To all the grills I've loved before
In a few weeks, the office that I work in is moving from the culturally exciting streets of Dupont/Foggy Bottom/Golden Triangle to the concrete tumbleweed landscape of Crystal City. This doesn't affect me in the work area. Either way, I'm sitting in front of a monitor. But it does have a big affect in two daily areas of my life: 1) my commute, which is going from a 15 minute walk to a 35 minute metro ride, and 2) and more importantly: my daily lunch options will change entirely.
I've never been much for bringing my lunch. I love the daily ritual of deciding on a place to go, getting together an arsenal of regular haunts and having the variety of lunch options. I know it's not very cost-effective or healthy, but it's a lot more enjoyable, and unlike most other people, I enjoy enjoyable things.
So as I spend my last few weeks in Dupont hitting all the lunch places that I won't be able to go to once the office moves (most of them are closed at night and on the weekends), I'm going to take a few minutes to reflect on all the places that made up my lunch routines in the jobs that I've had, and which ones I sorely miss. Join me, won't you? Won't you?! Why not? Well, tough shit. You're coming anyway. Put your shoes on.
Greensboro, Battleground Ave., 1995-1996
I hate to think of the number of years I wiped off my lifespan to Cook Out's hush puppies, sweet tea and burgers at this place. But it was so worth it. The hush puppies alone would be worth dying at 40.
Chapel Hill, Franklin Street, 1997-1999
I didn't think I would miss Pepper's Pizza when I was there. The pizza's good, but I've had better. But it was the atmosphere and the punk rock history of the place that makes me miss having it as a regular stop. Plus, they had two specialty pizza slices that I still dream about and drool: the Chicken Soup (chicken, onions, tiny bit of olive oil) and the ball park (andouille sausage, onions, tabasco).
I can always freak out a UNC grad by telling them I used to go to Hectors for lunch. The grads response will ALWAYS be, "Really?! I never went there before 11 pm!" It's a greasy burger spot that was famous for their burgers served in a pita (aka "the brick") and their newspaper ads which featured a map showing the route from Hectors to the UNC hospital's cardiac wing.
Though my nostalgia trip back there revealed it to be not nearly as tasty as I remembered, it was kind of a turning point. Before I started going to Hectors, I went to McDonalds pretty often to lunch before I realized that I wanted rid my life of the kinds of homogenous habits that chains encourage. Switching my heart attack meals to a local place made a huge difference in my life, and I've only eaten at McDonalds about 4 times since.
Alexandria, VA, 1999-2001
In spite of two years in Alexandria, there's really no place that I miss; no meals that I wish were a little bit closer to me. Old Town had some decent places, and Canal Center had about three places, but none of them really stick out to me. Which makes a terrible story.
Reston, VA, 2001-2002
Reston was so bland and so full of chains that I can't even remember the name of the one place that I liked. It was in a massive shopping center that had a huge parking lot and it took me 10-15 minutes to drive there, but the calzones and Italian sandwiches were well worth it. I was more than happy to leave Reston for DC, but I wish I could have taken that place with me.
Dupont, 2002-present
Oh, the massive meals at the Greek Deli, and the number of local sandwich places that aren't open on the weekends or past 3 pm. Unless I work from home every now and then, I won't be able to go to them anymore after December. I'll try to stay local in Crystal City, but it may not be easy. Oh, the delicious treats I'm leaving behind...
The moral of the story? Lord, I eat badly.
12 comments:
Aw man, what about that chili place in Old Town?
Mmmmm, Frito pie.
Well, there were two places that I went to in Old Town that I really loved (Hard Times, aka "the chili place" and Faccia Luna), but they're both small chains, so I go to other branches all the time, so I can't really say that I miss them. This is really just dedicated to those places that I can't go to anymore without going well out of my way.
Now I'm in the mood for a Frito pie...
Lite and Fair? Tell me you don't have fond memories of that at least!
mmm, snakes. I liked peppers pizza too - there's a place here called pizza perfect which I always mess up and call Peppers - isn't that an interesting story?
Look at the bright side - you're gonna be able to work in CRYSTAL CITY! It sounds so fancy.
Christian: Fond memories, definitely. Same with Bittersweet. But there's never any times where I find myself thinking, "Oooh...you know what would be good right now?" about either of them.
Doug: yeah, it sounds fancy, but it's a really strange place. Thousands of people live and work there in huge buildings, but at any time, the streets are nearly empty.
When I moved to DC in 1994, my first job was in Crystal City. Back then, it was just pinkish grey buildings, empty streets and the Underground. The Underground (original name) connected the majority of the Crystal City buildings like a hamster tube. A remarkably depressing place with small kiosks lining long windowless corridors. People sat behind their counters and supplied you with key chains, shoe polish, stress balls and 15 minute shoulder massages. At the time, they promoted living and working in Crystal City. You could go the entire winter without going outside.
We either went to lunch at Pentagon City, a 15 minute walk or picked up something from this nameless deli. Toward the end, they started having lunch time concerts around a fountain made of the same pink stone as the rest of the place.
At least now they have some restaurants above ground. And coffee, they sell coffee.
I've never been there, but it's probably a good guess that people in Crystal City mostly eat crystal meth for lunch.
"Thousands of people live and work there in huge buildings, but at any time, the streets are nearly empty."
Sounds kinda creepy. Say, you ever see that movie "28 Days Later"? The one with Sandra Bullock fighting zombies in rehab? Reminds me of that.
Wasn't there one about a bomb or aliens and everyone is gone except one guy? Poof. There are no bloody zombies, but some suit zombies.
First job out of college – I sat at faux wood brown desk in a windowless office folding green paper into audit pockets. In Crystal City. I had moments of despair
Lisa, it's easy for you to say now that you don't have to go with the rest of us to the fabled city of crystal. Also, there's lots of movies where everyone is gone except for one guy, but I'm at least 99% sure that they all have zombies in them.
Hans, it's true. Everyone eats crystal meth there. The problem is, all the crystal meth places are boring chains.
Doug, you're confused. Sandra Bullock is a zombie. A very cute zombie.
Welcome to Crystal City! Our slogan: "Where the banality is mind-numbing, not soul-crushing!"
I've worked here for six years, and the eating situation has improved somewhat -- there's Jaleo (and was Oyamel, for a while) and Neramitra, but they're too pricey for lunch. The only non-chain restaurants are over on 23rd St. (the Mexican restaurant is pretty good), unless you count the large number of "food-by-the-pound" places. The chain choices are pretty extensive -- Chipotle, Potbelly, Quiznos, etc. That's where I end up most of the time.
I still have the tattered remains of a soul, though.
Xtian, I think Reid came after the Old Towne Posse reigned. I miss McBitch more than you could ever know. We ate well in Old Town, I thought. The Dot Com boom went straight to my thighs and hips.
Lessee: Faccia Luna lunch special. Yum. I second Xtian's vote for Lite and Fare. There was also the Sandwich nazi down at the King Street Deli, Murphy's fish and chips, and my fav: the evil beotches at Bread and Chocolate, though the mushie soup was worth the pain.
Reid, the Afghan joint past Target and on your way to Old Town is pretty good. You could also to Pentagon Row where the Wolfgang Puck Express is actually decent. For a bit of nastalgia, why not revisit the Woodstock Cafe? heh
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