Tag: Maryland

Visiting Three C’s on Saturday

On By Rob GIn Going PlacesLeave a comment

Other than how it started, today has been a great day. It started with me waking up a little after 3AM after having a dream about being chased by a swarm of bees. Not fun, but probably happened due to a humming after the heater turned off (or was about to turn on again). I had to get up early anyway, since I was taking my car in for a regular check-up at 7:30AM. I had to leave a little earlier than I normally would have, since it was 30 degrees outside and the car was frosted over. Fortunately, I was able to make it for my appointment and then go for breakfast and a little walk, expecting the appointment to take about 1 1/2 hours. The car place and the diner are both in Catonsville, the first of today’s three C’s.

Creamed Chipped Beef on Toast with Home Fries

I walked down to Double T Diner. I normally do this every other car appointment. My usual is the Creamed Chipped Beef on Toast with Home Fries. The portions are huge and it did not disappoint. The sauce is very thick and creamy, with good flavor. There is A LOT of chipped beef in this, so they are definitely not just giving you sauce with a couple of pieces. The bread itself had very good flavor, and the home fries were also cooked well. This is a very salty dish, so you shouldn’t be eating something like this if you have restrictions. But on a 30 degree morning, this hit the spot.

After I finished eating, I was planning on walking for another 45 minutes 10 an hour, but I got a call soon after that my car was ready. It only took 30 minutes instead of the expected 1 1/2 hours, which was quite a pleasant surprise. I picked up my car and decided to head over to Columbia.

I started by going to Wegman’s for a coffee drink. I know that is a lot more calories, but I needed something sweet after the hearty breakfast. They had a specialty flavor – Spiced White Chocolate. This had a smoky bourbon syrup, so I tried it. It was really good. The texture and consistency is always good at Wegman’s. I just like trying their specialty drinks when they have them. This did have a sweet flavor, but there were sips where you could get the smoky bourbon flavor in there (not real bourbon, just the flavor). This is a flavor I would try again.

I made a quick stop over at Hobby Lobby, and had fun walking through the store and seeing all the Christmas related decorations and crafts that were available. I didn’t buy anything, but saw a couple of things I might go back to get. I then made a quick stop at Whole Foods (I saw a former co-worker, which was cool), followed up by the Mall in Columbia. It didn’t open until 10AM, which is why I made the extra stops. It gave me time to walk off some of those calories I had, so it was worth it.

While at the mall, I decided to stop at Wockenfuss. I got myself a truffle, but also had a nice haul with these items. The Carmallows are usually there, but the Mint Filled Straws and the Peanut Butter Filled Pillows are seasonal. I wanted to get them while I could, since they might sell out quickly. This made for a successful trip at the mall.

I was then on my way to the third of the three C’s, Clarksville. I wanted to stop by the Common Kitchen again to try a new place.

I did happen to see a murder there. A murder of crows, to be exact. I know this is not a great picture. I couldn’t get a real close up with my cell phone, but there were a couple of other trees that had more crows, as well as another 20-30 flying around. They were constantly moving, with some flying around and some going from tree to tree. Higher above, there were some vultures circling. So there was something they were there for, but I just couldn’t see what it was. It was still fun to see.

As far as food goes, I decided to try Koshary by Misteka. It is an Egyptian Street Food spot in the Common Kitchen Marketplace. I wanted to get their signature Koshary bowl, with falafel.

I started with white rice on the bottom (this was recommended to me as the standard for this dish). It is then topped with lentils and gluten free pasta, followed by chick peas, fried onions, dukkah, and a signature sauce (I went with a garlic sauce). I also had vinegar and the falafel on mine. I am glad that I did not go with the large bowl, because there was a lot of food in this. I took this home, and the smells emanating from the container were amazing. I wanted to stop the car and start eating. I was able to control myself and wait until I got home, though. As good as the aroma was, the taste was even better. The combination of flavors and seasonings that all came together were fantastic. I am not always the biggest fan of falafel, but there are some that I think taste good. This is one that tastes really good. Nice flavor, nice crispness. I would recommend trying this if you are in the area.

Starting off with a good meal, and finishing with a good meal for lunch made this a great day. I ate so much that I won’t need to eat any dinner, but I’m okay with that. I’ve still got some leftover truffle brownies, so I’ll just have dessert be my dinner.

I am happy to have the cold weather, especially since there is a little snowflake icon for this coming Friday on my weather app. It might mean I have to put the jean shorts in hibernation, but they’ll be back soon. It did get into the low 50s by the afternoon, so I could have worn them, but the 30 degree weather in the morning made me wisely say no. Not all days are great. Not all meals are great. But when I have a day that goes even better than planned, and I eat food and have coffee drinks that were better than expected, it’s a good way to keep me in a positive frame of mind.

Food Truck Tuesdays – Koco Food Truck

On By Rob GIn Going PlacesLeave a comment

Today was the last Food Truck Tuesday for the season at the West Friendship Volunteer Fire Department. They were doing a “Truck or Treat”, so there were a few young ones wearing their costumes, which made it more fun. I had been checking out the trucks that would be there, and decided that I would be going to the Koco Food Truck, as long as the lines weren’t too long.

I arrived just before 5PM, since I wanted to get there before it got too busy. The lines at Koco were not too long, so I was happy to wait. After reviewing the menu, I decided to order the Bibimbap with Bulgogi.

Bibimbap is a Korean rice dish. Bulgogi is Korean barbecued meat (beef, in this instance). I decided to stick with the basics of their bowl and added Bulgogi. There was white rice on the bottom, followed by the mixture of vegetables: red cabbage, carrots, lettuce, squash, bean sprouts, and cucumbers. The Bulgogi followed, and the dish was topped off with sesame seeds, oil and their special “K Sauce”.

The bulgogi had a very nice flavor. There was a nice kick to the dish, which was balanced by the cool flavors of the cucumber and squash. I’m not usually a fan of squash, but it worked well in this dish. The rice was cooked well and also helped to bring all the flavors together. The portion was perfect for me. Not too little, and not too much. I was able to eat it all without getting an uncomfortable feeling, and did not feel like I needed more.

I’m glad I was able to visit this truck today. I’ve wanted to try it out for awhile, so it’s good that I got to taste their flavors. We are getting to the time of year where food trucks will be more scarce due to weather, so this is a truck I will definitely have to keep an eye on next year. They did a great job with the Bibimbap, so I look forward to trying out some of the other items on their menu. I’m sad that Food Truck Tuesdays are winding down this season, but I’m glad that they were fairly close to home for me. Definitely a positive way to get through the first half of the week.

Capriotti’s – Annapolis

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While I was out earlier today, I had lunch at Capriotti’s. Capriotti’s is a Delaware based sandwich shop that has locations in multiple states. They began in 1976, and in 1987 they rolled out some signature sandwiches. Among these was the “Bobbie”. This is their Trademark Holiday Sandwich. It has been listed in several publications over the years as the Best Sandwich in Delaware, as well as “The Greatest Sandwich in America” by AOL in 2009.

I’ve eaten many Capriotti’s sandwiches in my life, and they are very filling. When I went there today, I decided to get the half, which is 5″, but still a good portion for me (the small is 8″). I decided to go with the old reliable, the Bobbie. The sandwich is turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce and mayonnaise on a roll. Although you can get it cold, I always order mine hot since it brings something special out of the stuffing.

Their Cole Turkey, Slaw Be Jo and Capastrami are also high on the list of the sandwiches I like from Capriotti’s, but the Bobbie is at the top. The thing that sets Capriotti’s apart from most sandwich or sub shops is how they prepare the meat. Their turkey and beef are slow roasted and then hand pulled. Instead of the standard sliced meats, you get some shreds and some chunks of meat. They also make their own Cole slaw, which is one of the ingredients on the Cole Turkey, Slaw Be Jo and Capastrami. I have ordered a side of Cole slaw to go in the past, because it is just that good. They do have more sandwich offerings, salads, and vegetarian options.

Capriotti’s is more than just an occasional sandwich shop for me. It’s also a tie in to when I was living in California. There were a couple of different Capriotti’s that I used to frequent (several times a month). I loved going there. Sometimes it was for lunch, sometimes I just wanted to stop there on the way home from work and it was the perfect dinner. They are definitely comfort food sandwiches. When I first moved back to Maryland, there weren’t any close by, so I didn’t think about it. But when I realized there was a shop in Annapolis, I knew I had to check it out. The quality is still good, which is why I’ve been going back there a few times a year ever since. If it wasn’t a one to two hour drive, I would go more often.

Unfortunately, the shops that I used to frequent in California have all closed down. Maybe if they expand again, there will be opportunities for other people to get a chance to try the sandwiches that I’ve been enjoying.

Saturday Morning in Annapolis

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Whenever I plan on a trip to Annapolis, it’s usually for just a few places – Annapolis Towne Centre, Annapolis Harbour Center (for the Pennsylvania Dutch Farmers Market), or the Mall, with an occasional visit to Capriotti’s. I planned on going to Capriotti’s this morning, but I also decided to walk around Main Street this time, instead of doing my usual routine. My Terrapins don’t play until 3:30 PM today, which made it easier to plan the time.

I checked the weather report this morning and it was supposed to be in the 40s and low 50s until 12PM. When I woke up, there was frost on the car, so I put on some jeans and a long sleeve shirt, as well as a jacket. I definitely needed them at my house in the morning. There was a thick layer of frost that took about 5 minutes to scrape off. By the time 10:00 AM came around, it was already in the upper 50s, and I was regretting my attire. Not just because I didn’t get a chance to rock my jean shorts, but because it was too hot for me in long pants and a long sleeve shirt. The inside of my house was colder when I got home (62) than it was in Annapolis after 10AM.

After I arrived and parked in a Parking Garage near Main Street and the Bay, I walked over to City Dock Coffee (this was my intended place). I ordered a Mocha Cappuccino Chill, which is their version of a frappe. The frappe had nice flavor to it. It was the proper thickness and there was no iciness to it. This was definitely a good way to start the morning.

I then took some time to go walking around. I had a couple of hours planned, so I was able to get in some good walking. More hills than I was expecting, but I did not mind the exercise. I went to the Visitor Center and asked them about any historical buildings, and the response was that they were all historical. Not far off from the truth on that one. They did mention a couple in particular, so I made sure to walk by those. I did take the time to take a lot of pictures, so I’ll share those now.

This was the early morning down at the docks at the end of Main Street. I liked how the sun was shining and reflected nicely off the water.

Here are a few that reflect how old some of these places are. When I walked by St. John’s College, I was surprised at how long ago it was founded.

It took me awhile to get used to some of the signs. When I have walked around some of the local Historical Districts, they usually have big plaques with the dates and information. There are small little signs on the building in Annapolis that reflect the age. You might miss it if you aren’t looking (that’s what happened to me). This picture is from the Maryland Inn and has 1772 as the first date on there.

Just a few more pictures of some of the historical places.

I also walked over to the Naval Academy and took a few pictures.

The last picture was taken while standing along the water inside the Naval Academy, just outside the Visitor Center.

I decided to a little more walking on Main Street before I headed out. One of the stores I visited was Kilwins, which is a chocolate store. It’s based in Michigan, but has several locations in Maryland. I ordered a dark chocolate buckeye, which was really good, and some double dark chocolate fudge, which was also really good.

I then headed over to Capriotti’s for lunch, which I’ll write about later in a separate blog. So it was a good morning. I was able to do a lot of fun things, eat some good food, see some nice scenery and listen to some good music. Can’t ask for much more than that!

Big Belly Deli – Sykesville, MD

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I was not originally planning on putting up a post today, but sometimes good things happen and I want to share them.

Today was expected to be a low-key type of day. I was getting a haircut and running a few errands, but planned on being home early and making myself something for lunch. I went to HeadMasters for my haircut and it went well. My stylist asked me if it was warming up outside since I was wearing shorts (jean shorts, to be exact) and a t-shirt. I said it wasn’t any warmer, but since it was in the 50s, it was still shorts weather to me.

I walked over to French Twist Cafe and ordered a small Pumpkin Mocha Frappe. It was delicious, and I’ll get it again. The Pumpkin Frappe is a vanilla base, but the Mocha base adds a different flavor dynamic, which I enjoyed. I ran a couple more errands and then decided to check and see what Big Belly Deli was serving for lunch. They had a chicken pot pie soup on the menu, so I knew I would not be making something at home for lunch.

I had confirmed beforehand that there were no mushrooms, which was a sigh of relief for me. The base was very thick and creamy. This is something that can be tricky with cream based soups, but they managed to keep the soup at the proper temperature, so there was no break-down of the liquid. The chicken had good flavor, and the variety within the bites made it easy to see that this was fresh chicken that was pulled and then chopped (not basic chicken breasts or thighs that are uniformly sliced). There was corn, carrots, green beans, peas and potatoes in there (might have been other vegetables, but those were the ones I could tell). The flavor of this soup really hit the spot. Even though I enjoy the outside temperatures when they are in the 50s, it’s still nice to have a good, hearty soup.

Before I ordered my soup, I was checking out the sweets. There was a Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie that caught my eye, so I ended up buying that as well. The pie is 5″ across, just for some perspective.

The crust on the bottom and sides is a chocolate crust. It’s very crumbly, but it works well with this type of pie. The peanut butter filling was very thick and very rich. This is why I feel that the crust worked well with this. Chocolate drizzle and peanut butter cups topped it off, and was a nice finishing touch.

Right before I left, there were some people who were staring at the menu. They asked me if I had any recommendations. Just like something that happened to me previously at French Twist Cafe, I was very happy to share with them about all of the goodness on that menu. I let them know that I never had a bad experience, gave them some 5 or 6 sandwich options as well. The regular Friday special includes a chicken curry sandwich, and I made sure they had a heads up on that one. Really good flavor, really big portions. Two of them planned on splitting, which is definitely a good idea. Big portions for a good price is nice, but when you add in the quality flavor, it makes it even better. I also let them know to check out all the sweets as well. I’m sure they enjoyed their meal, no matter what they ended up ordering.

A light, easy day turned out to have some moments that compelled me to write a little today. I’m planning on a fun-filled weekend, so hopefully I will have some more Positive moments to share.

Pit Beef – The Canopy – Ellicotty City, MD

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My morning started out successfully. My goal was to get a pit beef sandwich from The Canopy for lunch and get home in time to watch the game, which I was able to do.

The Canopy is a small restaurant right off of Route 40 in Ellicott City, MD. When I lived in Ellicott City, I would go there every month or so. Now that I’m a bit farther away, I don’t get there as often, so I was happy to plan my day to include this place. This place has been open since 1983, and it’s easy to see why it’s still around and still bringing in the customers.

One of the nice things about the Pit Beef restaurants that I’ve visited is the meat is right behind the counter. You order your meat and your desired doneness (if beef), and they take it off the pit and start slicing right there. The meat is fresh. The sandwich is made right there while you’re saying what you want on it.

When it was my turn to order, I opted for a pit beef sandwich with the meat cooked rare. I then asked for tiger sauce and BBQ sauce. And requested potato salad on the side. Their version of tiger sauce is mayonnaise and horseradish. A perfect blend that goes well with beef. The barbecue sauce gives it that extra little touch. The potato salad uses red skin potatoes and onions. There was a nice proportion of mayonnaise on this, and the onions added a nice little crunch. The Canopy has Birch Beer as a fountain drink, so that also puts me in a happy place.

The sandwich itself is fantastic. The meat was cooked to perfection. I like it very rare, so it was good to have those bites that had the perfect flavor of the extra rare meat. Since the meat is thin-sliced, you can have some variety in terms of texture. This sandwich takes some work to bite through, but not too much. The meat had a tender bite through, which made it easier to eat. The kaiser roll held up well. Not soggy, not falling apart. The tiger sauce had a nice kick to it. It wasn’t overbearing, it was just enough to let you know it was there without making your sinuses go crazy.

When I first started ordering, I was thinking about getting Cole slaw as a side dish. But, I tend to think of Cole slaw as accompanying pork, so I decided against it. Potatoes seem to pair well with beef, which is why I went for the potato salad. I don’t remember having ordered the potato salad before, but I’m glad that I did. It was nicely seasoned and had really good flavor. The coolness of the potato salad worked well with the sandwich. And having Birch Beer on tap made it even more special. You can usually find Root Beer, but Birch Beer is tougher to find. So having a good meal at a familiar place helps make for a better day, and makes it easy to stay positive.

A Nice Saturday Morning in Columbia, MD

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It’s nice when a plan works out as intended. I had an idea for how I wanted my morning to go, and it ended up going pretty well. I would have preferred my football team won, but that was beyond my control (even though I was wearing my lucky shirt).

Today was a great weather day. Low 50s when I left, low 60s when I was out and about, and low 70s when I got back home. I started the day off by heading down to Wegman’s. I got myself a breakfast sandwich and a pumpkin frappe, so I was off to a good start. I then ran a couple of errands, which included heading over to Big Lots. When I was leaving Big Lots, there were some Canada Geese in the parking lot.

Not surprisingly, they do not walk in a “V” formation. 🙂 It’s not unusual to see them walking around in Columbia, but it was just one of those things that made my morning even better. I ran a few more errands and then made my way over to The Mall in Columbia. There was one main reason for to go there, and that was to try the new Pumpkin Spice Chocolixir at Godiva. I walked through a few stores along the way, and showed some good restraint by not making any purchases.

When the drink was being made, I was asked if I wanted some of the cinnamon mix blended into my drink, and I answered in the affirmative. I am glad that I did. The drink was put together nicely, with the added touches of the drizzle on the side and on top of the whipped cream. The consistency was very much like a thick milkshake, so they were successful there. With my first couple of sips, it tasted just like a pumpkin pie. There was a very strong pumpkin flavor in those first few tastes. As I drank more, the cinnamon mixture that was in the drink and swirled on the sides and on top started to become more integrated into the drink. This added a nice layer of sweetness to the drink, which brought a nice balance to the pumpkin flavor. When I finished up the drink, the consistency was still there, so I was happy with the overall experience. This was the first time I ordered this drink, and I will get it again if they bring it back next year.

I still had a few more errands to run before I picked up lunch. While driving, I noticed some really nice scenery. When I was walking out of Barnes & Noble and heading over to my car, some nicely colored trees in the distance caught my eye. I drove over to the parking lot and decided to take some pictures of the trees and leaves. All pictures were taken with my iPhone 6.

I like how this picture turned out. I think the cloud formations in the background add a nice element to this one. There is a nice combination of colors in this tree.

I wanted to get a little closer, just so you can see the different colors that are coming through in this tree.

Even closer still. The colors were more vibrant in person, but the camera doesn’t do them justice.

This was another tree that I saw and enjoyed visually.

I tried to get a close up, but I don’t think it came through very well. There are some leaves that have changed colors, but there are also some leaves in there that had already changed color and were starting to shrivel up.

This leaf was laying on the ground. I like how you can see the red and orange, as well as some yellow in the veins.

This was another leaf that caught my eye because there was still some green in the veins.

This last picture of a leaf was on the parking lot, not too far from the others (they are all from the same tree). The red in this leaf was much more prominent than the others.

When I have mornings like this, I can’t help but be in a good mood (even with only 4 hours of sleep). I had a rough outlined of my morning planned out for more than a week. I added a couple of errands yesterday, but was really happy to have the extra bits of nature highlight my day. I look forward to what tomorrow brings, even if it doesn’t go exactly as I might hope. I’ll just stay positive and keep on smiling!

New Experiences with Fond Food Memories

On By Rob GIn Going PlacesLeave a comment

Hello, old friend. I’ve missed you.

I read an article over the weekend about the McRib coming back to McDonald’s in a limited time run. The last time it was out, I could not find it in my area, so I was happy to see it was at my local McDonald’s. Some people really like the McRib. Some people have a strong dislike for the McRib. I happen to really like it. I don’t remember when I first ate one, but I always like them. Now that they are out on a limited run (both in time and location), I will take advantage of having them available near me.

When I opened the sandwich, it had a familiar look to me. It is still a big sandwich, and they definitely put in a good amount of barbecue sauce.

Just wanted to give a side view here. There are multiple components to this sandwich. The bun, the pork, the barbecue sauce, the onions, and the pickles. I am not usually a fan of pickles (unless they are in a Cuban sandwich), so I had mine without. But if you like pickles, then go for it. The bun works really well for this sandwich. It doesn’t get soggy, disintegrate, or fall apart while eating. The flavor provides a nice balance for the barbecue sauce. The texture of the pork works – similar to biting through a boneless rib. There is a nice pork flavor to the meat, and the barbecue sauce complements it well. The onions are a bit underrated. These are thicker sliced onions, so you get more of the bite of the onion flavor when you eat this. It wouldn’t have the same effect if they used diced onions. All combined, this brought back some fond memories of the McRib. And since it will be around for a limited time, I will be going back again (and again) before they are gone.

If the Shamrock Shake were around at McDonald’s, I would have gotten that to drink. Instead, I decided to try a milkshake at Wawa. I ordered the chocolate mint cookies and cream milkshake. It was a thick shake and had good texture. The mint flavor was a little less than I would prefer. It was a good shake, but I like their coffee drinks better.

I also made a stop at TJ Maxx. There is one that is not too far from where I live, but I never visited it. I’m glad that I went there yesterday. I purchased two things from there.

The Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate Mint squares are really good. They are not the same as York Peppermint Patties, which I also enjoy. The mint filling is gooey, so this is pretty much a one bite square for me. Fortunately, I have a big enough mouth for that. But if you require multiple bites, the filling might spill out, so be careful.

I’ve had Tortuga Rum Cakes before. They are good as a once or twice a year indulgence. I have never seen bite size cakes before, though. And these truly are bite sized cakes. The cake is moist and light. There is a distinct rum flavor, which is the trademark. So this really does hit the mark in terms of capturing the essence of flavor of the big Rum Cake into a small bite-sized portion. I was very happy with these purchases!

I am happy that the old favorites were still good and the new twist on old favorites were also good. Positive experiences definitely helped make yesterday a good day!

Easy Like Sunday Morning

On By Rob GIn Close to HomeLeave a comment

I tend to be a morning person. I usually wake up before 5AM, sometimes before 4AM. I might be a bit sleepy and tired at first, but I’m usually perked up and ready for the day after about 3 or 4 minutes. This past Sunday morning, I was a bit off. I was not “feeling it” at all. I am not sure why, it’s just how it went. I don’t think it was due to the overtime loss of the Caps the night before. I don’t think it was due to the gloomy weather (which I prefer). Sometimes things just are a certain way and we can’t explain them.

I ran some errands early on, but being out and about in perfect Fall weather didn’t help. I had originally planned to drive down and visit the Sykesville Farmer’s Market, but I didn’t have the energy or the drive to do it. I knew I had to get myself out of this morning funk, so I went out the front door and started walking, with the intention of walking to the Farmer’s Market. When I first got outside, the temperature was a nice, cool upper 50s/lower 60s and slightly overcast, which is my kind of weather. But I was still not perking up. Then, I started to listen to the silence. There was noise, but it was not people or cars or a train or anything else. It was different birds, frogs, insects, and more. Just listening to the sounds of nature and then looking at the trees helped get me going in the right direction.

I walked around the Farmer’s Market very briefly. I just did a quick walk-through without stopping to chat or really look at anything. I decided to get a Pumpkin frappe at French Twist Cafe, which was good as usual. When I was waiting for my drink, a couple walked in. They said it was their first time there, but they had heard about the place before and wanted to try it. They asked me for my opinion, and my face just lit up. I let them know about the coffee drinks and the crepes, and how good they all are. I was sure that they would enjoy anything they got, and the quality would be outstanding. The couple seemed to be really excited about being there, and I completely understood. If I’m in a a new place and I’ve heard good things and the menu looks good, I get really excited. If I’m talking about food, I am usually in a happy place. So this was the final step of me getting out of my funk and feeling better about the day.

I walked home and just enjoyed all that nature had to show me. The squirrels were running around trying to snatch the nuts that were falling from the trees. There was a lot of rustling in the trees and the bushes, so there were some other creatures that were enjoying the day. I had a really nice time for that 20 minute walk home. This is despite the walk home being mostly uphill. But those 20 minutes were more appreciated than a 5 minute drive would have been.

Sometimes we have bad days. Sometimes we have bad moments. But if we can try to find ways to get the negatives out of our heads and bring in the good moments, no matter how brief, it can help make for a better day. I took a few pictures on my walk, and wanted to share them.

This is just a picture of some trees. They aren’t uniform, they aren’t standing out. They are just there. But that’s what I enjoyed about them.

I’m not sure if these are coming through very clearly. I took one picture of the tree and then a close up. There are huge nests on these trees. The first time I saw these, I was driving up the 97 and had no idea what they were. If they were spider webs, then those spiders must have been big (I’m thinking Lord of the Rings big). But they were all over the place and some were up to 3 feet long. I thought these were tent caterpillars, but they are apparently web worms. Not just for the Internet, I guess. 🙂 Still pretty cool to see, though.

I thought this nest was particularly fascinating. The picture doesn’t do justice to the intricacies of this structure.

I liked the colors on this tree.

I zoomed in so you could see the different colors. Yellow, green, light green, yellow with brown creeping in.

After I arrived home, I decided to take a picture from my enclosed patio. I have a really nice view, but don’t take advantage of this as often as I should. I have to clean up the chairs, since they have a lot of dust and pollen sitting there from the Summer. But this will be a nice area for me to just sit and read or reflect or listen, now that the temperatures are comfortable.

I may have started the day negative, but I was able to get out of it and end it feeling positive.

Anh-Mazing Banh Mi – Clarksville, MD

On By Rob GIn Going Places3 Comments

When I lived in Southern California, I would get Banh Mi every so often. Banh Mi is a Vietnamese sandwich served on a baguette with various toppings. There were a couple of hole in the wall places I would go and could get a couple of big sandwiches for under $5 (total). The prices went up as the years went by, which is expected, but I still felt that I got more than my fair share of value.

Since I moved to Maryland, I have tried half-heartedly to find some places that served Banh Mi. Pho places are easy to find, and they might have one or two Banh Mi sandwiches on the menu, but I was hoping for some variety. I found about Anh-Mazing Banh Mi a few months ago and knew that I would make my way there eventually. I was out and about yesterday, and this place was on the way home from Gaithersburg, so I figured it would be the perfect opportunity.

When I arrived at the location (according to my GPS), there was a Farmer’s Market going on, and The Common Kitchen (along with some other shops and restaurants). The Common Kitchen is what I think of in my mind as a restaurant co-op. There are a lot of options, so I will be heading back there sooner rather than later, but I really wanted the Banh Mi.

I like their logo. It’s fun. I ordered a Pork Belly Banh Mi, and it came with a soup (chicken).

I started with the soup. Very basic, in terms of ingredients. Two nice sized chunks of chicken, a few pieces of vegetables, and cilantro. The flavor of the broth was really outstanding. The soup is something I could order by itself, and it would be satisfying, especially when the weather starts to get really cold. I then bit into the Pork Belly Banh Mi. My first bite took me back about 20 years, when I had my first bites of Banh Mi. The bread was perfect. Nice hard crunch to the outside, and soft on the inside without a lot of chewiness. The flavor of the pork belly is hard for me to describe, but I know I’ll get it again. There was a Vietnamese mayo pate on there. This is not going to be for everyone, but it really works with these sandwiches. There are some pickled carrots, daikon radish, sliced cucumbers and cilantro that go on the sandwich as well. They asked me if I wanted jalapeños on the side, which was an easy “yes” for me. When biting into the sandwich, the first thing is the crunch. Nice sounding, nice texture. Next comes the flavor. The richness of the pork belly hits, but then you also get the combination of flavors from the mayo pate and the vegetables.

Having eaten the soup first, I could say that I found it hard to believe that I ate the whole sandwich. But there is no way that any part of that sandwich could be left over. It was too good to put down and stop eating. The flavors of the sandwich hit me in the right spot yesterday, and as I reflect back today, I still enjoy the feeling I had while eating the sandwich.

The Common Kitchen does have other places to try, and I will. There is a Ramen Place, an Egyptian place, an Indian place, an Ice Cream place, a Bubble Waffle place, and more. So there is definitely enough to grab my attention and go back for more. Even though it was about 25 minutes to get home, the food was still at a good temperature. I might make my next meal a sit down, savor, and enjoy the ambiance type of experience. Definitely a positive part of my day yesterday.