Fojol Brothers of Merlindia

Like cupcakes and frozen yogurt, the Twitter food truck trend is sweeping the nation from west to east. LA's Kogi korean taco truck may have started the hysteria but DC's own fojol bros. have definitely put their own spin on it. The formula is simple: take one food truck, post on Twitter where you're going to be serving up your grub, and sit back and wait for the tech-savvy hungry masses to arrive.

The fojol bros. don't operate a food truck that you're likely to find elsewhere in DC (or maybe even on this planet). The "mustachioed" brothers hail from the land of Merlindia (try finding that on a map) and serve Indian-inspired preservative-free food. They donate a portion of the proceeds to local children's charities and deliver the used eating materials to composting and recycling facilities. Whether they hail from Merlindia or Berkeley, they espouse a whimsical Earth-friendly philosophy that I am happy to support.

We stumbled upon the fojol bros. at the Eastern Market Grand Re-Opening, and though we had just eaten lunch, we wanted to try it. Luckily, the fojol bros. serve "Dingo Bite" portions of their entrees so you can get a taste of the action without stuffing yourself silly.

We sampled the chicken masala and pumpkin dishes, both served over fluffy basmati rice. They were incredibly flavorful and screamed of freshness. We quickly reached the bottom of our Dingo Bite portion and somehow were hungry for more!

The brothers also serve up Mango popsicles (they were sold out) and homemade chips. While the food was excellent and I'm eager to find the fojol bros. again, I think my favorite part of the whole concept is that is so "un-DC." I love the looks on people's faces as the silly mustache-sporting fojol bros. pull up and start selling food out of their circus-looking truck. In the shadow of the suit-wearing, straight-laced Capitol Building, the fojol bros. were a quirky breath of fresh (and fun) air.

Second Thoughts from B

Remember the feeling of first hearing those wonderful chimes in the distance that signaled the coming of the ice cream truck? For any 4 year old, myself included, the man behind the wheel was the personification of a mystical and benevolent god, straight out of a magical fairy tale. Now that I'm all grown up, who drives into my life but a merry band of goofballs hocking incredibly flavorful snacks! And as far as the magical fairy tale part goes, let's just say I was as giddy as a kid about to dive into his first Drumstick.

As DC cuisine begins to embrace all-natural local foods, J and I have been lucky enough to discover some really exceptional examples of how good fresh food can taste. Among them are the soups from SouperGirl, which we wrote about here. From the first bite, the fojol bros. proved to also have super powers. Each flavor was dynamic and rich. And to think that it cost $2 and came out of something that resembled Scooby-Doo's Mystery Machine Van... these guys were magical!

Thomas Sweet

I wonder if Thomas Sweet has ever met Larry. I'm guessing not because Thomas could learn a lot from him. Larry's Homemade Ice Cream in Dupont serves flavorful ice cream made with interesting ingredients. Yes, the customer service is terrible, but the ice cream is good. Thomas Sweet in Georgetown on the other hand, serves weird frozen yogurt and (at least on this occasion) icy ice cream lacking flavor.

My first issue with Mr. Sweet is his menu board. Its a jumbled mess of a chalkboard that makes ordering more complicated than it needs to be.

Last year, before we began going steady with Mr. Yogato, we decided to pay a visit to Mr. Sweet to sample some of his frozen yogurt. We spent probably $12 for two frozen yogurts, and only got a year's worth of laughs out of the experience. The man behind the counter took a dixie cup, filled it with yogurt, then turned the cup upside down and dunked it into the toppings bin. We were left with a tiny cup o' yogurt with toppings falling all over the place, and paid an arm and a leg for it. This was our first intro to "DC frozen yogurt" and we knew we were in trouble.

One hot night we found ourselves in Georgetown and wanting some ice cream. We decided to give T. Sweet (no relation to T. Pain) another shot. The original plan was for me to order a "small" sundae and B to order a waffle cone. The plan was quickly ditched when we saw how "small" my sundae was. We scrapped the waffle cone order and shared the sundae.

The sundae looked promising and the toppings were generous and tasty. The problem was with the ice cream. I ordered cake batter but I think they forgot to add the cake batter part. It didn't taste like anything and the texture was icy. The menu board is so confusing that I wasn't clear whether I could get more than one flavor in my sundae, so we were stuck with glorified vanilla masquerading as cake batter. It wasn't a total loss though because we were in Georgetown after all. There were popped collars galore and a guy in orange pants and loafers debating the merits of all 55 of the varieties of fudge for sale. Great people watching, mediocre ice cream. True story.

Second Thoughts from B

When we wrote about Larry's Ice Cream I said, "even bad ice cream is pretty good." Unfortunately, in the 2-3 times we've visited Thomas Sweet, he has put that theory to the test. Everything looks so promising too. The cute, old-timey storefront and sweet smell of fudge transports you to whatever carefree childhood memory you have of days gone by, when stuffing your face with ice cream was your idea of heaven.

With that mindset, we dove into our mountain of ice cream, fudge, and whipped cream with high hopes. However, if this were a TV show, this is when the needle would scratch across the record, because the ice cream could have been taken from our tub at home, freezer burn and all. Maybe I'm a slow learner or maybe I'm just a sucker, but I can't imagine that Thomas Sweet can't do better. What I can believe is that in the world of ice cream, Larry kicks the you-know-what out of Thomas any day.

Eastern Market - Grand Re-Opening

It's back! After the original building was nearly destroyed in a fire in 2007, Eastern Market, 2.0 reopened this past weekend (June 26-28, 2009) and drew massive crowds. It seemed like every farmer's market-loving family throughout the District was there enjoying the festivities and the rebirth of Capitol Hill's finest non-tourist attraction. Since J and I are relatively new to the area, we never knew the "old" Eastern Market. However, we did frequent the temporary set-up, and it goes without saying that version 2.0 is bigger and better than ever.

In addition to the historic indoor (and now air-conditioned) building, the outdoor flea market space is filled with vendors and artists of every background. The temporary market that many of us remember from the last 2 years can't compare to what has replaced it. They simply aren't in the same league. Many, if not all, of the old standbys have reclaimed their familiar indoor spots, including our favorite Market Lunch. More notable is that what used to be a somewhat pedestrian farmer's market is now its own village, with a high density sprawl of tents and booths that stretch a block or two in each direction.

Besides the increase in vendors, the thing that was so noticeable and heart-warming was the tremendous response from the community. Opening weekend had a palpable sense of pride in the air. The scene was filled with parents and children reveling in an old-fashioned block party of sorts. Families and friends sitting on the sidewalks enjoying fresh fruit on a warm summer day begged for Norman Rockwell to show up to capture these classic scenes of Americana. This was a day where people came together and took ownership of their city, celebrating a common place that reflects the history and diversity that makes up DC.

It should also be mentioned that among the hustle and bustle was an exhibit in the north end of the building that detailed the history and reconstruction of the market. We also saw that tours were being given.

Clearly, opening weekend is a high point for Eastern Market and the crowds in coming months and years will not reach such heights. However, you can count us as two locals who fully intend on making Eastern Market a regular part of our DC life. Welcome home!

Wedding Planning From His Perspective

While talking to a recently engaged female coworker, I found myself being asked for the 100th time about guys and wedding planning. It seems that the majority of grooms approach the process with emotions ranging from ambivalence to annoyance. Personally, that was not the case for me. For the record, I'm not saying that I found the 15-minute debate over the preferred napkin fold to be completely necessary. However, I did have a great time at my own wedding and enjoyed the overall process of throwing the biggest party that I'll probably ever host. So why was my experience such an exception??? (For you guys out there, take this as your survival guide. For the ladies, here's a little insight that may prove useful.)

The wedding industry seems to make everyone believe that all brides have been dreaming and planning their wedding day ever since they received their first Barbie. This idea, whether real or perceived, is very intimidating to us guys. Maybe this is in fact the case, but in my experience, few brides have every single detail predetermined. More often than not, it seems like there are only a handful of ideas that are deal breakers, thereby allowing for plenty of wiggle room. So guys, unless you're explicitly told otherwise, treat your wedding as your wedding. It shouldn't be just her big day; it is your (plural) big day. Of course you want her to be happy, but your happiness counts too. And remember, chances are that one of those things that she wants for her wedding is a groom that is happy to be there.

By the time most of us are in the process of getting married, we've been to a few weddings ourselves. Think about what elements you enjoyed and what things you would change. Never been to a wedding that you actually enjoyed? (This is not terribly uncommon for many guys) Then instead think of any other big event as a reference (prom, birthday party, etc.) and use it to set a priority list. Figure out what you want for your wedding. Long or short? All inclusive or intimate? Simple or extravagant? Sentimental or humorous? Elegant or boisterous? Do you care more about great food or great music? You get the idea. Above all else, communicate and compromise. That's good advice for wedding planning, as well as marriage in general, so what better time to start? Part of the fun of wedding planning is creating the day with your new partner in life. You're a team... so act like it.

So now that you know what you two want in general, stick to those things and don't let the minor details or outside opinions ruin your day. You may find it hard to believe now, but there will likely be heated debates over relatively meaningless details that no one will notice but you. Keep everything in perspective. The bottom line is that you're getting married, and that alone should make it a great day. If dresses, flowers, cakes, guest lists, or whatever else gets in the way of that fact, then it is time to step back and reevaluate things. No matter how much you plan, something will go wrong. Accept this fact and move on. Surprisingly, it is often those unplanned mini-emergencies that are the most memorable moments. It is up to you to make it a good memory rather than a regret. Since not everything will happen as planned, focus on the important things and just enjoy the day.

As I said before, few grooms will take interest in napkin folds, the difference between ivory and white, or have a strong opinion on calla lillies. But there are things that will interest us and therefore, are good ways to get us involved. Maybe it is working with or finding the perfect DJ or band. Maybe it is creating a website or slide show. Maybe it is planning the honeymoon. Most guys won't mind planning a big party but if that party is all of a sudden renamed "wedding," they avoid it like the plague. Wisely chosen delegation of tasks is key.

Finally, have fun. If it isn't fun, then why are you doing it? And for the record, no matter how much you love your parents, their expectations cannot be your only motivation behind your wedding. There are no rules to what must be part of your day. You're spending a lot of time, money, and emotional energy on this, and it would be a shame if you didn't make it your own (I'm so ashamed that I've resorted to sounding like an American Idol judge).

As for us, we wanted the ceremony to be personal. We had family members perform the music and ministers who knew us well conduct the ceremony. Family history was referred to in the service and bios of the wedding party were in the program. Custom details were sprinkled throughout the entire event, and even if the symbolism was lost on the majority of the guests, each was special to us. As for the reception, we just wanted to have a good time with our friends and family. The two biggest factors that influence your wedding’s fun-factor are good music and a fun-loving wedding party that sets the tone. Lastly, we saved money and cut corners on certain things but invested in a good photographer. After all, once it is over, all you have are the memories and the pictures (and how many times are you really going to watch a wedding video?).

The Bride Weighs In

Yes, I am absolutely lucky to have had a groom that actually wanted to be involved. If this isn’t the case for you, take a step back and evaluate the situation. Is he not involved because your wedding obsession has scared him away? It may be hard for you to relinquish control of certain parts of the big day but you can’t (and shouldn’t) do everything. Help him feel more involved by giving him a defined task, and once you’ve given it to him, let him do it. Don’t micromanage or second guess. Instead, trust that he’ll do a good job and let it go. Now I’m not saying that you should let a guy who thinks jean shorts are in vogue pick out your bridesmaids dresses (or any garment for that matter...). There are, however, a multitude of tasks for the eager and not-so-eager groom. B and I had a blast working together on our wedding, and while there were tears (mostly mine), we learned a lot about each other in the process. We still crack up every time we think about the awful ballroom dancing instructional video we bought in the clearance bin at Borders, and I giggle when I think about the meltdown I had at the Post Office when learning I’d have to forego the wedding stamps on our invitations for American flag stamps. Have fun and try to relax. Easier said than done, but if I did it while studying for the California Bar Exam, you can do it too!

For more marriage-related commentary, see our posts on our engagement and our honeymoon.