London Calling

Sometimes it's nice to just come home from work only to go back out immediately.* Such is life when you only have imaginary roommates, but enjoy being around people. Thankfully, DC is a big town with lots of people - old people, young people, smart people, dumb people - many of whom were packed into Politics & Prose this evening when I popped in to be around people because hanging out at home with imaginary roommates just didn't seem like fun tonight.

As I found out from the barista (Baristo? Because he was male?) in P&P's basement cafe, the crowd was there to hear senator Jim Webb (D-VA), speak on his new book. Though it was packed to the bookstore's gills upstairs listening to Webb, the cafe was quiet and open tables were a-plenty. I settled down with my laptop and ordered one of my most favorite discoveries since moving to DC: the London Fog.

London Fog: Earl Grey tea mixed with honey and steamed soy milk and served in a big, oversized mug, though smaller than those popularized by that one sitcom on that one station some years ago. Not that big, no. But big enough to last through pecking away at a few pages of what might be the beginning of a short story but what will probably be abandoned on my hard drive for days and weeks on end until I come back to it or forget about it completely.

It is the perfect drink for being around people when tucked in the basement of a bookstore while a U.S. Senator pontificates above you.


*I would have gone straight out after work without even going home, except I went to the gym this evening and needed a shower. I like to do my part for humanity by keeping body odor at bay.