El Patron Mexican Restaurant & Cantina

As I've been entirely consumed by academic interests over the last few weeks (read: months), I haven't had much time for blogging. I'll have some more time in the coming weeks (hopefully!), and I also plan on launching a new blogging venture very soon. For now, here is the text of a recent review I wrote for Yelp.com, as I'm sure my blog readers will not have a chance to see my material there.

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El Patron sits at the corner of Centralia and Ironbridge in Chesterfield County, though its road signage is easy to miss. This location makes it ideal to a wide demographic of local residents, and many of them do make use of this restaurant. Busy at almost all hours, El Patron is obviously a local favorite and lines at dinner time are common, though guests are still seated quickly.

The food at El Patron is the real story, however, and it stands on a tier apart from many of Richmond's other Mexican restaurants. The word to describe El Patron's dishes? Quality. Its obvious that the cooks at El Patron invest effort in every piece of food that leaves the kitchen. Don't get me wrong; this isn't 5-star cuisine, but the cooking staff at El Patron still strive for the highest quality possible. In example, do not be surprised to find burritos containing actual black beans as a filling, rather than the ubiquitous regurgitated bean paste found in many other local Mexican establishments. This isn't to say that every entree at El Patron is designed to be above the norm, though many clearly do surpass reasonable expectations.

And, clearly, quality is the secret to El Patron's recent success. This quality extends beyond the food as even the decor of the establishment is a cut above the rest. Indeed, you'll also have to look hard with a microscope to find places in the dining area that haven't been thoroughly scrubbed between services. (Even the tops of the picture frames have been dusted, thoroughly).

The ownership of El Patron obviously has a pride not often found in local Mexican food restaurants, and their pursuit of quality can be seen throughout. Let's hope that strict adherence to this policy continues well into the future, and that the El Patron continues to be a local success.

ASP.NET DropDownList of US States

For most of my projects, I databind my drop down lists and would advocate that others do so as well. Occasionally, there is still need for a simple list of US States. Here it is. Copy and paste to your heart's contentment.

<asp:DropDownList id="StateList" runat="server">

<asp:ListItem Value="AL">Alabama</asp:ListItem>

<asp:ListItem Value="AK">Alaska</asp:ListItem>

<asp:ListItem Value="AZ">Arizona</asp:ListItem>

<asp:ListItem Value="AR">Arkansas</asp:ListItem>

<asp:ListItem Value="CA">California</asp:ListItem>

<asp:ListItem Value="CO">Colorado</asp:ListItem>

<asp:ListItem Value="CT">Connecticut</asp:ListItem>

<asp:ListItem Value="DC">District of Columbia</asp:ListItem>

<asp:ListItem Value="DE">Delaware</asp:ListItem>

<asp:ListItem Value="FL">Florida</asp:ListItem>

<asp:ListItem Value="GA">Georgia</asp:ListItem>

<asp:ListItem Value="HI">Hawaii</asp:ListItem>

<asp:ListItem Value="ID">Idaho</asp:ListItem>

<asp:ListItem Value="IL">Illinois</asp:ListItem>

<asp:ListItem Value="IN">Indiana</asp:ListItem>

<asp:ListItem Value="IA">Iowa</asp:ListItem>

<asp:ListItem Value="KS">Kansas</asp:ListItem>

<asp:ListItem Value="KY">Kentucky</asp:ListItem>

<asp:ListItem Value="LA">Louisiana</asp:ListItem>

<asp:ListItem Value="ME">Maine</asp:ListItem>

<asp:ListItem Value="MD">Maryland</asp:ListItem>

<asp:ListItem Value="MA">Massachusetts</asp:ListItem>

<asp:ListItem Value="MI">Michigan</asp:ListItem>

<asp:ListItem Value="MN">Minnesota</asp:ListItem>

<asp:ListItem Value="MS">Mississippi</asp:ListItem>

<asp:ListItem Value="MO">Missouri</asp:ListItem>

<asp:ListItem Value="MT">Montana</asp:ListItem>

<asp:ListItem Value="NE">Nebraska</asp:ListItem>

<asp:ListItem Value="NV">Nevada</asp:ListItem>

<asp:ListItem Value="NH">New Hampshire</asp:ListItem>

<asp:ListItem Value="NJ">New Jersey</asp:ListItem>

<asp:ListItem Value="NM">New Mexico</asp:ListItem>

<asp:ListItem Value="NY">New York</asp:ListItem>

<asp:ListItem Value="NC">North Carolina</asp:ListItem>

<asp:ListItem Value="ND">North Dakota</asp:ListItem>

<asp:ListItem Value="OH">Ohio</asp:ListItem>

<asp:ListItem Value="OK">Oklahoma</asp:ListItem>

<asp:ListItem Value="OR">Oregon</asp:ListItem>

<asp:ListItem Value="PA">Pennsylvania</asp:ListItem>

<asp:ListItem Value="RI">Rhode Island</asp:ListItem>

<asp:ListItem Value="SC">South Carolina</asp:ListItem>

<asp:ListItem Value="SD">South Dakota</asp:ListItem>

<asp:ListItem Value="TN">Tennessee</asp:ListItem>

<asp:ListItem Value="TX">Texas</asp:ListItem>

<asp:ListItem Value="UT">Utah</asp:ListItem>

<asp:ListItem Value="VT">Vermont</asp:ListItem>

<asp:ListItem Value="VA">Virginia</asp:ListItem>

<asp:ListItem Value="WA">Washington</asp:ListItem>

<asp:ListItem Value="WV">West Virginia</asp:ListItem>

<asp:ListItem Value="WI">Wisconsin</asp:ListItem>

<asp:ListItem Value="WY">Wyoming</asp:ListItem>

</asp:DropDownList>

Nissan Pavilion Review

Below is the text of a review I originally posted to Yelp.com about my recent experiences with the much-maligned Nissan Pavilion. I went to see Jimmy Buffett play (I'll write about that experience later). For now, here's some detail about the venue, information I found lacking elsewhere on the Internet.

And as one should surely expect with any review, your individual mileage may vary.

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Original review appears here: http://www.yelp.com/biz/nissan-pavilion-bristow-2#hrid:Ea3qZoXUbnQhbBdTw2Gz_g

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Nissan Pavilion, itself, is an excellent venue for live music, and deserves to be host to the variety of acts it brings to Virginia each year. To its credit, the sound system is wonderful, as are the large screens to either side of the stage that allow people in the lawn seats to view the performance in detail. That said, the Nissan Pavilion does have a bad reputation on a number of fronts which, in my opinion, has much to do with how we, as fans, utilize (or abuse) the venue. As with many things, working with the system here, and not running against the grain, helps everyone, fans and staff alike.

But, yes, Virginia, with a little forethought and planning, you, too, can have a great concert experience at the Nissan Pavilion. Planning is key.

For starters, consult a map. Really. Don't rely on your GPS for this one. Moreover, I'm going to refer to road names below, and assume you know what I'm talking about.

Here, I'll make it easy on you: Google Map of Nissan Pavilion.

Now, let's move on by discussing the parking at the Nissan Pavilion. If you spend any time reading reviews on the web, you'll know that Nissan is notorious for bad parking. As of September 2009, many of the problems cited by others still exist, but it appears that the ownership of the Pavilion is constructing secondary exits to Wellington Road along the eastern parking lots. These will be a welcome additions.

In the meantime, concert attendees can do a number of things to improve their parking experience. Yet, very little practical advice exists on the internet about parking here and many reviews online are short on actual details.

This is your remedy.

First, note that parking on-site is "free" (the fee is included with ticket cost).

1) Cars are permitted to park along Wellington Road directly in front of the venue. In some online reviews, this frontage along Wellington Road is referred to as "the hill when you go in." Park here, if you can, but arrive early as this area goes fast (1-2 hours in advance). Exiting will be a breeze from this point though, but keep in mind that Wellington east of Bayou Street only flows south-east after the concert and Wellington west of Bayou heads north-west. If you are not careful, this can interfere with your routing.

2) Cars are permitted to park in the grass along Bayou Street entering the facility. Park here, if you can (spaces go quick), but be aware that leaving *may* be difficult if you take your time exiting the concert venue. In this case, the difficulty will be due to traffic queuing to leave along the main artery.

3) Spaces along the entrance lanes to the main lots are also available and allowed. Squeeze in between the trees and rocks, and you'll save time leaving. There are staff members directing traffic once you reach this point and, as a result, your options for where to park will be somewhat controlled. Look for spots along the northern edge of the east lot as these will be along the exit lanes for departing. The last place you want to be is in the main parking lot rows.

4) If all else fails, park where you can in the main parking lot rows, and take your time coming back to your car (5-10 minutes is usually enough delay). To minimize your time idling in your car, drive east through the lot (yes, this MAY seem counter-intuitive as you're going away from the exit) until you reach the eastern limit of the lot. Queue with the other cars and head north. Eventually, you will reach the north-east corner of the lot and turn left to head north-west. Keep going. Generally, the venue places port-a-potties along David Williams Way, but you CAN turn right here and leave through an otherwise empty gravel lot. Do this, if you can, and you'll cut off a LOT of traffic. Nissan employees should be directing a small amount of traffic this direction so you are not breaking any rules. Go for it.

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Using my head and the points noted above, I left the recent Jimmy Buffett concert from the worst possible position in the eastern lot and was on VA-234 heading home within 15-minutes. Granted, the weather was decent, but there were a LOT of people still standing in the lot slowing things down. Yet, I still managed to leave in 15.

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Now, let's talk for a moment about entering the concert area (stadium).

Again, arriving early is key as entrance lines can be quite lengthy. This is due to a variety of reasons: line cutters, slow (or drunk) people and "bag searches" before entering. In the latter respect, to its credit, Nissan is attempting to provide a safe environment for attendees, and they do simple searches on the way in. The searches are minimal and, yes, the whole affair really amounts to "security theater" but indulge the Nissan staff when they ask to see in your bag. Better yet! Leave the 15-pound "Mommy bag" in your car and there won't be anything to search; this saves EVERYONE time, particularly those fans still waiting in line.

Now, if you absolutely must bring something in, don't be foolish and you'll be fine. Note that Nissan employees are searching for obvious problems: don't try to come in with a gun, a knife or alcohol of any sort. Don't bring your camera either - they WILL send you back to your car to leave camera. Don't bring in large chairs. But do bring tickets and blankets (if sitting in the lawn).

As for seating; if you have lawn tickets, you won't be sitting. Frankly, the idea of bringing in chairs is laughable. Yes, there will be space to place your chair, but the fans in front of you will be standing the entire time so if you sit in your chair, you won't see anything. And to be honest, the dancing and party-atmosphere is almost the point of lawn seats. Sure, its cheaper out here, but if you want a chair and an unobstructed view of the show, pay for a pavilion seat. In that situation, you'll also have a roof over your head.

My recommendation? Bring a blanket to lay down and map out "your territory" unless you like sitting close to strangers. But leave the chairs at home or in your car. Expect to stand or dance on your blanket.

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When it comes time to leave, don't be the first person out. You might get to your car first, but you'll also be treated to dodging and weaving between pedestrians who leave when the music stops. Believe me; you'll get out in the same amount of time if you just take a moment, breath and approach the parking lots with a level head. Don't rush.

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In a nutshell, my advice for attending concerts at the Nissan Pavilion is:

• Arrive early (at least 40-60 minutes ahead) and enjoy mingling in the parking lots (or a leisurely walk to the entrance gates).
• Park along the exit streets using my advice above. Wellington is best; Bayou is second best.
  
• Only bring the bare essentials to the entrance gates, but especially NOT a camera.
• Don't get in a rush leaving.
• Have fun, and don't stress out!
  

Tiger Direct Sale Fail

Tigerdirect.com sounds me tons of SPAM. That's what I get for ordering a computer case from them two years ago, I suppose. At least I can occasionally get a chuckle out of their ads, particularly when they screw up.

I suppose I should call in and demand the comparative price on this laptop, huh?

Yes, that's $299.99 before the "sale" of $449.00. Nice.