Genius!

Maybe they are not the most attractive gloves that I have ever seen, but look closely. With finger pads made of nickel and brass, Dots allow you to use touch screen devices AND keep your hands warm. I adore the idea of not having to take off my gloves every time I go to adjust the volume or song on my iPod. Now, if they could just work on the design a little bit...

Someone Left the Cake out in the Rain

The other day I was sitting at my desk when I heard giggling from Audrey. What was she cracking up about? Cake Wrecks. I love that a whole site is dedicated to “When professional cakes go horribly, hilariously wrong.” The comments are pretty priceless too. The perfect site for those of us who have ever had an epic failure in the kitchen—sometimes even the pros get it wrong. Terribly, terribly wrong.

Step into My Office, Baby

With my office moving from Georgetown to Metro Center in a few short days, my mind has turned to office decorating! I am approaching this move like everyone used to approach the first days of school: excited about new pens, pencils, organizers, thumbtacks, etc. Oh wait, not everyone was super excited about getting new school supplies when they were a kid? Maybe that was just me… Well, for those of us who are unabashedly nerdy, here is a site for grown-ups who still look for any excuse to upgrade their pencil collection.

Dr. Dog, in the flesh

Winning the prize for “The most decorated stage that I have seen at the 9:30 club” is…Dr. Dog!! Although a never-ending head cold, coupled with a busy December, has prevented me from writing about this 2-week-old show, it definitely deserves a moment in the spotlight. Don’t let the luau theme distract you, Dr. Dog put on a well-rehearsed and thoughtful show. The set list was great—a combination of their newer stuff from Fate with their older stuff from Easy Beat and other albums. And while they had a really tight set, they somehow maintained the vibe of a band that is new/fun and excited to be doing that they are doing. It looks like they have a lineup already planned for 2009—check them out if you can!

Super Obama World!

In my very limited experience with video games, my favorites are ranked as follows:

1. Oregon Trail

2. Guitar Hero

3. Anything on Nintendo Wii

BUT, here comes a great time-waster called Super Obama World. Filled with fond memories from the campaign (look for the Bridge to Nowhere and Wasilla as The Real America), it's just fantastic. And it's on the computer, so you can play it at the office! Not that I have been doing that for the past half hour or anything...

Late Bloomers

As I hit the quarter-life crisis benchmark, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and under-successful. Orson Welles made Citizen Kane when he was 25—what have I done with my life?! But, Malcolm Gladwell comes to the rescue with this excellent New Yorker piece about how genius develops in many different ways. Citing Cezanne, Picasso, Mark Twain, Jonathan Safran Foer and others, Gladwell points out that some people create their best art later in life. Or, some don’t even start creating art until later in life. Either way, if you are feeling anxious--at any age--that time is wasting away, take these three notes to heart:

--Some creativity is experimental (as opposed to natural or conceptual) and based on years and years of trial and error. “The Cézannes of the world bloom late not as a result of some defect in character, or distraction, or lack of ambition, but because the kind of creativity that proceeds through trial and error necessarily takes a long time to come to fruition.”

--It’s not about being discovered by others until later life or not realizing your own hidden talent until later in life. Sometimes “late bloomers bloom late because they simply aren’t much good until late in their careers.”

--Sometimes it takes a good patron to guide you along. “Success is highly contingent on the efforts of others.”

Bad egg, good egg

Synecdoche, New York: I adore Charlie Kaufman’s quirkiness and Philip Seymour Hoffman’s overall awesomeness, so it make sense I would like this movie. Wrong. I totally get the whole “play within a play” thing, but this “plot” was so dark and confusing that it was actually painful to watch. I hate to say this, but this movie had me thinking that Kaufman should stick to just writing and leave the directing up to someone else. Award: MTV Movie Award.

Barefoot in the Park: Sometimes, you just have to go back and watch one of your favorites. Such was the case on Saturday when I revisited Barefoot in the Park. The story is of two newlyweds (played perfectly by Robert Redford and Jane Fonda) in Manhattan and I really cannot say enough good things about this movie. It’s witty, romantic, charming, neurotic and stylish; just look at the poster to the right. What other reason do you need to see it? Award: Oscar

Wait, what is that, Jackie?

Oh, is that an Andrew Bird poster signed by Andrew himself? With a Happy Birthday Jackie note?! Extra special shout out to Audrey for getting in touch with his manager and making it happen. Definitely one of the most thoughftul (and arduous!) gifts that I have ever received.

Office Wifey

Email between Carrie (my cubicle-neighbor AND fellow Cincinnatian) and her room mate Carys:

Carrie: i ate 14 butter cookies today and now i am feeling sick. just wanted to tell someone besides jackie - who had 11 butter cookies and also feels sick.

Carys: i think you two may be this...
http://www.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/worklife/11/10/cb.seven.signs.work.spouse/index.html

Carys highlights a great article--do office spouses exist? As further evidence that Carrie and I are married in office space, here is a gem that I dug up. Any past boyfriends of mine may recognize the Jackie look of disapproval. Also note that I am wearing Carrie's sweater.

Elephant 6: Live?!

NPR’s All Songs Considered is a great way to find new music; their concert podcast is also a great resource to find live (and sometimes rare) versions of your favorite songs. But the concert podcast can also make you incredibly jealous that you weren’t at a particular show, as is the case with this amazing reunion of sorts with 15 members of the Elephant 6 family. Most of the ASC concerts are recorded at Washington’s 9:30 Club, but a special trip to Chicago was made for this show. Featuring songs from some of my all-time favorite Athens bands (Neutral Milk Hotel, Olivia Tremor Control and Elf Power), the concert is the type where you can tell that the band members are having a blast. I haven’t even finished listening to it yet, but am in love already. I am also missing Athens like crazy.

Movie Review: The Visitor

I think that The Visitor is the best movie that I have seen so far in 2008. It’s quiet, thought-provoking and has moments that gives you real, intense feelings for the characters. AND it is directed by a guy who was on The Wire. This Times article does a better job at summing it up than I could. Check out the video in the Times article too. Award: Oscar

Not your typical e-card

We all love the Some E-Card site for their inappropriate (read: hilarious) cards, but did you know that you can create your own?! As Amber said when she made the above card to make fun of the language of communications consultants, "This changes everything."

Seasonal Playlist: Autumn 2008

Each season, I make a playlist of about 10-15 “singles” that I have been listening to a lot. It’s great in case I need a quick playlist and can’t decide what I am in the mood for, but also is nice to revisit/reflect on later. I don’t make the claim that these songs are new releases or cutting-edge, but I love each of them and I will always associate them with Autumn 2008.

1. MGMT: Time to Pretend-- The anthem of my life right now.

2. Blitzen Trapper: Furr-- I don't know much about this band, but I can listen to this on repeat over and over and over.

3. Kings of Leon: Fans-- Why am I just discovering this amazing band right now?

4. Dr. Dog: Easy Beat-- "Psych rock"=sounds like something I would hate. Apparently I love it. Looking forward to their show in December!

5. Old Crow Medicine Show: Wagon Wheel-- This song was the highlight of the Old Crow show at 9:30 club. And not because of the way the band played it, but the way that Carrie passionately sang along to it.

6. Citizen Cope: Pablo Picasso-- Worth listening to just to hear Cope say "Mist-ah Offi-cah"

7. She & Him: Sentimental Heart-- My favorite song from a great album.

8. Old Crow Medicine Show: James River Blues-- There is just something really cute about young guys playing bluegrass.

9. The Blow: Hey Boy-- Noah gave me this CD ages ago, but this song is particularly apropos right now...

10. M.I.A: Paper Planes-- You can't sit still and listen to this one.

11. Kings of Leon: Knocked Up-- This has the pained romantic vibe that I seek from Springsteen sometimes.

12. Dr. Dog: The Old Days-- "So cold in the morning, put on your dog skins."

13. Kings of Leon: The Runner-- Beautiful song that always makes me stop and give it my full attention for 4 minutes and 18 seconds.

::this would be a lot cooler if I could figure out how to make a playlist that everyone can listen to online, but hopefully that will come later::

Most. Relaxing. Trip. Ever.

Awful picture of me. Great picture of Bainbridge.

I am back in the swing of things after a terrific week in Seattle. In no particular order, some highlights include:

-Biking Bainbridge Island while rediscovering some of my favorite moody, grey-day music: Nick Drake, Emily Haines, Bright Eyes and Her Space Holiday

-Ohhing and Ahhing over beautiful flower arrangements and blackened salmon sandwiches at Pike’s Place Market with Amber

-Catching up with Gwynne in Ballard (fantastic neighborhood a little bit off the beaten path with a seemingly endless amount of locally owned shops, restaurants and bungalow houses)

-My daily, relaxing “routine” on Bainbridge: reading One Hundred Years of Solitude, eating, spending time with Kimber’s lovely family, reading some more, eating a lot more and falling asleep to the sound of the ocean.

-Walking around Ballard and down to the locks on a glorious Saturday morning with Katie and her dog—all while wearing Katie’s too-short sweat pants, my riding boots and a fleece that had me wondering if it was the first one that Patagonia ever made.

-Touring the Seattle Public Library with Amber. I know this sounds boring, but the library downtown is amazing! The architecture, gift shop and views of the city are not to be missed.

Since coming back yesterday, I have caught myself looking out of the window at my office and wishing I was still exploring the pacific northwest. Such a wonderful trip!

Eat, Drink and Be Merry

Marcy, Amber, Jackie B, Carrie, Audrey, Emily, Carley, Kate

Threesomes, Of Montreal, bra-fitting—these were some of the topics of conversation at my "Celebrate Autumn" dinner party last night. It's amazing what happens when the wine starts to flow...

With the exception of the popovers that I attempted to make, everything turned out pretty well. Special thanks to Kate for running to the store for bread when the popovers emerged from the oven burnt and gross. Successful recipes below:

SQUASH CASSEROLE:
3 Lbs. Yellow summer squash.
1/2 Cup Chopped onions.
2 Large eggs.
1 Stick, butter.
1 Tbs. Sugar.
1 Tsp. Salt or to taste.
1/2 Tsp. Black pepper, or to taste.
1/2 Cup Cracker meal or bread crumbs.

1. Place a 3 to 4 quart pot of salted water on the stove, over high heat, and bring to a boil.

2. Wash and cut squash into 1/2 inch chunks.

3. Place squash chunks into pot of boiling water and return to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until squash is fork tender. Approximately 10 minutes.

4. Drain *VERY* well. Mash and/or puree to whatever texture you may
desire.

5. Add onion, eggs, sugar, salt, pepper and half the butter to your *Squished* squash. Mix well to blend.

6. Pour mixture into a 2 quart buttered casserole.

7. Melt remaining butter and pour evenly over squash mixture. Sprinkle with cracker meal or bread crumbs.

8. Bake in *Pre-heated* 375°F. oven for approximately 1 hour or until
nicely browned and cooked through.

SALAD:
1 bag Romaine lettuce
2 avocados
3 Roma tomatoes
1 cucumber
LaRosa’s creamy garlic dressing. In case you aren’t planning a trip to Cincinnati anytime soon and don't want to pay to have this shipped, you can substitute another creamy garlic dressing.

PORK TENDERLOIN:
You can use any of the pre-packaged and seasoned pork tenderloin. I like the garlic and herb one.

SWEET POTATO FRIES:
Here I just used the Trader Joe’s brand of fries. They are awesome.

PUMPKIN BUTTER:
Trader Joe’s came through again! Their pumpkin butter is great, but I added cream cheese to it to make it a little more flavorful. 2 parts of cream cheese to 1 part of pumpkin butter seemed to do the trick.

CARAMEL APPLES:

1 bag of Kraft caramels

1 tablespoon of water

5 apples

5 popsicle sticks

Toppings: I used walnuts, but other suggestions are Oreo cookies, peanuts, graham crackers

1. Heat the caramels and water in the microwave for about 1 ½ minutes. Stir and then put back in the microwave for another 1 ½ minutes.

2. Dip the apples in the caramel, then the topping and then place on wax paper. Refrigerate for an hour.

At Home with Wayne Coyne

It shouldn't come as a surprise that the lead singer of the Flaming Lips has a crazy, trippy house. I love a lot of the things featured in this Times piece: the fact that Coyne still lives in a run-down part of Oklahoma City (a couple of blocks from where he grew up); the fact that Coyne met his wife while he was working at Long John Silver's between tours; and the fact that the local Home Depot had to amp up their supply of foam attic baffle because Coyne was buying them out of stock. If you've ever been to a Flaming Lips show, then you know that Coyne is creative, outrageous and colorful. Just like his house, apparently.

Egg on Your Face. Or lack thereof.

I tried out this detailed, step-by-step recipe on how to poach an egg from Smitten Kitchen this weekend. And then I proceeded to somehow fit poached eggs into almost every meal that I made for the rest of the weekend. Who knew that it could be so damn easy?! And delicious. Try for yourself!

Perfect Autumn Bike Ride

Cool, sunny, autumn days like last Sunday are made for long bike rides. So my biking partner-in-crime (and Ratatat concert partner-in-crime) Charlie and I decided to take on one of the area’s most talked about routes: the Mt Vernon trail. I was cursing myself for not bringing a camera because there are so many parts of this trail that are unbelievably pretty. We started out in Virginia, near Gravelly point, and biked along the GW Parkway through Old Town, Alexandria, Riverside Park, Dyke Marsh and out to Mt. Vernon. And then back to Washington. All in all, we biked a total of 36 miles in about 2 hours and 15 minutes. And while I wasn’t ready to run a marathon when we got back, it wasn’t too exhausting either. I can tell that this route is one that I will want to do again and again and again.

A couple of tips:
-The last three miles from Washington to Mt. Vernon are probably the hardest. It gets pretty hilly at parts, but the worst hill is the last one right before you get to the Mt Vernon parking lot. If you make it to the hill that you think you won’t be able to beat, you are almost there!

-There are two dining options at Mt. Vernon. A sit-down, fancy-pants restaurant and a food court that has a variety of sandwiches, salads, pizza, etc. Since you will likely bring a limited amount of cash and will be wearing spandex and a t-shirt, the food court is the best option. Grab a bite and then sit outside on the patio—nice views!

-If you need to stop for food or water before you make it to Mt. Vernon, there is a great little Safeway just past Old Town and before you go under the Wilson bridge.

-The guided tour of Mt. Vernon is a little pricey--$13 per person—so make sure you bring enough cash if you decide to do that.

More Movies!

JFK: In anticipation for Oliver Stone’s W (due out Oct 17th), I decided to Netflix JFK. If you are interested in seeing it but don’t think you can sit through three and half hours of Oliver Stone in all of his glory, the best way to approach the movie is as a mini-series. Divided between two or three sittings, the intensity, paranoia, and over-the-topness of JFK becomes tolerable. While based primarily on Jim Garrison’s book, I kept trying to wrap my head around how the filmmakers sifted through so many government reports, hours of film footage, books and interviews to incorporate archival material into the movie AND were able to recreate locations in Dallas, New Orleans and Washington down to the last detail. JFK is the type of movie that you can tell took a lot of effort to make; it’s best just to appreciate it for that. Award: Golden Globe.

Sense and Sensibility: There are about a million versions of Sense and Sensibility out there, but this one is probably the most accessible. Emma Thompson (who also wrote the screenplay for this version), Kate Winslet and, of course, Hugh Grant look and act their best in Victorian costumes with rolling English countryside backdrops. But for some reason, whenever I watch any Jane Austen movies, I inevitably want to sit down and just watch the ridiculously long BBC version of Pride and Prejudice. Regardless, I can’t believe the scope of director Ang Lee’s films—society of Jane Austen, gay cowboys in Brokeback Mountain and whatever the hell Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon was about. And he seems to do a good job with them all. When the mood for a Jane Austen movie hits you, this will do a good job satisfying your craving. Award: Golden Globe.

A Very Long Engagement: As a general rule of thumb, I don't do war movies. So it is a good thing that I didn't know that A Very Long Engagement is a war movie because I probably wouldn't have given it the attention that it deserves. While WWI plays a central role in the film, the real story is about a girl trying to reconnect with the love of her life (a French soldier). Because the movie was directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet and stars Audrey Tautou, there are the inevitable Amelie comparisons. And while it does have the stylized camera work and special effects that gives it the fanciful vibe of Amelie, I think it can stand on its own as a gut-wrenching love story to be enjoyed by those who like a little bit of epic in their movies. Award: Golden Globe.

Weekend of Rockumentaries

I am Trying to Break Your Heart: a black and white film that documents the drama of making of Wilco’s landmark album Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. Band members get fired, pretention abounds, record labels make stupid decisions, cigarettes are smoked and suddenly you have an even greater appreciation for an album that you already thought was pretty decent. The highlight is watching Jeff Tweedy and his son play imaginary drums on the Wilco tour bus. Award: Golden Globe

The Devil and Daniel Johnston: the story of one of the craziest and most interesting figures in modern music. Daniel Johnston rose to fame by playing eccentric songs in Austin; his tape “Hi, How are You” is a self-recording of quirky songs that still resonates with a cult following. The film is not just a fascinating story but it is really a tribute to Johnston’s parents, who have supported their son through various mental institutions, artistic ventures both successful and not, and bouts of mania and depression. Johnston is an artist in the truest sense of the word and you get sense that he really can’t function in any other capacity (even if it means living in his parents basement well into middle-age). And you gotta respect that. Award: Oscar.

Lolita, Light of My Life

On the cover of my copy of Lolita, Vanity Fair calls it “The only convincing love story of our century.” I’d like to think that I am not cynical enough to agree with that completely, but I would say that it is one of my favorite books of our century.

There is a lot going on in Lolita—the psychology of a true narcissist, the culture clash of a hyper-civilized European man living in America, the fear and paranoia of “when will he get caught?!”—which is good because sometimes the obsession that Humbert Humbert has for 12-year-old Dolores Haze is so intense and disgusting that you are forced to distance yourself from the overarching love story. How Nabokov is able to turn it into such a beautifully written classic is amazing.

If we were to group books, Unbearable Lightness of Being-style, into day books and night books, Lolita would certainly be a night book. Dark, engrossing, ecstatic. And highly recommended.

Clap Your Hands Say "Great Show"

After a whirlwind couple of days in NYC, I dragged myself (and Taylor) to the Clap Your Hands Say Yeah show last night at DC9. Totally worth it. I have seen Clap Your Hands before, but not in such a small venue. I have a strong attachment to their self-titled first album because I listened to it a lot when I first moved to Washington, so I was glad that they played plenty of those songs mixed in with yet-to-be-released songs.

I wish they would have played more from their second album Some Loud Thunder, but the unreleased songs were great and I will definitely be on the lookout for their new album. Plus, it’s always an added bonus when the opening band turns out to be good; in last night’s case the band Wild Light played upbeat, danceable music that reminded me of Arcade Fire.

Between the good company, dive bar, hours of dancing and excellent music, I felt like I was back in Athens for a night. Only without the cheap PBR tallboys. Clap Your Hands is coming back to Washington on October 14th—check them out if you can!

Rundown of Recent Movies

Tell No One: A French thriller about a guy trying to figure out who killed his wife eight years ago. Totally captivating, with well developed characters that you actually care about and a good plot with plenty of unexpected twists and turns. Award: Oscar.



Vicky Cristina Barcelona: A story of two girls who live abroad in Spain for a summer. Everything that I like in Woody Allen movies without most of the stuff that I hate about Woody Allen movies. Warm, fun and total escapism--and how cute is Javier Bardem?! Award: Golden Globe.



The Diving Bell and the Butterfly: Based on the story of a Elle editor who wakes from an accident to find that his entire body is paralyzed. Beautifully shot in French and one of those movies that makes you ask yourself: “Who/What do I really need/want/love in life?” Award: Oscar.


Man on Wire: Documentary about Philippe Petit, a French guy who walked on a tightrope between the World Trade Center Towers in the 1970s. Fascinating story that is artfully told, but somehow I was disappointed. Award: People’s Choice.

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid: Robert Redford AND Paul Newman? Of course it’s good. Very fun and perfect for a Saturday afternoon. Award: Golden Globe.

Our Life is Not a Movie, or Maybe

Cinema Paradiso

I see quite a few movies. Sometimes I go with my friends, sometimes I take dyslexic boys to subtitled foreign films, sometimes I curl up on my couch with pretzels and Nutella and lately I have gotten really into going to the independent E St. Theatre by myself. At the risk of sounding like a pretentious asshole, I am going to try to write short reviews using the following rating system:

Oscar: This is the type of movie that you definitely want to see again. When you walk around the city in the days following your trip to the theatre, moments/things/people remind you of this movie. You find yourself telling your friends “Dude, you have to see this movie. It’s soooooooooo good. Seriously, check it out.” Examples: Amelie, The Graduate, Cool Hand Luke.

Golden Globe: A Golden Globe Award winning movie is a solid movie that you had a good time watching. Maybe something is a little off—the plot doesn’t hold your attention the whole time or Scarlett Johansson is the main actress or you can tell there is a lack of direction—but you remember it well and you watch it again when you stumble across it on TV. Examples: Notting Hill, Ocean’s Eleven, Shopgirl

People’s Choice: This is a movie that you wish you had rented instead of paying money to see it in the theatre. And if you did rent it, it’s the kind of movie that fell asleep while it was supposedly at the climax. It’s an okay movie—the past 2 hours of your life weren’t a complete waste—but it’s pretty forgettable. Examples: Garden State, Sex and the City, Once

MTV Movie Awards: When you come out of the theatre from an MTV Movie Award winning movie, you are more focused on what was wrong with the movie instead of what you enjoyed. You tell your friends they should avoid it and hope that it isn’t on the “Top Ten” list of the boy you just started dating. Examples: The Savages, Stop Loss, anything with Cameron Diaz.

Every once in a while a movie may exceed the system (Dr. Zhivago) or fall below the system (Transformers), but we’ll keep it simple for now.

Suddenly, The Yeah Yeah Yeah’s song “Modern Romance” comes to mind

Even though the second paragraph of this Times article hits a little too close to home, it is an excellent take on everyone’s guilty pleasure: Google-ing a boy or girl that you just met. We’ve all done it. And it’s one of the many reasons I refuse to join Facebook, Myspace, etc.

::and yes, I get the irony that I am blogging about how I hate having an online presence::

The Dude Abides

After rediscovering The Big Lebowski’s brilliance last night (compliments of the oh-so-tasteful Adam Goldstein), I came across this Slate piece from a couple of weeks ago. Even if you don’t care whether or not Walter is a neo-con, the article is worth checking out solely for the video clips.

"Say what you like about the tenets of National Socialism, Dude. At least it's an ethos."

Keepin' It Fresh

Taken from my friend Donna’s blog, here is a great peak-season produce map from Epicurious. Click on the month you want and the state in which you live, and voila! Listings include not only what produce is fresh in that area, but also recipes, cooking tips and details on each item.

If you had any doubt that I am an "old soul"...

From Charles & Marie, here are pop-out placemats.

I am in love! Make sure to check out the two other designs, too.

Very cute, and very fitting for a JRoss dinner party...

Cycling Month in DC

Apparently September is Cycling Month in DC. Who knew? DCist has a nice run-down of events going on in this article. Of note, Bike DC on September 27th is a 17-mile (or more if you want to do the optional tours at the end) ride that has the added benefit of road closures.

There is also the 50 States and 13 Colonies Ride on October 11th, where you ride on streets named after each of the states and colonies. Something tells me that if I end up doing this one, I will opt for the 13 Colonies Ride over the "brutal" and "insane," 50 States ride.

Yay for biking!!

Album Review: She & Him

I was introduced to She and Him (she=the actress Zooey Deschanel, him=collaborator extraordinaire M Ward) when I saw their show in Baltimore a couple of weeks ago. I fell in love with their simple songs and Deschanel’s slighty-off vocals. A combination of original songs and covers, their album Volume One is definitely worth checking out.

Perfect for: dancing around your apartment, half-full wine glass in hand, while your dinner is baking in the oven; background music as you read in bed on a rainy Saturday.

Favorite tracks: Sentimental Heart, Change is Hard, You Really Got a Hold of Me.

Bling-bling

From LA designer H for Hannah (via the great blog Oh Joy!) , here is jeweled dinnerware. I am not crazy about the jewels themselves, but love the idea.

How the Party Parties

Last week it seemed that everyone I know was in Denver for the Convention. I’ve read several write-ups on the parties, speeches and overall mayhem, but this piece from The Stranger (coming through yet again!) is the best yet. It’s refreshing to get a perspective from someone who’s NOT in our Washington world (and hey, if you can't laugh at yourself then who can you laugh at?). Nice mention of the GPG party too!

Breaking Up is Hard to Do

After a tumultuous six months, The Wire and I have decided to end our relationship. I have no problem saying that this was entirely The Wire’s decision and not mine. After our glorious late-night and weekend-marathon viewings, one of the things that I treasure the most has simply abandoned me.

That’s not to say that we had a perfect run. Season two? Not my favorite. After Stringer Bell was killed in season three, I almost walked away for good. And in July, we took a break so that The Wire could get its act together and release season five on DVD. During the break, my wandering eye discovered Mad Men. And while Mad Men is a fantastic show in which I took much comfort, it has yet to fill the hole in my heart. The simple fact is that no show has taught me as much as The Wire has. Street slang, drug trade hierarchy, corrupt government (and police department and school system and port system and media system), Baltimore history, alcoholism and infidelity--these are all wonderful things that I knew next to nothing about.

Farewell, my love.

Restaurant Review: The Italian Store

Last night, I left the office early to bike all the way over to the Hill and meet Charlie. From there, we biked (mostly uphill, mind you) through Georgetown and into Arlington. The reason for this quasi-monumental feat? The Italian Store. Was it worth it? Most definitely. Part grocery store, part pizza parlor, part sub shop, The Italian Store is one of those great little neighborhood dives that gives credibility to the argument that parts of northern Virginia feel more "authentic-city-like" than the District. Cheap (but really good!) food, genuine atmosphere, nice people--throw in a post-bike-ride-high and a surprisingly cool August afternoon and you have a pretty solid Tuesday night.

When you go, my recommendation is a Milano sub, a bag of chips, a Dr. Brown's root beer in a can and a "fantasy bar" (basically a blondie with chocolate chips). Live it up.

Ryan Adams vs. Oasis

Kind of a weird first post, I know, but I came across this great article from Seattle's The Stranger. ::for those in DC, The Stranger is a bigger, cooler, more interesting version of City Paper:: I have always been fascinated by Oasis's brotherly love/desire to punch each other in the face; this piece does an excellent job pairing them (via their drug use, on-stage antics and vices) with Ryan Adams.

A New Project

Maybe it is the lull of Washington in August, maybe it’s Amber’s “Jackie Ross, I think you need a blog” email, maybe it's inspiration from great bloggers of past--Audrey, Carrie, Suzanne--but something has made me think that I have the capability/time/interest to create a blog. I hope to use this space to share some of my favorite designs, recipes, furnishings, clothes, music and films—and to get some terrific ideas in return. At the very least, I will at least try to use as many pictures as possible to keep it interesting. Hope you enjoy!