Patrick J. Pespas
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westofrome.bsky.social
Patrick J. Pespas
@westofrome.bsky.social
410 followers 1.2K following 810 posts
Alexandria, VA

Keeper of ALX Skeets. Please tag me if you’d like to be added
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westofrome.bsky.social
Recommend watching Jeff Goldblum play a devoted lobotomist in 2018's The Mountain to really, figuratively, blow your mind
Poster for the 2018 movie The Mountain starring Jeff Goldblum and Tyler Sheridan
December 3, 2025 at 9:13 PM
westofrome.bsky.social
And so, Broccoli Farmers, we’ve licensed a song for your ad

🎶Goin back to Cauli?
Don Draper doing a pitch
October 11, 2025 at 10:06 PM
westofrome.bsky.social
Alexandria Market Square with the sickest burns
A rally goer wearing a sign that says IKEA has better cabinets
June 14, 2025 at 6:59 PM
westofrome.bsky.social
Help me decide how to vote next Tuesday for VA Attorney General and Lieutenant Governor. Who are your picks?
Lt. Governor: Victor Salgado Babur Lateef Aaron Rouse Alex Bastani Ghazala Hashmi Attorney General: Shannon Taylor Jay Jones
June 11, 2025 at 1:41 PM
westofrome.bsky.social
The struggle to find three plausible adjectival nouns is real
"This year's race has really come down to two candidates. And only one of them has the experience, toughness, and the knowledge to lead New York through what's about to come. And that's Andrew Cuomo," Ramos told the crowd, comparing the scandal-scarred former governor whose resignation she once called for to the current second-place candidate and her colleague in the state legislature, Zohran Mamdani.
June 6, 2025 at 8:05 PM
westofrome.bsky.social
@ireneforva.bsky.social has a good pitch, but posting her announcement on X and not here is IMO a little discordant with her message.
Delegate Irene Shin, who represents the Herndon area in the 8th House District, joined the race today, pitching her newly launched campaign as a bid for generational change. “Either we elect people willing to fight like our democracy depends on it, or we resign ourselves to letting fascists win,” Shin said in her announcement. [X post embed of her campaign annoucement]
June 3, 2025 at 1:35 PM
westofrome.bsky.social
Signs of life at the former Zuki Moon
Coming soon: pak soii izakaya
May 7, 2025 at 12:12 AM
westofrome.bsky.social
St Elmo’s is delivering to Crooked Beat line standers tomorrow
Sign on the front door of crooked beat: Waiting in line? Want coffee? St Elmos opens at seven. St ELMOS will be delivering to people in line!
April 12, 2025 at 12:28 AM
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many but not all, my man
(HB1994) GOVERNOR'S VETO Pursuant to Article V, Section 6 of the Constitution of Virginia, I veto House Bill 1994, which mandates that establishments licensed to sell alcoholic beverages for on-premises consumption provide free potable water to customers upon request. Small businesses, particularly bars and restaurants, already operate under significant financial and regulatory pressures. This legislation imposes an additional mandate that increases costs for these businesses. Many establishments already provide free drinking water voluntarily, making this bill an example of government overreach that places an undue burden on business owners without clear justification. Accordingly, I veto this bill.
March 27, 2025 at 6:01 PM
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Of course our governor has vetoed Del. Bennett-Parker's Make the Birchmere Provide Water bill.

Looking forward to seeing this reintroduced next session with a new guv
HB1994 Alcoholic beverage control; requirements for restaurant retail licensees. Governor's VetoMore info Introduced by: Bennett-Parker SUMMARY AS PASSED: Alcoholic beverage control; requirements for restaurant retail licensees; provision of free potable water. Requires persons licensed to sell alcoholic beverages at retail for on-premises consumption to ensure that free potable water is available upon request to customers who have placed an order, with some exceptions specified in the bill. The bill provides that any person determined to have violated such provisions shall be subject to a (i) written warning for a first offense and (ii) civil penalty for any second or subsequent offense that occurs within three years of the first offense.
March 27, 2025 at 5:59 PM
westofrome.bsky.social
Del Ray lawns are subskeeting Chuck now
Lawn sign reading “the best lack all conviction while the worst are filled with passionate intensity”
March 14, 2025 at 1:06 PM
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Zebra has now taken down the post and *apologized* to the BIBA mods and folks, it will continue to get dumber
I NEED TO APOLOGIZE TO OUR READERS. Recently there have been a few posts on our page that suggest we lean politically one way or another. We DO NOT. I founded this paper in 2010 with the pledge to not get into politics or express our opinions about them. We have 12 Facebook Editors who all post different things at different times and sometimes personal passions get stirred up, though all know not to get involved in politics on our page. They can do what they want on their personal pages. I am not always online and I miss things sometimes. This morning two posts went up that provoked emotions on both sides of the aisle. Things were getting charged and it’s not our style to create that type of drama. I have deleted the recent posts that were biased and I am sorry to you all. Feel free to call us on it when we do things wrong. As many of you commented, “Zebra should stick to the good news,” and we will. I know these are tough times politically and we are in a cancel culture, but we try super hard to not go down those polarizing roads. Please accept my apology. The buck stops with me. And you have my word we will stay on course. We are only here because of your support for us these past 15 years We will continue to share only the good and important news in Alexandria. —Mary J. Wadland
March 3, 2025 at 12:49 PM
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Pork Barrel BBQ now has pinball courtesy of the upcoming Continues Arcade folks
A Foo Fighters pinball at Pork Barrel BBQ in Del Ray
February 15, 2025 at 5:32 PM
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Pretty sure it is
We've been coming to the Birchmere since we moved to Alexandria over 9 years ago. It's our favorite entertainment venue. In fact, the Mary Chapin Carpenter concert we saw several years ago was probably the best live show I've ever seen and I've been to a lot. That said, last night I had a service experience that really upset me. We were there for the Burt Bacharach/Hal David tribute. The show was great and the performers were fun, talented and energetic. We also ate dinner there which was fine. In the middle of the show, I had to slip over to the bar to get a small drink of water. I use a cane due to mobility issues from metastatic breast cancer that is also in my bones. I need to take a chemo pill at the same time every day. I asked for a small sip of water to take my pill - they don't 'give out' water - you have to buy a bottle. I told the very uninterested bartender that I just needed a sip for medication. He poured me a small glass. I also grabbed a glass of wine for my husband and quickly paid to get back to the show. It was then I realized he charged me $1 for literally 3 sips of water. It just took the wind out of my sails that a venue couldn't offer me a small sip of water for medication for free, after we'd already spent almost $175 on tickets and food. (I walked up myself because I also need to stretch my hips occasionally to avoid keep them from locking). Overall, I'm doing great on treatment and I'm not looking for pity. I was just really disappointed that I was charged for a small glass of water that clearly was for medication. Not me trying to 'game the system' for some free water.
February 7, 2025 at 10:13 PM
westofrome.bsky.social
Bonkers Yelp review on this subject
Great music and sound. Good food. Horrific experience with belligerent, aggressive manager, John Brinegar - My date and I ordered an alcoholic drink each and entrees, we both wanted a glass of water to wash down the food. Conversation with the waitress: Us: Can we get two glasses of water Waitress: We have bottles of water, sparkling or still Me: We don't need bottles, just tap water is fine. Waitress: We don't have any. OK, semantics and all, but I know they served decent food on clean dishes. The silverware was clean. They have a bathroom with running water. Of course they HAVE water. Me: You don't have a sink? Waitress: We have a hand-washing sink, we do not have any other sinks. Jon orders a bottle. I refuse on principle. The bottle of water arrives with a glass full of ice...I had been starting to think maybe they were cutting down on the number of glasses they need to provide/wash or something like that. This is obviously not the case. About an hour later, I get up to use the bathroom. As I pass the waitstaff's station, they of course have really large glasses of water. Up until that point I was gonna let it go, but that upset me. I also did not see a notice for a water fountain anywhere, which would have been a fine alternative. So, I asked to speak to the manager. We stepped outside of the doors that close off the musical area so as not to disturb other patrons. Now, I am thinking that was a bad idea. Manager: How can I help you? Me: Our waitress said you do not have water here. There seem to be large glasses of a substance that looks a lot like water at the serving stand. I am wondering if you can clarify this for me? Manager: We have water, but we do not serve it. Me: Why is that? At first pleasant, now less so Manager: Do you get "free" water when you go to an Orioles game? Me: I haven't been to an O's game in 15-20 years, so I am not sure. Manager: Or a National's game? Me: You can bring food and water into a Nat's game. Manager (getting louder): Well, at Verizon center, you can't get "FREE" water. Me: I have never asked at the Verizon center. But there are water fountains. And this is an actual sit-down restaurant. I would expect at a finer establishment that tap water would be an option. Manager: We used to provide tap water on all of the tables with cups. Patrons complained about the noise and mess, so the owner decided to stop doing that. Me: I completely understand that, but to not serve it? I do not see any notices listed saying that either. Manager: (now yelling) That's what the owner decided. Me: OK, I think I need to shout this out to social media. It's not on your website or menu for people to know. It's not cool. Manager gets up in my space, spittle flying, screaming: ARE YOU THREATENING ME?!?! Me: Not at all. I am advising you that I am going to talk about this later. There is no threat involved. Manager screaming more....getting up in my face....I walk away back into the facility where there are other people in case he starts being physically violent. Now, I know I can be a smart ass, but this reaction was ridiculous. Had he said "Hey, we needed to generate more income to keep operating" I would have understood and maybe even bought a bottle, And, had we not spent $50.00 (not including tax and tip) on food and a beverage, I could see being weird about water. I totally get music venues that do not sell food doing this kind of thing to warrant my butt in a seat. I also understand instilling some kind of minimum order requirement, again, the facility needs to make money too. But this entire thing was ridiculous and I doubt I'll be going there again. This is not illegal, according to the Health Department which has received in their words "countless" calls about the Birchmere's practice.
February 7, 2025 at 9:46 PM
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Beloved Jet's Pizza mascot Jet Man
December 30, 2024 at 3:27 PM
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NBC News: two things you must know to win the morning
NBC News: Trump rally overshadowed by ally's racist remarks and Quarter Pounder is back on the menu: Morning Rundown
October 28, 2024 at 1:51 PM
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When the Personal Life section takes a turn
Russillo is a 1993 graduate of Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School.[15] On August 23, 2017, Russillo was arrested in Wyoming for criminal entry, reportedly while nude and intoxicated.[16] He was suspended by ESPN.[17]
October 24, 2024 at 3:31 PM
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it's a small consolation but the look on Bouldan's face as Sununu grins and chuckles through 'everybody already knows trump likes hitler, and that's who I think people should vote for' is pretty spot on
CNN's Kate Bouldan with a "really, ok" look on her face interviewing Chris Sununu
October 23, 2024 at 5:56 PM
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Wild guess
The cover of the Vintage Contemporaries edition of Frederick Exley's A Fan's Notes
October 21, 2024 at 3:25 PM
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Door knocking in Columbia, PA. This is the meet up point our captain alternately called:

The Watch Association
The Clock Museum
The Association of Clock and Watch Museums
A picture of the national watch and clock Museum
October 19, 2024 at 6:21 PM
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Adam Johnson tweet from 5/31/21: Brett Gardner’s been batting like .098 for three years but the Yankees can’t fire him because he looks like a Staten Island cop (30% of their fan base)
October 1, 2024 at 5:41 AM
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Famous town hall debate participant Ken Bone
September 24, 2024 at 2:12 AM
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September 23, 2024 at 12:50 AM
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The Times interviewed some Georgia voters and boy would I like to see the crosstabs on this demo
But as much as she has avoided talking politics with her neighbors, she said, she is not shy about her aversion to the former president. “I have deep, deep concerns about him being president again,” said Ms. Scigliano, a therapist specializing in narcissistic abuse.
September 22, 2024 at 8:38 PM