Ummmm ! Safeway Ready to Bar-be-que

Ummmm ! Safeway Ready to Bar-be-que, originally uploaded by shashiBellamkonda.

When food is displayed like this it makes it very appetizing, So I could not resist taking this picture. When we barbeque at home we use the same combination of Onion, Green pepper, tofu or paneer cubes, pineapple, tomato .

The marinade is a good mixture of spices with yogurt. If you go to indian Store nearby please buy the Badshah "Punjabi Chole Masala" - thats my recommendation for mixing with yogurt.

If you try it pleae comment here and let us know how it worked.

Chicago's JohnBarleyCorn

WRIGLEYVILLE

3524 N. Clark Street, Chicago, IL 60057
Phone: 773.549.6000
Fax: 773.549.6194
Monday-Tuesday: Closed
Wednesday-Friday: 5:00pm-2:00am
Saturday: 10:00am-3:00am
Sunday: 2 hours prior to Bears Game

I am not sure this watering hole near Chicago's Wrigley Field is in anyway related to the book "John Barleycorn: Alcoholic Memoirs" by  Jack London. JohnbarleyCorn was the place where the TechCocktail mixer was after the TechCocktail conference. Wikipedia has a page on the song of this name http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Barleycorn

These guys in the picture trusted me to take them to John Barleycorn from Downtown. With the cubs game the same evening it was good we took the Metro. $2 took us from the redline station Chicago to Addison. The walk from the station is about 2 blocks.  The interior is similar to most pubs. The place is huge. I wish I had more time to review this but in the 15 minutes I spent there nursing my 312 beer. First time I am having this local Chicago brew from Goose Island Beers. This is not available in Maryland and is unfiltered. The taste was very good of freshly brewed hops.

It took us about an hour to go to Midway airport from JohnbarleyCorn. When i go back to Chicago I plan to go back to this place.

What is the brew that is a speciality in your town ? It always good to try the beers that you don't get to taste regularly.

Avoid Food at the Woodley Park National Zoo In DC

(Picture of the $4.50 Grilled Chicken burger served at the Panda Grill.)

The visit to the National Zoo at Woodley Park in Washington DC was awesome. See pictures here http://www.flickr.com/photos/drbeachvacation/sets/72157605253774678/ .

Some tips if you are going with kids.

Go in the morning: It seems like most of the demos are in the morning around 11.3o. The zoo opens at 6 a.m so a early start will help you avoid the crowds

Take a stroller : Its a long walk from the Woodley Park Metro and also within the Zoo you have a long walk so if you have small kids a stroller is a must. Most places are stroller friendly.

Update : From PattyHankins Cleveland Park Metro is same distance to the zoo as Woodley Park Metro. Walk is flat - not uphilll

RestRoom Lines : The rest room lines at the visitor center are large but at the Panda place there are smaller lines.

Bird House : This is a great place for the kids an they can see the birds in the cages and in the indoor and outdoor bird houses.

Food : Take your own food or eat at the good restaurants outside the zoo. After the long and slow moving line the picture of the Chicken burger is what we got and it was not eatable unless you liked bland tasting chicken between a bun.

Granted Zoos have a duty to serve the animals and are not supposed to be experts at catering but this is a prestigious zoo in the capital city and should have the formula right.

I used the contact page at the ZOO web site to send a link to this picture. I was happy to get a prompt response from Amy:

I would like to apologize for your experience at Panda Grille on May 25,2008. We are in the process of changing to a higher quality chicken filet and will begin offering it in the next week or two.
During the spring, we hire many new cashiers and each learns at a different pace. We are working with all of our new cashiers to ensure they provide efficient, courteous service.
I hope you will have the opportunity to visit the zoo again soon and that your experience at our facilities more enjoyable.

I wrote back and asked the question "Is it typical that the burger does not have any vegetables like tomatoes, lettuce etc? "

The reply from Amy:

At Panda Grille, we do not serve vegetables on the sandwiches because we do not have the prep/kitchen space at this time. We have a fixings bar with lettuce, tomato, onion and pickles at the Mane Restaurant.

I am not sure if I can comprehend this but one thing I am sure of is that ou are better off going out or bringing your own food. Of course the table next to us seemed to enjoy the chicken tenders.

Renaissance M Street Hotel

I went there for a Communications course organized by PRSA. Nice hotel and always busy. One thing however was that the breakfast was in a room at another level so that was inconvenient. Lunch was at the M Bar in a private room. I should try this hotel again for a quick lunch meeting.

 

 

Coconut filling, Banana and White Chocolate cup cakes

BusBoys And Poets

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This cool eating and meeting place came to my notice through Leslie Bradshaw and Jesse Thomas of Jess3 who advice BusBoys and Poets on their Social media Strategy. Jeff Pulver always organizes the Social Media breakfast here after Shana Glickfield recommended it to him( She should know she is the @dcconcierge).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The coffee is awesome and the staff fabulous. as the staff greet you, I almost expect them to burst into song and Michael the Manager who is a music major, may even play the piano :)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Network Solutions along with DC Media Makers and Jonny's par-tay is holding a networking event with Rohit Bhargava author of Personality Not Included on June 4th. The event got full out within 20 minutes of the campaign emails being sent out.

While I highly recommend the breakfast choice, nice coffee and scones, I have to go to Busboysandpoets in the evening to let you know how the atmosphere and food is in the evening.

Well they have free wi-fi , a book store and a Open mic night on Tuesdays that gets full very fast.

Costco whole wheat wraps and Dal

Costco whole wheat wraps, originally uploaded by shashiBellamkonda.

One of the best meals today was to heat up these wraps from Costco which are very healthy and then get black dal from Bombay Bistro in Rockville. The wrpas I think cost 4 to5 dollars ( i dont buy this my wife does so please check for prices on your own).

Black dal at Bombay bistro costs $6.50 and 2 people can eat. Thats a good meal and there is no meat involved and yet there is protein :)

Bombay Bistro - Rockville

98 W. Montgomery Ave., Rockville, MD 20850

301-762-8798

Disclaimer: I used to work here in another life. If you are going there say hi to 'madhukar" . he is the guy with a mustache.

Indo-Chinese War hots up in Herndon

Wah Taj
2545-Q13 Centreville Road
(Next to Staples)
Herndon VA 20171
Phone: 703-793-3044

Chicken Hakka Noodles, originally uploaded by shashiBellamkonda.

Ok This is not about politics ! This is about the war of restaurants serving Indo-chinese food especially in Herndon, VA. This type of food is very popular in India and now Indian restaurant owners are taking note. We have previously reviewed Masala Wok and today we ate at its competitor Wah Taj about 3 miles down the road at the corner of Centerville Road and Coppermine ( next to Staples) serving Indian Chinese food, Dosas (nice crisp pancakes that can be ordered filled with stuffing) in Herndon VA

The food was tasty a mite bit oily. Portions were huge. Only after some time di i notice that the 2 giant plasma screens were showing the new Indian professional cricket matches.




The crowd was almost entirely ethnic Indian so that should give you an idea that this kind of cuisine attracts the "desis" - (term used colloquially to mean South Asian immigrants and their descendants http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desi) Cricket, Indo-chinese food what else does one need ? How about wi-fi so we can come and hang out when India plays Pakistan ?

Other reviews of this restaurant: http://moldiver.wordpress.com/2008/04/24/indian-chinese-wah-taj-herndon-va/

http://www.herndoncuisine.com/wahtaj.html

Kiss Cafe in Canton, Baltimore

Kiss Cafe in Canton, Baltimore, originally uploaded by shashiBellamkonda.

Pretty cool place even if it is 60 miles from my home in Rockville MD. Contemporary look, plenty of parking , friendly staff and free wi-fi. I think this is a hangout for many tech and yuppie types. SInce I dont' live in Baltimore please correct me or add your own thoughts about Kiss Cafe.

2400 Boston Street
Baltimore, MD 21224
Phone: (410) 327-9889

Snow White on Elden Street in Herndon VA - Theatre

The next performance of my cube neighbor Diana Chau is Snow White with Elden Street Players’ Theater for Young Audiences. She is playing the Queen/Evil Witch among an extremely strong cast of 7 others.

Here is what Diana Said about the show:

This show is different than your Disney version of Snow White, but definitely a crowd pleaser for children and adults alike. This show will sell out, so please make your reservations early if you plan to attend. Tickets go on sale May 15th. Children are welcomed and encouraged to come dressed up in their princess/fairy tale/Disney costumes. Hope to see you there!

Show Synopsis: http://www.eldenstreetplayers.org/YoungAudiences/CurrentSeason/SnowWhite.htm


Performance Dates & Times:

Saturday, June 14th 11am, 2pm

Sunday, June 15th noon

Saturday, June 21st 11am, 2pm

Sunday, June 22nd 2pm

Saturday, June 28th 11am, 2pm

Sunday, June 22nd 2pm



Performance Location:

The Industrial Strength Theatre
269 Sunset Park Drive, Herndon, VA 20170-5220
in the Sunset Business Park



Ticket Reservations: (703) 481-5930 option 3

Group Reservations: Call Mary Ann Hall (703) 925-8300 x 4
http://www.eldenstreetplayers.org/YoungAudiences/CurrentSeason/SnowWhite.htm

SmallBizSurvival.com releases EBook - 20 Small Business Ideas for Small Towns

BeckyMcCray of SmallBizSurival.com released a e-book resource for Small Business Owners in Small towns. From Becky's blog :

Need ideas for a small town small business? We have a new ebook for you.
20 Small Business Ideas for Small Towns is a short ebook detailing 20 different ways you can make a successful business in a small town. It also covers seven ways to generate your own ideas, so you can dream up the small biz idea that best fits you.
This booklet is brought to you by Network Solutions.

First SocialDevCamp on May 10th In Baltimore

In the new media its amazing to find that conferences are being organized pretty quickly. Between the time that I heard of SocialDevCamp and the date its being held there was a gap of 30 days.

Dave Troy says "developers and thought leaders who are interested in imagining the future of the web, not just where it is today."

Network Solutions is one of the sponsors of this event.  I am excited to be going tomorrow.  Details of the event are at http://barcamp.pbwiki.com/SocialDevCampEast

 

Will try to create a lot of media and have a day of knowledge and networking.

Message in Peanuts - South West Airlines

Humor In the bathroom - Whitlows on Wilson

Teaism Dupont Circle DC

2009 R street NW
Washington, DC 20009
(202) 667-3827
877-8TEAISM

Directions: Just off the corner of Connecticut and R streets, two blocks north of the Dupont Circle metro stop's Q street (north) exit.
View map

Hours:
Monday - Thursday 8:00 am to 10:00 pm
Friday 8:00 am to 11:00 pm
Saturday 9:00 am to 11:00 pm
Sunday 9:00 am to 10:00 pm
Brunch Sat. & Sun. 9:00 am to 2:30 pm

View Menu: [ HTML ] [ PDF ]

 

 

 

Potbelly Sandwiches - always good where ever you go

Potbelly Sandwiches

905 Herndon Pkwy
Herndon, VA 20170
(703) 657-0435
Get directions

I really loved the one in Chicago. I like the way they have their signs, the decor, the common sense approach and live music at lunch time.


See some QIK videos that I made .

Stripping Borders - A one-woman show by Neelam Patel.

Neelam is a good friend and we used to be colleagues at Network Solutions.
Here is what the Washington Post said about Neelam:

“Far from bemoaning how difficult it is to be bicultural, [Patel] is energized by it and uses it to break out as an artist in the Western mode.”
--The Washington Post

Here are the details of her next show:

STRIPPING BORDERS: United I Stand

A play combining poetry and dance about one woman finding her nationhood.

A One Woman Show by Neelam Patel
Directed by Vera Katz

PERFORMING ARTIST, NEELAM PATEL, STIMULATES ARLINGTON WITH POETRY AND DANCE AS SHE GLIDES THROUGH THE TWO WORLDS OF HER INDIAN-AMERICAN IDENTITY IN STRIPPING BORDERS, HER 2ND ONE WOMAN SHOW.

Performance Information:
Venue: Theatre on the Run
3700 South Four Mile Run Dr., Arlington, VA

Dates:
Thursday, June 12th @ 8PM
Friday, June 13th @ 8PM
Saturday, June 14th @ 8PM
Sunday, June 15th @ 3PM

Info:
www.strippingborders.com
strippingborders@gmail.com

_______
This program is supported in part by Arlington County through the Cultural Affairs Division of the Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources and the Arlington Commission for the Arts.

Cooking Thai at home with no oil ( healthy)

My wife Pammy found this Thai Recipe http://en-ulagam.blogspot.com/2006/04/thai-chicken-my-version.html

The recipe posted by Revathi who is a Blogger from Freemont California has some fantastic recipes and great photographs. We made this Thai chicken at home and it was very popular.

The post lists very simple ingredients:
Ingredients

Marinade - 3 cloves garlic finely chopped, 1" peeled ginger finely chopped, A bunch of basil roughly chopped, soy sauce 3 tbp, chilli sauce 2 tbsp, oyster sauce two tsp

Chicken - 1 pound breast meat

Veggies - any of these veggies - bamboo shoots, snap peas, sliced carrots, bell peppers, onions.

We bought Thai Chili sauce and Thai oyster sauce. We had to make this recipe a little more spicy for our taste.

Please visit the post for preparation method http://en-ulagam.blogspot.com/2006/04/thai-chicken-my-version.html

If you try this recipe out I hope you will post a comment to let me know how it went. Thanks.

Thai Luang Reston Revisited

Regular readers of this blog know that I like this Restaurant and have reviewed it before. .

Previous reviews :

http://eatcurry.blogspot.com/2008/02/mobile-post-sent-by-shashib-using_20.html

http://eatcurry.blogspot.com/2005/10/thai-luang-reston.html

SOBCON - Vongs Thai Kitchen is Awesome

Vong's Thai Kitchen,
6 West Hubbard Street Chicago, IL Phone:312.644.8664
Lunch: Mon-Fri 11:30 - 2 • Sat 12 - 4:30 |
Dinner: Mon-Thurs 5:30 - 9:30 • Fri 5:30 - 11 • Sat 4:30 - 11 • Sun 5 - 9