Smith gets thrown 20 feet, dusts himself off and continues his quest.
Showing posts with label Traffic. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Traffic. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 28, 2017
He Would Not Be Deterred From The Pub
Getting hit by the proverbial bus wasn't enough to keep Simon Smith from his destination.
Wednesday, June 7, 2017
Traffic Interferes With Range Time
It happened again! I had but limited free time to get in a range trip earlier this week. I left work at lunch and headed north on the interstate. Shortly before the exit that would take me to the range, I saw the sign; "Left Lane Closed Ahead." The milepost given coincided with my intended exit. As I made my way through the backed up traffic I soon realized that the entire exit ramp was closed due to an accident!
I had to continue for another 5 miles to the next exit, and then backtrack. The extra distance and delays caused by the lane closures forced me to abandon my plans to shoot. Yet, I was still away from the office for just as long as I would have been had I been successful in my quest.
I was reminded why I generally avoid the interstate. Eyes on the road people, eyes on the road.
I had to continue for another 5 miles to the next exit, and then backtrack. The extra distance and delays caused by the lane closures forced me to abandon my plans to shoot. Yet, I was still away from the office for just as long as I would have been had I been successful in my quest.
I was reminded why I generally avoid the interstate. Eyes on the road people, eyes on the road.
Wednesday, May 10, 2017
Traffic 1, Shooting 0
I had blocked off some calendar time on Tuesday for my (almost) weekly trip to the indoor range. A planned conference call ran long, but it seemed I still had time to make the trip. That is until I got to the overpass at the interstate.
Why is the exit ramped backed up? Looking from the bridge to the highway, I saw all traffic was at a dead stop, in all lanes. Sitting in that would surely not allowed me to be back to my desk in a timely manner. With much regret, I made a U-turn and headed back to the office to eat my sandwich over my laptop.
I was reminded of this article on the "Top 10 Health Benefits of Going To a Shooting Range" that I shared a couple years ago. According to the author, on this day I would regrettably not be improving my physical or mental discipline, nor improving focus or exercising my eyesight, among other benefits of shooting.
All thanks to an overloaded interstate highway system.
Why is the exit ramped backed up? Looking from the bridge to the highway, I saw all traffic was at a dead stop, in all lanes. Sitting in that would surely not allowed me to be back to my desk in a timely manner. With much regret, I made a U-turn and headed back to the office to eat my sandwich over my laptop.
I was reminded of this article on the "Top 10 Health Benefits of Going To a Shooting Range" that I shared a couple years ago. According to the author, on this day I would regrettably not be improving my physical or mental discipline, nor improving focus or exercising my eyesight, among other benefits of shooting.
All thanks to an overloaded interstate highway system.
Saturday, May 21, 2016
Restaurant Disappointment: Molly Malone's
In these musings, I generally try to focus on fun stuff, rather than spend my time reliving the not-so-wonderful experiences. However, on rare occasions, there's a fail so great it can't be ignored. Such was the case of our recent disastrous visit to Molly Malone's Capital Hill Saloon in Washington, DC.
Molly Malone's is our regular stop when we attend the Evening Parade at the Marine Barracks at 8th & I in Washington, DC. It's become our custom to enjoy dinner and a beer there beforehand. The restaurant is right across the street from the Barracks, and for years we've enjoyed good food and good service, and there's an interesting beer list to boot. We were once again looking forward to a fun evening last Friday. Alas, Molly Malone's part in that outing was a major disappointment.
Arriving after a long drive, we were seated quickly, but at a table that had not yet been wiped down. The hostess set the menus right on top of the crumbs and liquids left by the previous party. There were other open tables available so it was not the case that no other tables were available. A short while later I placed my hand on the seat only to find a well-chewed plastic straw on the cushion.
We ordered our drinks, and after a 15 minute wait, the beers were finally delivered to our table. We placed orders for an appetizer and our entrees at this time. After the waitress left, we realized that two of the three beers were not what we ordered, and my glass had a large chip in the rim. It took a few minutes to track down our server to get replacement beers. With our proper beer order and undamaged glass in hand, we waited for our appetizer to arrive.
And waited. And waited. As the passage of time became increasingly irritating, we noticed that very few people had food at their tables. Other than a large crowd standing at the bar, most of the tables were empty. I heard the lady at the table behind us complain to her server about the slowness of the food service. Her party eventually left without eating. When another couple at a nearby table finally got food, we heard them tell the server their order was wrong, but they would eat it anyway as they had waited long enough. Other waitresses passing by remarked to us, and seemed stunned, that we had still not yet received our dinners.
Over the next 45 minutes, we stopped our server several times to ask about our food. She kept saying she would check on it, and offered an excuse that they "share the kitchen with another restaurant." Eventually our appetizer of mozzarella sticks arrived, with the promise of the rest soon. About 15 minutes later, the Fish & Chips platters that Colleen and I ordered arrived, along the sides of fries that our son and our friend ordered. However, they did not get their main food at this time. Again, we flagged down the waitress to inquire, only to be told she had no idea when the rest of the meal would come out, and could not even promise us that the food would arrive at all.
Eventually the chicken wings ordered by "Checkered Flag" were delivered. They were barely warm, and the extra Blue Cheese dressing requested (and charged for) was never delivered. Neither was the supposed included ranch dressing for dipping. Two more times I inquired about my son's order of chicken tenders, and again no answer was available. We'd now been in the restaurant for an hour and a half. We had get going to make the activity across the street, so I asked the waitress for our check, and to speak with a manager. After she passed by a few more times, I again asked for our check. A few minutes later, I flagged down another server and asked again for the manager. It was at this time that a patron who had been standing at the bar when we arrived told us he ordered food before we sat down and had still not received it.
Eventually I spoke to a manager, while my family ran across the street to check in at the gate before the deadline to keep from losing our seats. The manager ended up comping the two cold sides of fries, and gave another discount that covered most of the Fish & Chips dinners. However, that did little to assuage the after-dinner mood. We did not eat full meals, the food we did get was at best lukewarm, and we had to rush to get to our seats at the Evening Parade.
Our evening at Molly Malone's was a great disappointment. From the time we were seated, to the time we left, very little was done right. It was notable how empty the restaurant was, other than the groups drinking at the bar. Perhaps that should have been a hint to us of things to come. We were let down by a place we had enjoyed many times in the past, and we will not return in the future. There are plenty of other dining establishments along "Barracks Row." Next time, we'll try someplace else and start anew.
Molly Malone's is our regular stop when we attend the Evening Parade at the Marine Barracks at 8th & I in Washington, DC. It's become our custom to enjoy dinner and a beer there beforehand. The restaurant is right across the street from the Barracks, and for years we've enjoyed good food and good service, and there's an interesting beer list to boot. We were once again looking forward to a fun evening last Friday. Alas, Molly Malone's part in that outing was a major disappointment.
Arriving after a long drive, we were seated quickly, but at a table that had not yet been wiped down. The hostess set the menus right on top of the crumbs and liquids left by the previous party. There were other open tables available so it was not the case that no other tables were available. A short while later I placed my hand on the seat only to find a well-chewed plastic straw on the cushion.
We ordered our drinks, and after a 15 minute wait, the beers were finally delivered to our table. We placed orders for an appetizer and our entrees at this time. After the waitress left, we realized that two of the three beers were not what we ordered, and my glass had a large chip in the rim. It took a few minutes to track down our server to get replacement beers. With our proper beer order and undamaged glass in hand, we waited for our appetizer to arrive.
And waited. And waited. As the passage of time became increasingly irritating, we noticed that very few people had food at their tables. Other than a large crowd standing at the bar, most of the tables were empty. I heard the lady at the table behind us complain to her server about the slowness of the food service. Her party eventually left without eating. When another couple at a nearby table finally got food, we heard them tell the server their order was wrong, but they would eat it anyway as they had waited long enough. Other waitresses passing by remarked to us, and seemed stunned, that we had still not yet received our dinners.
Over the next 45 minutes, we stopped our server several times to ask about our food. She kept saying she would check on it, and offered an excuse that they "share the kitchen with another restaurant." Eventually our appetizer of mozzarella sticks arrived, with the promise of the rest soon. About 15 minutes later, the Fish & Chips platters that Colleen and I ordered arrived, along the sides of fries that our son and our friend ordered. However, they did not get their main food at this time. Again, we flagged down the waitress to inquire, only to be told she had no idea when the rest of the meal would come out, and could not even promise us that the food would arrive at all.
Eventually the chicken wings ordered by "Checkered Flag" were delivered. They were barely warm, and the extra Blue Cheese dressing requested (and charged for) was never delivered. Neither was the supposed included ranch dressing for dipping. Two more times I inquired about my son's order of chicken tenders, and again no answer was available. We'd now been in the restaurant for an hour and a half. We had get going to make the activity across the street, so I asked the waitress for our check, and to speak with a manager. After she passed by a few more times, I again asked for our check. A few minutes later, I flagged down another server and asked again for the manager. It was at this time that a patron who had been standing at the bar when we arrived told us he ordered food before we sat down and had still not received it.
Eventually I spoke to a manager, while my family ran across the street to check in at the gate before the deadline to keep from losing our seats. The manager ended up comping the two cold sides of fries, and gave another discount that covered most of the Fish & Chips dinners. However, that did little to assuage the after-dinner mood. We did not eat full meals, the food we did get was at best lukewarm, and we had to rush to get to our seats at the Evening Parade.
Our evening at Molly Malone's was a great disappointment. From the time we were seated, to the time we left, very little was done right. It was notable how empty the restaurant was, other than the groups drinking at the bar. Perhaps that should have been a hint to us of things to come. We were let down by a place we had enjoyed many times in the past, and we will not return in the future. There are plenty of other dining establishments along "Barracks Row." Next time, we'll try someplace else and start anew.
Sunday, July 13, 2014
Traffic, Evening Parade, and More Traffic
Friday Evening we made the trek to Washington, DC to take in the Evening Parade at Marine Barracks Washington. The Barracks, known also as "8th and I" are rich in history and tradition, and is called "the oldest Post of the Corps." But before we could enjoy the pageantry of the parade, we had to get there! Traveling up I-95 on a Friday evening, is an adventure to put it mildly. We finally arrived at a Northern Virginia Metro station and took the subway the rest of the way into the city.
Our first stop was for dinner and a beer at Molly Malone's, located right across the street from the Barracks. We've gone to the Evening Parade several times, and dinner at Molly Malone's has become part of our "tradition." The Irish pub fare is served quickly and is quite tasty. The beer menu is decent too. On this evening, they listed Heavy Seas Loose Cannon Hop³ IPA. This is one of my longtime favorite beers, but one that I've not had on draft in several years. I was happy to enjoy it again. It was as "juicy" and as hoppy as I remembered. My glass was nearly empty when my Fish and Chips arrived, so I treated myself to a second round with the meal.
After dinner we crossed the street to the Marine Barracks. The Evening Parade includes appearances by the U.S. Marine Band and the U.S. Marine Drum and Bugle Corps. Alpha and Bravo Companies, which make up the ceremonial infantry units of Marine Barracks Washington are present as well. Alpha Company includes the Marine Silent Drill Platoon. The silence of the audience during the Silent Drill Platoon's performance is almost as amazing as the drill team itself. Our seats this year were at the top of the bleachers, near the center, so we had a good view of the parade grounds, as is shown in Colleen's photos.
As opposed to previous years, the temperature and humidity was moderate, and a slight breeze made its presence known on occasion. The full moon rising up behind the Barrack's flag pole, added a special feeling to the evening. As an aside, that flag pole flies the flag of our Nation as it appeared from 1795-1818, with 15 Stars and 15 Stripes. Ft McHenry, Maryland is the only other location authorized to fly this flag, which inspired our National Anthem. The pageantry, precision, and Esprit du Corps of the Marine Evening Parade is a sight to behold.
Soon we were back on the Metro, heading to our car for the drive south on I-95. And what a drive it was. The never-ending construction would affect the trip home even more so than during the drive up. After spending some 30 minutes getting from three lanes down to one, we passed the paving work and the road opened back to three lanes. Only to stop again just a few miles later in order for traffic to be once again constricted down to one lane. That process took another 40 minutes. Why there is no one working for VDOT who has the common sense to keep the traffic in one lane through the entire construction zone is beyond me. Once we were in one lane, the traffic flowed below the speed limit, but it moved, and that would have been preferable to the repeated merge delays.
We finally arrived home some four hours after the parade. I had plans to be up early the next morning to go to a practice match at the Cedar Mountain Youths range. That practice session would definitely be affected by my lack of sleep. Despite the long trip, it was a fun time with good food, good beer, and an exciting ceremony. I'm sure we'll do it again.
Our first stop was for dinner and a beer at Molly Malone's, located right across the street from the Barracks. We've gone to the Evening Parade several times, and dinner at Molly Malone's has become part of our "tradition." The Irish pub fare is served quickly and is quite tasty. The beer menu is decent too. On this evening, they listed Heavy Seas Loose Cannon Hop³ IPA. This is one of my longtime favorite beers, but one that I've not had on draft in several years. I was happy to enjoy it again. It was as "juicy" and as hoppy as I remembered. My glass was nearly empty when my Fish and Chips arrived, so I treated myself to a second round with the meal.
After dinner we crossed the street to the Marine Barracks. The Evening Parade includes appearances by the U.S. Marine Band and the U.S. Marine Drum and Bugle Corps. Alpha and Bravo Companies, which make up the ceremonial infantry units of Marine Barracks Washington are present as well. Alpha Company includes the Marine Silent Drill Platoon. The silence of the audience during the Silent Drill Platoon's performance is almost as amazing as the drill team itself. Our seats this year were at the top of the bleachers, near the center, so we had a good view of the parade grounds, as is shown in Colleen's photos.
As opposed to previous years, the temperature and humidity was moderate, and a slight breeze made its presence known on occasion. The full moon rising up behind the Barrack's flag pole, added a special feeling to the evening. As an aside, that flag pole flies the flag of our Nation as it appeared from 1795-1818, with 15 Stars and 15 Stripes. Ft McHenry, Maryland is the only other location authorized to fly this flag, which inspired our National Anthem. The pageantry, precision, and Esprit du Corps of the Marine Evening Parade is a sight to behold.
Soon we were back on the Metro, heading to our car for the drive south on I-95. And what a drive it was. The never-ending construction would affect the trip home even more so than during the drive up. After spending some 30 minutes getting from three lanes down to one, we passed the paving work and the road opened back to three lanes. Only to stop again just a few miles later in order for traffic to be once again constricted down to one lane. That process took another 40 minutes. Why there is no one working for VDOT who has the common sense to keep the traffic in one lane through the entire construction zone is beyond me. Once we were in one lane, the traffic flowed below the speed limit, but it moved, and that would have been preferable to the repeated merge delays.
We finally arrived home some four hours after the parade. I had plans to be up early the next morning to go to a practice match at the Cedar Mountain Youths range. That practice session would definitely be affected by my lack of sleep. Despite the long trip, it was a fun time with good food, good beer, and an exciting ceremony. I'm sure we'll do it again.
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