Home again home

Jun 3, 2006

Back now after an overnight trip to D.C. was extended an extra night (because of a canceled flight due to bad weather in Raleigh). Not to miss a good opportunity, I got a room at the Marriott Crystal City, enjoyed the plush bed while watching Footloose, and then made my way to the top-notch tapas restaurant Jaleo, where I enjoyed a glass of Nessa albarino, a bowl of gazpacho and a grilled pork sausage with white beans.

Earlier, after I’d packed up the MEASURE Evaluation booth at the Global Health Council conference, I’d walked to Dupont Circle, spent an hour browsing the paperbacks at Kramerbooks, and then sat on a bench near the fountain to digest the tasty lunch I’d had at Cafe Citron (ceviche and these delicious chicken empanadas). With the pedestrians, birds, running water and a firetruck that went round and round the circle as soundtrack, I enjoyed the cosmopolitan opportunity to just sit and read, immersing myself into Philip Roth’s The Human Stain. On my way to the Metro, I stopped to buy an Andean pan flute to add to my menagerie of instruments, then took the train to meet a journalism buddy— and fellow Mac aficionado—William Hoffman (but not before being pulled into the fountain pen shop Fahrney’s Pens).

One more meal to report: Thursday night I dined at the Afghan Grill, where I drank a Turkish white and ate lamb kabob, which came with flavored basmati rice and a delicious spinach.

All in all, a tasty trip. But damn if the mirrors in my Marriott room didn’t show me where all that good food and wine was ending up.

Anton Zuiker ☄