Feasts
Dear Feasters:
Alton Brown, who hosts the “Good Eats” series on the Food
Network, is one of the seven hosts of that network’s series who make a
Thanksgiving dinner on their All Star Thanksgiving special (http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/show_sp/episode/0,1976,FOOD_9994_35503,00.html).
On that show, in passing, Brown gives good advice about making that
Thanksgiving meal staple, a green bean casserole. You have to use the
canned mushroom soup and the canned fried onions to make it, Brown says.
“Don’t gourmet it up,” he recommends, or nobody will want to eat
it.
Young children never want to eat anything new, anything they haven’t
eaten before. They want familiar food. More of the same once more again,
thank you very much. It’s a good way for them to be sure that their
parents won’t poison them or, worse, make them try the stuffing with
oysters instead of the one with raisins. We all revert to childhood for
ritual, ceremonial meals, of which Thanksgiving is the primary example
in Americans. The best ceremonial meal is exactly the same as the one
you have had every year before that. The best green bean casserole at
Thanksgiving is the one you’ve had since you were ten, just as the
best macaroni and cheese isn’t the four-cheese frou-frou version, but
the two-cheese (Velveeta and cheddar) version your mother made. That is
why families go to war over serving biscuits or cornbread, over whether
the stuffing should contain pork sausage, and over whether the pie
should be pumpkin or sweet potato.
Have a nice, traditional holiday, as shall we — if I can’t
convince Dorothy to go out for Peking duck.
Gary Imhoff
themail@dcwatch.com
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Outta My Price Range
Ed T. Barron, edtb@aoldotcom
Checked out the prices for season’s tickets for the major League
baseball games at RFK Stadium. High prices for the better seats and out
of my price range. The affordable seats are so far from home plate in
the upper deck, that to get a baseball up there you’d have to have
Federal Express deliver it. I’ll wait for the smaller package deals or
the single game offerings. ‘Twill be interesting to see just how many
of those season tickets are reserved by folks outside of DC.
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Sitar Center for the Arts’ New Facilities in Adams Morgan
Phil Shapiro, pshapiro@his.com
I recently stopped by to take a tour of the new facilities of the
Sitar Center for the Arts in Adams Morgan, a nonprofit organization that
brings music instruction, dance, drama, writing and visual arts to
children in Adams Morgan, Columbia Heights, and Mt. Pleasant (http://www.sitarcenter.org).
Walking into the new facility I was stunned at the beauty and expansive
size of the new space — which occupies 10,700 square feet at 1700
Kalorama Road, NW. From the moment you walk in, you realize the
architect who designed this space has created an ideal environment for
students to learn music and the arts. The design of this space is sort
of like Apple’s iPod — functional, beautiful, perfect in proportion.
Currently the Sitar Center for the Arts serves 200 children. It will be
ramping up to serve 500 children.
Right in the same facility is a small auditorium (theater) that seats
85 people. At the back of the theater is a “green room” that looks
and feels every bit as if you’re getting ready to go on stage at a
major theater. I’ll be creating a narrated slideshow tour of the new
Sitar Center facilities to place on the web so that others can feel the
excitement and possibilities of this space. You can view photos from
this slideshow already at http://homepage.mac.com/pshapiro101/PhotoAlbum54.html.
Kudos to founder Rhonda Buckley and everyone else who helped make this
learning space happen. Our city needs several more of these arts
learning spaces for youth. If you’re involved with youth development
in the city, stop by and visit the Sitar Center for the Arts. This
learning space is what our children need to realize their creative and
academic potential.
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The Metro Is Cheap Today
Larry Wissleberry, wissleberry@yahoo.com
The Metro is cheap today
They’re always having sales
But why the off-peak discount?
The train is off the rails
Or engulfed in flame or flood
Riders running for their lives
With escalators stuck in place
Oh, I need the exercise
Plus even though it’s underground
they have a scenic route
on shuttle buses in between
if security’s in doubt
Yes, the drivers may be sleeping
and the hardware aging junk
but they can claim one success
Misbehave and you are sunk
The managers are really bouncers
behind their two inch glass
If somehow they hear your cell phone
it will be your ass
Just try munching on a candy bar
a banana, or a pie
A twelve year old went to jail
over a single French fry!
Though agreeable to snacking
here I take their side
Lunch is a moving target
particularly if she lied
For any fast food diner
long waiting has a hunch
French fries are never loners
There must have been a bunch.
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Service Request Center
Matthew Gilmore, dchist@hotmail.com
In response to [Harold Goldstein’s post, themail, November 17], the
new SRC (Service Request Center) is the online version of 727-1000. I’d
be very interested in hearing how and whether people know about and use
it.
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Quick Response
Ed T. Barron, edtb@aoldotcom
Those who don’t reregister their cars using the DMV’s web site
are missing a good bet. Takes only one or two days to get your new
registration (which begins on the expiration date of your current
registration) and you also get your zone parking listed right on the
registration sticker.
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OK. So three of the four people who wrote to themail about Sharon
Ambrose aren’t very happy about her. Who can we elect to replace her?
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Matt Forman’s mention of a scholarly article about the impact of
stadiums in Cleveland and Baltimore [themail, November 17] reminded me
of an article by an urban planner that ran in the Post a while back long
before the stadium controversy. (Can’t remember when or who the author
was.) He called Cleveland and Baltimore “Potemkin” cities, after the
term “Potemkin village,” which was used to describe villages in the
Soviet Union that were dressed up on the outside for visitors but were
in reality poor and miserable. (In those famous words from Saturday
Night Live, “It is better to look good than to feel good, dahling.”)
As a former Clevelander, I know that downtown Cleveland looks nicer and
the warehouse district where I used to work is prettier and hipper. But
many city neighborhoods are still poor and struggling and the schools
have a terrible reputation. But hey, now we have the Rock n’ Roll Hall
of Fame and Jacobs Field. All better!
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Our editor’s thoughts mirrored mine [themail, November 17] as I
drove down New York Avenue last week and saw the fence around the mid-70’s
convention center being demolished; all the time knowing that the new
glassier version was just behind the fancy high rise to my left. I
thought of the schools I went to in Montgomery County; that, even though
they were less than thirty years old, the citizens of that municipality
decided to make the investment in new schools. Meanwhile, the city
struggles to repair dilapidated schools that are three times as old or
more. The difference in the District is that the green lining of a few
peoples pockets is more important than the education of the majority of
the city’s children.
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A minor correction to [Gary Imhoff’s] otherwise good article about
investment [themail, November 17]. You state the skyboxes will be paid
for by the stockholders in the companies that buy them. Not so. This
“investment” is a tax-deductible expense; hence all taxpayers will
bear it, not the stockholders or the company.
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CLASSIFIEDS — EVENTS
WTU President Candidates Forum, November 22
Erich Martel, ehmartel@starpower.net
Attention Washington Teachers Union members, a candidates forum for
candidates for president of the Washington Teachers Union will be held
at the Sharpe Health School, 4300 13th Street, NW, on Monday, November
22, 4:30 p.m.
Sharpe Health is across from Roosevelt H.S., on the corner of 13th
and Allison Streets, NW.
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World AIDS Day Interfaith Service, December 1
Sarah Blunt Barnett, Sarahbarnett1@starpower.net
World AIDS Day Interfaith Service of readings, meditation, psalms,
singing, and prayer commemorating followed by a reception. Wednesday
evening, December 1, at 7 p.m. St. Columba’s Episcopal Church, 4201
Albemarle Street, NW, one block west of the Tenleytown Metro stop on the
Red Line; 363-4119; http://www.columba.org.
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Washington Storytellers Theater presents a master class with Jo
Tyler, "Mining Gemstones, Polishing Diamonds: How Storytellers Can
Add Value to Business," Saturday, December 4, 10:00 a.m.-2:30 p.m.,
8720 Georgia Avenue, Suite 303, Silver Spring, MD. Fee, $40.
Registration, 301-891-1129 or on-line at http://www.washingtonstorytellers.org.
Parking, street or city lot on Cameron Street; Metro Red Line (Silver
Spring Exit), two blocks up Colesville, left two blocks on Georgia.
Businesses are more than just a potential source of income for
storytellers. They are communities of people who need stories. This
class will help participants pinpoint what skills they, as storytellers,
can bring to the table that will help humanize business and add to the
bottom line. Learning a model based on Jo’s field research of how
storytelling works in business, students will begin to frame the
contribution they can make in ways that stretch far beyond telling
funny, touching and motivational stories at sales meetings,
team-building sessions, and retirement parties. Students will learn a
model based on Jo’s field research of how storytelling works in
business and will work through a case study to explore how storytelling
skills can be applied to support clients’ business goals.
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Covenant House Vigil for Homeless Children
Kamber Sherrod, ksherrod@chdc.org
Join thousands of concerned citizens and elected leaders throughout
the DC metropolitan area and across the nation in proclaiming a Day of
Hope for Children and Youth at the 2004 Candlelight Vigil for Kids.
Thursday, December 9, 5 p.m., in Freedom Plaza, located on Pennsylvania
Avenue across from the National Theater. Covenant House Washington is
hosting the event in conjunction with the international Covenant House
organization. This Vigil is conducted simultaneously in twenty-one
cities in the United States, Canada, and Latin America. It is designed
to raise public awareness about the needs and challenges facing homeless
and at-risk children and youth. Please grant us the gift of your
presence by attending the Vigil of Hope for Kids. For more information,
call 610-9600.
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Eleventh Annual Gefilte Fish Gala Charity Fundraiser, December 25
Harley Liebenson, hliebenson@comcast.net
The Gefilte Fish Gala will be held on Saturday, December 25, at 8
p.m., at Polly Esther’s, 605 12th Street, NW (Metro: Metro Center).
Eat, drink, and dance to 70’s, 80’s 90’s, 00’s, salsa, and
swing! Ages 21-30 lower floor, 30+ upper floor. Featuring four levels,
five dance floors, eight bars, smoke free floor, pizza, drink specials,
door prizes and more! All profits donated to the Susan G. Komen Breast
Cancer Foundation. $5 suggested donation. Also collecting canned goods
and clothing for the needy. Casual attire. See http://www.gefiltefishgala.com
for photos, FAQ’s, and directions, or call 737-1970 for more
information. Free!
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