Pondering a StayCation

Here's the situation in which I find myself...

...I have tons of vacation and comp time to use up, and I probably should use it before things start getting really crazy in August/September at work again. So I'm thinking of taking an actual vacation this summer. But, I really don't want to spend all the money that comes from travel - taxis, hotels, cars, airfare, meals, petsitter, etc.

Which leads me to thinking I might become one of those statistics of people taking a "staycation" this year. Staying home, and just enjoying a week off. I would LOVE to have 9 days in a row to just sleep in, putter on my balcony, try out new recipes, read lots of books, go for long walks, see some movies, visit with friends, and just relax.

Plus, since I already live in one of the best tourist destinations in the country, I would love to check out some of the museums and other great DC locations that I still haven't managed to visit in my almost 7 years here. Maybe even rent a car and head down to Monticello.

So - readers - if you had a whole week off right here in DC (or in your own town wherever it is) what would you do?

Are there any great museum exhibits or must-see things going on in DC this summer?

I've got to start checking the calendar and just planning for a staycation of my very own.

Now That's Entertainment, 2008 Edition

It’s time for the blog’s annual roundup of my favorite entertainment offerings of the year, with a few regrettable experiences thrown in for fun. I always have a hard time narrowing such subjective lists down to just one, so I’m offering up a few of my most memorable and enjoyable items in each category. I’d love to hear your favorites – and least favorites – too!

***General Spoiler Alert***

Movies

…Sean Penn’s performance and the overall message of Milk

...The "where are they now" updates and continued romantic adventures of our 4 favorite ladies in Sex and the City. This could've been all wrong, an unnecessary coda to a series (see my worst below) but instead really stayed true to the characters and kept their stories alive in ways that felt very authentic. But let's not talk about that bird on Carrie's head.

…The sweet romance and raunchy hilarity – and musical puppets! – of Jason Segel’s Forgetting Sarah Marshall

...The heartwarming, rat-a-tat snarkfest of Juno, even though it has forever tainted my view of the adorable Jason Bateman

…In Bruges, the first movie that finally made me *get* the appeal of Colin Farrell, plus it was just a damn hilarious gangster flick that both kept me guessing and laughing

...Similarly, the shockingly funny latest installment from the Coen Brothers, Burn After Reading, has given me the deliriously enjoyable images of Brad Pitt and Frances McDormand as gym twits and... well, the less said about George Clooney's invention, the better.

Worst: The horrible, almost embarrassing (for all involved) experience that was The X-Files: I Want to Believe. The bigger the expectations, the worse the pain of disappointment.

TV

…LOST’s Season 4, which came roaring back to greatness with the amazing storylines of the Oceanic 6, the mysterious ways of Benjamin Linus, the 4 Island newbies, Penny and Desmond’s epic romance, and – woosh! – the disappearance of the Island!!!!

…Mad Men, the show that has brought back both the glamour and the outrage of the Camelot era, with its highballs, formal dress for dinner, and race and gender politics, plus it’s introduced us to the delectable (and talented) leading man for our generation, Jon Hamm as Don Draper (not to mention Jon Hamm as Dick Whitman).

…my Netflix discovery of the great guilty pleasure series Supernatural, with its monster-of-the-week fun combined with an overarching mythology and 2 hot leads (Dean's my fave), it’s nicely taken its place as the X-Files Light that I’ve needed.

…The pure escapist fun of Chuck, a comedy with more 80’s references than a Gilmore Girls episode and more wacky spy stuff than any hour of Alias

…The Office, still firing on all cylinders with the heartbreakingly sweet Michael and Holly story and the solid PB&J romance, not to mention the awesomeness of Oscar and Andy becoming friends

…HBO’s brilliantly acted, written, directed, and produced miniseries John Adams, which should be required viewing for all history classes and acting schools

Music

I don't buy many albums these days, since I'm now more of a sampler on iTunes. But I did just buy one album that is immediately at the top of my list of favorites -- She & Him's Volume One. Everyone must get it now.

Most of my new music comes in the form of one-off downloads, usually either music I’ve heard in a movie or tv show, or something new by an artist I’ve always liked. My favorite downloads of the year:

…Backseat Nothing by The Del Fuegos (it was in an ep of Rescue Me)

…Sexed Up by the always awesome Robbie Williams

…Skinny Love by Bon Iver (from an ep of Chuck)

…Keeps Gettin’ Better by my favorite bombastic pop tart, Christina Aguilera

Books

…The smart, sassy, guilty pleasure fun of spending 8 books following the adventures, loves and losses of telepath Sookie Stackhouse and all of the very real creatures of the night in Bon Temps, Louisiana in Charlaine Harris’s “Southern Vampire” series (the basis for HBO’s True Blood)

…Neil Gaiman’s American Gods made for not only a great read, but also a great book club discussion. I particularly loved all of the different religions’ gods and symbols that he worked into the book, and it had me consulting my shelf of religion major textbooks from my college years.

…Finally reading the entire C. S. Lewis Chronicles of Narnia saga, and both reliving the adventures I’d loved as a child and seeing the symbolism and the sometimes inspiring and the sometimes questionable race and class references with the eyes of an adult.

Worst: Egad, the mess that was Breaking Dawn. If you ever want to learn how to ruin a series, follow Stephenie Meyer’s wholesome teen vampire romance story. The first three books were enjoyable marshmallow fun, but that final book was so awful it turned me into a Twilight-hater.

Theater

…the exuberant insanity on display in Studio Theatre’s Grey Gardens, which led me to both buy the Broadway cast recording and watch the original 1970’s era documentary upon which it was based. A full-scale cultural experience.

…the colorful, musical, whimsical, accessible, and just damn fun production of Mary Zimmerman’s Argonautika at The Shakespeare Theatre.

…the intense masculine energy of Studio Theatre’s The Brothers Size, practically a black box production with three actors sharing raw, emotional performances.

Museums and Tours and Stuff

…the guided tour of the Washington National Cathedral, which thankfully (for me) focused more on art, architecture, and both local and national history than on capital-R Religion. It’s a great pick for a family visit.

…DC’s many walking tours offer a great, low-cost evening out with friends, and the Embassy Row Walking Tour is another great combination of architecture, local history, diplomatic history, and lifestyles of the DC rich and famous.

Web

…Kudos to Joss Whedon, Felicia Day, Nathan Fillion and the incomparable Neil Patrick Harris for winning the “What I Did While The Writers Were On Strike” contest, Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog. It’s a brand new day, indeed!

…This year, I gained a new addiction and reconnected with many old friends on the way. Oh, Facebook, what would I do without you? Read more????

Podcasts

…The smarty-snarky-pants trio of John Dickerson, Emily Bazelon, and David Plotz provided me with the enhanced ability both to analyze the week’s news and laugh at it on Slate’s Political Gabfest

…The NPR folks at Planet Money are achieving the nearly impossible task of making the incredible economic stories of our age make sense.

…And, the three nerdy-fun academics at BackStory with the American History Guys, including the Prez of my alma mater, help provide a historical backdrop for the issues of our day, making us all feel better knowing that previous generations of Americans have struggled with and triumphed over the same things we’re going through now, and that history really can be more entertaining than fiction.

Sports

Yes, I have a sports category!

…watching my Richmond Spiders win the FCS National Championship by defeating the Montana Grizzlies 24-7!

…enjoying the great new sight lines, concession stands, scoreboard bells and whistles, and – oh yeah – a winning team (that day) at the new Nationals Stadium.

***So there you have it, my complete (exhaustive?) list of faves of 2008. What are yours???

Playing Tour Guide

I am happy to report that Mom and Dad have had another successful trip to our nation's capital, and after 4 days I'm very tired but proud of all that we were able to accomplish even in spite of the dang cold Alberta Clipper that hit us in the face. They had a few places they wanted to see, I had a few exhibits on the agenda, and while their goal was to walk all over the city we did have to curb some of our plans cuz we were just plain freezing. Here's the rundown:

Day 1: Wednesday

After treating Mom and Dad to the fun of transferring on Metro with suitcase on the way home from the airport, we took a little while to explore my new NW neighborhood. They were very impressed, and totally agree that it was worth the upgrade from my old 16th St digs.

After wandering for a while, we had lunch at a place I'd been wanting to try - Yanni's Greek Taverna in Cleveland Park. While Mom and Dad both enjoyed it, I have to agree somewhat with those reviews in the Post. I liked the hummus, but I had a terrible overcooked spanakopita. Really, it was burned on the bottom and the filling was so dried out it was hard. Dad insisted I send it back - I NEVER do that - and the second one I got was at least cooked correctly, but was still terribly salty. Service was okay and the location is convenient, but I'm not going to be rushing back for a return trip to a place where I had to send something back. Like I said, though, my parents both thought their meals were delicious.

After lunch and a quick stop into the National Building Museum to show my parents the Great Hall (site of the G20 meetings - Dad's a CNBC addict), we headed down to the Mall for our first cultural item on the agenda: Pompeii and the Roman Villa at the National Gallery of Art. I really enjoyed this show, and while Dad wasn't too interested at the start I think he liked it, too. The exhibit focuses on the lavish lifestyles of the well-off Romans who had seaside villas in that doomed town. This was a great collection of statues, mosaics, frescoes (like the one to the right), sculptures, jewelry, and housewares, all about 2000 years old. The age of the pieces is impressive enough, and while the style of the art looks familiar to anyone who's taken art history or classics, the organization of the exhibit does help tell a story about a culture that had no idea it was about to end. Word to the wise, though, skip the $5 audio tour - but do watch the 10 minute documentary in the gallery.

With a quick dinner at Gordon Biersch - and fried food lover Dad's first order of calamari for the trip - we then called it a day. A successful day!

Day 2: Thursday

We got up early on Thursday and had a very busy day. First up, we made our way to the National Museum of Natural History and its new Sant Ocean Hall. As a Resident Associates member, I scored us entree to a free lecture about the mysterious creatures that live in the deep. Dad, who actually has an undergrad degree in zoology, was tickled pink, which was a nice surprise for me since I wasn't sure if they'd be down with an hour-long lecture. It was both educational and fun, cuz the lecturer had a good dry sense of humor, and made me glad I've rejoined the Resident Associates program this year. I'll be back! The Ocean Hall itself, though, wasn't a favorite stop on our visit -- cuz it's mainly geared towards kids and at about 11 am on a weekday it was just teeming with teenagers on field trips. Eeek!

I had to go to work for a few hours Thursday afternoon, so after a quick lunch at the Sculpture Garden cafe watching the ice skaters, Mom and Dad went off on one of their own adventures. They've never actually seen the Jefferson Memorial, so they headed off toward the Tidal Basin and in about a 3 hour walk covered the Jefferson, FDR, Korean War, and Vietnam War memorials. They were happy and a little tired.

After a coffee break in the Kogod Courtyard at the Reynolds Center, with some live jazz in the background, we took in the special Bicenentennial exhibit One Life: The Mask of Lincoln at the National Portrait Gallery. This is a small one-room exhibit, but it packs in a lot of information. By documenting the changes in Lincoln over the course of his public life, as seen through the new technology of photography, the exhibit tells the story of a nation at war with itself. The photos are striking, of course, but I was really impressed with the comprehensive labels throughout. You can pick up a lot of the history of Lincoln's life and Presidency through this exhibit, and I strongly recommend taking advantage of their cell phone audio tour. This exhibit left me, admittedly a Lincoln fan, wanting more. Though they didn't produce a catalog for this exhibit, I'll be going back soon to see the Lincoln's Inauguration show, also at the Reynolds Center.

We took a quick peek as well at the Georgia O'Keeffe and Ansel Adams show, Natural Affinities, at American Art. This was a good one to walk through quickly - as we were all almost at the cultural saturation point for the day - as both artists offered strong, bold visuals that were great to look at but didn't require much interpretation. Mom and I had actually seen several of the pieces at the O'Keeffe Museum on our Santa Fe trip a few years ago, and it was nice to see them juxtaposed ith Adams's photographs. Another recommendation here.

After a very enjoyable dinner with Scotte and J-Lo, talking politics and travel at Ella's Pizza - during which Dad had his second fried calamari appetizer of the trip - the 'rents and I called it a night. Color us exhausted, 2 nights in a row.

Day 3: Friday

The cold started to take its toll, as Friday was extremely blustery and gave us the first snow flurries of the season. We decided to take things at a more leisurely pace. Cuz really, who needs to freeze while playing tourist?

We spent the morning visiting the Washington National Cathedral, which really is gorgeous. I recommend taking one of the free docent tours, as our volunteer guide spent almost an hour with us pointing out really interesting symbolism in the art and architecture and filling us in on the history of the nation's cathedral. My own personal allergies to any intermingling of church and state aside, it's an amazing landmark. This is another site where we were dodging hordes of unruly teenagers, and I had the very disappointing experience of seeing a few boys stealing money out of a donation plate. Aaargh.

We happened to be there the morning that the volunteers were setting up all of the Thanksgiving decorations, which was cool to watch. I took a lot of pictures, and would've taken more of the outside if it weren't freakin' miserably cold in the wind. Here's one of my faves from inside, where it was warm:

After lunch at my favorite standby, Cafe Luna in Dupont, Mom and Dad went off in the snow flurries on another of their own adventures to visit the Library of Congress. I took the afternoon to check in with the office on a few things and take a nap. Hey, it's my vacation too, and playing tour guide is a lot of work!

Then, Friday night, I brought Mom and Dad to one of my favorite things in DC -- a photography lecture at the National Geographic. These are always a treat, as I love learning about the photographers' experiences and what they learned about their subjects, and I like that there's always some sort of political, humanitarian or conservation message to the talks. This was another good one.

Day 4: Saturday

Today we had grand plans, but the cold is seeping into our bones so we took it very easy. We made our way up to Bethesda for a good lunch of soup and sushi (and Dad's third order of friend calamari) at Raku, then scrapped our agenda of spending the afternoon walking around at Hillwood. We all agreed we should save that for a future visit when it's warmer. Nap time again!

Tonight, Dad stayed in and watched football with a pizza. Mom came over to my place, and we were both amazed watching the original 1975 documentary Grey Gardens. The musical I saw last week is based on this film and its incredible story of the destitute relatives of Jackie O. It was an interesting mother-daughter experience, watching this film of a horrible mother-daughter relationship gone wrong. Good times.

Day 5: Sunday

What's left to do? Not much -- brunch in the morning, then heading back to the airport. The timing for this trip worked out well, and while I'll be sad to see them go I'll see them again in just about a month. And then it'll be their turn to entertain me! :-)

To Die For

Like cupcakes? Love frosting? Enjoy sampling different flavors? In the DC area?

Then you simply MUST check out Hello Cupcake.

We had a little party at work today, and one of my very culturally aware coworkers had heard of this great new bakery in Dupont. So we got a sampling of 3 dozen of their bestest little cupcakes, and they were UNBELIEVABLE. Mouth watering... there were noises coming from people that weren't what we'd normally expect to hear at work. :-)

They have a ridiculous number of flavors - I sampled 3 today, the 24-carrot, the you tart! and, my favorite, the velvet elvis. A banana cupcake with peanut butter frosting. YUMMMMMMMM.

Do it! Go! Get yourself a cupcake or 3 soon!

The Perfect Sunday Evening

What a great way to end a great weekend, exploring Georgetown on a steamy - but not too hot - Sunday night.

...Taking refuge from the rain, along with hundreds of other explorers, and showing each other favorite magazine articles in the Barnes & Noble.
...Trying a new-to-me Vietnamese restaurant, and having a great meal at Miss Saigon.
... Walking the brick-lined streets and surveying so many gorgeous houses with a historic preservationist and an architect. (With the 3 of us, we had an American, a Mexican, and a Canadian... our own little NAFTA convention!)
... Having 2 out-of-towners actually get me to do something new in the city I've lived in for 6 years, as we made the pilgrimage to the Exorcist steps.
... Walking along the C&O Canal and having the 2 American history buffs in the group explain to the third about the creation of the Federal City and its role in the Civil War.
... Strolling along watching the dinner cruises and the lovebirds along the Potomac.
... Ending the evening with 2 scoops of tasty gelato overlooking the giant fountains of Washington Harbour.

Have you ever had the experience of being in your own city, yet feeling like you were at a resort hotel? Tonight had such a wonderful feeling of vacation, I didn't want it to stop.

But the best part of the night? Coming home to a happy, cuddly cat and more X-Files in the new apartment that I absolutely love. And since I'm taking tomorrow off, I can carry on that feeling for one more day!

Hand Gun Debate: Go!

Another 5-4 decision from the Supremes... this time on one of the most polarizing issues in our modern culture. For the first time, the Supreme Court has ruled on the issue of gun rights, and upheld the Second Amendment interpretation that individuals have the right to bear arms.

The case overturns the DC hand gun ban, and likely makes the statement that other municipalities can not use the same strategy to try to curb gun violence in their communities.

So here's where I say I am not a lawyer, nor do I play one on TV.

My instinctive reaction as both an American citizen and a resident of the District of Columbia?

Dangit. In the balance of individual versus community rights, the leaning-conservative Court has sided with the individuals. Yet we still all have to live with the collective social contract... and hope that we don't run across anyone with a gun.

I've never understood the reasons WHY America has such a strong view on the right to bear arms. Sure, we've got our history of the Wild West and the minutemen of the Revolution. But why do we need weapons now? I'm not talking about hunting rifles.... that's fine. Communities like DC aren't laying awake at night trying to figure out how to get the hunting rifles off the streets. Why does this country's citizens need assault weapons and hand guns and all those other scary things that I don't even know about? My understanding is that Europe, in general, doesn't have gun violence because, in general, they don't have guns. What's the big difference in our country?

There's definitely an element of game theory here. And I understand that as long as the 2nd Amendment stands, and as long as the police have guns, then bad guys will have guns. As long as the bad guys will have guns, some good guys will feel the need to have guns to defend themselves. And then if all those people have guns, absolutely the police need guns to make sure they can enforce the law. Circular, cyclical, how do we get out of it?

Of course, as a DC resident, I still have a bit of resentment about how our municipal decisions become national decisions. And I wish there were a lot fewer guns out on the streets of the District. I haven't seen one myself - knock on wood - but I do have friends that have been held up at gunpoint in our nation's capital. Scary.

I don't see the guns going away, much as I wish I could wave a magic wand and make it so. But then how do we better enforce current or new gun control laws?

Thoughts, smart people????

Not Your Typical Sunday Night

Tonight, having a really good network of friends with cool jobs really paid off, cuz I was offered comp tickets to one of cultural DC's biggest events of the year - the annual Ford's Theatre Presidential Gala performance. So, Scotte and I dressed up and got to go to a big fancy event that we neither had to work or pay for! Wheee!

The performance featured a variety of talents, recording artists, musical theatre performers, and Broadway types. We didn't know the line-up before we got there, so we were really excited to sit down and check out the program, and see that the first celebrity performer listed was.... Clay Aiken. Oh gawd.

I explained to Scotte that this reminded me of how I ended up in France by accident. In my earlier days, I had decided that I didn't really feel the need to ever go to France, especially when there were so many other destinations to plan for in my life. But, lo and behold, Brunette and I got rerouted back from Lisbon once and I ended up in France by accident. In much the same way, I had never intended to see Clay Aiken in concert, but... there you go.

The performance was a "concert version" of the Broadway musical The Civil War. There was a great orchestra onstage and the performers all came out to sing their numbers or speak their lines in black tie, rather than in costume or with any staging. It worked pretty well, but the music itself didn't make me feel the urge to see a full production of the show anytime soon. That being said, some of the performers really stood out:

Trisha Yearwood really has a great voice, and Mrs. Garth elevated two of the semi-sappy ballads with her strong presence.

Clay Aiken, well, he did a decent job performing a ballad... his voice is good, but I just didn't feel it at all. I was too occupied trying to figure out his hair.

Larry Gatlin, yes, of the Gatlin Brothers, was really spirited and seemed to be having a lot of fun. He has a good voice, and while his country style isn't usually my favorite, his heart was in it and that made him more enjoyable.

And throughout the evening, speaking the words of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass, Hal Holbrook and Avery Brooks again proved why they're two of the most acclaimed stage performers around.

The real highlight of the evening, no question, was the fantastic showing of Gospel stars and soul. Keith Byron Kirk, Bebe Winans, and the incredible Cheryl Freeman all got the crowd clapping and toe-tapping, backed by the really great Patrick Lundy & The Ministers of Music choir. Ms. Freeman really was the star of the night, as far as I'm concerned, as she poured her heart and soul into the song "Someday," all the while rocking a fantastic slinky black dress. Tonight, she was my hero. This all reminded me how much I really enjoy Gospel, even though I don't usually make a point to seek it out. I think I need to do some downloading on iTunes tonight.

Also as part of the evening, Ford's gave away their annual Lincoln Prize to this year's honorees, Ruby Dee and Maya Angelou. Ms. Dee couldn't make it in person, which was too bad, but her beautiful daughter accepted on her behalf. And Ms. Angelou was there, not only to accept her award but also to perform a moving reading of "And Ain't I a Woman?"

It's too bad the evening had to end with an "aw shucks," "I'm your buddy, so I'll just lean unceremoniously on this podium" speech by the Prez. But, at least we found solidarity in our fellow mezzanine seat-fillers... many of us were cracking jokes about the lame duck throughout the evening. But none of us were prepared for the bizarre sight of George W. Bush and Clay Aiken shaking hands, just 100 yards away. Talk about heebie-jeebies!

Another great thing about tonight? It gave me the chance to achieve the nearly impossible - I actually wore a bridesmaid's dress for a 2nd time! (And it earned me a compliment and the opportunity to have a conversation - finally! - with the cute guy in my building!)

A Plug for a Good Deed

Remember how I just upgraded to a new fancy, shiny laptop? Well, if you're wondering what I did with my old computer.... or are looking for what to do with your own old, slow, or broken computer, here's a tip:

You can donate used computers to a local charity called First Time Computers. They will come pick it up (or you can drop it off), they will fix it or use the parts to build a new system, and then they provide the computers to low-income families right here in DC. The best part? Well, all of it's pretty good, but they also train at-risk youth to do the actual refurbishing of the old computers, so kids are learning real skills and putting them to use.

Here's what they say about themselves:
Our mission is to enhance the educational prospects of low-income children/youth by widening their access to the world of technology. We seek to build their educational resources by [1] providing ready access to computers at home and [2] assisting community non-profits seeking to build computer access for the children and youth they serve, ultimately taking aim at the cycle of poverty.

Pretty good, huh? I first donated a computer to FTC 4 years ago, and I was so pleased with their friendliness and their mission that I was more than happy to give them my old laptop tonight. And, they even provide you with a tax-appropriate receipt. Check 'em out!

Shooting Ourselves in the Foot

This DC Office of Tax and Revenue scandal really pisses me off. How in the world can we expect the rest of the country - albeit begrudgingly - to give us voting rights and more autonomy when this kind of ridiculous scandal emerges? The corruption is horrible enough... have you read about what those people spent all the money on? Ferragamos, Faberge eggs, and weed. As a resident of the District, I'm ashamed.

Ah, the dreams of DC statehood... even the faint glimmer of hope for a voting member of the House let alone the Senate... we hardly knew ye.

He Ain't Heavy

My little brother came to visit! We just had a very enjoyable 3-day Thanksgiving holiday, featuring food, folks, and fun. (But no McDonald's.) Like a few years ago when my parents visited, I got to play tour guide of this city that I love. Since little bro hadn't been to our nation's capital since the Reagan Administration, there was lots to show him.

Wednesday

Little bro got into town in time for lunch, and after grabbing some Potbelly's I gave him a tour of my office and our exhibits at the museum where I work. He was duly impressed (with the exhibits too, not just with the toasty sandwich). Eventually we made our way up to AdMo and then to Dupont, where Onyah and Reporter Boy joined us for a few hours of good greasy bar food and shuffleboard at Buffalo Billiards. Later, we took advantage of the wonderfully unseasonable weather and walked the Mall. I highly recommend visiting the monuments at night, it's when our city looks its best.

Thursday

Turkey Day! Once again, I benefited from the gracious hospitality and wonderful cooking of Mr. Scotte and Mr. J-Lo. Thanks boys, especially for being so welcoming of my little bro! We spent the day laughing, talking, eating, drinking, and watching movies, and my bro got to meet lots of folks from my DC circle, including this newlywed couple and one of these guys, plus Joyous and Jane Austen and the other newlyweds in their matching Hawaii t-shirts. This is why Thanksgiving has become my favorite holiday of the year. :-)

Friday

Friday was our whirlwind tour of DC's cultural offerings... and trust me, getting out and about the day after Thanksgiving is not for the faint-hearted. I can't imagine what the malls were like, but I can tell you that at the museums there were people - and strollers - EVERYWHERE!

We started with a morning visit to the International Spy Museum. This was actually my first time going, since I'd never found a reason to justify that high ticket price (grrr) before. But, we actually had a really good time! It's a very thorough look at espionage, ranging from all the modern gadgetry and disguise tricks to the role of spies throughout world history. The museum is very interactive, with a little something for everybody, and the exhibit is a lot bigger than you might think by looking at the building from outside. Plus, there's a great gift shop... with everything from Jack Bauer gear to Nancy Drew party games to Mao and Che t-shirts. Worth a trip!

After lunch at Austin Grill, we had some time to kill.... and made our way to the National Museum of Natural History. Normally this is one of my favorites of the Smithsonian, but the horrendous crowds were too much to battle. We explored a little bit of the Ice Age and dinosaur exhibits, which were almost dangerously mobbed, and found a newer exhibit on African Voices. This was pretty cool, and since it was sadly not at all crowded, we did get to explore. We fought our way upstairs through the hordes for a 2 second look at the Hope Diamond, and then burst back out onto Constitution Avenue for some air. Word to the wise... do NOT go to the Mall (or the mall) on Black Friday. Not if you value your personal space and comfort and actually want to SEE anything.

Then, at little bro's request, we hit the E Street Cinema to catch a matinee showing of what I'm happy to call the best film I've seen all year - No Country for Old Men. The cast is universally superb - with Tommy Lee Jones, Josh Brolin, and Woody Harrelson all inhabiting their West Texas cowboys perfectly. But the real center of this film - the cold, dark, mysterious center - is Javier Bardem's chillingly evil assassin. See this movie, and hope you never run into Bardem on the side of the highway.

After a dinner of lamb kabobs at Skewers, we finished our tour with the evening show of Keegan Theatre's Mojo Mickybo at the Church Street Theater. This was my first time in the Dupont theater space, and my first time seeing a Keegan show, but I was really impressed and will plan to check out more of both in the future. This play was a really fun, fast-moving two-man show about childhood in Belfast in 1970. As we were leaving, the folks asked us to spread the word and tell people to come see the show before it closes on 12/1, so.... see it!

At this point, we hit about the 12-hour mark of playing tourist, and we were exhausted.... it takes a lot out of you!

Saturday

And now it's Saturday morning, and my poor bro is stuck with at least an hour delay at National. I repeat my own mantra to you all... never fly Northworst. They're in the boring terminal and they are ALWAYS delayed. Ah well, he'll be home soon, and then we'll get to hang again in Bloomington in a few weeks. But I'm glad he's finally gotten a little taste of my world here.

The Monuments at Night

Wednesday was the perfect night for walking the Mall - clear, warm, and quiet. Enjoy!

My Cultural Capital

I have spent the past week playing "culture vulture," sampling some of the great cultural resources our fine city has to offer. I didn't quite plan to do all of this in just a week, but it's a great lesson in how much there is to do and how fun it can be to just soak up the art and history that are all around us here in our nation's capital. (Buckle up, this is gonna be a long post!)

Tuesday
I started my adventures at National Geographic, with a lecture on Palenque and the Ancient Maya World. The lecture given by the entertaining father-son duo of the Drs. Stuart focused on the discovery and excavation of this ancient city, hidden in the Yucatan jungle for centuries, and the story its art and architecture tell of the line of kings led by Pacal the Great. I found the most interesting part of the evening to be the discussion of what the fields of archaeology and anthropology mean to modern cultures - what does it mean for the current residents of the Yucatan, the living Maya, to learn about these ancient civilizations of their ancestors? How does it help build identity and cohesiveness for the modern people? Thought-provoking stuff.

I love these NG programs (branded under the umbrella of National Geographic Live!) because you can hear fascinating stories about history, culture, photography, and the natural world - like the best lectures you had back in college - but there's no test afterwards! I try to go to several programs each year, and I have tickets for 2 more this fall. Stay tuned!

Wednesday
The next night, some pals and I made it over to Woolly Mammoth to check out their world premiere of Melissa James Gibson's Current Nobody. This show puts a contemporary spin on Homer's The Odyssey, with the story of a war photographer who returns to her family after 20 years of adventures "off the map."

Here's the thing... I didn't really like this show. I could see what the playwright was going for in her modern interpretation - flipping the gender roles so that the woman is the one who leaves and sees the world, and making some subtle references to our current war society - but it didn't really work for me. Even though it's a modern setting, she kept a lot of the language referring to mythical beasts and ancient cities... so a lot of the show seemed neither here nor there, temporally. Gibson could have easily translated the ancient tales of the Cyclops and the Land of the Lotus Eaters to more realistic contemporary dangers, and the show would've been better for it. Unfortunately, mixing the myth in with what was supposed to be a current story was a little a jarring.

I also was a little disappointed in the casting... here's where a year spent at the Shakespeare Theatre Company has made me a bit of a snob, as I've learned how to recognize actors who have had classical training. It really does make such a difference. I hate criticizing stage actors, since I know it's a much more difficult profession than it may look. But in this case, except for the actress who gives a strong performance as the daughter, I was underwhelmed.

That being said, I do think the design of the show was creative. The set was pretty stark but functioned well from bedroom scenes to a press conference and back, and the most inventive part of the whole production was how it incorporated video into the show. The back wall of the set became a giant screen that showed live footage of the play itself, offering the audience a new perspective on both the action onstage and behind the scenes - extending the set itself by hinting at other rooms just off the stage. You can sorta see what I'm talking about in the photos here on Woolly's page for the show. So, kudos to the design team.

Well, even though I didn't love the show, I'm glad I went. I'm sticking with my dramatic resolution of seeing more theatre, and that sometimes includes opportunities to think critically about how a production could be better.

Saturday
I went in for a second helping of drama this week with my subscription to The Studio Theatre and its production of Conor McPherson's The Shining City. My old home, PPT, had done a production of McPherson's Irish ghost story The Weir several years back, so I was looking forward to seeing him give the genre another shot.

After my disappointment on Wednesday, I put some heavy expectations on poor Studio as it had to redeem contemporary theatre for me, at least for the time being. Thankfully, I really enjoyed this one!

The story worked well. Ian, a former priest/new therapist, is adjusting to his new life, finding a bit of inspiration in his first patient. Ed Gero, a DC fave, does a great job as John, the man haunted by his wife's death and struggling with guilt over his own infidelities. In a case of "physician, heal thyself," Ian explores his own path as he counsels John, and the language and performances both convey what feels like a very real story. In my book, that's a great accomplishment. The set design works well, and I liked the way the contemporary music set the mood. All in all, it was a good afternoon at the theatre.

Sunday
Finally, today a few friends and I braved the holiday weekend tourists at the National Gallery to take in the Edward Hopper exhibit. I've been looking forward to this one for a long time. Hopper has always been one of my favorite artists, and his work always brings about a bit of nostalgia in me, as his New England looks a lot like my Upstate NY home.

Hopper is probably best known for his oils, like the iconic and often-imitated "Nighthawks," and there were several good examples included in this show. My favorites, however, are his watercolors depicting scenes of Gloucester, Mass, Maine, and Cape Cod. I particularly like his study of the lighthouses in Cape Elizabeth, Maine, as well as one of his early notable works, "The Mansard Roof."



I took a bunch of notes on my gallery guide to help remember what I wanted to say about the exhibit... but since this post is already getting quite long, I'll just treat you to the actual scribbles themselves:

• watercolors as precise as oils
• solo figures in urban landscapes = isolation and loneliness surrounded by humanity
• immortalized the everyday
• abstraction even in representation

This was a great way to spend a Sunday morning... and speaking of spend, I dropped more than 90 bucks on Hopperabilia at the gift shop! Ah, museums love me.

Saturday Night Lights

Lafayette Square. What a strange but beautiful place to hang out in as the sun goes down. You never quite know what you'll see... but our historic old buildings are surreal and gorgeous by night.

Five Years

Today marks the 5-year anniversary of the first "DC Sniper" killing in Maryland. I can't believe how the time has gone...but at the same time, that feels like a whole different era.

I had just moved to DC in late August, so I was still getting to know this area. I lived in Silver Spring at the time, and I remember when the news hit of that first killing in Montgomery County, Scotte and Dancer didn't want me to go home and offered that I could stay at their place. My parents were not so sure about my decision to move to the big scary city, but at the same time I think it made them kinda famous among their new gated golf community neighbors.

As time went on, we all grew scared - learning to "zigzag" in parking lots, avoiding gas stations and Michael's and Home Depot, ducking in fear whenever we saw white box trucks, and getting used to even more horrendous traffic and road blocks throughout the region. In retrospect, the white box truck paranoia is a pretty perfect example of how a media frenzy can affect reality.

I had experienced my own paranoia and anxiety before, particularly the summer that Pittsburgh was stalked by the East End Rapist, who broke into apartment homes in my neighborhood and attacked women in their sleep.

But that fall of 2002 was the first time I've really felt part of a community of fear. It's not a good feeling, but it's pervasive. Everyone was on edge, constantly looking over their shoulders and making decisions about whether or not to risk their lives simply by going out. To me, that's the definition of terrorism. After the snipers were caught, you could almost feel the entire region giving a sigh of relief and beginning to go about their lives normally again.

Thankfully, those five years feel like a lifetime, because that feeling of fear now seems so foreign. I think that's a good thing....

Neighborhood Note

As most local folks know, there was a huge fire in Adams Morgan last week that caused significant damage to the Avalon, a neighborhood apartment building. A new site has been launched to help share information about Avalon relief efforts, including updates on fundraising events and related news.

I've known for a long time that this high-elevation neighborhood has water pressure problems, but it's pretty discouraging to hear that our 100-year-old narrow pipes are barely sufficient when it comes to fighting major blazes. The fire department had to snake its hoses 2000 feet to an entirely different neighborhood to get the water it needed! Watch for this to be a major issue that our new Mayor has to address...like in so many other cities, our aging infrastructure is slowly, quietly becoming a danger.

The Unwritten Rules of DC

I got this as an email forward today and it made me laugh, so I thought I'd share. (Does the mere fact that I got this as an email and am now cutting and pasting it here nullify its title?)

The first one of this is so true. It annoys the heck out of me when my Mom tells people her daughter lives "in Washington" - and I just imagine people think Seattle!

The Unwritten Rules of DC

First, you must learn to call it by its rightful name. It is D.C., or "the District", only tourists call it Washington.

Next, if your road map of Montgomery County is more than a few weeks old, throw it out and buy a new one. It's obsolete.

If in Loudoun or Fairfax County and your map is one day old, it's already obsolete.

There is no such thing as a dangerous high speed chase in D.C. It's just another chase, usually on the BW Parkway.

All directions start with "The Beltway"...which has no beginning and no end, just one continuous loop that locals believe is somehow clarified by an "inner" and "outer loop" designation. This makes no sense to ANYONE outside the Beltway.

The morning rush hour is from 5 to 11 AM. The evening rush hour is from 1 to 8 PM. Friday's rush hour starts Thursday morning, especially during the summer on Route 50 eastbound.

If there is a ball game at the Redskins stadium, there is no point in driving anywhere near PG County.

If you actually stop at a yellow light, you will be rear-ended and shot at. If you run the red light, be sure to smile for the $100 "picture" you will receive courtesy of DMV. (However, if you don't go as soon as the light turns green, you will get cussed out in 382 languages, none of them English.)

Rain causes an immediate 50 point drop of IQ in drivers. Snow causes an immediate 100 point drop in IQ and a rush to the Giant for toilet paper and milk.

If the humidity is 90+ and the temperature is 90+, then it's May, June, July, August and sometimes September.

Construction on I-270 is a way of life and a permanent source of scorn and cynical entertainment.

It's ironic that it's called an "Interstate, " but runs only from Bethesda to Frederick. (Unless you consider Montgomery County another state, which some do). Opening in the 60's, it has been torn up and under reconstruction ever since. Also, it has a "Spur" section which is even more confusing.

All unexplained sights are explained by the phrase, "Oh, we're in Takoma Park".

If someone actually has their turn signal on, they are, by definition, a tourist.

Car horns are actually "Road Rage" indicators. Heed the warning.

All old ladies in Buicks have the right of way in the area of Leisure World.

Many roads mysteriously change their names as you cross intersections. Don't ask why, no one knows.

A taxi ride across town will cost you $12.50. A taxi ride two blocks will cost you 16.75. (It's a zone thing, you wouldn't understand)

Traveling south out of DC on Interstate 395/95 is the most dangerous, scariest thing you will ever do.

There is nothing more comforting then seven lanes of traffic cruising along at 85 mph, BUMPER TO BUMPER!!!

The minimum acceptable speed on the Beltway is 85. Anything less is considered down right sissy.

The Beltway is our daily version of a NASCAR reality show. Strap up and collect points as you go.

The open lane for passing on all Maryland interstates is the far right lane because no self-respecting Marylander would ever be caught driving in the "slow" lane. Unofficially, both shoulders are fair game also.

The far left lanes on all Maryland interstates are official "chat" lanes reserved for drivers who wish to talk on their cell phones.

Note: All mini-vans have priority clearance to use the far left at whatever speed the driver feels most comfortable multi-tasking in.

Restaurant Week

I thought I was going to be DENIED by Restaurant Week this time around, because both of my attempts - lunch at Ten Penh and dinner at Equinox - got nixed by being fully-booked. Alas... I was saddened.... until a spur-of-the-moment lunch opportunity turned up. A business contact of mine invited me to join her at 701 Restaurant for lunch yesterday, and somehow she finagled a reservation. Hooray!

Now, I actually do eat at 701 fairly often - it's our go-to place for business lunches - but I usually stick to the salads. So this was a great opportunity to try something new! And one thing I like about 701 is that they do change their menu fairly often so there are always surprises.

I'm trying to eat healthier these days, so I thought I might have some challenges with the 3-course menu, but I'm really happy with my choices:

• All 3 of their appetizers sounded fantastic, and I was really tempted by an heirloom tomato / mozzarella / basil salad, but instead I went for something new - a chilled melon and tomato soup with lump crabmeat. This was really good. I didn't taste the melon exactly, but I think it gave a little earthy sweetness to the overall flavor of the soup, which was a perfect start on a hot, sticky DC day.


• The entree choices included bbq ribs, which my companion got and boy did they smell good. They also had a grilled chicken, which I thought about, but instead I went for the cod cake. This was really delicious! It was very simple, a single cake presented with a little vegetable garnish with something resembling a sweet balsamic sauce drizzled on the side. It was really tasty and I felt good about eating it.


• Finally - the temptation of dessert being included! All of the choices sounded fantastic - including key lime pie! - but I ordered the trio of sorbets. The presentation was great! The 3 flavors were molded into a tri-colored sorbet tower! This was light and refreshing, and I didn't feel like I was losing out at all by not getting one of the more decadent choices.

This was a great dining experience, and what I think I liked most about it was that I tried entirely new things at a place that I usually think of more in terms of "work" than "adventure." Hooray!

I do have to make a slightly snooty comment, though... because as someone who goes to 701 I did notice a significant difference in the Restaurant Week clientele. It is normally a jacket-and-tie place, and I would never consider going there for a professional meeting in casual clothes. But wow - RW brings everybody in! I saw people in cutoff cargo shorts and flip-flops, and young intern-aged women wearing short summer skirts and halter tops. I wonder what the staff thinks of this! Sure, RW is a great way to introduce new people to some of our fancier restaurants, but I bet they're all really glad when it's over!

Water Wars

Coke versus Pepsi is so 80's. Now it's Dasani versus Aquafina, respectively... but it turns out they are both actually just bottled tap water? No wonder they're the worst-tasting ones of the bunch.

I've actually had several conversations with friends and coworkers about our own bottled water preferences. While I've never heard of an actual taste test, I know most of us have definite favorites among the bunch. I think Dasani is the worst, but I do drink the fruit-flavored Aquafina every once in a while. I have cases of Deer Park (natural spring water) at home, and my pricey favorites are actually the Starbucks Ethos water and Fiji water. I don't know exactly what their sources are, but they sure taste a lot better than tap.

Bottled water has come under fire a lot lately due to a negative environmental impact. It's taking a lot more energy to produce all those zillions of bottles each year, lots of that plastic ends up in landfills, and many cities think it's giving a bad rap to their very drinkable public water. I accept that, in some cases. But, IMHO, DC's tap water is fairly atrocious. And while I happily use a Brita pitcher to make my Crystal Light tea at home, I do stick to bottled whenever I want the clean, clear, crisp taste of fresh water. Like the article says, bottled water is just damn convenient - and reliable. I do recycle all my bottles, both at home and at work. I hope that helps lessen the environmental waste...

All of that being said - what is your taste? Do you have a favorite bottled brand, or do you stick to tap?

One-of-a-Kind Boy Puppet (Life-Sized)

I recently became a subscriber to Studio Theatre, which means I'm now on their email list. Because of that, I just got a completely priceless - and I'm thinking unintentionally hilarious - email. Studio has announced their upcoming prop/costume garage sale (which incidentally I think is a great thing theaters do), and the sample items they highlighted just made me giggle:

THE STUDIO THEATRE
ANNUAL GARAGE SALE!

Saturday,
July 21, 2007 from 10am - 4pm

14th and P Street, NW.

DON'T MISS IT!

COSTUMES! PROPS! SET PIECES! FURNITURE! COLLECTIBLES!

The sale includes special items from this season's shows!

Caroline, or Change: Brand-New Picket Fence; Hand-Painted Bus-Stop Bench Red Light
Winter: Sexy, Slinky, Seductive Red Dress
The Long Christmas Ride Home: One-of-a-Kind, Hand-Crafted Puppets
This Is How It Goes: Electric Grill; Picnic Benches
The Passion of The Crawford: Lavish Costumes, Lush Shag Carpet, Real Knoll Chair
The Pillowman: Hand-Made, One-of-a-Kind Boy Puppet (Life-Sized), Never Used, Hand-Made Coffin; Giant, Wooden Cross

and hundreds more unique items …
Just Come!

Come on now, think of all the fun things you could do with these items! Can't you just picture it? All you friends of mine with basements -- it's time to stock up on coffins, crosses, and park benches. Need inspiration? Just think "What would Dwight K. Shrute do?" :-)

Currently

The View from 16th Street is a very dark and a very dry one, on account of this happening this afternoon:

(Photo from The Washington Post.)

Yes, my major thoroughfare of a street is now down to just one lane for traffic cuz there is a GIANT FREAKING HOLE where the water main broke, and the street is all crumbled up for about block. It looks like it really buckled under the pressure.

Apparently this happened about 6+ hours ago. Crews are still working now. My fingers are crossed that we have water back by morning.... though I already called my boss and told her I may be working from home.... or somewhere that has water. Cuz I do NOT go to work without showering!