El Paso

The suburbs just ain't as exciting as everyone makes them out to be. Sure, I love coming home from a week in New York or Chicago and not seeing a single soul for several days on end, but it lacks a certain amount of excitement and glamour that a big city embodies.

But one of the best things (or perhaps, one of the few things) about living in the suburbs of Washington DC is the food. It's EVERYWHERE. Much of it is spectacular. Great meals for little money. And hidden in the most random of places.

One of our greatest discoveries over the last few years is El Paso.


We found El Paso after making a pact to try a new restaurant every week. After driving by El Paso for almost 2 years and admiring the building's absolutely atrocious aesthetic, we felt compelled to give it a shot.

Since that time, few other meal options have ever come to the forefront of our minds. In a word: incredible.

Our top recommendations:

Shrimp Camarones.

Burrito Al Pastor (a half eaten example):

The chips and salsa are fantastic. Practically a meal unto themselves.

El Paso has two locations: Springfield and Alexandria. If forced to choose between the two, I'd hit the Springfield location: it's the original and the best.

Church's English Shoes: RIP

One of the few bright spots in the dismal DC retail scene was the Church's English Shoes Store at NW 18th and L.

It seemed like a great fit: bench made English shoes from a company with a long and storied history, classic styling, and excellent service. A perfect fit for the DC elite.

Sad to say, the DC location has since closed.

Why? just because someone makes a ton of money doesn't mean they spend money. Especially on men's shoes.

Most of the guys I've worked with over these last few years (six figure salaries, nice cars, few obligations) dress terribly. No one in DC cares. Triple pleats, poorly cut polyester suits, and frayed ties rule the scene. Exceptions remain few and far between.

Regardless, I'm glad I got to pick up a few pairs of shoes that will, in all probability, outlive me.

Music On the Cheap: Boyracer "In Full Colour"

Fuzzy, punk-pop in short bursts: 30 seconds, a minute, maybe two. Rarely more than that.

Boyracer has released so many records that I am not even going to bother trying to count. singles, EPs, LPs, compilation tracks.

And despite the voluminous output I can't say I've ever really heard something from them I didn't like.

Well, I don't remember the one 7" on the Turntable Friend label being all that spectacular...Hey, I'm a completist.

But you don't have to be. If you want to hear Boyracer in top form for a low,low price, check out "In Full Colour". 20 tracks of pure bliss:

Used and new copies beginning at $0.01.

Mooncake Foods

Oh man, Mooncake is a damn good, damn cheap place to eat in New York.

But Mooncake is not for everyone. For those looking for the best culinary wonders New York has to offer, Mooncake is not the place to go. No massaged Kobe beef, hundred dollar sashimi, or ridiculously unpleasant interiors designed by Phillipe Starck (see the Hudson Hotel NYC as a reference point).

What they do have is a great sampling of dishes for those looking for a solid meal for under ten bucks. My personal favorites? The marinated pork chops are consistently great, the tofu salad appetizer (I swear it's good!), and the Shrimp skewers.


And after you've been there a few times, the staff recognizes you and treats you like a member of the family. What could be better for someone hundreds of miles away from home?

Mooncake is located right here.

King and Queen of Hearts

I ran into the Post Office this afternoon to drop a few packages in the mail and came across what I think may be the finest stamp design I have ever seen.

Love: King and Queen of Hearts by Jeanne Greco:

It's been out since May of this year, so grab some while you still can.

On another stamp related topic, "A Field Guide to the Stamps of the World" by Gavin Potenza is still available via Tiny Showcase, if only because of it being an open edition.



None of the stamps are real mind you, but looking at the selections in this incredible print, you can't help but wish they were. My copy hangs lovingly behind me as I type this.

The Perfect Fall Jacket

The Washed Cotton Jacket in navy blue from Uniqlo.



Can't wait to test drive this when the weather turns cooler.

Doug Shepherd, the Lonestar

I would highly recommend everyone head over to Doug Shepherd's website on Bandcamp and download his recorded output (either in whole or or part) immediately.

The songs are free.

Doug was one of the few folks I met in my early years in Portland willing to put up with me and my annoying eccentricities from the get go.

I remember him taking me to the fried catfish place somewhere near 26th and Division for dinner, introducing me to my first dips in the Sandy River in the the middle of an August heatwave (complete with flat tire on the shoulder of highway 84), and him describing how he helped install the velvet wallpaper at Dots.

I like this guy so much that I once mowed his lawn for free. It wasn't all that big of a lawn, but still...

And his songs are pretty damn good, to boot. My 4 favorite Doug Shepherd songs:

1. Whistles Blow (from Mass Amount of Love)
2. TIn Angel (from Type Foundry Sessions)
3. On the Moon (from Type Foundry Sessions)
4. Lonestar (from Trying To Draw On a Moving Train)

A truly talented and selfless individual. Enjoy.

Barbershop

The place I get my haircut probably won't win any international styling awards in the near future, or be featured in an upcoming issue of Interior Design magazine. It's no nonsense, unglamorous, and simple.

First off, the place doesn't even have a name. It's called "Barbershop". I doubt the interior has changed much in the last 20 or so years. An empty vending machine occupies the back corner. The oldies channel is on. Posters of Frank Sinatra and 1980s hair cut models are displayed along the walls.

So what's the draw? Definitely the consistently good haircuts, but the big reason is the hot lather and straight razor touch ups on the sideburns and neck. It's not easy finding a place in this day and age willing to do this, and it makes all the difference.

Someday I may decide to go beyond the simple style of short and tapered, and when I do I know I'll have to say good-bye to them once again. But in the meantime, I look forward to my once every three weeks visit.

You can find them here.

Music on the Cheap: Cosmic Rough Riders

I am a sucker for any band able to pull off the Teenage Fanclub approach to songwriting: the big guitars, sunny choruses, and the low key attitude that makes TFC just so damn cool.

One of those groups that took on that big challenge and fared pretty well was the Cosmic Rough Riders. They share a few things in common with Teenage Fanclub. One, both bands hail from Scotland, a place responsible for more than their fair share of great music these past 25 years. Second, both bands were on labels owned by Alan McGee, the man who unleashed the likes of Oasis, My Bloody Valentine, Ride, and others to a world wide audience. Teenage Fanclub on Creation Records, the Cosmic's on McGee's next label, Poptones.

The Cosmic Rough Riders second proper LP, "Too Close To See Far" is the one that does it for me. Spectacular from beginning to end.

I think this was their big attempt to make it in the US Market. Unfortunately, a few things weren't working in their favor. First of all, the cover art for the American version. I mean, who in their right mind would take a risk on an CD that looks like this? Second, the fan base just didn't exist to support a US tour. I saw them put in a great performance at the Aladdin theater in Portland, OR. The show was free, but only a handful of people actually showed up. They were all great guys, signing singles and CDs after the show, and chatting with me and my pal Tim. That made it all the more heartbreaking.

So, with that said, I proudly introduce you to "Too Close To See Far": 42 used and new copies available starting at $0.01.

Music On The Cheap

One of the most disturbing trends (well, maybe not disturbing) I've seen in recent years is how CHEAP real live, hold in your hands, Compact Discs ( AKA CDs) have become. Not all of them, mind you, but many of the ones actually worth a listen? Yes.

I speak of those out of the way, slightly strange releases that attempted to benefit from major label-like money and promotion. But failed. Spectacularly.

So I've decided to highlight a few of my personal favorites. Failures from the past few years when the cost to make and distribute music increasingly lowered, but the lack of widespread interest meant prices for second-hand copies were far below the costs to produce the pieces of aluminum, plastic, and paper required to convey those musical messages.

How could I possibly measure the worthiness of these long-forgotten masterpieces? I'll use Amazon's secondhand marketplace as the tool.

Sad to say, I buy a majority (close to all) of my music from Amazon. They're reliable, cheap, and the go-to folks when Dusty Groove don't carry it. Besides, illegal downloads are ILLEGAL. Right? I've never strayed. No, seriously.

Anyways...

Stayed tuned for some recommendations available via Amazon for a buck or less (minus the $2.95 shipping charge). They'll blow your mind. Seriously.