R. Kirk McPike

Loaf of hearth-style French bread.

Loaf of bread cut open displaying the crumb.

Excellent crumb. Crunchy crust, soft interior.

This time I got the hydration right from the start, and substituted 25% whole wheat flour. Came out perfectly.

Were the blueberries in a scone?

Members of the VRE Operations Board and VRE staff “break ground” at Alexandria Union Station on a sunny day.

A red haired woman speaks at a lecture. Her shoes are clearly pictured.

On Wednesday I was honored to welcome everyone to Alexandria in support of the transformative rail projects kicking off at Alexandria’s Union Station

A fourth track, improved station conditions and access, and new bridges at King & Commonwealth. More frequent and reliable service 😁 🚊 !

Councilman Canek Aguirre joins the groundbreaking for the Samuel Madden Redevelopment project

The Samuel Madden Redevelopment is going to be a transformational housing site once completed. Building quality housing opportunities is not easy, thank you to all those involved in making this groundbreaking possible!

#AlexandriaVA #Housing

Statement by the Alexandria City Council Regarding Voluntary Cooperation with ICE (1 of 3): “Alexandria has always been and will continue to be a diverse, inclusive, and welcoming community. We are made stronger by the many immigrants and immigrant communities that reside, work, go to school and socialize in Alexandria. While this Council remains committed to insuring the public safety of our residents and to Alexandria as the safe place to live, work and play that it is today, supporting and safeguarding our immigrant communities while maintaining public safety are not mutually exclusive goals. The City remains firmly committed to upholding the Constitution and the rule of law while ensuring that all residents, including members of our immigrant communities, are protected and treated with fairness and dignity. “Given the current federal administration’s view towards immigration enforcement and the tactics of fear, intimidation and lack of due process employed currently by ICE, the City Council finds it necessary to affirm that we do not support any voluntary participation by the Sheriff’s office in ICE immigration procedures.

Statement by the Alexandria City Council Regarding Voluntary Cooperation with ICE (2 of 3): “While we acknowledge our Sheriff’s department is not participating in other active enforcement options available to them, we call upon the Sheriff to cease his transfer of persons in his custody in response to ICE administrative detainers and warrants. We ask that he join the Sheriffs in Arlington and Fairfax who only complete transfers in compliance with judicial warrants. “As a Council, each of us has shared individually and collectively that we disagree with the Sheriff’s current practice. We recognize that the Sheriff’s Office is an independently elected constitutional office possessing the discretion to determine whether to honor such administrative warrants. We also recognize as well that this program has been in place under previous Democratic and Republican Presidential administrations and prior Sheriffs. We do not allege that the Sheriff’s practice is unconstitutional though we note it is voluntary.

Statement by the Alexandria City Council Regarding Voluntary Cooperation with ICE (3 of 3): “Given the ICE tactics we have observed already here in Alexandria and around the country, we ask him to reconsider his current practice and cease any transfer of inmates pursuant to ICE administrative warrants and detainers. “In the meantime, as a Council, we will continue to stand in solidarity with our immigrant neighbors and explore policies to protect the safety of all in our community.”

At last night's City Council Meeting, Mayor @alyia4alx.com read this statement from the Council regarding our collective position regarding the Sheriff's Department and interactions with ICE.

Even before you try to unwind the Dillon Rule challenges here, I'm pretty sure this would be un-Constitutional under Court interpretations of the Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution.

Of course, if one could more easily subdivide lots, it'd be easier to sell them to different owners…

Instead of digging our own grave further with more sprawl-fueling roadway expansion, we should be doubling down on what works

Build in the urban core/inner ‘burbs, and fund the transit that makes this possible

You can comment on that plan here:

www.mwcog.org/visualize205...

Don't Buy Starbucks! At any location, today and beyond, while workers are on ULP strike!

As of this morning, Starbucks workers across the country are officially ON STRIKE. And we're prepared for this to become the biggest and longest ULP strike in Starbucks history.

Say #NoContractNoCoffee with us: DON'T BUY STARBUCKS for the duration of our open-ended ULP strike! $SBUX

Today, the lawsuit against the City's Zoning for Housing policies was dismissed by the courts. This is a great victory for those who need more affordable and better housing in Alexandria, and the many Alexandrians who advocated for these policies — which are a start, not an end, to our efforts.

Yesssssssss!!!

Spending Bill Would Pave Way for Senators to Sue Over Phone Searches

Republicans refused to fund tax credits to prevent Americans' health care costs, but they snuck in a provision that will give Republican Senators millions of dollars in taxpayer money.

They won't help you, but they'll take your money for themselves. This stinks to high heaven.

Alexandrians gather for a Veterans' Day commemoration.

The program for the Veterans Day Ceremony in Alexandria.

Today across Alexandria, and America, we stopped to remember the valor and sacrifices of America's veterans. Thank you to everyone who has served our nation in uniform!

Spatchcocking is great, but I like a traditionally-roasted chicken, as well. I once forgot to take out the plastic bag with the optional its. It didn't melt or anything, but everything it was grossed and sorta... steamed... when I took the bird out of the oven.

My optometrist would argue the typos in this post are more evidence that I need bifocals.

A bread round and bread loaf (sliced in half).

Baking fun today: bread made with a pouliche preferment. I acc dentally added too little flour before starting the bulk fermentation, and tried to incorporate it as I folded the dough. This I got a limited rise and it’s a bit dense — but still very tasty!

You just reboot the series again. This “oh no what do we do he died in the last one” thing is absurd. There have already been two Bond continuities. Start a third. No one will mind. Do something different and cool, like set the next group of movies back during the Cold War.

The deal cut by the Senate last night is unacceptable.

The raspberry flavor in the one on the right is complemented by … raspberry flavor?

"Pluribus" is remarkable. Whoever does content acquisition for Apple TV is the best in the business. I can't wait to see where this show goes.

There should be a ChiliGPT to answer such questions.

Law firms, like people, contain multitudes.

I'm sorry you had to deal with that. Kidney beans can be very unpleasant if they're not fully rinsed — and when cooked in acidic liquid, they'll never get soft even if you cook them enough to be safe.

There's no bike lane at this stretch. It's actually a very fraught stretch of Seminary Road. Very fast car traffic along it.

Adding it to the list!

I love biking around Alexandria in autumn. Perfect weather and beautiful leaves.

Housing affordability is *the* affordability issue that drives all others. If people don’t feel secure in their ability to keep a roof over their family’s heads, progress in other areas doesn’t provide a sense of stability.

The Democrats Have a New Winning Formula The affordability theory of everything

A focus on affordability, with policy responses specific to each campaign, powered the Democratic wins in New Jersey, Virginia and New York.

"Each candidate answered the affordability prompt with a tailored message fit to electorate. Affordability is a big tent."

substack.com/home/post/p-...

As Speaker she pushed through the ACA to expand health care to millions of Americans, Dodd-Frank to regulate banks, and bills to rescue the economy from the Great Recession and the pandemic. She oversaw two impeachments of Donald Trump.

‪Nancy Pelosi’s first speech on the floor of the Hoise was a clarion call for action on the HIV/AIDS epidemic. She voted against the disastrous Iraq War in 2002. She was a founding member of the Progressive Caucus.‬

Jason Kaufman and Kirk McPike with Nancy Pelosi. She said she liked my tie!

Nancy Pelosi was one of the greatest Speakers and Congressional party caucus leaders in our nation’s history. No one was better at counting and whipping votes to pass legislation in support of the American people. Thank you for your service, @nancypelosi69.bsky.social!