What makes you crave?

This weekend was filled with alot of things to do and physical exercise. The fiance' and I ran a 10K for the Houston Rodeo and then treated ourselves to one of the best restaurants in Houston (Brennan's). I know That I was dreaming about that place even before we physically exerted ourselves.

Aside: Brennan's is one of the premier Cajun establishments in the country. "Mama" created wonders such as the Corn Bread pound cake. That is like Corn Bread ... with pound cake goodness.

So, after day dreaming I did on Saturday I have some questions. What causes your the "best" of your cravings? What spawns those day dreams? Is it physical exercise? Is it the process of finding good food? Is it places you have been? Places that you are going to?

What really turns it on for you?

Oh, and What's For Lunch?

Ever Have That Not So Sober Feeling?

"Back Jack Do It Again. Drunk."

Okay, not so much anymore.

I come to you all from the comfort of LaChoi's couch, after a not-so-sober evening with Ms. LaChoi and Mr. E-Que. I will be working from home today, as soon as I get there, though a stop at Dos Gringos is in the offing.

An innocent afternoon of Mexican food took a turn when, while waiting for our crew to arrive, I pretty much drank my body weight in Margaritas. This was followed by a trip to the Casa de -Que for the imbibing of several tasty beverages from New Belgium Brewery, and the further ingestion of other... things.

A good time was had by all. We laughed. We cried. We bonded. We made great drunken plans. Oh, and we finally finished those damn cookies.

So kids, what's for lunch today? I'll let you know what I come up with at Dos Gringos when I get back to the comfort of my own home.

Oh, and apologies to all who were called, texted or otherwise last night. It was all in love.

It's great to have LaChoi back!

Rico: 0-2

I was under the impression that one of the most reliable ways to meet people was through your friends. They come prescreened, you get references, you have a little safety net in place. Yeah, that's what I thought, until I started meeting friends of Rico's. The first one never called me back even though he said the night we hooked up was, "the best night of his life," according to Rico. The second, essentially stood me up last night. So Rico [and his friends] are currently, 0-2.

Rico is currently in our home town enjoying some fine home cooking and has the opportunity to eat at my all time favorite restaurants ever, El Azteco. While I get to hang out by myself in Chicago and wonder why I can't get a date. At least there is lunch to soothe my soul.

What are you having for lunch this weekend?

greetings from the motherland of awesome food

hi WFL-ers,

that's right, i'm doing a mega-early ass lunch post today from the motherland of amazingly delicious foods: KOREA!

words cannot express the fantastic meals that i've had all week. most of them homecooked by TheGrandma, who makes THE BEST kimchi that i've ever laid lips on.

today, we went into sanbon (suburb of seoul) to eat at an authentic bbq restaurant where you take off your shoes and sit on a warm wooden floor on low tables and just get served tons and tons and tons of ribs. along with the ribs are a gazillion number of ban-chans - small side dishes of delicious little goodies like kimchi, bean sprouts marinated in sesame oil and red pepper flake, greens, raw garlic, hot bean paste, and leaves of lettuce. then you take a little bit of everything and make a lettuce wrap and shove the entire thing in your mouth. i'm telling you, it is the most heavenly mixture of tastes. and then the ban-chans keep on coming -- soups, squash deep fried in egg, rice, and of course soju and rice wine liquor that we kept pouring for each other. by the end of the meal, we were all stuffed and drunk. not bad for a family lunch out!

so, please, if you work near a korean establishment, i say run over and order yourself a delicious plate of bulgogi and dig in. or, try to find the nearest place this weekend and enjoy. it's truly a lunch altering experience.

as i bid you all adieu, i just want to ask WFL?????

(ed. note- La Choi is blogging from all the way over here you lazy bastards- Jo)

Sweet Endings

I have an undeniable sweet tooth, and find that a meal really doesn't feel complete for me without a little sweet treat at the end. At the very least I want one of those chocolate melty mint things, but a full blown dessert is even better. Lunch is particularly well suited for dessert in my mind especially if the dessert in question is cookies, but I find that most people do not agree with me on this.

So, I turn to my fellow lunching experts and ask, do you enjoy dessert with lunch? And if so, what is your favorite?

Oh yeah, WFL? And don't forget to pick up a cookie or two.

Get me to the Church on time!

This weekend, for the first time in OWFL history, two of our lunchers are getting married, to eachother!

The bride (formerly hater, formerly cuddles) and James Vernor (formerly CSR, formerly some forgettable names) will be flying to America's heartland tomorrow morning and then making their coupling legal on Saturday. They are then almost immediately heading on a two week voyage to consumate their new status as wife and husband.

We here at OWFL send the happy couple our fondest wishes and would like to take this opportunity to let you know that the blog gives our blessing to this marriage and see ourselves as witnesses to your union (even though none of us will be there...). Feel free to come to us in your time of need and expect our most sincere lunch advice.

We lunch the both of you very much.

And of course we expect periodic lunch updates during your honeymoon, well not really, but it'd be nice to know you were thinking of us. I mean you can get on the internet from anywhere nowadays...

Now let the congregation share it's wishes, thoughts and advice with you, and don't let them forget to include WFL?

Humiliating Lunches

OK, Let's try this again. I posted this last week, but we got multiple posts on the same day, so I opted to take mine down and repost it another day.

All through grade school and middle school I brought my lunch rather than eat the hot lunch provided by the cafeteria at Glencairn Elementary or Hannah Middle School. Once I was in high school and had the option of going out to eat, I spent most of my lunch hours at Taco Bell or Jersey Giant. But during my early formative years my beloved mom, Coco, would pack my lunch for me and it almost always consisted of the same thing: a sandwich on white bread with mustard, an individual serving size bag of chips, one of a variety of Little Debbie type treats and either a New York seltzer or a can of pop and a little love note from my momma. Coco likes junk food and she felt no need to deny her children it and make a pretense at packing a healthy lunch we wouldn't eat. My friends always thought my lunches were great and would try to trade portions with me. But seriously, there was no way I was going to trade a bag of Jay's potato sticks for a couple wilted carrots or swap my star crunch for a baggy of green grapes.

I told Coco one day how there was one boy who always particularly wanted my lunches and would anticipate the days selection with great glee. She thought it was uproariously funny. A couple days later, I was walking to the lunch room at Hannah and broke with the normal routine and peeked into my bag before sitting down. Thank God I did, because right on top was a little baggy of dog bones tied with a ribbon. I was horrified. Was Coco calling me a dog? The most awful of all put down in 1987. I covertly discarded the dog treats before sitting down, but I was rattled.

When I got home, I furiously confronted Coco about the insult. She apologized profusely and told me that she thought it would have been funny if I had handed the dog treats to Denver [the boy infatuated with my lunches] and said, "here, my mom packed a little treat for you." Yes, she was right, it would have been funny. IF she had let me in on the joke in the first place. As it turned out, I just thought Coco was calling me a dog and suffered a humiliating lunch in silence.

Any one else ever humiliated by their lunch?

And of course, WFL today?

Olympic Food

So I'm writing my first post. Hopefully no one will beat me to it. I suspect not, since I think I'm the only person at work today. I was going to write about something presidential, but it's already been done. So I'm writing about the Olympics! I watch curling every 4 years. I love it. I don't think I would love it so much if it were on every weekend, as I understand none of the rules. However, every four years for a few hours, it's great. It struck me that this is a real wurst & beer sport. Similar to bowling, but less hot-doggy & more bratwurst, knockwurst, etc. I would love to try to curl with a nice authentic wurst, hot mustard and a litre of good German beer. Anyone else associate any sports with food? Aside from soccer games & orange slices? Or is there no other sport you can really do that with? Hmmmm. And do you even consider curling a sport?

And WFL this (for most people, anyway) holiday?

Presidential Weekend Edition

On my way to the NYC.

I can't wait to get one of those "authentic" New York slices from Sbarro.

Have fun talking about whatever.

"And now here's something you'll really like!"

Yesterday we found out that there are a couple things that piss the OWFL family off on a daily basis. Just a few things (175 comments).
Today, let's take a suggestion from yesterday and try to think positive.
What makes you smile or laugh when wading through what seems to be a deep muddy of annoyance everyday.

When you get off the phone with that a$$hole from the carpet installing company what is guaranteed to make you smile or giggle and forget your worries, even if just for an instant?

For example, whenever things get a little too annoying in my office I play an audio file of the theme to "Chico and the Man". It is scientifically impossible to be pissed after hearing that song.

Maybe for you it's the singing homeless guy you can see from your window.
Maybe it's remembering that one of your high school enemies is in jail...

I know two things which should be on everyone's lists: Lunch and this blog.

So share with us some of your daily mood enhancers (and please try to stay away from anything less than legal. I'm looking at ...well just about everyone.)

And of course, tell us WFL.



DC WLFERS: Don't forget the Happy Hour for Lachoi's homeland trip and Abs' birthday tonight at 5:30.

The Bride's First Post: Pet Peeves

i have absolutely no idea how to start a post on this site - so if this doesn't end up on the main page just disregard.

yesterday i shared my disdain for friends who leave messages on my work voicemail. that is my number one pet peeve. this is closely followed by 1- friends who leave messages on my cell phone voicemail that say nothing of importance - or even worse: say A LOT (about 500 words) of nothing important. and 2 - people who hit the floor below yours after you've held the elevator for them.

to start this hump day off right i thought we could all get our blood flowing the old fashion way: adrenaline. so put that cup of coffee down, share your pet peeves, and get your rage on.

oh, and after that tell me wfl to calm to you down.

A Sweetheart of a Recipe

Good morning OWFL! And happy v-day to all of you hallmark holiday lovers! This is a super special day for me...Jo sent me a special valentine that was S.W.A.K ....AND most importantly POSTING PRIVILEGES!!

So in recognition of this silly holiday I'm going to share with you all a great recipe that my sweetheart adores...hopefully some of you will share it with the ones that you love!!

Blueberry-Onion Sauced Pork Tenderloin

3/4 to 1 pound pork tenderloin
2 tablespoons butter
divided 2 medium onions, sliced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup port wine or sweet sherry
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
1 cup chopped cherry tomatoes

Preheat broiler. Broil pork, turning occasionally until cooked through, about 20 minutes. Remove to a platter; cover to keep warm. Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter. Add onions, salt and pepper; cook until onions are golden, about 10 minutes. Add sugar; cook until onions are caramelized, 3 minutes longer. Add port, balsamic, blueberries and tomatoes and bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Thinly slice pork and serve with sauce.

This recipe is GREAT and EASY! I usually use grape tomatoes instead of cherry, I find them a bit sweeter, and I've also used this sauce on grilled pork chops and chicken breasts....still divine.

Oh yeah...WFL????

Snow Day my sweet patootie!

It's beautiful out in DC. Again. Yes we did get some snow, but the roads were never perilous, and the I was driving around with my windows down all day yesterday. Yet the streets of Georgetown were near empty on Sunday, and today several area school districts and businesses are closed or have a "two hour delay". This is ridiculous. Most of all it's ridiculous beacuse I'm at work...

Not sure if any of you watch the L Word, but the beginning of last night's episode brought back all sorts of 80's warm and fuzzy memories.

Which brings me to lunch. After a weekend of huge delicious sandwiches I will be doing something different today. Meeting the missus (who's off from work) at Whole Foods for lunch and V-Day dinner shopping. Rico seems to hit Whole Foods all the time for lunch so I'm semi-excited. More so about about tomorrow's dinner, (the menu has not yet been decided, but I will share it when it is).

Speaking of dinner menus, I believe Jack has one from this weekend that she should share, sounds like it was delicious.

So anyway, WFL?

Weekend Edition

Some weeks the weekend edition of OWFL is my favorite, while other weeks it never really takes off. I'm getting a feeling this might be a good weekend for the blog. So, what's up kiddies? Are you recovering from hangovers? Recovering from surgery? Looking for a special lunch but not quite sure what it entails? I'm thinking I will be making a trip to the store today and get some fixings for my first attempt at a relish tray.

WFL?

Guilty Pleasures

Last night I ate mashed potatoes. I love mashed potatoes and have several different ways of making them to suit whatever mood I am in at the moment. Sometimes I use red skin potatoes and leave a bit of the skin on, sometimes it's golden potatoes. I might boil the potatoes one day, roast them the next. Skin on or skin off. I might whip them with the kitchen aid or mash them by hand. Any combination of butter, cream, milk, sour cream or cream cheese may be added, as well as garlic, carmelized onions, oregano, cheese or chicken skin cracklings if I feel the need to gussy them up. Put simply, I am a mashed potato fanatic and connoisseur.

But, I'll let you in on a little secret: I love instant mashed potatoes, too. I would never serve them to guests or make them for a holiday meal, but when it's just Ace and I eating, sometimes I just want the ease of instant mashed potatoes and because I find them tasty will whip up a quick batch. It is my culinary guilty pleasure. C'mon, we all have at least one thing we love to eat in private but don't like to admit to our foodie friends. What's yours?

And more importantly, what's for lunch?

WFL with Satan?

Is it Thursday already?
This week has gone by devilishly fast.
And speaking of the Prince of Darkness, what do you think he would serve you for lunch?
Say if he was trying to get you to sign away your soul and you were wavering a bit, what type of lunch could help him grease the wheels?

Me I'm thinking a really marblelized ribeye that has been spiced up perfectly. That wouldn't seal the deal, but it would get me to listen a bit.

What lunch would get you into a negotiating frame of mind with Lucifer?


And completely unrelated to that today we DC folk are going to dine with the New and Improved HaterTot! But where the heck are we going? And When?

WFL people?

i may eat chili again

dare i do it 2 days in a row? i may just have to...it didn't wreak havoc on my system as i thought it would. maybe ben's chili is magical?!?!

also, i was fighting a cold and thought i had won. then i woke up this morning, and clearly, i have lost the battle. hopefully i can kick its ass again with zinc and overdosing on Emer'Gen-C...this shit has 1,000 mg of vitamin C, 32 mineral complexes and B vitamins. yeah, let's kick this cold's ass!

i hope ben's chili has enough spices to allow me to breathe again. i'm so stuffed up.
oh, yeah, so WFL?

the monday after super bowl

hey all,

i have a feeling that i'm not the only one feeling a bit sluggish this morning. so my request today is WFL that can cure this super bowl monday hangover???

now, the super bowl hangover is very different from other hangovers. the reason being that, b/c the game ended around 10pm-ish, i know that most of us had to have passed out by 11pm. technically, we all should've had a good 7 or 8 hours of solid sleep. and since we're not as "young as we used to be", our recovery time is also not what it used to be.

in short, the super bowl hangover just makes you feel really really tired, cranky, and slow in the brain.

now, if you did stay up later than 11pm, then i say you resort to your old tried and true hangover cures.

but for everyone else, WF (post superbowl) L?

Super Bowl Eats

Super Bowl Sunday is here!

What will you/did you eat?

Whatcha' eatin'?

WTFFL?

a lunch activity and HT update

today, i'm not only asking what everyone is having for lunch, but also offering a procrastination activity to pass the time away while you are munching on your sandwich or devouring your chicken parm. remember, people AND dinosaurs LOVE LUNCH! (if you scroll down, you'll see t-rex enjoying a tasty sandwich...i love it.)

HATERTOT UPDATE
i'm talking to her on speakerphone with abs right now. she's doing very well! a bit sore, but not in a lot of pain. they put her on the morphine all night, and she said that it was "pretty sweet".

she was very touched by all of your well wishes yesterday. she says "thank you for being so sweet and so nice and thinking of me and the girls." she will be up and blogging soon so stay tuned.

all righty, so....WFL?

(p.s. thanks to dizonekid for helping me put this lovely pdf online!)

A Farewell To Breasts

Bye bye kids!

I propose a cessation of hostilities today so OWFL can pay homage to our esteemed President, The Honorable HaterTot, who at 10:30 am EST will be going under the knife to have two of my dearest friends irreparably transformed. We love you HT and we will miss the pre-2/1/2006 HaterTot immensely. However in the post 2/1 world I am sure we will learn to love the new HT, even if we don't completely understand the choice you have made...

All kidding aside, keep HaterTot in your thoughts and religous things today, and I hope we can get some kind of update on her status by this evening, if not we'll know something for sure by Thursday morning.

So as you ponder your special lunch in HT's honor please share a story or remembrance about her breasts with us. If you don't have a special remembrance feel free to make one up or share a breast related story of your own. Do it for her. Do it for the blog. Do it for America.

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And of course be sure to include...WFL?

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ed. note- In order to foster an atmosphere of positive energy for HT please do not discuss any conference issues in the comments of this post.