The Three Hundred and Fifty First...

Number Three Hundred and Fifty Five:

Plaza Azteca, Lunch, Enchiladas

With the exception of the Dia de Muertos altar bearing such likes as Steve Jobs, Ray Charles, Michael Jackson, Amy Winehouse, Johnny Cash and Heath Ledger, lunch was kind of like any other "mexican" joint in town. Only later did the day make me sad that a friend of mine had had a heart attack and was put into a coma to try and fix him, on his birthday no less. At first, you would think Phil Pollard would be fooling you, pulling your leg being the classic (and brilliant) comedian, musician, teacher that he is, then you just hope that it IS a joke, then you find out it isn't. Let's all hope he gets well soon, because the world would not be the same without him, and would be missing a big piece of the awesome puzzle that is life.

The Three Hundred and Twenty Seventh...

Number Three Hundred and Twenty Seven:

Balkan Restaurant, Lunch, Goulash

Chilly day yesterday and today made me want something warm when we went to Balkan for lunch. Goulash. Oh yeah, that's the good stuff!

The Three Hundred and Twenty Third...

Number Three Hundred and Twenty Three:

Padow's, Lunch, Sandwich

Word of advice: In places where they call your name out when the order is ready, best use something unique or at least humorous; most of all least confusing. "Phil" could be mistaken for "Will", "Bill" or "Phyllis" so my "call out" name, as it were, is "Bubba" --Please don't take it. It does provide great fodder when you tell the cashier that is the name you want called. Another one beat me today, well, was way cooler: Butch.

The Three Hundred and Twenty Second...

Number Three Hundred and Twenty Two:

Chipotle, Lunch, Burrito

Yup, the Va Center Commons area was full of bodies wanting food logs. Herds of nicely dressed ladies, high schoolers on the half day blocking the line, and us. Gina noticed a high traffic of male pattern baldness going on. I just noticed how flippin crowded it was!

The Three Hundred and Fifteenth...

Number Three Hundred and Fifteen:

El Caporal, Lunch/Dinner, Carnitas

If ever there was a Mexican food lunch portion that represented the gluttony of American food habits, this is it. But, so good! Actually too much for any one person, even big dudes like me, so I would recommend splitting it with someone or make it last another meal. Massive!

The Three Hundred and Second...

Number Three Hundred and Two:

Mekong, Lunch, Tofu with Lemongrass

Lunch at Mekong, later this evening first SPLORK!! practice in over a year for a reunion show for WRIR Fund Drive and CD release party! We didn't sound half bad! Should be a great show next week!

The Three Hundred and First...

Number Three Hundred and One:

Panera, Lunch, Soup & Sandwich

Something about all the rain and the chill and thunder and flashes of light while on the road today made me want some soup and sandwich. Kind of like the call of Fall or something.

One of the oddest, stupidest things Gina and I saw was on the way in. We dodged the rain onto the strip mall sidewalk and POP! right there around the brick column was a random grocery cart with a freaking BABY in it. The baby looked quite bewildered, probably as bewildered as we were. Then we noticed just across the lot, a woman who was either being helped by an attendant or something who laughingly and lightly walked back over to the baby, claiming it was hers. I guess she thought it OK that baby was in this wheeled cart, that MIGHT have rolled out into the street or something. Moronic woman also stole our booth seat at Panera, where she met a girlfriend with her babies, then at one point they BOTH left the kids on their own again for a moment! What the hell!

The Two Hundred and Eighty Eighth...

Number Two Hundred and Eighty Eight:

Trak's, Lunch, Gyro

Delicious Gyro with a side of hummus please. Thanks!

The Two Hundred and Eighty First...

Number Two Hundred and Eighty One:

Panera, Lunch, Salad

Gina told me I had just missed the guy handing food to his grandparents in the next booth over through the opening from the kitchen waiting area. Ah well!

The Two Hundred and Eightieth...

Number Two Hundred and Eighty:

Chick-fil-A, Lunch, Sandwich

Nice to get an office day, which means the routine fried chicken on a bun thing. I tried watching anime on Netflix, maybe find a new series for Lisa and I, but then I got caught up in doing actual work things. Such is the way when eating lunch at your desk! Blah!

The Two Hundred and Sixty Seventh...

Number Two Hundred and Sixty Seven:

Chicken Fiesta, Lunch, Nachos

I can't stop listening to Black Moth Super Rainbow's Dandelion Gum CD; such a great summer album. All song lyrics, while dark at times, deal with sunshine and sunlight and flowers, etc. --all vocodered up and with a nice tempo. Electric deliciousness. Rad, they even have a reissue with more tunes! YES!

The Two Hundred and Forty Sixth...

Number Two Hundred and Forty Six:

Famous Dave's, Lunch, Ribs

After a week of heat on the Bookmobile, some cooler temperature today was quite nice!

The Two Hundred and Forty Fifth...

Number Two Hundred and Forty Five:

Trak's, Lunch, Gyro

Really feeling the delicious taste of their gyro today, so we did it! They also have a lot of wild shit decorating the place!

The Two Hundred and Eighteenth...

Number Two Hundred and Eighteen:

Jason's Deli, Lunch, Salad

I kind of like the darkened effect here, too bad the background is a parking lot. There was a freshman cheerleader group, each with matching shirt that said something, I dunno "Rah!" I guess, with the mom that clearly used to be a cheerleader in her youth as well. Genetics are weird.

The Two Hundred and Fifteenth...

Number Two Hundred and Fifteen:

Ruby Tuesday, Lunch, Soup and Salad

Mass army of collared shirted khaki dudes ordering the salad bar and nothing else. Maybe to match the army of light fixtures. Must be gearing up for the beach vacay with the family. The dudes, not the lamps.

The Two Hundred and Fourth...

Number Two Hundred and Four:

Trak's, Lunch, Gyro

Trak's does gyro well, try it. Oh, they also have a lot of cool fake plants, note grapes behind me, all over and I bet in the evening is all lit up funny.

The Two Hundred and Third...

Number Two Hundred and Three:

Panera, Lunch, Greek salad

Gina and I on the road today, Panera and salad and TOTALLY nerding hard on some app game called Shadow Cities. Pretty cool, well if you're a nerd. So yeah, it kind of combines your elements of Foursquare and Warcraft or whatever campaign-spell-online tribeness game.

Anyway, we managed a booth there, which is rare, because it's usually filled with mom and kids or dorks getting free wi-fi for their business lunch meetings. There was one particular dude full of office, swimming around the booths for a few laps like a shark. He failed and had to take a table! I was happy about this.

The One Hundred and Ninety Seventh...

The One Hundred and Ninety Seventh:

Moe's, Lunch, Burrito

What's more annoying at Moe's? The annoying way random people say "Welcome to Moe's!" even when clearly no one has entered to say that to. Or, some weird ass marketing campaign contest they recently had across the country where people enter as their favorite musical celebrity (note the Waylon Jennings or Stevie Ray V. on the left and Elvis near my head) for free chips and salsa for a year --oh, plus your celebrity imitating mug across Moe's chains around the world as seen here. The dumbest thing about this contest, is that below each photo was the winner's name, then in clear and legally ass covering wording that said something to the effect of the visual representation depicted of said photo does in no way represent the celebrity they are trying to imitate. So, if you are having trouble trying to figure out who the hell the guy on the wall on the left really is, they will NOT tell you on said photo. Great idea for a gimmick; have a celebrity look-alike contest, but in NO WAY be able to state the depicted celebrity be mentioned by name for fear of legal action.

The One Hundred and Ninetieth...

Number One Hundred and Ninety:

El Caporal Mexican Restaurant, Lunch, Carnitas

While that place called Cookout, a regional chain trying to take over the town as the best place for burgers or BBQ, created hellish traffic on Ridge, Gina and I sneaked across the way to this great little tucked away Mexican restaurant in an old Long John Silvers. While the complimentary chips are cold and a little stale, they make up for it with the lunch carnitas and other specials. Easily shareable at lunch, but also makes a nice dinner later on! Good place and good price and just the right amount of popularity to keep them in business.

The One Hundred and Eighty Seventh...

Number One Hundred and Eighty Seven:

Jason's Deli, Lunch, Soup and Salad

After gnawing on some salad, Carolyn and I had a few minutes to go to the Local Book Store Slaying bastard that is Barnes & Noble. We go there sometimes to get a gauge on what the masses want in terms of bestsellers and also to see what is out there. It's good for the Bookmobile, and keeps the library relevant to what is hot.

Speaking of the Bookmobile, we have a funny, pain in the ass automatic door called a Bode Door. If you ever have the opportunity in your life to get a Bode Door for a Bookmobile or other such vehicle, DON'T. This thing has been a monster for the 9 years I have worked there. The buttons hardly work and when they do, there is often so much air and demonic possession in the door that it will literally eat you or an innocent person coming aboard. We have a ton of tricks to get around the madness, but it always figures us out, then changes the game. Today it didn't want to let us in AT ALL after coming back from the bookstore. It's a good thing we have a side entry hatch, located about 4 feet off the ground toward the rear of the vehicle. Initially it was to be used as a convenient way to load bags of books when parked in the garage. Unfortunately this hatch sits right in front of the dock railing in the garage and is unaccessible. An utterly useless hatch. Unless, of course, you have a possessed Bode Door, then you get to take turns every few years seeing who gets to lunge into the vehicle like a drunken caterpillar.

It was Carolyn's turn.

I did offer, but I think she secretly wanted to do it this time.