DC Food Trucks

EmmaLeave a comment

Since I work in L’Enfant Plaza, I have MANY food options, including the food trucks that are usually parked at Maryland Ave & 7th St SW from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. during weekdays.  A couple of my co-workers are fans of the trucks, esp. those that sell spicy food.  Below are some of my favorites. 

Ficelle

Are you looking for an alternative to your regular sandwich?  The ficelle is a light/crispy type of bread that looks like a baguette.  You can choose turkey, roast beef, chicken, etc., with different types of seasoning and veggies.  My favorite is the Newman Ficelle.  The guy who runs it is from Italy (I think) and always remembers the regulars.

Fojol Brothers

Merlindia (Indian), Benethopia (Ethiopian), & Volathai (Thai) are the trucks run by the Fojols.  My fave is Volathai; it comes to my area on Fridays (ANOTHER reason to love Fridays)!  I prefer to get the Pick 2 w/ Green Curry and Penang Curry (if available).  Otherwise, I’d get green curry (comes w/ rice) and mushroom drunken noodle (NOTE: It’s spicy for most folks who I’ve spoken to).  Sometimes Pad Thai and Beef Massaman Curry are available, BUT these aren’t at the top of my list. (Interestingly, the Massaman sauce was inspired by the first Indians who traveled to Thailand to do business, and wanted a taste of home.)    

Other reasons I enjoy the Fojols are their friendly demeanor, interesting ethnic wear, and generous portions.  Unlike some trucks, they haven’t made their portions smaller over the year.  One guy (who’s married) often tells me that he plans to name his daughter Emma, if he ever has one.  Awww!   

Lobster Truck DC

Yes, this food is pricy, BUT it’s VERY good/fresh!  Sarah, a new friend of mine (who also blogs), REALLy enjoyed having a Maine roll at the recent Trucko de Mayo festival.  She said it reminded her of home (she’s from the Boston area).   Another friend, Lana, liked the root beer.  My fave is the vanilla creme soda. 

Sinplicity

This truck is CUTE; it has light blue, white clouds, and cows painted all over it.  There are cookies, sodas, sorbets, & different types of ice cream.  I tried the 2 scoops (vanilla & cappucino crunch) at the food fest and LOVED them both!  It was well worth the wait, as several folks said.  A gal raised in Arizona will ALWAYS love ice cream…

Sweetbites

This truck is run by a wiry-framed blonde (who looks like she NEVER eats dessert)- LOL!  My fave is the Red Velvet; the Cookies & Cream is great, too.  She usually has 5-7 different choices available.  The portions are not too big or too small!       

Tasty Kabob

This truck is green and white, denoting the colors of Pakistan (at least in my mind).  It’s run by Middle Eastern guys of different ages, some American and some immigrant.  The portions are VERY generous, so check it out when you’re VERY hungry.  (You can share w/ a co-worker or take home, too.)  I like the lamb w/ rice & 2 veggies, though I have tried the gyro also once or twice.  I think the food is NOT spicy, but then again, I’m a desi gal!     

You can follow the trucks at the site below or on Twitter.

http://foodtruckfiesta.com/

These are ALL Key Pers!

Emma2 Comments

Fossil Key Per (Blue Dot) Crossbody Bag & ID Wallet

Front view of wallet

 Back view (w/ ID window)

I LOVE this navy blue color!  The bag is lightweight and very easy to manage-  GREAT for weekends (when you’re usually dressed down).  Last season (Winter 2011), I bought it from the Fossil web site.  I found the matching ID wallet/pouch on eBay (good price) last month.

Fossil Key Per (Bird) Tote Bag

I got this bag new from eBay at 1/3 off the MSRP!  It fits EVERYTHING (it’s the largest tote in this line), even on days that I have computer textbooks, folders, gym clothes, and more to carry.  I’m using it as a tote, but you can also wear it crossbody.

The Last Sunset (1961)

EmmaLeave a comment

I was flipping through channels a few days ago and happened upon this dramatic Western.  It just caught my attention from the first scene.  A striking man dressed all in black, Brendan O’Malley (Kirk Douglas), rides up to a simple ranch house in the Mexican desert and humbly asks for food and shelter.  From the way they look at each other, we know that there is something going on between him and the lady of the house, Belle Breckenridge (Dorothy Malone), a strong/beautiful woman.  She has a bright/lovely teen daughter, Missy (Carol Lynley), who’s very intrigued by the stranger.

When Mr. Breckenridge (Joseph Cotton, playing against type) comes home, he’s drunk.  The rancher offers O’Malley a job; he needs men (aside from his two Mexican ranch hands) to take his cattle to Texas.  O’Malley says that he can be “the gun” (protect the herd/ladies), but he knows someone who can be a great “trail man.”  He fails to mention that this man is also a marshall, Dana Stribling (Rock Hudson), who has been tracking him for SOME time.

After the drive, O’Malley says he’ll take 1/3 of the herd.  “Oh, and I also plan to take your wife,” he adds nonchalantly.

This film contains unlikely twists and turns.  The characters develop and change over time.  The more traditional handsome man, Hudson, is in the secondary role (the white hat).  I think he does a FINE job w/ his role of the straight-shooter.  Pay attention to the touching scene with Hudson, Lynley, and a baby calf.  But the star is Douglas, who captivates and smolders onscreen (and not just because of his muscles).  He portrays a troubled man full anger, regret, and finally… selflessness.

Valmont (1989)

EmmaLeave a comment

Historically, among the French aristocracy, love and marriage did not go together.  Marriages were made because of  wealth, status, etc.   Of course, there was a lot of heartache, cheating, and even… disaster. In such a world, marriage was a burden to be tolerated; lovers/mistresses were common.

At the opening, “innocent,” wide-eyed 15 y.o. Cecile de Volanges (Fairuza Balk) leaves the convent where she’s been studying/living since age 11.  Her mother has already arranged a marriage for her with a wealthy older man, Monseur de Gercourt (Jeffrey Jones).  It turns out that Cecile’s fiance is the (current) lover of Madame de Merteuil (Annette Bening), her mother’s “wise,” beautiful, and widowed cousin. No one notices that Cecile’s young music tutor, Danceny (Henry Thomas, the little boy from E.T.) is interested in her, too.

Image

At the Paris opera, they meet a former lover of Merteuil’s, Monseur de Valmont (a young Colin Firth).  He invites Merteuil to his aunt’s place.  Valmont goes to the country, as he knows that the lovely/naive young wife of a judge is visiting, Madame de Tourvel (Jennifer Tilly).

Valmont boldly decalres his love for her, but she says that she’ll stay true to her husband.  Wives who cheat are “weak” in her mind.  (Watch for a funny pond scene that is quite different from the one in Pride & Prejudice.)

When Merteuil comes to the estate, she proposes a cruel plan: she wants Valmont to seduce Cecile before her wedding night, as revenge against Gercourt.  The idea bores him, at first, but then she says that he can have her if the plan succeeds.

Cecile’s mother is angry/upset when she learns that her daughter has been receiving love letters from Danceny.  The girl confesses all to Merteuil- she loves Danceny and hates the thought of marrying the “old and ugly” Gercourt.  Merteuil double crosses Cecile and tells the mother.  The young lovers are separated, but Merteuil promises to help them be together.  That’s when the real drama begins!

The leads in this film are much more appealing/younger, and thus better suited, to their roles than Glenn Close and John Malkovich in Dangerous Liaisons, a fine film (I loved Michelle Pfeiffer’s interpretation).  You don’t want to miss the sizzling chemistry between Bening and Firth, as Roger Ebert pointed out in his review.   They are just fun to watch!  (This is my third time watching this film.  My mom likes it too, though the some of the characters are  “very naughty.”)