This past week has been a whirlwind of people, parties, and (for some, a lack of) power. In anticipation of a busy busy week, Kirios and I decided to relax at my apartment and watch a movie late Friday night. I noticed heat lightning outside my window, a common occurrence during summer heat waves. Then Kirios noticed that the flickering switched to inside – the power was going on and off. Within seconds of him pointing this out, a horrible storm ripped through my neighborhood and the rest of the DC metropolitan area. Kirios and I watched trees and dust blowing down the block from my window. The power went out and we grabbed our flashlights. I was lucky – it was restored moments later. Half of my block and almost everyone in the surrounding area did not get their power restored. Kirios’ family had no power from Friday night until Wednesday afternoon. During my two years in Silver Spring, multiple day power outages were quite commonplace, and I had a lot of sympathy for the powerless people sweating through our 100 degree heat wave.

Around half an hour after the storm passed, Kirios decided to drive home to pick up his glasses and some other things, since he hadn’t originally intended to stay at my apartment that night. His home is less than 2 miles from mine – none of the traffic lights were working. Entire trees and large branches riddled the road, frequently forcing people to drive in the lane of opposing traffic. A tree fell onto the roof of one house – the roof had completely caved in. Kirios’ close neighbors had a large tree fall in their yard, taking a mangled bundle of cables down with it. Miraculously, the tree did not harm their house. But they’re still without power and will have to pay a couple thousand dollars to remove it and repair their lines before the power company will help them.

Kirios’ Neighbor’s Home

Saturday morning was a strange one. While I had power, my cable and internet were down. We had a full day of plans, and tried to maintain some normalcy to our lives, but the whole area was disrupted. In the afternoon, Kirios and his dad brought over many of the perishable items in their refrigerator/freezer to store in mine. I went out to get a manicure. Until Saturday, I’ve only had 3 manicures in my life, but I figured with a cocktail party and two weddings, now was the time to splurge. I walked several powerless blocks where all of the businesses were closed, passing two nail salons. There were branches and debris everywhere, and multiple dead birds. That’s always an ominous sign. I knew my quest for a manicure wasn’t hopeless when I started to see people holding Starbucks cups. I reached a block with power – and a nail salon! An hour later I had partaken in conversations about open restaurants, waiting lists for generators, and where to donate spoiling food. I also had pretty nails.

When I returned to my apartment, I saw the full fridge, but Kirios was gone. I called to check in and see how he and his parents were doing, but he didn’t answer. Twice. I thought about driving over to his house to check on him, but then I realized if I did, I probably wouldn’t have phone reception either, which would make it hard for him or anyone else to check on me. So I stayed put. He knew where I was. Eventually he called me, but we kept getting cut off after a few seconds. He came back over shortly after anyway, I suspect he was using me for my air conditioning at that point!

I also checked in with my cousin who lives about 20 minutes from me. Her parents were visiting from Florida and we were all planning to get together for an early dinner. She lost power and her parents made reservations at a nearby Hilton. (Later Saturday I heard on the radio that every Marriott in the greater DC area was sold out.) My relatives were having a hard time finding restaurants that would answer the phone.

Kirios and I left to meet up with my relatives around 4:30, but before going to dinner we made a stop in Rockville to check on our friend’s house. He and his parents had spent the past week at the beach, and were returning home a day early having heard about the storm. As we approached his neighborhood, we saw the same signs of destruction. Downed trees, powerless traffic lights, and basketball hoops on the ground… I was nervous, not wanting to have to call back with bad news. Luckily his home seemed fine, at least from the outside. They didn’t have power, but they also didn’t have any damage.

We met my aunt, uncle, and cousin at California Pizza Kitchen in the mall. The mall was filled with people charging their phones, iPads, and computers at any and every outlet. Some people were just there cooling off. But if you didn’t know better, you’d have thought it was the week before Christmas. Kirios guessed that the mall was running on a back up generator – although it was air conditioned, it didn’t have the typical freezing temperature of the mall. Despite the craziness, we were able to have a nice meal with my family.

Next update to include parties and more people!

Thank You, SCOTUS

I have Crohn’s Disease. It is chronic, and there is no cure. Since my diagnosis four and a half years ago, I have lived in fear. My biggest fear has been that my symptoms will flare and I become too ill to work. Without employer-provided health insurance, I bankrupt myself (and perhaps my parents and brother shortly thereafter) trying to control my disease and still, I am unable to afford adequate care.

I am completely functional. I live on my own, hold a steady job, mostly eat and drink whatever I please, and have even run half-marathons. Please, do not dismiss my fears for paranoia.

In December 2008 I graduated from college – a semester early, at the top of my class with well paying job waiting for me, despite the beginning of the financial meltdown only months earlier. In the weeks following my graduation, I suffered from a Crohn’s flare-up and became too ill to routinely partake in everyday activities. I racked up tens of thousands of dollars in hospital bills and other medical expenses. My family consulted with labor attorneys and human resources professionals.  I deferred my start date for work and eventually walked away from the opportunity all together. I could not afford – literally – to start working and get sick again before I worked long enough to be eligible for COBRA.   

I tend to avoid political discourse in online formats and I don’t particularly enjoy arguing about politics. As an adult in the Washington DC area, my lack of interest in political confrontation makes me seem atypical. But it is not because I’m apolitical. I take my civic duty of voting very seriously, I keep up with the news, and there are political issues which I am extremely passionate about. Today I am confident that America’s future involves healthcare reform including insurance coverage for individuals with pre-existing conditions. Regardless of any legislative changes which may alter what that reform looks like, things are improving.

Today, I am less afraid.

Summer Days

It’s been a fairly busy two weeks since my last post and Kirios’ homecoming!

We had a new employee join my team at the Postal Service. It’s nice to have someone else on the team to take on some of the work, and it’s especially nice to have another young woman around the office. Before the new girl, the person closest in age to me was 40. And she’s been on military leave for the past year…

My mom was in town on business for a few nights. We cooked dinner together one of the nights she was in town – salmon on a bed of spinach and feta and grape tomatoes, approved by Kirios, our own expert on Greek cooking.

Kirios and I metro-ed into Washington DC the other weekend to join our friends Marnina and Seth of ibeafoodie.wordpress.com for the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation’s annual Take Steps fundraiser walk. My parents actually attended their Pittsburgh walk the weekend before. It was a beautiful day and the walk route went around the Tidal Basin, passing by many monuments. It was actually the first time I saw the new Martin Luther King Jr. monument close up too!

Kirios and I stop for a photo during CCFA’s Take Steps

The next day, partially inspired by Marnina and Seth and their friends at the walk who participated in the most recent Team Challenge season together, I decided to go for a morning run. It’s been almost a year and a half since I last went running. I stopped running shortly after completing my second half marathon. Since then Kirios has and I have gone running once or twice, but the last time we did, my knee started hurting pretty soon after we started. Unfortunately, even though so much time has passed, that’s what happened last weekend too.  I ran for a little over 15 minutes before my knee began hurting, and I didn’t make it very far after that. My knee hurt for the rest of the day and it was painful to walk up and down the steps at Kirios’ house that night. I think it’s time to try cycling again, because I think my running days are behind me! 🙁

Friday night I got together with a friend for a night of Thai food and television. He convinced me to try watching Firefly, the cult classic Western in space. I hang out with a lot of geeky guys, and have been encouraged to watch it many times. I have to say, it wasn’t bad. I’m not drinking the cool-aid yet, but I could definitely watch some more on another rainy night.

This past Saturday I woke up early and went to the supermarket to buy blueberries. I made my dad’s famous blueberry tart recipe. Kirios met up with me and we packed sandwiches before heading out to Virginia to meet up with friends at the Del Ray Music Festival in Alexandria. It was a little out of our way and random, but a very cute little festival. We got there around 6pm and ate our sandwiches. We also shared snacks – veggies, chips, dip, and the blueberry tart. It was a lovely picnic. We sat on bales of hay and laid out on blankets while local bands played. The sun went down and the temperature improved a lot. At 8:30 Pat McGee came on stage.  I hadn’t heard of him, but one of our friends is a big fan and got us all together for the event. The music was relaxing and the company couldn’t have been better. As the festival winded down, Kirios and I grabbed forks and fought over the rest of the crust in the tart pan.  We went home happy and sleepy. Days like that are what summer is all about!

 

The Joy of Cooking

There were a few weeks following Kirios’ departure for Europe when I noticed that I was less interested in cooking. I did my best to keep busy during the weekends, including my trip toN ew York, and during the week I generally wanted to rest in the evenings. I made some simple meals – stir-fries and pastas with leftovers to bring to work. And there were a lot of sandwiches; avocado and basil & olive oil asiago cheese on an everything bagel was a popular lunch choice. It was a rather satisfying sandwich, but after two weeks or so, I missed eating more exciting meals and I missed cooking them too.

So in the last week I made a point to get back in the kitchen. On Sunday, I made a cabbage salad with scallions, oranges, and ramen, with a simple oil/red wine vinegar/sugar dressing. It’s a great refreshing summer salad. I knew I needed something heavier, since I’ve learned it’s better to have a side salad than an entrée salad when trying to keep my Crohn’s Diseased tummy happy. So I also made a pot of ravithia, a Greek chick pea stew that Kirios and I first made together with directions from his Mom. This time I left out the celery, because it’s just not a vegetable I would ever pick to eat. And I also added a big potato making the stew even heartier. It may not have been the most seasonal option, but it filled me up for several days and tasted wonderful.

On Monday night I still had plenty of leftovers, so instead of cooking another meal, I baked a pie. I used four apples and two pears for the filling, but it was hard to differentiate a difference in flavor from a regular apple pie. All in all, the pie came out extremely well with a salty and flakey crust and fruit that still had some crunch in the middle.

Tuesday my college friend came over for a dinner bon voyage pizza dinner. He works on a cruise line and is generally only in town for short visits home in between ship contracts, so we developed a tradition of sharing homemade pizza together to celebrate either his return or departure, since it was one of his favorite meals I made in college. Little did he know that in addition to our pizza, topped with red and yellow peppers, scallions, mushrooms, sun dried tomatoes, and fresh parmesan cheese (a filling meal with thick crust on its own) he would also be served an appetizer of cabbage salad and a dessert of pie. My friend brought beer to go with our meal and I must admit I didn’t have any room for pie.

By Wednesday I was ready for a break from all of the cooking and enjoyed my leftovers. On Thursday, I decided it had been too long since I had red meat, so I made a trip to Koshermart. I stocked up on a variety of beef items, but was hungry by the time I made it back from the store so I ate more leftovers. Friday I was invited to have Shabbat dinner with a family, so I actually didn’t do anymore cooking until Saturday. But I still had the cooking bug. I make a spicy Indian cauliflower by roasting the cauliflower with oil and turmeric, and then adding a tomato sauce with garlic powder and large quantities of garam masala. The result was a heavy and potent vegetable dish.

Kirios returned from his travels Saturday evening (and enjoyed some pie when we reunited). So for lunch on Sunday I wanted to share a nice welcome home lunch together. We broiled veal chops with curry powder and variety of other spices, and enjoyed it with roasted pine nut couscous, spicy cauliflower, and homemade challah. The veal was well cooked, but slightly over-spiced. I was thrilled to have meat again. And even more thrilled to have Kirios back!

Playing in New York

This year I spent Memorial Day weekend in New York City with my cousins.  Weekend getaways are always fun, and New York is typically an exciting destination with lots to do. That weekend was no exception. I haven’t traveled to New York on my own in a couple of years, but in the past I usually took the Amtrak. This time I jumped on the discount bus bandwagon, finding it extremely convenient that the Vamoose Bus departs for Penn Station within walking distance of my apartment. I boarded a 7am bus on Saturday morning and was in the city before 11. Not bad for a holiday weekend! Plus I was even able to read without getting car sick for a good portion of the trip!

I packed light, only bringing my purse and a backpack. My cousins met and we went out for lunch before heading to a matinee on Broadway. In all of my 25 years that I’ve been traveling to New York to visit relatives, I’ve actually only seen two shows on Broadway. Both were during my 8th grade class trip. So when my mom was in town a few weeks earlier and saw a show with some family, I knew I wanted to do the same. We saw Sister Act. Raven Symone played the lead, she wasn’t Whoopi Goldberg, but she was great. She’s come along way since the Cosby Show and ABC Family Channel movies… I guess we all grow up. After the show we met up with more family for dinner and spent the rest of the night hanging out and catching up.

Sunday was quite the to-do. I joined a group of 10 ladies to celebrate with one of my cousins in bachelorette party fashion. We met for brunch at The Smith. After donning my hot pink “Team Bride” pin, I ordered an omelet with wild mushrooms and fontina. It came with a side of home fries. I’m always a sucker for potatoes at brunch. The omelet was quite tasty – better than most, but the large pool of oil on my plate made it slightly less appetizing. The brunch special came with a choice of drinks. I ordered the freshly squeezed blood orange mimosa, which was bitterer than I had hoped. One of my cousins ordered the passion punch – it was heavy on the rum but a more refreshing choice.

After brunch we took the bus to the East End to complete our bachelorette scavenger hunt. Although we were all one team, so it was more like a bucket list. We visited candy stores, clothing stores, vintage boutiques and so forth, forcing the bride to pose with cute and sometimes crazy things. I think the best pictures were of her in neon pink leggings, a neon yellow tank top, a neon green fanny pack, and of course a side pony tail. Equally entertaining was the flamboyant thrift store owner eager to teach us all the trick to wearing any hat. (According to him, even the most ridiculous shower cap looking thing is high fashion when tilted to the side of your head). This scavenger hunt of course included a caffeine/bathroom break at Starbucks, and ended with frozen yogurt. It was super hot that weekend, so both were needed.

Following the scavenger hunt, we took the Subway to Williamsburg and surprised the bride with a jewelry making class at Brooklyn Charm. Their patient staff taught us how to make wire wrap bracelets with the beads of our choice. Half of the group took a basic assembly course instead, making necklaces with dangling charms. Although learning to wire-wrap was a bit of a challenge for me, I usually have a hard time finding bracelets small enough that they won’t fall off my teeny tiny wrists. My do-it-yourself project fits snuggly. We finished our jewelry class by popping open two bottles of champagne and toasting the bride.

Since it was so hot out and already 8pm, most of us started to feel the champagne and were eager to head to dinner. We went to baci & abbraci (Italian for hugs and kisses… appropriate, I suppose) and shared a variety of vegetarian pizzas as an appetizer. Their vegetariana with eggplant, zucchini, and peppers was my favorite, but their focaccia tartufata is also worth mentioning; a thin layer of dough with creamy robiola cheese, topped with another layer of crust and truffle oil on top. My main course was exceptional gnocchi violette, made with red beets and goat cheese in a cream sauce with wild arugula. It actually deserves to be said again – it was exceptional. I even found a restaurant review with the recipe for it here. I don’t generally make cream sauces at home, but if I ever feel ambitious and like making an exception… The dish was even better when paired with a nice malbec. I cleaned my plate, and didn’t even leave room for the enormous tiramisu cake the restaurant prepared for us. I did enjoy the waiters singing “Happy Birthday” to the bride. Somehow the theme of the party had escaped them, despite all of our fanfare. I don’t think the point of a bachelorette party has ever been to blend!

Despite our bridesmaid planners’ best efforts to pick out a bar for post-dinner cocktails; no one had the energy for another stop after a full day of festivities. We left the restaurant after 11pm and my cousins and I splurged for a cab to return to their apartment building in Washington Heights. I was glad to sleep in a bit the next morning!

Monday morning I packed up and hung out with my cousin a little. I used some of the super fun glitter nail polish she had on all weekend. Then I met up with a good friend of mine who previously lived in DC for a year for sushi and catch up time. Only my friend had trouble deciding if he wanted sushi or pizza. I chose sushi, since I had several Italian style pizzas over the weekend already. But I was sad not to have real New York pizza. Luckily for me, my friend decided to grab a slice before having sushi, and he was eating it when I met him. I had one delicious bite and felt more satisfied with my trip. After lunch, we stopped at a small bakery and I bought a cookie that looked as much like the colorful sprinkle cookies my Zaydie used to buy at Lord’s Bakery, and I saved it for later. As a kid, we used to take a whole box of them back home with us following a trip to Brooklyn. I headed back to Penn Station to catch my bus in the afternoon. It was my first solo trip on the subway, which seems silly to acknowledge as someone who’s been riding the DC metro everywhere for 7 years now, but let’s be honest; the subway is WAY more confusing. I picked up a New York bagel to eat for dinner on the bus, and in just a few more hours I was home.

Is there a Doctor in the House?

I have been living in the Maryland suburbs of the DC metro area for 3 whole years now under my own insurance plan without a primary care physician. In college, I did my best to schedule doctors’ appointments over breaks and holidays when I would be home in Pittsburgh. This was especially necessary because it’s very difficult to see an out of area doctor on University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Insurance, which I and the majority of Pittsburgh residents had at the time.

When I was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease in the beginning of 2008, my gastroenterologist told me I would need to start seeing a doctor near school to manage my disease. I worked with my insurance company to ensure I could see an out of area provider. They may have even picked the doctor. When I returned to school to start my new semester, I met with my new gastroenterologist. He was an older man and more than a bit out of touch. He lectured me on the effects of stress and how it can exacerbate the symptoms of Crohn’s Disease. “Do you have anything causing stress in your life right now?” he asked. “Um, it’s the first week of classes and I just broke up with my boyfriend,” He continued his lecture, telling me it was important to eliminate all stress from my life. So naturally then I should drop out of school and never date again. Come to think of it, work and families create stress too. Perhaps I should just sit in an empty room by myself all day. Needless to say, I was not a fan of Dr. DC Gastroenterology from the start.

Despite my disdain for my new doctor, I continued to see him. I was a busy college student with out of area insurance. I had classes, extracurriculars, and parties to worry about. Switching doctors is stressful too! I was able to get appointments when I needed them, and get the medicine I needed to manage my disease… until I didn’t.

By the time I graduated in December 2008, my symptoms had worsened to a point where a drastic medical intervention was necessary. I set up meetings with my doctor, only to be seen by a new fellow or physician’s assistant unfamiliar with my case for 15 minutes, occasionally followed by 5 minutes with my doctor himself. The doctor never seemed to remember the details of my case that while either, and seemed less and less “with it.” (Did I mention he was probably in his seventies?) I was scheduled to start my first job in February and decided that it would be a good time to find a new gastroenterologist once I started my new insurance plan. Meanwhile, the current doctor’s office prescribed me a low dose of steroids, prednisone, to help my symptoms. It wasn’t enough and they quickly bumped my dosage up. It still wasn’t enough. My dad came down to help take care of me and we visited the doctor’s office. They bumped my steroids up again. (Did I mention they have horrible side effects, all of which I was experiencing) They said if I didn’t respond, I would need to be hospitalized and that I would most likely need surgery to remove part of my colon.

Needless to say, my dad and I were pretty scared. We had already been researching other doctors in the area (bless my parents for trusting me when I said I didn’t like the one I had) and following this terrible appointment we walked down the block to a different practice that we had been eyeing. My dad was on hold with the insurance company requesting authorization to get a second opinion. He looked at the receptionist with fear in his eyes and asked if there were any gastroenterologists that could see me. The sooner the better.

I was seen two days later. Unfortunately I got sicker before I got better, and I did need to be hospitalized and ended up moving back home to Pittsburghto recover. But I did make it back to the DC area, and it helped knowing that a good concerned and cooperative specialist was there ready to help me manage my disease. He had even called to check up on me while I was gone and spoke with my gastroenterologist in Pittsburgh to stay up to date on my treatment.

When I moved back to the area three years ago I enrolled in an HMO insurance plan that didn’t require referrals to see specialists. Aside from my gastroenterologist’s practice, I have been to four other specialists to deal with things like asthma and high blood pressure. I visited the emergency room once for a high fever at night on the weekend that appeared to go up instead of down with Tylenol (I was being extra cautious since I take immunosuppressant medication) and I made one trip to urgent care for a strep test. Lately, coordinating my care between all of the specialists has been a real chore. I photocopy pages of lab results before visiting doctors, I consult multiple doctors before starting new medications, and I have a lot of questions. Most of my doctors are willing to answer them to the best of their ability, but by now, we all agree: I need a PCP to help me with this.

I wish this was the solution to my problem. Instead, it is yet another stressor in my life. Most PCPs in this area are NOT accepting new patients. In fact, when you hear of one that is, you almost have to wonder what’s wrong with them. I’m not looking for someone to give me a strep test; (although I may need him or her to do that for me at some point) I need a partner in managing my health. I deserve a doctor’s office where the staff is efficient in courteous in scheduling appointments whether in advance or on the same day if I am ill, who accepts my health insurance plan, and doesn’t play games when billing. I deserve a doctor who is knowledgeable, listens and addresses my concerns in a pleasant if not supportive manner. I deserve a doctor who is part of an on-call network should I be ill after 5pm or over the weekend. I deserve a doctor who will visit me at the hospital of my choice should I be admitted.

It seems like I’m asking for a lot. And I know not every doctor can do everything well, they are human. But it shouldn’t be treated the same way as a self-declared princess holding out for a tall dark and handsome doctor or a lawyer making $200K+/year who is funny, charming, good with kids, and has the same religious/political/ideological beliefs as she does. After all, I’m not asking for exclusivity here! But my health is too important to settle for a frog.

Seven Countries in One Day

Not everyone has the vacation time to enjoy 3+ week vacations on the other side of the world. I like to travel and explore. But I’m a business major, so when I plan a trip, I like to get the most bang for my buck. And that’s exactly what I did earlier this month when I played tourist in seven countries in one day: South Africa, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Ghana, Pakistan, Brunei, and Egypt– in that order. 

Some of you know exactly what I’m talking about. The rest of you are skeptical. I’m not lying. But there is a catch. I visited the embassies (technically not U.S.soil) of all of these exciting places as part of Passport DC’s World Embassy Day. Every year the embassies in Washington DC open their doors for a Saturday in May to hold an open house showcasing their nation’s culture through art, performances, food, and drink. Even the buildings are beautiful. In addition to World Embassy Day, Passport DC also sponsors EU Embassy Day the Saturday closest to EU day, exclusive to the European embassies.

I was introduced to EU Embassy Day back in college when I decided to tag-along with my roommate who was attending with her older brother and his friends. We started with a tour of the Belgium embassy which featured samples of chocolates, cookies, fruit nectars, and beers. We finished in Romania, which had a full lunch buffet complete with wine. My mind was blown; it was the best event ever. And it was FREE (although some embassies sell food and goods).

EU Embassy Day was so amazing that I told everyone about it. This had mixed results. Once, I started telling a stranger about it at a party. Before I left, he asked if he could email me to get more information about the event. We ended up meeting again to go to Embassy Day together a few weeks later. I now call him Kirios. True story. Happy anniversary, agapi mou <3

Unfortunately, in addition to complete strangers, I also told a bunch of coworkers and friends about how great EU embassy is. Word spread and the lines to get into the embassies got longer. Kirios and I noticed it last year; we were hungrier and waited longer to get into our favorite embassies. This year it was so bad we only visited Portugal and Greece. I’m not giving up on EU Embassy Day just yet, but I definitely screwed up letting the cat out of the bag on that one!

Now where was I… oh yes, World Embassy Day. Last year my parents visited in May and asked that Kirios and I take them around the city to partake in normal weekend activities for us. Because we’re super cool and always do fun things. (Is it possible that used to be true?!?) They actually chose a great weekend to visit and we were able to take them to World Embassy Day, among other events like the city’s largest Greek festival. We visited Trinidad and Tobago, the Dominican Republic, Croatia, Argentina, Rwanda, and so on. There was dancing and food and we ran into lots of friends – including childhood friends from Pittsburgh who had relocated to the area, which was exciting for my parents too. Kirios even wrapped a snake around himself and ate a Rwandan delicacy with worms. Possibly. Whether he actually ate it or not remains a secret. The parental units and I of course declined since worms are not kosher. World Embassy Day has more embassies open, which means shorter lines.

So this year I was looking forward to my almost free trip around the world. The day of the event, Kirios had an unexpected obligation and was unable to go. So I called up a few friends who I had already blabbed to about how amazing Embassy Day is, and by 1pm we assembled a motley crew to sightsee together. A childhood friend, and post-college friend, and new friends they brought along. We took turns caffeinating at Starbucks (i.e. every time someone got off the metro and met up with us, he or she wanted to stop and pick something up) and we embarked on an epic journey. Or at least an exciting walk around a few blocks.

The South African Embassy is currently undergoing renovations, but they temporarily took over the lobby level of a fancy schmancy office building. They transformed it with music and costumes, vendors, and a full lunch buffet with white corn grits, a wonderful salmon dish, super spicy vegetables, and at least four desserts to try. They did run out of utensils, but someone managed to find a spoon for me. They also gave out samples of liquor which tasted like Baileys, so after sipping it, we all dumped the rest of our cups into the Starbucks drinks we were still carrying around.

Next we visited Ethiopia, so I immediately texted my one Ethiopian friend. Then we sampled Ethiopian coffee, which we expected to be very strong. But it was actually quite smooth and delicious. I don’t drink coffee anymore since it upsets my stomach and the whole Crohns’ thing can be a bummer, but when I did, I always drank it with milk. I only took a sip of this coffee, but I had it straight, and I would drink it black. Also at the Ethiopian embassy, we enjoyed traditional music playing and most of us splurged and spent $2 for a cup of Tej, honey wine. It tasted like iced tea with a lot of honey it. An Ethiopian woman came over to us multiple times warning us to sip it slowly so it wouldn’t go to our heads. I followed her advice. At least one member of our group didn’t, and admitted to feeling fairly tipsy by the time we entered Indonesia.

Indonesia had a pretty building and lots of colors. I was feeling full and the food was for sale so I skipped it. We ran into another friend who bought a purse there. She looked inside and it said “Made in Thailand.” Fail.

Ghana gave us a chocolate candy when we walked in. Plus one. They also had a couple people playing drums, dancing, and chanting. The main performer had a wonderful smile that made me want to be his friend. Or at least allow him to entertain me. By then it was also raining a little bit, so we were happy to sit and enjoy for a while.

Next we went to Pakistan, and that was a PARTY. A Pakistani dance troupe from Georgetown Universitywas performing under a big tent. They had bright costumes. Their dances combined Pakistani songs with top 40 ones, so everyone could get into it. And they had some interesting props they used in their dances too.

We went to Brunei at the suggestion of the friend we ran into at Indonesia. She told us there was lots of chocolate there. When we arrived, we were disappointed to see it was the Three Musketeers, Twix, and Milky Way sampler. We were more interested in Brunese chocolate. Microsoft Word tells me that Brunese isn’t a real word, but I think you understand. Their building is absolutely gorgeous, and even has a waterfall wall out back. Before we left, they did bring out Brunei foods – shrimp chips, which I didn’t eat because they’re not kosher, and a sesame covered dessert ball thing. The dessert was warm and airy. There was a filling inside which we thought was fig. Later in Egyptwe learned that the filling was actually red bean paste. Who knew!

Our finally stop was in Egypt. (Although we stared curiously at the outside of the UAE embassy which wasn’t participating in the open houses. We imagined opulence at its finest.) In Egypt, we promptly started taking pictures with the mummy artwork. We watched a short movie that was probably created by their national tourism department. Then we checked out the goods they were selling in their marketplace. I tried on a fez, but decided my head is a bit too small to successfully pull it off. Aladdin looked better. Some of the folks in our group bought picture frames with interesting designs. Then we discovered their patio, around which they hung a bunch of colorful cloths creating a bright tent. There were pillows and things which looked like bean bag chairs but featured hieroglyphic style designs. If we were actually in Egypt, there would probably be a bunch of middle age men smoking hookah in the tent.  It was sunny and breezy and pleasant, so a bunch of us sat down and spent the rest of the afternoon enjoying this Egyptian tent. Embassy Day ended at 4pm, and we slowly shuffled out of the tent, reentering U.S. soil. The vacation was over, we were home.

Now please, forget everything you just read about how awesome the DC Embassy Open House days are and stay home come next May. Long lines are no fun!

Founding Farmers Feast

Kirios and I planned to spend quality time together during his last weekend home before his big European vacation. I had to be in Chattanooga, Tennessee(which always makes me think “choo-choo”) for an almost-all day meeting on Friday. My flight was scheduled to arrive back at Reagan National Airport just before 6, and takes about an hour to metro/walk back to my apartment. I thought it would be super exciting to return to a home-cooked meal ready to eat and being the sweetheart that he is, Kirios agreed to come over and cook while I made my way back home.

Of course, life never goes as planned, and through a series of coincidences we ended up having a completely different yet enjoyable evening. Kirios arrived at work Friday morning to find out that it was going to be a long day preparing a proposal with an approaching deadline. He originally told me he didn’t think he’d be home before 10pm. Clearly the only way I was going to get a home-cooked meal was if I made it. My meeting in Chattanooga didn’t go as expected either. We were learning so much from the folks we met with and the clock was ticking closer to our flight departure, so we decided to skip lunch in order to keep the conversation going longer. I eventually got a veggie wrap from the only food vendor at the Chattanooga airport around 3:30pm.

By the time my flight landed, the proposal prognosis at Kirios’ company had improved. Kirios also received a late in the day call from one of his best friends from high school who has since moved away saying that he and his girlfriend were in for the weekend and free that evening. So Kirios went ahead and made 8:30 reservations for the four us to have a dinner at the new(ish) Potomac location of Founding Farmers. (The original DC location is where we went for my birthday dinner.) Kirios made it home minutes before 8pm, and quickly changed his clothes. I met him at his house, and we arrived at the restaurant right on time.

Meanwhile, I had texted my great friend from college who happens to be a talented actor/Founding Farmers Potomac server, and learned that he was working that evening. We were seated in his section, and as a result of the good company and good service, Kirios and I decided to indulge. Founding Farmers is known for their prohibition style bar, so I first ordered a Clementine; clementine and seasonal chili-infused Reposado Tequila, Benedictine, lime and pineapple juices, and agave nectar. It was served in a sugar rimmed glass – yum. To eat, I had a ricotta, pistachio, and date flatbread as an appetizer and butternut squash ravioli with brussel sprout leaves as an entrée. Kirios ordered oven-roasted cracked black pepper wings and a rack of ribs of which he could barely eat half. Our friends ordered similarly decadent drinks, appetizers, and meals.

Unlike my companions, I was not successful in fully indulging. Our friends ordered a chocolate mousse bowl fit for two. Kirios ordered beignets served with three separate sauces. He tried in vain to have me split them with him. Eventually I gave in and had one bite. They were delicious. But if I stop at one bite, I’m definitely full. We finished the evening victoriously, with a doggy bag and food-coma induced night of sleep.

Two Years and Counting

I’ve been running around for the past couple weeks without taking time to blog about my adventures. Kirios is currently on a 3+ week vacation with his parents, and I’m doing my best to stay busy in his absence. Despite that, I think it’s about time I attempt to catch up on some of the noteworthy activities in my life recently.

May 8th was my two-year anniversary with Kirios. It fell on a Tuesday night this year, so we decided to treat ourselves to dinner at a nice restaurant in the middle of the week to celebrate. Originally we had discussed trying to get reservations at Rasika, the fanciest/most difficult to get a reservation at Indian restaurant in the district. Kirios suggested Indique in Cleveland Park as a cheaper but still classy alternative. We had a wonderful time at its sister restaurant Indique Heights (in Friendship Heights) for our first semi-versary a year and half earlier. I told him I still preferred to try Rasika, but I caved when a $20 for $40 deal of the day showed up in my inbox for Indique a couple days later. Welcome to two years – we’re not ashamed to use daily deals and coupons on dates, even for special occasions! Of course, I insisted that we would have to go to Rasika for my birthday if we don’t find another occasion sooner.

I was delighted to have so many new dresses to choose from in time for our anniversary. I picked out fairly fancy form-fitting sleeveless dress that’s purple on top and black starting at its high waist. Unlike most of my new dresses, it’s too dressy for most events and it isn’t appropriate for work. Any excuse to wear it will do! Since Kirios offered to drive, I wore black high heels and a lace shawl. Kirios is always happy to take off his work clothes when he gets home, in favor for his infamous plaid shorts and brown flip flops. For this occasion, he wore khakis which I bought him as an anniversary present. (No joke, the guy didn’t own a single pair of khaki pants!) He wore a nice polo and a sports coat and a nice pair of shoes. You know he’s making an effort when he leaves the flip flops at home.

The atmosphere at Indique was pleasant. Tables were a bit close together, but there was plenty of room. We sat next to a window, and there was a cute balcony with Christmas lights, but it was a bit too chilly for outside seating. It didn’t have a fountain or a swing bench like Indique Heights though, sigh.

We ordered drinks; Kirios got a mango lassi and I was tempted by their specialty cocktails but decided to have a glass of shiraz. We split a salmon “slider” appetizer, a salmon burger with shallot, ginger, and cumin between oothapam, Indian pancakes. It was served was a fish sauce, but we thought it was more interesting paired with the standard Indian restaurant chutney trio. The dish was unexpected for an Indian restaurant, but tasty none-the-less. Kirios and I are suckers for crepe-like dishes.

For the main course, Kirios ordered lamb vindaloo, which has been his standard Indian dish for at least the past 6 months. A Greek boy has a hard time passing up a good lamb dish. He ordered it at a spicy level of 10, as usual. This of course drives me mad, but it definitely wasn’t as spicy as versions of the dish other restaurants have served him. Since they didn’t offer any vegetarian thali platters, which I enjoy splurging on from time to time, I decided to stick with a favorite too. I ordered baingan bhartha, roasted eggplant with tomatoes and spices. We also had an order of garlic naan, because half the fun of eating Indian food is the naan. The entrees were served with a side of lentils and some pretty vegetable garnishes, presentation was nice. Portion sizes were typical; we were both too full to order dessert. But overall, Indique’s renditions of our favorite Indian meals just seemed average to us. There were points in the meal where we both wished we were at our go-to Indian restaurant inBethesda, Tandoori Nights. (Truthfully, I’ve been dying to go back since I ordered a new eggplant dish during my last visit, Shahi Baingan, which was exceptional.)

At the end of the evening we had a dispute with the manager over the bill, since they insisted on taking the $40 voucher value off the after-tax total, despite the fine print on the voucher instructing otherwise. Not a great ending to a less than enchanting experience. But to be clear, it was a lovely evening despite the mediocrity of our meals, and truly special to go out and celebrate this milestone in our relationship.

Back to School

After months away, I recently had the opportunity to go back to my alma mater, the University of Maryland not once, not twice, but three times in a one week period. It was more driving around the beltway than I’ve done in a while, but it was well worth the gas money. (Besides, I filled my tank with cheap gas in College Park!)

A week and a half ago, I attended the 20th anniversary celebration for the QUEST (Quality Enhancement Systems and Teams) Program. QUEST is a multidisciplinary program focused on forming cross-functional teams of business, engineering, and computer science students (now open to a few additional majors) with an emphasis on quality management techniques. We liked to call it pre-consulting, and most of my former classmates from the program now work for consulting companies. QUEST was undoubtedly the most fulfilling academic aspect of my college experience. The only students who didn’t do well in QUEST classes were those who were more concerned with their grade than their project.  I turned to my QUEST classmates to join my group project teams in my other classes as well – the students were smart and reliable.

That’s why when I get an invite for a QUEST event, I usually try to attend. The anniversary celebration was no exception. It brought 20 years of students, professors, and staff together, and featured a lot of memories, motivation, and excitement for the future.  It also featured a tasty tree-course dinner. (How I miss the luxuries of being a business student…) About fifteen classmates from my cohort of seventy attended, and it was a treat to catch up with them and hear about how they’re all doing. It was equally pleasurable to meet the newest class of QUEST students, recently selected and anxious to begin the program in the spring. I’ve also been paired with one of the new students as part of a new buddy program, and exchanging emails with her has also brought back fond memories and helped me stay involved.

A few days after the celebration, Kirios and I went to campus together for Maryland Day, which I already wrote about. We took advantage of the beautiful campus and frolicked on the mall. We rubbed Testudo’s nose for good luck, visited the campus store and coffee shop in the student union.

The following week I returned to campus again for yet another celebration, this time honoring Patricia Cleveland, who is stepping down as the Dean of Undergraduate Studies at the Smith School of Business at the end of the semester and transitioning into a teaching role. I remembered seeing Dean Cleveland in passing during my tour of the business school on admitted students’ day. Within my first week at Smith, she knew my name. And I thought that was pretty cool. So I took her advice and became involved in the Smith Undergraduate Student Organization (SUSA) which she oversaw. I became friends with other business majors and we assumed leadership roles, working together with Dean Cleveland. Most of us were able to make it to the event, and we spent the evening munching on hors d’oeuvres, sipping champagne, and recalling our favorite Dean Cleveland, SUSA, and Smith stories. I smiled the whole night, and when I turned the ringer back on my phone before getting in my car to drive I home, I realized it was 11:30! I don’t usually stay out (or up) that late on work nights, but I couldn’t think of a better reason to do it.

It may be a while before I make it back to campus again. But this proud Terp knows they won’t be able to keep her away for too long!