So tonight after dinner, some random teenage girl rings the doorbell and launches into a little pitch that goes something like, "Hi, I'm going on a trip to Mexico and I'm trying to raise money, would you like to buy some candy?" So my dad comes back into the house and, being the good samaritan that he is, grabs his wallet and some cash.
Auddie and I go back out to the front so we can at least scout out the candy, and after some arguing (Snickers vs. Skittles vs. Starburst vs. others that weren't even in the running), we agree that we like Starburst. My dad has already handed her some money, and she meekly says, "Ok, you want Starburst?" And we all reluctantly respond, "Uh, yeah, is that ok?" And then she slowly hands us a Starburst package and just stands stands there, and we stand there, as if expecting something else, and eventually it gets awkward enough that she turns around and walks away (with my dad yelling after her, "Ok, have a good trip!!")
After we get back into the house, we realize we've given this girl $8 and all she offered us was a single bar of candy. Upon hearing this news, my mom becomes slightly upset, as clearly we've been ripped off by this 14-year-old scam artist (or rather, a really terrible salesperson -- or a really good one, depending on your perspective).
My mom says, "Uh, hello? Auddie, why don't you just go next door saying, 'Hi, I'm going to Bermuda, can I have some money?'" She suggested the following questions for the next time we found ourselves in a similar situation: "Who are you? Where do you live? What school do you go to? And why are you going to Mexico?" It's true, we should have been more inquisitive. But this is Springfield, and it was candy, and my dad answered the door. So we paid $8 for a pack of Starburst, which I will cherish every moment of, and all I have left to say is that girl better be going to Mexico, and I hope she sends us a postcard for all we've done.
Jun 29, 2006
Jun 26, 2006
The Lake House: Mad Libs version
What an incredible weekend! I drove down to Lake Anna on Saturday morning with my pals Heather, Skelbs, and Caroline, for what was an event many months in the making. Even though the forecast didn't bode well for a weekend by the water, we knew we'd make the best of it. After all, with beer, snacks, music and friends, what else did we really need?
We started with a ridiculously amusing game of Vacation Mad Libs, which began my weekend of girly giggles and laughs. Who knew they were just as fun as they were over 10 years ago?
Anyway, when we finally arrived at the Cable Lake House (not to be confused with the new, cheesy flick starring Sandra Bullock and Keanu Reeves), it was a bit overcast, but eventually when the sun broke through a bit, we headed out on the boat, Neptoon, manned by Heather's Dad, the skilled and experienced Cap'n Cable.
Then we went out dueling tube rides! Oh boy were these crazy. I just imagined your ordinary, run-of-the-mill tube being pulled by a boat at a leisurely pace, but what I didn't realize is that Mr. Cable takes joy in seeing his tube riders squeal and bounce and fly up into the air. It was actually an exhausting and adrenaline-inducing experience, and even if we woke up the next day with sore butts and feeling like we'd lifted weights, it was extremely fun and completely worth it!
Day 2 began with lots of rain, thus we had time to squeeze in an intense game of Scrabble, which entertained us far more than any Sunday morning board game should. Long story short: I played with much aplomb, and with the same aforementioned word I scored an early 39 points. After an admirable effort from Skelbs who battled me til the end, I ended up the big winner. Then, clearly having reached cabin fever mode, we started snapping photos of the Scrabble board like we were the paparazzi, including a shameless self-promoting board that featured all of our names on display. Huge dorks? Yes.
Thankfully at this point, the sun came out and looked like it was around to stay. We quickly suited up for the lake and headed out a lovely swim and lots of lounging under the sun. After cannonballs and other silly jumps off the dock, we headed back inside to prep for our last boat ride. Despite what looked like ominous clouds in the distance, we decided to take a chance and take Neptoon out for one last spin. The Cables treated us to dinner at what is believed to be Lake Anna's only real dining establishment, the Lakeview Restaurant. (How is that possible, right? Anyone looking for an untapped restaurant market, look no further!)
Well, as if Mother Nature was laughing at us again, as soon as we set foot on the boat to take the last ride back to the house, a huge bolt of lightning cracked and the sky opened up with rain. We all huddled underneath the small awning of the boat and covered ourselves with towels, but within about 5 minutes of the 30 minute ride, we realized our attempts to stay dry were fruitless. It was as if we were on a real-life Kings Dominion water ride, the rain coming down hard at first, then softer, then stopping momentarily, then beginning again almost like hail. There was even a small waterfall just like the amusement ride, splashing wildly as we crossed under the drain of the bridge. On this given day, Skelbs and Caroline were the ones who got the "good" seats on the ride, and by that I mean they looked like they had jumped in the lake.
Suddenly we all had a greater appreciation for what Heather had experienced all weekend long in her makeshift bathing suit: denim shorts and a t-shirt (p.s. if you remember to pack anything for a weekend at your own lake house, make it your bathing suit!).
After the stormy boat ride, we figured we'd done it all and there was no better way to end the lake experience. Little did we know, the trip back home would provide the real adventure.
Since I'd so enthusiastically volunteered to drive everyone to the lake -- I believe my exact words in an email were, "I don't mind driving at all. In fact, since I don't drive at all during the week, I kinda miss zipping around in my car..." -- I was behind the wheel as we approached 95 North, expecting nothing more than maybe a few weekend stragglers on the road. Boy, did I eat my words.
Almost the entire way home -- no exaggeration, it was a good 60 miles straight -- we were driving in torrential downpour and probably what was the craziest, longest-lasting storm I'd ever seen, much less driven through. I was averaging a steady 30 miles per hour almost the entire way, with visibility at about two car lengths. Anyway, as you can imagine, it was pretty exciting, and what I actually mean is miserable and slightly scary.
Just as it looked like things were calming down after I made my Springfield stops, Caroline and I headed back out to the main roads on our way to dropping her off in Georgetown. We hopped on the HOV lanes into DC and were cruising nicely before we slowed down a bit to witness the massive flooding on the regular lanes, right before the exit for 495 toward Tysons. A tractor-trailer had come to a complete stop, partially submerged, and up ahead, at least two cars were literally floating in a mini-lake that had formed across all lanes on the highway. No one was moving, and people who were stuck in traffic behind the lake were out of their cars and walking around, clearly with no way out. I'm pretty sure my jaw dropped, as I'd never seen anything like that in all my years in this area. Just then, Caroline and I were having our smug "Glad that's not us!" conversation, and about 3 minutes later we found ourselves at a complete standstill, caused by what we presumed had to be a similar situation in the HOV lanes up ahead.
This is when we went into a minor panic attack, during which we pictured ourselves at 3 am still in the same place, questioning if we'd call in sick to work, where we would sleep, if at all. Just before the pee-in-your-pants moment set in, we started moving, and in what was just the next natural progression of this ironic experience, discovered that the half hour of non-movement on the HOV lanes was caused by rubbernecking an accident on the regular lanes. Yes, there was an enormous wreck on the far left of the regular lanes, yet that traffic was zipping by at regular speed. I guess we shouldn't have been so surprised. I wanted to scream with anger and relief at the same time.
Finally, just after the clock had struck midnight, I found myself indoors at Huan's place, definitely not willing to battle the floods back to Springfield and also vowing to never so quickly volunteer myself as driver for the weekend.
That said, it was an awesome and memorable weekend, and despite Mother Nature's mood swings and all the unexpected adventures, I can't wait to do it all over again!
We started with a ridiculously amusing game of Vacation Mad Libs, which began my weekend of girly giggles and laughs. Who knew they were just as fun as they were over 10 years ago?
Anyway, when we finally arrived at the Cable Lake House (not to be confused with the new, cheesy flick starring Sandra Bullock and Keanu Reeves), it was a bit overcast, but eventually when the sun broke through a bit, we headed out on the boat, Neptoon, manned by Heather's Dad, the skilled and experienced Cap'n Cable.
Then we went out dueling tube rides! Oh boy were these crazy. I just imagined your ordinary, run-of-the-mill tube being pulled by a boat at a leisurely pace, but what I didn't realize is that Mr. Cable takes joy in seeing his tube riders squeal and bounce and fly up into the air. It was actually an exhausting and adrenaline-inducing experience, and even if we woke up the next day with sore butts and feeling like we'd lifted weights, it was extremely fun and completely worth it!
Day 2 began with lots of rain, thus we had time to squeeze in an intense game of Scrabble, which entertained us far more than any Sunday morning board game should. Long story short: I played with much aplomb, and with the same aforementioned word I scored an early 39 points. After an admirable effort from Skelbs who battled me til the end, I ended up the big winner. Then, clearly having reached cabin fever mode, we started snapping photos of the Scrabble board like we were the paparazzi, including a shameless self-promoting board that featured all of our names on display. Huge dorks? Yes.
Thankfully at this point, the sun came out and looked like it was around to stay. We quickly suited up for the lake and headed out a lovely swim and lots of lounging under the sun. After cannonballs and other silly jumps off the dock, we headed back inside to prep for our last boat ride. Despite what looked like ominous clouds in the distance, we decided to take a chance and take Neptoon out for one last spin. The Cables treated us to dinner at what is believed to be Lake Anna's only real dining establishment, the Lakeview Restaurant. (How is that possible, right? Anyone looking for an untapped restaurant market, look no further!)
Well, as if Mother Nature was laughing at us again, as soon as we set foot on the boat to take the last ride back to the house, a huge bolt of lightning cracked and the sky opened up with rain. We all huddled underneath the small awning of the boat and covered ourselves with towels, but within about 5 minutes of the 30 minute ride, we realized our attempts to stay dry were fruitless. It was as if we were on a real-life Kings Dominion water ride, the rain coming down hard at first, then softer, then stopping momentarily, then beginning again almost like hail. There was even a small waterfall just like the amusement ride, splashing wildly as we crossed under the drain of the bridge. On this given day, Skelbs and Caroline were the ones who got the "good" seats on the ride, and by that I mean they looked like they had jumped in the lake.
Suddenly we all had a greater appreciation for what Heather had experienced all weekend long in her makeshift bathing suit: denim shorts and a t-shirt (p.s. if you remember to pack anything for a weekend at your own lake house, make it your bathing suit!).
After the stormy boat ride, we figured we'd done it all and there was no better way to end the lake experience. Little did we know, the trip back home would provide the real adventure.
Since I'd so enthusiastically volunteered to drive everyone to the lake -- I believe my exact words in an email were, "I don't mind driving at all. In fact, since I don't drive at all during the week, I kinda miss zipping around in my car..." -- I was behind the wheel as we approached 95 North, expecting nothing more than maybe a few weekend stragglers on the road. Boy, did I eat my words.
Almost the entire way home -- no exaggeration, it was a good 60 miles straight -- we were driving in torrential downpour and probably what was the craziest, longest-lasting storm I'd ever seen, much less driven through. I was averaging a steady 30 miles per hour almost the entire way, with visibility at about two car lengths. Anyway, as you can imagine, it was pretty exciting, and what I actually mean is miserable and slightly scary.
Just as it looked like things were calming down after I made my Springfield stops, Caroline and I headed back out to the main roads on our way to dropping her off in Georgetown. We hopped on the HOV lanes into DC and were cruising nicely before we slowed down a bit to witness the massive flooding on the regular lanes, right before the exit for 495 toward Tysons. A tractor-trailer had come to a complete stop, partially submerged, and up ahead, at least two cars were literally floating in a mini-lake that had formed across all lanes on the highway. No one was moving, and people who were stuck in traffic behind the lake were out of their cars and walking around, clearly with no way out. I'm pretty sure my jaw dropped, as I'd never seen anything like that in all my years in this area. Just then, Caroline and I were having our smug "Glad that's not us!" conversation, and about 3 minutes later we found ourselves at a complete standstill, caused by what we presumed had to be a similar situation in the HOV lanes up ahead.
This is when we went into a minor panic attack, during which we pictured ourselves at 3 am still in the same place, questioning if we'd call in sick to work, where we would sleep, if at all. Just before the pee-in-your-pants moment set in, we started moving, and in what was just the next natural progression of this ironic experience, discovered that the half hour of non-movement on the HOV lanes was caused by rubbernecking an accident on the regular lanes. Yes, there was an enormous wreck on the far left of the regular lanes, yet that traffic was zipping by at regular speed. I guess we shouldn't have been so surprised. I wanted to scream with anger and relief at the same time.
Finally, just after the clock had struck midnight, I found myself indoors at Huan's place, definitely not willing to battle the floods back to Springfield and also vowing to never so quickly volunteer myself as driver for the weekend.
That said, it was an awesome and memorable weekend, and despite Mother Nature's mood swings and all the unexpected adventures, I can't wait to do it all over again!
Jun 19, 2006
A Random Assortment of Things
Sorry for the blogging break. I'd anticipated fully updating over the weekend but when I wasn't out and about, I found myself glued to the TV watching World Cup and the U.S. Open (Phil's meltdown on the 18th was excrutiating to watch. Why must I root for the chokers?). I also found that watching soccer is also a surprisingly good way to pass time on the treadmill. It's not the action that keeps me going, it's the guilt I feel about wanting to stop running when I see the guys on the screen going up and down that huge field for 90 straight minutes.
In other updates, the fam got dolled up in cocktail attire and went out to celebrate Bi-Anh's birthday this weekend and a lovely and large gathering at 21P downtown. Here is a photo of me with the birthday gal, who has known me since before I could talk and had a large role in my upbringing, including introducing me to a world of fabulous music in the '80s and always letting me hang with the big kids. Thanks and Happy Birthday, Bi-Anh!
So I'd been delaying the post of my very first completed knitting project because the thought of scarves in June makes some people uncomfortable. But after persistent requests from Kam, I'm finally putting it on display. About a month ago I went to a Knitting "crash course" with Steph at the Chevy Chase location of Stitch DC. It was a nice refresher (Kam had made a few attempts to teach me prior to this occasion) on the fundamentals of knitting, and I actually stuck it out to finish my first real project!
I know it's so beautiful that the requests will be pouring in for birthday and Christmas gifts, but please don't be offended if I cannot meet your requests. But don't forget, there's always Kam.
So this first scarf goes to Auddie, who, as an aside, received the Best Dressed award as voted by her 7th grade team today. That leaves me as the only sibling in the family not to ever receive Best Dressed honors. Surprised? I'm not either. Everyone knows I've never been quite on par with either of my sibs in that department. Maybe the 'm' in middle child stands for 'mediocre' and I just have to accept that.
See additional photos on my Flickr.
I know it's so beautiful that the requests will be pouring in for birthday and Christmas gifts, but please don't be offended if I cannot meet your requests. But don't forget, there's always Kam.
So this first scarf goes to Auddie, who, as an aside, received the Best Dressed award as voted by her 7th grade team today. That leaves me as the only sibling in the family not to ever receive Best Dressed honors. Surprised? I'm not either. Everyone knows I've never been quite on par with either of my sibs in that department. Maybe the 'm' in middle child stands for 'mediocre' and I just have to accept that.
See additional photos on my Flickr.
Jun 12, 2006
Stalking Jake Gyllenhaal and more (food) adventures from New York
Back from another fun weekend in NYC. Additional photos to come.
Things I learned:
- Manhattan has the best food ever. Within a few block radius from Kim & Nathaniel's new place, one can enjoy the following unique delights, among dozens of other options: a tea sandwich or panino (singular of panini) from 'ino, a variety of delicious open-faced toasts from Blue Ribbon Bakery (or a delicious full brunch a few doors down at the full-size restaurant of the same name), various seafood from the new "urban" beach shack Ditch Plains (from 7 am til 2 am), delectable cream puffs from Beard Papa's, and even breakfast from the ever-reliable McDonald's, which brings me to my next point...
- McDonald's serves breakfast until 11 am. At least the location on the corner of Houston and Varick does. I could have sworn the cutoff was a universal 10:30, but sure enough, at 10:55 on Sunday morning, ever-so-slightly hungover and in desperate need of a bacon, egg and cheese biscuit and hash brown, I rolled into the the Mickey D's on the corner in my pajamas, and to my delight I still saw all the breakfast sandwiches on the display window. I even got to see the diligent McDonald's employee turn the menu crank at 11 o'clock sharp to switch to the burger lineup. Perhaps it is a New York thing? Or is it just a Sunday thing? I need to do some follow-up research to get to the bottom of the breakfast hour. Either that or McDonald's can just start serving their full menu all day.. that'd be much easier.
- The new Fifth Avenue Apple Store is cool, but probably much more "oooh" and "ahhh"-worthy at night. The inside is not so spectacular, and in fact the SoHo store with its large classroom/presentation area is much more impressive. This is not to say I wasn't extremely excited about experiencing a little Charlie & the Chocolate Factory moment and riding in the great glass elevator at the new location.
- New Yorkers are nuts. We spent a few hours in Madison Square Park on Saturday for a big barbecue fest featuring lots of different BBQ experts from around the country, all selling $7 platters of their special recipes to any person willing to wait in a 2-hour+ line. That's right, on a relatively chilly and breezy June day, the park was packed with people who spent their whole afternoon for a single plate of BBQ that they probably could have gotten at a local restaurant for a fraction of the time. (Granted, I was there, but we had the luxury of waiting in the "fast" lines with our prepaid food pass, so we may be crazy, but not that crazy.)
- Speaking of lines, it seems everywhere you go you have to wait, but everyone is more than willing to do it. My two-day experience in Madison Square Park provided strong evidence to support this. On the Friday of my arrival, I waited at 2:30 in the afternoon in a fairly decent line for the chance to try a popular Shake Shack burger. As far as I understand, you either think this is the best burger in the city or the most overrated. I personally found it very delicious (although at that point I would have eaten a Tootsie Roll and loved it), in the same style of Cali's In-N-Out burgers, perfect with a side of crinkle cut french fries and melted cheese, and a cold and delicious chocolate milkshake to wash it all down. What made this experience even better is that when we were back in the park on Saturday for the BBQ extravaganza, we waited in that long line again for more milkshakes and more crinkle cut fries. Ok, maybe I shouldn't be calling New Yorkers so crazy; it's the damn tourists like me who cause all the problems...
- Just because Jake Gyllenhaal and Natalie Portman may have been spotted at a certain West Village establishment by some Paparazzi and pictured in a current issue of a popular celebrity magazine, it does not mean you will necessarily see them out at the same venue on a Saturday night. In fact, you probably won't. Ever. But it's still fun to try and stalk celebrities, though you usually end up seeing them strolling the sidewalk in their sweatpants when you least expect it.
- Finally, and this is for any of you who have never taken the DC-NY $35 round-trip bus: a reservation means nothing. From my personal experience, the policy for boarding the bus is absolutely, no-exceptions, first come, first serve. If you have a reservation number, you can present it to the bus people, if only to make yourself feel better and for them to feel like there's actually a method to their madness, but in the end, if you're past the cut off when they start doing a headcount for who will fit on the bus and who won't, if you have a reservation and the dude in front of you does not, it doesn't matter 'cause he got there first. Makes plenty of sense, huh? (Kinda reminds me of Larry David on Curb Your Enthusiasm and the outrage he expressed about his doctor's office policy to treat people according to the order they arrived and not by appointment time.)
- Oh, one last thing. Since I took Friday off and was able to spend a full weekday in the city, here is my question: Who are all these people in New York and what do they do? I mean, I know a heck of a lot of people who do work normal (and ridiculous) hours, but what about those people who are always outside? The thing about New York that always amazes me is that at any hour of the day on almost any given street, there seem to be so many people outside, whether they're eating, walking their dog, chatting on their cell phone, or just hanging out. Restaurants are always packed, and there are always tons of people leisurely dining and shopping. Are they actors? Models? Musicians? Rich bums? Workers on the overnight shift? I wish I knew. Ok, so maybe this doesn't count as a "thing I learned," but I'm still curious... I guess that's why everyone loves New York so much. So diverse, so busy, so mysterious.
Things I learned:
- Manhattan has the best food ever. Within a few block radius from Kim & Nathaniel's new place, one can enjoy the following unique delights, among dozens of other options: a tea sandwich or panino (singular of panini) from 'ino, a variety of delicious open-faced toasts from Blue Ribbon Bakery (or a delicious full brunch a few doors down at the full-size restaurant of the same name), various seafood from the new "urban" beach shack Ditch Plains (from 7 am til 2 am), delectable cream puffs from Beard Papa's, and even breakfast from the ever-reliable McDonald's, which brings me to my next point...
- McDonald's serves breakfast until 11 am. At least the location on the corner of Houston and Varick does. I could have sworn the cutoff was a universal 10:30, but sure enough, at 10:55 on Sunday morning, ever-so-slightly hungover and in desperate need of a bacon, egg and cheese biscuit and hash brown, I rolled into the the Mickey D's on the corner in my pajamas, and to my delight I still saw all the breakfast sandwiches on the display window. I even got to see the diligent McDonald's employee turn the menu crank at 11 o'clock sharp to switch to the burger lineup. Perhaps it is a New York thing? Or is it just a Sunday thing? I need to do some follow-up research to get to the bottom of the breakfast hour. Either that or McDonald's can just start serving their full menu all day.. that'd be much easier.
- The new Fifth Avenue Apple Store is cool, but probably much more "oooh" and "ahhh"-worthy at night. The inside is not so spectacular, and in fact the SoHo store with its large classroom/presentation area is much more impressive. This is not to say I wasn't extremely excited about experiencing a little Charlie & the Chocolate Factory moment and riding in the great glass elevator at the new location.
- New Yorkers are nuts. We spent a few hours in Madison Square Park on Saturday for a big barbecue fest featuring lots of different BBQ experts from around the country, all selling $7 platters of their special recipes to any person willing to wait in a 2-hour+ line. That's right, on a relatively chilly and breezy June day, the park was packed with people who spent their whole afternoon for a single plate of BBQ that they probably could have gotten at a local restaurant for a fraction of the time. (Granted, I was there, but we had the luxury of waiting in the "fast" lines with our prepaid food pass, so we may be crazy, but not that crazy.)
- Speaking of lines, it seems everywhere you go you have to wait, but everyone is more than willing to do it. My two-day experience in Madison Square Park provided strong evidence to support this. On the Friday of my arrival, I waited at 2:30 in the afternoon in a fairly decent line for the chance to try a popular Shake Shack burger. As far as I understand, you either think this is the best burger in the city or the most overrated. I personally found it very delicious (although at that point I would have eaten a Tootsie Roll and loved it), in the same style of Cali's In-N-Out burgers, perfect with a side of crinkle cut french fries and melted cheese, and a cold and delicious chocolate milkshake to wash it all down. What made this experience even better is that when we were back in the park on Saturday for the BBQ extravaganza, we waited in that long line again for more milkshakes and more crinkle cut fries. Ok, maybe I shouldn't be calling New Yorkers so crazy; it's the damn tourists like me who cause all the problems...
- Just because Jake Gyllenhaal and Natalie Portman may have been spotted at a certain West Village establishment by some Paparazzi and pictured in a current issue of a popular celebrity magazine, it does not mean you will necessarily see them out at the same venue on a Saturday night. In fact, you probably won't. Ever. But it's still fun to try and stalk celebrities, though you usually end up seeing them strolling the sidewalk in their sweatpants when you least expect it.
- Finally, and this is for any of you who have never taken the DC-NY $35 round-trip bus: a reservation means nothing. From my personal experience, the policy for boarding the bus is absolutely, no-exceptions, first come, first serve. If you have a reservation number, you can present it to the bus people, if only to make yourself feel better and for them to feel like there's actually a method to their madness, but in the end, if you're past the cut off when they start doing a headcount for who will fit on the bus and who won't, if you have a reservation and the dude in front of you does not, it doesn't matter 'cause he got there first. Makes plenty of sense, huh? (Kinda reminds me of Larry David on Curb Your Enthusiasm and the outrage he expressed about his doctor's office policy to treat people according to the order they arrived and not by appointment time.)
- Oh, one last thing. Since I took Friday off and was able to spend a full weekday in the city, here is my question: Who are all these people in New York and what do they do? I mean, I know a heck of a lot of people who do work normal (and ridiculous) hours, but what about those people who are always outside? The thing about New York that always amazes me is that at any hour of the day on almost any given street, there seem to be so many people outside, whether they're eating, walking their dog, chatting on their cell phone, or just hanging out. Restaurants are always packed, and there are always tons of people leisurely dining and shopping. Are they actors? Models? Musicians? Rich bums? Workers on the overnight shift? I wish I knew. Ok, so maybe this doesn't count as a "thing I learned," but I'm still curious... I guess that's why everyone loves New York so much. So diverse, so busy, so mysterious.
Jun 11, 2006
Nadal on a Hot Streak
I was so thrilled to watch 20-year-old Rafael Nadal take home his second consecutive (and second in as many tries) Roland Garros championship trophy today after an impressive victory over the seemingly unstoppable Roger Federer. Granted, Federer was not at his best -- committing a whopping 51 unforced errors and never looking quite comfortable, but Nadal himself was tough and deserving of the win.
I'm glad to see at least one player rising to the challenge of playing Federer, who despite utter domination over the men's game in the past two years, has yet to win a French and has shown that he is indeed mortal. I'm sure Federer will end up using his runner-up tray to serve lunches, since -- until today -- he had yet to lose a Grand Slam final and is probably is unsure what to do with his consolation prize.
As for Nadal, I absolutely adore him... his bright, white capris ("pirate pants"), how intense and emotional he is, and all his bizarre superstitious/OCD behavior. The way he so meticulously places his water bottles on the ground during the changeover is borderline crazy, but I can definitely appreciate it and in fact like him more for that strange show of humanness.
Anyway, looking forward to more of Nadal and the possibility of seeing some more great matches at Flushing Meadows later this summer. It's about time we had a new rivalry to get excited about, particularly because American tennis is not looking so hot on its own these days!
I'm glad to see at least one player rising to the challenge of playing Federer, who despite utter domination over the men's game in the past two years, has yet to win a French and has shown that he is indeed mortal. I'm sure Federer will end up using his runner-up tray to serve lunches, since -- until today -- he had yet to lose a Grand Slam final and is probably is unsure what to do with his consolation prize.
As for Nadal, I absolutely adore him... his bright, white capris ("pirate pants"), how intense and emotional he is, and all his bizarre superstitious/OCD behavior. The way he so meticulously places his water bottles on the ground during the changeover is borderline crazy, but I can definitely appreciate it and in fact like him more for that strange show of humanness.
Anyway, looking forward to more of Nadal and the possibility of seeing some more great matches at Flushing Meadows later this summer. It's about time we had a new rivalry to get excited about, particularly because American tennis is not looking so hot on its own these days!
Jun 8, 2006
The Hills
So here's my quick blurb on the newest summer TV addiction, The Hills, the Laguna Beach spin-off starring the less-than-charismatic L.C. as she follows her big dreams and lands an internship at Teen Vogue while enrolled in fashion school. (As a quick aside, this show has featured some of the greatest interviews I have ever seen. We won't even get into the train wreck that is Heidi, I just loved Lauren and Lisa Love's one-on-one. LL: "Can you write?" -- silence -- LC: "Yeah, I can write..." -- silence -- "...I mean, I like to... I can.. I.." And it's amazing, folks, she gets the job! It's great to see MTV really defining real-life career scenarios for the teen set. All around the country kids must be throwing their half-assed resumes into the fireplace.)
L.C.'s friend and roommate Heidi remarkably established herself as TV's most-hated -- and most entertaining-- character over the course of the brief 20-minute first episode. To make matters worse, Heidi is a real person. She could not be more stupid, self-centered, lazy, or heartless if she tried. And that's why this show is so damn great. Only two episodes in, I realized this is not a show about L.C. and her life in Hollywood, but rather, a progression about how ridiculous this girl Heidi can get, and how much L.C. can handle before she finally breaks.
This week we found out that, thankfully, it does not take much, and our little L.C. -- who allowed herself to be played by the loving Stephen for two years in Laguna -- is over people's crap.
The scene in which L.C. simply hangs up her cell phone while Heidi is in mid-conversation blabbing about her newly-landed "dream job" as an assistant with Bolthouse -- yes, getting coffee for people is definitely a dream, Heidi, and I'm sure your salary will be a dream, too, not that it matters obviously, because it seems you're doing okay without the job, sitting poolside in your amazing Hollywood loft, and where are your parents anyway, and what in the world do they think when they watch this show? -- was my favorite L.C. moment ever. I think all loyal Laguna viewers shared a similar feeling at that very moment... "Hey, this L.C., she's not so bad after all...in fact, I kinda like her."
And then there was Heidi, staring blankly and looking confused, repeating "Lauren? Lauren?" into her phone, then shrugging and bouncing away happily. I would say, "Let the cat fighting begin!" but unfortunately I think Heidi is too slow on the uptake to figure out when she's being mocked. That, and she obviously doesn't care. She's going to be rubbing elbows with Paris Hilton soon enough anyway, right?
All we need now is for Lo to visit The Hills and tell her best pal L.C. that she needs to start hanging out with cooler people. Oh, how good Kristin Cavalieri is looking right about now...
L.C.'s friend and roommate Heidi remarkably established herself as TV's most-hated -- and most entertaining-- character over the course of the brief 20-minute first episode. To make matters worse, Heidi is a real person. She could not be more stupid, self-centered, lazy, or heartless if she tried. And that's why this show is so damn great. Only two episodes in, I realized this is not a show about L.C. and her life in Hollywood, but rather, a progression about how ridiculous this girl Heidi can get, and how much L.C. can handle before she finally breaks.
This week we found out that, thankfully, it does not take much, and our little L.C. -- who allowed herself to be played by the loving Stephen for two years in Laguna -- is over people's crap.
The scene in which L.C. simply hangs up her cell phone while Heidi is in mid-conversation blabbing about her newly-landed "dream job" as an assistant with Bolthouse -- yes, getting coffee for people is definitely a dream, Heidi, and I'm sure your salary will be a dream, too, not that it matters obviously, because it seems you're doing okay without the job, sitting poolside in your amazing Hollywood loft, and where are your parents anyway, and what in the world do they think when they watch this show? -- was my favorite L.C. moment ever. I think all loyal Laguna viewers shared a similar feeling at that very moment... "Hey, this L.C., she's not so bad after all...in fact, I kinda like her."
And then there was Heidi, staring blankly and looking confused, repeating "Lauren? Lauren?" into her phone, then shrugging and bouncing away happily. I would say, "Let the cat fighting begin!" but unfortunately I think Heidi is too slow on the uptake to figure out when she's being mocked. That, and she obviously doesn't care. She's going to be rubbing elbows with Paris Hilton soon enough anyway, right?
All we need now is for Lo to visit The Hills and tell her best pal L.C. that she needs to start hanging out with cooler people. Oh, how good Kristin Cavalieri is looking right about now...
Jun 6, 2006
I Am Trying to Break Your Heart
Well, I'm only a few years late on this one, but better late than never, right?
Last night I finally had a chance to sit down and watch the Sam Jones film, "I Am Trying to Break Your Heart," which is a fantastic documentary on Wilco and the making of their highly-acclaimed album Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (Nonesuch Records, 2002).
This film was an incredibly powerful yet simplistic behind-the-scenes look at the making of the album, without any trite commentary or cheesy flashbacks. Jones was simply a witness to the process, which makes the grainy black and white film even more honest and intimate. As a non-serious fan myself, it was especially compelling to watch the story unfold and to learn of all the drama that was behind the album release. It chronicled turmoil within the band, as well as the classic label vs. artist debate -- Reprise records droppped Wilco from their label after they heard the album, only to have them resign and release with another Time Warner-owned label to critical acclaim -- all without being sensationalist or cliché.
Ultimately, however you feel about Wilco, you can't help but gain a much larger appreciation for the musical process as a whole-- especially when watching such good and serious musicians and how their creative processes unfold. It was also interesting to watch the movie knowing how the Wilco story would continue after the film stopped rolling: The way Yankee Hotel Foxtrot would be viewed and judged by the masses, and their subsequent album release coinciding with Jeff Tweedy's drug addiction (briefly foreshadowed by the mention of the terrible migraines he battled).
For fans and non fans alike, this is hands-down an excellent music documentary. I only wish I could watch something like this for all my favorite artists and albums. Sure beats VH1's Behind the Music!
Finally, below is a sample track from the album. By coincidence, the album's original release date was supposed to 9/11/01, and many people think this song -- along with a couple others, including "War on War," and "Ashes of American Flags" -- are tributes to that day. Eerily enough, the album had already been recorded and finished (complete with the album cover art, which could be said to resemble the Twin Towers) prior to 9/11.
Wilco :: Jesus, Etc.
Last night I finally had a chance to sit down and watch the Sam Jones film, "I Am Trying to Break Your Heart," which is a fantastic documentary on Wilco and the making of their highly-acclaimed album Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (Nonesuch Records, 2002).
This film was an incredibly powerful yet simplistic behind-the-scenes look at the making of the album, without any trite commentary or cheesy flashbacks. Jones was simply a witness to the process, which makes the grainy black and white film even more honest and intimate. As a non-serious fan myself, it was especially compelling to watch the story unfold and to learn of all the drama that was behind the album release. It chronicled turmoil within the band, as well as the classic label vs. artist debate -- Reprise records droppped Wilco from their label after they heard the album, only to have them resign and release with another Time Warner-owned label to critical acclaim -- all without being sensationalist or cliché.
Ultimately, however you feel about Wilco, you can't help but gain a much larger appreciation for the musical process as a whole-- especially when watching such good and serious musicians and how their creative processes unfold. It was also interesting to watch the movie knowing how the Wilco story would continue after the film stopped rolling: The way Yankee Hotel Foxtrot would be viewed and judged by the masses, and their subsequent album release coinciding with Jeff Tweedy's drug addiction (briefly foreshadowed by the mention of the terrible migraines he battled).
For fans and non fans alike, this is hands-down an excellent music documentary. I only wish I could watch something like this for all my favorite artists and albums. Sure beats VH1's Behind the Music!
Finally, below is a sample track from the album. By coincidence, the album's original release date was supposed to 9/11/01, and many people think this song -- along with a couple others, including "War on War," and "Ashes of American Flags" -- are tributes to that day. Eerily enough, the album had already been recorded and finished (complete with the album cover art, which could be said to resemble the Twin Towers) prior to 9/11.
Wilco :: Jesus, Etc.
Jun 1, 2006
Happy 13th, Auddie!
Here's a big Happy Birthday shout-out to my lil' sis, Auddie, who today turns the big 1-3. That's right, my little sister, who I swore just learned to walk and talk yesterday, is now a teenager! It's kinda scary, but I know Auddie's got a good enough head on her shoulders to handle her teen years with much less awkwardness and much more coolness than I ever did. Let's face it, her social life is already much more active than mine! Thanks for being my pal, Auddie, and always letting me borrow (steal) your shoes and purses. Finally, congrats on surviving 7th grade!
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