Draw Me A Sheep

Walking and Chewing Gum

2009-05-13T01:15:00.005Z

It's clear that I can't do two things at once - like walking and chewing gum, or keeping up two blogs at once. Oh, how nice it would be to spend my days at Starbucks (or better yet the chocolate shop on 14th Street) and blog away to my heart's content.

As some of you know, I started a new blog - Beets and Bonbons - dedicated to my favorite recipes, and my friends' favorite recipes. It's a lot of fun (not a huge following), but its gotten me cooking again, trying new things in the kitchen, and very interested in food photography.

Needless to say, I'm a true Pisces. I seek and crave creativity - it's just about finding more time! I did sign up for a great project recently, called A Million Little Pictures (through Art House Co-op in Atlanta). The concept is simple - 1,000 people, a disposable camera, and 24 frames in which to document your life. The submissions are displayed in Art House's Atlanta gallery.

I received my camera yesterday and I'm so excited about this project. I'm brainstorming ideas now and trying to find a focus - and a way to make my pictures stand out. I'll keep you posted. The photos have to be postmarked by September 1!

A New Endeavor

2008-11-26T14:59:00.003Z

To keep the creative juices flowing, I've created another blog - Beets and Bonbons - as a place for my friends and their friends to share their favorite recipes, post cooking tips, and generally share the excitement of food. It is not meant to replace Draw Me A Sheep, and I hope to continue to post here. Thanks for all of your support and interest in my zany thoughts and project ideas. I hope you like the new blog!

Random Obs

2008-11-17T18:07:00.004Z

With the hope of getting back into a blogging routine, I have decided to post some random thoughts. Things on the brain, but likely things you couldn’t care less about. Bear with me, it is all in the spirit of progress and more regular postings.

1. For some reason, I continue to eat through this box of wheat thins, even though my stomach now hurts. I picked up chicken noodle soup for lunch but when I got back to my desk, I realized it was basically all broth. How disappointing.

2. My husband agreed to buy me a piece of artwork for the holidays. I am soliciting suggestions from artists and art fans alike. We're looking to spend no more than $500, and probably more in the $300 range. Framed or unframed, doesn't matter. Please leave your suggestions in the comments (a link to a Web site bumps you to the top of the list).

3. I’d like to rethink how I use Facebook. Is it really necessary that I be connected to everyone that I’ve ever known in my 31 years of life? Do those people really care about my updates? (ref: obs #1) Probably not.

4. Better question – do my real friends care either?

5. With almost everyone using Facebook, what will our high school reunions be like? We’re already catching up, telling stories and sharing pictures. There will be no more anticipation over “I wonder what so-and-so looks like now?” and “I can’t wait to hear what so-and-so is doing these days.” Just friend them.

6. I'm wondering if I'll be able to weasel my way onto the Mall for Obama’s inauguration, or should I just stay home?

7. I wonder what I could get to rent out my condo for the inauguration. Or, at the very least, the air mattress. How much would someone really pay to sleep on an air mattress?

8. Sometimes, while walking to work, I feel myself getting “sidewalk rage.” Why can’t people walk on the right and pass on the left? Are there any documented cases of "sidewalk rage"?

9. And for everyone coming in for the inauguration... here, in D.C., we stand on the right while ascending and descending escalators. The left side is used for those who want to walk up or down. Please, please, please follow the local custom. It will make for a much better experience for both you and me.

10. Finally, I’m almost done with the wheat thins. I feel my sodium levels rising.

I'll Drink To That!

2008-09-26T20:53:00.003Z

Boo. Hiss. I'm a bad blogger.

So, we've got some debates tonight - now that McCain decided he's happy enough to attend. Gee, I wish I could judge my level of contentment on a daily basis to decide whether it was appropriate if I went to work that day. Wouldn't that be the life?

Well it's all the talk here in D.C., as I'm sure it is in many other cities and towns across the country. The election. The big prize - up for grabs. I went out for lunch today and heard "debate," "McCain," "swing state," and even "Dukakis" (!?!) as I passed groups of people on the street. I learned from a Facebook friend that Palin is planning to watch the debates at the Irish Pub in Philadelphia with 400 of her supporters. Do you think they'll chug or do a shot when Obama mentions "change"? Maybe Palin will take out her rifle and fire a shot instead.

All across the country, there will be voters tuning in - some undecided, some very decided, and others just looking for a new version of their favorite drinking game. (Did he just say "lockbox" again?)

I, for one, can't wait to see McCain stumble on Obama's eloquence. And I'll be drowning my sorrows (in beer, wine or whatever) if McCain addresses me as one of his "friends."

Holding On To Summer

2008-08-21T17:03:00.003Z

I'm not sure why it took me this long. Here we are, August 21, and summer is almost over. The cooler mornings have me thinking toward Fall and also wondering where the time went? Yesterday, I resolved to spending at least a half hour of my lunch break outside, reading, in the park. Soaking in the warmth and sunlight as much as I can and giving myself a much needed break from my computer. My thought is that ultimately, the time spent away from my desk will actually make me more productive. The importance of mental rest should not be underestimated, which - I'd bet - is part of the reason lunch breaks were invented in the first place (along with the need to nourish the body, of course!).

When I first started work, I promised myself two things - 1) I would make sure I used every vacation day allotted to me and 2) I would always take my lunch break. Seven years later, I've failed repeatedly on both accounts. And it hasn't been at all on my own accord.

When did life get so hectic? And when did employers decide to try to cram 10+ hours of work into 8? Or 7 work days into 5? (And I know that my attorney, doctor, and financial advisor friends scoff at the "minimal" hours that I work compared to their jobs.) If I only worked the 7.5 hours/day that I get paid and actually took every vacation day I'm owed (a whopping 36! which I've accrued based on good performance, promotions and time with the organization), I'm not sure how I would ever get anything done. I'm fairly organized, but not even the most organized could produce this amount of work - of high quality - in that amount of time. You'd have to be superhuman (or the woman on Bewitched).

There's something to be said about the European work environment. August off, flexible work hours... so what if we are a richer country? I bet they live longer.

Spammers Getting Creative

2008-07-23T18:05:00.005Z

Junk Mail. Spam. Crap. Whatever you want to call it, we've all got it. And depending on your office's email controls, you see more or less of it than others. For some reason, even though I've got my settings on high, I get an inordinate amount of it.

Lately, I’ve noticed that the spammers are getting more creative, even humorous in some instances. They’ve broken away from the standard Cialis/ Viagra/ Increase Your Manhood emails to subject lines that could (almost) be believable!

I’ve compiled some of the more interesting ones that I've received, for your amusement.

Enjoy! (I've left all original spelling and formatting in tact.)

Political
Congressmen Subject of Terrorist Attack
Hillary Receives 3 A.M. Phone Call From Drunken Bill Clinton
JFK memoirs reveal illegitimate son
Obama suffers horror car crash
Barack Obama pulls out from Presidential Race
Democrats withdraw Obama from Race

Hollywood
Bodyguards Positioned Outside of Jolie's Vagina
Heidi Fleiss found murdered today
Freak accident causes Tom cruise to be paralysed
Beckham caught in nightcam
Oprah wedding planned for November
Elton John dies in rocket ship

Current Events
McDonald's Happy Meals In San Francisco To Include Gay Marriage License
US Olympians body-searched at China Customs
Google-Yahoo merger announced

Sensational
Elderly Driver Plows Innto Beauty Shop, Injurinng Nine
Police open fire on elderly in Iowa
Horses breaks riders skull in freak attack
Extraterrestrials found in Arizona
Savage dog attack leaves students in critical condition
Pope killed by assasin in Vatican City

Oh, and what are these emails really trying to convey you ask? Has Obama really withdrawn from the race. No. They still want to increase my manhood.

GAP: Jeans For the Long-Legged

2008-06-25T14:16:00.003Z

I've decided (at least temporarily) that I'm done buying expensive jeans. It is really hard for me to justify spending $150-200 on a pair of jeans, that while for the short term fit very nicely, shrink and fray at the bottom just like any other old pair of denims. So, yesterday, I wandered into the GAP, on a hunt for a new pair of kick arounds. I was mentally prepared for the task ahead of me which would undoubtedly include trying on 100 pairs of jeans in every color, cut and size to identify which ones would be coming home with me. I planned to dedicate my entire lunch hour if need be.

Was I sorely mistaken.

Do you know that the GAP does not sell ankle length jeans in any size under a 2? Yes, tis true. Apparently, if you are petite and shopping at the GAP, it is assumed that you are dissatisfied with your short stature, that you will always be wearing regular length jeans because you are always wearing heels. Well, my friend, that is just not the case. My heels do not travel with me to the grocery store, while I clean the house, or while taking a walk around the neighborhood. Sometimes, my heels don't even travel with me to dinner or to the bar. Flats are all the rage these days and I have several pair right now that I really enjoy... but I can't wear them with GAP jeans!

The irony is, that were I to go with the uber-expensive jeans, I'd be taking them to the tailor anyway, even if I wanted to wear them with heels!

Is there really no in between for those who stand at 5' 2"?

A Thing that Amazes Me (and other tales from the recent past)

2008-06-05T20:25:00.003Z

A Thing that Amazes Me...

1) The number of people who keep a pen, paper, AND tape in their cars. I can understand a pen and paper - in case of an accident, to jot down a grocery list item, or to pen the idea for the next great American novel, but tape? I am amazed when I see notes taped to meters noting they are broken and just wonder, who keeps tape in their car?

Other tales...

I gave money to a random man the other day. I got stopped on the way home - I truly thought the man was asking for directions, which is why I stopped to listen. He was clean cut, dressed well (shorts, shirt, belt, backpack, baseball cap), and was articulate. He started with a story - something about the bus down the street, missing a bus, working at the zoo for the past three days. Once the nature of the request started coming together I realized I was trapped. Sure, I could have just walked away, but I felt that my time frame for doing so had already passed. So, I reached into my bag and gave him $1. And, if I read his expression correctly as he took my dollar, I think he was thinking, "that's it?" Perhaps since I haven't been in the business of giving out money to everyone on the street who asks, I haven't picked up on inflation!

And to end this random post, some pictures from biking around D.C.:

Lost in Time

2008-05-09T18:55:00.006Z

I know, you are eagerly wondering whether this post is about the hit song by Stellastarr* or a recap of last night's Lost episode. While both are tops on my list (and who can resist the repetitive dream sequence/ time traveling of Horace Goodspeed?) this post is actually about my watch. And how it failed me. Two days ago.

"You don't know what you got until it's go-oone..." Someone sang that once and let me tell you how true it is. I never knew, until my watch battery puttered to a slow painful death, how much I relied on my watch. Clearly we live in a society that follows the clock. We work 9-5 (well, I work 9-5 at least...), we have breakfast, lunch, and dinner generally within the same 2 hour time spans, we wake up at the same time, go to bed at the same time - we are creatures of habit. And even though I'm certain we could rely on our "inner timepieces" to get through the day, we have meetings and appointments and other activities that rely on precise time knowledge.

To have a broken watch is bad. To have a dying watch is worse. A dying watch is one whose step is becoming a little shaky, whose breaths are becoming labored. A dying watch is one who can't quite keep up the pace. For two days I woke up (at 7am) to my watch displaying 11:45. For two days, it couldn't quite make it to the end of the day and just gave up in the last 15 minutes, retiring for an early shut eye. Both days, I corrected the time (and date) in the morning and for a while, it was like I had administered a shot of caffeine. It kept pace. But slowly, throughout the day, it would lose a minute here and there. As if it wasn't such a big deal. I mean, what's a minute amongst old friends? Well, as we learned in grade school, seconds become minutes and minutes become hours and before you know it, you're totally screwed.

Yesterday, my watch gave up. And for a whole day, I was lost in time. Stuck at 9:15am on May 8. Today, I got myself to the jeweler. And would you believe the irony? When I handed over my watch (the very instrument that has kept me in line with the schedules of others), I was told to come back in 30 minutes.

All In The Family

2008-05-06T11:59:00.005Z

This weekend I attended a mini family reunion. Believe it or not, I hadn't seen (or talked to for that matter) my uncle and cousins in over 10 years. Just one of those funny family things that happens I guess. How that much time can go by without seeing family seemed normal to me before this weekend - I didn't really know any differently - but after spending some time getting to know each other again, catching up, laughing, and reminiscing on old times, I felt like I had discovered a new part of me.

It got me to thinking about family. "You can choose your friends, but you can't choose your family..." What is it about family (I'm talking extended here, not the people who actually raised you) that brings about the good, bad, and the ugly? Why is it that just by the very nature of someone being related through a bloodline to you, it changes the very nature of your relationship with him/her for better or for worse?

Yesterday, I had a somewhat nostalgic moment. I was en route to the doctor and stopped to get a slice of pizza on GW's campus. There I was enjoying my lunch outside, sitting directly across from a GW dorm. The very one, in fact, where my mother spent her freshman year almost 50 years ago. It was nostalgic not because I experienced any time in that dorm, but because one of my family members did and I felt that connection. I was trying to imagine what college was like when she was there. Yesterday, students in shorts and tank tops were packing up boxes and hauling their rooms away in rented vans. When my mom was in school, they had to wear skirts and had curfews. The dorm was all girls.

All of this family reflection got me to thinking about how I could connect/ reconnect with others in my family line. Like all great ideas, mine wound up on Facebook. :) I've created a group for my maiden last name. I've noticed that there are about 20 people on Facebook with the same name (it's quite unusual so I've always thought that anyone else with it must be related to each other). I'm trying a little experiment to see if we can all connect and share stories over Facebook, and maybe even determine if we are all related. These people come from all over the world and share something important to my family - our name.

I'll keep you posted!

PS - as an update to the previous post - I haven't joined the work page yet.

Where to Draw the Line?

2008-04-20T22:42:00.005Z

My office has created a Facebook page. We're a non-profit and looking to engage the GenX/ Geny Y/ Millennial generations in our programs. Now I face the dilemma: do I "become a fan" of said organization? At what point do too many worlds collide? I started this blog hoping to keep anonymity. Then I attached it to my Facebook page - but still, its only my friends who read it, so that's fine.

I have a Facebook page, one that I largely try to keep out of the work domain. Yes, a few of my work friends also moonlight as Facebook friends (and a large handful of them have left the organization so at that point, its free game, right?). But for the most part, I like to keep these worlds separate.

Problem is, I've been a big advocate of getting our organization into the Web 2.0 world and using sites like MySpace and Facebook to attract new participants and to spread the word of our work. Is it hypocritical if I don't "join" the group? Fortunately, the office's page is not a network, which means that those who join can not necessarily view my profile, without me deeming them a "friend" first. But, if those in our office with Facebook pages become a fan of the organization, will there be an instant link among us - will everyone in the office want me as a Facebook friend, and then will I feel compelled to add them? I'm not trying to make it seem like I am the most desirable Facebook friend in the office, not by a longshot. At this point, I'm a fair amount older than a lot of my colleagues (they probably joined Facebook in college and surely don't belong to the group "Unlike 99.99% of the Facebook population, I was born in the '70s.") Yet, I won't easily be able to ignore their requests as I work with them - everyday.

Then is there a certain stigma with the older group in the office? Will they be talking amongst themselves as to who in the office has a Facebook page? Will they start looking over my shoulder?

As social networking sites like Facebook become more popular, start engaging the older population, and start filtering into the work environment as just another marketing tool, maybe a Facebook page will become as common as the business card. Until then, I've got some thinking to do. I may watch this one from afar for a while, and see how it plays out.

Keep you posted!

Oh, If I Had More Time...

2008-04-08T19:20:00.003Z

Ever since attending a friend's bridal shower this weekend (that's you L!) and learning of this secret band of devotees to this blog (and you J!), I have been yearning to get back into writing. Coupled with an exhibits conference this weekend that was highly focused on Web 2.0 and the use of technology, I have had numerous blog ideas swimming around in my head. (Now if you all could just read my mind, that would make things a lot easier, wouldn't it?)

Oh, if I just had more time...

I promise to get back on track soon.

Thanks for your patience!!

Facebook Reminded Me: It's My Birthday

2008-03-20T12:00:00.005Z

31 is something of a non-birthday. At least in the few hours I've been experiencing it thus far. Coming off of the excitement, despair, celebration and amazement of turning 30, 31 is like the new 22. You're just moving deeper into the next decade without an age milestone in sight.

In the days leading up to today, people were wishing me (or sending me) an (early) happy birthday. Why? Because they were notified on Facebook. For me, whether it was denial, being busy at work, or just plain disregard, I was completely taken aback during these encounters. "Right! My birthday is coming up!" with genuine surprise.

Hence, I come to my conclusion... through the myriad of people who referenced my birthday over the past few days, some of whom, but not all, would probably have not known or remembered it was my birthday without a reminder - I credit Facebook for keeping me on track. One of the many wonders of Facebook!

However, Facebook - maybe for those of us who belong to the "Unlike 99.99% of the Facebook population, I was born in the 70s" group, you know, those of us who are getting up in age... maybe you could post a birthday reminder on our pages too.

I've had a day...

2008-02-29T20:13:00.003Z

Yes, I have. I'm not even sure where to start but it seems that every random person is against me today. I've had the strangest interactions and what's worse, is that I haven't been able to find the appropriate "come-backs" in time and I wind up leaving the situation dumbfounded and looking lame.

So....

To the woman behind the cash register at CVS:

You have to open your mouth and emit sound in order for me to know you've said something. I can not be expected to read your mind. The last I checked, humans haven't been endowed with that power yet. So when you thought about asking me (twice as you said) about whether I wanted a bag to carry the 4 items that I bought out of the store, the catch is... YOU ACTUALLY HAVE TO SAY THE WORDS. And should it have actually been MY fault, and if I really didn't hear you (which I know is not the case anyway), when I asked you for a bag, there is no need to lash out on me with, "You said 'no bag' that's why I asked you twice" in the rudest of all snotty tones.

And to the customer ordering next to me at Firehook Bakery at lunchtime, who offered his unsolicited advice to me:

No, I do not want an oatmeal cookie, even if you seemed to determine by the quickest observation of me that I need a "healthier option" than the peanut butter cup cookie I ordered. [I ordered my cookie and he turned to me and said, "You really should get an oatmeal cookie. It's healthier."] You have no idea what my eating habits are, nor when my last cookie was. I'm 5'2", 100 lbs, and have consistently low cholesterol and blood pressure. I go to the gym several times a week and walk 2 miles roundtrip to/from work every day. For all you know, mister, I gave up cookies years ago and this was my special treat. (not true, but he wouldn't have known that). So, mind your own business, get your own damn oatmeal cookie, and leave me to enjoy my Friday afternoon treat in peace.

Thank you.

The People Are Ready For Change

2008-02-26T18:12:00.005Z

Got you there, didn't I?

You thought this was going to be another blog post dedicated to Barack Obama or our messed up electoral/ delegate vote system, or the news that Ralph Nadar has decided to ruin our election - again. Well, you are wrong. No politics here. At least not today. I'd like to talk about the Spring fashions I see popping up on the street around me. And it's still only in the 40s.

Yes, the people are ready for change. For a change in the actual climate (among others such as the economic climate and political climate, but we'll save that for another post.) Enough of the dreary 40 degree weather days. Either snow, or be sunny. But the hazy cool mist is getting old already.

Peep toed shoes have made their way back into my office and I've seen several women walking around with skirts on - sans hose. I'm even guilty of running out to lunch without my jacket on lately. Feels like it should be Spring already, even though it's not even March yet. (And even at that, the true Spring weather typically doesn't arrive until May.)

But as global warming persists, our seasons lack demarcation and somehow Fallwinterspring has become the norm. The slightest hint of snow brings everyone into a tizzy and I'm sure a forecast for a 60 degree day would be cause for shorts and flip flops. Yet, somehow, regardless of the forecast, we're left with the gray misty cool humidity. Not cause for an umbrella per se, but definitely enough for a bad hair day.

Get Out The Vote

2008-02-12T14:11:00.000Z

The Potomac Primaries. The Chesapeake Challenge. Whatever you want to call it, it's a busy day here in the D.C. area. Voter turnout is expected to be a record high, so accordingly, I made sure I was at my voting location at 7am. (Ok, I also had a 7:30 yoga class to attend, so I was up anyway.) My thought was: 7am, in, vote, and out. No more than 10 minutes tops. Joke on me.

My voting place is just a few steps away from my house. Really couldn't be easier. I peeked out the window this morning to see if the canvassers were in place, giving me a good indication that voting was about to begin. I bundle up, walk 10 steps down the sidewalk and there I am. Confronted with a line! At 6:59am, I was already 15th in a line of eager voters. Doors didn't open until 7:05am and when we all filed in, the realization hit quickly. There was only ONE person at the check-in table. A-G, H-P etc. Irrelavent. One person = one line. After check-in, you were funneled to another line - with one poll attendant - handing out the ballots. This was going to be a while.

Very quickly the line started increasing - two fold, four fold, until there were about 70 people in line by the time I left at 7:30am. Still, one person at the check-in table. At this rate, I can't imagine what it will be like at 6pm. Just remember, if you are in line by 8pm - the designated close of polls - they have to let you vote!

So, my advice to voters - bring a paper, bring a cup of joe, be friendly to your neighbors in line and just be patient. This is a huge day for us and worth savoring the impact we can have on this election.

Announcing a New Endeavor

2008-02-07T21:06:00.000Z

Announcing the very preliminary, very unofficial, very soft launch of Draw Me A Sheep on Cafepress.com. Click the button to the right to view the first pieces in the Drawing Sheep clothing line. Yes, there are only two, and yes, they are both for babies, but stay tuned! More to come!

Direct link: www.cafepress.com/drawingsheep

A Wake Up Call

2008-02-07T16:04:00.000Z

I admit that I am completely wrapped up in this presidential election. It is all that I've been talking about it, I stayed up to watch the Super Tuesday returns, and I'm counting down the days until I get to vote on the 12th.

I also admit that I live in somewhat of an insular bubble. I often like to think that I'm in touch with other people and groups who are not just like me, but the truth of the matter is that I stick to my circles and social conversation often revolves around the interests that we share. That being said, I do look forward to moments, like the one I'm about to describe, that offer me a well-needed wake up call into what goes on in greater society.

I walk home from work every day passing a church on the corner of my block. I often stop to talk to the parking attendant (he inquires on why I haven't moved my car in days primarily so he can offer to buy it from me and I ask him what upcoming events are going on at the church, mainly so I can be sure that my car is not boxed in if I do need it.) Last night, after inviting me to a pancake breakfast and inquiring about my work-out regimin, I asked him if he was ready for the election this coming Tuesday (the church also happens to be my polling place and as the parking attendant, I figured he'd be busy since the predictions are for record crowds.)

The following is the conversation:

me: So, are you ready for the election on Tuesday?
him: Yeah, I'll be coming in on Monday night to help set up the machines. Is this the Obama - Hinton thing? (I'm fairly sure he said "Hinton" - I know he didn't say "Clinton.")
me: Yes, the presidential primary. Its going to be a busy voting day since the votes have been so close.
him: Oh, I thought it might be a school board election.

I walked away after our conversation reminded of the "everyone else," which is in fact a very large number of people, who do not know of or have no interest in this election. In 2004, only 64% of the registered voters actually voted. (This number has increased from 58% in 1996). As a democracy, we allow people to choose if they want to vote - which is, of course, a good thing - but the risk involved is that although our leaders are elected by a majority, they may be chosen by the few, not the many.

Then I wondered where the disconnect is. Is it that this person belongs to a social circle in which discussion of the upcoming election is not prominent, or does he not have access to the information?

I came out of the conversation remembering some words from my grandfather when we would jokingly disagree on our favorite candies, ice creams, food etc. "That's why they make vanilla and chocolate!"

It's all about choice.

Resolutions

2008-01-02T17:33:00.000Z

It seems that the majority of people in D.C. have resolved to be more friendly in the New Year. I don’t know if it is an actual resolution or the fact that people got some rest over the holidays but everyone seems to be particularly friendly today. I’ve seen big smiles, jubulent “happy new years” in the hallways, at the front desk, and the cash registers. Meanwhile, I can barely keep my eyes open and smiling today seems to take more effort than normal (not that I’m not happy, its just that I’m exhausted!). [Random fact of the day – this guy posits on whether it takes more energy to smile or frown.]

To what do I attribute my lethargy?

1) The holidays, for one, are tiring for me. Being an “introvert,” I’ve learned that I must store up energy to be social as opposed to extroverts who gain energy from being social, in fact some even thrive on it.

2) I may be fighting a cold, I’m not quite sure yet.

3) And finally, I became addicted to Heroes last night. A “late-bloomer” to the Heroes scene (as we were labeled by the Blockbuster check out guy), my husband and I watched about 5 episodes of season one last night and I subsequently spent the night tossing and turning, wondering if the cheerleader would be saved and what would become of the fate of the world. I worried about alter egos and the identity of Sylar and just how creepy is the creepy guy in the wire rim glasses? For those who know me, this behavior is quite reiminscent of my Lost addiction when we watched almost three seasons in two weeks to catch up for the season finale. Now, Lost returns on January 31 and would you believe it? I’ll be in Belize. Is it too late to ask for Tivo?

So as the new year commences, I’m not sure what my resolution will be. I’ve thought of eating healthier, listening more, and “going green”. For now, I’ve got Heroes to watch and sleep to catch up on.

Happy Holidays!

2007-12-21T13:45:00.000Z

Just a quick note to wish everyone a happy holiday weekend! I'll be out of touch for a few days as I hang out with the in-laws (not that these posts have been too regular, but I'm sure you'll all manage just fine for a few days without my "deep and insightful observations into the meaning of life.") :)

I could have made this post into a whole debate on Christmas vs. Hannukah or what its like to be Jewish at Christmastime (even though half my family celebrates Christmas), or the "joys" of having to split holidays between two families... but those have all been done before.

This, on the other hand...

Store Rewards Those Who Say Merry Christmas

And finally, a BIG thank you to Elyssa for the great recommendation of where to donate my I-pod. It was so obvious! I'm headed to Walmart today to drop it off in a Toys for Tots box. I hope that it brings a lot of joy to someone this season.

I Want to Donate My I-Pod

2007-12-19T15:56:00.000Z

I have a brand new I-Pod Nano that I want to donate to a good cause and after googling every possible combination of "I want to donate my I-pod," I've come up with nothing.

Does anyone out there know an organization or cause seeking I-pods? I would think especially around the holidays this would be popular. Although, I'm well aware that the recipient also requires a computer which unfortunately I do not have available to donate.

Thanks! Please leave any suggestions you have in the comments section.

Brrr... It's Cold in Here

2007-12-07T14:39:00.001Z

We have no heat. I'm waiting for the repairman to arrive to save me from this frigid condo. With a few inches of snow still on the ground and temperatures not to exceed 37 degrees today, this is not the best day for our radiator to fail us. The small space heater in the bedroom is doing next to nothing.

We had the first indication that our heat was on the fritz two nights ago. Yesterday, we found respite from the cold at work but today I've been tasked to wait for the repairman. The appliance company originally gave us the time frame of "morning." When we called to confirm this morning, we were told "mid-day."

Brrr.... [teeth chattering]

I snapped this picture the other night with my NEW digital camera:

Even thoughts of summer aren't working today.

Signs, Signs, Everywhere Are Signs...

2007-11-16T17:52:00.001Z

I've seen some pretty great ones over the past few weeks. If only my camera would hold a charge, I would have taken pictures to share with you. I'll do the best I can to explain:

Nordstrom - Tyson's Corner

We'll be decking our halls on November 23.

Why?

Because at Nordstrom, we like to take one holiday at a time.

KUDOS, Nordstrom!! If only other stores would take your lead. There is no need for Christmas to start in October, which yes, is when I saw the first signs of it at my local CVS. Even the store employee who was stocking the card aisle with Christmas cards looked bewildered.

Bumper Sticker - Mclean, VA

This one is hard to type out and get the right effect

Any

DEMOCRAT '08

(It looked like a specific candidate bumper sticker, where the "Any" would be replaced by the candidates last name).

Deli - 17th between L and M

Serving Hotdogs!

Now with proper sanitizing.

This sign was up for weeks, and I couldn't understand why this was something you'd want to announce. I mean, if in fact you were serving food without proper sanitizing that's a) gross but b) not necessary to broadcast to those customers who may not have known in the first place.

About a week ago I noticed that the second line had been erased.

Portraits

2007-11-06T13:06:00.000Z

The camera batteries are finally charged and here are a few updates from my drawing class. This is the first time I've drawn a figure with this much detail. I clearly still have some work to do!

The Most Un-Halloween Halloween Ever

2007-11-01T22:50:00.000Z

It's like Christmas in Florida. The date says December 25, but that's about it. Yesterday was my most un-Halloween Halloween ever.

Maybe it is the time-warp, twilight zone kind of black hole I'm in called "in between marriage and babies." Halloween, between marriage and babies, is really a non-holiday. You've stopped going out to Halloween parties, all-night drunken affairs where you can get away with anything because you are in costume. And, you don't have kids to parade around the neighborhood in their pumpkin onesies.

Typically Halloween in the northeast (or, I guess, we're technically in the mid-Atlantic) is crisp. Children argue with their parents over wearing turtlenecks under their genie costumes or coats over their glittery princess gowns. Leaves are changing. Last night, it was close to 70 degrees.

The past few years one of the four members of our condo building has taken the lead on getting candy for our building and organizing who will sit outside on the stoop to hand it out to the kids in the neighborhood. This year, no one stepped up to the plate and instead, I went to a spin class at my gym. On the way home, I looked for trick-or-treaters and saw none.

Typically I would have started my Reeses indulgence weeks ago. Our office has been good this year - no Halloween candy at the front desk in the days leading up to the 31st. Instead this year, I had my first peanut butter cup of the season today. The day AFTER Halloween.

So a favorite holiday of mine has come and gone. No celebrations, no witches costumes, and barely any candy. I guess you could say I'm growing up. I guess this is why people have kids.

I owe you an update

2007-10-30T11:30:00.001Z

but it is waiting on my rechargeable camera batteries. I started drawing the human head in my drawing class last week. I now have two heads under my belt and will post them soon. What I won't post, though, is a picture of the model because I want you to think that my drawings really do look like my subjects. There is a slight resemblance, but really I've probably unearthed a long lost cousin instead. Hang tight!

I Take Up Space Too

2007-10-10T22:17:00.000Z

I had one of those days today where everyone got in the way of my personal space. The most noted offender was this guy at the Chipotle in Dupont Circle. He was behind me in line, and it was as if I wasn't there at all. In addition to invading the personal space of the condiments (he was leaning way over the sneeze guard to get an up close look at the salsas), he continued to side-step down the line and when he bumped into me, he didn't stop - as if he was trying to bulldoze me aside so that he could get a look at a topping that was a bit out of his line of sight. He reminded me a bit of those old video game characters - a Mario or Luigi - who just continue to move their feet when they've hit a wall. I guess I was the wall.

I wanted to say, "Dude! I take up space, too." But instead I just shot him nasty looks. It didn't work.

At at mere 5' 2", I realize that I don't take up a lot of space and I definitely don't have one of those flamboyant personalities that announces "I'm here!" at my every turn. But I do take up space. I am composed of water and atoms and molecules and so forth and by the laws of physics, I displace air when I walk (I think!?!).

And I like my space.

I read a study once (I wish I could find it now to share with you) that people who engage in casual touch wind up happier than those who are never touched by others. For example, if your hand brushes a cashier's hand when he/she gives you your change, or you brush against a co-worker's arm while passing in the hallway, you are probably happier than someone who never receives the sense of touch.

This was not casual touch though. It was downright obtrusive bulldozing into my personal space.

I shouldn't be surprised that there is a Wikipedia entry on personal space. And it is interesting to note that, "Those who live in a densely populated environment tend to have smaller personal space requirements." In the entry, they compare someone who lives in India to someone who lives in the Mongolian Steppe. I'm not going to be that extreme - but maybe this guy came from New York City.

Updates and Obs

2007-10-04T23:03:00.000Z

Alas, days go by filled with work and life and catching up with old friends and not a blog post to be found.

Just a few quick thoughts and obs that I haven't had time to put into writing:

1. The man who takes the orders at the Farragut Square Subway makes me smile. "Cheese? Toasted? Happy Friday. Have a nice weekend."

2. I was wondering today why bank offices are so visible from the street? Don't matters of money tend to be on the private side? And isn't it weird to have people watch you work all day?

3. I'm routing for the Phillies because after 14 dismal years, they have finally made the post-season again. I admit I did not watch one regular season game, nor do I know any of the players anymore. But, my childhood crush on Darren Daulton still leaves me with an affinity for the team.

4. Watching them lose without the sympathy/ support of the city behind me is no fun.

5. We're making a baby visit this weekend - to North Carolina. EVERYONE is having babies.

I hope to be back in action again soon. And I owe you all an update on my plant.

It's a Smart Start

2007-09-26T11:47:00.001Z

I've been inspired by a Cookthink post on healthy sweet snacking. As they put it, "The three o'clock sweet hour" and I know you all know it well. 3:00 comes around and you decide to wander by your office's front desk to see if there may be any of those m & m's left. Sometimes you get lucky, other times you need to run down to the corner store for a Snickers bar. What is it about 3:00pm?

Cookthink provides a healthy alternative and from reading this post, I've decided to give it a try. For a month. It is inevitable that I need a snack around 3:00 to get me through the rest of the day, but from here on out, I'm going to make it healthy. I'm not trying to lose weight, but I am trying to regain some energy, to feel a little less lethargic by the end of the day, and boost my blood levels of the all of the important things that blood tests check for due to an impending annual doctor's appointment (that I still need to schedule).

Now, I'm not going to lie. With October around the corner and Halloween on the horizon, I'd be kidding everyone if I said I was going to cut chocolate out of my diet completely. Besides, aren't there studied health benefits of chocolate? But, for the most part, I will be replacing my 3:00 sweet fix with more generally accepted, healthier options such as fruit, whole grain crackers, and natural peanut butter. Hopefully just what I'll need to make it through the work day and a short evening work-out at the gym.

I even bought cereal and oatmeal as options to start my day with. As we speak, I'm eating SmartStart (appropriate, huh?) with soy milk and banana.

It is the dawn of a new me.

The Local Flavor

2007-09-25T11:28:00.000Z

I had a cold. That is my excuse.

But I'm back, now.

I've lived in D.C. for 8 years and had never visited a local winery until this past Sunday. I can't believe what I had been missing! I mistakenly thought that all the good wines were made in California or France and to have a true vineyard experience, I would have to hop a flight to Napa. Not so!

We set out on Route 66, about an hour and 15 outside of the city. Destination: Linden Vineyards in Linden, Virginia. The scenery was breathtaking. Atop the Blue Ridge Mountains, we passed through rolling hills and valleys en route to the winery. The parking lot, surprisingly, was packed although we decided later that the guests must have been on the tour, because once inside, we felt like we had the place to ourselves.

Our afternoon started with a tasting of the five wines that are manufactured at Linden:

A dry 2006 Seyval with the aroma of white grapefruit and lemon zest tinge. Citrusy and fresh.

A medium bodied 2004 Chardonney. Crisp and very pleasant with hints of pear and vanilla.

A delicious 2005 Cabernet Franc, full of flavor. Raspberry and truffle aromas.

A hearty 2003 Claret that would be great paired with a dense stew. Notes of mint, sage and blackberry.

And finally, a sweet, but not too sweet, Reisling (2006). It almost had a spritz on my tongue and had a fruity finish of grapefruit, peach and orange peel.

We settled on a bottle of Chardonnay and retreated to the porch, overlooking the rows and rows of grapes in the vineyard. Linden Vineyard offers a selection of local cheese and sausages to pair with your wine selection, with the most delicious, warm and crispy baguettes.

Good food, good wine, good company. It added up to the perfect Sunday afternoon.

My Plant

2007-09-12T12:11:00.000Z

My mother-in-law bought me a plant for our condo. She assured me that it only needed watering once every two weeks and was very easy to care for. I do not have a grand history of keeping plants alive (I think I once even killed a cactus) so I was a bit skeptical, but once every two weeks? I could handle that. She also told me that the plant produces little babies. The only thing I could deduce from that was that this plant was some kind of fertility plant. So, at the same time, this gift was more than just a gift. It was a test. I had to prove to my mother-in-law that I could keep this plant alive because if I can't keep the plant healthy and strong, how am I going to care for a baby? Right?

Diligently, once every two weeks, I watered the plant. I let the soil dry out between waterings as the instructions stated. I gave it light (and love). And still (!) it slowly began to wither and shrivel and die. Then, I gave up. I stopped watering it and just left it on the window sill to eek out its last days.

Last night I got frustrated. At why I can never keep plants alive. I cut some of the leaves back and immediately jumped on the internet. Googling "plant with pink center" until I figured out exactly what I had (a bromeliad.) I visited bromeliad care sites, bromeliad society sites, and even found some doctoral thesis on the little buggers.

And you know what I found out? The plant is SUPPOSED to die! Yes, have you ever heard of such a thing? Once the plant flowers, it completely shuts down - giving all of its energy to the birth of a "pup" or offshoot, or as my mother-in-law put it, a "baby." I inspected my plant and low and behold, it had produced a pup.

See that offshoot, above? That's the pup.

Now the question is (according to the myriad of websites on the topic) - do I transplant the offshoot, or do I leave it there, allowing the "mother" plant to produce more pups?

I've got to think this one over a bit. With my history, though, I'm sure that whatever I decide for the fate of this pup, the poor plant will eventually die. I'll keep you posted.

9/11: My Story

2007-09-11T11:27:00.000Z

It's been six years. It's already been six years and it's only been six years. I was actually surprised that the Today show this morning wasn't overdoing its "America Remembers" series. Or maybe that's CNN? Maybe we're moving on?

Since 9/11 will be one of those days that we recount time and time again, as in a "where were you when..." story. Our parents had JFK and the landing on the moon. We, and they, have 9/11 (and the Challenger explosion.) This is how I remember and will retell my 9/11 story:

I was in a job at GWU that I hated and had a hard time pulling myself out of bed. As usual, I turned on the Today show while I was getting ready for work. The usual stories of the day were on and somewhere around 8:45am, when I needed to leave for work, Katie Couric announced that they would be back with breaking news. I thought it had to do with Chandra Levy, so I turned off the TV and headed to work.

The next day, September 12, I had a doctor's appointment to go to. I hadn't been to the doctor in years and I was worried he would find me unhealthy. So, on September 11, instead of taking the elevator up to the 2nd floor for work, I opted for the stairs. A last ditch effort to break up any cholesterol I had and to get my heart pumping healthily. By taking the stairs, I bypassed the bank of TVs that would have certainly been tuned to the breaking news story of the day.

Up in the gallery, I was hanging the last of the artwork for our exhibition before my boss came in. The phone rang, and it was my Dad. He told me that a plane crashed into the World Trade Center. It can be amusing, in hindsight, what the first reactions are to a tragedy. We both knew it was bad (although we didn't really know how bad at the time) and our conversation went something like this:

Me: Wow. So, I guess a lot of people died?
Dad: I don't know. I would guess. It's crazy. The World Trade Center is so big that the plane didn't even come out of the other side.

In hindsight, neither of us knew how to react to this news, nor did we know that our comments would be recounted for years to come. We did not know how big the plane was and there is history of small planes crashing into the World Trade Center. I was thinking it was a small plane, and couldn't really understand why my father was calling me. Then my dad ends the conversation with some reference to hearing that the Pentagon was on fire and I assured him I was headed down to the TVs to check it out.

I go down to the TVs and the area is mobbed with students. It was there that I watched one of the towers fall, but I can't remember which one. A security officer ordered all students back to their dorms. I asked him, "what about staff?" He said, "If I were you, I'd get the hell out of here." Someone lived in Pentagon City and asked him what she should do. He told her to head north.

Panic mode hit. I tried calling my friend who worked on the Hill but since cell phones were so overloaded, I couldn't get through. I tried to call other friends in DC, but had no luck, so I headed home. The streets were completely clogged with traffic, cars were getting nowhere. I looked toward the direction of the Pentagon and could see a little smoke. I lived right across from the State Dept. and feared that it, too, would be a target. Back at my apartment, I could get through to people on email, letting them know I was ok. My mom somehow got through to me and told me that I needed to get out of the city. She didn't realize that that was pretty much impossible.

I was able, though, to get up to Van Ness to seek refuge at a friend's apartment. It just seemed safer up there. Another friend joined us and for hours, we watched the news coverage. We watched the events unfold, be recounted and analyzed. Too stunned to really talk. It wasn't until hours later, that our one friend informed us that her dad worked at the World Trade Center. He was in England, though, and was not harmed. I couldn't believe it took her so long to tell us. She must have been in shock.

Eventually we felt the need to get out of the apartment and away from the TV. Chadwick's, in Friendship Heights, was pretty much the only thing we could find that was open. We just wanted a quick bite to eat. Our waiter told us that all appetizers were half off. My friend asks, "Is it because of the crisis?" He says, "No, it is happy hour." It was 5:00pm. And, technically, happy hour.

I had a lot of bad dreams that night, basically of being trapped inside falling buildings. The next morning I went to my doctor's appointment. I was pronounced healthy...

What Goes Around Comes Around

2007-09-09T19:46:00.000Z

Can you believe it? Ok, you don't know what I'm talking about yet. If you haven't read my last post, Life's Little Lessons at the Safeway, you should read it now before proceeding any further... then come back!

This afternoon I drove over to Trader Joe's to get the ingredients I need for our Island dinner tonight (I'm making spiced island shrimp over jasmine rice with pineapple "island" cornbread). I loaded up my basket, waited through the winding line and as I approached the check-out counter, I realized that I didn't have my wallet. No cash, no credit cards, no ID even to buy the three bottles of wine I picked up.

Talk about "pay it forward." No one jumped to my rescue, just as I let the man in front of me leave without being able to take his groceries with him. There is justice in this world, isn't there? The difference, unfortunately, is that I did have the money to pay for my groceries, it just required a 10 minute ride home to get it. (Which, by way of postscript, I did. And returned back to Trader Joe's where they had so thoughtfully put my grocery cart full of items in the cooler to wait for me. Then, as luck would have it, I wound up being directed to the same guy behind the cash register who tried to ring me up a half hour earlier...).

What goes around comes around.

Life's Little Lessons at the Safeway

2007-09-09T15:39:00.000Z

I had a moment the other night. It was one of those moments that requires a split second decision to be made and in that split second, you waffle back and forth about 100 times, make your decision and them immediately regret it, but then it's too late.

I stopped at the grocery store after work on Friday, to pick up two steaks and a pint of ice cream as a reward for our hard work in painting the bathroom. With just three items, I scanned the 15 items or less check-out counters but the lines were long. I'm convinced that it is quicker to stand behind one or two people with 30 items than behind 8 people with five items each. So, I wound up behind an older man, who gingerly and deliberately placed each of his items, one by one, on the conveyor belt. A few blocks of cheese, some milk, meats, slowly one by one. But, I wasn't annoyed, in fact I was surprisingly calm as I considered his age and the fact that I had nothing going on that evening other than a quiet night at home - I had some time to spare.

Finally, the check out man got to this gentleman's order and swiftly scanned and bagged each item. The shopper swiped a card, but seemed to have some trouble. I assumed it was just an older generation thing and their aversion to the do it yourself era of modern technology. The check out man reached over to help out his customer and asked "food?" A strange question I thought - typically it is "debit or credit?" - until it hit me that he must be referencing food stamps. The customer nodded silently. Then some confusion ensued, the check out man printed out a receipt and informed the customer that he only had a balance of 37 cents and they must not have made the deposit yet. The customer grunted, the man asked if he should cancel the order, the customer nodded and walked out of the grocery store. Three bags of groceries were packed, but they weren't going home with him. The check out man reached to his intercom and announced "bagged groceries for restocking, checkout 3" and proceeded to scan my steaks.

For a moment, somewhere around the discovery of the 37 cent balance, I almost - almost - offered to pay for this man's groceries. It was only $30 - he would have gone home with food and I would have gone home feeling like I made a selfless gesture. But, I didn't. Something stopped me. I guess I didn't want him to feel embarrassed, but I'm sure he didn't feel so great learning he didn't have enough money for his food. Then again, I don't know much about food stamps. I don't know how they work, I don't know how or when money is deposited. I didn't know whether he just needed to wait until the next day or wait an entire month. My ignorance basically rendered me powerless to determine the appropriate course of action.

Since, I've read up on food stamps. Here is the low-down. I still don't know if I made the right decision and I'll probably never know what happened to the man who tried to buy his groceries. But, at the very least, I'm a little more educated than I was and the next time I find myself in this situation perhaps I'll waffle the other way.

[Read the related story, What Goes Around Comes Around, where I find myself in a similar situation later the same weekend.]

On Facebook

2007-09-06T12:26:00.000Z

A few weeks ago the cover story of Newsweek was on Facebook. There were two articles in particular - first person narratives - on "Why I Love It" and "Why I Hate It." The final verdict is still out for me, I mean, I haven't even completed my profile yet. I have profiles on Friendster (in the days was I was so innocent to the social networking world) and MySpace (when I played up my alternative art side and, initially, decided to add every musician/ punk rocker/ band member who sent me a friend request. Ultimately, I received too many concert solicitations to deal with and let go). And here, yesterday, I started over on Facebook.

It is a blank slate. How do I want to convey myself to the world? It is a new era of first impressions... connecting with old high school classmates, neighbors, co-workers who haven't been privy to my daily trials and tribulations. Do I want my old friends from high school to know that I sometimes still watch The Real World? Or that I am still driving my 1994 Toyota Celica that I drove for the first time into the Junior parking lot 13 years ago? Or how about my camper who I just reconnected with after 10 years. She was 12 when I was her counselor, now she is 22 and seeking her first job. What does she need to know about me?

I'm working on getting it all together. Stay tuned to my Facebook page. That, is of course - as all Facebookers presume... that you care.

It's been a month...

2007-09-05T17:47:00.001Z

and I have no excuse. Well, other than I was on vacation for 10 days, got back, got a promotion, work load has increased, end of summer social scene is in full effect, painted the bathroom, am glued to the US Open - you get the picture. I promise I'll get back to regular posts soon, though.

I joined Facebook today and people have been checking out the blog. That's just the impetus I needed.

Welcome all and we'll chat soon.

Sand between my toes...

2007-08-08T11:35:00.000Z

Yes, I still owe you more Vegas posts but I'm about to go on vacation for a week and a half. My hope is to be truly on vacation - and that means no internet, no email and not many phone calls either. I'm headed out to Montauk to meet my hubby who has been galavanting around Boston the past few days and who called me at 6 this morning to tell me he just got back from a night of gambling at Foxwoods. He is truly on vacation.

So until then, you'll have to picture me on the beach as far (mentally) from work as I can be. I'm still waiting to hear about my promotion. I seriously never thought it could take over 6 months to make a decision on what I believe should be the easiest decision in the world. :)

Tomorrow, when I board the cheapy bus to NYC only to transfer immediately to the LIRR, I'll be knee deep in Harry Potter. A solid 8 hours to get through 700 and something pages. I'll "apparate" myself to Hogwarts since I can't really apparate to Montauk. And when I do arrive (in Montauk that is), I get to enjoy dinner at Dave's Grill.

Las Vegas, Part 1: All the World's a Line

2007-07-31T20:27:00.000Z

Last night I returned from a four day getaway with “the girls” to Las Vegas. The City of Lights, Sin City, the LV; whatever you want to call it, it was big, it was bright and it was unforgettable. Over the next few days, I’ll be posting a series of posts on my experience there formatted around roughly based themes that surfaced over and over again during the long weekend.

Today’s discussion: Las Vegas, Part 1: All the World’s a Line

Somewhere around 11am, I arrived at Dulles airport after driving the very boring 16 mile stretch of the Dulles Access Road that’s not quite 495 and not quite the toll road and I was immediately presented with a dilemma: Daily Parking 1 or Daily Parking 2. My quick intuition led to me to choose Daily Parking 2 because it looks much closer to the terminals and I vaguely remembered parking there before. I love the electronic sign upon entering that tells you in little green numbers exactly how many spots are available on each level. Level 1: 3; Level 2: 195, Level 3: 65 etc. Level 2 it is. Duh! I drive up and immediately find a spot that looks good. It takes me a good few minutes to hoist my ridiculously large suitcase out of the trunk, narrowly missing all ten of my toes as it crashes to the ground only to soon find out that the access to the pedestrian walkway is only accessible from level 3. Of course. I contemplate moving my car to one of the 60-some spots on Level 3 but that would require maneuvering my suitcase again, so I opt to take the elevator up a level instead. When I exit the parking lot I see another very humorous sign. It says something like "Next time you fly, consider Daily Parking 1 with its state of the art, new and improved, covered and air conditioned moving sidewalks that will make your life so much easier than Daily Parking 2. We'll even pass out fruity umbrella drinks as you glide on by in style." Ok, so that's not exactly verbatim, but you get the idea. (And it is not a line story, but it sets the stage...)

I had an easy check-in at Southwest and fortunately my friend clued me in to this 24-hours in advance online check-in thing so you can get into the first group of seating. I wasn't lucky enough to get A since I checked in 21 hours in advance, but I felt my B status was not so shabby. It was here that I encountered my first line of the vacation. Have you ever flown Southwest before? Talk about perpetuating the class system! Sitting on the floor in the B line, over one hour before the scheduled take-off of my flight, I held such envy for those in the A line and such panic that I was going to get a bad seat and have to endure the pointing, laughter and snickering from my fellow window and aisle seat neighbors ("She must have been in the B line... ha ha ha. Loser."). [line 1] Well joke on everyone. For some reason everyone before me passed up a second row aisle seat which I promptly snagged. Unfortunately, a C line woman took the middle seat next to me and proceeded to cough and pop pill after pill of prescription medication the entire flight. I was mentally reviewing my CPR skills should she pass out from an overdose.

We arrive in Vegas, I rush off the plane to baggage claim up and down a few escalators where presumably most of the riders are from the DC area and STILL do not stay to the right. Ugh. I grab my bag off the carousel and head for a taxi. The taxi line at McCarren International awaits. It must be about 150 people deep, although props to the attendants, they have this worked out. From the main taxi line, and as you approach the front, you are directed to one of 9 smaller lines where the taxis pull up to pick up the passengers. [lines 2 and 3]

Finally reunited with my friends from college we talked about all of the activities we had planned for the weekend - some fine dining, a show, a bit of sun and gambling, and at least one of the trendy nightspots. At this point we hadn't realized how beneficial our female status would prove to be over the next few days. More on this later but for now, I'll speak of how it affected our experience with the many lines we encountered in Las Vegas.

Being a female visitor to Las Vegas gets you many privileges. For some, like us, it got us line passes, VIP passes, and guest list status, presumably limiting the time you have to stand in lines for entry into the various clubs. For others, it probably gets you an STD or two, but either way you come back with a special memory. Props to Terry who totally got us the hook-up at Body English, Tao and Rehab. He knows people and we were glad to know him. What we didn't realize, until our first Las Vegas club experience, is that knowing Terry and getting line passes and VIP passes etc., is that it just allows you wait in a different line than the rest of the masses. True it was typically shorter and moved faster, but it was a line nevertheless. Often though, you started in one line and then were shuffled to another and yet another before your actual entry into the esteemed and at that point quite mysterious Las Vegas club scene. And then, who were those people who could just cut the line and why were they so important? Probably because they spent thousands on a table or cabana or whatever other exclusive and private corner of the club they could afford. (More on that later, too.)

And every line we waited in had its own characteristic. Some lines were long (taxi line outside of Caesars after a night at Tao), some lines were entered through parking lots (Rehab VIP/Cabana line at Hard Rock), some lines had misters that would keep us cool, but mess up our hair before a night out (Mandalay taxi line), and others promised Furkinis - yes, a bikini made of fake fur (a Body English promotion at Hard Rock and apparently a coveted promotion judging by the line of ladies giddy with anticipation).

At last count, somewhere around Monday morning, we recalled at least 24 lines that we waited in. At an average of say 4 minutes a line, we stood in lines for over an hour of our vacation.

Perhaps they should rename Las Vegas and call it Disney World instead.

The Countdown Begins

2007-07-25T16:09:00.001Z

My Gmail chat announces that I'm Vegas bound in a little less than 48 hours. With two of my very best girlfriends, sun, water, a bit of gambling, fine dining and Love it adds up to the perfect recipe to cure my blahs. I haven't taken a vacation, much less a day or two off since November, work is getting stagnant and morale here is low. I think this will be the just the pick-me-up that I need.

And, when it rains it pours... less than two weeks after my return, I head to my in-laws beach house for over a week. Like the rest of D.C., my hubby and I will be fleeing the confines of this city as the tourists come in to replace us - a veritable free-for-all. We'll spend a few days with his family and then they leave us on our own for a week. We plan to have a steady stream of friends coming and going, crashing on extra beds and couches (and maybe floors!). We'll eat lobster rolls, sunbathe, and probably partake in a competitive game or two of putt-putt. Just the crazy kind of relaxation that I need.

And come September, I should be as good as new.

Portrait of an Artist (part 2)

2007-07-24T20:20:00.000Z

Here are some more images from my drawing class to tide you over. It has been a busy week at work and I'm getting ready for a mini-vacation (Vegas, baby!), so it may be until next week before I can post something substantial. Thanks for your patience!

Someone's in the Kitchen

2007-07-19T16:49:00.000Z

I've been cooking a lot lately. My husband even remarked how the cooking responsibility has seemed to shift over to me this summer. He, being a "gourmand" and well adept in the kitchen, would have no problem whipping up something scrumptious after we both got home from the gym. Now, that I've frozen my gym membership for the summer, since I prefer to do my exercising on an outdoor bike, I've been getting home before him.

It makes me feel like the notion of "wife" that I had when I was growing up. Apron-smocked, I'll have dinner just about on the table when he gets home from work, but not totally on the table so he can see all the preparation that went into making the meal. (It is a sick little thing, I know.)

But more so than feeling like a '50s wife, I gain great pleasure out of creating and knowing that I've successfully taken a mish-mosh of ingredients and turned them into something pleasantly plated and palatable.

Some recent winners include:

Spicy blackened catfish (served with lemony spinach and a salad)
Grilled steak with lemon and rosemary marinade (served with potato salad with celery and sweet onion)
Chicken breasts stuffed with goat cheese and basil

And like my mom always said, "If you can read [a recipe], you can cook."

Komi: A Meal to Remember

2007-07-18T16:27:00.000Z

Komi
1509 17th Street NW
http://www.komirestaurant.com/

I am a glutton for inventive food, so when we received an invitation from a friend to dine at Komi, I re-arranged all of my plans. Ok, I had no plans really, but ever since chef Johnny Monis was named one of the best new chefs by Food and Wine magazine, it has been near impossible to get in the door. I wasn't going to pass up this opportunity.

And I am sure glad I didn't. This meal was one of the best I've had in my eight years in D.C. and I liken it a bit to Obelisk - another fixed price menu of delicious yet unpretentious food featuring unique combinations of ingredients. Like, Obelisk, I felt like I had arrived at a friend's house when I entered Komi. It is small and unassuming on the inside and you are made to feel like the guest of honor. Tables are spread out enough that you can have your own conversation and dining experience without feeling infringed upon by your neighbor.

Komi offers a fixed price menu - either you choose from several options per section or have the chef prepare a tasting menu for you, of his choosing but as is typical, the entire table must oblige to this second option. We decided to select our own and add the wine pairings. We were in for a treat. The staff was so very knowledgeable about each ingredient and the sommelier fully explained the wine offerings to us, at the start of each new course.

First course: a selection of mezzethakia (in my best Greek, roughly translates to small bites). I think we each received 8 and this course incorporated two wine pairings. [A note on the wine pairings: these are FULL glasses of wine which translates to an excellent deal but a heavy night of drinking. Be forewarned that I don't have the best recollection of the later courses... ] Highlights from the mezzethakia: a date that literally melts in your mouth, watermelon with whipped feta topped with a hazelnut, and an oxtail pita "sandwich". One diner in our party is a vegetarian and each meat based mezzethakia had a vegetable based equivalent that both looked the same and contained similar flavors (the oxtail pita translated to a wild mushroom pita - both dense and earthy flavors).

The second course featured a selection of pastas. I selected the local corn ravioli with summer truffles and langoustines and others at our table enjoyed the Gorgonzola ravioli with pears and almonds and the tagliatelle with guanciale and blueberries.

For our main entree, I shared the bronzino for two which was delicately cooked in a typical Mediterranean style of olive oil and lemon and accompanied by a side of garlicky chard. Prior to this course, the waitress came out to present the whole fish to us before it was filleted and said that the chef would like to know whether we wanted the head served for its fleshy cheek meat. Apparently a delicacy, but we declined. It was at this point that I believe I caught of glimpse of Chef Monis working hard in the kitchen. It was something of a celebrity sighting to me.

Dessert had a plethora of exciting options, but I finally settled on the Greek doughnuts, bathed in honey with a side of chocolate mousse for dipping. They were light and airy and the perfect note on which to end my meal.

Our bill arrived with four lollipops wrapped in wax paper. Flavor of the evening was something with saffron and citrus. After a delicious meal and five glasses of wine, with a lollipop stick sticking out of my mouth, I felt as happy as a kid in a candy shop.

I hope to have this experience again. I'll make sure to reserve at table early.

**** (out of 4 stars)
20% tip: While the wines were paired quite nicely with the meal, be careful how much you drink. The food is too good to be forgotten the next morning.

MapQuest Failed Me Yesterday

2007-07-16T16:13:00.000Z

MapQuest failed me this weekend. In planning our bike ride from Vienna to Great Falls and back, I looked up the address for the Whole Foods in Vienna - right off of the W&OD trail, and mapquested the directions from our home. These are the directions that MapQuest provided, from route 66:

10: Merge onto I-66 W (Crossing into VIRGINIA). 19.2 miles

11: Take the FAIRFAX CO PKY / VA-7100 exit- EXIT 55- toward RESTON / HERNDON / SPRINGFIELD. 0.5 miles

12: Merge onto VA-7100 N / FAIRFAX COUNTY PKWY / JOHN F JACK HERRITY PKWY via EXIT 55B toward RESTON / HERNDON. 0.7 miles

13: Turn SLIGHT RIGHT onto FAIR LAKES PKWY. 0.3 miles

14: End at 143 Maple Avenue East, Vienna, VA 22180, US

Now, for anyone who lives in Vienna and frequents the Maple Avenue Whole Foods, you would realize that these are not the correct directions. And, for anyone who lives in Fairfax, you would realize that these are in fact the directions to the Fairfax Whole Foods on Market Commons Drive. Not being too familiar with either area, we trusted the powers that be at Mapquest. What are the chances that by plugging in the correct address, we would be led to the wrong Whole Foods?

Fortunately, my husband had biked part of the W&OD trail before and recognized that our initial destination did not look familiar - nor could we find the trail. When we asked a very nice suburban looking mom for directions to Maple Avenue, she said, "Oh, that's in Vienna!" and quickly pointed us on our way before the light turned green.

So, MapQuest, in the age of information technology, you have let me down. Your "omniscient" self was no match for the mind behind the woman in the black SUV. Don't you realize that we trust you whole-heartedly to navigate us along our paths and into uncharted territory. Your "shortest time" directions indicated a total estimated time of 32 minutes, instead it took us over an hour.

Did you think I was just going grocery shopping and would have been satisfied with any old Whole Foods? If that were the case, I would have walked two blocks and avoided much frustration.

So, MapQuest, you've lost some of my trust. And perhaps I've now learned a lesson... to read the fine print:

Your use of the website and Materials is at YOUR OWN RISK (their emphasis) and MapQuest is under no obligation to provide you with any support, error corrections, updates, upgrades, bug fixes and/or enhancements of the website and Materials.
Please note that the Materials may include technical inaccuracies or typographical errors. (my emphasis) MapQuest has the right at any time to change, modify, add to or discontinue or retire any aspect or feature of the website or Materials, including, but not limited to, the software, content, hours of availability, equipment needed for access or use, or the availability of the website or Materials on any particular device or communications service. MapQuest has no obligation to provide you with notice of any such changes.

Or use Yahoo! Maps.

Memories of Summers Gone

2007-07-12T17:29:00.001Z

It felt like camp this morning. It was brisk summer morning with a light breeze, the sun drying the dew on the grass. It smelled like fresh rain. It instantly made me nostalgic for my childhood summers at overnight camp. Waking up on a thin cot mattress, dressed head to toe in sweatpants and a sweatshirt (sometimes even with the hood up if it was an especially cold night in the mountains), and often with a slightly scratchy throat. Our pull rope windows would be sealed shut and ironically the cabin wouldn't warm up without opening them.

The "20 minutes until line-up" announcements would progress at a rate that seemed much faster than reality, quickly building up to the last minute when you knew you had to get out of bed if you were to have time to brush your teeth before breakfast. A quick glance at your best camp friend sleeping next to you would be returned with an equally knowing glance... "do you think they are going to make us get in the pool today?" - a reference to 1st period instructional swim.

Soon all of girls' camp was stumbling out of their bunks, bags under their eyes from long nights of giggling and telling stories, some maybe even came back just a few hours prior from a raid to boys' camp with memories of a secret kiss and a summer crush.

By the end of breakfast, temperatures would have risen enough to be comfortable (but still not enough to go swimming! Never!). Another day in the Poconos awaited us - bound to be filled with memory-making activities that we would only realize later when walking to work on a cool summer day among the hustle and bustle of Washington, D.C.

Portrait of an Artist

2007-07-11T11:58:00.000Z

To many established artists, these pieces will look like your typical Intro to Drawing still life studies. They will remind them of their younger days, when the canvas was new and approached with hesitancy, when materials felt foreign in familiar hands and techniques went beyond common logic (you want me to only draw the highlights?).

I share with you some of my first attempts at composing still life - from Beginning Drawing at the Art League. (some more finished than others)

Biking 'round the Old Line State

2007-07-09T17:32:00.000Z

This was my bike ride on Sunday. We estimate it to be about 22 miles, although Map My Run says 18. Considering we were on trails for a portion of the ride and Map My Run doesn't always pick up on trails, I'm going with 22 miles. It sounds more impressive, anyway!

It was really nice to get out of the hustle and bustle of the city and bike among horse farms, rivers, marshland and even the osprey at the Merkle Wildlife Sanctuary. A far cry from home. We ran into some fisherman along the way, trying to catch catfish and two park rangers who really helped us navigate our shoddy map. (Thank you!) This area of Upper Marlboro, along Croom Road and through Patuxent River Park, was virtually deserted on a beautiful but hot Saturday afternoon. Aside from a family of four that we saw biking through the wildlife center, we were the only ones on two wheels.

The traffic was minimal and not much of a factor except on the relatively "busy" Croom Road. In fact, the park ranger urged us to move along from the visitors center around 4pm, worried that we may get caught in rush hour traffic. I laughed, and then realized she was actually being serious. Most of the route was hilly - some tough uphill climbs tempered by some long downhill coasts.

This area of Maryland comes with some history and we were able to catch some sites along the way. The site of the first African American owned airfield which is now merely one of many cornfields in the area, the town of Nottingham (population 1800), which was home to the British invasion of 1812 and once the third largest port in Maryland. Today it is virtually a ghost town, with several large plots of farm land and the old one room schoolhouse. And we rode by the ancestral home of the Bowies, who founded the town of Bowie, MD. Today it is owned by the Catholic Church and serves as a youth center.

I wish I had brought my camera on this trip because we really encountered some beautiful scenery. And the pictures would have made this post much more interesting!

So 22 (or 18) miles later, depending on who you believe, we definitely earned our meal at Komi. A review to come later this week.

30 going on 12

2007-06-28T16:17:00.001Z

I got carded at a restaurant last night for the second time in recent memory. I was out with my husband and my mother-in-law, which incidentally was the same company I was keeping the first time around. The scary part... I'm sure the waitress thought I was my husband's younger sister and we were out with our mom.

Now that I've turned 30, though, I've decided to take a different approach. And instead of getting huffy about it all, I just laugh it off. Maybe even make the waitress uncomfortable by joking, "Did you think I was his sister?" as I emit one of those "ha, ha, ha" laughs. (That's mean, I realize, and I've never worked in food service, and I do know she is just doing her job. If it is any consolation to me, she did look embarassed to have to ask.)

The problem is, I don't know how else to try to look older. I dress professionally during the day and stylishly at night. I wear heels to make my 5' 2" frame appear taller. I just got a sleek new haircut. I've been blessed to have never found a gray hair or wrinkle - yet. The only thing I can think of is that I'm flat-chested. Very. And I've got no plans to do anything about it. Ever. So, if that's what is holding me back from joining the ranks of my 30 year old looking peers, so be it. Guess I'll just have to get used to carrying around my ID - for the rest of my life.

Rambles

2007-06-26T20:15:00.000Z

I don't know whether it is my lack of creative ideas or this extreme heat we've been enduring that has hampered me from posting more often this week. What is the humidity, like 1000%? It is like there is no air to breathe out there.

Tonight I start my second drawing class and I'm way excited. Its the same class I took last time - I'm taking it again to "refine my skills." Whatever skills I think I acquired could definitely still use some refining.

And this weekend is my first pool party of the season. Don't think I haven't been kicking up the On Demand workouts to get ready for the official start to bikini season. And I bought a super-cute yellow polka dot bikini for the occassion. Now to get that six-pack in order...

Hopefully tomorrow I'll have a better post for you - but in my creative absence, here are a few sites to keep you going.

Draw like Jackson Pollack...

Pretend you are on the beach...

Driving Lessons - Metro Style

2007-06-21T16:31:00.000Z

I saw something funny today. A metrobus display proclaiming "driver in training." Now, I've seen that before, but what I haven't seen, or hadn't noticed, was that this bus was packed! With, presumably, other drivers in training - like, a whole class of them. In uniform, just chilling on the bus while this woman - fear set in her eyes - tried to maneuver a right hand turn around the corner of 17th and I Streets NW at lunchtime.

I wondered if this was their final test, the 85th class of metrobus drivers or something like that, and if they all took turns driving around the city until all had their share of precarious situations on the streets of D.C.

It reminded me of my driving lessons at age 16 (NJ) and how in one particular instance, the instructor decided to take two of us out at the same time and we switched off the driving. I wonder now if this is even legal, or if it is whether is should be. I'm fairly certain this other girl had never been behind the wheel before and I think that I had had maybe one other lesson. The area that I grew up in was very flat, bordered by a lot of farm land, but on this day we wound up in the hilly section of town and this girl was accelerating, full speed, DOWN the hills. I was in the back of some cheapo American car that at the time only had those lap belt seat belts which tended to save the passenger's life but leave them with paralysis.

I hope that the metrobus drivers today do not encounter any scary, life-threatening moments as they entrust their fellow classmates to guide a 40 foot vehicle along 335 routes to 12,301 bus stops. May the force be with you and maybe I'll see you on the S line someday.

My Psychic Ipod

2007-06-20T17:28:00.000Z

I can't possibly be the first one to think this, but I really believe that my Ipod is psychic. Or just really really smart. When set on shuffle, it tends to read my thoughts, and provide the accompanying soundtrack.

Ok, here's a concrete example. This morning, while walking to work, I saw the cutest old couple sitting on the steps of their townhouse, each typing away on their own laptop and sipping cups of coffee. It was really the cutest thing and I couldn't help but think about how much I hope I lead a similar life at their age. They were with it, of the times, and looked very much in love.

My Ipod, set on shuffle, took cue from my reverie and tuned up Love Theme from Saint Elmo's Fire.

Time goes on
People touch and then they're gone
But you and I
Will never really end
We'll never love again
Like we did then

A sad tune, for sure, and probably talking more about a love that didn't last, but I still thought it was effective in describing an older love like these two were lucky to be sharing.

Next up - The Times They Are A Changin' by Simon and Garfunkel (yes, my Ipod was breaking out all of the oldies today).

Come mothers and fathers
Throughout the land
And don't criticize
What you can't understand
Your sons and your daughters
Are beyond your command
Your old road is
Rapidly agin'.
Please get out of the new one
If you can't lend your hand
For the times they are a-changin'.

Well, this couple clearly heeded Paul and Art's advice - you could tell they were not going to go quietly - with their matching laptops and all. They are living in a decidedly younger neighborhood and are quite adequately keeping up with the times.

At this point, I'm getting exciting with my Ipod's talents. What song will be next? Maybe an 80s love ballad, or a greatest hit of Air Supply - how is this story going to end?

Walk Idiot Walk by the Hives.

So that's where the story ends. And apparently my Ipod is trying to tell me something.

Working Out: On Demand Part II

2007-06-14T19:44:00.000Z

Last night, circumstances (again!) prevented me from going to the gym. Two parts laziness, one part finding "more important" things to do. So, I again turned to On Demand to fit in my daily exercise. This time, I opted for Tae Bo - because I vaguely remembered a celebrity craze from the early nineties. My instructor was a big BIG man, with arm muscles the side of my head and as the program got underway, I felt it was seriously false advertising. There is no way this guy got that jacked by throwing punches into thin air. So I learned the one punch, the two punch, the three and on and on until we were ready to put it together into a routine. I had a hard time remembering the numbers and maybe that's why he kept yelling at me to scream the numbers back at him every time I punched. There were two other exercisers on the screen - one equally as jacked woman with a set of abs to rival my washboard [I don't have a washboard, but if I did...] and a man - pretty average looking - who also refused to call out the numbers of his punches, or maybe his microphone wasn't working, I don't know. But what I do know is that big Mr. Tae Bo man kept turning toward the woman to indicate an example of good form, so I imagine the other man was either supposed to represent me, the student, or was as annoyed at big Mr. Tae Bo man as I was that he, too, was rebelling.

And on another bizarre note, there was a banner in the background that said, "Walk by faith, not by sight." Are my exercise instructors trying to preach spirituality to me now? I'm not a Bible person, but a quick Google search yielded this scanned from the Sept/Oct. 2006 issue of Christianity Magazine.

Working Out: On Demand

2007-06-13T18:30:00.000Z

I've hit a new low. On Demand workouts.

Last night as I left my office, it had become sunny again after a brief rain storm earlier in the afternoon. Things were looking up. I left my gym bag with my sneakers and gym clothes at work, purposely, because I decided on a bike ride instead. Half way through my walk home, somewhere around Rhode Island Avenue and 17th, the skies opened up in all their glory. My flimsy, yet very chic, umbrella could not hold a candle to the force coming down from above. My flip flops started squeaking, then slipping off my feet as I rushed to get home. Somewhere in my depression over the rain storm and now my lack of ability to work out, I remembered that On Demand has an exercise section to its menu and perhaps I would find a yoga or pilates "class" to take.

Finally I'm home. Soaked, but not much worse for the wear. I quickly change into some yoga clothes before I have a chance to change my mind, plop on the couch, and watch Seinfeld re-runs. I even vacuum the rug before I start browsing through my On Demand options so that I'm starting with a "clean slate" so to say. There is cardio, yoga, pilates, kick-boxing - you name it! This is looking better than the selection at the gym! I finally decide on "Cardio Dance." Sounds fun.

Well, it was all I could do not to laugh my way through my entire work out. And several times, I really did laugh out loud. Here I am, in my living room alone, doing "runway struts" and "grapevine shimmies" with these four beautifully toned women on my plasma screen - barking orders to me but never breaking their plastic smiles. Who are these people? I worked up a sweat right off the bat and then they told me that we had just completed the warm-up. "Have fun with it! Add some soul! Shake and shimmy! Get FUNKY!" Seriously?

I do have to say it was a good work-out, and a nice alternative to the gym when all odds are against going. Though next time, I'll need to work on my shimmy a little more and put some more attitude into my runway strut.

My Oscar Speech

2007-06-06T11:28:00.000Z

Wow! Wow. I'd like to take a moment to thank all of you who visited my blog over the past few days and especially to DC Blogs and Wonkette for thinking my post of the new 14th and U Farmer's Market was worthy enough to share with your readers. And last but not least, I'd like to thank our lord and savior Jesus Christ (KIDDING!...). Draw Me A Sheep, which started off as a little idea of mine - a trivial way to pass the time during a quiet holiday season at work. Draw Me A Sheep started with a daily readership of 1 - my friend R, who supports me in all of my zany ideas. And this week I have received 438 hits since my post on Saturday. Thank you to the blog academy for bestowing upon me this high honor. And thank you to my husband - who doesn't read my blog - but is supportive anyway.

Thank you!

14 & U Farmers Market

2007-06-02T19:46:00.000Z

Today marked the day that I have been waiting for, for some time. The first day of the 14 & U Farmers Market. As I mentioned before, there is something refreshing about buying produce directly from the farmer. I'm always up early, so I decided to get there right around opening, at 10am. It seemed small at first, with only about 10 vendors/ stands, but I soon realized that it was quite comprehensive. All the current, fresh produce of the day was available - asparagus, fuji apples, mixed greens, radishes, a variety of root vegetables, strawberries etc. Even some meats, flowers, and jarred goodies.

I decided to spend no more than $20 and I made it out of there with everything I needed, a frivolous purchase and $1 to spare.

1/2 lb of mixed greens
sugar snap peas
3 fuji apples
1 pint of strawberries
1 jar of homemade applesauce (with strawberries added)
1 bunch of radishes

I had in mind A) an afternoon snack and B) salad fixings for the week. The applesauce was an impulse buy.

The strawberries, I learned, are on their way out for the season, but you couldn't tell by the selections offered at the market today. The whole market smelled like sweet berries.

And I wasn't disappointed when I got home. My afternoon snack was delicious. Of course, I had to taste everything.

The sugar snap peas were crisp and sweet. The radishes, which I sprinkled with kosher salt, were among the most peppery I have ever had. They had a real bite to them, but they were quite tasty. I tempered my tingling tongue with a mouth-watering strawberry and was ready to move on to the homemade applesauce. The apples were sliced thin and coated with cinnamon and cider. It tasted like it could have been made this morning and I look forward to pairing it with a brisket or roast in the near future.

14 & U farmers market. Every Saturday through November. 10am - 2pm.

Me, my Specialized, a new helmet, and $1

2007-06-01T19:27:00.000Z

I set out for an impromptu bike ride last night. The first of the season. After dusting off the cobwebs and searching high and low for my bike lock, a water bottle and pouch (to no avail), I stuffed everything in my pockets and hoped I didn't get thirsty. Map My Run informed me this morning that I biked about 10 miles. I'm not sure how that compares to any other form of workout, but it sure beats going to the gym. The temps were probably still in the low 80s, and I definitely worked up a sweat, but the breeze was nice as I soared through the streets of D.C. The destination of my ride was Eastern Market which, for those of you way outside of the beltway, was recently engulfed in flames and has since been closed for (hopeful) renovation. I went mostly out of curiosity and a little bit to pay my respects.

Now that I have a bike helmet, I not only felt like a bad-ass, but I was probably more fearless than I should have been. Zipping through the streets, and even around Columbus Circle at rush hour - I could do anything. At a petite 5' 2", I fell right in line with the athletic men sporting bike shorts. Keeping pace with the best of them. A veritable Lance Armstrong.

From the bustle of Mass Ave. and into the quiet tree lined streets of Capitol Hill, I passed by rows and rows of old townhouses, pausing in front of the one that my husband used to live in when we (re-) met a few years ago. Eastern Market was where we would pick up our veggies and as a special treat, a pound or two of short ribs for braising. Today the city is banning together, to raise funds and to rebuild.

On my way back into the city, I followed close to the same route. Past the monumental arches of Union Station, 'round the bend towards the new convention center (where, thankfully, a man was closing up shop on his hot dog cart and had a cold water bottle with my name on it), and back through Logan Circle.

This city is an exhilarating place and a bike is a great way to explore it. Each neighborhood holds its own character and they work together to form the plot. But, it is up to you to navigate its story lines.

If you are in the market, let me recommend Bike Rack DC.

Updates

2007-05-31T17:13:00.000Z

Apologies, apologies, apologies for the silence on my part. It is my busy season at work and I've had less time all around to devote to personal matters.

Since the last post, I did successfully play tennis, and surprisingly it is coming back to me. Our second attempt was not as fruitful - thinking we had found a hidden gem of a court in D.C. (I'm not telling where it is!) until some guys showed up who "say" they actually reserved the court. Boo.

I watched the season finale of Lost - amazing!! I can't believe I have to wait 9 months until season 4. It really may be an impossible thing to ask of me.

I received a phone call from my tennis coach from camp. No, not the hottie of course, the creepy one. He is 7 foot tall and has a mouth the size of a pea. I don't know why this makes him creepy, but it just does. I don't plan to call him back.

I attended a funeral.

I watched three movies. Pirates of the Carribean (the third installment), Notes on a Scandal, and the Last King of Scotland. (Save your money on the first one.)

And, as I just found out, I won a iPod.

Love, Love

2007-05-23T19:23:00.000Z

I’m joining a girl’s tennis group tonight. Well, not exactly joining – let’s say forming. It is the first night that four of us ladies – who I know in varying degrees – are starting a bi-weekly tennis outing, and I’m psyched. It has been, literally, ten years since I have picked up a racket. Ten years since I took tennis as my gym requirement in college. And would you believe that I once was a member of a four-year undefeated, all-state championship high school team? Well, ok, I never quite made it to Varsity – it was too hard. These girls had tennis courts in their back yards! One even took a season off to train with Bolletieri. Sometimes the coach would let me play 2nd doubles on Varsity if we were playing a really bad team, but I found being at the top of JV wasn't bad either. Nevertheless, I remember my tennis days with fond memories.

Intense preparation each year at summer camp. Falling in (secret) love with my way hot tennis coach – he was from South Africa, and made me feel like I was destined to be the next Jennifer Capriati (in her stable days). High school pre-season in the staunch summer heat. Taking the bus to matches and tournaments. Learning every word to “Jump Around” (it was our pep song). And, leaving the same matches and tournaments with “We are the Champions” blaring through the windows. I had two tennis partners over the course of the five years, and although we are not close anymore, I do still smile when I hear stories of what they are up to now. One just had her second baby, and even had gone on to play tennis in college.

I gave up tennis after high school. I thought about trying out for the college women’s team, but the truth is, I wasn’t good enough. Plus, I wasn’t about to get up EARLY to practice! Not after a long night at the local watering hole. After college, I moved on to golf, at the extreme excitement of my parents. Both are so-called “life sports” and I do hope they carry with me for a while. My husband golfs, so it is easy to get an outing now and then. And here I am about to pick up tennis again. It is not going to be pretty, I hope the others know what they are in for. My forehands have been known to soar over the fence after a while of not practicing. But, hopefully with time, I’ll get the smooth strokes back, the thrill of rushing the net, and the wicked serve I used to have.

Game (on).

A National Day Off

2007-05-22T12:14:00.000Z

I thought I was on to something today. [note: please keep reading, but know that it is far from a perfect argument…] As I took a leisurely stroll during lunch, on what is truly a picture perfect day, I got to thinking how great it would be if we had a national day off – and as I've been informed, we do have Labor Day, but this would be different. And not like a holiday like Christmas or Thanksgiving, either. Just a random, regular day… maybe announced the week before and kind of like a “hey, United States, you’ve been working hard, you’ve had to endure a rough few years, we’re in a war we can’t win, morale is low – why don’t you take a day off to enjoy yourselves.”

The personal impact would be huge. Husbands and wives could spend some quality time with each other, kids could have a play day, you could finish that book, DVD, or home repair project you started ages ago. One-day personal fulfillment would be at an all time high. Talk about a mental health day. And Dubya, you may even score a few more points in those ratings of yours that seem to be just slip, slip, slip sliding away. (Not from me, mind you, but I’m sure someone in the country might give you a little boost.)

Of course, there is the economic impact to think of, and while an absurd amount of money would be lost on that one day, would it really be a big deal? The country would be up and running again in 24 hours. It would probably take a long time to recoup, but in the whole scheme of things, one day revenues are probably equivalent to a gas station’s 10th of a cent. And besides, there would be a spending “shift”: what isn’t purchased on the national day off, would most likely be purchased shortly before or after. In fact, now I’d hazard to say that there would be no noticeable blip on the economic radar. (But then again, what do I know?)

Of course, there would have to be some preparation involved, such as making sure you had food for the day because the grocery store vendors would also be enjoying their day off. There would be no retail capability that day, but with enough notice, I don’t think many people would mind. Think of the benefits. A chance to spend the day away from your desk, leave your computer behind and get some fresh air. A chance to spend the day with your kids, instead of catching up with them after daycare. A back to basics approach, where entertainment is found in the simplest of activities.

Now there are those “essential” employees to think about and I’d like to give them a break too. Here in D.C., about the only time we thank our lucky stars that we are “non-essential” is when a snow storm rolls through and we get to stay at home. What if emergency personnel, hospital workers, ambulance drivers etc. were also given the day off. Then we might have problems. I’d hate to have someone die or not receive the medical care they need just because I want a day to spend in the sun.

So, as you can see, there is still some more thought to be had to this argument, and many more flaws to it that I just don’t have the time to get into. I guess the bottom line is that everyone deserves a day off – on a perfectly sunny, 70 degree weather day - just because.

_________________________________
Expenses (on the road to saving something):

May 17

Dinner: $12
Metro: $1.35

May 18

Tolls: $8

May 20

Gas: $32
Tolls: $8
Dinner: $44

May 21

Lunch: $9
Happy Hour: $25

To market, to market!

2007-05-14T12:06:00.000Z

14th and U is getting a farmer's market! Or, maybe we always had a farmer's market, but it is news to me. [update: looks like there has been a market at this location in the past, but on Wednesdays.] Starting June 2, and every Saturday through the summer from 10am-2pm, local vendors will be selling their home-grown fruits and veggies just mere blocks from where I live (specifically outside of the Reeves Center). See ya Whole Foods; Safeway, I shun you. I've got the real deal now.

To me, going "to market" is such a satisfying activity, and brings me back to simpler times, or even to memories of some places I've visited in Europe. For a moment, gone are the days of chain brand supermarkets and whole sale consumer clubs. You get to meet a face behind the food you purchase, perhaps even hear a story or two. You get to support a farmer - directly. And delight in selecting a vegetable or fruit that may not look perfect on the outside, but you know that it will be the most delicious one you've tasted in quite some time.

And there is something to be said about cooking "in season." We live in a temperate climate, but that doesn't mean that certain produce should be available year-round. It is nice to relish in the delight that summer tomatoes and peaches are on their way, and to remember with fondness the winter root vegetables of yesterday's stews. A farmer's market allows you this luxury. Everything on display is in season - no hesitation - because it comes from a farm just a stone's throw away.

So, I rejoiced when I read the news last night on an inconspicuous flyer outside of the old Companion Pet Store. A farmer’s market – in MY neighborhood. You know where I’ll be on June 2.

___________________

Expenses (on the road to saving something)

May 10:

Nordstrom: $32.00

May 11:

Breakfast: $2.50
Lunch: $8.00
Iced tea: $2.00

May 12:

CVS: $3.50

May 13:

NJ Turnpike: $13.50

total to date: $521.09

Coppi's Organic Restaurant: A Taste of Real Italy

2007-05-10T13:18:00.000Z

Coppi's Organic Restaurant
1414 U Street, NW
http://www.coppisorganic.com/

Coppi's is one of those restaurants that I've grown to love over the past few years. When I first moved into the neighborhood and prior to my really understanding "organic" and all that it meant, I thought that Coppi's was a place for Whole Foods Vegetarians. Yes, I realize how completely naive this thought was (and truly, I've never passed up a vegetable so what's the big deal), but in the interest of full disclosure, I'm putting it out there. Since, I don't consider myself a WFV, I would always pass it by without much of a second thought.

Then, as it happens so often, my pre-conceived notions are shattered in the blink of an eye. Through some force of the universe, I was invited to Coppi's with some good friends of ours and my world was changed. Upon entering the dimly lit restaurant, my first intake of the Italian aromas awoke my senses like a hammer to the head. The smell of toasty wood-fired pizzas and savory cream sauces filled the air.

If you don't have a reservation, you can plan to wait by the bar for a while before being seated - but this is a great place to indulge in a chianti and the Piatto Salumaio platter (an antipasto with smoked salmon, smoked mozzarella, prosciutto, calabrian salami, and San Remo olives). It is complemented by a really delicious focaccia bread.

At the table, you'll have the chance to peruse the menu. It is not huge, overwhelming, or even downright unmanageable (a la Buca di Beppo) - al contrario, you can tell that a lot of planning went into the food selection and while there are only 5 or so pastas and entrees to choose from, the menu is accompanied by an ever-changing list of specials, which I find have consistently proven to be top notch choices.

The salads are excellent and most likely because they are organic. The lettuce and vegetables are crisp like they are right off the farm. My favorite salad is the Condijun, a traditional Ligurian salad of roasted red peppers, cucumber, bliss potato, olives, and red onion. It is a beautiful marriage of flavors.

You'll find more pizza options than pastas and entrees and the best part about the pizzas are the wide variety of choices. Get a few to share and everyone at your table will be happy. Everything from a standard margherita pizza to more inventive options such as the Genovese (basil pesto, shrimp, fresh mozzarella, pine nuts) or the Merguez (lamb sausage, ricotta, cucumber, onion, rosemary, garlic, tomato sauce). One of my favorites is the Soppressata with salami, ricotta, mozzarella, mint, parsley, cremini mushroom, red onion. The salami arrives with crispy edges from the wood burning oven.

But save room for dessert - if you love nutella as much as I do, then you must indulge in the Calzone Di Nutella. Yes, it is pizza dough stuffed with nutella and yes it is to die for. Another popular and delicious option is the Caffe Viennese with Illy espresso poured over house made fiordilatte ice cream with fresh whipped cream and Dutch chocolate powder. Order up a cappuccino and you'll feel like you're in a cafe in Florence.

*** (out of 4 stars)

20% tip: order food to share, everyone will want a taste of yours.

___________________________
On the road to saving something:

May 9:

Happy Hour/Dinner: $20

So busy

2007-05-09T18:55:00.000Z

I'm really swamped this week at work, preparing for two upcoming exhibitions, so I apologize that I haven't had time to post. I have a lot of great thoughts to share, just no time to put them in writing. So, for the time being, I will leave you with a visual.

This is the model I drew last night in my drawing class. Now, I realize that he is horribly out of proportion, and missing a hand, but he's not that bad, right?

________________________
On the road to saving something:

May 7
Lunch: $5.95
May 8
Lunch: $6.00
May 9
Lunch: $6.03

Runner's World

2007-05-07T11:10:00.000Z

I had the opportunity to watch another 10K race this weekend - the same course that my husband ran three weeks ago. He ran this time as well, but three minutes faster. This race, though, was a lot bigger than the last and the running culture was in full force.

I am not a runner. In fact, after 30 years of life, I just recently stepped on the treadmill for the first time ever. I am one of those people that doesn't understand running as a form of exercise or pleasure and although I am an avid supporter of races (I've watched friends in 3 Marine Corps marathons and watched the same friends in numerous smaller 5 and 10Ks), I just don't get it. Pounding the pavement, damaging knees and feet, blisters, callouses and bloody toenails - moreover getting up at the crack of dawn to beat yourself up... it is beyond me.

So, here I am at the race this weekend, surrounded by a culture that I just don't understand. I couldn't be clearer that I considered myself on the outside - with my jeans, fleece and tote bag to carry my husband's things while he ran.

We arrive at 7:00am - on a Sunday - and the field off of Ohio Drive is already littered with people stretching, meditating, praying, doing yoga (?), and... running! BEFORE the race. Yes, as if 6.2 miles is not enough, there was the select group, The Obsessed, that insisted on taking a quick jog before the shotgun. Some made long strides, some made short strides, and some kicked their knees up high in the air like hyperactive marching band members. I even saw someone taping up his ankle. Now, that's dedication. All the while, there is the activity on the stage. On the stage there were the requisite welcomes from the organizers and sponsors, then a dance performance by the Washington Wizards cheerleaders (to psych you up or make you sick, I couldn't figure out what exactly the intent was), and a group-led stretch routine in which only a few people actually partook.

There is so much activity leading up to the race, that once the actual race came around, I could not understand how everyone wasn't already exhausted. The order of events: the wheelchair race, the regular race, the family fun run, and the walkers. I positioned myself in the sun, on the sidelines, to watch the events unfurl. The one racer in a wheelchair took off. Although I'm sure he was simply striving for a personal best, I couldn't help but think that he may have been pushed a little harder had he had some competition. Next, the regular races - with the fastest racers positioned strategically in the front. The family fun run was adorable. The cutest children - from toddler with mommy to about age 10 took off in a highly competitive sprint. About 10 minutes later when they came back in toward the finish line, the spectators broke into cheers for them. I couldn't help but wonder how many of these children would be back on this same course somewhere down the road, maybe even as an Obsessed.

30 minutes after the start, the first runners started coming in. Tall, lean and all from Africa, these men were beautiful to watch. Long strides, it looked like they were gracefully soaring through space toward the finish line. It is amazing how differently these serious runners run - it is an entirely different form than the casual runner, I guess much like a professional golfer's swing vs. that of your everyday Joe, riding the cart, with a 12-pack in the back. I did find it interesting though that each of the top runners were announced as they crossed the finish line as being from either Ethiopia or Kenya, but when the race results came out later in the day, they were all listed as having residences here in the United States. Why make the distinction? My husband was announced as being from Washington, D.C., not New York where he originally hails from. I haven't figured that one out yet.

Big cheers came when the first female runner crossed the line, myself included. I felt some sort of solidarity with the women in the crowd. This woman was fast. And she had stats! The announcer announced her ranking and that she won some race just a few weeks ago. I was impressed.

Soon after, the rest of the race rats started to cross the finish line, and it was exciting. Many pumped it up to a sprint in the last leg and there were a few close mini-races to be seen. My husband made a respectable showing and I was very proud of him. It was fun to see the personal glory on the faces of the runners, no matter where they finished within the playing field. Each striving for their own sense of personal accomplishment, especially further back in the pack where they are not trying to be #1. It looked kind of fun. My husband is already trying to convince me to sign up for a 5k. That's where it all starts for some people. One race, one thrill of the finish, one taste of exhilaration. Then, I'm afraid, it seems there is no turning back.

_________________
Expenses (on the road to saving something):

May 4

CVS: $7.37

May 6

7-11: $2.99

Patience

2007-05-04T23:28:00.000Z

I'm working on customizing the look of my blog, so please bear with me while I get it just right. Currently having problems sizing the header and aligning the text...

Doesn't anyone else work?

2007-05-04T21:01:00.000Z

Today I took a day off from work. Call it a mental health day, call it a comp day, call it whatever - it was great! Now, it wasn't quite Ferris Bueller style, but nevertheless, it was well worth it. Just knowing that everyone was holed up behind their computers having the life sucked out of them from the fluorescent lights and I was on my way to enjoying the sunny 70-degree weather made me giddy like a school girl.

After a lazy morning of catching up on personal emails and making a real breakfast, I headed out to run some errands - but first, a stop at the car wash. I never drive and my car is wearing a good 1/4" coat of pollen, so I decide to treat it to a bath. Besides, if I'm going to be zipping around the city, I might as well do it in style. 11am on a Friday and I'm on my way down 13th Street to the Mr. Wash and what is this I see? A line?? Yes. About 30 cars are stretched down two city blocks with the same idea as me. Who are these people? Don't they work?

Car wash aborted.

I keep heading south, past the Washington Monument dodging packs of tourists who don't want to obey the walk signals. But, I'll give them some slack. They're on vacation, unlike the patrons at the car wash. Across the 14th Street bridge and I'm soon arriving at the Pentagon City Mall (one of my least favorite places, but I'm desperately in need of a new dress for a wedding next weekend). The parking lot is packed! I drive around twice before finding a spot. Seriously, there must be more housewives in the area than I thought.

Wrong. They are teenagers. Hoards of them. Isn't it a school day? For a moment I think I've time warped to the summer. Fortunately, they are not browsing the evening dress collection at Nordstrom so I'm safe for a while. Until, that is, I want to eat. There they are again. With food court vouchers! I decide to check out a few more stores until the lines go down but the only one within eyesight is some store called Forever 21. The fact that I'm 30 should have stopped me from entering, but I was desperate to kill time until the teeny boppers got through the Taco Bell line. (Gross, I know, but it IS my day off). I immediately concluded that this store is a disaster and that they most certainly won't have a dress for the "black tie invited" wedding I am due to attend, but I pick through the racks anyway, hoping for a miracle. No such luck, I'm better off in the Taco Bell line.

With tacos in hand, I set out to find a table and grab a seat at the end of a really long row. Creepy diplomatic man is sitting diagonally across from me and out of courtesy I ask if the seat was taken. Big mistake, he took that for my interest in conversing with him. I've never eaten three tacos so quickly. On my way.

I did finally find a dress - back at Nordstrom where I started. It was on sale, but needs some altering. I swear it looked better on than in this picture. Maybe it is because I wasn't doing that stupid pose and I don't have fake blond hair.

2 1/2 hours later, mission accomplished and I'm on my way home. Back up 13th Street and the cars are STILL lined up at the car wash. It truly may be the same people, so I skip it again and decide to go to the gym. U Street is lined with shoppers and all of the outside tables at Starbucks are filled. For 3:3opm on a week day there are even more people at the gym than I expect, but it is no problem to get a machine. Still, I wonder what these people do that they can get to the gym in the middle of the day. I spend an hour and a half there, on the treadmill listening to my newly downloaded Amy Winehouse album, and then I watch the first 20 minutes of Oprah on the bike. Life is good. Oprah's playing Deal or No Deal with Howie Mandel and a lucky audience member goes home with $100,000. I head home with two sore legs.

Back in the hatch, I tidy up a bit, prep the porch for the summer and settle down with a good book.

What an excellent day. I'm sorry for those of you who were stuck at work, but from my observations today, I don't think there were too many of you!

_________________
Expenses (on the road to saving something):

May 3

Mother's Day flowers/gifts: $168

May 4

Lunch: $6

Parking: $2

Dress/ Alteration: $200

Indebleu: Not Quite There

2007-05-03T15:04:00.000Z

Indebleu
707 G Street, NW
www.indebleu.net

Sorry this is so long overdue. Several weeks ago, at this point, we decided to go out to dinner after a late afternoon round of golf. With something more casual and close by in mind, we had our hearts set on one of our favorite restaurants in the city, Merkado - but we had waited too long and they were booked for the night. A quick search on Open Table indicated that Indebleu had an opening for two and it had been on our list to try for a while. Bonus! A bit more of an “outing” than we had anticipated, we hopped in a cab to Chinatown.

We entered into the “chicly” appointed lounge – which incidentally was a stop during my bachelorette party – and I learned that the restaurant was actually upstairs. I had no idea! It was a much larger space than I expected, which is perhaps why we could get availability so late in the game. It was an interesting crowd that night. We were the youngest by about 20 years and most of the patrons seemed to be tourists, those who would stay at the across the street Hotel Monaco, not those taking the DC Duck Tour.

We snuggled into our table for two and began to look through the menu, which is set up as a four course meal – first, second, main and dessert – although anything can be ordered a la carte. They had a chef’s tasting menu, a three course ($55) and a four course ($69) price fixed menu with most options celebrating a marriage of french and indian flavors. Wavering between the three and four course options, we ultimately decided to “craft our own” thinking that we weren’t all that hungry and that with the courses we had our eyes on, it would be a cheaper option anyway. We decided on three appetizers to share, two main courses, and one dessert.

It is unfortunate, sometimes, that the memory of a dining experience is impacted more by the quality of service rather than the quality of the food. And even more unfortunate that this was our experience with Indebleu. [Disclaimer: I did enjoy my entree very much, my husband’s was far less than exciting, and the service was just poor all around.] Our main complaint was with the wine service – we ordered a bottle of white wine, which was kept on ice, but in no real proximity to our table. Our server was often no where to be found, so we found ourselves waiting an inordinate amount of time between pours, meaning that we drank most of our wine after our meals were already done. In addition, my husband had ordered a glass of red wine to drink with his braised veal shank. It arrived with our dessert. [Disclaimer #2: our waiter did comp the glass of wine, without our asking.]

But, on to the food. For our appetizers we ordered the shrimp samosa – recommended by our waiter (basil shrimp samosa, tomato almond marmalade with sun choke puree), the tuna tartar (crispy papadom, sunburst mustards and beet relish), and the lobster and lump crab tower (marinated mango, pine nuts and curry oil.) Everything came neatly appointed and in threes. Although small, there was plenty and it was easy to share. The samosas had a kick to them and were a bit on the dry side, but the flavors were interesting. The two cold appetizers were very clean tasting, great palette cleansers after the spicy samosa.

For our entrees we ordered the veal shank roganjosh (slow braised veal shank with ratatoiuille tortellini, kumquat chutney and garlic mash) and the tandoori rack of lamb (with green lentil ragout, grilled portobello and sauce mojito.) My husband had the veal shank – anything braised is an automatic choice and usually an instant favorite for him. Not so this time around. I’ve never seen a veal shank so fatty – and I know it is a fatty piece of meat, but usually after braising for so long, the fat has melted into delicious little tendrils of juice, flavored with the chef’s marinade of choice. I would say about half of this shank was inedible. The tortellini was small and more of a garnish on top of the veal shank than any integral part to the meal. The rack of lamb, though, was very nice. Presented as one lamb chop, I’m not sure I would classify it as a rack, but it was tasty nevertheless. Cooked medium rare, it was very tender and juicy and nicely complemented in taste and texture by the lentil ragout. The mojito sauce was mild and sweet.

The dessert options did not blow me away, but since we had the glass of red wine to finish, we decided to order something anyway. We went with the “spaghetti and meatballs,” a clever take on the traditional indian gulab jamun, served with saffron ice cream. The gulab jamun, a lightly fried sweet dough, was run through a pasta maker at our tableside. Served with a scoop of ice cream, it did resemble spaghetti.

I'm sorry that I did not have a more memorable experience at Indebleu because I think the restaurant really has potential. French and Indian flavors do go so nicely together, but for the image the restaurant portrays, it seems they need to kick it up a notch. Bam!

*1/2 (out of 4 stars)
20% tip: don't carve out this experience for a special occasion, you may be disappointed.

___________________
Expenses:

May 2:
$9 Grocery Store
$3.25 Iced Coffee

Budgeting Woes

2007-05-02T17:12:00.000Z

Money.

It's what makes the world go 'round. And no matter how much you have, it never seems to be enough, right?

Budget.

Making what you've got last a little bit longer.

Budgets are the bane of my existance. In my last job, I swore I'd never take another that required me to balance the budget. Fortunately, for me and our organization, I do not have that responsibility this time around. But, you can never really get away can you? People at work constantly complain about "doing their budgets" and with our upcoming grant cycle deadline looming, it is all the topic around here. At home too. With being a newlywed comes the financial responsibility of making your money work for two, and even though we have combined our funds (what's yours is mine and what's mine is yours) it doesn't seem to have made a difference. The more you have, the more you'll spend.

Therefore, I have put myself on a budget. $1000 per month for groceries, lunches, gym membership and incidentals (birthday presents, happy hours etc.). This sounds like a lot to me, but over and over again, I have overspent my money for the month leaving my contribution to the mortgage in jeopardy. So, the only way I think that I will not cheat is to share my daily expenses with you, my loyal readers. I'll continue to post as normal, but at the end of each post I will list my expenses for the previous day. The mere fact that I have promised to share my each and every penny spent this month with the greater internet world, should make me think twice before buying another pair of shoes.

Here it goes:

May 1:
$1 Circulator
$10 Lunch
$12 Grocery Store

artDC: a [very short] personal recap

2007-05-01T18:41:00.000Z

I'm back from a whirlwind of a weekend at artDC. I did wind up manning the booth nonstop during show hours from Thursday night's opening reception to yesterday's close at 5pm. Since it was my idea, I felt compelled to take every shift, I guess! It was a blast, and a nice change of pace from sitting in the office. We were fortunate to be given one of the free non-profit booths to disseminate informaton on our organization and programs, so we were not there actually selling art like the larger gallery spaces. The jury is still out, it seems, on whether it was a successful event, but as far as I am concerned, we connected with a lot of really great people and were able to spread the word about what exactly it is that we do. I know that the show organizers expected somewhere around 10,000 people to walk through the doors, so I look forward to a final report in the near future.

The art on display was all, unfortunately, out of my price range because I did see a lot that I liked. I think the galleries were catering to much more established collectors than me.

Some personal highlights from my time at artDC:

Watching some of the areas top art collectors narrow down their next big purchase
Finally meeting the legendary Tim Tate and seeing his new glass work incorporating video
Conversations with the proprietors of The Steps Gallery, Bristol, UK and Migration: A Gallery, Charlottesville, VA - both of whom hold motivational stories of following their dreams to enter the art world and open a gallery
Getting lost in the Perpetual Art Machine
Discovering that Gallery owners and uber art world people are much more down to earth than I previously thought
Connecting with the other non-profits in the row and learning more about what is going on in this city of ours, specifically Take Me To The River, Black Artists of DC and the Lorton Arts Foundation- all have excellent missions to bring the arts to larger communities and through non-traditional venues

I'm looking forward to next year. I've heard that the organizers have signed a three year contract with the convention center, so if you missed it this time around, don't let it happen again!

Be Back Soon!

2007-04-26T15:39:00.000Z

I'll be at artDC pretty much non-stop through Monday, manning our booth. If you are in the area, you should definitely stop by. Plus, Friday is a free admission day. Billed as Washington, D.C.'s "first modern and contemporary art fair" there will be art dealers and galleries represented from around the world. arTalks will include panel discussions on contemporary art and collecting and there will be a new media section featuring today's cutting edge artists.

Hope to find some time to post over the weekend, but if not, I'll have a review of Indebleu when I return.

From the Ground Up: Challenging Perceptions

2007-04-25T17:32:00.000Z

A lunchtime need to get out of the office brought me to the Renwick Gallery - an often overlooked museum in my repetoire. I admit it has been about five years since my last visit and for someone who works in the arts and just two blocks from the gallery, that is a big confession. After today's visit, I wonder what it is that I've been missing.

From the Ground Up (through July 22) will challenge the way you look at objects and any traditional notion of craft that you may have (other than, perhaps, that it is a "women's" art field). Set in an intimate and crowd-free setting, this show is much more manageable than the larger craft collections on view at the Smithsonian Museum of American Art and is an excellent introduction into the boundaries that craft artists are breaking. No longer do objects have to be "useful," they can just be.

This 2007 Renwick Gallery Invitational features the work of four artists: Paula Bartron (glass), Jocelyn Chateauvert (paper), Beth Lipman (glass), and Beth Cavener Stichter (clay). This is not a show that one can easily just pass through. Each piece invites closer examination and careful inspection to fully know what is going on.

For example, take Bartron's glass works. "Glass?" you might say, "But that looks like stone, heavy and rock-like." Yes Bartron's works are indeed cast glass, but covered with sand and made to look not at all like glass. It is only with the introduction of light that one begins to wonder what are these things exactly. Each piece seems to emanate the ambient light from its core, made possible by the faintest and smallest areas of glass that peek through the sand covering. One particularly striking piece is Blue Disks - a wall installation of 28 identically sized earth-toned disks that, with the introduction of a bit of blue sand, seem to radiate an aura from within.

Lipman creates clear glass renderings of well-known still-life paintings by the Old Masters. Beautiful compositions sparkle in the museum lighting and each piece proves more complex than the last. Glass is layered next to and on top of each other, replicating the end of a raucous dinner party in the 20 foot long Bancketje. Walking around the featured installation, I wanted to tread lightly for fear of disturbing one piece and sending all of the components crashing to the floor. And then I noticed the artist's touch. A few small shards of glass, already positioned on the floor. For a moment, I wondered if the guard had noticed.

Stichter's work is equally intriguing as it is haunting. Fantastical clay creatures, half human-half animal, leap into the space at the viewer or are bound by ropes, one clings to a wall-shelf for dear life. The wall text explains that all are portraits of people Stichter knows and her website elaborates that these works were born of personal accounts of people's "most intimate experiences relating to gender identity, fantasies, fetishes, and abuses." The works are powerful and dramatic.

In the last set of galleries, Chateauvert positions her handmade paper and light into a crafty dialogue. They co-exist harmoniously with the light playing off of each fold in the work. A large piece, that replicates a tree trunk, is a clever take on the origins of paper and really looks like hard, sturdy wood. Other works use paper in its most basic and natural fiber form, the light projecting through soft, wispy strands. And one gallery installation, in particular, will make you feel like Alice in Wonderland.

From the Ground Up is an excellent look at today's craft artists. It will make you take a pause from harried city life and marvel at the magic of art.

Logan Circle - Strong and Growing

2007-04-24T18:02:00.000Z

It is fitting that at the exact moment that the temperatures started to rise and the flowers began to bud, I noticed the sheer enormity of growth in my neighborhood. And I'm not talking about the trees. Springtime for Logan Circle! While I was holed up all winter, the construction crews were at it - building new property, turning over old property, and sprucing up gardens and parks. It's like a whole new world out there! What happened?

It's exciting, really. What a great time to be young and in this city. I've lived here for 8 years already and have seen so much change. From the doldrums of Foggy Bottom where there was nowhere to eat (Friday's, Bertucci's, SizzEx, and that horrible chinese restaurant in Columbia Plaza do NOT count), continual town-gown drama, and the crowd getting younger as I got older to a patchy stretch of land on 13th Street south of Logan Circle where I could trip over "ladies of the night" if I did not watch my step closely enough. Now, my current resting place - one that I can legitimately call my own - resides on yet another patchy stretch of land (this time on the north side.) With U Street to the north, Dupont to the west and Adams Morgan somewhere in between, I have to say I think I've landed a spot in the best place to live.

The diversity is what drew me to this neighborhood. A strong Ethiopian community to the east (here I'll plug my favorite Ethiopian restaurant, Lalibela at 1415 14th St, NW), the latin and hispanic groups that congregate at the weekly flea market on Florida Avenue, the hipsters in line at the Black Cat and the arts crowd making their rounds through the many galleries that have jumped ship from their old 7th Street and Georgetown digs to lay down roots in DC's new arts neighborhood.

There is so much to explore here in Logan Circle and so much on its way. I hear rumors of a tapas restaurant opening on 14th Street. A new furniture store will make its way to furniture row where Storehouse used to live and HR-57 has added a comedy club to their line-up. Vida Fitness and Bang Salon and Spa scheduled to open in the Metropole at 15th and P Sts. Once completed, will give Results a run for their money, I'm sure. I'm thrilled to see that Written Word has moved over from Dupont Circle and that the owners of Logan Tavern and Merkado plan to open a new restaurant in Columbia Heights. A hotel is slated for the parking lot next to Viridian. (Check out the proposed design above.) In addition, I hear there is some talk about Source Theater and the possibility of a renovation/ expansion into a multi-use arts center.

A lot is happening out this way, and if you are still emerging from your winter cocoon, I encourage you to stop on by!

Build It and They Will Come

2007-04-23T17:55:00.000Z

Welcome everyone! I had a number of comments posted to my review on Busboys and Poets this morning and I'm so pleased to see that this blog has readership beyond my most loyal following. [note: Thanks to the nod by DC Blogs, the B&P post was the 2nd most popular outgoing link of the day.]

Today, I received good advice from a reader: Health Bar opens at 8am for breakfast. Of course, being a member of Results, that would mean that I'd feel guilty if I didn't combine it with a trip to the gym, but nevertheless... good to know!

So... you new visitors made me wonder why people read blogs - is it to obtain practical information and advice, to read about another point of view, or simply to gain voyeuristic insight into a stranger's life (which I can certainly be guilty of at times!). It is like finding a diary, right? The only "focus" of this blog is my random thoughts, aside from Thursday's restaurant review, and that's a fuzzy focus at best. Would readers be interested in something more centralized? Perhaps DC restaurant picks and finds (I'm no Tom Sietsema, though). Or maybe a focus on my neighborhood, Logan Circle/ U Street, and its goings-on? I've yet to find a really good neighborhood blog for this area, and maybe this is what the residents need? No offense to Logan Circle News. They only seem to report the crime. But, that is important too. Mid City Live is a great directory of the area and I love their listing of happy hour specials, but it is not designed to host commentary. Who is talking about the gallery events, new stores, and other happenings in the area?

Let me know what you think, what you are looking for, what you need. We can build this thing together. Until then... I'll keep on rambling.

Here Comes the Sun

2007-04-20T19:17:00.000Z

Just a short post to say "Welcome, Spring!" It's about time, isn't it? We can finally come out of our burrows and lift our pasty faces up to the sun. The parks and squares were filled today with office workers unwinding on a lunch break. Suit jackets were shed to bare arms to the breeze and toes wiggled out to play in the cool blades of grass.

With temps set to be in the 70s this weekend, I'm sure we'll all put off that spring cleaning a few more days to get outside and enjoy some fresh air. I know I will. I'm hoping to hit the links and maybe the bike trails in an attempt to make up for lost time here. Perhaps a walk, some warm-weather shopping, and an iced coffee to boot. Welcome, Spring! We're ready for you... can you handle us?

Busboys and Poets: ready when you are

2007-04-19T15:51:00.000Z

Busboys and Poets
2021 14th Street, NW
http://www.busboysandpoets.com/

Don't even get me started on the lack of breakfast places open early enough for me on a weekend morning. I'm 30 now, and not sleeping in 'till noon anymore. But, I'm also not driving out to the 'burbs to hit up the Silver Diner. I need something local and convenient. A roll out of bed, walk a few blocks kind of place. The Diner in Adams Morgan, although typically a short drive for us in the mornings, is always way too crowded. And you know why? Because they are the ONLY early morning breakfast establishment in the city. You can wind up getting there early and waiting until 10 or 10:30 and by that time, something closer to you is almost open. DC restaurant proprietors need to consider this growing generation of people who have settled down a bit from their college fraternity days but who are not yet chasing the kids around the house with dark, heavy bags under their eyes.

Busboys and Poets halfway solves the problem. They are within walking distance from my house and they open at 10am on weekends. Now, its not quite 8 or 9am like I would prefer, but it is a full hour before the majority of restaurants that open at 11am.

B&P is also so much more than a restaurant. They have a bookstore, a bar, an area where they screen movies, they also hold open mic nights, benefits, and author events. It is a true community gathering place, with a crowd as diverse as you would expect given the "something for everybody" nature of the place. Their programs typically have a liberal activism quality to them and their bookstore challenges you to "rethink the world beyond the headlines." You can lounge on a comfy couch or sit at a more formal table setting and it is the kind of place where no one would think twice if you were sitting alone with your Post and a cup of joe or struggling through the awkward moments of a blind date. The atmosphere is a mix between a coffee shop and a casual lounge and welcoming to all people.

The brunch here is decent. The menu is not huge, but I do believe it has expanded recently and I'm always happy to see a brunch place offer lighter fare, such as granola, yogurt and fruit. You'll have several omelets and benedicts to choose from, french toast and waffles too. And you really can't go wrong with whatever you choose. The service is quite pleasant and timely and you may even strike up a conversation with your neighbor while you wait (the tables are arranged fairly close to each other but even more the reason why this restaurant breathes a sigh of community).

The full lunch menu is also available during the brunch hours and by far the best marriage of brunch and lunch is the peanut butter and banana panini, which comes drizzled (on the inside) with organic honey. It is to die for. Paired with a side of fruit, and you'll have enough energy to go out and change the world.

***(out of 4)
20% tip: for whatever the occasion, you'll find what you are looking for at Busboys and Poets.

Steppin' Up

2007-04-17T15:44:00.000Z

Sorry for the lack of posts lately. Between the monsoon weather in the mid-Atlantic, my new obsession with Lost (which has kept me up to midnight and beyond), school shootings in Virginia, and the recent departure of the head of my department, I've hardly been able to find my creative side. Work is picking up as we get in gear for our busy season and on top of that, I'm ready for Spring but we're barely breaking 50 here.

But in good news, Blogger finally upgraded me to the new version, so that's exciting. Sometimes there is need to find comfort in the little things!

My husband ran in a 10K this weekend and I am very proud of him. I wish I could run 6 miles with the ease that he seemed to. It inspired me to get more active at the gym. No more 20 minutes on the elliptical and I'm outy. It is time to get ready for bikini season! I have two trips planned this summer and need to get my bod in shape. I took an INTRO to Step class at my gym this weekend because I've always been intrigued by the collective coordination of step aerobics participants, and a little bit jealous too. So, I decided to start from the very beginning.

I, and three other brave souls, set up our platforms in front of the large, unforgiving mirror. No actual steps used in this intro class, just a measly 3" platform. And there we were, at the mercy of Harold for 45 minutes. Repetition was the name of the game, here - going over the moves and the terminology with mind-numbing technical precision. In fact, he wouldn't even move on to the next move until someone in our four-person group called out the name to prove to him we were actually paying attention.

The basic step, the straddle, the L-step, around-the-world, and... the pony? Yes, a throw-back to the 1950s, we really did the pony, incorporating the upper body moves and all. For the most part, I could keep up. I always remembered the names of the moves but I never really looked so graceful or even "with it" moving about the platform. And I definitely didn't bring the funk. Often, I wanted to add an extra little step because I felt that overall it wasn't a natural movement even though Harold kept reminding us that we're just walking up and down steps. Not really, Harold. I don't often combine side-kicks, shuffles or cha-cha-chas as I ascend the stairwell to my condo.

I'm eager to try a real class, but I've had to wait 3 days before going back to the gym. I was shocked that my legs were so sore. Thanks Harold, you showed me.

Five Guys: burgers to please

2007-04-12T15:10:00.000Z

Five Guys
Bowie Town Center
http://www.fiveguys.com/

I went to bed Saturday night hearing my husband rave about some Mexican restaurant in Baltimore that he had gone to - not once, but twice! - during the day as he helped a friend get settled in his new condo. Burritos... tacos... guacamole... I woke up Sunday morning craving Chipotle. We had plans to do Easter dinner at a friend's house in Annapolis but had to drive through Bowie to stop at my husband's office to pick up his jury summons for the next day. Remembering that there is a Chipotle in the Bowie Town Center, I had a light breakfast of jelly beans and malted chocolate eggs. Sufficiently wired on a sugar high, I could not get us out the door fast enough to begin our drive up route 50 to the MD suburbs.

Arriving at the Bowie Town Center, it suddenly dawned on me that perhaps the owners of the local Chipotle franchise were God- fearing Christians, in church celebrating the resurrection of Jesus, or simply at home with their families doing Easter egg hunts around the living room. My heart started racing as we passed one dark restaurant after another, please be open, please be open and then I saw it. Chipotle. Dark. Chairs and stools stacked on table tops, as if waiting for the school janitor to pass through. My dreams dashed.

Now, with the jelly beans starting to digest leaving my stomach wide open and ready for the next meal, we moved onto plan B. One of the few places open - Five Guys. Well, hopefully they have a guacamole burger.

My one previous experience with Five Guys was at the King Street, Alexandria location about five years ago. I remembered a dingy and dark, grease stained and splattered dive that served mediocre (at best) burgers and wilted fried. But, I was starving, so I was willing to give it another go.

Perhaps I was hungry, perhaps they've improved, because I was pleasantly surprised. The interior was bright and clean and reminiscent of an old soda shop. The selections were minimal - no guacamole here - but a large or small basic burger with or without cheese and/or bacon, accompanied by large or small fries (cooked in peanut oil) and a drink. They also have hot dogs. All toppings are free and you can choose from basic lettuce and tomato, to something more "fancy" like fried onions, jalepenos or hot sauce. I chose a small cheeseburger with lettuce and tomato and a small order of fries. The burger, although the menu listed all meat to be cooked well-done, was juicy, nestled within a perfectly fresh bun. The fries, although still greasy, were more crisp than I had remembered and well-salted, but not overly salty! Free refills on the soda and peanuts to snack on while you wait.

I'm glad I happened upon Five Guys again. It is a nice alternative to fast food and while probably not too much healthier, something about the hand formed patties and being able to see the line cooks at work allowed me to digest the experience a little more readily.

** (out of 4)
20% tip: if you find yourself hungry on a major holiday, you can count on at least five guys to help feed your appetite.

In the beginning...

2007-04-11T16:29:00.000Z

I started my drawing class last night and this is my first image. (Disregard all of the background speckles, that is from my poor photography skills.) Our instructor had a still life set up on a platform in the front of the studio consisting of - although you probably won't see it here - several easels, stools, lamps and other art props, all intertwined and connected. I have to say that it was quite intimidating when I walked in and though, "I'm going to draw THAT?" Fortunately, almost everyone in my class is a beginner so I felt right at home and the instructor even applauded me for my courage in signing up for the class, after learning that I studied art history and have been working with artists for the past 8 years. And, believe me, it did take courage to sign up for this class.

She had us do a variety of exercises with respect to the still life in front of us. To develop a sense of looking we had to do the opposite- not look! For the first several drawings, we were not permitted to look at our paper, plus we had to focus on contour and create our images using one continuous line. The pencil was not to be lifted off the paper. Thus, is how the image above came to be. You can kind of make out a stool to the left and the beginnings of an easel on the right-hand side. Not so shabby huh?

We talked much about art theory and the elements that make up space - with each exercise focusing on a different element (value, density, intersection, overlap etc.) My drawings got better and then worse and then better with no real consistency. We each uttered a nervous giggle when it was time to put our pencils down and look at our creations. Fortunately, this lesson was not about formulating an accurate representation, rather learning to look and get used to feeling the pencil move across the paper.

Finally, on our last drawing - we were allowed to look at the paper AND pick up our pencil. Here is the result:

It's a Small(er) World

2007-04-07T21:42:00.000Z

"Keep on waiting, waiting, waiting on the world to change."
--John Mayer

Today, I decided not to wait any longer and I took a small step to change the world.

Last week I reconnected with Greater DC Cares and found a project still looking for volunteers, which brought me this morning to the Josephine Butler Parks Center - an historic embassy building that is being renovated into "Washington's first community greenhouse". Now, when I read this, I seriously thought I would be planting shrubs in a warm tropical interior environment, you know, with a nice glass ceiling. Silly me. We're talking "green" here, like "earth friendly." They're making renovations to reduce carbon emissions and generally make the building more in tune with our planet's environmental needs. So, ok. I'm all for that.

The man in charge gave us a brief history of the building and the organization behind it all - Washington Parks & People. He then explained today's tasks to our group of about 10: install window unit air conditioners (of which I know nothing about), paint a bathroom (which previously ended in disaster when I tried it at home), and paint some yellow parking and traffic lines in the parking lot out back. Fine, I think I can do that - aside from the fact that it is close to 30 degrees and snowed last night!

R (the project coordinator), J, C and I volunteered to take on this task - marking out the lines with masking tape and filling in the lines with "traffic yellow" oil-based paint. While we took on this mindless and hand-numbing task, we engaged in introductory conversation. R is married with children and is (self-proclaimed) not a people person, which is why he prefers volunteer opportunities such as renovating buildings, for their minimal social interaction. Yet, he has been volunteering with this particular project for 10 years, which I found quite admirable - regardless of the fact that I could barely understand a word he mumbled. J is a groom to be and was volunteering with his fiance (she was working on the A/C units). And, J and his fiance are due to marry in June at... the Josephine Butler Parks Center! Talk about being invested in your volunteer work. He and his fiance come out once a month to the center to paint, and weed, and shine brass knobs. I couldn't help thinking how nice it will be when the beautiful June day rolls around and they will make a lifelong commitment to each other in a building that they dedicated themselves to many years prior. And lastly, there is C - who I spent much time talking to. C has been in the United States for two weeks. The U.N. brought him here from Iran to join his brother. He was accompanied by his brother's wife, yet his parents remain in Iran. C knows very little English but we got by, with hand gestures and pointing and using only the essential words to communicate. He misses home, but knows he has a better future here. He's getting acclimated to city-life. And he is spending his second Saturday here volunteering his time to paint lines in a parking lot.

I realized that we all come to volunteer for different reasons - some personal, some prescribed, some out of guilt and some out of desire. And those like C come to give thanks to a community so welcoming - and to learn a little English.

I'm not sure exactly how the lines I painted today changed the world, but I do feel that through the people I met and the conversations I had, I helped make the world a little bit smaller.

My Week in Pictures

2007-04-06T18:08:00.000Z

I made the haroset for the shortest Passover seder ever. We gathered with about thirty others at a friend's condo to eat, drink and be merry.

Someone from Ebay, who paid $600 for my Masters tickets, enjoyed the practice round.

I bought a plane ticket to Vegas with my girl friends to celebrate our 30th birthdays. Southwest had the cheapest flight - $200 roundtrip, non-stop.

The Office returned!

Bought my first Street Sense newspaper, with the last dollar in my wallet.

Simple and Classic: Butterfield 9

2007-04-05T19:21:00.000Z

Butterfield 9
600 14th Street, NW
http://www.butterfield9.com/

My husband and I treated ourselves to a celebratory dinner at Butterfield 9 a few weeks ago. I was in charge of selecting the cuisine and while I would usually jump on an opportunity like this to try a new restaurant that has gotten rave reviews, I was curiously drawn to what some may call “an old standby.” Butterfield 9 has been around for a while and certainly doesn’t seem to be getting the attention it used to. This was the third time I’ve eaten dinner here over the course of about 5 years and what I love most about it is its consistency. My memories of Butterfield 9 were of food that was superbly delicious – and classic. No crazy ingredients, just clean, fresh tastes that mirror the equally clean, minimal décor.

We debated whether to go for the five course tasting menu with wine pairings or to order off the regular menu. We ultimately decided to forego the debauchery that would have ensued with five different glasses of wine because we realized that with a good bottle to share, we could get most everything we were drawn to from the regular menu – between the two of us. In fact, everything we selected except the tuna and the crème brulee were also offered on the tasting menu. In addition, we had friends coming to town and did not desire to spend the whole night at the restaurant as so often can happen with tasting menus.

The service was excellent – in fact there were only a few other guests in the restaurant (more on this later). Our waiter was very attentive and very accommodating to our indecision over which items to choose. There was so much on the menu of interest! What I loved about the menu is that no course included that one strange ingredient which, while trendy and of the moment, turns you off from the whole experience (essence of foie gras foam?). Everything was basic yet flavorful, without any overwhelming tastes or textures. Simple, classic cuisine.

We started with the gnocchi (chervil and ricotta with beet chips, pea shoot tendrils and Reggiano) and the seared scallop (with salsify puree, bell pepper jus, pancetta and toast). The gnocchi was well cooked, but not well done. No gumminess here, just delectable, melt-in-your-mouth dumplings. The beet chips and Reggiano were perfect accompaniments, letting the natural flavors of the gnocchi really shine through. The seared scallop was tasty, and large. Enough to share. And the crispy pancetta and toast offered a nice textural balance.

Next up, our entrees. Striped sea bass (with braised fennel, lobster ravioli, and Rappahannock clams) and the yellowfin ahi tuna (with haricot vert, onions confit, black radish, lemon grass scallion broth). I have to be honest, the lobster ravioli was the selling point of the striped sea bass because it is typically not my favorite fish and it was well worth it. The sea bass, which to me never has much taste, took on the sweetness of the fennel and ravioli. The clams were clams, and provided a nice textural contrast but not much to the overall impression of the entrée. The ahi tuna was cooked nicely, perfectly raw in the middle, and again the flavors were born of the onion confit and lemon grass broth.

Dessert was a winner! White chocolate crème brulee and a hazelnut mousse crostiliant with chocolate sauce and hazelnut ice cream. Enough to satisfy our sweet tooths and the perfect end to a quite delicious dinner.

I don’t know if we happened to dine on a quiet night or if Butterfield 9 just isn’t getting the patronage that it used to. I wonder if it is often overlooked due to its downtown location which generally shuts down over the weekends. We were one of maybe five tables filled in the entire restaurant and finished our meal around 9:00 on a Friday night. What I love about this restaurant, though, aside from the food, is that it is not stuffy or pretentious. There is no need to get dressed up – a top with a nice pair of jeans will serve just fine and you will be treated as if you walked in wearing diamonds and pearls.

**** (out of 4)
20% tip: keep this restaurant in mind for a special occasion and you’ll be sure to feel like a king (or queen)

Carpe Diem!

2007-04-04T16:50:00.000Z

Every so often I read something that really resonates and inspires me to find change and improvement to my life. One of those instances came to me last night while reading a Newsweek interview with Elizabeth Edwards, "I'm Not Praying for God to Save Me" (April 9, 2007). She stated,

"There is going to be a day before each of us die, and you have to think about how you want that day filled. I want that to be a productive day about which I am enormously proud, as opposed to a day where I had the covers pulled up over my head."

I've always had the attitude of living each day to the fullest although I can't say I've always put it into practice. Whenever I've felt down, I've always said that I have, presumably, about 80 years on this Earth and it is up to me to make it the best possible 80 years I can have. Of course, and especially as I get older, I come to realize that the 80 years is no guarantee. Perfectly healthy people find themselves with incurable diseases, and then there are genetics and freak accidents. And in some cases, I’m sure, it takes the realization of one’s own mortality to kick life into high gear. But why wait until then? You don't get time back. (When people say "life is not a dress rehearsal," it is true.)

Something about Elizabeth Edwards’ words struck a chord with me. It is more concrete and definitive than the 80 years logic I’ve been using. She’s inspired me to start volunteering again, to take time for myself and carve out quality time with my family (new hubby included!). They’ve inspired me to stay active and community oriented and to keep a positive attitude. I want my last day to be productive too, and I want to be happy with what I’ve accomplished and I’m going to start working on that goal today.

Won’t You Be My Neighbor?

2007-04-03T19:44:00.000Z

Lately I’ve been seeking a sense of community. My husband and I moved into our new house about a year and a half ago and while I love where I live, I’ve yet to get that feeling of a neighborhood. I don’t exactly know why I feel this way lately because it was never important to me before. As long as I could walk to the grocery store and have a few decent restaurant options nearby, that is all that mattered. As much as I hate to admit it, I think that a lot of this new desire parallels recent change in my life. I’m recently married, I’ve invested in property, and here it goes... my maternal instincts are kicking in even though we don’t have any kids yet. (There, I said it.) I mean, who do I go to if I need an egg or a teaspoon of sugar or a cup of milk for a recipe? It is such a 1950s mentality, isn’t it, and the funny thing is, I don't even bake. Truly, the Safeway is two blocks away – why do I need a neighbor to provide these things for me? Just tie up my New Balance and I’m on my way.

Where is our community? I think that much of it has to do with the fact that we live in a city and not along tree lined suburban streets that make up pretty little neat and tidy subdivisions. (Even this could be a daydream.) I think much of it has to do with the transient nature of Washington, D.C. where people come and go all the time, never really planting roots in any one place for too long. Another reason could be that our neighborhood is in a serious state of growth and transition. New condos and apartment buildings are going up everywhere. The long time residents are, in fact, getting pushed out. It’s becoming too expensive.

Regardless, I’d like to get to know my neighbors. Even if they don’t plan to stick around for too long. I think it adds to a sense of security and a feeling of belonging, which as far as I know never hurt anyone. And if any of them need a teaspoon of sugar, I’d be happy to oblige.

Seasonal Affectiveness

2007-04-02T16:35:00.000Z

Spring has sprung in D.C.! The daffodils and forsythia are blooming in bold yellows and the tourist level has spiked. (Today the cherry blossoms are supposed to be in peak bloom, so get down to the tidal basin before they are just slippery brown tread-upon petals).

This morning, I noticed that my step has gotten lighter and my posture is stronger and straighter as I slowly emerge from my self-imposed winter hibernation. I walked to work this morning, for the first time in a long while, with a determined Monday motivation. The soft breeze caressed my bare legs, my shades firmly in place, a new Coach bag on my shoulder – I was a girl on a mission. Seize the day! Humorous warm weather memories caused a few chuckles along the way; I hope that the passers-by thought I looked happy, not crazy.* My Ipod played the best music, as if it felt the warm weather relief too. It is amazing what a little sun can do to my demeanor.

With the return of the sun in the D.C. area, I wonder how people do it, in those areas of the world where the sun sets for the entire winter. Or, in this Italian town which came up with an ingenious invention.

Seasonal Affectiveness Disorder is a serious condition, one that I simply speak of in jest in this post. It affects an estimated 6% of the United States population, mostly females between the ages of 15 and 55.

The good news is, that at least here in D.C., it seems the winter tide has turned. We should be ok until at least September, or until the summer humidity pushes us back into a different kind of hibernation!

___________________

* I’ll share one of those memories with you: many years ago I was at a friend’s hot tub/pool party and this guy was hitting on me all night. Early on I found out that his father is a Methodist minister. I proceeded to sing “Son of a Preacher Man” all night long, which got louder and more boisterous in proportion to my alcohol content. Not that I was interested, but I never heard from him again.

ISO (Washington, D.C.)

2007-03-30T18:16:00.000Z

Young female twenty- (I mean thirty-) something seeks:

a decent sandwich in the Farragut Square area
an affordable salad
real pizza
lunch under $8
a breakfast place that opens before 10am on weekends
a bagel store

a genuine arts community
museums that stay open past 5, year-round
the ultimate termination of “Small French Paintings” at the National Gallery in favor of something more “edgy”
happenings
improv everywhere stunts (see link list)

a hairstylist with whom you can “lock in” your initial rate
NYC pricing on manicures and pedicures
boutique stores with affordable clothing

a safe commute
a pleasant traffic cop (17th and K Streets, weekday mornings)
drivers who give pedestrians the right of way (17th and I Streets, weekday mornings)
a traffic cop (pleasant or not) at 17th and I Streets, weekday mornings
an understandable taxi fare map

Toppings Galore

2007-03-29T17:32:00.000Z

As I start to experiment with this blog and figure out just what the point of it all will be, I’ve decided to dedicate the Thursday post to restaurant/ food reviews. Just accept it as the next step toward fulfilling my aspirations of becoming a food critic. And besides, I think Tom Sietsema does his reviews on Thursday. I want to be just like Tom.

Today, since you have had to wait so long for the re-birth of this blog, I give you my dear reader not one, but TWO restaurant reviews!

Today’s theme: it’s all about the toppings.

The Whole Foods Salad Bar
1440 P Street NW
www.wholefoodsmarket.com

To the casual observer, the Whole Foods Salad Bar appears to be a mecca of healthy living. And it is. The freshest vegetables are beautifully laid out in vivid greens, yellows, and oranges. The lettuce is crisp and diverse – you can choose from spinach, baby greens, and romaine and top your salad with anything from cherry tomatoes and sliced chicken to noodle salad, roasted beets, and mandarin oranges. The reason why I love salad bars so much is because I hate lettuce. To me, the lettuce is a waste of space. With little to no flavor, it just gets in the way of a zesty artichoke heart or tangled up with a buttery chickpea. I’d rather fill my cardboard box with the toppings.

Whole Foods gives you a few container options. They tout their rectangular paper boxes because naturally they are recycled and earth friendly. They come in two sizes. They also offer round plastic containers. On both recent occasions that I visited the Whole Foods Salad Bar, I opted for the smaller, rectangular paper box option – which measure 4” l x 3” w x 2” d. That is 24 square inches space to fill. The good news is: the salad bar is already open for business at 8:30am when I walk by on my way to work. That means I can load up a healthy salad and save it for lunch. The bad news is that at $7.99/ pound, I don’t think I’ll ever be able to afford the larger container, nor make it a daily staple of my diet.

Today, my 24 square inches turned out to cost $7.49 (should have left out the lettuce, see?) – it is more than I would typically like to spend on lunch, but, I did fill it with sliced chicken, red pepper, roasted beets, corn, tomatoes, artichoke hearts, peas, raisins and mandarin oranges – topped with some olive oil and balsamic vinegar and it really was a treat. Certainly better than any salad bar that I have within walking distance of my office (Park Place Gourmet and Sizzling Express to name a few) and it should be enough to keep me going until 5pm. We’ll see.

*** (out of 4)
20% tip: do not let the weight of your salad exceed the weight of your wallet.

M’Dawg Haute Dogs
2418 18th Street NW
http://m-dawg.com/index.html

When I found out that this spin-off of Amsterdam Falafel was opening just across the street from the pita paradise that I adore, I could not get there fast enough. Literally. My husband I ran there last night. And mind you, I do not run. But we did. We went for a run through Adams Morgan and the only thing that kept me going was that on the way back I could dress my hot dog up with yummy toppings.

We got there around 7pm and it was fairly empty, which gave us a great view of the toppings bar and the chalkboard with our “instructions.” First you pick a bun. Nothing fancy here, just potato, poppy or wheat. Then on to the dogs. 13 to choose from! Options range from the Split Beefer (described as a NJ Ripper and deep fried till it splits. I wasn’t sure what would actually rip if I ate this one, so I stayed away), the Oy Vey (it’s Hebrew National!), the Brokeback (a corndog), the Kobe (beef) Bryant for $20!, and of course a veggie dog. I overheard the cashier say that his absolute favorite was the #9 – the French Made (“andouille to tickle your sausage fancy with just enough spice” per the menu not my own overt sexual references). He also said that he ate it every day for 3 weeks. I thought that was scary. I selected the tried and true Hebrew National to allow the full flavor of the toppings to come through. Hot dog prices range from $4 to $5.36 not including the hefty Kobe beef dog. And for an additional $1, you can load up your hot dog with all the toppings you’d like.

Now on to the yummy goodness that is the reason I salivated up and down 18th Street – the toppings. They offer the standard ketchup, mustard, onions etc. for free for those that don’t want to experiment with the endless permutations of the toppings bar, but seriously if you come here for that, you are better off economically with the street vendor. On the gourmet side of things, you can dress your dog with several types of slaw, carmelized onions, corn relish, apricot chutney, blue cheese, bacon crumbles and more. They have so many options that you have no option but to return again and again until you try everything. I chose to dress my Hebrew National on a potato roll with small bite size selections of chili and cheese, baked beans, garlic mushrooms, carmelized onions, and cole slaw. Call it the tapas of hot dogs. It was delicious.

***1/2 (out of 4 and solely based on the novelty factor)
20% tip: go hungry and order more than one hot dog so that you can try a large range of toppings.

On 30.

2007-03-28T18:22:00.000Z

All grown-ups were children first. (But few remember it).
--The Little Prince

Today I am 30 and 1 week. One week into my thirties is not very much time to reflect on the past or plan for the future, but so far so good. Most of my friends are turning 30 this year and it is a milestone in our lives. Over the past few weeks we’ve shared excitement and anxiety. We’ve found new reason to celebrate. Have we accomplished our goals up to this point, are we ready to embrace our individual notions of 30 and support each other through the transition? At 15, I thought 30 was old. And 40? Definitely over the hill. At 30 (and 1 week), though, I still feel young. I don’t know what “adult” feels like, and I don’t think I’m there yet. I work as a professional, but cringe at being called a woman. Yet, I also resent being carded at restaurants and bars. I have accomplished a decent amount to this point and feel I’m entitled to a drink without the hassle. So, where do I find my happy medium? On my last day in my twenties, I embraced the transition. I promised myself that my thirties would be about me and those that I love. I promised to focus on my personal health and well-being; a cleansing decade if you will. I will strive to give selflessly to my new husband, to start a family, and to keep my friends close to me. I want to live in the moment. I want to blog more. I want to make a difference somewhere. And so what about not "feeling" like an adult. I don't see what all the fuss is about anyway.

To those who know what they are doing

2006-06-27T17:21:00.000Z

Who am I kidding? I’m no bonafide blogger, that’s for sure. Never have been and never will be. But oh how I enjoyed reading through my previous posts. Brings me back to the days when I used to keep a diary – commenting on little observations here and there – even if it is for my own enjoyment, gotta do what makes you happy, right? I thought of posting links to blogs that I do genuinely enjoy, and read regularly. Consider it my props to those who have made it. To those with a following. To those who, with a few short key strokes, make me happy.

http://dcartnews.blogspot.com/
http://www.dcist.com/
http://lyrical-rain.blogspot.com/
http://www.rockcreekrambler.squarespace.com/
http://www.artsjournal.com/man/
http://blanktop.blogspot.com/

Apologies and promises

2006-05-11T02:35:00.000Z

3 months? Really? I swamped at work. Is that a good excuse? I'm planning my wedding. How about that? No good. There are simply not enough hours in the day, and I know I've let down my readership - of 1? :) - and for that, I am truly sorry.

I need to get the creative juices flowing again but all I can think about it getting two exhibits created for work and installed in less time than is humanly possible, signing the florist contract and picking out bridesmaid's dresses. Oh, and planning a honeymoon. Yes, I will need something to reward myself with once all of this insanity is over. It is amazing how all can get blown out of proportion. Yes, I'll have a fabulously loving husband to spend the rest of my days with once the planning is over and that is reward in and of itself, but WE WILL NEED A VACATION!!

In other news, my friend R graduates from law school this weekend - and celebrates a birthday. In fact, it was on her birthday one year ago this Friday that I started this blog, so I dedicate this post in her honor. Happy celebrations, R!

I promise to try to get back on track soon. How's that for a promise?

Living on the Edge...

2006-02-02T21:04:00.000Z

How effective would my blog be if I always let a month go by in between posts? Would I be nominated for a Bloggie? Don’t think that I’ve been observation-less all month or I’ve been walking around with my eyes closed - au contraire mon frere. I’ve discovered the pleasures and pains of the cheap bus to NYC and I’ve discovered that the base of a lamp-post on my block serves as a drug drop. (I merely discovered this as an observer, not a participator). I’ve also discovered a hilarious website, which I will post here for your pleasure: www.improveverywhere.com. These people are geniuses and oh how I long for the day that DCers band together to add this kind of comic relief to our tightly wound conservative, narrow-minded city. (If anyone knows of this already going on here, please email me!) What is the allure that this kind of project holds? Is it the act of “living on the edge” – in some cases getting right into that gray area between law-abiding and law-breaking? Is it the comfort of being part of a whole – an integral component in a grander scheme? Whatever it is, I know it would be cool to be a part of. Check it out.

Puppy Love

2006-01-06T21:38:00.000Z

This morning, I had another of those back to reality moments. It was a cold, windy morning and I was focusing hard on putting one aching leg in front of the other to get myself to work. (I went to yoga last night and the pain had already begun to set in.) I’ve got my blinders on, looking straight ahead, not wanting any distractions. I am focused and intent. Everyone is – its the few moments of self-preparation that everyone takes between leaving home and entering the office. Going through checklists, rehearsing phone calls, wondering what the day will bring. Then, out of the corner of my eye, I spot a very cute puppy on a walk with his owner. I look up, and around, noticing that everyone around me has their eyes on the puppy too and a smile on their faces. For one moment, those walking down 15th Street took a breath, and relished in the delight of a puppy – with no meetings to attend, no phone calls to return, no co-workers to deal with. A block later, a car honks, a man yells to another, “get out of my way, you f**ckin’ piece of ass trash!” … phone calls, meetings, check lists… maybe work doesn’t seem so bad after all.

Delving into unchartered territories

2006-01-05T21:20:00.000Z

Feeling better and back at work. Just a stomach bug. Apparently "its been going around."

5 days into the New Year - it has gotten better for me. I feel better (not sick anymore). I'm getting back into yoga (tonight). Eating healthier (I think I've already had 2 salads this year!) And I'm starting to plan my wedding again (this weekend). This should be an exciting year for me although with recent wedding stress, I will remain guarded for now. I was recently told that I seem to be the kind of person who believes everyone is inherently good, who wants the best for the world and will put others before herself any day. I've always secretly believed this too, but its humbling and a bit comforting to hear it from someone else. I've always felt that if it was possible to lead a perfect life, I was probably living it. Great family, great friends, great fiance, great future. Very little stress. Its funny that its taken the act of planning a wedding for me to realize that my life is not this perfect, nor has it ever been that perfect. I do believe that my wedding stress is more stressful than most have encountered in planning their weddings, but I know that many could prove that wrong for me too. I'm slowly creeping into reality. And although its a bit scary, it feels good. It will make me stronger and more "well-rounded." I'm ready for the challenge that lies in facing the unknown.

To planning a wedding and the unknown of '06!

On being sick and Happy New Year

2006-01-03T15:18:00.000Z

Its the third day of the new year - the first day back to work - and I'm already staying home sick. Please don't let this be an omen of the year to come. I'm truly never sick. I was awarded perfect attendance and a commemorative school pencil every year through high school because I never had a reason to stay home (except 6th grade when I was socked with the flu, chicken pox, and a mild case of scarlet fever. I know, don't ask.) I toasted the new year with my fiance and a group of close friends - "to the best year of our lives." To 2006! Our first full year in our newly purchased condo. To 2006! Our wedding year. To 2006! May it be better than 2005. And I wake up January 3rd, throwing up everything I ate the day before. What a way to start the new year. Hopefully, it can only get better.

Bizarro Tuned In Day

2005-12-30T20:26:00.000Z

Another posting for the day - its VERY quiet here at work - and I need to build some interest and credibility for this blog before its discovered by the masses. I think I'm sticking with observations - perhaps observations of the day. Those quirky things that occur when you least expect it...

I'm walking to work this morning, listening to my Ipod. Its on random shuffle - I'm stopping on Green Day and clicking past Dido because I'm having a Green Day kind of day. Up comes "Let Me Clear My Throat" (not by Green Day, but nevertheless) - remember this one? Well, its all I can do not to break it down in the middle of Farrugut Square. Restraining my itchy leg, I am suddenly aware of the city noises and how they so craftily mix with the music. A passing ambulance, the random cell phone conversation. A homeless guy was even hacking up some phlegm just when DJ Kool was telling me "... it goes a little something like this..." For a minute, I thought the whole city was tuned into my I-pod! Its interesting how music can be transformed by ambient sounds. Each time you listen to the same song, you'll have a unique experience - making your day a little less predictable. Maybe there is less of a reason to try drowning out the world than you thought
(http://www.cnn.com/2005/TECH/ptech/12/30/ear.ipod.protect.reut/index.html)

We'll see what my walk home brings...

Obs of the day

2005-12-30T20:19:00.000Z

Obs = observations

My friend and I started obs several years ago - probably somewhere around 1999-2000, while trapped in the boredom of a mundane and thoughtless job situation. It started as a way to pass time over email and soon formed into a dialect of its own. Examples:

Obs: its raining
Obs: I forgot my umbrella

Remember subject and object from grade school? Well, obs eventually grew into a sentence structure where the colon separated the object: from the subject. Examples:

raining: it is
umbrella: I forgot it today
sad: that is

And then we realized we were talking like Yoda.

On the act of blogging

2005-12-30T20:09:00.000Z

So, you can see that I wasn't as inspired as I thought I was 7 months ago when I created this blog. I mean, doesn't EVERYONE have a blog these days? And what makes my thoughts any more interesting than what is already out there? I can't even come up with a theme for my blog, maybe in time it will develop. My random thoughts will develop into something concrete and everyone will know that in order to read about ______, they will pay a visit to Jen's blog. My god, my name is even generic! I wonder how many "Jen's Blog"s there are out there. Perhaps I'll retitle it someday. Until then.... enjoy! Or try to enjoy. Pretend you enjoy? Thanks!

Damn you Jess...

2005-05-12T20:03:00.000Z

for making me create my own blog just to respond to yours! Ok, I'll think of something cool to post here shortly. Stay tuned...