Off to the City of Brotherly Love

Tomorrow the Brave Astronaut will depart the launchpad for Philadelphia and the Fall Meeting of the Mid-Atlantic Regional Archives Conference.  I'm taking the train (something I like to do - but don't nearly do often enough).  I did however score an Amtrak voucher because I don't need the return leg of my journey - so a trip could be in the cards later.

The reason I won't be taking the train home is that Mrs. Brave Astronaut, also known as the First Lady of MARAC, will be joining me for the end of the conference.  Some of you, my dear readers may recall that I was elected as Chair of MARAC in the Spring - this is my first meeting that I will preside over as Chair. 

I am sure that the attendance shattering record of archivists coming to the meeting have nothing to do with that fact. :) However, to commemorate and celebrate Mrs. Brave Astronaut's appearance - I hope that several of my archivist friends will join us for dinner on Friday night and then perhaps a brief lunch on Saturday after the conclusion of the meeting.  At some point we will need to go and pick up LBA and SoBA who will be with my MIL.

If any of my Philly friends have some thoughts on where we might dine on Friday night - I welcome the suggestions.  I promise to keep it to a manageable number and I might even make a reservation.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Today is Valentine's Day - the commercial holiday to remind those of us in love that we can buy things for those we love.  Well, I don't need just one day for that - I can do that all the time.  I am very lucky to have Mrs. BA and I love her very much.  I often say that everyone should have what we have, if they did, the world would be a much better place.

We did not go out to eat tonight - it was taco night at the launchpad - though we will have pizza / movie night tomorrow night.  We did have crepes on Tuesday to celebrate Mardi Gras, so we're doing alright.

I found this list of "America's Best Historic Restaurants" a while back (on CNN).  I noted with some surprise that I had been to the first one on the list (it's the only one I've been to).  It's a great place for Washington people watching.

1. Old Ebbitt Grill - Washington DC
2. Keens Steakhouse - New York City
3. Canlis - Seattle
4. Pacific Dining Car - Los Angeles
5. Swan Oyster Depot - San Francisco
6. Jacob Wirth - Boston
7. Cisco's Restaurant Bakery - Austin
8. Commander's Palace - New Orleans (I keep meaning to go here when I'm in NOLA - maybe this year at SAA)
9. Calumet Fisheries - Chicago
10. Ralph's - Philadelphia

Following an outcry from smaller restaurants and cities - CNN came up with a "second helping" of historic restaurants.

1. Columbia - Tampa, FL
2. Louis' Lunch - New Haven, CT (allegedly the birthplace of the hamburger)
3. Samoa Cookhouse - Samoa, CA
4. Brookville Hotel - Abilene, KS
5. Shady Glen - Manchester, CT
6. Cold Spring Tavern - Santa Barbara, CA
7. Red Fox Inn and Tavern - Middleburg, VA
8. Al's Restaurant - St. Louis, MO
9. Chef Vola's - Atlantic City, NJ
10. The Bright Star - Bessemer, AL

Dining in DC - Escargots

Pretty much if escargot are on a menu, I'm going to order them. I love them. I am probably one of the only people you know who owns sets of snail shells, escargot trays, plates and forks. Back in the beginning of May, the [poor excuse of a] Sunday magazine in the Washington Post published a list about the best places to get escargot in the DC area. I have eaten at three of the five on the list. See? I told you. Now escargot are not for everyone. But that's fine, more for me. Do you think they are serving them in the hospitality tent at the US Open?

1. Bistro D'Oc - it's across the street from Ford's Theatre and it was the location of a celebratory dinner for the Brave Astronauts and the OSGs a few years back.
2. Bistro du Coin - also the scene of a Brave Astronaut celebration (I think it was an anniversary dinner) again with the OSGs.
3. Le Refuge - haven't been here, yet. But flambeed escargot might just get me there.
4. Le Vieux Logis - I used to walk past this restaurant on my way home from the Metro when I lived in Bethesda. While I haven't had their escargot, I had them at La Miche, up the street, where in fact Mrs. BA and I held our rehearsal dinner the night before we got married, which has unfortunately since closed.
   
5. Mannequin Pis - this great restaurant was the stop for a few years after Christmas tree shopping. It's very unassuming but the food (the mussels are the standout) is outstanding.
   

Double Date Night

The DC area got to temperatures in the 70s again today - for the third day in a row - unprecedented weather. If I had not been sick earlier in the week, I might have "caught" something that would have kept me home today. As it is, Mrs. BA and I are in the midst of an unprecedented two-night event of our own. It's Double Date Night! Two Date Nights and Double Dates with two different couples!

Yesterday evening, our friend (Ed in Pittsburgh) and his lovely wife came for a visit. He had some meetings to attend to today and his wife took the opportunity to come along and visit with an old friend. They came without their children. When the plan developed, I immediately saw an opportunity for a date night. As you may know, it's Pizza / Movie night at the Launchpad and we asked one of our frequent attendees (and good friend) to think about looking after LBA and SoBA for the evening. She readily agreed - so Mr. and Mrs. BA are getting out to dinner tonight with Ed and Mrs. Ed. We have made a plan to go here for dinner. It is always good to see them and we are having a great time with them as we usually do (we went away for an anniversary weekend with them a few years ago, which was also a lot of fun.

Thursday also marked the birthday of Mrs. OSG and it was her desire to go out for a grown-up meal. Her hope was to go somewhere that did not have mac and cheese or hot dogs on the menu - and perhaps a place where people would bring us food - and somewhere where we might even be able to drink a little. Who were we to deny this birthday wish?! My [very kind] MIL gave Mrs. BA and I a gift card for dinner out at Christmas, with the added bonus of her being willing to babysit when we wanted to cash in. So we are doing just that. Our destination for Saturday night is this restaurant, where I have my eyes on the Coffee-cured Filet Mignon. I am pretty sure that Mrs. BA and Mr. OSG will be diving into an appetizer plate of the "Mountain of Blue Cheese Chips."

We have not been to Stoney River before and are certainly looking forward to it. As I have said before, I would go out all the time if my wallet and waistline could take it. And there is no lack of new places to go here in the DC area:

• All Your 2011 Restaurant Openings to Look Forward To (Part 1)
• All Your 2011 Restaurant Openings to Look Forward To (Part 2)
• Who We Missed: More Restaurants Opening in 2011
  

But wait there's more! Here's the bonus. My [extremely kind] MIL is in fact, babysitting, and is taking the boys to her house for Saturday night. So our second date night will allow us to have the house to ourselves. Although LBA does have a birthday party on Sunday so Mrs. BA will head out to get them in time for that. I need to go to the grocery store - and I would love to find a store that has one of these installed. As the post notes, there are plans to bring them to the US within the year.

Valentine's Day Recipe

One of the greatest meals Mrs. BA enjoyed (she still talks about it) was the salted cod at Tavira, a Portuguese restaurant in Chevy Chase. I'm pretty sure if she's reading this, her mouth is already watering.

As today is Valentine's Day, perhaps you can make this for someone you love. Happy Valentine's Day! The recipe comes from here.

Salt-Crusted Chicken

• one chicken, organic and/or from a source you trust, about 2 kilos (4.4 pounds)
• 1 medium bunch flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed with the flat of a knife blade
• 500 grams (17 2/3 ounces, about 3 3/4 cups) all-purpose flour
• 300 grams (10 1/2 ounces, about 1 1/3 cups) coarse salt
• 3 tablespoons thyme, fresh if available, dried otherwise (other dried herbs may be substituted, such as rosemary or oregano)
• 6 tablespoons ground flax seeds, or 160 grams (5 2/3 ounces) egg whites (from 4 to 5 large eggs)
  

Serves 4 to 5.

Lightly oil a baking dish big enough to hold the chicken comfortably. Set aside.

If you're using flax seeds rather than egg whites, place them in a bowl with 100 ml (6 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons) fresh water, and set aside for about 15 minutes, until the water is completely absorbed and the mixture is gelled.

Place the chicken on a work surface, on its back, with the neck side facing you. Slip your hand under the skin, starting at the base of the neck, and work gently to get your hand further in, lifting the skin from the flesh over each breast, and down over each thigh, without tearing the skin. Once the skin is loosened, slip in the chopped parsley, pushing it underneath the skin to cover the breasts and the thighs as evenly as you can.

Sprinkle a few pinches of salt inside the cavity of the chicken, and add in the garlic. Using a piece of chicken string, truss the chicken. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour with the salt and thyme. Add the soaked ground flax seeds or the egg whites, and 160 ml (2/3 cup) fresh water, and stir with a wooden spoon or a dough whisk until the liquids are absorbed. Turn out onto a clean work surface, and knead briefly until the dough comes together; it should be supple and pleasant to work with, not sticky or crumbly. Add a little water or flour as needed to adjust the consistency.

Flour your work surface well, and roll out the salt dough into a circle large enough to wrap the chicken in it (I shoot for a diameter of about 50 cm or 20").

Place the chicken in the middle of the circle and fold opposite flaps of the dough over the chicken to wrap it entirely. Press gently to seal; if it looks like the dough might not stay put, brush the seams with a pastry brush dipped lightly in water.

Lift the whole thing carefully but with determination, and transfer it to the prepared baking dish. Place in the fridge until ready to bake -- you can leave it in for a few hours or overnight. If the salt crust cracks slightly here or there, don't worry about it; it doesn't need to be 100% airtight.

Remove the chicken from the fridge and preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Insert the dish in the oven and leave it in for 1 1/2 hours (a little more won't hurt if the guests are late; just turn off the oven and leave the chicken inside).

Remove the dish from the oven, and break the salt crust open with a meat mallet or the handle of a chef knife. Once fractured, the crust can be simply pulled open with your oven-mitt-clad hands (it's fun).

Lift the chicken from the open crust, transfer it to a cutting board, and carve it. Discard the crust. Serve the chicken with the cooking juices, perfect roasted potatoes, and a green salad.

Tomorrow is Date Night!

This weekend, my MIL is taking the boys to her house for Saturday night. She offered and Mrs. BA are taking the opportunity to go out to dinner and then to a movie. Oh, the Luxury! Our dinner destination is likely to be Hank's (I have a little problem with the fresh BBQ chips) and then next door to the movies. I think we should go see this as Mrs. BA and I have a thing for The Hangover and this looks to be just like that.

The Map above comes from here. It is sure to prompt discussion and dissent. But I don't care, I'm still taking my wife out for dinner and a movie.

And while I am sure to enjoy a beer at Hanks, Mrs. BA is sure to get herself at least one Coke. Here's another map that I came across of late regarding the wide variety of terms used to describe the carbonated soft drink. Which, BTW, it's never pop.

Anniversary Date Night

On Tuesday, I celebrated eight years of marriage to the most wonderful woman in the world. She is the most understanding, kind, and lovable woman. She's pretty good looking, too.

She is the mother of my children, she is the woman that I long to spend more time with, and will work to continue to make happy for the rest of my life.

To that end, tonight is date night. I planned a secret rendezvous with her, getting the babysitter in place, asking some friends to join us, and then finally letting her in on the secret. The babysitter initially described it as my "Officer and a Gentleman" moment.

So when you read this (if you read this on Friday evening), my wife, who I love very much, will be enjoying a night out, having some dinner together and then heading to a local bar, which has installed some skeeball games for grownups to release their inner child. Mrs. BA has a bit of a skeeball addiction.

Burgers of Ham

It was a Christmas Eve tradition in my house growing up that on Christmas Eve, we would have hamburgers and my father would make homemade potato chips. I have taken to making homemade potato chips and if I do say so myself, they're pretty darn good. It is however, one of the reasons I am not allowed to own a deep fat fryer.

Kottke pointed me to A Hamburger Today's Guide to Hamburger and Cheeseburger Styles listing all the various burgers you can sink your teeth into these days. Shortly thereafter, there was a discussion regarding the Shake Shack burger. Shake Shack is a serious burger joint in New York City. Here's the recipe.

The Fake Shack Burger (Shake Shack Burger at home)

Ingredients

• 8 ounces beef sirloin, trimmed of gristle, and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 4 ounces well-marbled beef chuck, trimmed of gristle, and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 4 ounces well-marbled beef brisket, fat cap intact, trimmed of gristle, and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 4 Martin's Sandwich Rolls
• 4 tablespoons Shack Sauce (recipe follows)
• 4 leaves of green-leaf lettuce, clipped
• 8 center-cut slices ripe plum tomatoes
• 1/2 teaspoon vegetable oil
• Kosher salt and fresh-ground black pepper
• 4 slices yellow American cheese
  

Procedure

1. Place feed shaft, blade, and 1/4-inch die of meat grinder in freezer until well-chilled. Meanwhile, place meat chunks on rimmed baking sheet, leaving space between each piece and place in freezer for 10 minutes until meat is firm, but not frozen.
2. Combine meat in large bowl and toss to combine. Pass meat through grinder twice. Form into four disks, about 2-inches tall, and 2.5-inches wide. Refrigerate until ready for use.
3. Open buns but do not split hinge. Brush lightly with butter, then place under broiler or in toaster oven until golden brown, about 1 minute. Spread 1 tablespoon Shack Sauce on top half of each bun (for true authenticity, squirt out of squeeze bottle into three lines, three passes on each line). Place 1 leaf lettuce and 2 slices tomato on top half of each bun.
4. Using wadded-up paper towel, rub inside of heavy-bottomed 12-inch skillet with vegetable oil, then place over medium-high heat until just beginning to smoke. Season beef pucks on top side with salt and pepper, then place, seasoned side down, in skillet. Using back of heavy, flat spatula, press down on beef pucks firmly to form 4-inch round patties, being careful not to let it stick to bottom of spatula. Season top side with salt and pepper. Cook until crisp brown crust has formed, about 2-minutes.
5. Carefully scrape patties from skillet, and flip. Top each patty with 1 slice American cheese. Cook until cheese is melted, about 1 minute longer. Transfer patties to burger bun bottoms, close sandwiches, and serve.
   

Shack Sauce
(makes about 3/4 cup sauce)

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon ketchup
• 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
• 4 slices kosher dill pickle
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• pinch cayenne pepper
  

Procedure
Combine all ingredients in blender until smooth, scraping down sides of blender with rubber spatula as necessary.

Parents Lunch Out

Today is Veteran's Day here in the USA. It also marks a Federal Holiday and to "celebrate" Mrs. BA and I, along with a few other sets of parents are going out for lunch. We will have our children looked after by their teachers who don't mind the opportunity to look after our kids even when they have the day off.

We are likely going to a local establishment for some good burgers and beers. We are NOT going to this restaurant and we will NOT wind up with a check like this one. This is making its way around the Internet regarding the rather extreme bill of fare incurred by several people enjoying lunch at Nello's in New York. (seen many places, but captured from here)

The Indominitable Cheesesteak

I have become a fan of the cheesesteak. I did not grow up in the Philadelphia area, but once discovered, they are really good eats. Here in Maryland, there was a place nearby that had authentic cheesesteaks, going so far as bringing in Amoroso rolls from Philadelphia. My sister-in-law lives in Wilmington, Delaware and that is close enough to Philly to be able to find really good cheesesteaks from a variety of places. On several visits to Philadelphia, I have been fortunate enough to have the real things from Pat's, Geno's, and, until it closed in Reading Terminal Market, Rick's. Anna van Schurman very kindly informed me that Rick's can still be had in the greater Philadelphia area. They've opened a new outpost, eight months after leaving the Market.

Like last week's post about gyros, there is absolutely no reason to make your own cheesesteaks. But if you must here's a recipe (following the Pat's formula).

1. Start with good beef. Pat’s uses sliced rib-eye. Jim’s uses USDA choice top round western steer beef.
   
2. Shave the beef very thin so it cooks quickly and remains tender.
3. Use a fresh high quality Italian roll - Amoroso’s is a favorite.
4. Decide if you want your steak with or without fried onions.
5. Decide if you want a steak or a cheesesteak. If you elect a cheesesteak you need to decide on American cheese, provolone or the Philly favorite "cheez whiz."
6. Any add-ons? Mushrooms, peppers, pizza sauce, tomatoes? You decide. It’s your sandwich.
7. Start to cook. Sauté the onions, peppers and mushrooms until soft.
8. Fry your steak until brown but not crispy or burned. You can mix in the fried vegetables now or add them at the end.
9. If you elect American cheese or provolone place the cheese on the meat until slightly melted. If you choose Cheez Whiz just smear it on the roll.
10. Place the roll over the meat/cheese/vegetables and scoop it into the sandwich.
11. Garnish your sandwich with pizza sauce, hot or sweet peppers or pickles as you choose.
12. Enjoy your Philadelphia cheesesteak.
    

Tips:

1. Using the best beef available is the key.
2. Don't overcook the ingredients.
3. If you don't cook, go to Pat's, Geno's or Jim's. Which one is best? It's a regular Philadelphia debate.

[drool] Lamb . . . .

Growing up in New York, it was not unexpected for my friends and I to wind up at the diner after being out at the movies. We became so frequent at Syosset House that the owner would greet us by name and show us to the same table and we would have the same waitress (who was kinda hot, too). Diners in New York usually mean Greeks are running the place. This is less prevalent outside the New York metropolitan area, but if you want good diner food, make sure that spanakopita or gyros are on the menu before proceeding.

While in high school and my first few years of community college, I worked in a department store at a local mall. Quite often, I would head to a place called Hurdy Gurdy for lunch. They served the best gyros, slicing the lamb from the spit and always with the right amount of tzatziki. Where I am now, the best gyros I have found can be had at the Marathon Deli. And yes, the owner's Greek (and kinda cute, too - see how that comes full circle?).

In the New York Times on July 14, they decided to investigate the history of the gyro (which by the way is pronounced yee-ro). It was a little disappointing to learn that the majority of gyro cones are made in Chicago - and I certainly didn't read too far into the "preparation" of the meat. Some things are better left to the imagination. Isn't that what makes it taste better?

If you really want to make one at home, here's a recipe. But, trust me, go find the real thing. You won't be sorry.

Gyros

• 1 lb. ground lamb
• 1 lg. clove garlic, pressed
• 2 tsp. lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp. basil
• 1/4 tsp. marjoram
• 1/2 tsp. thyme
• 1/2 tsp. rosemary
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. pepper
• 1/8 c. snipped parsley
• 6 pita pockets
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 2 onions, chopped
  

SAUCE:

• 16 oz. sour cream
• 1 med. cucumber, pureed (puree in blender & strain to remove liquid)
• 2 cloves garlic, pressed
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 2 tbsp. sugar

Combine first ten ingredients in large bowl; blend. Place mixture in skillet; cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until meat is browned. Drain off excess drippings. Combine sour cream, cucumber, garlic, salt and sugar in bowl. Blend well. Cut pita pockets in half; spoon in meat mixture, top with tomatoes and onions. Spoon sauce over each sandwich and serve immediately. Makes 6 servings. Makes a good main course served over rice.

National Treasure 2 and a Family Christmas

For the Saturday before Christmas there was a lot to do here in our nation's capital. Of course, first and foremost was the screening of National Treasure 2. The final number for the outing was 84! A good time was had by all. For those readers of this blog and an attendee today, thanks for coming out.

After the movie, which ran long (I know this for when we returned to the car, there was a $25 parking ticket on it for exceeding the two-hour limit - Merry Christmas!), we got back in the car and headed home for the Mrs. BA family Christmas.

The title of this blog is Order from Chaos . . . it is what I strive for when four children descend upon a pile of gifts under a Christmas tree. Sort of gives me the shakes. I understand the excitement, it just makes me nervous. Yeah, I know, I'm weird.

For those looking for the review of Friday night's birthday dinner out, here it is. We went to Montmarte, a little French bistro on Capitol Hill. I was looking for escargot, seafood, and a nice creme brulee. I am happy to report that all was achieved. Mrs. BA and Mr. OSG started off with the pate (ick!) while Mrs. OSG and I had the escargot. I think I could have had three orders of them, but I would have definitely reeked of garlic for well into the Christmas week. My dining companions all went with the hanger steak for dinner, while I went with the Pot au Feu, a very nice choice. For dessert, Mrs. BA had the cheese plate, Mr. OSG had the pear tart, Mrs. OSG had the creme brulee, which I helped to finish. My dessert was a Montmarte exclusive, what they called the "Floating Island." It was a ball of whipped meringue (with toasted almonds and sugar on top), sitting in a bowl of creme anglaise. Sweet Jesus, it was good.

Tomorrow's day is not yet set, but there may be some Christmas Eve shopping (God help me) as I need to have my car serviced over in the old neighborhood (oh joy, Rockville Pike on the day before Christmas - what was I thinking?!) I'll be back with some more before Christmas, but wherever you are, I hope that Santa has put something in his sleigh for you.

Measuring Up Morristown

Having returned from the MARAC Meeting in Morristown, a word about the town where Washington slept. The Westin Governor Morris is located on the outskirts of Morristown, far from the center of town. It is hard to locate, especially when arriving at night. One issue is the problem that occurs all over New Jersey, that being the inability to turn left from most roads. In New Jersey, you are often forced to go right to go left, making use of the infamous "Jersey Jughandles." Also, the hotel is situated in such a way that the back of the hotel faces the road and you can drive right by it and not see it.

The Westin is a very nice hotel, complete with Heavenly beds and Heavenly showers. It also features an excellent restaurant, Copeland's. While I did not partake myself, several of my colleagues sampled the fine cuisine offered and reported it outstanding. One still wonders how a five-star restaurant manages to do well in a hotel on the outskirts of Morristown. This is also a hotel that features a rack rate of more than $300/night. God bless the corporate expense account.

On Wednesday night, upon arriving, a friend and I went in search of a snack, specifically some ice cream. However, the many one way streets and the several times we circled the Morristown Green, along with the late hour, foiled us in that effort. We finally came across a grocery store on the main drag, only to find that it had closed at 10:00pm.

A word on the Morristown Green. While it is very nice to have a green space in the middle of town, with an impressive and long history, the streets that surround the Green are all one way. Roads head off like spokes and it is very easy to get turned around. Also, heading into town, one quickly discovers that you can get to the same spot in several ways, but will not be able to head back the same way.

As to Morristown culinary delights, I sampled a wide variety during my three days. On Thursday evening, I and two other colleagues headed to the Morristown Diner, a true greasy spoon diner. We all sampled from the early bird menu, my two friends opting for the Prime Rib and I had the meatloaf. It's a beautiful thing to have dinner like that for $10. But, please don't get me started on the pudding.

To watch the World Series each evening (Thursday and Friday), I wound up at a local bar, The Office. It featured an impressive beer list, both tap and bottled beers. And the wings were good, too.

On Friday for lunch, my roommate and friend headed for town to grab some lunch between sessions. As previously mentioned the roads in and out of Morristown are tricky so we pulled up short of the Green and wound up at Grasshopper off the Green. An Irish pub, I am happy to report the Fish and Chips were outstanding. I almost went for the Bangers and Mash, but went to the Fish and Chips instead. The wild card was on the specials menu, a Cuban Sandwich, but I couldn't bring myself to order a Cuban in an Irish bar. Friday night, after the reception, as previously mentioned, a large group went to the Famished Frog. We were eighteen total and the staff did an outstanding job with all of us and we all reported that our meals were great.

On both the trip up and back, I stopped at rest areas to get myself some of my favorite comfort, fast food, Roy Rogers Chicken. In a future post, I will report on my one man operation to try and understand why the Roy Rogers restaurants were rapidly disappearing.

MARAC Morristown - Friday

Friday is the only full day of the conference. The day started early with a continental breakfast followed by state caucus meetings. I attended the DC Caucus meeting and listened to a former DC Caucus rep (my wife is the current caucus rep, but is attending a different conference in DC) give some of the highlights from the Steering Committee meeting the night before.

After that, there was a plenary session featuring Paul Israel, Director and General Editor of the [Thomas Alva] Edison Papers. Israel spoke about Edison and his role in the history of technology. The papers comprise more than five million pages detailing the work of the "Wizard of Menlo Park." Menlo Park, where Edison had his labs, is about half an hour from Morristown.

In the afternoon session block, I went for a session that was not directly related to my work. The session title was "Lemon Juice and Hairdryers? The Impact of National Treasure on Archives, Freemasons, and Historic Sites."

If you haven't seen National Treasure, I highly recommend it. In fact, when the movie came out I organized a group outing to see the movie at a private screening in Washington, DC. We had a great time. The movie is fast and free-wheeling and lets archives (and archivists) shine on the silver screen.

Later tonight, I hope, I will recount the second block of the sessions from today and a recap of the reception at the Library of Morristown. However, I warn you, dear reader, there is a plan afoot to head out to another local establishment, the Famished Frog, to celebrate a colleague's birthday. And of course, there is the World Series to contend with.