Visiting D.C. Jan 2014

Bill and I have been traveling again. 

Once a year, there’s a conference in Washington, D.C. that he always attends. We have friends in the area, particularly up in Baltimore, MD and so I usually accompany him. Typically, we land at BWI and he heads down to the con hotel and I head straight up to Baltimore for four days or so of putzing around with our friends up there before he joins me for about a week.

This year, it’s been different. A friend of mine has just moved to D.C. with her family. I have made numorous friends on Twitter, mostly (but not entirely) fellow beer bloggers. All of them wanted a chance to meet me, and I them. And staying in D.C., I had the chance to have a breakfast or dinner or two with Bill in those four days.… Continue reading →

“Beers that Taste Like Disappointment.”

“I just assumed you liked beers that taste like disappointment.”

This coming from Angelique. One of my best friends. A person who follows this blog and knows I’ve made something of a hobby of beer. A woman who loves beer, but has been known to ask me a question or two about beer and take my recommendation on beers.

Of course, all bets are off when it comes to pumpkin beers. As far as I can tell, there’s no more polarizing beer style. There’s a lot of love or hate for them, and a lot of opinions on what tastes good and what doesn’t.

Angelique and I both avidly try pumpkin beers and look forward to the season. This year, I have been particularly vocal on Twitter about liking “pumpkin-fruit beers1.”… Continue reading →

I’m Supposed to Make Nyama Choma on Saturday

I’ve been to Kenya twice. The first time was as a study abroad experience in undergrad (and I cannot recommend The School for Field Studies enough) and the second time was helping out with a research project and seeking my own for graduate studies.

As you can probably imagine, this means I’m a bit more aware of goings-on in Kenya than I am some other countries in the world. Not exactly that I know more, but that a news report about Kenya is more likely to catch and/or keep my attention than some other country I haven’t visited. Human nature.

Human nature also says I pay a attention to the city I live in, and place I truly love.

You all know where this is going.… Continue reading →

A Variety of Things

My last post mentioned that I’d had some moles hacked out of my body and sent off to be inspected. The report on them came back basically fine. I also am healing well, though much more slowly than I’d like. I was only allowed to start bending my right arm again yesterday. Turns out that when you go two weeks without bending your arm much that your bicep objects when you finally do. Also? You can’t aim for crap. Washing my hair yesterday morning was a bit of an adventure. Let’s not even discuss what I look like while trying to maneuver a fork. (Bill laughs. I’m apparently hysterical looking.)

The day before we left for New Mexico, I attended a bottle share and discussion put on by Kim Leshinski of Hail 2 the Ale.… Continue reading →

Greens, Vinegar, Booze and the Promise of Bacon Grease

The building blocks of friendship. Some friendships, anyway.

Awhile back, one of Bill’s coworkers found out where we lived and informed us that we’d moved a block and a half away from her. We’d had no idea. She was incredibly enthusiastic, because she was thrilled to have people she liked so much so close.

I’d had no idea. At the time, I’d met her and liked her, but didn’t feel like I knew her well. Still, when she suggested we go for a walk or two from time to time, I was happy to take her up on it.

Yesterday, she and her new baby came over to visit around 4pm. At some point, she mentioned she had no plan for dinner. And, a bit later, I suggested she just call her husband and they eat with us.… Continue reading →