The Original Ledo Restaurant - College Park, Maryland

A decent place to have a company team lunch, with plenty of seating and casual atmosphere.  My boss swears by the pizza, but I think there is something "off" about the crust.  As most of my friends know, I have a tendency to order chicken parmigiana whenever dining at a new restaurant.  The dish here was enormous, even though it was the "lunch" portion size.  The chicken was really good (with excessive amounts of cheese on top as usual), but the pasta sauce was somewhat runny.  The fried calamari appetizer, not pictured, was mushy...I would stay away from it. 

Gas Quest Update: Tying Loose Ends

Last week, I tried to obtain a county permit for converting my kitchen stove from electric to gas.  However, their system showed open permits for HVAC and fire block work done in 1995 that were never closed and inspected.  When the county gas inspector came out, he failed the work done in the fire block; we must remember that building codes 20 years ago were a lot more lenient than those today.  Fortunately, the contractor that pulled the permit is still in business, and they are here today to correct the problem free of charge.  Lesson:  CLOSE YOUR PERMITS and get it inspected. 

Steroids

It's pollen allergy season, and a lot of my friends are suffering from itchy eyes, runny noses, and coughing.  Don't be surprised if your Doctor prescribes you Prednisone, a steroid.  It is widely prescribed to treat a wide range of problems ranging from minor bee stings to organ transplants that can be fatal without it.  Since it suppresses the immune system, there can be major withdrawal and nasty side effects.  This drug almost killed me 3 years ago.  If you must take it, follow the dosage carefully...use wisely, and only as a last resort. 

Sakura Seafood Buffet - College Park, Maryland

This restaurant recently opened up in response to the relatively mediocre Chinese buffets operating in the area.  For the $7.99 weekday lunch price, you get Sushi, Seafood (limited selection), Hibachi, and the regular Americanized Chinese food.  For the price, the food selection is plenty and the value is hard to beat.  It is one of the only Chinese buffets I know of where the pizza tastes good (it is not supposed to).  However, there are some dishes you should stay away from, which are the mac-n-cheese and large shrimp.  Overall, this is a great place to eat on those lazy Friday afternoons where you just don't give a shit about your diet.

The Quest for Gas

Recently, I begun planning for converting the electric stovetop in my kitchen to a gas unit.  It has been a year since I moved into this townhouse.  Although the newer electric ranges (radiant glass surface) are more efficient and easier to clean compared to older "coil" types, they still do not respond as well as gas units.  There have been instances where I would finish cooking and leave the pan on a turned-off burner, and the food would continue to overcook from the residual heat left on the burner.  My parent's house down the street has a gas hookup to the kitchen, which makes me jealous and wondering why mine came only with electric. 

Hello World!

At exactly 3:35 PM every day, the internet goes out for a few minutes at work.  Is it a big problem?  Well, no.  But you definitely don't want to be in the middle of an Amazon purchase transaction, or submitting payment for a credit card bill.  Today, I decided to create a blogger account AFTER the network hiccup.  Let's see how this goes!