The Everything Drawer - Everyone has one, right? (post anything - within the rules)

@WT Door

I just had to scroll up to see if we were in the Everything Drawer. Ok, good to go.

A sea story from the 20th c. sea chest. My Neapolitan landlord Signor G owned several apartment buildings and trattorias around Agnano, Pozzuoli, the Vomero and Posilippo areas. He was also, I am quite sure, a member in good standing of the Camorra. He always assured me my apartment would never be robbed while I was traveling, that I was under his protection. He would send me to restaurants and tell me who to ask for, and to mention his name. I ate my way around Napoli and the entire Bay area. I became good friends with his wife, which insulated me from his early-on suggestions we take little trips to the family villa in the Aeolian Islands. I have mentioned Signora G as my cooking mentor over in the Bacon thread.

Fond, fond memories of the food, the “melon man” calling up “melone, signorina” early in the morning and I’d lower my basket down to him. Eating San Marzano tomatoes in season with mozzarella di bufala bought that morning at the market, with Signor G’s family olive oil and basilico from the plants on my kitchen balcony. I never liked fresh tomatoes until I got to Napoli and ate fresh San Marzanos, low acid and sweet.

Break break - Greek spots in Annapolis. Where the Westin is now at the traffic circle with West, Taylor and Spa, and extending away from town on West St., used to be a mini-Greektown until redevelopment took over. There are some remnants.

Chris’ Charcoal Pit on West St., is a classic family hole in the wall. Family recipes, all the classics, well-made, generous portions.
www.chrischarcoalpit.com

Chris's Charcoal Pit Greek Restaurant - Chris's Charcoal Pit

Home of the famous Gyro. Greek Cuisine made with love just like in the old country. Voted Best Greek Restaurant and Best Carry Out in Annapolis in 2014
www.chrischarcoalpit.com

For a nicer date night vibe, Paul’s Homewood Cafe. Broader menu, but still some Greek classics. If you like lamb, this is your happy place.
www.paulshomewoodcafe.com

Fine American and Greek Restaurant | Pauls Homewood Cafe | Annapolis

Paul's Homewood Cafe has a creative and distinctive menu that combines Greek specialties with traditional American favorites.
www.paulshomewoodcafe.com www.paulshomewoodcafe.com

Both are local favorites for lunch or dinner. Easy free parking. I often stop by Chris’ to take out massive gyros dripping with housemade tzatziki.

Levels on West St., good small plates and craft cocktails, closer in to Church Circle. Great flatbreads. They make their own ginger beer for Moscow Mules.


Maryland has moved into Stage 2. Spaced-out outdoor and now indoor seating
 
Your landlord’s influence could have used in our area. We lived outside of Pozzuoli in a nice villa. A Navy Seal and his family lived down the street. He'd joke that he wasn't worried about theft. Shortly after moving in our van was stolen. It was old and the perfect Naples car. The kids used to joke that maybe if it got stolen, we could get a van with air conditioning. Wish granted on two counts. The shore patrol Petty Officer that was sent to do the report that day had his car stolen a week earlier. We laughed about that one. I did like driving in Napoli though as it was the closest thing to flying.

Efharisto poli (which I learned from my Greek friend) ---“Thank you very much” for the recommendation on Chris’s. Buon giorno a Lei.
 
Fox news anchor Martha MacCallum reported on a Reddit post (who in their right mind comments on a Reddit post?) she said was “evidence of infighting” among activists involved in the Seattle's so-called “Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone.” There was just one problem: The post was clearly a joke referencing one of the most famous scenes from the 1975 comedy classic “Monty Python and the Holy Grail.”

The post, added to the Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone subreddit by user “Kasplorge,” says “I didn’t vote for Raz. I thought we were an autonomous collective? An anachro-syndicalist commune at the least. We should take turns to act as a sort of executive officer for the week. But, of course, all the decisions of that officer would have to be ratified at a special bi-weekly meeting by a simple majority in the case of internal affairs, or a 2/3 majority in the case of more major issues,” the post continued. “Raz can’t simply expect to wield supreme executive power just because someone threw a sword at him.”

The post paraphrases a scene mid-way through “Holy Grail,” in which Graham Chapman’s King Arthur happens upon two peasants played by Terry Jones and Michael Palin, and discovers they’re actually members of “an autonomous collective.”

As for Seattle and that Reddit post, “Raz” refers to Rapper Raz Simone, who has declared himself to be the sheriff of the “autonomous zone,” also called “CHAZ,” and has apparently deputized other activists to search any unfamiliar people as they enter. It’s true that he’s been criticized by other members of the movement for these actions — but as far as TheWrap knows, not by anachronistically leftist peasants from the time of King Arthur.

Meanwhile, Kasplorg has been banned from the Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone subreddit for the joke.

That's funny. I don't care who you are. ;)
 
WT Door said:
Your landlord’s influence could have used in our area. We lived outside of Pozzuoli in a nice villa. A Navy Seal and his family lived down the street. He'd joke that he wasn't worried about theft. Shortly after moving in our van was stolen. It was old and the perfect Naples car. The kids used to joke that maybe if it got stolen, we could get a van with air conditioning. Wish granted on two counts. The shore patrol Petty Officer that was sent to do the report that day had his car stolen a week earlier. We laughed about that one. I did like driving in Napoli though as it was the closest thing to flying.

Efharisto poli (which I learned from my Greek friend) ---“Thank you very much” for the recommendation on Chris’s. Buon giorno a Lei.
Click to expand...
I was in a top-floor apartment on Via Solfatara, with expansive views of the water from my terrace, and perfumed by sulfur (😱) from Solfatara itself. Signor G lived in the building, which is how I got to know his wife.
I used to tell people that there was no defensive driving in Italy, only offensive, and you had to know which stoplights were optional. It was indeed like flying. I always took the train to Rome, though, because driving there was gladiator-level. Otherwise, I drove all over the country, including ferries to Sardinia and Sicily.

Enjoy Chris’. You’ve probably driven past it dozens of times.
Ciao!
 
I almost put this on a new thread but didn't want to appear to be promoting the Gary Sinise Foundation. The Foundation featured Rob Riggle on its Saturday Salute. Rob is on the USS Ponce headed to Mamba Station in 1996 for Operation Assured Response. He was our public affairs officer. I was the SPMAGTF's only Independent Duty Corpsman and was also the medical planner and logistician. The battalion medical officer was flown home shortly after landing in the embassy in Monrovia due to a family matter. I don't think Rob had started his career at that point or at least I had never heard of him. I remember him to be a personable officer who walked around talking to Marines and embassy personnel I assume for press releases and/or a story. This was a fun op and great opportunity in a time when these things were hard to get in on.

ariggle.jpg
 
Devil Doc said:
I almost put this on a new thread but didn't want to appear to be promoting the Gary Sinise Foundation. The Foundation featured Rob Riggle on its Saturday Salute. Rob is on the USS Ponce headed to Mamba Station in 1996 for Operation Assured Response. He was our public affairs officer. I was the SPMAGTF's only Independent Duty Corpsman and was also the medical planner and logistician. The battalion medical officer was flown home shortly after landing in the embassy in Monrovia due to a family matter. I don't think Rob had started his career at that point or at least I had never heard of him. I remember him to be a personable officer who walked around talking to Marines and embassy personnel I assume for press releases and/or a story. This was a fun op and great opportunity in a time when these things were hard to get in on.

View attachment 6060
Click to expand...
He's a funny guy. He's got an excited style and a great deadpan style. Never knew he served.
 
Must have been a heck of a storm to have that much stuff washed that far up the hill.
 
Capt MJ said:
The Rolls-Royce Wraith. Sigh.
I’ve had/have some fun rides, but this would be beyond fun to just tour around in. Once. I’d have to upgrade my wardrobe to match.View attachment 6124
Click to expand...
Ahh...this reminds me of a "Classified" TDY to Hickalooloo "once upon a time." There we were flying some...well, that's another story for another day. Suffice it to say, our orders were classified, mission, etc., so...we worked that to our advantage. We ended up in "contract" quarters down in Waikiki...for five months. The daily per diem was...VERY nice.

So...one weekend we decided we needed a car for touring...and we rented one. It was a tad pricey but...VERY cool.

1594006873502.png

Okay...'85 Lambo Countach...FAST...LOUD...don't shift out of 1st until 60....don't go to 5th until 140-ish, If my faded memory is correct.

Uncomfortable, impossible to back up safely without opening the doors and leaning out...

But the COOL points....

Steve
USAFA ALO
USAFA '83
 
flieger83 said:
Ahh...this reminds me of a "Classified" TDY to Hickalooloo "once upon a time." There we were flying some...well, that's another story for another day. Suffice it to say, our orders were classified, mission, etc., so...we worked that to our advantage. We ended up in "contract" quarters down in Waikiki...for five months. The daily per diem was...VERY nice.

So...one weekend we decided we needed a car for touring...and we rented one. It was a tad pricey but...VERY cool.

View attachment 6125

Okay...'85 Lambo Countach...FAST...LOUD...don't shift out of 1st until 60....don't go to 5th until 140-ish, If my faded memory is correct.

Uncomfortable, impossible to back up safely without opening the doors and leaning out...

But the COOL points....

Steve
USAFA ALO
USAFA '83
Click to expand...
The cool points. Exactly.

This was my beloved Ensignmobile, ‘78 Triumph TR-7, “The Wedge,” in taxicab yellow. Crappy electrical system (typical Triumph), I became an expert at parking it on a hill, putting it into neutral, starting it rolling, then jumping in and starting it in 2nd using the clutch. That thing took me all over Spain, Portugal, PCS to Napoli via France and Monaco, Malta/ Sardinia/Sicily via ferry, and even from Ceuta to Tangiers in Northern Africa. No AC, 4 gears.

100D1202-CE60-4471-9418-5DCE3BF62A83.jpeg
 
Last edited:
1594034582754.png
This is not a photo of my 2nd LT mobile, but it is very close. It was a 1969 280SEL. German cars are decidedly masculine, so his name was Frederich.
I bought Frederich in 1982 and he ferried me around until 1990. When I turned over 750,000 miles on the odometer, I got the third badge for the grille (and a nice letter) from Mercedes. Frederich had 762,000 miles on him when I sold him, and I sold him for what I paid. It never consumed more than one pint of oil between oil changes, which were kind of expensive because it used 9 quarts (5 in the pan and 4 in the intercooler). Great car. It had mechanical anti-lock brakes and mechanical fuel injection (no points or rotor!), and it was very easy to work on and keep running. Burl walnut door frames, dash, and other stuff. Frederich was burgundy (the one in the photo looks brown to me).
 
This isn't mine either, but my first car was a 1964-1/2 Mustang like this one. It had been born yellow but was very faded. I bought it in high school. It had been sitting on the side of a house for a long time, so one day I knocked on the door and I asked the man of the house if it was for sell. He said, well yes it is. I said how much? He said, how much do you have? I said, 125 dollars. He said, that's how much I'm asking. I went home to get the cash and he apparently was also a magician because he got it started and was running when I got back. I gave him the money and drove the two miles home to show off my new ride. My mom and two of three siblings wanted to go for a spin of course so we piled in and it wouldn't start. We just sat there. I kept turning the key and pumping the gas pedal until at the same time the battery died and the smell of gas caused us all to evacuate and go inside.

My mom said, go get your money back. I got on my bike and rode back to the man's house and he didn't answer the door. My dad was probably working a double or something as he didn't see it until the next day. He didn't like a rusty oil dripping lemon sitting in the driveway, but got his tool box and did some of his magic and we jumped it and HE took it for a spin. It had a rusted driver's side rear wheel well and quarter panel and a rusted out foot long but narrow hole in the passenger side floor. It held six quarts of oil. Five in the engine and one quart always on the driveway. Fortunately I worked at a gas station during the summer I had this and I could get oil cheap. I drove it back and forth to work and on a couple dates. Finally after stranding me numerous times and my senior year of high school about to start, my dad said to get rid of it. I found someone who would tow it away and give me 35 dollars for it. I was both sad and happy to see it roll away.

amustang.jpg
 
Man, am I jealous. My mode of transportation all through High School, College and TBS is shown below.

I did splurge and buy a brand new Toyota Celica when I graduated The Basic School and left Quantico for Camp Pendleton.

Had to finance the car and if memory serves, interest rates were 22% at the time. o_O

1 (1).jpg
 
THParent said:
View attachment 6128
This is not a photo of my 2nd LT mobile, but it is very close. It was a 1969 280SEL. German cars are decidedly masculine, so his name was Frederich.
I bought Frederich in 1982 and he ferried me around until 1990. When I turned over 750,000 miles on the odometer, I got the third badge for the grille (and a nice letter) from Mercedes. Frederich had 762,000 miles on him when I sold him, and I sold him for what I paid. It never consumed more than one pint of oil between oil changes, which were kind of expensive because it used 9 quarts (5 in the pan and 4 in the intercooler). Great car. It had mechanical anti-lock brakes and mechanical fuel injection (no points or rotor!), and it was very easy to work on and keep running. Burl walnut door frames, dash, and other stuff. Frederich was burgundy (the one in the photo looks brown to me).
Click to expand...
This reminds me of my best friend’s Mercedes diesel station wagon (Lydia), complete wth glow plug. It already had 200,000 miles on it when she inherited it from her mom. She added another 250k or so over the years. She finally sold it to an enthusiast who was willing to put the considerable dollars in to completely replace the body. The engine and motors were all perfectly fine, but rust was overcoming the exterior.

I am liking this discussion of Cars We Have Known And Loved.
 
USMCGrunt said:
Man, am I jealous. My mode of transportation all through High School, College and TBS is shown below.

I did splurge and buy a brand new Toyota Celica when I graduated The Basic School and left Quantico for Camp Pendleton.

Had to finance the car and if memory serves, interest rates were 22% at the time. o_O

View attachment 6132
Click to expand...
I could post a photo of my yellow Schwinn 10-speed bike, my ride through HS, college and 6 months into O-1. My parents had been real clear about they could not afford to give me a car. I worked summers and multiple part-time jobs at college to build up an emergency fund and cash savings. A few months of 0-1 pay and a careful dip into cash savings, and I then had the money to pay cash for the TR-7 (La Cuña).
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top