Nyquil sleep, unplugged phone. Dead morning battery. Toasted bagel at work, philadelphia cream cheese. Warm energy in the office, december cold brewing. Lunchtime on the building, crab-artichoke dip and swedish meatballs. Apparently there was a terrorist attack in Sweden this weekend...
Listening to the cab driver speaking in a foreign tongue, I recognize phrases and the rhythm. He's Cambodian-born in Battambang. BADDAMBANG.
I come home to a roommate and his girlfriend drinking red wine. We eat goat cheese, kalamata olives, lobster ravioli from trader joe's, and talk about the banking system in the ukraine.
Then my brother calls from israel and we talk about Robert Altman films.
No nyquil tonight.
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Reviews
Recent experiences:
2. The new West End Cinema: lovely. An oasis of the avant garde, a hipster in East Midtown. Art house movie theater in downtown DC? Evidence that the city's tastes are improving? Can it survive the 2010-2012 congress?
3. Josephine and Lima: The former is acceptably typical, the latter is moderately elegant- Mies Van Der Rohe couches, lots of glass, club 2.0.
4. Unstoppable with Denzel Washington and that guy from Star Trek (Chris Pine): Unstoppable. Like being on the Acela: alternatively exciting, exhausting, entertaining, disengaging, and reasonably quick/palatable.
5. Bayou Bakery in Arlington, Virgina: fattening, pleasant, and extremely out of place. Good espresso. Will be more fun in the summer. Met the owner/chef: exudes entrepreneurial focus, professionalism, and understated confidence. I predict enormous success.
6. The Player with Tim Robbins and by Robert Altman. Arguably the best thing I've seen all year on the little screen.
7. Setting up a Delta Mileage run out of DC: Nearly impossible. If the service on the shuttle wasn't so good, I'd move fully to the Star Alliance.
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Pass
aardvark-
Hi Ben! I haven't sent you a question in a few days...
Do you want to see a question about *demographic information for Dwarfism*?
(Type 'sure', 'pass', or 'busy'.)
-Aadvark Social Networking Q&A service Via Google Chat. The service claims that it will ask you questions on subject where you're an expert.
Hi Ben! I haven't sent you a question in a few days...
Do you want to see a question about *demographic information for Dwarfism*?
(Type 'sure', 'pass', or 'busy'.)
-Aadvark Social Networking Q&A service Via Google Chat. The service claims that it will ask you questions on subject where you're an expert.
Friday, November 26, 2010
Giving Thanks for Brooklyn
Grey weather in Brooklyn. Cool, quiet, calm. Spent thanksgiving eating, drinking, familying, napping, and watching Annie Hall. We really all do need the eggs. And Pumpkin pie.
Saturday, November 20, 2010
November ain't slowing down
After two final days of campaigning, Matt Lesser won re-election by a margin of a few hundred votes. Spent two nights in a converted firehouse, between door-knocking and phone-banking sessions.
After declaring tentative victory, we drove to Hartford for the CT celebration. The group was in a good mood: Democrats had enjoyed unusual success statewide despite the bad political climate.
Taxied to Bradley Airport to spend the night at the airport Sheraton before a 6am flight back to DC. Apparently you can get a good briefcase here.
After declaring tentative victory, we drove to Hartford for the CT celebration. The group was in a good mood: Democrats had enjoyed unusual success statewide despite the bad political climate.
Taxied to Bradley Airport to spend the night at the airport Sheraton before a 6am flight back to DC. Apparently you can get a good briefcase here.
Spent the next weekend in New York. Saw Due Date, which was silly schmaltz. Spent time with friends, reflected on the passing of a year away from New York. Had lunch at a deli on the Upper West Side, chopped liver and fresh nova salmon. Cramped tables, a waiter with personality, an outsized bill, ran into old friends from college at the start of the meal.
Flew to Seattle last weekend for my aunt's 60th birthday. Post coming soon.
Monday, November 1, 2010
Post-Halloween
Spent Sunday in New Haven with Y, my younger brother. Lunched at Atticus, visited the Yale Coop/Farm, and watched Burma VJ.
Got a ride up to Middletown with G, a Democratic field staffer and recent Wesleyan alum. Arrived at the Democratic Headquarter to volunteer for Matt Lesser's re-election campaign. Matt is an old friend who happens to represent Connecticut's 100th district in the state legislature.
Surprisingly organized headquarters. Within minutes of arriving, I was calling potential volunteers.
Middletown is chilly in November.
Got a ride up to Middletown with G, a Democratic field staffer and recent Wesleyan alum. Arrived at the Democratic Headquarter to volunteer for Matt Lesser's re-election campaign. Matt is an old friend who happens to represent Connecticut's 100th district in the state legislature.
Surprisingly organized headquarters. Within minutes of arriving, I was calling potential volunteers.
Middletown is chilly in November.
Friday, October 29, 2010
Saturday Learnings from Glorious Travel Pilgrimage to New Haven
1. Jon Stewart Rallies significantly reduce the availability of taxis to Union Station.
2. The MARC train from Union Station to BWI does not run on weekends.
3. Amtrak does, but seems to run every two hours around mid-day.
4. US Airways is very friendly about missed flights.
5. Terminal F at the Philadelphia airport is chilly in late October.
6. Being on the Standby list is most similar to the Woody Allen's Death: A Comedy in One Act.
7. Tweed New Haven airport is $17 (including tip) from downtown New Haven.
8. One gets highly attentive service at a restaurant in its second day of existence (Himalayan, a B+ tibetan/indian joint). My server had the peculiar tendancy to explain/introduce dishes ("this is a mango lassi, it's very thick"), as if i'd never before encountered Indian food.
9. The Millenium movies (Girl with the Dragon Tattoo...) are gloomy even when on the big screen.
10. Downtown post-midnight New Haven on Halloween is not unlike Death: A Comedy in One Act
2. The MARC train from Union Station to BWI does not run on weekends.
3. Amtrak does, but seems to run every two hours around mid-day.
4. US Airways is very friendly about missed flights.
5. Terminal F at the Philadelphia airport is chilly in late October.
6. Being on the Standby list is most similar to the Woody Allen's Death: A Comedy in One Act.
7. Tweed New Haven airport is $17 (including tip) from downtown New Haven.
8. One gets highly attentive service at a restaurant in its second day of existence (Himalayan, a B+ tibetan/indian joint). My server had the peculiar tendancy to explain/introduce dishes ("this is a mango lassi, it's very thick"), as if i'd never before encountered Indian food.
9. The Millenium movies (Girl with the Dragon Tattoo...) are gloomy even when on the big screen.
10. Downtown post-midnight New Haven on Halloween is not unlike Death: A Comedy in One Act
Monday, October 25, 2010
Southland Weekend
Friday night SFO-LAX flight on United. Packed at 9pm. Arrive to a misty Los Angeles. LAX is an internal mess, but pretty from the outside.
Stayed in Sherman Oaks/Bel Air, up on a mountain. Saturday was the 25th anniversary of Back to the Future, which looks terrific on the big screen and is remarkably relevant despite its age. Met a bunch of people who in "the industry." One cool aspect of LA is that people have extensive knowledge of films, and like to talk about the movies they've seen.
Out to dinner in West Hollywood on Sunset Boulevard, which is as depicted in Entourage. Fancy cars, paparazzi, model-esque blondes in glittery minis. The Glitterari in LA seem friendlier than their east coast counterparts in NY and DC: easy to strike up a conversation randomly.
Lazy Sunday. Went to the Arclight 2 to See Red. The Arclight is the nicest American movie theater to which i've been: supremely comfortable seats, pre-selected seating (as in europe), coffee spot, bar, gift shop, and hollywood costumes on display. Red was nothing to write home about, except for a strong performance of paranoia by John Malkovich.
Virgin America Red-eye back to DC. Experientially pleasant, though not especially so. highlights included:
-printing my boarding pass at a hotel-lounge-like check-in counter. Small square document.
-ordering food (excellent cheese + fruit plate, honest tea) via the seat console, having it delivered with the ice.
-mood lighting.
-amusing safety video.
The seat was reasonably comfortable, but not especially so. Leather is not impressive in and of itself. While the plane was new (airbus 320), I would have preferred to be on a 767.
Overall, B+. I might go so far as to say that I like JetBlue's model better (free snacks, more destinations, less pretense).
Stayed in Sherman Oaks/Bel Air, up on a mountain. Saturday was the 25th anniversary of Back to the Future, which looks terrific on the big screen and is remarkably relevant despite its age. Met a bunch of people who in "the industry." One cool aspect of LA is that people have extensive knowledge of films, and like to talk about the movies they've seen.
Out to dinner in West Hollywood on Sunset Boulevard, which is as depicted in Entourage. Fancy cars, paparazzi, model-esque blondes in glittery minis. The Glitterari in LA seem friendlier than their east coast counterparts in NY and DC: easy to strike up a conversation randomly.
Lazy Sunday. Went to the Arclight 2 to See Red. The Arclight is the nicest American movie theater to which i've been: supremely comfortable seats, pre-selected seating (as in europe), coffee spot, bar, gift shop, and hollywood costumes on display. Red was nothing to write home about, except for a strong performance of paranoia by John Malkovich.
Virgin America Red-eye back to DC. Experientially pleasant, though not especially so. highlights included:
-printing my boarding pass at a hotel-lounge-like check-in counter. Small square document.
-ordering food (excellent cheese + fruit plate, honest tea) via the seat console, having it delivered with the ice.
-mood lighting.
-amusing safety video.
The seat was reasonably comfortable, but not especially so. Leather is not impressive in and of itself. While the plane was new (airbus 320), I would have preferred to be on a 767.
Overall, B+. I might go so far as to say that I like JetBlue's model better (free snacks, more destinations, less pretense).
Friday, October 22, 2010
Sling-shotting between Playoff Cities
Flew to JFK Sunday night for dinner in brooklyn at the Vinegar Hill House. Best meal i've eaten in months.
Monday in Midtown Manhattan. Attended the 2010 Slingshot Fund (Day) through the AVF, a social venture fund i'm involved with that was chosen as one of the most innovative Jewish projects in North America. Good day of training and meeting other included organizations.
Tuesday in Soho and Upper West Side, catching up with old friend. Gorgeous weather.
Wednesday in Queens for my late grandmother's tombstone unveiling. Small ceremony, brief and moving. Everyone should be so loved by their family.
Sylvia Safron: Bridging Two Worlds, Accepting of All, Beloved by All
Flew back to DC Wednesday night. Picked up supplies at the office in Arlington, back to District for five hours or sleep.
Headed West on Thursday. Caught the 8:20 IAD-SFO on United. Packed as usual, arrived in SF in late morning to a grey, cool day. Work, Work, Work. Crazy energy in SOMA for Giants Game, hordes in Orange on the streets, an intense energy of anticipation. Crashed at the hotel around 10pm PST.
Breakfast with H. Rainy Friday. Apparently this is typical fall SF weather.
Monday, October 4, 2010
Back to the Saddle
Woke early, T to the wonderfully tiny Logan airport. Used the digital boarding pass on my blackberry. Short flight, tasty shortbread Delta biscuits, cold and rainy DC. Was summer a dream? It always leaves.
Here's a plug for a bar furniture site. They have good stuff, it is part of CSN stores...
Hopefully it won't get cold too quickly.
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