Comedy, milkshakes and music

Friday we headed into DC and had dinner at The Oval Room with our friend Colleen. They started us off with a two part amuse bouche: a mixture of pureed beets, cilantro and seaweed over which a sea urchin reduction was poured (not so high on that since I’m not a beet fan) and a shot of potato soup with cheese (much better). I had a sauteed shrimp appetizer with rhubarb and olive powder (interesting combination that worked well) while Jill had a crab salad where the crab was pressed into a slab and served with blood orange pieces and some blood orange sorbet (salty but good). I ordered a honeydew martini (not too sweet) and our entrees arrived: a pork tenderloin with smoky potato, broccoli rabe and ancho chili sauce for Jill, and roasted chicken with pumpkin risotto and egg for me (both scrumptious). I was too full for dessert, but Jill had a coconut cream tart that was tasty.

We stopped at Potbelly on the way out to get some dinner for Colleen’s husband Jim, then walked over to Constitution Hall. We met up with Jim and chatted briefly before we went in to see Eddie Izzard. Eddie came out a little late, but was absolutely hysterical. I haven’t laughed so hard in a while. If you haven’t, start with Dress to Kill, but it’s all worthy. A little delayed getting home due to Metro delays, but it was fine.

Saturday I took Jill to pick up her car (she didn’t feel like driving home from my work Friday night) and she helped me load up my car, then I headed out. I hit three library booksales first, then went to Arlington and dropped the eleven boxes of books I’d been keeping since last year’s Chaamp book, bake and plant sale for this year’s (which happens next Saturday and if you’re local you should come out). Finally I hit Hole in the Wall because it was Free Comic Book Day and I wouldn’t miss it.

We had discussed going to see Kids in the Hall that night, but Jill decided she didn’t want to go to DC two nights in a row (instead, we may go see Lewis Black in two weeks). I grilled burgers and made a salad for dinner, then read outside for a while. Later we watched The Chronicles of Narnia – The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe because even though it had commercials, it was in HD and had some previews for Prince Caspian. I also made popcorn and strawberry shakes with strawberries, frozen milk and ice cream bars. The bits of chocolate from the ice cream bars added some interesting texture to the shakes – a keeper.

Today I got going early with my auction thing, then headed out on the porch to read. I made orange shrimp for dinner, then headed out to see the Mark Olson Trio at Jammin’ Java. Last time he was in town, I only caught a brief lunchtime performance, and then I heard he had a disappointing turnout at Iota that night, so I was determined to catch him on this swing of the tour. He was very good, the trio format worked well, and I’m always happy to hear “Blue”.

Mark Olson at Jammin' Java