EFM: Elated For Milestone

Jan. 5 seems like a long time ago. But back then, about six and a half months ago, EF'M made its first appearance on the Internet. On this day in July, we celebrate the 100th post.

Traditionally, television shows would take the 100th episode off and just go through a clip-reel of past season highlights. But not here. No, sir. Nothing but new material.

In the spirit of celebration, I'll provide recount of Friday night - our first night out on the town in Hermosillo.

It all began innocent enough. We went out with a group of six other Americans to see a movie at the new theater in the new mall, only months old. It is a VIP cinema, so all of the seats are leather recliners, and they provide a wait staff to take food and drink orders.

An okay movie and just an okay overall experience. But at the price of less than $9 per ticket, I don't think I'll ever be able to attend a movie in the States again. Not even a matinee.

The other interesting part was watching an American movie - "Knight and Day," or in Mexico, "Encuentro Explosivo," which definitely is not a literal translation, though I give them credit for coming up with a better, more appropriate title - with Spanish subtitles. My Spanish is beyond bad, but even I could pick up on some of the unintended humor provided by the brief, simplified subtitles. For example, every curse, which pretty much was just "shit" was translated as "diablos." Diablos, of course, means "devils." Also, through out the entire movie, an incredulous Cameron Diaz is constantly saying "Oh my God." Translation: "cielo" or "heavens." But otherwise, I could see how watching enough movies and television with Spanish subtitles could be a helpful way to improve my Spanish.

Moving along, at this point, about half of the group called it a night, while the rest of us went out to a restaurant near the Consulate aptly called Casa Centenaria (a terrible Web site, by the way). Aptly named because of how it coincides so neatly with this my 100th posting. I couldn't have planned this myself.

The food was good, and for American standards, very inexpensive. I have been aching to have some authentic Mexican mole, but I probably should have stuck with this region's specialty and ordered a steak. That I will do next time.

But what really makes this place a gem is the atmosphere, which they fail to promote on the Web site. It was a little warm, but we sat in the walled-in, outdoor patio section, where they had a live jazz band, which was really good, especially the drummer. And I don't particularly care for jazz. And when they were taking breaks, they had a large screen projection of American music videos, which was mostly 70s and 80s rock. The highlight was a Muppets rendition of Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody." This is required viewing.

Casa Centenaria also has an incredible selection of cocktails that always came out beautiful, as you can see them in Natalie's hand. I stuck to beer, however, because I got burned at the theater trying to order a beer, or at least what I thought was a beer that I had never tried before, and instead I got a beer-clam juice-tomato juice cocktail. Yuck!

Now it is starting to get late, and a few more of group head home leaving us with Natalie, myself, and one of our neighbors and we decide to go find a club. He took us to a relatively new place he had been wanting to check out, so we went to Classico.

Ladies get in free, and there was a 100-peso (12 pesos = $1, approximately) for the men, and we all got patted down and Natalie's purse was checked. The place was fairly dead, but due to the no cover situation, the women greatly outnumbered the men. And while I'm a married man, I don't mind saying more single American men need to visit Sonora.

There was a mixture of American and Latino music and is another place I'm sure we will go to again. The people were so friendly to us, especially one couple that came over and started talking to us in English (though the music was so loud the man might as well have been speaking in Spanish). He apologized for the club being empty saying Hermosillo usually isn't this boring but there was a big event going on this weekend at San Carlos, a beach a little more than an hours drive away. Then later in the night he tried to improve my poor dancing when I reminded him I'm a gringo. "There is no white here," he said. When you consider the current climate of American-Mexican relations with the Arizona racist approach to curbing illegal immigration, the Hermosillians I've met have earned high marks in civility.

But like all good things, the night had to come to an end at 2 a.m. when things close. And post number 100 is in the books. Here is to hoping I don't get canceled before post 200.

EFM: Exit without Final Meal

Reading other blogs, many writers talk about eating from their favorite restaurant one last time before leaving for post or for home, or enjoying their favorite dish one more time without knowing when the next opportunity might present itself.

Hell, one of my favorite reads is named for this phenomenon, For Lack of Tacos.

I don't have such a restaurant or cuisine in Crystal City or the D.C. area that has climbed to that status.

There are a couple of places I like, such as the Kabob Palace on S. Eads St. I highly recommend getting take out from there at least once for anyone living in Crystal City. That is the restaurant Natalie and I would frequent most often, though that just means we went there about a half dozen times or so per year.

Unrelated note, but I've only known if this place post-Sept. 11, and I'm quite amused by their prominent use of American flags on their to-go containers, but as a Pakistani restaurant, I can understand why they do. I'm not questioning their American patriotism; after all, they've done quite well here, but I'd be curious to find out if they've always had those containers.

Anyway, you know it is good food and probably pretty darn close to authentic due to the fact that there are always many cabs parked outside.

We also like Pizzaiolo, which is almost catty-corner from the Kabob Palace, but if I never eat there again, it would hardly be categorized as a tragedy. And we used to like Jaleo a lot, but then they went and changed one of my favorite tapas - apples manchego.

Part of this lack of restaurant loyalty stems from the fact that I'm no longer a picky eater as I was growing up, and I want to try something new if we are eating out. Another reason is that we just didn't eat out that much while living here. It's too expensive and too unhealthy, and I enjoy cooking.

And the desire to try something new has continued to play out as we say our "see ya laters" to our D.C. friends. We are hitting up new restaurants instead of turning all nostalgic about a few of our favorites.

For three years, this posed only a small problem when we had visitors who would come and ask us to take them to our favorite restaurants while they were in town, but now that we are leaving and getting ready to embark on a lifestyle that favors those who don't let their roots grow too deep, I'm more excited about the new restaurants and cuisines we'll get to try than I am worried or disappointed about missing out on what I already know.