So, as I know I mentioned to some of you, last night I went to see The Decemberists at the 9:30 Club. It was something I had been looking forward to since I found out they were coming back in September. And I was grateful to have tickets, because both nights sold out awhile ago, and also because this weekend, when they hadn't showed up yet and Ticketmaster was being entirely unhelpful, it seemed like we might not be going after all. But it worked out in the end, and at 7:20 we were in line with a kind of surprising group. Due to our early arrival we were able to get drinks and make our way up to the balcony to get spots along the rail. This provided us with an absolutely awesome view. In fact, I think it might have been the first time ever I've not had to do the short person, tip-toe, neck-crane combination at a show.
The opening band, Lavender Diamond, was actually really great. I was slightly put off, however, because their lead singer was queen of the flakes. Or at least it seemed that way. It is pretty easy to picture her in a long dress frolicking in a field with daisies and fuzzy bunnies. Now as I have stated previously, I am a big fan of the frolic, so I tend to be sympathetic to frolicking types, and being as liberal as I am, I can usually forgive a certain amount of hippy-flakishness, but she was just a tad over the top. After being told to give myself a pat on the back since "peace has come to earth" and we have done a "good job", I was confronted with a great deal of awkward kicking, swaying, clapping and arm waving. But despite the unappealing parts of the way she presented herself, her voice was gorgeous and most of their songs were really good. So during the moments that I was not wanting to shoot myself because of the extremely intense happiness I found on stage before me, I was thoroughly enjoying myself. I'm sorry if this sounds harsh, those of you who know me well know in general, I am a very happy person, but to be so freakishly happy after singing a song whose title line is "you broke my heart", well it's just not very convincing. Okay, enough complaining, since all in all it was an incredibly successful evening.
Before The Decemberists actually took the stage, there was a highly amusing introduction that I believe came from Colin Meloy himself. You can tell from the music that he has a sense of humor, but I was impressed with how funny he was outside of the context of the music. I felt like the choices they made for the set list were kind of interesting, I was surprised by how many songs they played form the new album, The Crane Wife. I'd say the overwhelming majority were from The Crane Wife, which is a great album, but I haven't had much of an opportunity to listen to it yet, since it hasn't been out very long. Because of this they played a lot of songs I wasn't very familiar with. But the show was so amazing it didn't really matter. They are really awesome performers. And they did a really great job of involving the audience. At one point they actually set up a round with different sections of the audience, which ended up sounding amazing. The set was nice and long and after a very short pause (like the shortest one I've ever witnessed) they played a 3 song encore. The last song of the encore was I Was Meant for the Stage, which was amazing and appropriate. It's also one of my favorite Decemberists' songs, as I have always fancied myself a bit of a performer. The song itself was followed by an extended and highly emotional period of intentional cacophony, that was a great end to and amazing show.
Also, Colin Meloy is really cute in a nerdy indie musician kind of way, which let's face it, is a brand of cute I have really come to appreciate. And, as I always find after seeing bands live, I love them more than I did before, which is usually already a lot, and this was very much the case here. And if my ipod hadn't totally died this morning, I would be listening to The Decemberists all day at the store. Instead I am listening to Grant Lee Phillips, since it's either that or more Groove Salad.
I have wanted a crazy fur-lined ear flap hat since last winter. I am fond of referring to them as Russian winter hats. Today I finally purchased one from Nana. It's the one pictured, but in black. What this means is that every time you see from now until spring I will be wearing the crazy Russian winter hat. I hope to become known as the girl who always wears that crazy hat. In fact, I am wearing it right now, while sitting in my bed, listening to the Marie Antoinette soundtrack (love it, by the way) and posting on my blog. I hope that this hat will become like an extension of my body. I mean when you overlook the fact that's it's absolutely insane and fur-lined and the whole ear flap thing, it's actually pretty obviously the best hat ever. It's cozy and super warm. It acts as a barrier between you and the outside world since no one can really see you when you wear it and you can't hear much. It is the perfect hat for those days when you really didn't want to get out of bed, but were forced to. And since that's most mornings in my life, it will be the perfect hat for me. Plus who doesn't love a hotty in ear flaps?
Recently I have been on a quest to figure out recipes that I can make on a regular basis. Ones that I can make pretty easily after work, or without to much time when I'm tired and hungry. I love to cook, but by the time I make it home form work at 8 I don't usually have the time or energy to embark on a gourmet extravaganza. I have always been a big fan of Jamie Oliver, originally known as the Naked Chef. His cookbooks are great, and he's also a cutie (and in this case he's made even cuter by the fact that's his married and has adorable British children). In London, the market where he buys a lot of his ingredients, the Borough Market, was a few blocks from where I lived, and I was there most weeks buying some of my own supplies (like the best preserves in the entire world). Jamie's Dinners is a great resource for not too tricky and time consuming dinner recipes. Last night I tried a new one and the result was the perfect recipe for when I'm tired, need to throw something together quickly, but am not so starving and can wait awhile for it to cook. The Tender and Crisp Chicken Legs with Sweet Tomatoes was easy to put together, absolutely amazing tasting, and not only that, but it came out looking exactly like the picture, which pretty much never happens. Also it's easy to halve and still made enough for left overs, which is great for those of us who eat alone and bring lunch to work. So here it is:
Tender and Crisp Chicken Legs with Sweet Tomatoes
serves 4
Ingredients:
4 chicken legs, jointed
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
a big bunch of basil, leaves picked and stems finely chopped
2 big handfuls of red and yellow cherry tomatoes, halved (I just used red cus it was all they had at Whole Foods and it was fine) and ripe plum tomatoes, quartered
1 whole bulb or garlic broken up into cloves
1 fresh red chili, finely chopped
olive oil
Instructions:
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Season your chicken pieces all over and put them in a snug fitting pan in one layer (I used a cake pan which works perfectly if you halve the recipe). Throw in all the basil leaves and stalks, then chuck in the tomatoes. Scatter the garlic cloves into the pan with the chopped chili and drizzle over some olive oil. Mix around a bit, pushing the tomatoes underneath. Place in the oven for 1 1/2 hours turning the tomatoes halfway through, until the chicken is crispp and the meat falls off the bone.
So there you go. Enjoy!
So as some of you know, I live, work and frequently play in an area of DC who's many neighborhoods are collectively known as MidCity. And both of my places of employment are featured in an article in the November issue of Travel + Leisure about MidCity (mostly the U Street Cooridor). The article also includes some of my other favorite DC spots, like Busboys & Poets, Ben's Chili Bowl and Lettie Gooch. Busboys & Poets has a great atmosphere, an awesome socially conscious bookstore, and a lot of great things to munch on. However the highlight for me is that the make a really awesome root beer floats. This may not be a huge draw for some of you, but I enjoy a really good root beer float. Ben's Chili Bowl has the best chili cheese fries I've ever had, hands down. And Lettie Gooch has a lot of great wearble stuff that's not so expensive that you'll break the bank. But I thought I would really use this post to talk about some of my other favorite MidCity spots that this article missed.
Tabaq is an awesome Mediterrean restaurant. Their food is absolutely delicious. I'm an especially big fan of the Chef's Special Lamb described on the menu as "Baked eggplant and lamb with bechamel sauce and kasar cheese". The decor is mellow and hip, but the best place to sit is definitely the roof deck. Watch out for all the stairs though, since when Jules and Liz were visiting I wore mega-high heels and bit it on my way to the bathroom. I did just catch myself before actually doing a butt plant, but still it was a rathger unpleasant side to the whole experience. Don't let it deter you, just wear sensible shoes and pay attention instead of looking at the cute waiters.
Local 16 has incredibly yummy food and great drinks as well. When Miss Amy and I went there we ended up ordering appetizers and mains, since everything sounded so great we could help it. It was pretty much all as great as it sounded, which is always nice. Our server was also funny and helpful. And the atmosphere, especially with all the lowlighting, plush textures and reds, is really appealing. They also have a bar and a roofdeck if you're just looking for drinks.
Will, Amy and I finally checked out Simply Home a few weeks back. The Asian-fusion cuisine was very good. The styling was ultra hip. We may not have been quite as cool as everyone else there, but it was still great. Amy was also thrilled to find Persecco, her favorite sparkling wine on the menu.
Cakelove and Love Cafe have gotten plenty of press since they opened a few years back. There are some dissenters, but I stay believe that their cupcakes are absolutely to die for. The Love Cafe also has a really great grilled cheese with bacon. But for a place where you order at the counter and then sit down it can be kind of slow sometimes, so make sure you have time to wait. Also October is Cupcake Month so there's still about a week left to get your $2 cupcakes (they're normaly $3) or if you wear your Cakelove T-shirt or buy one, you get a free cupcake! They also have new gluten-free brownies, whcih makes my Mom super happy.
A little closer to home there's Columbia Heights Coffee. Columbia Heights Coffee is pretty much the perfect neighborhood coffee place. It's a great place to hang out for awhile and enjoy the mellow atmosphere. There's also free wireless, so if you're internet crazed, and let's face it, who isn't, you're all set. The girls who work there are also super nice.
To keep up with MIdCity goings-on there's MidCity Live. Here you can find out the specials for the Third Thursday Shopper Social, as well as other things that are happening in MidCity.
That's about it although I'm sure to find more place I love that I haven't stumbled upon yet. But rest assured, when I do I'll be sure to fill you in.
So yesterday I defended Lauren Graham. I insisted she was funny, and the truth is I still believe that she is, but lasts night episode of Gilmore was not a particularly good demonstration of that fact. It actually got me thinking, Lorelai has not really been funny yet this season. The Gilmore fans out there will know that the shows creator and long time writer Amy Sherman Palladino is not involved in this season of the show (which many expect will be it's last). There was a dispute over contracts, where the actors would only renew for another year, which was fine with the studio, but not Palladino, who insisted that she would only renew her contract if it was renewed for two years. I was incredibly worried once I heard this, since it's been clear for a long time that Palladino is one of the key factors contributing to how great the show is. It is largely her writing and quirky sense of humor that drive the fast pace and make the show so witty, smart and appealing. Also, Palladino has said that since she first created the show, she knew exactly how the show was going to end. In interviews she has said that she will not return to write the show's final episode and only she will ever know how the show was really supposed to end. This may not seem like a big deal to you, but to me it's on the verge of heartbreaking for me, since I've been watching the show for the last 7 years, I like the characters almost as much as my own friends and I want things to turn out the right way for them. But I have also bee curious to see is the new writer's would b able to keep things up and do a good job. Overall I think they have been doing pretty well with the season. There have been a few directions they have gone with the plot I would have been happier without, mostly Christopher and Lorelai getting back together AGAIN. But there have also been some great moments already this season, like the Love Rocket, the dirty Sidekick text messages, Asia in the living room, "WWTBFCD?" and others. But what I realized last night is that the #1 thing the new writer's aren't doing right is Lorelai's humor. Anyone who has watched the show for a long time knows that Lorelai has a very specific sense of humor and once you get used to it, it's hilarious and once of the best things about the show. But they're writing it all wrong now, and it's just not funny. I don't think it's Lauren Graham's fault if they're not giving her anything to work with, it's hard to be funny, so I still do believe that she is funny. But it's disappointing to see that disappear form the show. Especially since now Lorelai just seems crazy. So hopefully the new writer's will learn to write Lorelai humor soon, cus I can't take much more of this "pickle conductor" stuff.
So last night I watched the new episode of Studio 60 (thank god my cable is set up, now if only the internet would work on a regular basis), and alhtough I thought it was a good episode and thouroughly enjoyed it, I was disappointed by one thing. The plot about Lauren Graham not being funny. It just doesn't work. Why? Because anyone who has seen more than a few episodes of Gilmore Girls will know that she is incredibly funny in a quirky, offbeat kind of way. I mean they had to barely show her in the previous episode in order to get us to believe that she's not funny. And I'm sure that's because she was actually very funny and they couldn't show any of it, because they had to support the plot. This annoys me more than a little. Although I did really enjoy the part where she took Matt's number even though he said she wasn't funny. Mostly because that was actually a very Lorelai moment. Soo anyway you all know what I will be doing tonight.
Preface:
This post was composed yesterday (Monday) and was supposed to be posted yesterday but my internet at home was down yet again, so it's being posted today. Hopefully you will not be too confused by this (I think you should be able to figure it out, especially since I told you).
So today was kind of a big day for me. I did a few things I have never done before. I went to the movies by myself and I killed a decent sized spider. Now these may not sound like personal triumphs to some of you, but they are to me. I conquered two fears in one day.
I didn't realize I was afraid of going to the movies by myself until I actually entertained the possibility for the first time a few years ago. It seems like a weird thing to be afraid of, but I have been afraid of it. This may be in large part because I am that awful person who sees people alone at the movies, and thinks don't they have any friends? I know this is bad, judgmental and frankly down right stupid, because basically everyone has friends of some kind, but I have been known to think that (I'm trying to be honest here). So every time I have thought about going to the movies by myself I have opted not to for fear that someone would think just that about me. And besides I always thought going to the movies would just stink if you didn't have anyone to discuss it with afterwards. Again stupid, since I watch DVDs by myself all the time. And also sometimes other people have ruined a movie for me that I really enjoyed by telling me how much they didn't like it afterwards. But despite all this I was always afraid of going alone.
Marie Antoinette was a movie I wanted to see so badly that I decided to go anyway. I had tried multiple times this weekend to see it with someone else, all of which eventually fell through, and I just couldn't wait any longer. I decided to ease into things and go to a matinee (less people to see me in my loner state, sad, but true). I had to go to Gallery Place anyway to buy new comfy ballet flats for work, so why not just stop off and see it as long as it was my day off and I was already there? And the truth is, I now love going to the movies by myself. Here is why:
-I didn't have to share the armrests with anyone.
-When I sat indian style my knees weren't in anyone's way.
-No sharing refreshments (and yes I'm a good sharer, but sometimes its nice not to).
-When I went to the bathroom in the middle (curse my incredibly small bladder!) I didn't have to step over anyone (obviously the Monday matinee is also a factor here, since there were about 15 people in the theater, but still).
-I never once though Why do I think this is funny, but my friends don't?
-And at the end of it all, when I had seen a movie I really enjoyed, there was no one there to call it trite or contrived or superficial (which some of my friends definitely would have said about this movie).
I loved the movie and I loved that I saw it by myself. It was just perfect that way. I got to be the girl who likes movies like that. And there was nothing wrong with me liking it. Plus I got a good dose of that in public, but alone feeling that I love. The whole thing was really incredibly pleasant.
Also for those of you that have heard the buzz about Marie Antoinette but don't know whether or not to see it let me say this: FIrst off, in the past have you enojyed the same movies as me (because this is soooo a winsexy kind of movie)? Do you like period movies? Do you love period movies with intentional anachronistic modern touches? Do you like alternative representations of history? Do you have a strange sympathy for Marie Antoinette? Do you like Kirsten Dunst? Do you like Sofia Coppola? Do you like movies about girl who just don't quite belong no matter how hard they try? If you can answer yes to at least half these questions, you may very well like it and it might be worth seeing. If you hate all of these things, I would hold back. I, of course, can answer yes to call of these question, which is probably why I liked it so much, but you might not. But enough about the movie, on to the next big thing.
As irrational as it may be, I have been seriously afraid of spiders for as long as I can remember. They are beyond creepy to me. I have nightmares about them on a regular basis. I freak out when I see one bigger than the teeny tiny ant sized ones. And right now I would like to say a special thank you to those of you who held me down in a chair and made me watch Arachnaphobia when I was in high school, because that really helped the situation. Anyway, I have always been one of those girls who has screamed, run out of the room, and gotten someone better equipped to deal with the situation. But today when I noticed the really disgustingly big spider that was attempting to actually take over my entire kitchen (no kidding, the webs are like in one whole corner), I knew things had to change. There is no longer anyone better equipped to deal with the situation. It is just me. So I grabbed my shoe, and I smacked it three times, until it was good and smushed. Now I have not quite worked up the nerve to clean up the spider guts yet. I just put a bag of potting soil on top of it to make sure he couldn't rejuvenate and live to build more webs in my already very small kitchen (you never know, they're really very tricky creatures). But I think the act of killing in and of its self is a really big step, so maybe I'll clean it up tomorrow.
So be proud of me fellow independent folks. I am slowly learning to join your ranks.
Long before I had an apartment, or knew where I was working, long before I even knew what city I wanted to live in after graduation, I did know one thing: I had to have the Blue Flora plates from notNeutral. I saw them in Lucky months ago and knew I absolutely had to have them for my apartment. No other plates would do. But as things started to accumulate here and there, my parents said I had to stop getting things for my apartment until I actually had one. So the ordering was postponed. The day after moving into my apartment I went to the notNeutral website ready to order the plates, and the small plates were sold out. You may think I'm crazy, but I was totally heart broken. I was set on having those plates, and I really didn't want any others. I decided to call the store in LA and see how long it was going to be before they got them back in. I found out that they had them but the website hadn't been updated and that I could order them right there over the phone. I decided to get the matching bowls and vase as well, and to wait on the coffee service and cups & saucers until later. About a week later a box showed up and I was super excited. I unpacked the vase, and the bowls and was so happy. I got down to the plates, what I wanted the most, and all of them were broken in half. So the next day I called notNeutral again and told them and they sent me a new set for free! They showed up today, in one piece, and gorgeous. I'm so excited to finally have them, and I'm so grateful to the folks at notNeutral for sending me the second set. That is pretty classy business practice.
I also thought that to just throw the broken ones away would be wasteful, since they're so cute, so I decided to save them to be used for a project. And this is where I need your help. I need suggestions for what I might do with the broken plates. My one idea so far has been to make a mosaic trivet and maybe a matching set of coasters. The only downside to this idea (the coasters especially) is that they would be kind of bulky. So what do you think I should do?
Last night, while most of you were watching Grey's, I was watching last Monday's episode of Studio 60 on the NBC website (curse my lack of television reception, but don't worry the Comcast guy comes on Sunday). I haven't seen all the episodes that have aired, I caught the first couple and then this last one, but I like it. I get that same feeling that I would get from watching the earlier seasons of the West Wing, which I can't come up with anyway to describe besides fuzzy. I always assumed it was the fact that Sorkin's lovable characters pretty much breathed liberal politics that got me to watch the West Wing. Apparently not. It seems that Aaron Sorkin just really knows what does it for me. Impressively he makes the production of a weekly sketch comedy show seem meaningful. And since I don't even ever watch shows like SNL, I'm really surprised that I care, but I do. But maybe it is the pervasive liberalism that has caught me again. With issues like free speech (especially when it mocks the Religious Right), and the pursuit of intelligent television central to the plot, I'm almost as emotionally involved as when it was foreign policy and welfare reform I was watching about. Oh and also who knew you could fall in love with someone as unattractive as Bradley Whitford twice? So what I'm really trying to say is "don't bother calling Mondays, I'm no longer available".
So for those of you that have been asking repeatedly to see pictures of my new place (cough Lesley cough cough), you are finally getting your wish. I have finally taken pictures of my beautiful apartment and am ready to share them with you. However, I ask that you keep in mind 2 things: 1) It is a work in progress and yes I do intend to actually out stuff on the walls, once I decide what it is I want to put there, 2) It doesn't translate to film as well as I had hoped, it looks quite a bit cuter in person, but this will give you an idea of what I'm living in.First off, here is my dining room (aka the corner of the front room). My favorite parts about this part of my apartment are the windowsill herbs and the curtain and the table. The curtains I like cus I made them myself out of one bigger window panel which I hand sewed so a lot of time went into them. The table was in the Post today which just serves as an excellent reminder of how cool I am.
Here's my little couch, also a highlight.
The top of the built in bookcase, best angle I could get, but hopefully you can get an idea of how cute it is. This is tied with the pocket doors for my favorite original element of the apartment.
Here's my little desk set up and half of the aforementioned pocket doors.
My bed, which I lurve!
My closet is messy (like you're surprised) but it gives you an idea of the fact that it's pretty decent sized, which is nice. And yes, I do have a cilantro plant on the windowsill in my closet. But I ran out of matching pots for the front windowsill.
My bathroom is nice clean and new, but the only really exciting part is the original tile floor. SO that's what I decided to show you, plus my feet.
My stove and impromptu spice rack. See that middle dish towel, the cute plaid one, well it's not there anymore but we'll get to that in a minute.
My fridge is new, but heinous so I tried to make it prettier with pictures of my friends & family. Also it has lots of lists. Again, I'm sure you're not surprised.
Other side of the kitchen. Check out the red toaster and matching red dish rack. Are you packing up on a theme by any chance?
Another kitchen counter shot. Biggest downside to the apartment, not a lot of counter space, so I got the over the sink cutting board which helps a lot.
And now for adventures in living alone...
So while I was working on posting all the pictures, I was making myself some sweet potato fries (the potato famine has returned). When I went to take them out of my oven, I couldn't get them out with one hand, and the only oven mitt I have is the one green orka from last year, so I grabbed the middle dish towel. After pulling them out and holding the dish towel by my hip for awhile, I started to smell something burning. I looked down and the towel was on fire. SO I threw it on the ground and looked at it for a few seconds while nothing happened. Then I thought Ah yes! The sink! and ran it under water and then after it was no longer burning threw it outside. So all turned out fine, and miraculously I did not set my pants on fire (see I told you all I do not lie). But now I need a new dish towel, and possibly a refresher course in fire safety.
So up until now I have resisted entering the blogosphere, which may surprise those of you who know how much I enjoy talking about myself, but it seemed like maybe too much. Plus what do I really have to talk about? Well, I guess we will find out, because the Lovely & Wonderful Lesley suggested I start one when I asked her for ideas of how to fill my days. So here it is folks, what I'm sure will be an absolutely thrilling account of my days, my life, my thoughts, and quite possibly, my city and my taste in random things like music, tv, movies, books, and most likely clothes. And don't worry there is way more self deprecation to come, but quite possibly shameless self promotion as well. Bottom line it's sure to be fun for the whole family! So be sure to stay tuned.
All I've really got to report right now is that Carbon had a pair of boots in the Post today because of me (pat on the back). Of course I had been eying these boots for awhile, and since things always sell much more quickly after being in the paper I was FORCED to buy them today lest they should disappear in my size. I, of course, am now wearing them, and love them and I am also incredibly relieved to finally have black boots which is sure to totally revitalize my entire wardrobe (hehe).
Beyond the new boots excitement, and the article in the Post, the truly wonderful part of my day is that the girls at my Starbucks have decided that they now know me well enough to add extra shots of espresso to my coffee for free! Now that's something everyone can be excited about. Who doesn't love free caffeine? And if you can answer "me" to this question, well then I suggest you stop reading right now as we obviously have nothing in common and you will certainly not enjoy this blog. Everyone else, welcome! And truly, it's bound to get better. I mean really I'm just purposefully setting the bar low, so that you can be dazzled later on. So check back soon and the dazzling will begin.
