24.4.11
23.4.11
Russell House Tavern
Lighting my cranberry and mandarin scented candle this afternoon while settling down with my Rosetta Stone Italian language learning software, I noticed the logo on my matchbox. Whomever thought that promo matchboxes didn't work clearly wasn't thinking of scented candle lighting.
During the all American East coast road trip, we ate at a great restaurant called the Russell House Tavern. Its a great bar/restaurant where all the local Harvard students hang out and eat oysters on the half shell, fois gras, charcuterie, bone marrow, and crab cakes... seems like the regular University hangout eh? Of course their mommy and daddy must be supplying the platinum Visas for it right?
As we sat down we were presented with a huge menu covering a vast range of delicious courses, a little too overwhelming for me. So as in all our restaurant adventures we decided to let the server pick out a dinner for us of their specialties.
He did a fabulous job! Some of the most fantastic cocktails! Make sure to try the Battle of Trafalgar and the Last Word!
Bringing out course after course of small, sharable items that delighted the taste buds. Of course there were oysters, bone marrow, Anchovy toast, lobster salad, and a crispy poached egg! The food adrenaline was pumping through our veins as the tables on either side of us envied the outrageous selection of goodies in front of us. Our eyes widened and mouths widened even further. The music humming, the waiters bringing out plate after plate of succulence. After we had exasperated the food laid out in front our waiter inquired whether or not we were full, which of course on our food high we were most definitely not! And so the dinner went into the seventh game of the playoffs, third period.
This is when it started getting fatty. Charcuterie flew out of the kitchen and extra crostini to follow. We lapped up the chicken liver Pate, duck ham, and Birkshire Rillette like ravenous dogs. The flavours melting on our tongues and the crostini adding a much appreciated crunch.
Now as much as we love charcuterie, I now believe it is possible to have too much. No longer did we feel like pouncing outside and exploring the rest of Harvard Square, it was more like... cab, shoes off, sleep. Of course we had to end with something light and sweet, a dessert hidden from the menu.
Over the 2 hours we spent diving into the Cambridge food world we had a glorious time and our waiter declared us his BEST TABLE EVER.
Good work Russell House Tavern!
http://www.russellhousecambridge.com/
During the all American East coast road trip, we ate at a great restaurant called the Russell House Tavern. Its a great bar/restaurant where all the local Harvard students hang out and eat oysters on the half shell, fois gras, charcuterie, bone marrow, and crab cakes... seems like the regular University hangout eh? Of course their mommy and daddy must be supplying the platinum Visas for it right?
As we sat down we were presented with a huge menu covering a vast range of delicious courses, a little too overwhelming for me. So as in all our restaurant adventures we decided to let the server pick out a dinner for us of their specialties.
He did a fabulous job! Some of the most fantastic cocktails! Make sure to try the Battle of Trafalgar and the Last Word!
Bringing out course after course of small, sharable items that delighted the taste buds. Of course there were oysters, bone marrow, Anchovy toast, lobster salad, and a crispy poached egg! The food adrenaline was pumping through our veins as the tables on either side of us envied the outrageous selection of goodies in front of us. Our eyes widened and mouths widened even further. The music humming, the waiters bringing out plate after plate of succulence. After we had exasperated the food laid out in front our waiter inquired whether or not we were full, which of course on our food high we were most definitely not! And so the dinner went into the seventh game of the playoffs, third period.
This is when it started getting fatty. Charcuterie flew out of the kitchen and extra crostini to follow. We lapped up the chicken liver Pate, duck ham, and Birkshire Rillette like ravenous dogs. The flavours melting on our tongues and the crostini adding a much appreciated crunch.
Now as much as we love charcuterie, I now believe it is possible to have too much. No longer did we feel like pouncing outside and exploring the rest of Harvard Square, it was more like... cab, shoes off, sleep. Of course we had to end with something light and sweet, a dessert hidden from the menu.
Over the 2 hours we spent diving into the Cambridge food world we had a glorious time and our waiter declared us his BEST TABLE EVER.
Good work Russell House Tavern!
http://www.russellhousecambridge.com/
22.4.11
D.C. Spooks
Spooks are something that only happen in high profile cities. They could be strange people, animals or events that make you ponder whether they served a separate purpose. A more, high profile, undercover, secret intelligence mission purpose. Recently Jared and I traveled to Washington D.C., the capital of spooks. Here are a few of the ones we encountered...
1. Walking down the sidewalk in Georgetown, heading upwards in order to catch a glimpse of Embassy row on our cruise down. Suddenly a small deer careens past a young woman ahead of us! It gallops towards us on a rampage towards anything green, her rear hind leg dangling in a painful way. An older man almost gets knocked over as the deer screeches around a corner and wipes out on the pavement attempting to turn a little to fast...
2. After a lovely reception at the U.S. State Department and a wonderful reunion watching the Capitals win their playoff game, we head to the metro to find our way home. As we are waiting in the station a train labeled "special" rolls in and stops in a dark corner by the escalators. The interior of the train is completely blacked out and dark. The doors open. Two men dressed in full uniform with bulletproof vests and semi automatic machine guns step out and guard the doors. Another guard runs out of the train pushing a huge metal case. Two seconds later returns in the same manner with another metal case. The two armed guards return inside the train and it pulls away through the station. No one around us thinks much of it.
3. Walking around the Washington Monument and notice an unattended bag sitting beside a bench. A security guard is notified and asks the nearest tourists if the bag is theirs. They respond, "no". Security guard begins to dismantle the bag in a careful and collected way... an ominous breeze begins, blowing the surrounding flags in a mysterious fashion.
4. Attempting to finally get out of this strange city, only to get stuck in traffic. 20 minutes later we find vehicles stuck between the two sides of the interstate apparently having attempted to turn around. Police are giving them tickets. Included in this is a large white van (which definitely would NOT have made it across!). As we move towards the crash site we notice a huge black soot mark on the road, police cars everywhere, and two or three dozen young black students sitting on a railing on the side of the interstate. Two minutes down the road stopped at an off-ramp is a school bus, black and smoldering on the back of a giant, bus sized tow truck.
Next time you visit a large and important city, beware, because spooks are everywhere. You just have to keep your eyes open to find them. That or all the special agent movies shot in Washington have gotten the better of us?
1. Walking down the sidewalk in Georgetown, heading upwards in order to catch a glimpse of Embassy row on our cruise down. Suddenly a small deer careens past a young woman ahead of us! It gallops towards us on a rampage towards anything green, her rear hind leg dangling in a painful way. An older man almost gets knocked over as the deer screeches around a corner and wipes out on the pavement attempting to turn a little to fast...
2. After a lovely reception at the U.S. State Department and a wonderful reunion watching the Capitals win their playoff game, we head to the metro to find our way home. As we are waiting in the station a train labeled "special" rolls in and stops in a dark corner by the escalators. The interior of the train is completely blacked out and dark. The doors open. Two men dressed in full uniform with bulletproof vests and semi automatic machine guns step out and guard the doors. Another guard runs out of the train pushing a huge metal case. Two seconds later returns in the same manner with another metal case. The two armed guards return inside the train and it pulls away through the station. No one around us thinks much of it.
3. Walking around the Washington Monument and notice an unattended bag sitting beside a bench. A security guard is notified and asks the nearest tourists if the bag is theirs. They respond, "no". Security guard begins to dismantle the bag in a careful and collected way... an ominous breeze begins, blowing the surrounding flags in a mysterious fashion.
4. Attempting to finally get out of this strange city, only to get stuck in traffic. 20 minutes later we find vehicles stuck between the two sides of the interstate apparently having attempted to turn around. Police are giving them tickets. Included in this is a large white van (which definitely would NOT have made it across!). As we move towards the crash site we notice a huge black soot mark on the road, police cars everywhere, and two or three dozen young black students sitting on a railing on the side of the interstate. Two minutes down the road stopped at an off-ramp is a school bus, black and smoldering on the back of a giant, bus sized tow truck.
Next time you visit a large and important city, beware, because spooks are everywhere. You just have to keep your eyes open to find them. That or all the special agent movies shot in Washington have gotten the better of us?
21.4.11
The Gentle Island
I believe I've officially become an Islander. I just moved into my new house and start my new job on Tuesday in Prince Edward Island, Canada!
The tourism association of PEI has sold this Island as the Gentle Island for quite some time now, and to me it always seemed like a silly way to bring people. There's nothing very excited, fast paced, or busy. No big flashy city to loose yourself in. The downtown of the capital, Charlottetown (pop. 40,000), is about as busy as my original hometown. There's one overpriced yoga studio, two sushi restaurants, and four grocery stores. I haven't counted the Tim Horton's yet.
The first thing you'll notice when you reach the Island is that the soil is red and the drivers are ridiculously courteous. These people will pretty much cause an accident to give away their right of way! If you look across the street, they will stop for you. If you are standing in the road attempting to turn left into your driveway they will stop all oncoming traffic in order to let you through. I suppose you could label this as "gentle"...
Another thing you will notice is that everyone nods and says hello when you are walking down the paths or sidewalks. I've encountered this in smaller towns of say 2,000 people, but it seems that this capital city of a Province has it down pat to make sure that you feel like your living in a tiny village.
I suppose when the airport has one runway and six flights per day going in and out of the Province you realize how much of a microsystem it really is....
The tourism association of PEI has sold this Island as the Gentle Island for quite some time now, and to me it always seemed like a silly way to bring people. There's nothing very excited, fast paced, or busy. No big flashy city to loose yourself in. The downtown of the capital, Charlottetown (pop. 40,000), is about as busy as my original hometown. There's one overpriced yoga studio, two sushi restaurants, and four grocery stores. I haven't counted the Tim Horton's yet.
The first thing you'll notice when you reach the Island is that the soil is red and the drivers are ridiculously courteous. These people will pretty much cause an accident to give away their right of way! If you look across the street, they will stop for you. If you are standing in the road attempting to turn left into your driveway they will stop all oncoming traffic in order to let you through. I suppose you could label this as "gentle"...
Another thing you will notice is that everyone nods and says hello when you are walking down the paths or sidewalks. I've encountered this in smaller towns of say 2,000 people, but it seems that this capital city of a Province has it down pat to make sure that you feel like your living in a tiny village.
I suppose when the airport has one runway and six flights per day going in and out of the Province you realize how much of a microsystem it really is....
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