Monday Musing: Blossoming Wonder

Having lived in DC for almost 14 months, I finally went to see the celebrated cherry blossoms. Here is the money shot. (The Jefferson Memorial is somewhere in the distance, but who cares when you have these pretty flowers to enjoy.)

Now while 14 months may seem long overdue, let me tell you about these blossoms. For all their fame, you'd think they'd blossom for more than say, a week?! Yes, this was my impression in spring of '07. Hence, I blinked and missed them entirely. While they have just reached full blossom, we have rainy and windy days forecast for the next several days. So, who knows how long they'll last?

Which is why everybody was getting out this past Sunday, even though it wasn't warm and sunny. I love how the trees just envelop you! And the transient nature of these blooms is also the reason we all take pictures to capture them. Cameras were flashing everywhere. This young lady used a more traditional medium. I "painted" her, painting the scenery.

And, in case you needed proof that I was actually there, here I am (with my sweetie, of course.)
Happy Spring!

Saturday/Sunday Sighting: Sort Of

Wood and I went to dinner at another on of our fave local joints Marx Cafe on Saturday night. It's the most down-to-earth, neighborhoody restaurant/bar around. It tends to be full of Europeans. The restauranteur is Greek. His waitstaff and bartenders are primarily Eastern European. So it makes for a very not D.C. vibe. It's a very cozy, friendly place and, even better, it has Weinstephaner on tap.

We took our friends Nanci and Karl to Marx Cafe to share it with them. Little did we know that Ben Affleck and Russel Crowe were filming a scene right outside the place, in the heart of Mount Pleasant, offering us not only dinner, but quite the show. (Except that we never SAW them, only heard of sightings.) Instead, we saw the same cars driving down the block and then backing up down the block, for at least an hour. In a very dark bar, Wood Powell reports on the excitement:

Saturday Sentiment: Lights Out

I'm still looking for DC activities for Earth Hour tonight (8-9pm local time). DC's never been great at eco-friendly solutions. I don't even trust that my recycling doesn't get put in the trash here. Chances are Wood and I will meet some friends at a candlelit joint for a beer and call it good. After all, word has it that Earth Hour is less about saving an hour of electricity than pausing for a moment (or an hour) to acknowledge that we all live on the same planet and must honor it. I can drink to that.

Thirsty Thursday: Long Shadows

While today was a shadowless day, I'm glad that we're at the time of year where I can start catching end-of-the day photos like this one. This is me standing waiting for the 96 bus. If you are getting the impression that I take a lot of public transportation, then you would be right. Welcome to the big city.

Wildcard Wednesday: Mr. and Mrs. Mallard

Yesterday, Mr. and Mrs. Mallard found themselves sitting near the bus stop at Farragut Square, far from a nice pond. I don't think they had Metrocards, so it was pretty clear that they weren't waiting for the 42 like I was. They were lost. They quacked, they wandered in circles... The bus came and I didn't see what happened to them. I'm pretty sure they continued on their directionless journey, never straying for more than a few feet from each other, as each other was all they had.

Timewarp Tuesday: Lame Post Alert

Ok. You know sometimes you post a blog that doesn't sit with you well, but because you're doing laundry and just had a difficult conversation with a friend and Law & Order is coming on in like, two minutes, you post it anyway? Well, readers, that was my situation tonight. Honestly, I wasn't a big fan of this band, but it was the first thing that came to mind, which, be forwarned fellow bloggers, is a bad reason to post something. Then I got sucked into pictures of this guy's botched collagen injections and it all went downhill from there.

Lame Post Alert issued.... I only hope that most of you got this warning.

This song always reminds me of a weekend during my senior year of high school when I went to a debate conference in San Luis Obispo. My friends and I went out to a club dancing to:



Pete Burns of Dead or Alive was one (of many) of the quintessential androgynous dressers in 80's. Metrosexuals have nothing on this guy although it seems that androgynous looks emerge roughly every even numbered decade. (The 20's, the 40's the 60's, the 80's and now the 00's.) Apparently, he accused Boy George of ripping off his style.

Unfortunately, life got stranger for PB. He became obsessive (like Michael Jackson obsessive) with cosmetic surgery and subsequently experienced a nightmarish experience which has forever disfigured his face. While he claims not to be a transvestite, he now has to dress as one because of the makeup he must wear to "mask" (that being the operative word) the botched surgeries he's received. And so today, he's become a star on British reality TV.

Monday: Morcheeba Madness

I was going to see Morcheeba tonight, a band whose album Big Calm I just la-la-loved in 1998. While preparing for my big calm night out, $60+ in tickets in hand, I discovered that Morcheeba dismissed the lead singer Skye Edwards in 2003, replacing her with some hippie dippy sounding singer. Anyway, the fact that the band has the same name but not even roughly the same sound is highly deceiving. Just like the 10,000 Maniacs trying to pass themselves off as the same band sans Natalie Merchant. Or INXS after the death of Michael Hutchence. At least Van Halen was honest about replacing David Lee Roth with Sammy Hagar.

So, Wood and I walked to the 9:30 club. Thankfully the show was sold out, so it took us less than a minute to sell my tickets and make an $8 profit. Of course, I said to the guy buying my tickets, "you know the lead singer is not the lead singer they had a few years ago."

"Yeah, I'll give you $40 for one ticket."

"Alright."

Another guy standing right next to him was surprised at the news. "Really?"

Guess I'm not the only one.

Here's what should have been happening at the 9:30 club.

Spirited Sunday: Cathedral Contemplation

On face value, my boyfriend and I may seem quite different when it comes to the church. Without speaking for him, I would describe him as much more traditionally religious, participating in his Campus Christian Fellowship, wearing a cross, proclaiming Jesus as his one and only savior, and so forth. By comparison, while I was baptized Episcopal, I have attended church, well, you can count on two hands how many times. I haven't read the Bible cover to cover and in fact got my only "C" in high school when we had an exam on its contents. (I went to a public school, but we read it as literature.)

In some ways, it might be surprising that we're together. Perhaps you might also be surprised that I would go to the National Cathedral for Easter service today. But just as my boyfriend is hard to peg, so am I. Spirituality is a complex thing, after all.

My father was a proclaimed atheist. I remember early on offending kids in school by sharing with them his view. To a young Jenny T., his take on God seemed very rational and as a German, he was very rational and scientific about such things. Later he claimed he leaned towards the Hindu religion because in Hindu, man was god. On his deathbed, he espoused an affinity for Buddhism.

While I am not a spiritual relativist, I've always felt that I have a gift for being able to appreciate a range of perspectives, and so when my darling boyfriend Wood asked if I considered myself an agnostic, I thought, well yes and no. Agnosticism seems a bit indecisive. Instead, I would describe myself as a pantheologian, and while I don't hold every religion in equal regard, I do find parts of many spiritual practices useful in my own personal quest for truth.

So, it was comforting to me today when the Bishop of Washington was sharing his story behind the cross he wears. He said that it was a cross from a Native American tribe made of black and red coral and turquoise. That it had been given to him from a friend, a fellow Christian with whom he differed on many issues but also with whom he had mutual respect and common love of Christ. He wears that cross every day as a reminder of his daily purpose in this world, so full of contention and fear, that we continue to talk and listen to eachother.

There is hope.

"Friday" Flashback: Wonder Woman

Ok, it's really Saturday, but guess who's been glued to the tele watching hoops?

Here's a retro flashback. Gotta love the girl power! I think you'll agree this was worth the wait.



What a bright spot that was in feminist history. The seventies was a great time for strong and glamorous role models. No wonder all my girlfriends are so damned cool.

No, I didn't have a Wonder Woman doll. (I wish I did!) But I did have Charlie's Angels dolls. Check 'em out on You Tube.

Thirsty Thursday: The Madness Begins

This is what my Thursday night looks like:

I love getting sucked into March Madness. Sixty-three picks and a $5 bet later, I get hooked on college hoops. I haven't watched one game all season, yet I am glued to the tourney. I just love the fast pace, the young, earnest playing, and the fact that on day one you get to watch the final minutes of sixteen games! That'll keep me on the edge of my seat.

Wildcard Wednesday: Where are Their Clothes?

A rare view into the window at United Colors of Benetton at Dupont Circle: naked mannequins! (Well, you know UCB likes to push the envelope.) The shop is doing rennovations, but now we get to size up the ideal physical standards in the flesh (er, sort of). Check out that bulge, gentlemen!

Fashion seemed to be a theme today. On my ride home on the Metro, two very gay boys were talking about the "Project Runway"-style fundraiser the Human Rights Campaign is organizing. Also, I rushed so quickly out of the locker room after yoga tonight that I, in fact, had only buttoned one button on my shirt! Thankfully, I had my trenchcoat wrapped around me.

Timewarp Tuesdays: Stiv Bators

Of course, he's a punk. How else would he get the name Stiv Bators? Anyway, he's a long dead punk and one of the ugliest people I'd ever seen, but I suppose he'd like that I thought that. Anyway you slice it, he was one heck of a rock star. I saw the Lords of the New Church live while in high school (same club where I saw Shriekback). My older brother went with me and once people people started breaking beer bottles, he---being the protective older brother he was---insisted we head home.

What was up with dolls in the eighties? Totally creepy cool, I guess. Gotta love the headbands, too.



Little known fact: Stiv was dating Bebe Buell, Liv Tyler's mom in the late 70's when Liv was just an infant. Guess he does remind me of Steve Tyler even if he is infinitely cooler. (And his real name is Steven, too.)

Here's to Stiv!

Monday Musing: Dad

Yesterday would have been my dad's 87th birthday. Although every member of my family looks young for his/her age---yes, I got carded tonight at the ripe age of 30-something---this is in fact a picture that was taken some time ago. To add to the confusion, my family is so classically fashionable, that this is a timeless image. Or it could be that late 60's fashion has remained quite chic. Or it could be that my dad wore this jacket in 1968 and still wore it nearly forty years later. In his case, this was likely the explanation. Although somewhat naturally hip, he was a European after all, my dad couldn't be bothered with shopping and he wore most of his clothes until they had holes in them. In fact he never understood, although he accepted, the materialistic needs of his "American children."

While I would have never understood the appeal of this simplicity as a teenager, in the face of a world that is drowning in consumption and its own waste, I appreciate it more and more everyday. My mother being a depression era baby herself, I grew up with a reservedness that seems almost unheard of nowadays. Such modesty didn't equal dowdiness. And anyone who has met my mother, wouldn't accuse her of that. Less is more, after all.

Faves: Red Ginger

Wood and I celebrated our 3rd anniversary this weekend. For all special occasions, we find ourselves here, at Red Ginger at Q and Wisconsin. We stumbled upon this unassuming Jamaican restaurant when Wood first moved here and I still lived in Salt Lake City. Wood lives much further up on Wisconsin and had been taking a long walk down to Georgetown. I saw that this was a Jamaican restaurant and having such fond memories of Jolly Bob's Jerk Joint in Madison, Wisconsin, I insisted.

Braised ribs, curried chicken, spicy collard greens, mac and cheese and a chocolate cake desert reminiscent of the our touchstone of chocolate cakes, the "magnanimous molten" at Boston's Finale later, we've never turned back. I still don't understand why this place isn't packed every night. It's one of DC's best kept secrets.

DC in the Springtime

Yesterday was a glorious Friday leading into today's more glorious Saturday. Perfect occassion for we DCists to start enjoying our surroundings. The weight of winter lifting, I captured a few moments of unexpected art. I snapped the above shot emerging from the depths of the Dupont Circle metro station.

And this sculpture was one of many in front of the Embassy of Zimbabwe on New Hampshire Ave.
This stained glass is in the office building right next to my gym and can be seen from the street.

And these ornate windows belong to a townhouse in my neighborhood.

DC can be a beautiful city if you open your eyes to it.

Thursday Night Burnout

I've hit a wall. I've worked ten hour work days all week and had two late nights at yoga. Tonight was supposed to be more relaxing. I was supposed to leave work on time and get home early. (Although thanks to Congress and the new *earlier* daylight savings time, it felt earlier. Sort of.) But I, in my habitual way, filled my every moment trying to be productive, like a good worker bee. After a non-stop day at work, I did my laundry, cooked a new dish, finished my taxes, and now am blogging! I'm not breathing. Damn the Energizer Bunny.

I've also been looking for a card for my sweet boyfriend as it is our anniversary on Saturday. I've looked a few different places (part of urban life is that you are at the mercy of what is in your neighborhood) and all of the cards SUCK! I, of course, in my E.B. ways got the ridiculous idea that I would MAKE him a card tonight. Uh.... maybe.

Timewarp Tuesdays: Hammerheads

Shriekback was one of my favorite bands my senior year of high school. This tour was one for the history books. I saw them with my friend Ming at the now defunct alternative rock club One Step Beyond in Santa Clara. (I don't think we even called it "alternative rock" yet!)



Ming has since changed her name to Kristen Sze and become an Emmy award winning news anchor of KGO Channel 7 in the Bay Area. Pretty cool!

Darci, Cover Girl Darci!

I can't remember what Wood and I were watching the other day, but Kelly Rippa was on TV and he released an audible "ick." I said, I guess you're not into the blonde, tan, blue-eyed, busty type? He didn't respond, but it was affirming to a girl like me who grew up in California during Malibu Barbie's hey day.

My mom, in her great wisdom, never bought me a Barbie, as she never wanted me to feel I wasn't as good as the pretty blonde dolls. (The closest I got was "Growing Up Skipper" which she probably rationalized had educational value.) Instead, I got "Darcie" who was actually a prettier doll than Barbie (and she had great silver sandals!) and came with blonde, red or brown hair. I had a redhead and a brunette. And interestingly enough, I have been both a redhead and a brunette! Of course, this was the 70's and, like Barbie, Darcie had multicultural friends, but they were always a supporting cast of characters. Well, let's hope there's been some progress....

Food Glorious Food

This post has a one-track mind.

Yesterday, about 24 hours into my fast, on my way back from the Yes! Organic Market (per my last post), I caught a whiff of the strongest garlic aroma coming from one of the many restaurants along the 1800 block of Columbia Road. I kept walking and kept breathing it in for a good block. I wondered if my body was newly sensitized to such an amazing scent. This is the approximate location of its source:

As a practical matter, today I began to plan out my meals for the week. I even decided it was time to introduce my body to something other than my "master cleanse" lemonade, so as to not shock my system tomorrow, so I had a piece of fruit and a yogurt smoothie. As part of my menu planning, I rented a Zipcar and drove to Whole Foods with the grocery list I generated by reading "The Idiot's Guide to Detoxifying Your Body." Now, Whole Foods is usually kind of a treat, and today, I felt like a kid in a candy store. Everything looked good.

I decided I was going tell my penny-counting self not to worry about cost. For that matter, Whole Foods really isn't exorbitant for what you get. It was more the "start up costs" of eating healthfully, that I knew would add up. It wasn't so much the fruits and veggies (although I did buy a yam that cost me *gulp* almost $5), but the miso, the tahini, and the flaxseed. Yeah, I'm just beginning to figure out how to use these things, but I tried to go forth with cooking confidence! This, I'm sure is laughable to friends of mine, like my dear friend Kristen who having given up hope on my ability to make multi-course meals, bought me a cookbook on appetizers a few years ago.

Anyway, I got out of there with a fair amount of stuff and not too outrageous a grocery bill ($61). Add to that the Zipcar ($9 for the hour, plus a late fee of $50 since I wasn't allowed to extend my reservation) Ouch. Ok, I wasn't planning on this grocery trip costing me a RT ticket to NYC, but oh well. It was a stupid expense on my part. Like getting a parking ticket or backing into something. Next time I'm taking the Metro or I'll just walk to my local organic market.

The Cleansing Trinity

Almost 24 hours into my cleanse, I'm feeling pretty good. Whenever I feel a little tinge of hunger, I drink more of this concoction. How the hell else am I going to drink the 120 oz. or so of this stuff a day! (That's a lot of liquid, mostly water, which is good since it's important to stay hydrated.) It's actually a pretty flavorful drink I would consider drinking regularly. The maple syrup sweetens it (and gives you the caloric intake so you don't pass out) and the cayenne stimulates your system. (I definitely feel pretty warm and mildly energetic.)

For someone like me, this routine is forcing me to sit still and keep things simple. It's a little like being sick, except not. For those of you who know me, you'll be glad to know that my idea of productivity this weekend involves taking showers and trips to the organic grocery down the street.

This "lemonade detox" has apparently been around for 30+ years, and Beyonce used it to lose 20 pounds before filming Dreamgirls. I'm pretty sure that my yoga instructor, who made me aware of this detox, wasn't doing it because of B.

However, weight loss isn't my goal here, although I will gladly accept it. In my 30-something years, I'm pretty sure I've built up a fair amount of "toxic junk" in my system from stress, less than pure eating habits, breathing in imperfect air, and drinking and bathing in imperfect water. My body has withstood a lot, and I'm beginning to feel it more and more in my joints, digestive system, energy level, and see it in my skin, hair, etc. I do yoga, dance, lift weights, and walk everywhere. I eat reasonably well. I don't eat a ton of processed food and refined sugars or caffeine. I try to buy organic. I could probably increase my fruit and veggie and fish intake, but all in all, I live a healthful life. Still, I feel like I could feel better.

Hence...the cleanse which I think I'll do for a few days before integrating other juices and smoothies back into my routine. Since Wood and I have our anniversary date at a fave restaurant, Red Ginger (Caribbean), I'll need to get back on the solid food wagon before then so as not to shock my system. It's not exactly lightweight fare. I'm sure it will be more delicious than ever.

Another Friday Night: Brow Waxing and Fasting

Check out my tidy eyebrows. I just discovered an unassuming "spa" in Adams Morgan. Kudos are in order for Joy at Joy's Spa for being the first in three aestheticians in DC to get my eyebrows right. I had such a fabulous eyebrow lady in Salt Lake, Rina at Estilo Salon, that I had just about given up hope for the District. Rina still holds the number one spot. (As does my former SLC-based massage therapist Evonne.)

I started my detox fast tonight, so it leaves me a lot of time on my hands to take pix of my eyebrows.

I Looked Up and....

On my way to walking to the Metro today, walking down Columbia Road, I looked up and ....

So, I guess winter will end, after all.

I've come up with a book title. I've always thought I had a book in me, but could never settle on a specific idea I'd want to commit to for more than a little while. So this week the book is: Reality is Overrated: The Power of the Imagination. I'm inspired by this idea because Friedman points to the imagination as the source of hope for all societies. I probably need more significant credentials to pull a topic like this off. Or I could write fiction.

Things are in bloom.

Happy Cows Come from California

Today I dealt with some stereotypically passive-aggressive and negative East Coasters.* These attitudes put in stark relief my sunny California attitude. (My friend Jessica has even called me "easy-going.") I realize that I am probably considered either "hippy-dippy" or Pollyannish to those "smart" Atlantic coast cynics who "know better." This rift always makes me think of these TV commercials:



*There are many exceptions to this personality profile in New York City, but Washington is full of them.

And to support my point, this car was parked on my block... on a VW, no less.

:)

65 Degrees: Unexpected Signs of Life

While I've been running from the cold and running for the 42 Mount Pleasant bus lately, tonight I enjoyed a leisurely and comfortable stroll home. The unintended effect was that I caught the sights you only notice when your heads not down as you brace yourself from the cold and as you mutter to yourself. (I'm beginning to understand why East Coasters are often portrayed this way, being a pedestrian culture that has reliably crappy weather.)

So, things I noticed at approximately 8pm tonight:
1) These completely bare trees, lit up everywhere but where you'd usually find leaves. And then a few steps away....

2) A middle class black woman sitting on the ground across from the homeless guy who lives between the Krispy Kreme and the south entrance of the Dupont Circle Metro stop. She appeared to be visiting with him. He was staring off into space and she was looking right at him. It didn't look or sound like they were having a conversation.

3) A guy in cycling garb who had stopped his bike on the edge of the Dupont Circle fountain and was using old-style resistance equipment (like the metal kind with coils) to do bicep curls.

I'm happy to report these signs of life.

Hey, Texas! (And Ohio)

The national Hillary Clinton HQs being just around the corner from my office, I worked the phone bank with my boss John today. We (and a few dozen others) were calling voters in Texas. I have to admit, it's pretty exciting to be in the midst of all of those ringing phones. Many people who we called "habla Espanol" making it a rewarding cultural bridge-building kind of experience.

Give 'em Hill!

And the latest from SNL....

The Exchange Rate

This post is for my boyfriend who is worrying about the exchange rate (as he rightly should.) We both wonder where in the world in the presidential debates is the falling value of the dollar. And we fantasize about cashing out and moving abroad. This sign is posted at the Amsterdam Falafel House in Adams Morgan.