Thanksgiving Day Dinner Disaster

If you know me, you know that I LOVE food.  Yesterday was Thanksgiving, which means I had access to a lot of food.  I got to my parent's house and dinner was ready to eat.  I grabbed my plate, pushed a few family members out of the way, and made my way to buffet! 

I piled on the turkey, the mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, mixed veggies, stuffing, gravy, and a dinner roll.  Thanksgiving dinner is always done Italian in my house so I also grabbed a huge serving of lasagna.  Yummy! 

As soon as I finished piling on the food my husband looks at me, laughs, and says "Your eyes are always to big for your stomach.  There is NO WAY you will finish all of that".  Of course, I took this as a challenge.  Some may not know this about me, but I have a tendency to be a little competitive. 

I sat down at the table and started my quest to finish my plate.  My game plan was not to drink anything until I was done eating my food and to eat as quickly as I can so I can get more food in before I noticed how full I was.

The whole time I was eating my mother kept saying "Slow down, will you?"  So, about a minute and a half after I started to scarf my food, everything caught up with me.  My sweatpants felt like they were a pair of skinny jeans.  In the words of Joey on Friends "I got the meat sweats".  There is no words to describe how uncomfortable I felt.  I just put my head on the dining room table and just took a couple of deep breaths.  All I could hear was the laughter from my husband, my parents, my uncle, and my brother and sister.

I failed.

I finished my tower of turkey, my mound of mashed potatoes and gravy, my dinner roll, and my lasagna.  I only got through half of my sweet potatoes and a small portion of my stuffing. I should have just done what I normally do and just graze all day.  

After dinner, and my disappointing display of DeLuca-eating, we retired to the couch to watch some football.  After about an hour of digesting, it was time for dessert.  How could I possible have room for dessert, you ask?  Well, that's easy.  Dessert always goes on a different shelf from meals. 

We busted out the pumpkin pie, apple pie, blueberry pie, banana cream pie, the macaroons, the linzer tart my sister made from scratch, and the Indian pudding (that's a whole other story).  

For the dessert, I returned to my original modus operandi: eat pie, digest for an hour, eat more pie.  I felt like I redeemed myself a little bit after successfully downing linzer tart, banana cream pie, pumpkin pie, macaroon, some candy, and a very small portion of Indian pudding with ice cream (again, that's another story). 

Needless to say, it was a very pleasant evening filled with fun, family, football, and my personal favorite...food.  I started the day at a measly 132 and closed it down at a whopping 136.5.  Enough said.

I took pictures of most of what I consumed yesterday.  I will post them as soon as I am able.  Until next time, keep eating!

Christmas List

My husband and I got married in 2002.  We were both college students and needless to say....we were broke.  After 8 years of hard work, tight budgets, and the Dollar Menus, we are finally at a place where we can start to loosen up.  So...in light of our new found freedom, I decided to create a Christmas Wish List. 

DISCLAMER: After starting this list, it was hard to stop.  I decided to limit this to my top ten for your sake!!

1. Photography Lessons - Since moving to DC, I have found that I enjoy taking pictures of landscapes and historical landmarks.  It would be great to learn how to take pictures on a professional level so they come out all fancy looking.  I took one photography class in college.  It was called Crime Scene Photography.....completely different. 


2. Christmas Tree - We had a christmas tree that was around 2 feet tall.  It kept falling over to the side our one ornament was on.  It would be nice to have a tree that could hold at least two ornaments.


3. My First Gun - I've been sporting a knife for the last ten years.  It's time to upgrade.  I am a little torn on whether I want a pistol for target shooting or a shotgun for skeet shooting.  I enjoy both...a lot.  I usually go with my dad...I like the bonding time. 


4.  P90X or a Treadmill - It would be nice to have a workout that I could do at home.  I would save time and I would be able to be efficient and do something like laundry while I workout.  That is...if I was allowed to do laundry.  Somebody thinks that I'd make all the clothes pink. 


5. James Franco - No, I don't know why.  Yes, my husband is aware.  Moving on...


6.  Electric Drum Set - After high school, I had to stop with my real drum set because I either lived in an apartment or a dorm.  Apparently, they DON'T like it when a tenant bangs on drums.  It would be nice to get back into it.  I need a hobby that doesn't include eating. 


7. Mob Hits Christmas Album - I had one.  I lost it.  I'm sad.


8.  Boston Sports Apparel - I have plenty of Red Sox shirts and one Celtic's shirt, but they are getting really worn out.  I would love some new shirts (long and short sleeved) and hoodies that rep the Sox, Pats, C's, and B's.  You can never have too many!!


9.  Personal Shopper - I think it's pretty self-explanatory!!  My husband informs me that t-shirts, jeans, and hoodies don't consist of a wardrobe and that the colors black and brown don't create a variety.


10.  The Original Nintendo - I would like an old school Nintendo.  There was nothing better than kicking back and playing some Super Mario Bros and my ALL TIME FAVORITE.....DUCK HUNT!!

Thai battle scars...

  I worked a lot of overtime at work this pay period.  Tonight, I thought it would be nice to reward myself with Thai food for dinner.  For those of you that don’t know, Thai food is DELICIOUS!!!  Typically when I order Thai food, I like to get the spicy dishes such as Ka Pow, Basil Fried Rice, or a curry dish.  Tonight was no different as I ordered the Basil Fried Rice with chicken.

The dish within itself is spicy (as the menu indicated with not one, but two chili peppers next to the picture).  When I picked up the order, I requested some fish sauce with the Thai Chili Peppers (or Bird’s Eye Peppers) on the side.  For those of you who don’t know about chili peppers, they are rated on the Scoville Scale in relation to their spicy heat.   For more information on this please visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scoville_scale .  As you can see as you read up on the Scoville Scale, the Thai Chili Pepper is placed right under the Habanero Chili Pepper.  Basically it means it is really spicy.  It rates hotter than Tabasco and Cayenne Pepper!!!

 I picked up my dinner, got back to my desk, and started to eat my dinner.  Half way through my meal not only did I think my lips were going to burn off, but my entire mouth started to feel like someone was stabbing it with 10,001 needles.  My mouth was on fire and I was pretty sure I was drooling at some point.

Of course I finished my meal; there are no leftovers in my family.  I grew up in a large family where it was eat quickly or don’t eat.  The phrase “every man for himself” was coined in our household.  Anyway, this all occurred within the 7 o’clock hour.  Why is the time important you might ask?   It is 2:00 in the morning as I type this post.  There is a reason I’m up in the middle of the night, typing away about spicy food.  My stomach is not upset and there are no rumblings or grumblings.  However, it does happen to be ON FIRE!!  I can literally feel the heat from the peppers inside my stomach.   Sinners are actually getting sent to my stomach instead of the deepest layer of hell. 

I have tried everything: water, milk, candy.  There’s no soothing the flames.  It’s just a waiting game.  I’m exhausted, but I can’t sleep.  Thai food is still one of my favorites!  All this talk of food is making me want to raid my fridge for some yummy goodness.  Since I can’t sleep, I’m going to go find a snack.  This brings me to my conclusion and my family motto:  ONLY A DELUCA CAN BE DEAD TIRED, BUT STILL ALIVE ENOUGH TO EAT. 

NOTICE OF DISCLOSURE: PLEASE DO NOT LET THIS POST DETER YOU FROM EXPERIENCING THE JOYS OF THAI FOOD.  IT IS EXTREMELY DELICIOUS AND I RECOMMEND EVERYBODY TRY IT.  THIS POST ONLY EXPLAINS THE LOVE HATE RELATIONSHIP I HAVE WITH THE SPICY THAI DISHES, WHICH HAPPEN TO BE MY FAVORITE.

METRO SECURITY HAS IT ALL WRONG...

I take the metro to work.  The upside to this is that my work pays for my metro fares.  The typical downside is that it takes a little longer to get there than if I drove.  However, when your monthly commute costs zero dollars...how do you complain?


Usually, I don't complain.  I actually enjoy my time on the metro.  I read a book or people watch.  Today, was just like any other day.  I got to the Rosslyn Metro Station and waited for my train.  I watched young film students get footage of the arriving trains, laughed at the group of teenagers on a field trip be in awe of the Rosslyn escalator, and my usual skimming for people leaving possible explosive baggage behind.  :) Sorry...that's just who I am. 


My train arrived.  I stepped on thinking today was just a normal day.  Then something hit me.  A haunting aroma that smelled like farm.  I wondered out loud "Ewe, gross!!! Why does it smell like farm in here?".  I took my seat...still perplexed about the situation.  We don't live near any farms.  This is strictly a city area.  A man took a seat behind mine.  "Oh, that's nice!!" he exclaims.  I look over and there it is.  An empty metro seat just across the isle from me.  It's drenched.  The carpet below the seat is saturated.  Sitting on the seat all alone, was the biggest dump I've ever seen outside of a toilet.  Just riding the metro like it's on its way to work or to site see.  It even had a newspaper!  This was the perpetrator that smelled up the entire metro car.


I started gagging!!  My eyes started to water!!  At the first stop....I just HAD to switch cars.  I stepped out of my car and got on a different one.  Metro safety is always a big concern.  Unfortunately, security is concentrating on the wrong things.  Instead of focusing on people trying to blow it up....they apparently should be focused on people using the metro as a restroom.

One door opens...and then you can't shut it!!

Well...it didn't take long for something interesting to happen for me to post about.  Before I get into the story, some background information might come in handy.  We live in a very old apartment building.  It was built right after WW2.  I love it.  It's definitely an antique.  I love the old rustic look.  It has the original hard wood parquet floors and cement walls.  It's also nice because it's cheap, cozy, and very close to the city.  The only problem with living in an old apartment is the occasional upkeep that is required.   

Tonight I came home from work to the front door to my apartment falling off the hinge.  No...not the front door to the building....the front door to my apartment unit!  There's nothing like opening a door and having the door fall out of the frame.  Unfortunately, this was not from me being freakishly strong.  The holes in the door for the screws are stripped.  The door is only hanging on by the bottom hinge.  We have put a maintenance request in to the property manager.  There is nothing more uneasy then sleeping with your front door open.  Luckily, I have my trusty buck knife that I got as a Secret Santa gift last year (thanks friend) to keep me safe (ahem...cough, cough...DC Cuddler).  I'm not going to post exactly where it is...but definitely within reach!  Anyway...hopefully this will be fixed soon so they can stop the handle to the kitchen sink from falling off.  We've tried the basics (duct tape and crazy glue) but it just isn't cutting it.  We need professionals.  :)

Until next time...

All about...ME!!

Well...this is my first post so, obviously, I thought I should introduce myself.  I was actually born and raised in the Boston area. I have lived, briefly, in Arkansas and Texas.  I also went to college in West Virginia for a little bit, but the majority of my college career was in Michigan.  I moved to DC around 4 years ago. 

Everytime I step out the door, it's practically an adventure.  My posts will be about my interactions with whatever you would call people who lives in DC (DC-a-nites?  Washintonians? DC-ers?). 

 I also LOVE FOOD and MOVIES so this could very easily turn into a rating blog for both. 

Enough of the boring intro....let the fun begin tomorrow.  Hopefully, I can keep up with this thing.