i was just in the parking garage of my building with a coworker (heading to lunch at jettie's - yes!) and he was pointing out all of the big wig's cars from my office. when we got to one little porsche he told me to look at the license plate. so, naturally i did. it was a dc plate with just a number 17 with a box around it. what does this mean? well, let me explain it to you.
apparently there are about 100 numbered plates out there that are awarded to special vips. the lower the number is the more important the person is. in the case of this guy - his mom was the first african american on the dc council. he's apparently like a 10th generation washingtonian.
and this special plate allows you to park wherever you want without getting ticketed and/or towed. this would definitely come in handy if he wanted to go out in adams morgan - although he is married with kids. plus, with his super nice porsche i doubt he really does anything but valet his car.
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
better start saving your pennies
starbucks announced this morning that starting tomorrow the prices of their frou frou drinks (i.e. mochas, frappucinos, etc.) are going to go up by nine cents. good thing i drink my coffee black!
update: apparently the press release was wrong because this morning my grande coffee was $2.04 (as opposed to the usual $1.93). bummer.
update: apparently the press release was wrong because this morning my grande coffee was $2.04 (as opposed to the usual $1.93). bummer.
Monday, July 30, 2007
new lunch spot
by the end of the year we should have another fun, fresh option for lunch downtown. it's a chain called fresh city and right now they have locations scattered around the northeast, but soon they'll have a presence in the mid-atlantic. they have a bunch of wrap options (and they sound delicious just like zazus!) - with salads, sandwiches and soups rounding out the menu. and the best part is they have smoothies! i'm totally sold!
no word yet on where the new "restaurants" will open up - but i'm hoping one opens near chinatown!
no word yet on where the new "restaurants" will open up - but i'm hoping one opens near chinatown!
how to start your day with a smile
i just received this in an email from my parents:
1. Open a new file in your computer.
2. Name it "George W. Bush"
3. Send it to the trash.
4. Empty the trash.
5. Your PC will ask you, "Do you really want to get rid of "George W. Bush?"
6. Firmly Click "Yes."
7. Feel better?
8. Next week we'll do Dick Cheney...
note: this is meant to be funny, but i apologize if anyone takes offense to it.
1. Open a new file in your computer.
2. Name it "George W. Bush"
3. Send it to the trash.
4. Empty the trash.
5. Your PC will ask you, "Do you really want to get rid of "George W. Bush?"
6. Firmly Click "Yes."
7. Feel better?
8. Next week we'll do Dick Cheney...
note: this is meant to be funny, but i apologize if anyone takes offense to it.
Sunday, July 29, 2007
the weekend of jorts
it's amazing how quick you outgrow mcfadden's - but i somehow managed to make an appearance there friday night. all these years i wish i had known how fun it was to sit on stools upstairs and watch everyone downstairs make a fool of themselves. (and yes, i realize that i have been the fool on many occasions).
and the people watching on friday night was excellent! first there were the woodbridge boys (one of which was wearing jorts - ugh). and they were trying their hardest to mack on every single girl at the bar. and they were pretty unsuccessful - those boys needed some major help. and then there was the curly haired girl who kept trying to dance, but failed miserably every single time. poor girl. and then there was the staff guy who broke it down on the dance floor - hott. and then that same guy came upstairs and asked if we needed another beer. so, thank you mcfadden's staff guy for entertaining us and giving us free beers.
not wanting outstay our welcome we hopped in a cab (w/ a crazy cab driver as usual) and frolicked over to fly. i'm so glad i finally made it over there - it was as great as i thought it would be. it was especially great bypassing the crowd (not so much a line as a mob) and going right in. and running into random coworkers who bought us drinks was also a plus. and the dj was great. he was playing lots of fun old school stuff and managed to not play whole songs without having it sound like he had music add. and if you were wondering - there were absolutely no jorts at fly!
saturday night was another wolftrap night! this time it was the temptations and the four tops (everyone knows who they are, right?). the night started off great - we stopped for some sandwiches at cenan's and got some frosties on the way into vienna. it was hot out, but it looked like the rain was going to hold off. we even remembered to bring a deck of cards and squeezed in a quick game of bs. everything seemed to be going so well. and then it all went downhill.
the four tops came on stage (in matching white silk suits, of course) and started rattling through the hits. man it would have been fun to be alive during the 60s! so of course we were up dancing around and apparently everyone behind us wasn't so thrilled that we were standing up because they started pelting us with ice cubes. honestly. at least they were throwing down towards our feet - i mean that really could have hurt.
well we were not about to let some old jerks behind us force us to sit down so we stayed up. i mean it's a concert people - if you wanted to sit down the whole time you should have gotten orchestra seats. but, apparently they were really pissed at us because no fewer than six different people (all women) came down to tell us to sit down. pretty much all of them were rude to us and one lady was just inappropriately mean and starting cursing and screaming at us. i just sat down not to start any fights and it pretty much ruined the rest of the night for me.
although, brigid was not about to go down without a fight. so after the volunteer usher sitting in front of our section told her that we were in fact allowed to stand up the reality was that these people were going to keep yelling at us. so, she went out and found some park rangers. and she came back to our section with about six officers. but, tragically it was dark and she couldn't id any of the ladies (because they told her they would have them thrown out for what they did to us).
it's really amazing what a few park rangers standing watch will do. we didn't have any more problems with the old bunch for the rest of the show. however, the temptations also kept telling everyone to stand up and dance so it might have been that too. whatever it was i was glad to be able to get up and enjoy my girl!
oooooh - i almost forgot about the jorts! there were these two guys who must have walked past where we were sitting 15 times (i'm not even exaggerating either). i'm pretty sure they were woodbridge's cousins - at least their outfits made it seem like they were related. they were rocking some hardcore jorts and looked real county. not that there was a distinct "crowd" at the concert, but they definitely seemed out of place.
it was like a quasi-nissan pavilion exit after the show. it took us nearly an hour to get down the hill and out of the parking lot. we pretty much listened to the entire clarks best hits cd on the way home. pathetic. but, luckily we were only ten minutes away (even with the detour) once we got moving.
and today has been the quintessential lazy sunday. i managed a few hours of pool time earlier when it wasn't thunderstorming. and then i finally finished watching the world series of pop culture - how bad was this season?! i pretty much hated every single team. the only saving grace was pat kiernan. i love him. and right now i have some cookie dough chilling in the fridge and in a few i'm going to go back some salted oatmeal cookies. our house is about to smell really delicious!
and the people watching on friday night was excellent! first there were the woodbridge boys (one of which was wearing jorts - ugh). and they were trying their hardest to mack on every single girl at the bar. and they were pretty unsuccessful - those boys needed some major help. and then there was the curly haired girl who kept trying to dance, but failed miserably every single time. poor girl. and then there was the staff guy who broke it down on the dance floor - hott. and then that same guy came upstairs and asked if we needed another beer. so, thank you mcfadden's staff guy for entertaining us and giving us free beers.
not wanting outstay our welcome we hopped in a cab (w/ a crazy cab driver as usual) and frolicked over to fly. i'm so glad i finally made it over there - it was as great as i thought it would be. it was especially great bypassing the crowd (not so much a line as a mob) and going right in. and running into random coworkers who bought us drinks was also a plus. and the dj was great. he was playing lots of fun old school stuff and managed to not play whole songs without having it sound like he had music add. and if you were wondering - there were absolutely no jorts at fly!
saturday night was another wolftrap night! this time it was the temptations and the four tops (everyone knows who they are, right?). the night started off great - we stopped for some sandwiches at cenan's and got some frosties on the way into vienna. it was hot out, but it looked like the rain was going to hold off. we even remembered to bring a deck of cards and squeezed in a quick game of bs. everything seemed to be going so well. and then it all went downhill.
the four tops came on stage (in matching white silk suits, of course) and started rattling through the hits. man it would have been fun to be alive during the 60s! so of course we were up dancing around and apparently everyone behind us wasn't so thrilled that we were standing up because they started pelting us with ice cubes. honestly. at least they were throwing down towards our feet - i mean that really could have hurt.
well we were not about to let some old jerks behind us force us to sit down so we stayed up. i mean it's a concert people - if you wanted to sit down the whole time you should have gotten orchestra seats. but, apparently they were really pissed at us because no fewer than six different people (all women) came down to tell us to sit down. pretty much all of them were rude to us and one lady was just inappropriately mean and starting cursing and screaming at us. i just sat down not to start any fights and it pretty much ruined the rest of the night for me.
although, brigid was not about to go down without a fight. so after the volunteer usher sitting in front of our section told her that we were in fact allowed to stand up the reality was that these people were going to keep yelling at us. so, she went out and found some park rangers. and she came back to our section with about six officers. but, tragically it was dark and she couldn't id any of the ladies (because they told her they would have them thrown out for what they did to us).
it's really amazing what a few park rangers standing watch will do. we didn't have any more problems with the old bunch for the rest of the show. however, the temptations also kept telling everyone to stand up and dance so it might have been that too. whatever it was i was glad to be able to get up and enjoy my girl!
oooooh - i almost forgot about the jorts! there were these two guys who must have walked past where we were sitting 15 times (i'm not even exaggerating either). i'm pretty sure they were woodbridge's cousins - at least their outfits made it seem like they were related. they were rocking some hardcore jorts and looked real county. not that there was a distinct "crowd" at the concert, but they definitely seemed out of place.
it was like a quasi-nissan pavilion exit after the show. it took us nearly an hour to get down the hill and out of the parking lot. we pretty much listened to the entire clarks best hits cd on the way home. pathetic. but, luckily we were only ten minutes away (even with the detour) once we got moving.
and today has been the quintessential lazy sunday. i managed a few hours of pool time earlier when it wasn't thunderstorming. and then i finally finished watching the world series of pop culture - how bad was this season?! i pretty much hated every single team. the only saving grace was pat kiernan. i love him. and right now i have some cookie dough chilling in the fridge and in a few i'm going to go back some salted oatmeal cookies. our house is about to smell really delicious!
Friday, July 27, 2007
the sweet and not so sweet
after i make some more of my famous oreo cupcakes this afternoon i will move onto this delicious concoction - and ice cream sandwich made with chocolate covered graham crackers and dulce de leche ice cream. chocolate and caramel - the best combination ever!
also in my earlier post about proof i forgot one of the most important parts of last night - the champagne trolley! that's right - they have a little cart they bring around to all the tables w/ lots of different types of champagne. we decided to hold off last night (it was only a thursday), but next time we make it over there we'll make sure to give it a try!
r.i.p. skip.
proof!
it was time for july's dinner and after a long look at our list we settled on the new wine-centric spot in chinatown - proof. but, before we made our way over there we grabbed a few pre-dinner drinks at poste. who knew they had a sweet little happy hour deal there? $4 glasses of their house wine (red and white) and $4 for their truffled frites (aka french fries). so we boozed it up a little and then walked around the block (past indebleu, of course) to proof.
immediately upon walking into the restaurant we realized they were all about their wine. in the "lobby" there's a quote from ben franklin, "wine is proof that god loves us." and everywhere you look there are wine bottles stacked high to the ceiling. i checked in w/ the hostess and she said it would just be a minute (which was fine since we were a tad early for our reservation). so we stepped back to take in the scene. the bar was overflowing with people (a older, very euro crowd) and we immediately noticed the screens above the bar shuffling through pictures. oh wait, they were portraits. like, from the portrait gallery. haha.
the hostess showed us to our table (right in front of a giant window - perfect for people watching!) and apologized for the wait. really? she sat us less than five minutes after we arrived and we still sat down earlier than our reservation. man, we were off to a great start! she said she'd grab us a wine list and in the mean time we scoured the menu. while we were deciding on our meals they brought out some crackers w/ some sort of hummus spread to get us started. and then someone filled our weirdly shaped glasses with water (tap water, thank you very much).
impressively we picked out our food choices pretty quickly. we decided on two appetizers for the table - gnocchi and meatballs. and we each managed to pick a different entree from the somewhat limited (in a good way) menu - pork for me (obviously) and then salmon, halibut and sablefish for the others.
and obviously we ordered a bottle of wine as well. i really do like wine a lot, but i haven't yet reached the level of a wine connoisseur. i honestly can't really tell the difference between a good pinot grigio or a great one. so my thinking is, why bother spending hundreds of dollars on a bottle when you can be fully satisfied with one for $40? so, that's what we did. and then when the sommelier came out to pour it for us he so kindly told us (fibbing, of course) that the wine we picked was one of our favorites. it's really the little things...
so we got to drinking our wine in our ginormous wine glasses and eagerly anticipating the arrival of our food. and then our appetizers finally arrived! there were three meatballs served on a long plate with two raviolis as well. all smothered in a very flavorful red sauce (the sauce was good, right sus?). and the basil - mmmmmmm:) the gnocchi were so tender and served in a garicy butter sauce with fresh corn and mushrooms. the first course was definitely a success!
after we polished off the first course we settled back with our wine to wait for our main courses to arrive. and soon enough they arrived - looking delicious! like all the reviews said, the portions were definitely on the smaller side (at least compared to the normal servings you see in the obese society we live in). but, the portions ended up being the perfect size. and you could tell we liked everything since our plates were completely clear when they came to take them away (save for the vegetables on my plate and the pile of sauce on susie's).
we had already decided early in the night (actually i'm pretty sure we decided this all the way back at happy hour) that we were ordering dessert. and especially after susie's bold declaration that "no desserts are ever bad," there was no turning back. so when our waiter came by and asked us if we wanted to see a dessert menu i responded, "absolutely," and he said, "that's what i thought," as he walked away. did he read us well, or what??
a quick scan of the dessert menu (with about as many options as the entree menu) led us to choose two treats - the warm chocolate cake w/ fresh cherries and the toffee cake. both came out with a small scoop of ice cream (on top of a mysterious cookie) and both were absolutely delicious! also, i noticed that they served french press coffee - delish!
when the bill came and it only worked out to $45 a person (a deal, i know!) we began inspecting the bill and noticed that the waiter hadn't put our bottle of wine on the bill. we seriously considered whether or not we should tell him, but in the end i decided that it would be slightly awkward for him if he had meant to leave it off. in the end we were just looking out for him.
and if you know me you know that i was the first to go check out the bathrooms. that's probably my favorite part of checking out new places in the city. wow - so glad i did. these bathrooms are great! the walls are bright pink and have drawings of legs in lingerie w/ random bras painted in as well (no, it's not trashy like it sounds). and there's a bright pink heart mirror over the sinks (that are a bit difficult to figure out since the water spout is hidden) and even the toilet seats are pink. although we all confirmed that the toilets reminded us of airplane toilets (but not really in a bad way).
we left the restaurant satisfied, but not full and frolicked over to the metro. while waiting for our train we managed to pull together a list of all the restaurants we've eaten in over the past few months. man have we gotten around! eventually i'll type up the list and show you what you've missed out on.
and next up on the list is oya. judging from all the delicious, inventive drinks i've had there i can't wait to taste their food! mmmm sushi:)
immediately upon walking into the restaurant we realized they were all about their wine. in the "lobby" there's a quote from ben franklin, "wine is proof that god loves us." and everywhere you look there are wine bottles stacked high to the ceiling. i checked in w/ the hostess and she said it would just be a minute (which was fine since we were a tad early for our reservation). so we stepped back to take in the scene. the bar was overflowing with people (a older, very euro crowd) and we immediately noticed the screens above the bar shuffling through pictures. oh wait, they were portraits. like, from the portrait gallery. haha.
the hostess showed us to our table (right in front of a giant window - perfect for people watching!) and apologized for the wait. really? she sat us less than five minutes after we arrived and we still sat down earlier than our reservation. man, we were off to a great start! she said she'd grab us a wine list and in the mean time we scoured the menu. while we were deciding on our meals they brought out some crackers w/ some sort of hummus spread to get us started. and then someone filled our weirdly shaped glasses with water (tap water, thank you very much).
impressively we picked out our food choices pretty quickly. we decided on two appetizers for the table - gnocchi and meatballs. and we each managed to pick a different entree from the somewhat limited (in a good way) menu - pork for me (obviously) and then salmon, halibut and sablefish for the others.
and obviously we ordered a bottle of wine as well. i really do like wine a lot, but i haven't yet reached the level of a wine connoisseur. i honestly can't really tell the difference between a good pinot grigio or a great one. so my thinking is, why bother spending hundreds of dollars on a bottle when you can be fully satisfied with one for $40? so, that's what we did. and then when the sommelier came out to pour it for us he so kindly told us (fibbing, of course) that the wine we picked was one of our favorites. it's really the little things...
so we got to drinking our wine in our ginormous wine glasses and eagerly anticipating the arrival of our food. and then our appetizers finally arrived! there were three meatballs served on a long plate with two raviolis as well. all smothered in a very flavorful red sauce (the sauce was good, right sus?). and the basil - mmmmmmm:) the gnocchi were so tender and served in a garicy butter sauce with fresh corn and mushrooms. the first course was definitely a success!
after we polished off the first course we settled back with our wine to wait for our main courses to arrive. and soon enough they arrived - looking delicious! like all the reviews said, the portions were definitely on the smaller side (at least compared to the normal servings you see in the obese society we live in). but, the portions ended up being the perfect size. and you could tell we liked everything since our plates were completely clear when they came to take them away (save for the vegetables on my plate and the pile of sauce on susie's).
we had already decided early in the night (actually i'm pretty sure we decided this all the way back at happy hour) that we were ordering dessert. and especially after susie's bold declaration that "no desserts are ever bad," there was no turning back. so when our waiter came by and asked us if we wanted to see a dessert menu i responded, "absolutely," and he said, "that's what i thought," as he walked away. did he read us well, or what??
a quick scan of the dessert menu (with about as many options as the entree menu) led us to choose two treats - the warm chocolate cake w/ fresh cherries and the toffee cake. both came out with a small scoop of ice cream (on top of a mysterious cookie) and both were absolutely delicious! also, i noticed that they served french press coffee - delish!
when the bill came and it only worked out to $45 a person (a deal, i know!) we began inspecting the bill and noticed that the waiter hadn't put our bottle of wine on the bill. we seriously considered whether or not we should tell him, but in the end i decided that it would be slightly awkward for him if he had meant to leave it off. in the end we were just looking out for him.
and if you know me you know that i was the first to go check out the bathrooms. that's probably my favorite part of checking out new places in the city. wow - so glad i did. these bathrooms are great! the walls are bright pink and have drawings of legs in lingerie w/ random bras painted in as well (no, it's not trashy like it sounds). and there's a bright pink heart mirror over the sinks (that are a bit difficult to figure out since the water spout is hidden) and even the toilet seats are pink. although we all confirmed that the toilets reminded us of airplane toilets (but not really in a bad way).
we left the restaurant satisfied, but not full and frolicked over to the metro. while waiting for our train we managed to pull together a list of all the restaurants we've eaten in over the past few months. man have we gotten around! eventually i'll type up the list and show you what you've missed out on.
and next up on the list is oya. judging from all the delicious, inventive drinks i've had there i can't wait to taste their food! mmmm sushi:)
Thursday, July 26, 2007
if i ran the metro
here are just a few things i would change about our great transportation system:
1. metro center escalator.
i would have an escalator on the bottom level orange/blue platform that went directly up to the street level. i absolutely hate having to push through all the red-liners to get up and down to my platform during rush hour.
2. allow coffee.
i understand the reasoning behind not allowing food (and i agree with it, mostly), but i really could use to have some coffee in the morning on my ride to work. especially in the winter when it's so bitterly cold waiting for the train to come.
3. announcements.
you know that woman who seems to make all of the announcements? you know, the "see it, say it" and "is that your bag" announcements? her voice is soooooo annoying. and don't even get me started on the train operators. ugh. if only they could all be trained like the best announcer ever (who i haven't heard in months - he must have switched schedules or left metro - tragic).
4. eight car trains.
i know this is a money issue, but i would outfit every line with only eight car trains (and then train the operators how to drive them - nothing like a jerky ride home). seriously, eight car trains could solve a lot of the area's problems.
5. add some lights.
since you inevitably have to wait for your train to come it'd be nice if the stations were a little brighter so i don't get a headache from squinting when i'm reading my magazines, the day's wapo chats or my latest book.
oooh and the other day i discovered this site! if you have internet access on your phone you can get live up to the minute metro information. so if you're sitting at a bar and want to get the most of your drinking before you leave, now you can!
1. metro center escalator.
i would have an escalator on the bottom level orange/blue platform that went directly up to the street level. i absolutely hate having to push through all the red-liners to get up and down to my platform during rush hour.
2. allow coffee.
i understand the reasoning behind not allowing food (and i agree with it, mostly), but i really could use to have some coffee in the morning on my ride to work. especially in the winter when it's so bitterly cold waiting for the train to come.
3. announcements.
you know that woman who seems to make all of the announcements? you know, the "see it, say it" and "is that your bag" announcements? her voice is soooooo annoying. and don't even get me started on the train operators. ugh. if only they could all be trained like the best announcer ever (who i haven't heard in months - he must have switched schedules or left metro - tragic).
4. eight car trains.
i know this is a money issue, but i would outfit every line with only eight car trains (and then train the operators how to drive them - nothing like a jerky ride home). seriously, eight car trains could solve a lot of the area's problems.
5. add some lights.
since you inevitably have to wait for your train to come it'd be nice if the stations were a little brighter so i don't get a headache from squinting when i'm reading my magazines, the day's wapo chats or my latest book.
oooh and the other day i discovered this site! if you have internet access on your phone you can get live up to the minute metro information. so if you're sitting at a bar and want to get the most of your drinking before you leave, now you can!
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
reasons why i'm looking forward to the fall
true it's still only july (almost august!), but you know how much i love planning ahead!
1. pumpkin ale.
my favorite is at sweetwater (where they coat the rim of the glass w/ a brown sugarish concoction). but, the dogfish head punkin ale is pretty good too! and hopefully by the fall the brewpub in falls church will finally be open.
2. football.
with the skins preseason kicking off on august 11th (my birthday, hooray!) and the hoos first game on september 1st we don't even have to wait until the fall! but, i'm pretty pumped for the tradition of sunday lounging to begin!
3. the return to charlottesville.
the fall always means lots of weekend trips down to charlottesville! and with a new law school friend down there this fall (wink wink) we'll have even more to celebrate down there. i'm drooling over the prospect of arch's, michael's bistro, the dumpling place and the flat. mmmmm:)
4. apple picking.
and along with it the cider donuts! and all the baking i can possbily manage to fit in (apple cake, apple pie, apple crisp) - ooooh our house is going to smell delicious:)
5. the office move.
come december (fingers crossed!) we will be all moved into our new space over in chinatown. seeing as our current space is a dump, i'm pretty pumped for the move. plus we're going to have a rooftop terrace and a 9th floor exclusive balcony. and we'll be right across the street from oya and a block from matchbox!
and mark your calendars - october 6th - housewarming party part deux. it is guaranteed to be a good time. and i promise the keg will work this time.
1. pumpkin ale.
my favorite is at sweetwater (where they coat the rim of the glass w/ a brown sugarish concoction). but, the dogfish head punkin ale is pretty good too! and hopefully by the fall the brewpub in falls church will finally be open.
2. football.
with the skins preseason kicking off on august 11th (my birthday, hooray!) and the hoos first game on september 1st we don't even have to wait until the fall! but, i'm pretty pumped for the tradition of sunday lounging to begin!
3. the return to charlottesville.
the fall always means lots of weekend trips down to charlottesville! and with a new law school friend down there this fall (wink wink) we'll have even more to celebrate down there. i'm drooling over the prospect of arch's, michael's bistro, the dumpling place and the flat. mmmmm:)
4. apple picking.
and along with it the cider donuts! and all the baking i can possbily manage to fit in (apple cake, apple pie, apple crisp) - ooooh our house is going to smell delicious:)
5. the office move.
come december (fingers crossed!) we will be all moved into our new space over in chinatown. seeing as our current space is a dump, i'm pretty pumped for the move. plus we're going to have a rooftop terrace and a 9th floor exclusive balcony. and we'll be right across the street from oya and a block from matchbox!
and mark your calendars - october 6th - housewarming party part deux. it is guaranteed to be a good time. and i promise the keg will work this time.
Monday, July 23, 2007
the beach
the good:
- a jeep drove by me and it's new york license plates said (front): assman and (rear): cameltoe. needless to say i laughed a lot. in fact i was laughing so hard i didn't think to snap a picture. dagger.
- i managed to read three and a half books while i was down south. i barrelled through a thousand splendid suns (it was just as great as the kite runner!). next i read the next in the shopaholic series - shopaholic and baby. then i read through one i picked up at the dc library (oh yeah!) last week - mergers & acquisitions. this one was all about the rich preppy life of new york bankers. wow. and right now i'm about half way through the red tent. i wish my plane ride home had been longer than 50 minutes - i couldn't put this one down!
- the abundance of pirates and pirate themed stuff. i restrained myself and only bought one pirate souvenir - but it's a classic. it's hanging on my bedroom door if you want to see it.
- the weather! the beach was sandy, the water was warm (too warm, actually) and the sun was shining every day!
the bad:
- the southern accents. i could barely understand some people. it's like a different country down there.
- i finally got to try the new miller chill. it's not that good. it's advertised as being brewed with salt and lime - but it just tasted like a sweeter miller lite to me. not really a disappointment though since i wasn't expecting much from miller lite.
- emily's fiance is a cowboys fan - how tragic is that?!?
the ugly:
- i got dragged to the dixie stampede w/ emily's extended family. it wasn't as bad as i thought it was going to be - IT WAS WORSE! the fact that it's owned and run by dolly parton should have been a dead give away of what i should have expected. they bombard you right when you walk in and make you take a group picture (that they shove in your face to buy later on at the show) and the craziness doesn't ever stop. first there was a pre-show, which consisted of a lame entertainer trying his hardest to make everyone laugh and clap. lucky for him the audience was way into it. and then there was the show - it's based on animals. and it's while you're eating (without silverware, mind you) which is so gross. luckily emily had been before so she knew the only way to survive was to brown bag it (of course they don't serve alcohol there).
- a jeep drove by me and it's new york license plates said (front): assman and (rear): cameltoe. needless to say i laughed a lot. in fact i was laughing so hard i didn't think to snap a picture. dagger.
- i managed to read three and a half books while i was down south. i barrelled through a thousand splendid suns (it was just as great as the kite runner!). next i read the next in the shopaholic series - shopaholic and baby. then i read through one i picked up at the dc library (oh yeah!) last week - mergers & acquisitions. this one was all about the rich preppy life of new york bankers. wow. and right now i'm about half way through the red tent. i wish my plane ride home had been longer than 50 minutes - i couldn't put this one down!
- the abundance of pirates and pirate themed stuff. i restrained myself and only bought one pirate souvenir - but it's a classic. it's hanging on my bedroom door if you want to see it.
- the weather! the beach was sandy, the water was warm (too warm, actually) and the sun was shining every day!
the bad:
- the southern accents. i could barely understand some people. it's like a different country down there.
- i finally got to try the new miller chill. it's not that good. it's advertised as being brewed with salt and lime - but it just tasted like a sweeter miller lite to me. not really a disappointment though since i wasn't expecting much from miller lite.
- emily's fiance is a cowboys fan - how tragic is that?!?
the ugly:
- i got dragged to the dixie stampede w/ emily's extended family. it wasn't as bad as i thought it was going to be - IT WAS WORSE! the fact that it's owned and run by dolly parton should have been a dead give away of what i should have expected. they bombard you right when you walk in and make you take a group picture (that they shove in your face to buy later on at the show) and the craziness doesn't ever stop. first there was a pre-show, which consisted of a lame entertainer trying his hardest to make everyone laugh and clap. lucky for him the audience was way into it. and then there was the show - it's based on animals. and it's while you're eating (without silverware, mind you) which is so gross. luckily emily had been before so she knew the only way to survive was to brown bag it (of course they don't serve alcohol there).
and i'm back!
but, man am i missing the beach! although i'm not really missing the south. and with weather like this (read: not humid!) i really can't complain. since i have about 800 emails to sift through i'll get to a beach recap later, but in the meantime here are some funny (somewhat out of date) links to get your monday morning started:
- glad to know nothing bad happened while i was gone.
- this guy is my idol!
- for all those harry potter freaks out there.
- and i'll leave you on a more serious/somber note.
- glad to know nothing bad happened while i was gone.
- this guy is my idol!
- for all those harry potter freaks out there.
- and i'll leave you on a more serious/somber note.
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
elevators = awkward
celebrity gossip, straight from the source (aka the elevator in ashley's apartment building):
so my roommate was in the elevator the other day with two girls. one of them was looking at the cover of us weekly (the one with Hilary Duff and how she lost weight) and the girl goes "hilary duff looks like a fat pig in that picture!" And then the other girl got pissed and was like "hilary duff is my cousin....our mom's are twin sisters. you should really be careful what you say in elevators." HAHAHA. my roommate and the first girl just stood there and didn't say anything after that.
i thought that maybe that girl was lying, but my roommate said she could definitely see the resemblance between her and hilary. so apparently hilary duff's cousin lives in my building! too funny!
so my roommate was in the elevator the other day with two girls. one of them was looking at the cover of us weekly (the one with Hilary Duff and how she lost weight) and the girl goes "hilary duff looks like a fat pig in that picture!" And then the other girl got pissed and was like "hilary duff is my cousin....our mom's are twin sisters. you should really be careful what you say in elevators." HAHAHA. my roommate and the first girl just stood there and didn't say anything after that.
i thought that maybe that girl was lying, but my roommate said she could definitely see the resemblance between her and hilary. so apparently hilary duff's cousin lives in my building! too funny!
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
what i'm listening to
a few artists i've gotten into/rediscovered lately...
1. dan hass.
he's a "local" artist (he's from annapolis, but plays down here a bunch). and you can get a feel for his music on his website - he has about 25 of his songs (full, not samples) online for your listening pleasure.
2. taylor carson.
he really is local - like from arlington local. and he's even opened for dispatch! head over to his site and have a listen for yourself!
3. pat mcgee.
yes, i know that pat's been around for what seems like forever. but, haven't you heard that his new album just dropped?? (haha). of course i got my hands on a copy (only $10!) at their wolftrap show. and it's been in my cd alarm clock ever since. oh, and it's really good. i'm talking revel/shine good!
4. sons of william.
the lead singer of this band, joe stark, played w/ marc broussard on sunday night. clearly i discovered this band by some simple google stalking. and they've got a good southern rock thing going on. and they're currently on tour w/ the clarks. why couldn't they have been opening for the clarks when i saw them??
5. dave barnes.
you really have to see him live to get the full effect (you could youtube him). but, in the mean time you'll have to just settle for listening to his cds (i have both, clearly).
1. dan hass.
he's a "local" artist (he's from annapolis, but plays down here a bunch). and you can get a feel for his music on his website - he has about 25 of his songs (full, not samples) online for your listening pleasure.
2. taylor carson.
he really is local - like from arlington local. and he's even opened for dispatch! head over to his site and have a listen for yourself!
3. pat mcgee.
yes, i know that pat's been around for what seems like forever. but, haven't you heard that his new album just dropped?? (haha). of course i got my hands on a copy (only $10!) at their wolftrap show. and it's been in my cd alarm clock ever since. oh, and it's really good. i'm talking revel/shine good!
4. sons of william.
the lead singer of this band, joe stark, played w/ marc broussard on sunday night. clearly i discovered this band by some simple google stalking. and they've got a good southern rock thing going on. and they're currently on tour w/ the clarks. why couldn't they have been opening for the clarks when i saw them??
5. dave barnes.
you really have to see him live to get the full effect (you could youtube him). but, in the mean time you'll have to just settle for listening to his cds (i have both, clearly).
completely random morning links
- someone just thought up a brand new way to marinate meat. who's bringing these to our next cookout?
- the sex and the city movie and a brand new x-files movie are both supposedly in the works. maybe i'll actually start going to the movies again.
- still bummed you didn't get up to new york for any of the three sold-out in minutes dispatch shows this past weekend? i know i am.
- please tell me you've read this already.
- and this one's just for fun!
- the sex and the city movie and a brand new x-files movie are both supposedly in the works. maybe i'll actually start going to the movies again.
- still bummed you didn't get up to new york for any of the three sold-out in minutes dispatch shows this past weekend? i know i am.
- please tell me you've read this already.
- and this one's just for fun!
Monday, July 16, 2007
marc broussard
unfortunately we misread the tickets and got to the 930 club at 7:45 thinking the show started at 7:30. oops - the doors opened at 7:30. bummer. and by 8:15 we were getting antsy (you can only play botticelli for so long) so we asked a bouncer for the timetable for the night. he told us that marc would be taking the stage at 9:00. so no, opener? according to him there would be one set played all the way through with marc and the opener. huh??
turns out he was spot on in his description. the band took the stage at about 9:10 (everyone knows that musicians are never on time) - and marc joined them shortly after. he sang one song and then brought out some girl to sing with him. turns out she was the "opener." and she was good. she probably said her name like 10 times, but i never did catch it. a quick google search this morning, however, turned up shannon mcnally. she has a very country/soul sound and she's a dead ringer for rena sofer.
and speaking of look-alikes, marc broussard has a striking resemblance to keifer sutherland (with a hint of susie's brother). and man can he sing. he just released a new album - SOS (save our soul) - and it's all covers of classic soul songs. he does some stevie, some temptations, some marvin gaye and even some doobie brothers!
i was getting a little worried when an hour into the show he hadn't played an original song, but then he played rocksteady and the crowd went crazy. so they show went on like that - a bunch of covers w/ some originals scattered in. and here are some of the highlights:
- the guys on the balcony basically doing a choreographed dance during one of the songs. everyone on the floor turned their back to the stage and watched these guys dance in awe. even marc was impressed!
- a stage full of people for home - the last song before the encore. there were at least ten people on stage. and pretty much everyone of them really drunk (some might say wasted, especially after that whiskey shot they all took on stage). i'm still laughing thinking about the random stage hand guy who wandered out w/ aviators and starts playing the rub board. and by far the best moment of the entire show was at the end of home when march started pacing back and forth and kicking his leg in the air to correspond w/ the drums. then the drums went crazy and so did he - he got down on his back and was bicycle kicking in the air. and then he rolled up the red carpet put it up to his mouth and the rub board guy took out his lighter and marc acted like he was smoking a huge joint. wow.
- encore w/ gavin's song. wow. i'm still amazed he could pull it back together for one last song. and that song is so touching. it's such a sweet tribute to his son, gavin.
even though the concert was absolutely amazing (and hilarious!), i definitely could have done without the the blackout drunk couple who managed to push into our space twice, spill their drinks (how did the bartenders even serve them alcohol??), grope each other and make out on the dance floor right in front of my face, start a fight right in front of the stage (i'm talking fist fight) and then ultimately get kicked out of the 930 club. and to think those two almost ruined the concert for the rest of the sell-out crowd. ugh.
i'll say the best way to start the work week is a great concert. especially when my work week only consists of two days. just one more day and i'm off to the beach! i can't wait for a mini-vacation!
turns out he was spot on in his description. the band took the stage at about 9:10 (everyone knows that musicians are never on time) - and marc joined them shortly after. he sang one song and then brought out some girl to sing with him. turns out she was the "opener." and she was good. she probably said her name like 10 times, but i never did catch it. a quick google search this morning, however, turned up shannon mcnally. she has a very country/soul sound and she's a dead ringer for rena sofer.
and speaking of look-alikes, marc broussard has a striking resemblance to keifer sutherland (with a hint of susie's brother). and man can he sing. he just released a new album - SOS (save our soul) - and it's all covers of classic soul songs. he does some stevie, some temptations, some marvin gaye and even some doobie brothers!
i was getting a little worried when an hour into the show he hadn't played an original song, but then he played rocksteady and the crowd went crazy. so they show went on like that - a bunch of covers w/ some originals scattered in. and here are some of the highlights:
- the guys on the balcony basically doing a choreographed dance during one of the songs. everyone on the floor turned their back to the stage and watched these guys dance in awe. even marc was impressed!
- a stage full of people for home - the last song before the encore. there were at least ten people on stage. and pretty much everyone of them really drunk (some might say wasted, especially after that whiskey shot they all took on stage). i'm still laughing thinking about the random stage hand guy who wandered out w/ aviators and starts playing the rub board. and by far the best moment of the entire show was at the end of home when march started pacing back and forth and kicking his leg in the air to correspond w/ the drums. then the drums went crazy and so did he - he got down on his back and was bicycle kicking in the air. and then he rolled up the red carpet put it up to his mouth and the rub board guy took out his lighter and marc acted like he was smoking a huge joint. wow.
- encore w/ gavin's song. wow. i'm still amazed he could pull it back together for one last song. and that song is so touching. it's such a sweet tribute to his son, gavin.
even though the concert was absolutely amazing (and hilarious!), i definitely could have done without the the blackout drunk couple who managed to push into our space twice, spill their drinks (how did the bartenders even serve them alcohol??), grope each other and make out on the dance floor right in front of my face, start a fight right in front of the stage (i'm talking fist fight) and then ultimately get kicked out of the 930 club. and to think those two almost ruined the concert for the rest of the sell-out crowd. ugh.
i'll say the best way to start the work week is a great concert. especially when my work week only consists of two days. just one more day and i'm off to the beach! i can't wait for a mini-vacation!
Friday, July 13, 2007
eating my way through vienna
except for the first two years of my life (falls church) and my four years of college (charlottesville), i have spent my entire twenty four years in the great town of vienna. well not in the town per se, but close enough. so, i figure i'm as close at being an expert as i'm going to get. especially when it comes to food - it's my specialty!
so, the next time you frolic over to vienna here's my personal top ten of places to eat (in no particular order):
1. grab a seat at the sushi bar at sweet ginger. not only will you be able to watch the sushi chefs cut up the fresh fish (including baby octopus) right in front of you - they also give you a little mini appetizer while your food it being prepared. honestly, you can't go wrong with a single item on the menu.
2. order a cup of coffee and enjoy a show at jammin java. unfortunately, the word has gotten out about jj and it's more crowded than it's ever been. but, it's still a great place to catch some of the best musical acts. plus, their coffee is actually pretty good (trust me, i would know).
3. make your way to the vienna inn for breakfast and/or dinner. the best breakfast choice is debatable. i can't ever order anything but their pancakes, however i have a feeling there might be a few votes out there for their french toast and their super stuffed omelets. and don't forget about the chili dogs - no trip to the inn is complete without ordering one (or four) of those! i just hope the rumors that the inn is closing aren't true.
4. hop over to cenan's (say shay-naan's) for some fresh baked goods! and at $1.90 your wallet can easily afford lots of their cinnamon swirls - but, can your waistline?? and their baguettes are some of the best i've had - crispy on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside. and don't forget to grab a free sample of many of their delicious breads on your way out!
5. a trip to vienna would not be complete without a visit to neilsen's. although they have a lot of options, i would recommend getting a custardwich (with vanilla, clearly) and some fries w/ their special sauce. and, i have to say i've heard that their concretes (think blizzard or archer, but with custard) aren't half bad. the only bad thing about nielsen's is that it's closed on sundays (silly mormons - don't they know everyone's craving custard on sundays?!).
6. for a classy sit down dinner in vienna look no farther than bazin's. built out in the old fire station on church street, bazin's has a great atmosphere and delicious food! i've only been there for dinner, but after perusing their brunch menu i think i might have to frolic over there one of these weekends. however, for the price of one meal here i could feed at least five at the inn. although i'd be willing to bet the food would come out quicker at bazin's.
7. another quality quick eat place is foster's grille. for a pretty decent burger, chicken sandwich or even a salad foster's is a good option. plus, they have beer on tap (foster's, of course)! and don't forget to order a milkshake - they're thick and creamy just like they're supposed to be!
8. you could easily miss natta thai since it's tucked into one of vienna's many little strip malls, but it's the place to go for thai food in vienna (and if you're in arlington make sure you go to crystal thai). it literally has ten tables, but if it's too busy you can always get some food to go. and believe me, it's worth it!
9. family owned skorpios is the place to go for (you guessed it) greek food. you can't go wrong with their roasted chicken and multitude of sides. however, my personal favorite is their grilled chicken pita w/ tzatziki sauce. mmmmmm:)
10. last, but certainly not least there's the pie gourmet. some of the best pies i've ever had have come from here. like, the time i saved a baby's life at the pool his mom thanked me by buying me two pies. and then there was that other time on my 21st birthday when the pool hunnies surprised me with an apple pie w/ candles in it.
so, the next time you frolic over to vienna here's my personal top ten of places to eat (in no particular order):
1. grab a seat at the sushi bar at sweet ginger. not only will you be able to watch the sushi chefs cut up the fresh fish (including baby octopus) right in front of you - they also give you a little mini appetizer while your food it being prepared. honestly, you can't go wrong with a single item on the menu.
2. order a cup of coffee and enjoy a show at jammin java. unfortunately, the word has gotten out about jj and it's more crowded than it's ever been. but, it's still a great place to catch some of the best musical acts. plus, their coffee is actually pretty good (trust me, i would know).
3. make your way to the vienna inn for breakfast and/or dinner. the best breakfast choice is debatable. i can't ever order anything but their pancakes, however i have a feeling there might be a few votes out there for their french toast and their super stuffed omelets. and don't forget about the chili dogs - no trip to the inn is complete without ordering one (or four) of those! i just hope the rumors that the inn is closing aren't true.
4. hop over to cenan's (say shay-naan's) for some fresh baked goods! and at $1.90 your wallet can easily afford lots of their cinnamon swirls - but, can your waistline?? and their baguettes are some of the best i've had - crispy on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside. and don't forget to grab a free sample of many of their delicious breads on your way out!
5. a trip to vienna would not be complete without a visit to neilsen's. although they have a lot of options, i would recommend getting a custardwich (with vanilla, clearly) and some fries w/ their special sauce. and, i have to say i've heard that their concretes (think blizzard or archer, but with custard) aren't half bad. the only bad thing about nielsen's is that it's closed on sundays (silly mormons - don't they know everyone's craving custard on sundays?!).
6. for a classy sit down dinner in vienna look no farther than bazin's. built out in the old fire station on church street, bazin's has a great atmosphere and delicious food! i've only been there for dinner, but after perusing their brunch menu i think i might have to frolic over there one of these weekends. however, for the price of one meal here i could feed at least five at the inn. although i'd be willing to bet the food would come out quicker at bazin's.
7. another quality quick eat place is foster's grille. for a pretty decent burger, chicken sandwich or even a salad foster's is a good option. plus, they have beer on tap (foster's, of course)! and don't forget to order a milkshake - they're thick and creamy just like they're supposed to be!
8. you could easily miss natta thai since it's tucked into one of vienna's many little strip malls, but it's the place to go for thai food in vienna (and if you're in arlington make sure you go to crystal thai). it literally has ten tables, but if it's too busy you can always get some food to go. and believe me, it's worth it!
9. family owned skorpios is the place to go for (you guessed it) greek food. you can't go wrong with their roasted chicken and multitude of sides. however, my personal favorite is their grilled chicken pita w/ tzatziki sauce. mmmmmm:)
10. last, but certainly not least there's the pie gourmet. some of the best pies i've ever had have come from here. like, the time i saved a baby's life at the pool his mom thanked me by buying me two pies. and then there was that other time on my 21st birthday when the pool hunnies surprised me with an apple pie w/ candles in it.
Thursday, July 12, 2007
random and obsure fact of the day
in addition to being friday the 13th, tomorrow is also national cow appreciation day. and while it's true that i hate animals, i am completely intrigued by this. if anyone goes please take pictures and send them to me!
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
no more cupcakes
apparently the health department just shut down magnolia bakery up in new york (well at least for the rest of the week). but, don't worry their cupcakes aren't even that good. for your cupcake fix up in nyc head over to sugar sweet sunshine on rivington st. and if you're lucky (like i was) maybe you'll even bump into vince on the way!
things that annoy me - part VII
add these to the ever growing list...
39. cheney.
yes, i've been to his house. yes, i've even met him. but, no i can't stand him. but, really what irks me the most is how he somehow managed to get google to "fuzz out" the entire area surrounding his house on google maps. nothing else that i know of is "fuzzed out" - not even the white house or the pentagon. i'm guessing it's one of the perks of being your very own branch of government.
apparently i'm not alone - from the reliable source chat:
Lancaster, Pa.: I saw the most frightening bumper sticker imaginable this morning -- Cheney in '08! I actually followed the driver into the post office to see one of those 29 percenters up close.
Roxanne Roberts: Uh--Cheney is at like, 13 percent approval rating. You bagged a rare one, kiddo.
40. dc public libraries.
now that i'm an official card carrying member i figure i have the right to complain. first of all you have to pass through a metal detector to enter the building. bizarre - but, hey it is dc. and that wouldn't be so bad if they actually paid attention - the guy who was supposedly checking for bombs was on his cell phone the entire time my bag was on the conveyor belt. unfortunately, the staff inside isn't much more helpful.
41. metro ads.
especially (but not limited to) the engagement ring one. the one that reads: "yes, yes, yes, yes, i do, yes." is it really necessary for that last yes?!
42. sunbrellas.
first off - i can't stand the term. and honestly, i can't even stand people who use umbrellas to shade themselves from the sun. i know it's hot out there - but i really don't think it's that much cooler in the shade.
43. "to boot".
i can't stand it when people use this term - especially in writing! but, for some reason lots of the regular wapo chatters use it. ugh.
39. cheney.
yes, i've been to his house. yes, i've even met him. but, no i can't stand him. but, really what irks me the most is how he somehow managed to get google to "fuzz out" the entire area surrounding his house on google maps. nothing else that i know of is "fuzzed out" - not even the white house or the pentagon. i'm guessing it's one of the perks of being your very own branch of government.
apparently i'm not alone - from the reliable source chat:
Lancaster, Pa.: I saw the most frightening bumper sticker imaginable this morning -- Cheney in '08! I actually followed the driver into the post office to see one of those 29 percenters up close.
Roxanne Roberts: Uh--Cheney is at like, 13 percent approval rating. You bagged a rare one, kiddo.
40. dc public libraries.
now that i'm an official card carrying member i figure i have the right to complain. first of all you have to pass through a metal detector to enter the building. bizarre - but, hey it is dc. and that wouldn't be so bad if they actually paid attention - the guy who was supposedly checking for bombs was on his cell phone the entire time my bag was on the conveyor belt. unfortunately, the staff inside isn't much more helpful.
41. metro ads.
especially (but not limited to) the engagement ring one. the one that reads: "yes, yes, yes, yes, i do, yes." is it really necessary for that last yes?!
42. sunbrellas.
first off - i can't stand the term. and honestly, i can't even stand people who use umbrellas to shade themselves from the sun. i know it's hot out there - but i really don't think it's that much cooler in the shade.
43. "to boot".
i can't stand it when people use this term - especially in writing! but, for some reason lots of the regular wapo chatters use it. ugh.
if only i had brought an umbrella (ella, ella, eh, eh)...
this is what i looked like about 30 minutes ago on my walk/run/slosh back from lunch at 14th & h. it was pouring out there! half a block and i was completely soaked. and of course there was not one awning in sight! eventually i ducked into a parking garage - but by then the damage had been done. the one good thing about the downpour was a 20ish old woman running down the street in a white tank top yelling "i'm in a wet t-shirt contest." i'm really glad i went with the green shirt today!
just another tuesday night
how about those storms yesterday afternoon?? i knew the thunder was bad when i could hear it from inside my office. i couldn't see the lightening, but i heard it was a spectacle. but, luckily all the stormy weather had moved on by the time i headed home. and with the sun shining again it made for a perfect night to go for swim.
wow this hot weather has really heated up the pool! on sunday the water was still rather refreshing, but last night it was already about ten degrees warmer and on the verge of feeling like a bathtub. although, i'm sure swimming hard for an hour-ish didn't help at all.
there's another dilemma i face when swimming at DL. i'm used to swimming in 12 feet deep water, however DL is a mere three feet deep at the shallow end. i guess i must have forgotten that when i pushed off and scraped my whole body against the bottom of the (hollow) pool. oops.
while at the pool last night i also got to watch our dive team whoop up on the other team. and no, i don't even know who the other team was. but, i do know there were a lot of bingos! and let's be honest, that's about the most exciting part of a dive meet.
and the best part of the whole night? clearly it was going to nielsen's! i'd say a custardwich is about the best way to end the night. well, that and a little world series of pop culture!
[note: don't get the key lime flavored custard. as a woman was walking out the door of nielsen's last night someone asked her how it was and she responded with, "it tastes like bathroom cleaner." at first i was thinking - who says something like that?! but, then when they came through the (long) line w/ free samples of the daily flavors i got to try it for myself. and i do have to say her observation was spot on. it had a strong aftertaste of cleaning product. ewwwwww.]
wow this hot weather has really heated up the pool! on sunday the water was still rather refreshing, but last night it was already about ten degrees warmer and on the verge of feeling like a bathtub. although, i'm sure swimming hard for an hour-ish didn't help at all.
there's another dilemma i face when swimming at DL. i'm used to swimming in 12 feet deep water, however DL is a mere three feet deep at the shallow end. i guess i must have forgotten that when i pushed off and scraped my whole body against the bottom of the (hollow) pool. oops.
while at the pool last night i also got to watch our dive team whoop up on the other team. and no, i don't even know who the other team was. but, i do know there were a lot of bingos! and let's be honest, that's about the most exciting part of a dive meet.
and the best part of the whole night? clearly it was going to nielsen's! i'd say a custardwich is about the best way to end the night. well, that and a little world series of pop culture!
[note: don't get the key lime flavored custard. as a woman was walking out the door of nielsen's last night someone asked her how it was and she responded with, "it tastes like bathroom cleaner." at first i was thinking - who says something like that?! but, then when they came through the (long) line w/ free samples of the daily flavors i got to try it for myself. and i do have to say her observation was spot on. it had a strong aftertaste of cleaning product. ewwwwww.]
Monday, July 9, 2007
wolftrap recap
after the debacle that was joss stone (and gavin degraw before that) i was honestly just hoping it wouldn't rain for the concert friday night. well, i must have some good karma (what's that?) because the weather friday night was absolutely gorgeous!
obviously we got there early to get in line so we (correction: i) could run down and put our blankets down. we got there thirty minutes before they gates opened and the crowd was already lined up to the street. but, luckily we thought to sneak up into a corner line where there was only one group ahead of us.
i ran down and got the best seat in the house (well on the lawn at least). we were front and center - and could see the stage fine even if we were sitting down. i've also added something new to "the list" - stand on stage at wolftrap while everyone is running down the hill. i noticed the band was doing this on friday and i imagine it is quite the sight!
to pass the time we played some cards and a very competitive game of "how many people do you know?" even though we started marking our arms i think we lost track. i guess we were all winners!
stephen kellogg and the sixers were the first band to come on. this is probably the fourth or fifth time i've seen them live - they're so fun! they played a lot of their old "hits" and through in a few new ones from their newly released cd (newly as in on friday). the highlight of the sk6ers shows is always the cover medley. this time he started way back with beethoven's symphony and brought it all the way up to girlfriend and rehab. i was just disappointed that goose didn't strip during his infamous dance. i guess wolftrap is a family friendly venue.
next up was carbon leaf. i've only seen them live two times before. and even though i don't know a whole lot of their music i still thoroughly enjoyed their show! but, i didn't enjoy it as much as the guy standing in front of us. he literally stood up and danced for their entire set. he was loving life. i think we tried to capture it on video, but i'm not sure we succeeded. the weirdest part was when about 45 minutes into their set they started singing the national anthem. wtf?? i mean it got everyone up out of their "seats," but then they played a slow song afterwards so everyone sat down again. totally bizarre.
and then it was time for the main event. by this time the sun had set and the beer haze had set in. the band came on stage with some techno-y music playing in the background, but then quickly launched into runaway. and from there they played songs from as far back as girl from athens all they way up to a bunch of their brand new songs. they brought up about 42 guests to play w/ them (including michael ghegan, al walsh, todd wright, mike meadows, etc.) it was great to have the old school pat vibe - the vocals were amazing!
tragically the show ended right at 11pm on the dot (stupid neighborhood noise ordinances). so after saying goodbye to all of the swim coaches (small world, i know) our group headed home. and now i come to find out (via the message board) that they went to jj and rocked out all night. now that is a "concert" i am truly sorry i missed. maybe if we had hung w/ hugh a little later he would have clued us into the after hours jam session.
free slurpee day!
with temperatures expected to be hovering near the century mark all week a slurpee might be just the perfect relief from the heat. and lucky for you 7-eleven is celebrating its 80th birthday on wednesday (7/11) by giving out free slurpees all day. true, the free cups are teeny-tiny (7.11 oz) - but that just gives you an excuse to hit up lots of different stores throughout the day. tragically there are only three of them in the city, but there are at least three of them within two miles of my house.
back for a full week of work
how about that weather yesterday? i think my raccoon eyes give away where i was all day yesterday. i even made it back to the pool in the evening to watch the event i helped create four years ago - lifeguard olympics. too bad cicada-asplundh has dispersed around the country. i have a feeling we could have given those kids a run for their money.
i'm a little bummed to be stuck at work when it's riley's third birthday. i am missing out on a crucial surfing party. and to think he just finally learned how to do the peace sign. i really have a snap a picture of him one of these weekends (just think of a slightly younger, way cuter deacon witherspoon).
but other than that i'm happy to be at work since it's pushing 90 degrees outside and i'd honestly rather be sitting in a frigid office than outside anywhere. well, no, i'd rather be at the beach. but, that's not until next week.
so i guess i'll just have to suffer through the week indoors. although i do have a few things to look forward to. starting tonight at 9pm the world series of pop culture is back on vh1! i can't wait to watch along and dominate all the trivia. and then thursday night i'm hitting another concert - this time it's eric hutchinson at jj. and then i've got marc broussard on sunday. i'm a concert machine!
i'm a little bummed to be stuck at work when it's riley's third birthday. i am missing out on a crucial surfing party. and to think he just finally learned how to do the peace sign. i really have a snap a picture of him one of these weekends (just think of a slightly younger, way cuter deacon witherspoon).
but other than that i'm happy to be at work since it's pushing 90 degrees outside and i'd honestly rather be sitting in a frigid office than outside anywhere. well, no, i'd rather be at the beach. but, that's not until next week.
so i guess i'll just have to suffer through the week indoors. although i do have a few things to look forward to. starting tonight at 9pm the world series of pop culture is back on vh1! i can't wait to watch along and dominate all the trivia. and then thursday night i'm hitting another concert - this time it's eric hutchinson at jj. and then i've got marc broussard on sunday. i'm a concert machine!
Friday, July 6, 2007
live earth update
gore just announced that dc will be hosting a concert tomorrow along with the ten other cities across the world. but the announced performers are garth brooks and trisha yearwood. country? really?? i think i'll just stick w/ my plan to dvr the whole concert.
happy friday!
reasons why i shouldn't be at work today (and neither should you!):
1. it's gorgeous out! although i think by the time monday rolls around and it's nearing 100 degrees i might be wanting to be in the icebox that is my office.
2. there was a police officer w/ a bomb sniffing dog checking out all the newspaper dispensers at the metro this morning. maybe someone saw it so they said it??
3. there were only two boxes of bagels/donuts in our kitchen instead of the usual four. they clearly know no one is going to be here. and they are so right.
4. it's pat day! although i think the tailgating can wait a few more hours. at least until i'm ready to blow this popsicle stand.
ps. happy birthday to emily who joins the 23 club today!
1. it's gorgeous out! although i think by the time monday rolls around and it's nearing 100 degrees i might be wanting to be in the icebox that is my office.
2. there was a police officer w/ a bomb sniffing dog checking out all the newspaper dispensers at the metro this morning. maybe someone saw it so they said it??
3. there were only two boxes of bagels/donuts in our kitchen instead of the usual four. they clearly know no one is going to be here. and they are so right.
4. it's pat day! although i think the tailgating can wait a few more hours. at least until i'm ready to blow this popsicle stand.
ps. happy birthday to emily who joins the 23 club today!
Thursday, July 5, 2007
it's the fifth of july, feeling independent
hopefully everyone is going to be ok after the mishap at the vienna fireworks last night. i guess it's a good thing that the vienna fire department is right next to waters field.
Tuesday, July 3, 2007
mid-week holidays are the best!
i generally hate holidays. but, july 4th isn't so bad since you get to lay around and do nothing (but eat) all day! now if we could just get people to stop wearing all the tacky red, white and blue ensembles...
the best part about the fourth this year is that it fell on a wednesday. that means the work week was all screwed up - in a great way. for some reason assessment offices found the need to make deadlines all throughout this week (granted it is the beginning of the month, but still) so i'm keeping busy here at work. but, luckily not too busy in that i was able to sneak out at 12:30 on tuesday (and then go to the pool and read the kite runner in it's entirety).
and today i managed to invite myself to lunch w/ my parents downtown (definitely a perk of working right by my mom). and then i might have to frolic out of work a little early to get in on some happy hour action. i'm just hoping the storms from yesterday have passed so i might get to enjoy a few drinks outside.
and of course tomorrow is the day i've been waiting for all summer. it's the pat mcgee show at wolftrap! so while those of you who actually work on fridays are stuck in the office i will opening a beer and waiting for "the running of the blankets." if you're going to the concert come find us - we'll be on the lawn - smack dab in the middle. and if you're not going you are seriously missing out.
the best part about the fourth this year is that it fell on a wednesday. that means the work week was all screwed up - in a great way. for some reason assessment offices found the need to make deadlines all throughout this week (granted it is the beginning of the month, but still) so i'm keeping busy here at work. but, luckily not too busy in that i was able to sneak out at 12:30 on tuesday (and then go to the pool and read the kite runner in it's entirety).
and today i managed to invite myself to lunch w/ my parents downtown (definitely a perk of working right by my mom). and then i might have to frolic out of work a little early to get in on some happy hour action. i'm just hoping the storms from yesterday have passed so i might get to enjoy a few drinks outside.
and of course tomorrow is the day i've been waiting for all summer. it's the pat mcgee show at wolftrap! so while those of you who actually work on fridays are stuck in the office i will opening a beer and waiting for "the running of the blankets." if you're going to the concert come find us - we'll be on the lawn - smack dab in the middle. and if you're not going you are seriously missing out.
countdown to prison break
season three is kicking off on monday, august 27th. that means we only have 55 more days until we can feist our eyes on this:
Monday, July 2, 2007
happy july!
i can't believe it's july already! although, that means that it's national ice cream month! i think i will celebrate the month by eating ice cream every day. oh wait - i do that every month.
but, i started this month out on a great note. i made homemade oatmeal chocolate chip cookies (with the help of jack of course!) and put some breyer's vanilla in the middle to make my own little cookie sandwiches. mmmmmm:)
but, i started this month out on a great note. i made homemade oatmeal chocolate chip cookies (with the help of jack of course!) and put some breyer's vanilla in the middle to make my own little cookie sandwiches. mmmmmm:)
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