Category: Event

A Home in Joplin

Started like any other Sunday in Joplin, Missouri. People went to church and gathered with family and friends. The Joplin High School had just held its graduation, and families were returning home. But as dark clouds gathered above, a severe storm was brewing. At 5:41 PM, an EF-5 tornado touched down in the southern part of the city and tracked east, cutting a 13-mile swath through the heart of downtown.

It struck the campus of the Missouri Southern State University, where the local high school was holding its graduation ceremony. One hundred fifty people were still in the arena and swiftly evacuated to the basement. But others were already returning home and in stark danger. Tragically, the storm claimed the lives of seven students (including one of the recent graduates). 1

After weeks-on-end of studying and exams and tweaking my business plan, I was ready to head west on my cross-country bus trip, looking for that elusive web developer who would be my last cog in the wheel.

The journey which would take me through the heartland of America would seem interminable — four gritty days and sleepless nights. Could I tolerate the middle-of-the-night disruptions, filthy bathrooms, the constant chit-chat from disheveled vagabonds?

On May 25, I boarded a Greyhound from Baltimore heading west. I would stop in San Diego to run a marathon with Janine and her hubby before I headed north to Vancouver to find a web developer for my site.

But at the last minute, I decided there was a more significant calling than just running a road race. The city of Joplin had taken a heavy toll, and they desperately needed help.

A full-figured woman in her early 20’s sat a few rows behind me in a rowdy bus where a couple of boisterous fellows were cracking us up like a lobster claw. The jokes were coming at a feverish pace, exactly what we needed to establish the right mood for the long journey. One rugged hooligan was getting too fresh for comfort, causing the girl to pitch a fit.

“Young lady, please get up and sit somewhere else then. The rest of you brats – if I hear another peep from you, I’m gonna pull over and drop ya’ll off on the side of the highway where you’re gonna have to thumb your way home,” the bus driver announced indignantly.

The commotion subsided, but, I still didn’t get a lick of sleep for the next few hours. At the transfer in St Louis, I joined the other backpackers lounging on the floor. I would be stopping in Joplin for tornado relief – my body and my mind yearned for respite.

Damaris singing @ the St Louis Greyhound station

Suddenly my siesta was interrupted by a soft rendition of Keyshia Cole’s “Love”. She had a voice that could move mountains and a face that could launch a thousand trucks.

“Wow, you sound just like Whitney Houston.”

“Thank you. Maybe my delightful croon will make me rich and famous one day.”

“I certainly hope so. What’s your name and where you’re going?”

“You can call me Dee for Damaris. I’m heading to Ok. City to visit my aunt, Mimi.”

“Right on my dear. You should be going to L.A. You have a face of a movie star. I hope you’ll remember me when you record your first album.”

“How ’bout you — how far west are you going?”

“All the way to California, but first, I’m making a stop in Joplin.”

“Yeah, I heard about the tragedy – many precious lives were lost, thousands of homes destroyed.”

Then as I boarded the bus in St Louis, the bus driver started to give me a hard time.

“Are you sure you want to get off in Joplin — the entire town has been wiped off the map.”

“Absolutely, tens of thousands of survivors desperately need our help.”

“Ok, but your bags are going to San Diego.”

“Can’t do that, Ma’am. I have a foldable bike in the baggage compartment, and I’ll need that to navigate my way around the disaster area.”

“You’re outa your mind. That’s against Greyhound policy. Since the town is completely devastated, I’m sure they could use your help — what little support you can provide.”

Thankfully, the driver relented, and as we entered the town, I felt road-weary but headstrong for whatever lay ahead. I hugged Damaris goodbye, hoping she would suddenly decide to come along.

“Stay safe,” As she wiped a tear from her eye. “I hope we’ll meet again soon.”

“Well, eventually, I’ll be heading to California to find someone who can help me create a restaurant search directory. Maybe something that you can find useful one day.”

Damaris rolled her eyes, doubtful that would be in the cards.

When I stepped off the bus, my sour, sweaty smell of three days of rolled-on antiperspirant evaporated like steam in the scorching Missouri sky. There was no one to greet me, not even a soul on the street. It was a lonely bus stop in a mid-sized municipality, some parts showing virtually no signs that a deadly EF-5 Twister had rolled through a few days ago.

Despite lugging an extra bag around from bus to bus I was now deeply grateful that I had decided to bring my Dahon foldable 12-speed roadster along.

President Obama and his entourage and Governor Nixon had just visited and showed compassion. “This is a national tragedy,” Obama said. “We’re not gonna stop until Joplin is back on their feet.”

Flags were flying at half-mast. Emergency response vehicles and T.V. trucks filled up a parking lot at the downtown mall. A National Guard hummer drove through the desolate downtown like it was in Iraq after the Battle of Ramadi.

The campus of the Missouri Southern State University, where the AmeriCorps had set up their task force, was four miles from downtown, and taxis weren’t readily available during a crisis. I loaded all my luggage on the bike (Macbook Pro, Nikon 5100, sleeping bag, and thankfully only a few pieces of clothing) and pedaled my way to the Volunteer Relief Center.

By the time I arrived on campus, the volunteers had already departed for the day, scraping the thick crust of grime covering their arms and legs. The staff was putting things away, and in the cafeteria, a large throng of AmeriCorps members was busy debriefing the day’s events.

I was fortunate to catch the tail end when the staff decided to recognize each other for their hard work and dedication. I pulled out my camera and started filming, unbeknownst that I would witness something quite remarkable. This is where I met Quinn, Julie, Abby, and Will — incredible people who sacrificed tremendously to serve Americans in need. They called on each other and recognized their contributions. Then they presented a rose as a token of appreciation. I choked as I held back tears for people I didn’t even know. But after sharing with us something special from the inside, I felt that they would be dear friends for life.

Just a month before the tornado, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed that established Missouri Southern as an approved American Red Cross Shelter. The timing was perfect, and the campus turned out to be an excellent resource and accommodation. I didn’t have a rack to sleep on, and hot foot was limited. But the building was new, and the couch that I slept on was firm and comfortable. I was blessed to have a roof over my head, considering the thousands of people who were left homeless. I made sure I got some rest because tomorrow would be a big day.

Julie was one of the first team members that I met. Incidentally, she was from College Park, Maryland. I could tell that she had a lot on her plate, so I asked how I could be of help.

The overflow of support from Americans everywhere had been enormous. Thousands of people called United Way and American Red Cross, offering their homes, vehicles, services, etc. AmeriCorps then posted this info on their Facebook page.

“We’re getting dozens of calls a day from people offering to donate goods and services to survivors. People are offering their cars, computers, cell phones, tents, food, clothing,” said Julie. “We’re simply posting these offers on our Joplin Tornado Relief Services Facebook page, and it’s first come, first served.”

The issue with these postings was that there were not sortable or searchable nor user-friendly. There was not one clearinghouse that gathered all the information. As a result, many of these donations were not managed effectively or were simply wasted. So I took the initiative to create an online database where the AmeriCorps could easily track all donations and match them specifically with survivors depending on their exact needs.

So I spent the first two days on campus creating an online database with Drupal (which I literally learned on the go). After a lot of painstaking research and trial and error, the database was created — a small but momentous cause for celebration.

* * *

My next goal was to document the heroic contributions of the AmeriCorps’ disaster relief teams. Spending the last three days working alongside them, I had nothing but wonderful things to say about this dedicated group of young men and women. They were bright, innovative, and selfless, never counting the costs of uprooting their lives to serve our country in need with very little pay. With people like Abby, Julie, Will, and Melissa, I was left impressed and thankful for their sacrifices.

But there was only one problem: I didn’t have any closed-toe shoots. Traveling on Greyhound, I had to travel light. Thank goodness, Abby came to the rescue and lent me her boots for the day.

The next day I visited the site ravaged by the tornado and met some of the victims. The first time I got to see the damage, I was shellshocked. Trees that were left standing were stripped bare by the intense winds. The images brought back forlorn memories from Haiti after the 2010 earthquake. It had already been an amazing whirlwind tour in what has already been a very long journey for disaster relief for one of the deadliest single tornadoes in America.

I met Christina on the bus going out to the field. Originally from Georgia, her mother owned a house an hour from here. An outdoor person with a warm heart, she loved to snow ski, windsurf, sail and pitch a tent and enjoy nature at its finest. Christina would be spending the next month sleeping in tents and volunteering for both the AmeriCorps and the Ozark Food Harvest. After this stint, she would be heading north to Alaska to go glacier camping.

I listened to Christina as she cleared debris and collected memorabilia. One of the hardest parts of the relief effort was recovering personal belongings. Many of the pictures, some over a generation old, would be digitized and posted online in hopes that someone would claim them. Christina found some dental records, books, videos, and a porcelain figurine.

Debris piled near the street would be picked up by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

I also spoke to Chelsea, another volunteer who lived in the area.

“Many people think we’re a small town. The population in Joplin is 50,000, but actually, 300,000 people work and shop here,” she said. “Lots of folks commute from neighboring town — just like me.”

I was humbled and honored to meet Jerry and Debby, one of the homeowners who lost two houses: theirs and their daughters. Jerry was actually in his truck when the deadly twister hit. He was lifted up and spun around before being dropped in front of his house. His house was pulled straight out of the foundation and blown to bits. House after house for miles in all directions was literally reduced to slab. Cars and trucks were crushed like soda cans. Jerry was fortunate to have made it out alright. His house was reduced to shreds, but he was blessed to have his life and that of his lovely family.

“It’s slowly sinking in,” said Debby, as she looked through some old photos. “It’s taken a week for me.”

“Yes, we really need to come here and experience it. Watching it on T.V. is not enough,” said Chelsea.

Christina looked through some pictures she found. “And it’s important to look at your belongings as just items that come and go. They are not attached to you personally — it’s time to move on.”

I was deeply touched when I visited St. John’s Regional Medical Center. Every window in the hospital was blown out, and the top two floors were ripped away. The staff had only minutes to pull patients from their rooms and into hallways before the storm struck. The entire building had been moved four inches off its foundation and six people died. Because there were concerns that the structure might collapse, the building was evacuated.

Soon, the relief effort would come to an end and the city would shift into a reconstruction phase that would last for many years.

I was proud and happy to see Sailors from the USS Missouri (SSN-780) clearing rubble and assisting homeowners with retrieving their belongings. Like the humanitarian assistance deployments to Haiti after the deadly earthquake last year, the U.S. military is always there to assist whenever disaster strikes.

Soon, the relief effort would come to an end, and the city would shift into a reconstruction phase that would last for many years.

With damage estimated to be $3.18 billion, the Joplin tornado is the costliest single tornado in U.S. history (adjusted for inflation). 553 businesses and 7,411 homes were damaged or destroyed, affecting more than 17,000 people. The storm reached a maximum width of nearly one mile during its path through Joplin, killing 161 people (with an additional eight indirect deaths).

July 30, 2022
Food Crawl

In 2013, Dishcrawl stormed into town giving RUNINOut a run for the money. During their events, food lovers gather together and visit several restaurants themed around a type of food or neighborhood. It’s a fun way to discover different restaurants, meet new people and enjoy some amazing food.

On October 5, 2013, Dishcrawl held the world’s largest one-day chef competition called Battledish where foodies and the general public sampled food from six different restaurants and chose their favorite dish. Events were held on Saturday in major cities from coast to coast such as Seattle, New Orleans, D.C., and San Francisco.

Qui-Juan Jones, the local coordinator asked me if I wanted to be a judge — he didn’t have to wait long for an answer. I was honored to be amongst a cast of scraggly bloggers and was looking forward to strolling up and down U Street sucking on grilled diver scallops from The Tap & Parlour, nibbling on buttermilk fried chicken from DC 9, and chewing on charred octopus from Ulah Bistro.

[ Image: Battle Dish Judges.png ]

Battle Dish Judges

DC-9 is a nightclub that hosted D.C.’s top go-go musicians from Chuck Brown to the Young Senators. Wayne Manigo is a huge fan of D.C.’s homegrown funk. In the early 70s, Chuck Brown laid the groundwork for new music inspired by funk, blues, soul, and salsa, and D.C. was where this groundbreaking genre was born.

“Yeah, the go-go music has made a huge impact in my life and my career in comedy. There were many nights I would stay out late at DC-9, but the beat was so infectious, it carried me through all during the week.”

Wayne was also interested in hearing about the Battledish competition.

“I have a lot of respect for the chefs that pour their blood, sweat, and tears on U Street — it’s hard to run a restaurant on these tough streets.”

I took a sip of my Absolute ruby red peach liqueur which was sweet but not strong enough. “Yes, running a business is a huge challenge here — it’s where many restaurants barely survive and die.”

Wayne took a bite of my hush puppies and nodded in approval.

“Down the road, in D.C. Central Kitchens, Chefs Jerald Thomas and Marianne trained me. I owe a debt of gratitude to these master chefs. Because of them, I’m no longer a starving artist.”

After Ulah was announced the winner, and everyone was stuffed and had a fabulous time, I thanked Qui-Juan for the priceless opportunity to serve as a judge.

“We should host an event together next time. Same format, the same number of restaurants, just sans the judging.”

“That’ll be great. Just networking eating and drinking. Where are you thinking?”

“We haven’t done many events in Virginia. Can we find a walkable place with lively nightlife, lots of young people, and diverse restaurants?

Tucked away just north of Arlington and west of Rosslyn, Clarendon used to be a sleepy town, straddling the line between city and suburb. In 2009, the Washington Post described Clarendon as “the hippest spot north of Richmond and south of the Potomac1

It was Saturday, August 9, 2014

Here are excerpts from the blog written by Annamaria for RUNINDC

[ Image: Annamaria @ Spice.png ]

Annamaria @ Spice

What a treat! You simply can’t beat five lovely restaurants in the heart of Arlington for only $40 per person. A play on those fun Pub Crawls that seem to be happening everywhere these days, the Clarendon Food Crawl, took lucky participants on a culinary tour of Ireland, Italy, Mexico & El Salvador, the Mediterranean, and Asia. Hosted by RUNINOut and Social Group D.C., it was well worth the time and money spent.

The group started at Ri Ra Irish Pub. The decor was amazing as it was built from authentic Irish Salvage materials some dating back over 100 years.

We started with the potato and leek soup with potato croutons and served with brown soda bread. This paired nicely with an Irish Mac & cheese with toasted bread crumbs with Irish cheddar.

We were served excellent fish and chips, prepared by Mike Grasso, accompanied by tartar sauce, a slice of lemon, and malted vinegar as is traditional in Ireland. The cod was cooked perfectly, flaky and wonderfully moist, inside with a nice thick beer batter and hand-cut chips. To top it off, we enjoyed a Guinness sundae Guinness draft on vanilla ice cream with Jameson whipped creme

Next, we traveled next door to Clarendon’s little slice of Italy at Faccia Luna. We were greeted with a huge buffet-style meal of pizza (pepperoni, cheese, and veggies) and salad.

This is Judy Castiglia’s first event with RUNINOut and was referred by her friend Jason “Foodgeek” of DCFüd.

“The crust was thin, but not too thin and it has great flavor. The sauce was tangy and garlicky, and the pepperoni was the perfect addition,” said Judy.

I was pleased to find they didn’t cook their pizzas to the point of being crackers as some places do. The Italian salad was an excellent complement to the pizza, and the accompanying choices of Balsamic Vinaigrette and Ranch went well with the iceberg, radicchio, mushrooms, and shredded mozzarella. Like Ri Ra, Faccia Luna’s decor was classy and gorgeous and definitely worth visiting. The restaurant has been a mainstay of Clarendon since 1992.

[ Image: Judy Castagna (far right) sitting across from Anna Maria.png ]

Judy Castiglia (far right) sitting across from Anna Maria

The third stop on our trip through the various nationalities of food along Washington St. was Mexicali Blues which boasted the largest patio seating on the block and its own charms such as the Coronita, an original mixture of a margarita served with a Corona held upside down inside the ‘rita.

[ Image: Qui-Juan Jones.png ]

Qui-Juan Jones (right) & friends

Basically, as you drank the margarita the corona replaced the missing liquid. On the inside, the restaurant boasted plenty of seating as well. This was most assuredly a great place for large get-togethers and events. The decor was a good mix of traditional Hispanic colors, paintings, and artifacts such as a bull’s head mounted in the corner, pottery, and the day of the dead painted skulls. Each person got a plate of the Yucca con Chicharron. The yucca which is a plant native to Central and South America was lightly fried but not well seasoned in my opinion.

The yucca root had a taste and texture similar to potato yet marginally sweeter. It was cooked to nice doneness where the skin was refreshingly crisp and the inside still soft. Naturally, it is very mild and I felt a touch of salt would not have hurt this side dish. My fellow table-mate at this event said traditionally he thought it was caramelized a bit more but not salted. That would have worked also in improving the tame taste of yucca. What did save the side dish was the outstanding horseradish sauce. I cannot say just how much I love horseradish, I swear I could eat it raw. For those not quite so fond of this root don’t despair, Mexicali Blues’ offering is light enough to please any palate. The cabbage salad that came with our small plate was lovely, crunchy, and spicy but not overly hot. Lastly, the Chicharron was less than optimal. The flavor was spot on, savory with plenty of spices blended in the sauce it is simmered in. The pork however was simply over-cooked which is a shame because there is almost nothing as good as a succulent bite of pork. I can’t write this place off entirely based just on the food sample and am planning on a return trip at some point if for no other reason than to get a Coronita.

At Spice, the fourth restaurant on our list, we were served family-style – one huge platter per table. Located right across the street from Mexicali Blues, this minimalist deli-style corner spot had limited indoor seating but their shaded patio was airy and spacious. For our meal, there was a choice of roasted chicken or salmon served on extra-long grain rice, with sides of potato or carrots, and salad. The roasted chicken had a good full flavor with just enough lemon and olive oil. The salmon dish was cooked with its combination of herbs and olive oil was absolutely deliciously infused into the delicate flesh of the salmon.

Yasser Mohammed opened Spice to showcase his wife, Rahma’s amazing cooking. “We want to keep the quality high. Each day we cook small portions in order to keep every dish fresh.”

The lamb was marinated for 24 hours. The Amoroso Hoagie rolls delivered from Philadelphia were made with 680-day-old prosciutto, imported from Parma, Italy. The chicken was grilled with seven different spices.

With Yasser’s eye for these fine details and Rahma’s natural flair for cooking, Spice offered an authentic Mediterranean menu in a beautiful, colorful setting.

The final big blow-out was at Hunan One next door. The inside was enormous with ample bar seating, plenty of booths, tables, and bar-stool islands near the windows that accommodated groups of all sizes. Starting with the bar they had a good list of beers and wines presented at nice discounts for our group. We got half off wine bottles, pints at $5.50, and $4.75 rail drinks. I split a bottle of a lovely White Zinfandel with Judy which went well with our samples. As was my tradition, I tried the hot sauce first. It was a spicy chili sauce that delivered a medium-hot level of heat but didn’t kick me in the mouth.

The spring rolls were light, fresh, and delicious and the chicken and beef satays were marinated with spices and served with peanut sauce.

My only real letdown was the crab rangoon which was a little toothsome and seemed as though it had come from a frozen bag instead of being freshly made. Also, it was overly sweet causing me to wonder how exactly they got it that sweet. Finally, the chicken wings were exceptionally seasoned with five-spice and were delectable! A thin layer of crust on the outside and perfectly done and juicy on the inside, they make my list of dishes to return and have more of in the future.

[ Image: Rob Webster .png ]

Rob Webster

On the whole, the Clarendon Food Crawl was a big success. The tour explored both familiar and new, agreeable experiences. Friends were made, good food and libations imbibed and we finally had our first food crawl in our belt.

By Annamaria

“Great job on the blog post Annamaria!”

“As long as there’s free food, I don’t mind writing for free.”

“I like you a lot better than Bindesh and Rob. They come to my events and all they do is eat, flirt with the girls, tell some jokes and maybe post pics on social media. You’re giving back to the restaurants by writing a decent blog and which many readers consider a credible source of information.”

1 Amanda Abrams, Clarendon: Happily Straddling the Line Between City and Suburb, DC.urbanturf.com, May 11, 2010

July 25, 2022
The Flight of Apollo

The next month, I took Apollo on a run at the National Mall. Apollo took flight as he often does, but this time, he went higher and further than ever before. Oh my goodness, I conveyed an expression of blunder. I had gotten so careless that I had forgotten to trim his wings, and suddenly high above the Mulberry trees along the scenic mall, Apollo found freedom.

I looked everywhere for Apollo, even bringing along his cage, his Bonka Bird toy, rattling in the wind. I scattered sunflower seeds and peanuts everywhere and had to fight off the squirrels who had a field day. Sadly, he was nowhere to be found. Like a menacing tween, he had skipped school, and he was not yet ready to return to his distressed patriarch. The massive magnolias along the miles-long cinder path served as an ideal refuge for him, while the Capitol dome and the Washington Monument obelisk served as landmarks.

“Apollo, please come home to Papa!” I screamed at the top of my lungs. As sunset beckoned, I came to the sad conclusion that my wails were been drowned by the hustle and bustle of young people and tourists mingling on the grassy fields.

Soon the sun was shadowed by the majestic, iron dome of the Capitol, and I would return the next day to make my unwavering attempt. At daybreak, when the sun’s rays bathed the Lincoln Memorial in golden sunlight, I was roving up and down the grassy turf searching for my wanderlust feathered friend. I played a scratchy recording of his chirping. It sounded promising, but after a while, the raspy screams only commingled with the purrs from the cormorants and the buzz from the sparrows. GW University just so happened to be hosting its commencement ceremony at noon, so soon there would be several hundred black caps and gowns and excited families scurrying all along the mall.

Since I couldn’t physically search, I would leverage social media. My Facebook posting gained some traction and I started to get excited when Zach Peirce mentioned that one of the graduating students saw Apollo hanging out on top of a standing fan, just screaming away. So she called the Washington Humane Society who readily captured him.

I immediately called them and was overjoyed when they informed me that my poor Apollo was in safekeeping.

Apollo was home now, and he would join me on more runs and escapades throughout D.C. But this time, I would ensure his flight feathers were properly trimmed and his favorite Bonga Bird toy within arm’s reach.

July 24, 2022
Apollo Asala

In 2011, I kicked off the EU Embassy Run as a casual run on a whim. I coerced a couple of friends to join and for the last several years, a small gaggle would gather at the French Embassy and run 13 miles visiting a dozen tightly-packed embassies along the way, ending up at the Austrian Embassy in Van Ness in NW D.C.

By 2014, I wanted to expand the run, so I contacted Rick Amernick to post the event on the DC Capital Striders homepage. Surprisingly, 40 eager runners signed up. We were indeed bursting at the seams, but there was room for one more stowaway — Apollo who would fly alongside and blithely perch on people’s shoulders. Apollo was a veteran runner who has enjoyed going on long-running excursions with me throughout this sociable city. Naturally, Apollo loved to fly, but with his wings clipped, he wouldn’t go too far, normally to the nearest shoulder or to a low-hanging limb.

On May 10, 2014, the jaunt started at the Embassy of France and followed Reservoir Road through Georgetown, before climbing uphill on Wisconsin Ave.

Then we meandered our way through Embassy Row visiting Greece, Ireland, and Romania successively.

There were a lot of cultures to experience and of course fabulous food tastings not to mention the most magnificent, crisp lagers this side of heaven.

Motivated by the allure of fresh hops, we steadily climbed Mass Ave until we reached Netherlands, Belgium, Hungary, Czech Republic, and Finland.

My neighbor, Quentin Cummings ran along and was more than eager to imbibe on traditional European beer along the way.

Throughout the run, we proudly raised the dark blue flag with a circle of twelve yellow stars and ran at a steady pace until reaching Austria and Slovakia on International Drive. There, we celebrated and rejoiced when we reached the coveted black and white checkered flag.

“Say, the run is picking up speed with D.C. locals. Why don’t you organize an official run next year? Have people register online so people can commit ahead of time,” Rick suggested.

“That’s a great idea. Charge a nominal fee and raise money for charity. I can also get T-Shirts printed out and put our logos on the front.

Orlando Darden Jr

To have the honor to lead 45 amazing runners, along a scenic, occasionally hilly 13-mile journey starting from France and ending at Austria. All enjoyed a diverse cultural experience! Thank you Runin Out for creating such a fun and memorable event and thanks to #RunnersWorld for enduring the busy streets to photograph our entire run! This year’s event turned out to be an awesome adventure! Next years promises to be EPIC!

The week after the run, I gave Rick a call.

“Hey remember that Lebanese bistro on Connecticut Ave that we passed on the way to the Hungary and Czech Embassies?”

“Yup, the Taverna. Love their hummus — great protein-infused snack to fuel up right before a long run.”

“Well, we can’t make Lebanon a part of the EU, but we can definitely host a meetup and entice runners with healthy Mediterranean cuisine paired with a high-energy form of dancing?”

The following week, runners from all over the DMV came in droves to appreciate the benefits of consuming hummus with tahini and shaking hips to develop core strength.

Asala’s willowy arms and legs moved in synch, captivating and charming Lebanese guests and runners alike. Her trademark was attractive and personable, and she was easily able to entice hardy runners to join her.

Rick raised his arms like a ballet dancer. “Have to say, this is the most exotic event, we’ve hosted so far. Great way to train for a marathon.”

I raised my arms in unison. “You guys are totally hot. Women dig dudes who can dance.”

Orlando swung his hips smoothly like Fred Astaire. “Yes, that was a blast. Enjoyed balancing the air cake on my head. That was no joke a cakewalk.”

Asala reached over to pick up a prop. “Glad you enjoyed it. Since you thought it was cake, you can balance my sword next time. And you better not drop it on your toes.”

Orlando picked up the curved sword and felt the sharp blade with his hand. “Yes, that does seem quite dangerous. Girl, you got talent.”

“Next time, I’ll bring my Shamadan Candelabra. Men who incite danger are inspired by the sight of fire.”

I used a spare tablecloth to mimic Asala’s magic motions. “My personal favorite are Asala’s wings. They’re colorful and shiny and quite dramatic.”

Rick took a large bite from his shawarma slider. “And the food was indeed healthy and appetizing. If I ate here regularly, I wouldn’t need to run every day.”

“So happy you all enjoyed it, and I am thrilled with the audience participation. I perform every Thursday. Tell all your friends to come — it’s more challenging than yoga and more fun than running.”

Charlie came by to check on the setting of the tables. “Yes, we need to fill up the restaurant. We love to bring in new guests who will also enjoy our food.”

I raised a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon to my lips. “How ‘bout we host a fundraiser here next time. We can just host RUNINOut events in conjunction with Asala’s performances.”

“Well get our fattoush and tabbouleh featured prominently online, and we’ll be happy to provide you with all the hummus you want for future events and fundraisers.”

“Thank you so much, Charlie! Can I have another Almaza please?”

“Don’t you think you’ve had enough already? BTW, next week, you should visit Grace, the owner, at the original Taverna in Arlington. Maybe she’s got more work for you to do. I know they need a new website to feature all their locations.”

In the following months, we held fundraisers for We Are Family Senior Outreach Network and the Association of Young Americans. Together, we had saved the Raqs Baladi events from the chopping block.

The working relationship with Lebanese Taverna, local meetups and Asala El Masri would pay off splendidly for months to come.

July 15, 2022
The Skies are Gray

Donald “Clay” Clay, an Air Force veteran, was enjoying his stogie while chit chatting with friends, watching boats slipping by. On every weekday afternoon when the weather is fine, he and a half dozen of his perennial friends such as Robert “Bleu” Jones and Kimo Tavares gather at the Slip Inn to chill, booze up and snack on the crowd-favorite George wings. No one knows for sure why they call them George, but rumor is one of the cooks from the earliest days in the 80s came up with the secret breading.

The Tiki bar and restaurant wasn’t located in the Navy Yard, Old Town Alexandria or the National Harbor — places packed with tourists. Instead it was tucked away at the edge of Joint Base Anacostia Bolling, a well-kept secret amongst retirees. That’s why Clay, Bleu and a handful of old timers made it a daily ritual when the clouds are clear and the skies are blue.

And the weather forecast for the next three days was bright and promising. There was a ton of activity as military personnel and their families kicked off the glorious weekend with Country Western Night featuring a local, up-and-coming talent.

Sara Gray is a singer, song-writer from Indian Head, MD., just down the beaten river in Southern Maryland. The first time she sang in public was at the age of three on a cruise ship — from the soundtrack of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. She watched her father sing in his local band, then started performing at church and has rendered the National Anthem at various community events. At 16, she wrote her first song and her budding repertoire focuses on country and classic rock. For the last year, her schedule has been in high demand, opening for country stars such as Toby Keith, Dierks Bentley, the Zac Brown Band and Luke Bryan and performing all over the DMV.

Sara Gray covering”Cowboy Take Me Away”

Sara Gray loves audience participation

“I’m so happy to be on the stage where I feel right at home. I love getting the crowd involved, clapping, dancing and singing along. They inspire me.”

Justin Voskuil bartending at the Slip Inn Tiki Bar

Sara Gray singing her original “One of A Kind”

Photos by Skvora limited media

July 14, 2022
Piola DC

Jason Morenz was working in the kitchen in Piola located on the northern border of U St by Florida Ave NW. The restaurant was popular on Sunday for their bottomless brunch (not mimosas) but 10 different types of pizzas (personal size) as much as you can binge.

During the weekday, all draft beer (including the Peroni) was only $3 and occasionally, they would offer involtini puffs, bite-sized roll-ups with bacon, mozzarella, and eggs. On the 29th of each month, Piola would offer AYCE handmade Gnocchis with a handful of decadent sauces.

Although 14th Street has a fair share of pizzerias, Piola was popular with pizza aficionados for their thin-crust and savory cheese and hearty toppings. Couples and groups also came for the chilled atmosphere and friendly servers.

Piola’s, on most nights, was buzzing and the demand for take-out was through the roof. The biggest problem was apps like DoorDash and Grubhub took a huge slice of their paper-thin margins, as much as 30%.

“Why not cut out the middleman?” Jason thought to himself. “We could build a slick website and channel all call-in orders through it.”

Under his direction, I purchased the domain Piola D.C. and replicated their menu on an eCommerce platform. Then I updated Google maps with the new website name.

Within days, the website traffic started to pick up and if anyone called to order, they were redirected to the new site. But Piola’s did not have its own fleet of delivery drivers. So Jason came up with another ingenious idea.

For every delivery order that came in, Jason would duplicate the order on the Postmates app.

For the sake of example, Charlene is at home with a big craving for traditional Italian pizzas and Peter is working a swing shift as a bike messenger.

Charlene ordered the Quattro Formaggi on the Piola D.C. website. The instruction would then be automatically printed out and sent to the kitchen. Jason would then make the same order on the Postmates app. In little time Peter would show up at Piola’s to pick up Jason’s pizza.

Jason would immediately greet Peter. “This order is for Charlene and it’s going to this address down the road,” Jason instructed. “And I’m going to tip you ahead of time, so don’t screw this up.”

15 minutes later, Peter called Charlene at the Union Row Flats on 14th and she happily buzzed him in. He checked in at the front desk then took the elevator to the 5th floor and tapped on her door.

Charlene opened the door in her skimpy, pink terrycloth bathrobe “Come on in,” as she motioned for him to follow her.

“Please set the pizza on the table.”

Peter bewilderedly followed her to the dining room. Then he opened his bright red pizza warmer bag and gently took out the large pizza box with the slogan “FAMOSI PER LA PIZZA” embossed on the side.

Charlene thanked him with a slight twinkle in her eye.

Peter returned the smile and maintained a steady gaze. Then a prolonged uneasy silence, while Peter noticed a partial view of the Capitol rotunda from the master bedroom vaulted windows. He wanted to say something, but luckily she beat him to it.

“Well, I guess I better dig in while it’s still hot,” she mutters under her breath.

“Umm, yeah. It looks good. I betta be going now,” he mumbles.

Peter almost tripped on himself as he stumbled out. He thought he heard her say something about the savory gorgonzola, but by then he had safely extricated himself into the hallway.

“Whoa, wait, don’t leave just yet…”

Peter’s heart was jumping by the time he got to the elevator.

“You forgot your tip.”

But Peter already got his tip, from Jason at Piola’s, and he noticed on the app that there was another order to pick up.

As soon as he descended down to the lobby, he wished he could retrace his steps back to the apartment with the shapely blonde and the panoramic view.

“Man, I had my one chance, and I totally blew it,” he muttered. “How could I be such a coward,”

He thought about calling Charlene and inquired how she was enjoying her slice, and whether she wanted him to bring up some chardonnay to complement, but he clearly didn’t have the guts to see it through.

The autumn night was dreamy and delightful when Peter raced back to the store.

“You’re a dumbass,” Jason admonished. “Such a pathetic loser.”

“Well I delivered on time,” Peter quipped. “And the pizza was still hot and steamy when she ate it.”

“Yeah, but you left the tip on the table, you idiot, not to mention some other things.”

“Well, I definitely didn’t expect her to be so revealing. Perhaps she was seducing me to make a move, then report me to Postmates.”

In the weeks ahead, Piola was humming, and the orders kept flooding in. The upper echelon and franchisees were delighted with the ton of sales and the favorable reviews.

But then the number of orders made by Jason on Postmates aroused suspicion. The corporate office in Miami Beach caught on to the website and the Piola D.C. domain.

One morning, I was aghast when an email from the company’s attorneys showed up in my inbox. They wanted to know why I purchased the domain without their permission and why I created the site without their oversight.

For the next several days, I kept mum, but after they hit the resend button, I decided I would finally disclose my motives.

I opened the books to everything we did and mentioned to them how the new site was making them a killing.

Needless to say, they were grateful, but still piqued that I owned the domain name of the local franchisee.

“We would like you to transfer the domain to the corporate office ASAP.”

“Well, there were expenses incurred for both labor and costs.”

“We’re willing to pay, as long as you’re willing to cooperate.”

The following Tuesday, a check for $500 arrived in the mail. Then later that day, Jason and I drove to Piola and picked up 20 boxes of pies with all the flavors they offered on their menu.

We drove them down Connecticut Ave until we reached Dupont Circle. Then we entered the ornate building on 1800 Massachusetts Ave and rode the elevator to the 2nd floor.

Guests were beyond pleased when they saw Jason and I laid out 20 boxes of mouth-watering pies on a folding banquet table.

“Thank you so much for your donation to our monthly meetup,” said Scott Johnson, CEO of Agency Chief. “Hope this didn’t set you back much.”

“It didn’t cost us a dime, but getting these pies wasn’t easy.”

“Hope you didn’t have to do anything under the table. Either way would love for you to share your experiences at our next WordPress meetup.”

“Can I share my portfolio with the audience?”

“Absolutely, just don’t talk about your work for Mpire or the Showcase Theater.”

July 13, 2022
Carmine’s

I still remember the sage words from Suzannah to work with PR firms. Not everyone visits restaurants based on word of mouth or Yelp reviews. Many customers still found the news media credible and no PR firms had a strong grip on the local restaurant market like Heather Freeman and Jill Collins. Manuel Iguina from Mio, Richard Sandoval from Zengo and Toro Toro and Hakan Ilhan from Alba Osteria had hired Heather Freeman and Carmine’s Italian Restaurant had retained Jill Collins. I’ve worked with Jill when we covered Metro Cooking DC with celebrity chefs and the Travel & Adventure Show at the Washington Convention Center. If you’re hosting a consumer or trade show, Jill is the top wrangler.

It was good to see Judy who I met at the Clarendon Food Crawl and Bindesh, who I hadn’t seen since the Puerto Rican feast at Mio’s. Orlando and Kanita arrived a bit later after their “BootCamp” workout.

I asked Annamaria and our new blogger, Kaitlyn to write a short blurb about the dinner, and they had nothing but wonderful things to say.

by Anna Quayle & Kaitlyn Smith

Going to an event at the Verizon Center? If you have a big group, Carmine’s is the perfect place to go to enjoy an amazing family-style Italian meal. It’s like sitting in your grandmother’s dining room eating a home-cooked meal, except its 20,000 ft2 and has a secret service entrance.

Carmine’s has a rich decor of wood, soft tunes, and wonderful aromas. With plenty of pictures and soft lighting. It has 700 seats and a humungous 7000 sq ft kitchen. Chandelier and large menus on the wall. According to Jill Collins, it’s the biggest restaurant in D.C.

A short walk from Capitol Hill, Carmine’s often hosted many members of the Senate and Congress who visit regularly. Because of their large party rooms with doors that can close, it is perfect for members of Congress and the Supreme Court justices who may have a security detail for those needing a private entrance.

Katlyn & Orlando admiring the pasta

When our food arrived, it was easy to see why. Although Carmine’s DC is part of the famous New York Carmine’s, it is family owned and nearly everything is made locally or in-house. Every two hours, a fresh batch of meatballs is made and since Carmine’s opened, they have served over half a million of them to guests.

Kanita Williams Carmine’s

The waitstaff is very personable and accommodating and everyone we spoke with was very knowledgeable and hospitable. We started off with the house Montepulciano, which was smooth but still slightly spicy and very drinkable, and enjoyed their freshly baked Focaccia bread. The calamari was crisp on the outside but the smaller whole squid almost tasted burnt. The rings of squid were just great. The homemade marinara sauce was lightly spicy and full of delicious tomatoes. It had a full flavor and was seasoned very well.

Bindesh pouring the house Montepulciano

Next, we ordered a delicious Gorgonzola and Apple Salad which had fresh-cut pears, dried cranberries, and Gorgonzola with a nice light balsamic vinaigrette. It also had julienne carrots and cherry tomatoes. The blend was excellent and also came with walnuts. The crunch of carrot and pear was nice and the Gorgonzola added that perfect finish of piquantness.

Following the salad, we sampled two of the appetizers from the menu including the roasted red peppers in olive oil with fresh mozzarella and the crispy fried calamari with marinara sauce. Both of these dishes were amazing, but the roasted red peppers were particularly flavorful. Perfectly roasted in a nutty extra virgin olive oil, the peppers were slightly sweet and complemented the fresh and pillowy mozzarella.

Judy & Bindesh

The mozzarella with roasted red salad and basil was light, extremely fresh, and drizzled with olive oil. The freshness of the roasted pepper I especially noted, it was very sweet, roasted just perfectly, and still had a bit of firmness to it instead of being completely limp.

The Marsala chicken was really very tasty, and the tiny bit of sweetness from the wine was appreciated. It was also savory from the garlic and pepper. The mushrooms were sauteed well. Less appreciated was how thin the chicken was. It was a little crisp around the edges. The flavor of the sauce though made up for ultra-thin meat.

The shrimp Diavolo was again tasty but for me, the shrimp was a little overcooked to the point of the jumbo shrimp splitting. The sauce had just the slightest hint of spicy, I would have been more impressed if it had been spicier and the shrimp not overcooked. It was served with angel hair pasta. Of course, the sauce was freshly made as well. Really the only thing not made on the ground was the mozzarella and bread. The recipes for bread do belong to the restaurant but are cooked off the premises simply because of the amount of space it would require to bake all the bread in-house.

Annamaria and Katlyn enjoying their dinner

For our main entree, we feasted on an impressive sampling of Carmine’s famous meatballs, Lasagna, country-style rigatoni, chicken marsala, and shrimp scampi. From my first bite of the meatballs, it was clear why they have sold over half a million since their opening. The Lasagna was the perfect ratio of fresh ricotta and pasta to meat and sauce. It came piled high in a deep dish pan. The Italian sausage was seasoned with caraway which I enjoyed. Although all of the dishes were delicious, my two personal favorites were the chicken marsala and the country-style rigatoni. The marsala sauce is perfect with its deep, rich flavor and the country-style rigatoni is pure comfort food.

Jill spoke of good food done well as being their motto. The meatballs were nothing less than exceptional, especially with the table Romano cheese on top. It was tangy and I suspect was made of sheep’s milk. The house specialty pasta had the right amount of beans, broccoli, onions, Italian sausage, and rigatoni. It was again, very fresh with a buttery sauce over the whole dish.

The Montepulciano wine was smooth with a good amount of tannin but not too much. The cappuccino was spot on. A nice froth cap and strong espresso mixed with steamed milk. It went well with the desserts: tiramisu and the titanic, the world’s largest banana split.

Jill cuts into The Titanic

Lastly, our dessert was truly impressive and included some of the best Tiramisu that I have ever had and their well-executed grand finale, “The Titanic”. This desert is a multilayered masterpiece that does, indeed, look like a big ship. At the bottom, is a flourless chocolate torte surrounded by sliced banana and topped with two layers of vanilla and chocolate ice cream scoops and then 6 inches of whipped cream. The whole thing is drizzled with chocolate syrup and sprinkled with walnuts. The flourless torte is my new favorite, beating out my beloved Godiva. The reason is Carmine’s was less dense and began melting in your mouth within moments of hitting your tongue.

If you are celebrating anything in D.C., go to Carmine’s. They have $11 valet parking outside, which closes at midnight, and a coatroom where you can check both your coat and your leftovers. Their hospitality and an extensive list of Italian delights are sure to please. Finally, if you have any dietary restrictions (Dairy, Garlic, Gluten, Vegetarian, Vegan) Carmine’s has a special menu for you. If you go with a big group, it will be one of the best and most delicious deals you’ve ever gotten.

Runin Out

September 10, 2014

July 12, 2022
Sandoval

Richard Sandoval doesn’t need any introductions or promotions. That’s why I was delighted when the General Manager of Zengo, Frank Ortiz, agreed to have me write a feature story to spotlight their new menu items. I invited Anca Grindeanu, a bartender at the Carving Room, to be a guest blogger for RUNINdc

Before the MCI Center, the home of the Wizards and Capitals was built in 1997, Chinatown was struggling with many restaurants and stores barely hanging on. Then came a wave of restaurants owned by celebrity chefs, such as Zaytinya by Jose Andres and Zengo by Richard Sandoval, which opened as Chinatown became less Chinese.

Zengo which translates to “give and take” in Japanese served up trendy fusion food in an upscale, eye-catching setting. One of the first things that struck me when I walked in was the mysterious orbs hanging from the ceiling as I ascended the stairs. The walls were full of colorful textures and murals with decor from all around the world.

Zengo was a sexy place to get a seat and be seen. Centrally located next to the Chinatown Metro, romanticos and politicos came here to feel glamorous and enjoy the haute cuisine.

We sat at the communal table by the bar, and the staff served us their prix fixe menu.

I took a sip of my ginger-infused bourbon, a sniff of vanilla and ginger to my nose with a slight, almost buttery scent. “Hey Anca, how’s your ceviche and Peking duck tacos?”

“Incredible!” she replied as she sipped on her passion fruit cocktail. “The fusion of Asian and Mexican is surprisingly successful.”

Anca nursing a cocktail

“Yes, what a fun place with spectacular food infused with creativity,” I replied. “Richard Sandoval definitely covers all the bases here.”

Zengo which opened in 2005 was Richard Sandoval’s first foray into D.C.. Since then he’s opened El Centro, Masa 14, and Toro Toro.

“You should check out Toro Toro,” Frank suggested. “It’s a Pan-Latin restaurant that features Latin fusion.”

The next day I gave Heather Freeman’s PR firm a call, and we set a date for another food tasting event.

On June 19, 2014, we held our event at Toro Toro. There we were immediately transported from McPherson Square to South Beach, Miami. If Zengo was sexy and exotic, Toro Toro is glamorous and adventurous. Upstairs is Latin-American fare and downstairs is an opulent lounge where Latin performers take the stage with late-night salsa dancing. The decor is swanky and the atmosphere is cozy and intimate. It’s Zaytinya meets Fogo De Chao and the drinks are boozy and delightful.

As a steak aficionado, I had previously enjoyed the AYCE “Rodizio Experience” where the servers brought out Brazilian skewers and small plates ad infinitum for $79. But today, we would focus on small plates: sweet corn empanadas, plantain chips with smoked guacamole, swordfish dip, tuna tartare, fish tacos, grilled pineapple, and a lot of caipirinhas and mojitos. It also helped that happy hour was from 5-8 pm.

Everyone seemed to be enjoying the food, sangria, and killer conversation.

I found Yoomie Huynh and Kanita Williams at the hors d’oeuvres table digging into the corn empanadas and talking shop.

“You’re always catching me eating!” Yoomie exclaimed.

Yoomie Huynh and Kanita Williams

“I grew up in Staten Island with a large Latino community, and yo amor empanadas,” Kanita said. “Can actually taste the flavor and texture of the creamy corn filling.”

Yoomie took another bite and amazingly cramming down a pie never made her look any less attractive. “This reminds me of the khinkali — meat-filled dumplings — I had in the Republic of Georgia where I served with the Peace Corps in 2011.”

“And Chito take it easy on the caipirinhas,” Kanita warned. “Remember, you’re the host tonight, so you better act like one.”

“They’re definitely easy to drink, but hard to pronounce,” I replied. “And everybody already expects me to lead by example. Don’t forget I was in the Navy.”

“I guess you’re be visiting the bathroom often tonight.”

“As long as I can pet the cowhide on the door, I’ll be fine.”

The usual suspects, Wayne Manigo and Orlando Darden were large and in charge. A few bloggers were also in attendance such as Jessica de Jesús from the Dining Traveler and Laura Hayes from Best Thing on the Menu. Jess is a Marine Corps Reservist who was one of the first women to complete male/female integrated Marine Combat Training in 1997. She was last stationed in Brussels and is now a Marine Corps field grade officer. Khoi, from Albuquerque, NM is an Air Force officer stationed in the Pentagon. In his free time, he travels to major food hubs all over the country to satisfy his epicurean tastebuds.

Khoi Tran

“I only have three great loves: people, food, and travel. Everything else is a consideration.”

“You should become a chef then,” I suggested.

“I had considered going to culinary school after college,” he said “Cooking is indeed an honorable calling.”

“I happened to have attended culinary school, courtesy of the US Department of Veterans Affairs,” Wayne added. “And one of my favorite gigs was cooking for D.C. Central Kitchen. We got up really early to work in the kitchen, but it was for a good cause, so I couldn’t complain.”

“Yeah, I know all about working early in the morning and being sleep deprived,” said Sarah Berghoff, an ER physician in Southern Maryland. “But that’s commendable — taking a stand against homelessness.”

“And we’re glad you’re here. How’s work?” I asked. “Not too stressful I hope.”

“Busy as usual. But I always try to make time to go for a run and yes to attend RUNINOut events.”

“You’re the best sweet Sarah, and my hats off to all the doctors and nurses in the frontline who are saving lives every day.”

I was also delighted to see Deb Santos chatting with Khoi and Orlando. All three had met each other at Tara Temple earlier this month.

“How’s the website going?” She asked.

“I would be lying if I said everything is hunky dory. Have just been overwhelmed lately.”

“I’ve noticed you’re still drinking quite a bit — have you started cutting back?”

“I always have the best of intentions, but when I get to my events, my adrenaline just flows, and I can’t seem to say no.”

“Are you reaching a point where your body and mind start to wear down? You need to stop and check-in and give yourself an opportunity to heal.”

“Yeah, I know. it’s been a huge struggle for me. I’m quite disappointed at myself.”

“You shouldn’t be. You’ve accomplished so much with your startup and events. Stop dimming the light and start feeling your magic. Take a moment to reflect on all you have done, all you are doing and where you’re headed. Big things are happening — don’t hold yourself back.”

When guests were leaving, I made sure to thank everyone for coming.

“C’mon Sarah, for old time’s sake, let’s get a pic together,” I said.

“Ok, but only if you promise to send me a copy,” she said.

Sarah Berghoff

“Of course, it’ll be all over the internet by the time you get home.”

“Hey Khoi, please take a picture of us in front of the entrance. Are you staying for salsa dancing?

“Gotta get going for the next foodie adventure,” he replied. “Lots of restaurants to visit, too little time.”

“Well don’t let salsa get in the way of progress. BTW, how much longer are you going to be at the Pentagon?”

“I’ll be getting ready to deploy to Kosovo for a peacekeeping mission later this fall.”

“Lucky you – Kosovo is a heaven for food lovers. I hope you love the food there.”

“I’ve never tried any dish that I disliked. Food to me is just an extension of culture. It can be different from what I grew up eating. It can be unusual if I haven’t had it before. But I’m betting it will be surprising in the best way.”

“Then what do you think of durian or balut?”

“Tried them both. The smell actually doesn’t offend me.”

“Oh, I heard that Richard Sandoval will be opening a Toro Toro Gastrobar in Serbia pretty soon. Maybe you’ll get a chance to visit and enjoy the sights.”

“Wow, Chef Sandoval is slowly taking over the world, one restaurant at a time, and yes, I’ve heard that Balkan women are very beautiful.”

Orlando Darden Jr

Had a great time last night at a new D.C. Brazilian restaurant, Toro Toro with my very good friend Chito Peppler whose company, Runin Out was the host of last evening’s menu tasting event! One thing is for sure if you attend his events, you”ll experience cool restaurants, serving delicious foods, and you”ll get to meet/ network with some of D.C.’s most interesting people, who are guests at his events!

July 12, 2022
Nightowls

In the evenings Suzannah and I would set up shop at different incubators or at a co-working group called the Nightowls which was held at several locations and co-working spaces in town. On this particular evening, we were working up in the 1776 incubator space on 1133 15th St. NW.

This is where I would run into fellow entrepreneurs such as Justin McLeod and Bennett Richardson from Hinge, Dan Berger from Social Tables, and Anton Gelman from Cont3nt.com.

Pets weren’t allowed, but it wasn’t like me to follow rules. From time to time, I would bring Apollo, my sun conure to keep things lively during the late night jam sessions.

“Hey we’re night owls, not sun parrots. Hoot Hoot,” came a witty voice from the peanut gallery.

“I thought that your logo is a monkey, not a damn parrot?”

“It’s neither. It’s actually a baby orangutan,” I responded. “And my little bird is my sidekick and co-founder, and he can fly circles around you.”

Suzannah lightly caressed the parrot on her shoulder. “We’re not just about food, we’re about fun.”

Apollo was indeed a playful, social partner and a nice digression from brainstorming and side hacks. Having the multi-colored parrot fly around the room and interacting with other overtaxed entrepreneurs actually inspired creativeness.

One night, Suzannah invited her friend Sonia Herrero, a creative artist, yoga teacher, musician and dancer to join us for our buzz session. I invited my photographer friend Jason Morenz.

Suzannah gently tapped Apollo’s beak. “Love how he’s chewing on my hair.”

Jason picked up his Nikon DLSR and snapped a picture. “Think he’s partial to blondes.

“Yeah that means he likes you,” Sonia added. “It’s a sign of affection and trust.”

“He’s actually preening you – just like how he preens his own feathers to keeps it clean and neat,” I said.

Apollo then flew to Sonia’s shoulder and started squawking for attention.

“Hope he’s not too noisy. He’s louder than a Macaw in the mornings and serves as my dreaded alarm clock when I’m trying to sleep in.”

“Ok, Apollo, you’re too cute and cuddly, but it’s time to socialize with other Nightowls. We have to put on our thinking caps.” Sonia used her hands to shoo him away and he flew away to find a new friend.

“RUNINOut has to go beyond food and branch into fitness. Have you thought about doing yoga?” Suzannah asked.

“Good idea. I’m hosting a rooftop yoga session at the Mellow Mushroom in Adams Morgan next week,” Sonia added. “You’re welcome to join us?”

“Apollo and I will be there — bright-eyed and bushy-tailed”

“So RUNINOut’s slogan is not just food and fun, it’s also fashion,” Suzannah said. “As in colorful costumes and outfits.”

“Like an exotic dancer’s chiffon. Say you should also consider belly dancing, that would really broaden your horizons, both figuratively and literally,” Sonia added. “There’s a Turkish eatery called Tel’Veh in NOMA where I’ve performed before that could use your help.”

“Whoa, you should stay in your lane. Your logo is a running orangutan that resembles a clueless monkey. You carry a colorful parrot on your shoulder to Nightowls,” Jason responded. “Now you’re adding belly dancing to the mix?”

“Yeah, people definitely need to start taking us seriously. That’s probably why I get so many rejections during my cold calls. I often hear ‘No, thanks, we don’t want to be featured on your site,’ and ‘if it’s really free, then how do you make money?’”

“Tell them you make money from building websites, managing their social media profile and selling advertising,” Sonia replied. “And you get paid for hosting events.”

“Perhaps you should start doing demos. Present at the D.C. Tech meetup, Tech Breakfast, etc.”

“And you ought to stop making cold calls without me. I need to tag along and do all the face time, while you work on all the stuff behind the scenes,” Suzannah said. “Remember I was able to convince Jeepo from the Biergarten.”

“I couldn’t agree with you more. Both you and Apollo are a lot more pleasing to the eye, and together you can sell everything but the kitchen sink.”

“Which restaurants should we target?” Sonia asked.

“D.C. has a large celebrity chef talent. I would visit Mike Isabella, Morou Ouattara, Marjorie Meek-Bradley, Roberto Donna, all top chef alumni,” Suzannah replied. “Getting your site associated with their reputation will give you instant credibility.”

“Roberto Donna? Didn’t he plead guilty for meals tax embezzlement and accused of underpaying his staff at Bebo?” I asked.

“Yes, but people don’t care about that. They like hanging out with big name chefs. He’s won a James Beard Award and was once bigger than Jose Andres,” Jason replied.

“Also don’t forget about the top PR firms like Heather Freeman and Jill Collins,” Suzannah suggested.

“For restaurants to start taking you seriously, you’ll need to show them some formal validation besides Twitter engagement and Facebook likes,” Sonia added.

“Hey, I got an idea. Why don’t you submit RUNINOut for the Washington City Paper, Best Restaurant App contest next year,” Suzannah recommended.

“That could be challenging. You have to advertise and market to get people to vote,” Sonia said.

“So how do we get the word out without paying a bundle?” I asked.

“Post on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram begging people for their votes.”

“And we could also ask guests who attend our events to give us a vote of approval. Heck if they enjoyed the food and had a good time, don’t see why they wouldn’t oblige,” I added.

“And also the traditional way, putting signage around town to reinforce the message,” Sonia added.

“That’s another reason why you should buy a pedicab,” Jason suggested. “Tack on a large sign on her and ride her all over town.”

“Pedi… what?” I asked.

“A small pedal-operated vehicle that you can transport people in and plenty of room to store your stuff and chill out.”

“That’s brilliant. It’s not just a taxi company, it’s an advertising agency!” Suzannah exclaimed.

“All terrific ideas. My head is buzzing from all this brainstorming. Let’s go down to the Green Lantern and tie one on.”

“Not tonight. I’m not in the mood to visit gay bars. But why don’t we meet up at Meridian Hill Park Sunday,” Sonia suggested. “Rhythm in the Park starts at 3.”

“Well, I was planning to go paddle boarding with Georgia on the Potomac.”

“Awww! Bring her to the park after your paddle. They’ll be lots of drummers and dancing till late, it’s quite spiritual and uplifting, and I’m sure she’ll enjoy it, too.”

“A Bientot.”

July 12, 2022
The Tower

In October 1984, I enlisted in the Navy straight out of high school in a small town in Southeast Georgia. After serving aboard the USS Francis Hammond (FF-1067) in Yokosuka, Japan (the land of my mother), I applied for a commissioning program and the Navy awarded me a scholarship to the University of Florida where I earned my degree in Material Science and Engineering. Upon my commissioning, I served as a Fire Control Officer and Navigator aboard USS O’Ban non (DD-987) in Charleston, South Carolina. and Mayport, Florida, and as Cruise Missile Training Officer in San Diego, California. After back-to-back sea tours, I wanted to broaden my horizons beyond Surface Warfare so I lateral transferred to the Public Affairs Community. I served as the P.A.O. for the USS John C. Stennis (CVN-74), which deployed for Operation Enduring Freedom after 9/11, and as the Public Affairs Officer for Bethesda Naval Hospital (now Walter Reed) where a generation of warfighters healed and moved on. After Bethesda, I was assigned to The Office of the Secretary of Defense where I served as a spokesman for detainee affairs in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba. There wasn’t a single day that I wasn’t answering a media query about the health and well-being of our Gitmo detainees, and after two years of shuffling back and forth from D.C. to Camp Delta, I was ready to return to military medicine. I served as the P.A.O. for the Surgeon General of the Navy, an assignment that required a lot of traveling to visit our medical forces in the U.S. and abroad. My final duty was as a P.A.O. for the U.S. European Command and NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander where I got to do a lot of traveling in Europe as well as visit our troops in Afghanistan. By then, I was both burned out and washed out and my marriage fell apart due to the stressors of the military, and in Nov. 2009, I retired with 20 years of combined service.

I was ready to reboot and start a brand new career in the private sector. Thankfully, the Veterans Affairs offered generous G.I. Bill education benefits, so I applied to the George Washington University School of Business hoping to incorporate my experience and appreciation with social media in my career. I enrolled in the Executive MBA program, a degree where I fit in because it was targeted to senior managers who were already in the workforce. The school was in high demand due to the great recession as many unemployed decided to return to school. Before the semester started, our cohort of 20 eager students embarked on a five-day retreat at the Homestead Resort in Hot Springs, VA.

We were attending sessions that didn’t require powerpoint or pointers, but still had everything to do with leadership development. Because the truth is, you can’t learn management from just inside a classroom.

After spending two days engaged in team-building exercises and thought-provoking discussions, we were ready to get some fresh air. The next morning, we hiked down the Allegheny Mountain gorge trail, through the thick forest, past the lovely cascade falls until we arrived in the middle of a grassy field with a gigantic wall affectionately known as the Tower. At first glance, the 40-foot Tower seemed daunting and insurmountable.

Throughout life, we face many obstacles both personal and professional. The key to responding to these roadblocks is to face them head-on and to rely on the support from others around you. This is teamwork — being supported and supporting each other. To work as a team, it’s imperative to understand each other’s strengths and weaknesses, both physically and mentally. The better we know one another, the better we’re able to assist each other.

The Ropes Course is a metaphor for problem-solving — it challenges us to face our fears and climb on. The higher you climb, the more you rely on your team for support.

The first task was to have each person assist their team members in donning their harnesses — the one crucial piece of equipment that would ensure our safety and protection.

Then each three-member team ascended in tandem facing the challenge of not having enough steps for all three to ascend at the same time. Sometimes a climber would have to take a step down in order for another climber to proceed. That was ok, as long as they all reached their final goal together.

Meanwhile, the rope handlers kept a close eye on the climbers, coaching them on where to place their hands and feet and providing support and encouragement so that the 3-member team could ascend up to the top together and then back down.

When it was my turn to go, I knew I could rely on my teammates Senodja Walker and Amir Moore.

Rope team:

“Senodja, place the right hand on the block and your left foot on the step.”

“Amir, move your right foot off the step and place it on the block so that Senodja can place her foot on it.”

As the climbers moved up the wall and then back down, the Belay teams were tasked to remove the slack by paying out or pulling in the excess line. They kept a close eye and a taut line, but they were not allowed to pull the crew up the wall — the climbers had to figure this out on their own.

Climbers: “Slack!” (pay out a little rope.)

Belayers: pays out the rope and pauses to see if climbers ask again.

Eventually, all of us made it over the wall and back down, taking one step at a time. The journey in life is rarely simplistic and straightforward. If we keep striving, we will eventually reach our goals, even if we have to climb over life’s challenges, obstacles, and setbacks.

Senodja completes her climb

The EMBA class was broken down into five groups of four and we would remain in our group for the entire two years. One of the first projects that we worked on was the Airline Pilots Association. ALPA, with 53,000 members and 40 airlines in the U.S. and Canada, is the largest airline labor union in the world.

We were having a conference call on Skype when I touted the fact that airlines such as Jet Blue and Delta have successfully used Twitter and Facebook to promote their services and to provide updates on weather and flight cancellations.

“I’ve had it with you. Your solution to everything is always social media!” Eli my classmates exclaimed.

This wasn’t the first time he had said that and we always seemed to butt heads over the value of social media for building brand awareness and winning new customers.

I immediately slammed the phone down in disgust, ending the conference call.

The next thing I did was call Senodja on the phone. “I can’t work with Eli any longer — he’s so unaccepting of social media. I’m here to learn and broaden my horizon, not to clash heads with idiots who are operating in the stone age.”

“Wish you could join my team, but we’re already maxed out.”

“Then maybe I should try to understand his point of view better and discuss our differences.”

“Or perhaps you could transfer out of the EMBA and enroll in the Professional MBA program — it may take a little longer to complete but you’re offered a choice of a wide selection of classes and will be collaborating with a diverse myriad of people, many I’m sure value the virtues of social media.”

October 1984

I enlisted in the Navy, straight out of high school in a small town in Southeast Georgia., named Darien. After serving aboard the USS Francis Hammond (FF-1067) in Yokosuka, Japan (the land of my mother), I applied for a commissioning program and the Navy awarded me a scholarship to the University of Florida where I earned my degree in Material Science and Engineering. Upon my commissioning, I served as a Fire Control Officer and Navigator aboard USS O’Ban non (DD-987) in Charleston, South Carolina. and Mayport, Florida., and as Cruise Missile Training Officer in San Diego, California. After back-to-back sea tours, I wanted to broaden my horizons beyond Surface Warfare so I lateral transferred to the Public Affairs Community.

I served as the Public Affairs Officer for the USS John C. Stennis (CVN-74), which deployed for Operation Enduring Freedom after 9/11, and as the P.A.O. for Bethesda Naval Hospital (now Walter Reed) where a generation of warfighters healed and moved on. After Bethesda, I was assigned to The Office of the Secretary of Defense where I served as a spokesman for detainee affairs in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba. There wasn’t a single day that I wasn’t answering a media query about the health and well-being of our Gitmo detainees, and after two years of shuffling back and forth from D.C. to Camp Delta, I was ready to return to military medicine. I served as the Public Affairs Officer for the Surgeon General of the Navy, an assignment that required a lot of traveling to visit our medical forces in the U.S. and abroad. My final duty was as a P.A.O. for the U.S. European Command and NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander where I got to do a lot of traveling in Europe as well as visit our troops in Afghanistan. By then, I was both burned out and washed out and my marriage fell apart due to the stressors of the military, and in Nov. 2009, I retired with 20 years of combined service.

I was ready to reboot and start a brand new career in the private sector. Thankfully, the Veterans Affairs offered generous GI Bill education benefits, so I applied to the George Washington University School of Business hoping to incorporate my experience and appreciation with social media in my career. I enrolled in the Executive MBA program, a degree where I fit in because it was targeted to senior managers who were already in the workforce. The school was in high demand due to the great recession as many unemployed decided to return to school. Before the semester started, our cohort of 20 eager students embarked on a five-day retreat at the Homestead Resort in Hot Springs, VA.

We were attending sessions that didn’t require powerpoint or pointers, but still had everything to do with leadership development. Because the truth is, you can’t learn management from just inside a classroom.

After spending two days engaged in team-building exercises and thought-provoking discussions, we were ready to get some fresh air. The next morning, we hiked down the Allegheny Mountain gorge trail, through the thick forest, past the lovely cascade falls until we arrived in the middle of a grassy field with a gigantic wall affectionately known as the Tower. At first glance, the 40-foot Tower seemed daunting and insurmountable.

Throughout life, we face many obstacles both personal and professional. The key to responding to these roadblocks is to face them head-on and to rely on the support from others around you. This is teamwork — being supported and supporting each other. To work as a team, it’s imperative to understand each other’s strengths and weaknesses, both physically and mentally. The better we know one another, the better we’re able to assist each other.

The Ropes Course is a metaphor for problem-solving — it challenges us to face our fears and climb on. The higher you climb, the more you rely on your team for support.

The first task was to have each person assist their team members in donning their harnesses — the one crucial piece of equipment that would ensure our safety and protection.

Then each three-member team ascended in tandem facing the challenge of not having enough steps for all three to ascend at the same time. Sometimes a climber would have to take a step down in order for another climber to proceed. That was ok, as long as they all reached their final goal together.

Meanwhile, the rope handlers kept a close eye on the climbers, coaching them on where to place their hands and feet and providing support and encouragement so that the 3-member team could ascend up to the top together and then back down.

When it was my turn to go, I knew I could rely on my teammates Senodja Walker and Amir Moore.

Rope team:

“Senodja, place the right hand on the block and your left foot on the step.”

“Amir, move your right foot off the step and place it on the block so that Senodja can place her foot on it.”

As the climbers moved up the wall and then back down, the Belay teams were tasked to remove the slack by paying out or pulling in the excess line. They kept a close eye and a taut line, but they were not allowed to pull the crew up the wall — the climbers had to figure this out on their own.

Climbers: “Slack!” (pay out a little rope.)

Belayers: pays out the rope and pauses to see if climbers ask again.

Eventually, all of us made it over the wall and back down, taking one step at a time. The journey in life is rarely simplistic and straightforward. If we keep striving, we will eventually reach our goals, even if we have to climb over life’s challenges, obstacles, and setbacks.

The EMBA class was broken down into five groups of four and we would remain in our group for the entire two years. One of the first projects that we worked on was the Airline Pilots Association. ALPA, with 53,000 members and 40 airlines in the U.S. and Canada, is the largest airline labor union in the world.

We were having a conference call on Skype when I touted the fact that airlines such as Jet Blue and Delta have successfully used Twitter and Facebook to promote their services and to provide updates on weather and flight cancellations.

“I’ve had it with you. Your solution to everything is always social media!” Eli my classmates exclaimed.

This wasn’t the first time he had said that and we always seemed to butt heads over the value of social media for building brand awareness and winning new customers.

I immediately slammed the phone down in disgust, ending the conference call.

The next thing I did was call Senodja on the phone. “I can’t work with Eli any longer — he’s so unaccepting of social media. I’m here to learn and broaden my horizon, not to clash heads with idiots who are operating in the stone age.”

“Wish you could join my team, but we’re already maxed out.”

“Then maybe I should try to understand his point of view better and discuss our differences.”

“Or perhaps you could transfer out of the EMBA and enroll in the Professional MBA program — it may take a little longer to complete but you’re offered a choice of a wide selection of classes and will be collaborating with a diverse myriad of people, many I’m sure value the virtues of social media.”

July 10, 2022