The Roundups of Roundups

 [Snow-covered road on our way to work this Monday.]

Happy New Year!  (Almost.)  Is anyone at work?  I'm not; I'm on furlough.  No one knew what that meant two years ago.

Anyhow, I've never been one for year-round-ups or New Year's resolution posts.  My last three years of end of December posts were about Chanukah at Equinox, finals and my Tassimo, and dinner at Rasika.  The past first posts of the new year were Leaving Arlington, Boulevard Woodgrill Brunch, and Postcard from LA.  It's as if I didn't even realize we were having a new year or something.

I'm not going to start rounding up my own nonsense now.  I make lists like that on other, random days of the year.  Instead, I welcome you to another kind of roundup.  The roundup of roundups.  Some are food, some are not.  Some are DC, some are elsewhere. 

DC Wrapped Dates lists a bunch of items, including most hyped DC restaurants, most underrated, best bang for your buck, etc.  I commented on my opinion.  Seems like DCWD and I could almost always eat together, just not at Northside Social.

DCLovesFood rounds up what she is calling the food of 2010: bacon.

Abbey talks about the food she ate this year that she will never forget.

Wendalicious on the trends she sees coming or expanding in 2011, including food trucks in the Capital Region--I won't hold my breath.

The Profussor's best things eaten (for the first time) in 2010, including ribs at Dinosaur Bar-B-Que.

Cara picks her husband's favorite dish from each month.  3/12 are shrimp.  The man likes shrimp.  Also, readers top 12.

Annie's Eats Best of 2010 part I (I assume Part II will follow shortly), including a white pita bread I'd love to try out (h/t SS).

Endless Simmer's Top 10 New Foods of 2010.  That fried Elvis amazingness photo gets me every time.

The Atlantic's 10 Biggest Food Stories Of the Year.

Corporette recounts some of the favorite Wear To Work suggestions.

From Best Week Ever, the 10 shows of 2010 that never should have been on TV.

Mrs. Foot recaps her 2010 home projects and renovations.  My favorite is the buffet!!!

Best music of 2010, from Slate.

NYTimes 10 Best Books of 2010.

Do you have a roundup to add?  Leave it in the comments, plz.

And because you were patient and this post is otherwise devoid of photos, my favorite sandwich of 2010:

[Ernest's.  Brigantine, NJ.]

See you in 2011!

Trader Joe's Trip - What's Missing On My List?

Mmm lemon papardelle.  Add olive oil, peas, parmesan, and you are good to go.  But first you need a Trader Joe's, aka The Teej.  A wondrous place that has many of the things I want and need, but not all. 

Now that I've relocated, Teej isn't nearby.  No 1 mile to the Bethesda store or 7 miles to Bailey's Crossroads.  Instead it's an hour plus ride, depending where you go.  Because I'm from New Jersey, I think I'll frequent the one on Route 17 in Paramus.  Unlike the Paramus IKEA, which is closed on Sundays, the Trader Joe's is not subject to the archaic North Jersey blue laws. 

I'm definitely not the only Albanian who wants a Teej.  Bringing a TJ to the Capital District has been talked about, talked about again, and there's even a Facebook page with over 800 members.  A lot of places need a Teej, including the shore--how will LC get her favorite things without a major schlep?

Not every TJ has the same products; heck, even the same store doesn't necessarily have the same items week to week.  There are no rules!  It's rogue!  And that's why the prices are so low.

We're going this weekend, and I've made my list.*  What's missing?  Any of your favorites?  Or are our wishlists IDENTICAL!?!

Non-refrigerated
 
Lemon papardelle
Thai yellow curry sauce
Israeli couscous (if they are there I will buy them out.)
Superthin ginger snaps
Everything crackers
Nuts for trail mix
Brown rice pasta
Challah rolls (extra for freezer--again, buy them out)
Chocolate covered espresso beans
Jasmine green tea
Birthday cards

Frozen/refrigerated

Tofurkey sausage (WHY IS THIS NOT IN THE GROCERY STORES HERE?!?!)
Frozen shelled edamame
Spinach dip
Soy chocolate ice cream sandwiches
Frozen rice packets
Frozen blueberry waffles (SIL has been raving)
Tabouli
Fresh mild salsa
Kosher chicken/meat for freezer


*I should mention that we're not going to NJ just to go to Trader Joe's. We're going to witness two people whom we love dearly exchange sacred marriage vows and then to boogie the night away.  This is just icing on the (wedding) cake.

Bella-Napoli

I hope everyone had a very merry Christmas! (Or at least got out of work early on Friday to jumpstart the weekend.)

We recently found ourselves starving in between errands at Latham Farms.  A quick Yelp (with both positive reviews and non) brought us to Bella Napoli.  We needed a sandwich, and frankly, it was 3pm.  Not really time to sit down at most restaurants.  I was encouraged by the description of Italian subs and desserts with a little market.  Sound familiar?  But don't go there.  This is not the Italian Store.  On the downside, the bread is way too soft for me, and on the upside the line wasn't 40 minutes long.  At Italian Store I'm all about the hard roll, and I'm not the only one.  But it is a decent, inexpensive sandwich with a little pack of chips and a pickle, and the bakery case is good for staring.  With the move and many weeks of an interrupted exercise routine, we decided to forgo the doughnuts this time.  Apparently their doughnuts are delicious when warmed. 

Bella-Napoli Italian Bakery
672 New Loudon Rd
Latham, NY

New Stuff on the Way

[Shoutout to MB who made my new logo.  Thanks, brosef!]

So, how about that weather?

Just a year ago I wrote about how we Finally Left Arlington.  And now we've gone and abandoned the DC Metro Area all together.  No more Beltway, no more Wisconsin Avenue light after light after light, no more wtf event is going on that shut down Canal THIS TIME....but also, no more Ray's, Palena, 2 Amys, or Pete's, our latest go-to.  No more once in a while splurges at places like Komi or Restaurant Eve.  

But alas.  We will visit.  Our blood, friends, pals, puppy friends (Tiki and Ella to be exact), Tweeps, and the leader of the free world still live there.  Here is Tiki, wishing we were watching football with him.  Or Twilight.

 For now, we're getting settled.  We have stairs for the very first time, and more than one bedroom and bathroom.  A far cry from the studio apartment we shared in Dupont Circle south just 5 years ago. 

Tim Carman thinks the NY Times picks on DC (love this article by the way, and I love how EVERYONE I follow on Twitter re-shared it.  Go Tim!), well hun, you don't want to hear what they say about RONY (Rest of New York.  Like RoVa but not.).   But I'm going to do my best to find what's fun, yummy, cool, different, comforting, and downright delectable in the greater NY Capital Region. 

Other people do it, and I've been enjoying their blogs for a few months now.  I have a customized Google map full of places I want to try (also: supermarkets, banks, post offices....).  There's a year round greenmarket nearby, plenty of CSA options (even a Community Supported Bakery--I bet DC wishes Miz Modern Domestic would get on that!), and a brand spanking new Dinosaur Bar-B-Que (although I intend to head to Syracuse for the original, too).  I expect spring and summer will bring lots of day trips and weekend getaways to the Catskills, Adirondacks, Green Mountains (Vermont), and the environs.  Mountains = rich people with country homes = good food.  Until then, sandwiches at lunch spots, strip mall sushi (it was great, don't knock it), and places we can  ::gasp:: walk to.  If we wanted to.  If it weren't 20 degrees and brrrrrr cold.  But hey, it's cold everywhere this week, right?

I hope all 10 of my subscribers don't unsubscribe.  If you hang on a bit, I'll warn you if I decide to change my Twitter name and my URL.  For now I'll leave iEatDC, since it's who I've been Internet-wise for the past 3.5 years.  Stay warm, drink tea, and have some soup.

P.S.  If you move somewhere cold you have an excuse to buy great boots and outerwear.  Exhibit A.

P.P.S.  Here is a giant bowl of beef stew that I got for $4 at the joint around the corner.  Because I know you read this blog for the food, not the boots.  Review pending; we need to have brunch there first (obviously).