Friday I scored 2 seats to a Spanish wine dinner at TJ's at the Jefferson. It wasn't as nice as when Lemaire was open, but it was still the Jefferson and it was still the best meal in town. The Jefferson throws these every now and again, and if you happen to hear about one, you'd better jump on it quick, or you'll be like J, on the wait list... sitting at home.
Openers- cornmeal crusted oysters with Palicio Bornos Verdejo Rueda '07. Yum. I hate oysters. I could have eaten a bucket of these, and the wine was perfect. (inexpensive, to boot.)
Course 1- Lobster bisque w/caramelized fennel, tarragon, and semi-dried tomatoes served with Valminor Albarino Rias Baixas '07. I love Albarino's. They taste like the shore. The lobster bisque was wonderful and i thought Cliff was going to lick the bowl...
Course 2- Duck 4ways... seared breast, leg confit, "dirty rice, and foie gras- served with a wonderfully, earthy Finca Sobreno Crianza Toro'05. If there was ever a year for wine, it has to be '05... This was the best dish of the night and reminded me of the pheasant and wild rice my Mom used to cook after my Dad and I would go pheasant hunting. And the wine... if you bbq... you should run buy some. Its very inexpensive. It's perfect for meat. (and was pretty good alone, too.)
Course 3- Mustard crusted rack of lamb, sweet garlic risotto, brussels sprouts, smoked bacon - with Mas Sinen Priorat '05. If someone asks you what you want, you want a case of this wine. Its pretty expensive- about $50 a bottle, but man, was it good. I drank waaay to much of it, and was really glad at the time that I did.
Dessert- Grand Marnier Chocolate Molten cake with Balsamic marinated strawberries and Patricia Cream "sherry" montilla Morales NV. I hate Sherry, nuff said. But the strawberries were killer.
All that for $75.00, which included tax and tip. Jealous?
You should be. No worries though, you eat that, and then the next day get on a bike and you are guaranteed going to suffer...
J's hubby went down to run a race and dropped her off at my house at 0'dark 30. I handed her the clicker and went back to bed.
An hour later I got up and we slowly headed out on the roads for 30 miles of whinefest. My head hurt. My leg hurt. It was cold. It was windy. Damn, it even snowed. I think my hair even hurt. Three glasses of $50 wine will do that to you. The other glasses joined in there to beat on me as well. It was not a ride that I'd care to repeat.
Sunday was round two. Col. Sweatsalot, J, and Cliff took turns ripping my legs off on my hilly Hadensville ride. For as bad as I felt, and for as much as I tried to hide what horrible shape I'm in, I had to be thrilled with J and Sharon. Sharon was like a very fit race horse, all up on her toes, grabbing the bit, and throwing in a little exuberant buck every now and again. It was fun to see. And J, what can you say... even with a dead headwind the whole way out, she would charge to the front and sprint up the hills.
And the friendly black lab was back... and ran in and out of the pack for a good 1/2 mile until Cliff scared him. (Big meanie...)
So today is a recovery day. If I get the gumption up I may just finish my taxes... or I may just take a nap.
Oh, and by the way, congrats to Dr Marc on his win yesterday at the Wolfpack crit... even though he sprints like a girl. Oh, yeah, maybe that's why he won!
Monday, February 16, 2009
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
RIIIIP!
I went out for an ez run last night since J decided that she was going to run with me today. J BERRY BERRY FAST, and me not so much any more... so I was going to save up whatever speed that I could muster for tonight so that I could almost keep up with her without barfing.
Probably a bad move... whenever you change your stride, bad things happen. About 2 miles in, I took one too many strides and the calf just went. Or maybe its the Achilles attachment. Whichever, that was the end of me running last night, and I had to hobble a mile + back to the Queen Cab.
It would have to be on my good leg, too.
On the bright side, I did find a dime. So while I'm sulking about not being able to run, I can treasure my new found wealth.
Probably a bad move... whenever you change your stride, bad things happen. About 2 miles in, I took one too many strides and the calf just went. Or maybe its the Achilles attachment. Whichever, that was the end of me running last night, and I had to hobble a mile + back to the Queen Cab.
It would have to be on my good leg, too.
On the bright side, I did find a dime. So while I'm sulking about not being able to run, I can treasure my new found wealth.
Monday, February 9, 2009
From the frying pan to...
Saturday was blissfully warm, and I yondered out to get a season's worth of Vitamin D. Too bad there was that pesky wind stuff, oh and the fires everywhere. I can understand people being addicted, but I can't understand why they feel the need to throw thier cigarette butts out the window. If they were so dirty that they couldn't have them in the car, maybe they shouldn't be smoking in the car. Just a thought...
Those flying cigarettes were causing fires all over the counties. I drove thru one, with the good ole' volunteers working hard to put it out before it burned a house down. I bet the a-hole who threw the nasty thing didn't even realize the heart ache he was causing his neighbors...
Sunday we got a group together to do my hill ride. Just head out 250 towards C'ville and the road goes up, and then down, and then up, and then down. Nice long, steady hills to get the body thinking about the season to come.
Col. Sweatsalot showed us all what valor under fire really is when she selflessly sacrificed herself to fend off the nice Lab that came out to run with us up the road. Sharon veered into his path so that he couldn't lick us to death and then proceeded to try to give him a drink with her bottle of Heed. She might need to go back to the firing range, as her aim in the wind was a wee bit off. I was the lucky recipient of a full body wash with Heed... enough that if I was stranded in the woods... and had nothing to eat for days except the Heed coating my body, I would have survived. What are friends for... Thanks, Sharon. Me and my sticky bike salute you!
Oh, and a nod to J... J couldn't make it to the ride since she was up in F'burg kicking every one's ass in the Sweetheart 4 miler. When I talked to her last night, she didn't say that she won, just that she and her hubby, Mr. Negs won the couple's combined division and scored a nice dinner at a swank restaurant.
Sweethearts 4 MileFredericksburg, VA02/08/2009 Cat Time GrandPlc Place Name City ST Time min/mile Ag Prix--- ----- ------------------------ --------------- -- -------- -------- -- ----- Women's Overall 14 1/1 Julia Smith Tappahannock VA 00:24:56 6:14 40 1000
On a tough course- I think I'd be happy with that one.
Those flying cigarettes were causing fires all over the counties. I drove thru one, with the good ole' volunteers working hard to put it out before it burned a house down. I bet the a-hole who threw the nasty thing didn't even realize the heart ache he was causing his neighbors...
Sunday we got a group together to do my hill ride. Just head out 250 towards C'ville and the road goes up, and then down, and then up, and then down. Nice long, steady hills to get the body thinking about the season to come.
Col. Sweatsalot showed us all what valor under fire really is when she selflessly sacrificed herself to fend off the nice Lab that came out to run with us up the road. Sharon veered into his path so that he couldn't lick us to death and then proceeded to try to give him a drink with her bottle of Heed. She might need to go back to the firing range, as her aim in the wind was a wee bit off. I was the lucky recipient of a full body wash with Heed... enough that if I was stranded in the woods... and had nothing to eat for days except the Heed coating my body, I would have survived. What are friends for... Thanks, Sharon. Me and my sticky bike salute you!
Oh, and a nod to J... J couldn't make it to the ride since she was up in F'burg kicking every one's ass in the Sweetheart 4 miler. When I talked to her last night, she didn't say that she won, just that she and her hubby, Mr. Negs won the couple's combined division and scored a nice dinner at a swank restaurant.
Sweethearts 4 MileFredericksburg, VA02/08/2009 Cat Time GrandPlc Place Name City ST Time min/mile Ag Prix--- ----- ------------------------ --------------- -- -------- -------- -- ----- Women's Overall 14 1/1 Julia Smith Tappahannock VA 00:24:56 6:14 40 1000
On a tough course- I think I'd be happy with that one.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
There's money out there
Ok, I am El Cheapo Delux. As a friend once told me, it's not what you make, it's what you spend. If you don't believe me, that little old man who froze to death when the power company put the regulator on his house because he didn't pay his bill... well he left approximately $500,000 in his will to local charity. ( Now I probably would have paid the bill out of that hunk of change, I must admit.)
Anyways, coming in to the office I was listening to NPR and this frosted me... You know that huge bill you get from your kid's college, and how they kind of lump fees together? Are you paying for health insurance for your kid in that lump fee? Do you have health insurance on your kid? Are you paying 2x for health insurance for your kid without knowing it? Call the college and ask. The guy in the story was paying $1100 to the college every semester (that's $2200 a year boys and girls) for something that he already was paying for. The college fessed up, and after proving that he had insurance on his kid, cancelled the charge GOING FORWARD.
It really does pay to read things. Like contracts. You'd be amazed what gets stuck in contracts that people never read. Like a car that I bought... I had told the sales manager that I wanted the car and was not paying for rust proofing, insurance, paperwork, sunshine, or any other crap. I go to the paperwork dept, and they hand me the contract, and tell me to sign at the sticky. Being anal, I insist on reading everything... and find over $1000 in hidden charges. So I walked out. See yah, wouldn't want to be ya. The sales manager almost had a stroke chasing me down. They expect to get away with this stuff. Read everything.
And if you are like me, and you surf for hours to get the best deal... look at your receipts and the confirmation notice. I understand that Nashbar and Performance are notorious for adding charges or taking off discount codes on the final bill. Check your receipts.
I really don't mind paying fair prices for things. I do mind paying more for things than I have to. And I sympathize with US cycling shops who pay more for parts than I can buy them for overseas. Talk to Shimano. There is some kind of a deal going on here, but while I sympathize with you, I can still guy a grouppo from Probike Kit for about 2/3 of what you pay for it. Go figure.
The way I figure it, on my little person's salary you had better be tight. Make the nickles' scream. Paying too much thru inattention is just wrong.
Anyways, coming in to the office I was listening to NPR and this frosted me... You know that huge bill you get from your kid's college, and how they kind of lump fees together? Are you paying for health insurance for your kid in that lump fee? Do you have health insurance on your kid? Are you paying 2x for health insurance for your kid without knowing it? Call the college and ask. The guy in the story was paying $1100 to the college every semester (that's $2200 a year boys and girls) for something that he already was paying for. The college fessed up, and after proving that he had insurance on his kid, cancelled the charge GOING FORWARD.
It really does pay to read things. Like contracts. You'd be amazed what gets stuck in contracts that people never read. Like a car that I bought... I had told the sales manager that I wanted the car and was not paying for rust proofing, insurance, paperwork, sunshine, or any other crap. I go to the paperwork dept, and they hand me the contract, and tell me to sign at the sticky. Being anal, I insist on reading everything... and find over $1000 in hidden charges. So I walked out. See yah, wouldn't want to be ya. The sales manager almost had a stroke chasing me down. They expect to get away with this stuff. Read everything.
And if you are like me, and you surf for hours to get the best deal... look at your receipts and the confirmation notice. I understand that Nashbar and Performance are notorious for adding charges or taking off discount codes on the final bill. Check your receipts.
I really don't mind paying fair prices for things. I do mind paying more for things than I have to. And I sympathize with US cycling shops who pay more for parts than I can buy them for overseas. Talk to Shimano. There is some kind of a deal going on here, but while I sympathize with you, I can still guy a grouppo from Probike Kit for about 2/3 of what you pay for it. Go figure.
The way I figure it, on my little person's salary you had better be tight. Make the nickles' scream. Paying too much thru inattention is just wrong.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
It's a whole new ballgame
That's what one Senator has commented. It's a whole new ballgame. Citi Group has announced that they now "Get It." Meaning that they are actually going to use that money that you and I, thru our good friends in DC, gave them to do what our good friends meant for the money to be used for. You know, making loans and stuff. They vow not to use that money to pay for other things, like naming a ball park after themselves.
Oops, except that is still what they are going to do. But not with our money, they are going to do it with their money.
Riddle me this... you have this big pot of money, this side came from DC, the other money came from other investments.... now when you go to give bonus checks, pay for parties, or name a stadium, doesn't that money still come from the same big pot of money?
It's hard to justify your corporate name on a ball park, tennis match, party, or gasp, a bike race if you are laying your employees off. Look at all the big name bike races that are getting cancelled right and left.
Strangely enough, there was an article out yesterday that the grass roots cycling is doing just fine, thank you. Our little races, and racers are marching on.
Pay outs might suffer, goodie bags might go unfilled and some teams that have always done race reimbursement may not get to do it this year. The local race scene itself should do just fine. I still believe that while some people might holler about payouts, they really aren't racing for money anyway. Heck, most of my payouts wouldn't pay for the gas to get to the race, and few actually pay for the race entry itself.
It's going to be a very interesting year...
Oops, except that is still what they are going to do. But not with our money, they are going to do it with their money.
Riddle me this... you have this big pot of money, this side came from DC, the other money came from other investments.... now when you go to give bonus checks, pay for parties, or name a stadium, doesn't that money still come from the same big pot of money?
It's hard to justify your corporate name on a ball park, tennis match, party, or gasp, a bike race if you are laying your employees off. Look at all the big name bike races that are getting cancelled right and left.
Strangely enough, there was an article out yesterday that the grass roots cycling is doing just fine, thank you. Our little races, and racers are marching on.
Pay outs might suffer, goodie bags might go unfilled and some teams that have always done race reimbursement may not get to do it this year. The local race scene itself should do just fine. I still believe that while some people might holler about payouts, they really aren't racing for money anyway. Heck, most of my payouts wouldn't pay for the gas to get to the race, and few actually pay for the race entry itself.
It's going to be a very interesting year...
Monday, February 2, 2009
What do you do while recovering?
Well, if you are my teammate Mark... you buy a cool new Alan frame to replace the one that was crushed, ripped, smashed, basically just obliterated in the crash. Then because you are bored to tears, you surf ebay day and night until you find the tricked out Trek TT frame of your dreams. Flames, he had to get the bike of my dreams... If you find Mark in a ditch somewhere, and the Trek is missing... I'm sure I can come up with an alibi.
Go back to work, Mark. I cant stand the jealousy anymore!
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Welcome to all the new officials!
How cool was it to be in Toano today and see some 30 newbie officials taking the test! Too cool for school! Special congrats to Mr. Nasty and Col. Sweatsalot for passing the test with flying colors. And Carolyn, I bet it's been a long time since you had to take a test, open book or otherwise. Congrats to all y'all!
And a quick interuption to mention that the other Karen who got creamed by the car... (God love her and I hope she is very happily in a percoset haze about now...) yeah, that was NOT me. Thank God for small miracles. Now I might have been hoping to get hit by a bus (not happening in rural Goochaland) while I was dealing with the wind this afternoon, it did not actually happen. Look Ma, no stitches. So stop calling me, or send cash to make me feel better. You know, from riding in the wind, not from getting hit by a car. Cause that didn't happen...
Anywho, the officials clinic is always fun because you get to catch up and get the gossip from the rest of the folks.
Like poor Swanee, slaving away at Contes, only getting to ride 200 miles a week and is soo behind the 8 ball (bite me.) Sally found this cool website cheapo air (?) and scored 2 tickets to California for 250.00 and Pete is going out west to train. Sally is a girl after my own heart. We might have to call her El Cheapo Delux 2. Sally even uses Priceline. Pete, if you rub it in one more time that you have time to train 200 miles a week, I'm going to have to hurt you. Not that I'm cranky about my lack of training time, or anything. Grrrr....
Then there was our favorite chief ref and Ruth protoge', Danielle, telling us how not to fry a camera. I live in fear of frying cameras. Now I have one more thing in my life to be a techo-phobe about. I can just hear people whispering, "yeah, we used to have this great equipment until Karen got her wicked little hands on it... now its toast, like all her phones..."
Officiating, its scary stuff. Bike racers, easy. Equipment... now that's another story.
And my ride when I got home. It was warm. Yeah! And it was some kinda windy. Boo! But any day on the bike is a good day. Thats what I kept telling myself as my legs fell off on the big hill with the head wind.
And no, I didn't steal one of those great massage tables from the wonderful facility we were at this morning. What good is a massage table without a handsome Swedish guy to put the moves on you? Oh, well...
And a quick interuption to mention that the other Karen who got creamed by the car... (God love her and I hope she is very happily in a percoset haze about now...) yeah, that was NOT me. Thank God for small miracles. Now I might have been hoping to get hit by a bus (not happening in rural Goochaland) while I was dealing with the wind this afternoon, it did not actually happen. Look Ma, no stitches. So stop calling me, or send cash to make me feel better. You know, from riding in the wind, not from getting hit by a car. Cause that didn't happen...
Anywho, the officials clinic is always fun because you get to catch up and get the gossip from the rest of the folks.
Like poor Swanee, slaving away at Contes, only getting to ride 200 miles a week and is soo behind the 8 ball (bite me.) Sally found this cool website cheapo air (?) and scored 2 tickets to California for 250.00 and Pete is going out west to train. Sally is a girl after my own heart. We might have to call her El Cheapo Delux 2. Sally even uses Priceline. Pete, if you rub it in one more time that you have time to train 200 miles a week, I'm going to have to hurt you. Not that I'm cranky about my lack of training time, or anything. Grrrr....
Then there was our favorite chief ref and Ruth protoge', Danielle, telling us how not to fry a camera. I live in fear of frying cameras. Now I have one more thing in my life to be a techo-phobe about. I can just hear people whispering, "yeah, we used to have this great equipment until Karen got her wicked little hands on it... now its toast, like all her phones..."
Officiating, its scary stuff. Bike racers, easy. Equipment... now that's another story.
And my ride when I got home. It was warm. Yeah! And it was some kinda windy. Boo! But any day on the bike is a good day. Thats what I kept telling myself as my legs fell off on the big hill with the head wind.
And no, I didn't steal one of those great massage tables from the wonderful facility we were at this morning. What good is a massage table without a handsome Swedish guy to put the moves on you? Oh, well...
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