Ravens and Raveonettes

Falling back into my bad old ways--- OCD and losing the plot again with eating. Really wish I could go to hypnosis or have some far more glamourous or benifitting addictions. That said, The Ravens lost to Pittsburgh yesterday. It is a big let-down, but we still got a lot further than everybody save three other teams, and we did better this season than anyone predicted. It's a shame. What's more disturbing is that hit that Willis McGahee took, it looked like two trains colliding into eachother. Yes, it became a very somber mood at Chris' parents' house last night. It was still fun, though. It had been a total Ravens weekend, albeit in a weird way. Friday night, Nick and Rob were going to do a Guy's Night, so I went up to The Barn since Victor said that there was a Rockabilly show there that night. I got there before him and was very pleased to find out that the opening band was The Motorettes, who are playing for that Girl Group Night at The Sidebar in February. So I enjoyed that. It was funny to see this bar, completely awash with everybody wearing everything Ravens, and the rest all greasers and pin-ups. Talked to Vic, met some more of the people in his car club, danced some (Victor re-taught me how to jitterbug, hadn't done it since Buba has been gone, but it came back to me. I'm really excited about that.). Got surprisingly drunk, sent suggestive texts back and forth to Nick. I was very glad when he got over the house. Needless to say, there was some pent up energy, and a lovely time ensued. I had to take Niley up to the vet's for his shot, but I was back and Nick was still asleep, so went back to bed, woke a while later, started the day in the best way, watched some QVC and HSN. Nick had the good idea to try Annabell Lee, a restaurant and bar in Canton that I've been meaning to go to. We went back to his for a bit, watched Obama's speech here in Baltimore (following some choice Cheap Seats.). Made our way to Canton. Annabell Lee is wonderful. It is, of course, named for the poem by Edgar Allan Poe, and the whole restaurant, which is a very cozy pub, is done on that theme. Verses from his poems and stories are scrawled on the walls, drinks are named for his writings, a great big portrait of the man himself hangs in the rear of the bar. Elsewhere, there are photos of Baltimore from years ago, some O's and Ravens and Natty Boh items, but it is all done complimentarily with the almost Victorian interior. So the atmosphere alone was awesome. There were about eight things that immediately jumped off of the page, and I had a hard time deciding. We did learn, however, that the Barbeque Chicken Nachos with applewood bacon (Nick's idea) is huge and, in my opinion, way too greasy. I got a delicious crabcake with a generous dip of mashed potatoes and asperagus. It was really pretty amazing. Nick got two sliders, Kobe beef topped with pulled pork (very good) with duck-fat fries (good, but not as good as Salt). We avoided dessert, but did indulge in some drinks. They have local brewery, Raven beer on tap, as well as a cocktail called "The Raven." It is the same thing as The Dead Poet in New York, the drink with the seven liquors in a secret recipe. So we know now, basically, what goes in that, as well. We hadn't thought of different flavoured vodkas counting, but, yeah, it's four different fruit flavoured vodkas, plus sours, white rum, some schnapps. Very good, but one of those drinks that doesn't even taste like alcohol, so it's easy to keep drinking and wind up completely fucked. I got "The Tell-Tale Tini," which was basically a chocolate espresso martini (Van Gough vodka, Godiva liquor, half and half, maybe some Kaluha for good measure.). Definately want to go back there, many more things to try and would like to bring people out. We left there and headed to D.C.. Had no trouble finding The Black Cat, sat in the back up on the tiers at a table (except for when we danced, which I would have done more of were it not for that damn carpet impeding my moves.). It was a good show, The Raveonettes sounded great, but not as good as the one in March at The Ottobar. A lot of it I think had to do with the crowd. People in D.C. are just not good crowds. Got out of D.C. no problem, got home in enough time to get one drink at the Wind-up at closing (after some mishaps involving one way streets in Westside). Yesterday, I slept till one, we watched some more QVC and HSN whilst playing Tom Waits very loudly on the record player (take that, hippies who live downstairs!!) before heading out to go to Chris' parents' to eat massive amounts of food and watch The Ravens. I think Phoebe is having a party tonight. I am hoping that it gets cancelled, just because it is so cold. I would rather go to the welcoming glow of Club Charles. I am going to refrain from all cola products for a while (trying to figure out what to drink then with vodka as an everyday drink), since I have been plagued by heartburn of late, and the soda definately adds to it. I will be glad to see Nick later.