Snowmageddon

If you don’t live in the Mid-Atlantic region and haven’t been watching the news, then you are probably quite unaware that Snowmageddon is upon us…and isn’t done yet!  Where we are, between DC & Baltimore, we have over 3 feet of snow with another 10-20 inches forecasted for tomorrow night.  The snowbanks in our neighborhood are already over 5 feet tall…we don’t have anyplace left to put the stuff!  We can’t possibly get more!

 

 

 But more than Mother Nature’s plan for an area that is really unequipped to deal with such storms as they are few and far between, we are perplexed by the residents of the area.  This storm had been forecasted for a week – everyone knew it was coming and emptied out the grocery stores.  Yet, on Sunday, the 1^st day people could safely leave their homes, they ran to the grocery stores.  Our friends Becky and Kerry (who, incidentally are leaving for the Atlantis tomorrow and will miss the next onslaught of Mother Nature) ventured out on Sunday and reported that there was a major traffic jam at our grocery store.  What?  The shelves were empty on Friday, people, did you only buy enough food for 3 days? 

 

We were prepared.  We had done a complete week’s worth of shopping on Thursday, but did go back to the grocery store on Friday when we were informed that our teenage son was having a few buddies over for the weekend.  We knew one week’s worth of food wouldn’t be enough for even 1 night when growing teenage boys were involved.  On Friday morning the vegetable bins were bare, the store was a mess and out of many items. 

 

So here’s the real question:  Why did shoppers think the grocery store shelves were suddenly stocked when the highways were closed and there was no way for the food to actually get here?  He-llo!!!!

 

As we said, we were fine.  We shoveled, we cooked, we ate, we drank.  We enjoyed lots of wine especially our beloved Black Chicken and Le Bijou!  Plus, we enjoyed lots and lots of hot chocolate.  We love it spicy!  Our friend Terri was recently in the Big Apple and ventured to the 35^th floor of the Mandarin Oriental Hotel.  She enjoyed the house specialty – spicy white hot chocolate – while enjoying an aerial view of Central Park.  She raved about this sweet, piquant concoction and was ready to order another, but alas, she was kicked out because the Black-Eyed Peas were coming in and the bar would be closed to the public.  Fergie, hope your spicy white hot chocolate was Fergalicious!

 

 

 Perfect Sip – Quick Spiced Hot Chocolate

Make an 8-oz. cup of hot chocolate however you choose, homemade or instant

Add 1/8 tsp cinnamon, 1/8 tsp nutmeg and 1/8 tsp chili powder.

Add a large marshmallow and you’re set to enjoy!