Unprecedented parking lot rage, pretty, compensatory jam

O and I went to the Post Office before picking J up from Lego camp; I assumed this would be the briefest of affairs as the automated mailing station -you don't need to talk to anyone!- is so great. So we head into the parking lot which is, admittedly, on the small and often quite full side. The car in front of us got the last available spot, but I figured the wait wouldn't be long. Then I spy a woman and little girl walking up from NOT having been in the post office but get into their car in the P.O. lot. This would have irked me to no end anyway, but I just cannot imagine how she could have moved more slowly. All the car doors were open, she must have fastened that kid into 85 seatbelts and padded accoutrements. She was so oblivious that I had to start shouting, yes shouting, for her to close her doors enough so that the people on one side of her could back their car out. I finally pull in and see her wet-wiping her console, her dashboard, etc. People, what is up? She held up the line of cars for 8 minutes just wet-wiping her car and mummifying her child. She was still there when I got out. Now, I do have a terrible cold, am blowing my nose about 85 times a minute AND have the most unattractive nose-blowing-resultant chap pattern ever BUT I think that minus that context, I'd still be annoyed with the FL license plate, non-post office using, parking lot loiterer.

Fortunately, today's jam session was issue-free. How pretty is this? It tastes even better!

Completely inconsequential reactions to an hour spent with US Weekly

1) Why on earth do tampons need to be sheathed in fluorescent applicators? Does that really make anything about your period more fun?2) Hailee Steinfeld is so cute! 3) Maria Shriver is really having a bad year. 4) Who are some of these people? Fame used to have a much different definition folks! 5) Why does Mariah Carey need (or even want) to be fanned by an assistant while sitting inside? 6) Do you think Mary Kate and Ashley make that face in their sleep?

8407 Kitchen Bar, Tom's new work on our Rancilio Silvia

Last night we ate at 8407 Kitchen Bar in Silver Spring. Great friends, good ambiance, very solid food, friendly and good service. I tried the Trebbiano d'Abbruzzo which was a lovely, easy-to-drink, minerally white, T an Ommegang dubbel beer, S a Tavel Rose' which neither of us loved, and B a Malbec that he liked quite a bit. To start, I ordered the potato croquettes which were phenom: non-greasy, fried balls of potato, smoked gouda, bacon and shitakes. Tom had the duck prosciutto, arugula and apple salad, S the salmon tartare on wakame, and B the beets, chevre and pistachio salad. Everyone enjoyed the apps! My primary disappointments were: the bread which was cold and a bit dry, and the flatbread and olives which were way too salty (flatbread was like saltbread) and a bit underwhelming in the sense that the olives looked like they came from a generic jar.

For the main course, I ordered the crab cake on a corn and pea "stew" of sorts, T the Cuban pork sandwich with chimichurri, S the pesto-crusted halibut on a summer squash caponata with shrimp butter, and B the scallops with jerusalem artichokes, sugar snap peas, toasted hazelnuts and blood orange beurre blanc. I thought mine could have been seasoned a bit more assertively, but overall, things were good, and I would definitely return. Upon leaving, S and I saw jars and jars of various pickled items. She had just been telling me about the fiddlehead ferns she had and wanted to pickle. Lo and behold, pickled fiddlehead ferns at 8407. I asked if we might taste one or two, and initially the answer was a kind no because then they'd have to be refrigerated. I get it. Who wants to open a giant jar of a canned item if you're not ready? Anyway, I inquired about the brine, and when the guy returned, he not only told us what comprised the brine but had gained permission to open this jar and let us taste! So nice!!!! We thought their brine was a tad too sweet, but don't tell. ~~~ Now, on another note, I think I've mentioned Tom's desire to be a serious barista and master latte art. The very first gift he gave me, nearly 9 years ago, was a fantastic espresso machine, the Rancilio Silvia. Two days ago, and following huge amounts of research and deliberation, he installed a pressure gauge in its hull, to better reach and maintain the 9 bars of pressure that makes an optimal espresso (this is what I'm told, people). The gauge is a handsome addition, and T's latte art was lovely this morning.