderFood Wednesday for more mouth-watering pics.

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