A FEW RAMBLES ABOUT THIS AND THAT, WITH OUR FAVORITE BAHN MI PLACE FOR LUNCH

This is just an around-and-about type of post, a bit of this and that.  I twisted my knee a few weeks back, going down these steps at Mason Neck Park, told at the time by my dear other half that he didn't think it was a good idea, and was I sure I could go down those steps at which I replied, "Of course I can!" 

Well, I'm listening to my dear other half next time.  That's another reason, on top of the heat and humidity and the thunderstorms, I haven't been on any walks.  My knee has been pitching a fit off and on and in the meantime, I am being driven around in the car for any outings. 

We usually go out for lunch at least one day a week, nothing fancy.  One day Gregg said he would like a Bahn Mi. Quite a jaunt even in the car but very much worth the trip.  We go to a Vietnamese Sandwich Shop called BÁNH MÌ D.C. SANDWICH.  (Sorry for the bold capitals but I wanted to leave those neat little accents to show you, and I couldn't get the font to change in my usual manner, so I did a cut and paste.  No one accuses me of not being detailed, it's in my genes.)  

This is somewhere we have visited many times since we have lived here (since 1990), and I have mentioned it before.  There are no tables inside where you sit to eat, and so we usually have a car picnic in the parking lot. It's a treat and is very popular and well-known with the locals, and not so locals.  I take my own water and Gregg buys a can of coke.  We always take our trash home.  

I remember a question from Ann from Ann's Snap Edit Scrap, which I wanted to answer today.  Ann asked me the last time I posted about it, what was it like.  I took a photo of our sandwich for a show-and-tell. Nothing fancy but oh so good.  

We always order a Meatball Bahn Mi.  Ours is made from a pork mixture, and it is not like the Italian meatballs many of us have made or seen in recipe books.  It is a different texture and taste. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys Asian food.  It has delicately pickled and grated carrots and daikon radish, cilantro with the stalks left on them, a sliver of cucumber and a few slices of sliced hot chili peppers if you can stand the heat (you can always ask for them to be left off). And all this is placed in a lovely fresh French baguette.

 If you look at their link it will give you several choices on their menu, and they don't just sell sandwiches.  We have also bought a bag of French baguettes to take home with us on occasion, and a few other items like spring rolls.  

The following photos are ones I took coming and going.

A fire hydrant taken at a stop light...

and an old school used to be here, traveled by many, many times since we moved here.  It was mostly demolished but I am glad to say the central part of the building was kept.

There will be shops I'm sure, and new apartments or condominiums.  Posters were attached to the chain-link fencing advertising things in the area.

Always attracted to pretty clouds for photo ops.

We keep saying that we are going to pop in here for a sandwich followed by a scoop of ice cream for dessert, but we are always heading somewhere else and only pass by.  One of these days!

And then a bit of a surprise.  This building used to be a drug store (called a chemist over the pond).  We can take it literally now, it really is a drug store.  It is the first one I have seen in our county.

There is much building going on.  If it's not road construction...

 it's new homes.

And of course, a quick stop at the drive-thru.  A vanilla no-foam latte, hot please.

We don't usually buy anything on their menu but have done in the past when road tripping in other areas.

That's about it for our runaround today. Thanks for stopping by, and may your day be a great one.