Hunt for the Elusive Tonic

This weekend I scoured the vast expanse of southeast liquor stores in search of the elusive tonic water. Something so simple: Schweppes, regular, tonic water. Not diet. Not Canada Dry. Not a generic brand. Either plastic bottles or glass would have been acceptable, though of course the glass bottles are preferable. And yet, as I bull-moosed my way, sweating, in shorts and cut-off pitted-out white t-shirt, topped off by a soaked do-rag, I was inevitably disappointed at every stop.

I was finishing a run through D.C., and thought to pick up some tonic water at one of the ubiquitous liquor stores along Pennsylvania Ave., but repeatedly shoved my way past Saturday night Capitol Hill crowds only to be frustrated in my search. After leaving 7 liquor stores along Pennsylvania and Barracks Row, two CVS drugstores, and a deluxe Harris Teeter, empty-handed, I was only more determined to find my one needed ingredient for a cool gin and tonic (G&T).

I got into the car and - braving crowds of pedestrians walking around Nationals ballpark, I drove to yet another liquor store on South Capitol (aka Taxation Without Representation Street), only to be foiled by another unenlightened shopkeeper, as well as annoyed by hounds of punk kids buying flask-sized Jack Daniel's bottles. There was only one alternative left: The "Unsafe" Safeway (Ed. note: there seems to be some disagreement about the identity of the genuine "Unsafe" Safeway). Not my moniker for Southwest's only (I think?) grocery store, but that's how the blogerati and hipsters refer to it. Well, I finally found several sticky bottles of Schweppes regular tonic water - the plastic kind, not refrigerated - at Safeway, and was able to return home victorious. To enjoy the most hard-earned G&T ever.

Update: Harris Teeter usually carries some sort of Schweppes regular tonic water, but in this case, every in-store location had been "looted" prior to my arrival, and the storeroom - it was realized after an exhaustive search - was empty of Schweppes, too.

Taking in the Ballpark

Went out to the ballpark tonight. I sought out Ben's Chili Bowl half-smokes and fries. Grabbed a Yeungling beer. And sat down to enjoy the big screen television showing the White Sox or some such team. What could I possibly add to the Ben's Chili Bowl legend - the much written about and even more often savored U St. "House" of half-smokes. The CinC loves Ben's; Cosby loves Ben's; and D.C. loves Ben's. Everything I write here is redundant. So let me just say I had an outstanding dinner at the Nationals stadium tonight. The margaritas weren't bad either! Did I love the food enough to wait a full two hours for the rain delay to end and the game to commence? No. But I'll be headed back soon enough to get the best eats in Near Southeast and watch my Cubbies.

Rating: 7/10
In Short: The best dogs and beer in the southeast quadrant are found at the Nationals ballpark. Just don't forget the your credit card, because the stadium is definitely not cheap eats.
Website: http://washington.nationals.mlb.com/was/ballpark/index.jsp
Location: 1500 South Capitol Street SE, 20003

Season Promises Culinary Drought

According to the front page of the Washington Post today, the Nationals neighborhood - I prefer the Navy Yard moniker, but there are plenty others - will be devoid of places to drink and eat this coming year. Indeed, other than Five Guys, Subway, and the soon-to-be-opened Corner Copia Deli at 2nd St. and K Southeast, there isn't anything else closer than Barracks Row or Penn. Ave. Of course, that's only a few minutes walk away, but it's not very convenient for a fan arriving at the Navy Yard Metro.

So, in an effort to rejuvenate the drink offerings, Velocity condos is now reportedly going to have a first floor sports pub. Still, this will likely have to wait til next year. Even if the permits were in the works, I haven't heard of any neighborhood ANC discussions, which are a necessary prerequisite for such an establishment. A beer tent may open on Half St. Southeast as well, but the best food may be in the stadium itself.

All things considered, what with an abysmal team and cheapskate history (witness last year's refusal to pay rent), Lerner ownership seems to be intent on turning around the food and drink available at the ballpark. Levy Restaurants has taken over concessions at the park, and while I won't be making a special trip to "dine out" at the park's Red Porch restaurant, I will be looking forward to the presumably better eats that will be on offer during games. Available beers will be improved upon as well. Of course, "fine" food and drink was promised the first year, yet the few fans that showed up to games were commonly greeted with long lines and high prices for something as simple as a hot dog. For now, the best place - in my mind - to eat and drink before a game remains my house... But with tickets to several upcoming games, I look forward to having my mind changed for me.