Buffet

Club meetings Landlords and Property Owners Association of Washington County Wednesday, Nov. 6, 7 p.m., V.F.W., 72 E. Washington St., Hagerstown. Election of officers and directors will be held. Kathy Valentine from Wright-Gardner Insurance will speak about personal, commercial, renters' and other types of insurance. American Association of University Women Hagerstown Branch, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 7 p.m., Washington County Technical High School, West Oak Ridge Drive, Hagerstown.

By OMNI VORE The night before Barack Obama's inauguration, the hotels in Hagerstown were full. What were the chances of getting a meal without a long wait? Good, if my friend and I went to Pacific Ocean Buffet on U.S. 40, Dual Highway, in front of Days Inn. Expecting crowds, we were surprised to find the restaurant just pleasantly filled. The patrons were road-weary travelers, groups of families and sets of young men. The restaurant easily sat more than 100 people and had a selection of foods that would appeal to many.

The night before Barack Obama's inauguration, the hotels in Hagerstown were full. What were the chances of getting a meal without a long wait? Good, if my friend and I went to Pacific Ocean Buffet on U.S. 40, Dual Highway, in front of Days Inn. Expecting crowds, we were surprised to find the restaurant just pleasantly filled. The patrons were road-weary travelers, groups of families and sets of young men. The restaurant easily sat more than 100 people and had a selection of foods that would appeal to many.

4 to 6 large flour tortillas 4 to 6 corn taco shells 2 cups cooked rice (brown rice for a healthier touch) 15-ounce can pinto or Goya-brand pink beans, drained and rinsed 4 to 6 ounces grated Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese 4 cups shredded iceberg lettuce 2 to 3 medium tomatoes, diced 1 medium red onion, diced 15-ounce jar salsa Low-fat sour cream and chopped hot peppers, for garnish 1 pound ground beef Packet of taco seasoning...

Ever walk into a party and notice someone who was horribly underdressed? And you feel sorry for him - him and another guy you notice, who is also underdressed. Then you see another and another and finally it hits you: You are the only one in the room wearing a suit and tie. Yes, you are the oddball. Not them. There was an uneasy breeze wafting over our local legislative delegation this week as it started to come to grips with the unpleasant reality that Maryland is not made up of Washington County.

Tri-State Ravens Nest No. 12 will hold its annual banquet Saturday, June 1, from 5 to 10 p.m. at the Ramada Plaza Hotel, 1718 Underpass Way. The club will honor Kelechi Osemele of the Baltimore Ravens with its Player of the Year award and give out scholarships to local high school players. There will be a buffet dinner at 6:30 p.m., followed by silent and live auctions. Tickets cost $30 per person. For tickets, call Kim Wesmiller at 301-432-6933.     Lions Club Tuesday - The Hagerstown Lions Club will hold its monthly business and administrative meeting.

Keep holiday party buffet foods safe Buffets are a popular way to serve food at holiday parties and dinners. But buffets, where foods are left out for long periods of time, leave the door open for uninvited guests - bacteria that cause food-borne illness. Here are some tips to keep holiday parties and buffets trouble-free: HEIGHT="6" ALT=" "> Always wash your hands before and after handling food. Keep your kitchen, dishes and utensils clean. HEIGHT="6" ALT=" "> Always serve food on clean plates, not those that previously held raw meat or poultry.

bobp@herald-mail.com I took another step in becoming a full-fledged adult the other day. Birthdays are scary that way. As the numbers get bigger, you get different labels - child, teenager, grownup, middle-aged, senior and then, Oh my God. Let's just say I took a small step for my demographic classification, one giant leap for my AARP card. The funny thing about birthdays, though, is they are a time to add to perspective. For some reason, you get a lot of free time on your hands ... and when that happens, the mind tends to wander.

Who says you can't make an old prognosticator new picks? Although I'm in my fourth decade of doing this job - I'd still be five in dog years - I still take time to try to stay up on the latest trends in football coaching, tailgate indulging and game picking. There's no better way to do that than going to seminars. I found the perfect one because it incorporated all three aspects of my livelihood at one site. Yes, there was one just like that ... it was called the Punt, Gas and Pick Clinic.

If you don't like the weather, hang around long enough and it will change. Same with health studies. Personally, I think all health studies are a waste of time. If we had taken all the money that's gone into health studies and instead spent it on bombing Iran, we'd have something to show for it. Another quagmire, perhaps, but at least that's something. There's always this week's study, which will disprove last week's study. Oatmeal was good, now it's not. Red wine was good, now it's not. Protein was bad, now it's not. There's even been a report celebrating the healthy aspects of dirt.