katrina

bd monsoon
Originally uploaded by ScelestiX.

Wow. New Orleans has just dropped off the developed world's map. A colleague finds it funny that a city could've been built below sea level ... and I'm thinking how the government of Louisiana and New Orleans, its denizens consisting of poorer ethnic working class people, was so negligent and unprepared for a storm of this magnitude (its happened before!).

The images of the storm reminded me of South Asia during the monsoon season. I can't really compare a monsoon with a hurricane (gale force winds, the amount of water, the violence of the storm), but at least in respect to flooding there could be something done. This is a snapshot of Dhaka in July 2004 ... amazing how one of the poorest countries of the world adapts to seasonal natural disasters unlike our own Gulf of Mexico states.

missive

Just when you were complaining about getting colds from the A/C my sister sends a little note from a southern continent:

Sorry to hear that work/school is ruining your life. I sent a letter to you last week, which you'll probably get in a month or two.
PC put us in the middle of butt fuck SA. Our training is alright, but they seriously baby us. We're not allowed to go anywhere w/o a chaperone or w/o their permission. We're all looking forward to when training will be over.
Next week should be interesting since I'll get to meet my supervisor and visit my site of work. And it will be a nice change from Moletji, where we are staying now. The bucket baths aren't helping w/my personal hygiene standards and I am contemplating shaving my head since doing a head stand in a bucket to wash my hair isn't the best methods for getting it clean. But otherwise I am having a good time :) Yeah, go ahead and post my e-mails about my BO if you want...not sure how interesting your friends will find it.
glad you had a good b-day, wish I could've been there.

wes craven

"I had only one thought (as he held a knife to my throat the whole time)."

"You thought," he replied, "It was all beyond your control."

"No, that I would never let it happen again."

And then she plunges a ball-point pen into his thorax (or is that a part of a bug)? Red Eye, good freakin' edge of your seat movie, and refreshingly under an hour and a half.

UPDATE:

I wonder if half the attraction of this film for me was that the characters meshed so well, specifically Cillian and Rachel. The whole time there was an underlying sexual tension, even after he reveals himself to be a cold-blooded terrorist. **SPOILER ALERT*** The look they give eachother at the end of the movie does not seem to be one of hate. Rachel's character almost looks at Cillian's like, "Man, why did you have to go and be such a homicidal freak?? We could've been perfect together." And its seems they could have since the strength of her character is a match for his. ***End of Spoiler***

At the same time I'm disturbed by the trend of overt graphic sexual situations being turned into graphic misogynistic violent situations to bring down the rating. Entertainment Weekly did an article on how the new drama sitcoms involve more violence against women, to attract viewership and avoid jeopardizing networks fearing FCC wrath in the wake of Janet Jackson's nipple exposure. Hmm, what's better? Violence against women or sexual situations/nudity?

spices

Apparently when I don't have to worry about having class at night or studying after work, I eat. And so I did again, this time at Spices in Cleveland Park. I expected good things after I discovered its by the same people as Nooshi Oodles Noodles, from which I've had great take-out . The decor reminded me of a futuristic cafeteria, particularly with so many newly moved-in undergraduates dining there. The staff was extremely attentive and I'm impressed they didn't charge extra for the rice (which I had to order two more times because I finished the first tiny bowl) I judge a good sushi restaurant based on their spicy tuna rolls. Frankly the only place that has impressed me has been Sushi on the Rocks in LaJolla, California. But the roll was still good, maybe a bit fishy for my taste. Tempted by Washington Post's reader's reviews, I had to try the Suicide curry, and my friend had the Chicken Ginger (spicy). First off, I like that their curries were super flavorful, without one spice dominating over the other (except for the suicide curry), and they were able to do this without excess grease or oil. The Chicken ginger curry was exactly like a dish I had at Nooshi, except with rice instead of noodles. Still very tasty. The suicide curry is not for the faint-hearted. As a seasoned American of South Asian descent, fond of chopping thai green chilies or jalepenos into my salads, I have to say, I was sweating, sniffling, and my eyes were watering while eating this. But still extremely good, I dare you. Not quite the flatliner at the Wing Factory, but you know, good in that spicy sense. For dessert we finished with green tea pudding, which was served with diced mangos on top. Interesting, and not too sweet. Perfect for soothing the tongue after a fiery meal.

vma

The part of me that likes to watch train wrecks had to watch this. I have to admit, I'm not terribly in tune with pop culture, but I had a hard time not envisioning the entire event as an unintended hilarious comedy routine. Like how Gwen Stefani can so adoringly look up at Snoop Dog when they are both given P. Diddy's fashion award, or the bathing suit Eva Longoria wore, but the funniest of all was 50 cent routine. Is this still going on? The constant crotch grabbing? I couldn't figure out if his barely-on leather pants were chafing that much or he was insecure about whether he still had testicles. Either way I was laughing too hard, and it didn't help the man did this about 30 times in a minute.

birthday week=restaurant week

Means eating a lot week. Besides trying out Corduroy, which I loved and raved about, I also went to David & Greggory's, Zaytinya's, and Cafe Atlantico.

So David & Greggory, bustling happening golden triangle restaurant which had quite the happy hour scene. We started with the mushroom, manchenga, and almond croquettes. Which were awesome! Nice chunky bits of mushroom, crispy on the outside, with manchenga melted on top with some type of crushed tomato accompaniment. We also had the tostones with black bean mash, habenero salsa and crema. The salsa was not spicy ... at all ... and if you're curious tostones are similar to plantains, just less sweet. For the main entree I got the seared halibut with spaghetti squash and seafood stew. I think someone was afraid to season this dish, kind of bland. For dessert I got the cloud-in-a-pudding, basically chocolate pudding, richer and more satisfying then a normal cup of jello. My friend got the bread pudding which advertised Mexican chocolate, but seemed to be missing. We had some pretty good martini style drinks, I started with a Blue Heaven, super sweet and super blue, for the next round I went with the tarter, slightly bubbly mango-tini. The service was a bit spotty, more likely due to ours being a bit in the weeds. Also kind of felt bad for them because they had to wear really ugly shirts, but maybe its because it made me think back to my days dishing cheddar bay biscuits at Red Lobster in hideous Hawaiian shirts. Overall a great place for a happy hour, if I came back, I would have to go for something else, but for some reason I feel it's utter travesty to order Garam Masala Salmon outside of an Indian restaurant.

As usual, I have nothing but praise for Zaytinya's. My main complaint is that even if you make reservation for over 20 people, the restaurant will not budge from its pre-theater dinner reservation times before 6:30 PM, which causes problems when they ask you to have all members of your party present before seating. Normally on any night, around DC dinner time (around 7 PM) you can expect a 45 minute wait, but the bar is trendy-chic, has great drinks with attentive bartenders, and it's a pretty good singles scene. Arriving with a large group of people is challenging, and I worried about a place that served only mezzes, the ordering would be a mess. Thankfully, our kind server saved us from that predicament by informing me of a tasting menu, roughly the same cost of ordering a la carte. He explained the chef would prepare a variety of dishes that exemplify Zaytinya's range. And I'm glad we chose that option because otherwise I wouldn't have tried many many tasty dishes, including: Ottoman rice pilaf, tzatziki, scallops, shrimp, a bunch of salads not on their regular menu, including an incredible tomato and caper salad, orange and feta salad, and kibbeh nayah. Zaytinya's is an old favorite for me, but the next time I come, I'm going to ask if can go for the chef's tasting menu, even though I didn't see anything regarding it on the regular menu or online.

Having such high regards for Zaytinya's and Jaleo, I had high expectation's for Jose Andre's first restaurant, Cafe Atlantico. That said, it's difficult for me love Latin American food in the states (except in Mexico, the only Latin American country I've been to so far). For an appetizer my mom and I ordered the table-side prepared guacamole, which although good, I'm convinced I do a much better version at home (the secret is hot green chillies). My mom got the salmon sandwich, which was excellent, and I sprung for the exotic: sea scallops in coconut cream, crispy rice with squid ink. I wasn't expecting the sauce to be mostly coconut cream, which I normally find undiluted too much. And I have to admit, although the dish looked pretty with its startling white contrasting with a nice circle of black squid ink, the thought of eating squid ink and watching it turn gray as I dipped my fork in, grossed me out. Oh well, maybe another time, but not in a particular hurry. I'd totally be up for another tasting menu evening at Zaytinya's though.

rockets

"The one good thing about heading out at night is looking up and seeing the stars. Here, when the dust storms pass, there are a million. If you stare long enough, you'll see at least one shooting star overhead, which is a lovely thing, especially after you verify it's not an incoming rocket."

This is an excerpt from Juliet Macur's blog from Iraq, where she is covering the war for the New York Times. I am fascinated by the lives of people during war time in a war zone. None of us can really imagine what it's like to be there, but she writes some pretty good entries.

for love

This is something I've been meaning to post for a long time, the incredible feeling after climbing. However, its a feeling that more like renewed but empty-charged batteries, so instead I end up productively lying in my bed until I realize I'm already two hours late for something and have to get up. I admit I dread getting up on a Saturday morning, knowing the Friday before when I'm drinking and staying up late with my friends, that I will be dehydrated and annoyed at my alarm clock the next day. That'll I'll forget something like food or realize I'm out of clean cargo pants to climb in, or clean socks. But the disappointment of rain falling, my greatest inhibitor to a day climbing, is worse.

It starts with a drive manuevering out of DC's re-routed grids, thankfully its usually early enough in the morning that I'm not dodging tourists and late enough that I'm not too worried about the previous night's revelers. After crossing Roosevelt Bridge I'm on the GW Parkway, nicely canopied with leafy branches, or during the fall and early spring, glimpses of the Potomac. Either Clara Barton Parkway or Columbia Pike comes next, Columbia full of turns, which I'll break fast before hitting a curve and then quickly accelerate out of, something I learned from an ex-boyfriend. Its a nice journey.

Climbing is a third social, chilling in a pristine setting, if Great Falls, a loud rushing river (or in low level times-a seductress tempting you dip and rinse off sweat), a third grunting in frustration or executing a shaky manuever, taxing your muscles, and a third moving up the rock like a ballerina. I'm skipping the part about belaying, cuz like with any careful climber, its the most worrisome. Has the most room for human error. I tell people I bring out for the first time, climbing isn't kind of dangerous, or a little dangerous, it is very dangerous and could result in serious bodily injury and death.

So that brings up the exhileration, the exhileration of executing moves flawlessly, challenging yourself to push harder than you've ever gone before, even with beads of sweat splattering below on the dry rock. Sure, if you fall, and say your belayer isn't paying attention, you could face some crazy bone fracturing injury on unforgiving rock, or unforgiving river, or the more forgiving bank of Carderock, but isn't that part of the exhileration?

I say there's no better cure for a hangover, no better cure for boredom, no better cure to make myself feel normal. That's not an easy feat when I'm regulating my sleep with Benadryl when I switch from the night shift to the early morning shift, when I'm eating irregular meals at odd times, drinking after long dry spells, and am not only stressed by deadlines at work, but deadlines for school.

This past Wednesday I went to Carderock, and I immediatley felt revived and energized, even though I hadn't slept well the night before, drank and ate too much the previous two nights, and spent a dreary blah day at work, the kind that sucks a person's soul and energy. For a warmup I climbed one area (don't have my book on me) and went for Sterling Crack again, this time got over the jug and got stumped an inclined crack which should've been a piece of cake. It was getting dark and other people were getting antsy ... well again this week, hopefully twice!!!

new

Look! I decided it was time for a change, the last template had 24 stamped in the corner, and when I started this blog, it meant something, it was my age. Now I've left 24 behind, can't claim I'm in my lower 20's anymore and can rent a car without paying a premium. woohoo. For my next few birthdays, I'll probably let by pass quietly, in pajamas, some good DVD's, at home slacking. I'll actually do my laundry, clean my place, do all my shopping, and not have any chores to do. Maybe if I feel like splurging, I will rent a cabin somewhere far from civilization. Is it possible to say the city is wearing on me? Maybe because the last week is definitley about celebrations. I have to say, I'm not used to having such an active social life so it wore me out :) In a little more than a week I'll be starting classes again. Somewhere in there I'm going to maybe get a closet organizer, finally install the track lighting I bought, and maybe get rid of the boombox I have from 8th grade.

vicariously

I think I partially started this blog to convince myself that I could have interests outside of school and work and still maintain them. Well my little sis has taken the less beaten path and is now training as a Peace Corps volunteer in South Africa. So far this is her first communication to us (besides the initial one where she told us she got there safe):

Hey Everyone!
I am in a township near the village where I am living at an internet cafe. We're staying in a small town called Moletji. On Wednesday we left our campus for our homestays. My homestay family is really nice. They've adoped me as their daughter and given me a Tshvenda name "Humbulani" which means: to remember. My homestay mother has started sewing me a traditional dress as well, which I think is pretty cool. I am learning the language Tshvenda
which is spoken in the northern part of Limpopo Province. I don't konw my assignment yet, but that will be on September 5. I've heard that the area where I'll be living is very lush and green. Plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables. I'll probably be near Kruger National Park as well.
There are a total of 88 volunteers, 37 in the NGO HIV/AIDS program and 51 in Education. When I find out more details about my assignment I'll send out another e-mail. When we find out our assignments on Sept. 5 I'll go on a 3 day site visit to get oriented to my work place. The people in our group are really nice...lots of different backgrounds. There are 3 other people in my language group, so I'll most likely be near them. Our language instructor is from the area (called "venda") and my homestay mother is from there as well so I get a lot of practice.
The food here is good. They feed us a lot of this maize porridge called "pap" similar to "ugali" for those of you who have visited Kenya. I am not a fan of it, which I think my homestay mom noticed because she's been serving me rice. There are 8 children in my homestay family, 4 girls/4 boys, ranging in age from 6 months to 20. We have electricity, but no running water so I've been taking bucket baths and using a pit toilet. Its not that bad..I am able to be relatively clean and deoderant helps a lot. Hope everyones doing well and I'll send out my next update when I next get access to e-mail, which may take a while.

bang

this is more appropriate for a diary entry. sometimes we mix wrong chemicals, sometimes we mix wrong people, and sometimes there's an explosion. call it a premonition or something, but i spent the whole week trying to shake off the feeling that all i planned would reveal that my machination would result in an incendiary mix rather than a nice harmonious gathering, where e-mails and phone numbers are exchanged. Well there were thank god. that is both ... thankfulness that friends were forged, and somehow the nodding acceptance that i was right about my failure.

and its upon me

Thank you to all the wonderful friends who spent a beautiful evening out in the terrace, drinking wine, sharing laughs, bantering, and bringing each other up. What better way can a girl celebrate the eve of a quarter of a century?

See you tonight!!!!

city treasures

Yesterday I hiked to the Indian Embassy to apply for a Visa, I must say, having garage parking available at home and work has made me the ultimate lazy cat ... so I decided that the walk and back was enough to supplement my running later in the evening. After I had relinquished my passport for that afternoon in the hot basement that was the consular section of the Embassy, in search of shadier sidewalks flanked by leafy trees, I headed East on S Street, and found the Textile Museum. As with many musuems, the gift store articles were unique, however over-priced, and the exhibits were over in a quick stroll. However, they had a really nice garden, which would easily make a nice lunch spot. Leaving the museum, I came upon a cul de sac, the top of the Spanish Steps. What a nice little romantic grotto! Shady, with a fountain at top, and no less than two couples meeting on those steps under the trees.

for measure

For a while I thought geekoids ruled the blog world, and we still do hehehe!!! But anyway, I love this fight between the chivalrous and the player.

Anyway, just like in the pilot episode of "Six Feet Under" to quote Claire, "Just get it over with, pull out your dicks and measure it!" I don't think I got that right, but that's the gist.

Corduroy

Usually I avoid hotel restaurants. In a former life I used to be wooed by hotels hoping to contract nice large lucrative conferences from me on behalf of my clients... part of that task included staying in executive suites, eating in the hotel restaurants gratis, and touring the spa facilities. There were very few hotels I was impressed with. Although I have to admit San Diego's Leow's Coronado totally impressed me, not only did they seduce me with bubble baths (in a Japanese steeping tub no less), my pick of wine, but with the most AMAZING FRESHEST salad in the world ... I think maybe only in California. And I admit the brunch at the Catamaran Hotel Resort and Spa was also amazing, but you really can't go wrong if you order raw plant life at a restaurant in California.

But anyway, I was blown away at Corduroy. I starved myself all day after sleeping only 4 hours, running three miles, and lifting at the gym with only a mint mocha cooler and honey granola bar to tide me over. Needless to say when I got the Buffalo Mozzarella Porcupine (no real spiny animals were killed, it's just needle thin phyllo atop of cheese and pureed tomato sauce), Buffalo steak (see a theme?), and some amazing baked chocolate concoction, I realized I had flippantly ignored DC hotel restaurants. WOW. My friend got the beet goat cheese salad, black grouper, and sorbet with grappa. Mmmmm good. The restaurant mainly seemed to be occupied by the Sheraton's Four Points guests, but these out of towners struck it well. I can't say the decor made it for me, but it only leaves you to focus on the food. But the food more than makes up for decor, and the service was great, they were willing to entertain all our questions, including what dry white wine to choose, if there was really the death of a porcupine involved in one of their appetizers, and what the heck the third word of the chocolate dessert meant. Also I liked that they asked what the special occasion was for when I called for reservations. The trappings of a 4 star restaurant for sure.

Foods

An attempt to rectify some of WP's annual Reader's Choice Awards:

1. Bakery--I bought into that whole anti-carb thing, I only eat brown rice
2. Brunch--Georgia Brown's
3. Burgers--Have heard St. Ex is pretty tasty
4. Cheap Eats--El Pollo Rico
5. Coffee Shop--Tryst
6. Crabs--Don't eat water bugs if I can help it
7. Ice Cream--Haagen Dazs, yes a chain!!! But universally the best in the world
8. Italian--working on it
9. Kid-Friendly--Zaytinya's
10. Pizza--2 Amy's
11. Romantic--romance? What's that? :)
12. Steaks--don't eat much red meat
13. Sushi--Sushi Taro
14. Take-Out--Lei Garden
15. Thai--Jandara
16. Vegetarian--not sure

girl's best pick me up (yes a list)

1. George of the Jungle--Buffed tan Brendan Frasier in a 'butt flap' and adorable little jungle animals?
2. Jaleo ... there's nothing a pitcher of brandy spiked sangria can't cure.
3. Shopping, after said pitcher of sangria at Jaleo
4. endorphines, works every time, whether on the treadmill, outside, in the weight room, or a cardio kickboxing class ... EVEN better is a high impact Taekwondo sparring class
5. rockclimbing-sweating it out on the rock
6. a getaway to Great Falls or a nearby park
7. a massage from gentle fingers
8. Hugging Valdemar
9. The little plates menu at Indique
10. A martini ;)

What's your pick me up?

Half Blood Prince

This past week, not being encumbered by leisurely reading such as:

John Arquilla and David Ronfeldt, Networks and Netwars, “Transnational Criminal Networks”
OR
Richard A. Best, “Intelligence to Counter Terrorism: Issues for Congress,” Congressional Research Service, 27 May 2003

I picked up the much anticipated 6th installment of Harry Potter. After a friend remarked that he would be disappointed if the Harry Potter franchise really did run out after the 7th book, that he wished to decorate his children's nursery with Harry Potter themed items and read them the stories at night, I wondered if Harry Potter would have the lasting effect of Lord of the Rings.

Maybe my brain is too fried between graduate school and answering questions at 3 AM in a poorly ventilated office building, but for some reason I think not, and why not? For these reason:
1. The enemy pretty much stays the same in every book, Voldemort. So it becomes the same plot line in almost every book, with some variation.

And I'm annoyed with Potter:

2. He's clearly popular now. And he's cocky, I guess that's expected of a teenager, but he's kind of whiny, like Anakin the in the 2nd Prequel of Star Wars.

But there are places the series can be redeemed, for instance, the 6th book hints at a journey to come in the 7th book. Every hit fantasy has to have some sort of long journey.

Although I adore LOTR and have read the books at least three times and own the entire extended DVD edition, which I've seen even more times, the fantasy novels that are keenly tied to my adolescence is Mercedes Lackey's Herald Mage Trilogy. I didn't even read LOTR or Harry Potter until I was out of High School.

In some ways, I feel Lackey's books shaped my ideas of multi-culturalism and sexual identity. The main protagonist is GAY, and I read this first while in elementary school. How forbidden of me. Like Harry Potter, Lackey's books are just as easily read by an adult as a fourth grader.

mom's korma

So here's my first recipe giveaway. Eight other people who ate it last night can't be wrong. Chicken korma, this is probably a low fat variety than the type you would find at an Indian restaurant. Also my measurements of spices are imprecise, but somehow I get it right :) although one noted blogger, may remember my last meal I made where I poured too much salt. Anyway, I'm an intuitive cooker, so if it starts looking too dry, add water.

1 onion, diced
1/2 tsp of coriander
1/2 tsp of cumin
cayenne to taste
1/2 cup of blended ginger, onion, and garlic (this can't be powder, it has to be freshly grounded in a blender or food processor; equal parts each)
1 cup of plain yogurt
3 lbs of boneless skinless chicken breasts, in chunky cubes


Saute the chopped onion in oil or butter (1 tbsp). Add spices to cook in with the onions. Once the onion is clear, pour in the ginger/garlic/onion masala, simmer for 10 minutes. Add in chicken, when it starts to simmer, lower the heat. Stir in the yogurt, cook until chicken is done. If the curry gets too dry, add in water while cooking.

Serve with rice.
Serves 10 people.

For a salad beforehand, I recommend Whole Food's Apricot Feta Green Salad.

missing the boat

Once again, when it comes to Islam and understanding, Westerners are completely missing the boat. Case in point: this NY Times article on An Islamic Alienation. I don't buy the premise that Western culture is so at odds with whatever 'Islamic culture' they are talking about that creates disenfranchised angry underemployed Muslims who then want to fill a rucksack with explosives and blow themselves up at King's Cross tube station.

Fact is England and the European countries are different in their treatment of Muslims but not better. Note: why hasn't the United States had an attack by American Muslims? Okay, I may be jinxing/knocking on wood here, but why hasn't it happened? And why does the 9/11 commission report even explicitly say that Mohammad Atta's radicalization occurred not in Saudi Arabia but in Belgium, where he went to school?

England has little communities of immigrants, Muslim and other's who are kept separate from society. Western europe is probably worse, hate to say it, but Germans are into keeping themselves 'German,' and the Italians are bent on keeping themselves 'Italian.' There really is no hyphenation, like American-Bengali ... its not a melting pot or a mosaic. With that there's little opportunity to rise. Little reason to break out of community. But then where do the youth go, and what can they do?

I'm not saying that its the fault of Western countries, to some extent there is a level of fearing to break out of a community on the part of immigrants, but its not lopsided where all the blame for this lies.

tony williams

I did not uphold my civic duty yesterday afternoon when I saw Mayor Tony Williams shopping at the P St Whole Foods. Too engrossed in selecting a basmati rice, it did not occur to me to risk being scrutinized by his buddy as he shopped in the cereal aisle. DCist has been wondering if Mr. Williams will run for a 3rd term. Otherwise, at the risk of showing how clueless I am about DC politics, I was self congratulating myself for actually recognizing a politician.

anonymous

Is blogging entering the phase of aggressive driving? Although it's not difficult to trace a person's identity on a blog, does the removal of yet another personal level lead bloggers to be careless? I'm not faulting particular bloggers in general. But I'm reminded of when e-mail became widely used. I had an English teacher who was notorious for firing out e-mails too quickly without cooling it a bit. A lot of people have difficulty confronting someone face-to-face, it's a bit easier on the phone, a lot easier on instant messenger and e-mail, and now there's web logs. If you have a grudge against someone at work, isn't it just too easy to write a post and then not worry about it? There are cautionary tales however, for example bloggers who were fired from work. And then there are times blogging takes the form of personal revenge.

It reminds me of aggressive driving. The anonymity of being in a car, acting out the day's frustrations, cutting off people, driving too fast, and recklessly. So rules for blogging? I found this helpful.

not meant to be

a whiny post, can't get my car to rent. Annoyingly, everytime I talk to Advance Car Rental, the date moves back from when it is available. In the intial call I was told it wouldn't be available for my birthday, after sending the requisite proof of insurance and driver's license in hopes I could book partly through labor day, my phone call was greeted with news of unavailability that weekend as well. Now two days later, after they told me they'd call me and never did, I call them and am told the cars are booked through October ... that typically they contract these cars out to government or corporations for months! AAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrghghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! By the time that car comes back, it will be too cold to put the top down and take it to Skyline Drive! They tell me I can rent their luxury sedans ... do I look like I have kids in the care of a nanny in my posh Great Falls home? Maybe I should wait until I got to California where every rental place, including Budget has them? But not this year.

Oh well, the gods telling me I have spent my money on enough. Somehow I knew getting an SL 55 for $350/day was too good to be true.

A bar I like

No freaking way!!! Yes, I was please to discover not only the smoke-free Marty's in Capitol Hill, but also that Heritage India on Connecticut has a great happy hour (don't believe the WP reader's comments on Marty's, the owner came up to my friend and I, and brought our drinks to us on the house). As for Heritage: $4 Smirnoff martini's (their specialty is the Melon Drop) and a 1/2 priced appetizer menu, which consists entirely of their Indian 'street vendor' tapas-like menu. Also their mango lassi, not sugary sweet but creamy with a hint of condensed milk is quite good, although my favorite is still Indique's. Normally in the summer I don't want the additional heat of South Asian cooking, but in a lovely restaurant, with little cigarette smoke, quiet enough that I'm not going hoarse from talking to my companion, and a menu that does not have the typical quesadillas and buffalo wings, I can make an exception.

Almodovar

Recently I saw a Pedro Amodovar film, "Bad Education." Enjoying his previous film "Talk to Her," I thought this I would really like this film, and even though it was entertaining, I wasn't crazy about it, not as much as "Talk to Her." I've noticed Almodovar starts his films with a really slow buildup--lots of character development, which is why I like his movies, and then accelerates the plot (usually with a twist ending) by the last fourth of the movie.

1/2 week of summer

Yesterday afternoon I went to Carderock for my official rockclimbing PATC outing. And a load of fun it was. If you've been looking for a consistent group of people to go climbing with, I think I might've found a solution. And here's the boring part for most readers, the climbing log: Climbed beginner's face twice, the second time doing a down climb, quite fun, climbed X, down climbed and X then started Sterling Crack, but lost my arms near the top. Attempted Herbie's Horror and after sleeping for 11 hours today, I am dreadfully sore.

summer is here!

Last Thursday I celebrated the beginning of my summer, hehe, yes the last graduate course of the summer, when I get a whopping three weeks, one of which I have to work seven nights straight, culminating in about 25 hours of overtime. I guess money for me, eh? It also coincided with my birthday which is shortly coming up. I made a lot of promises myself, for example, the car and uh, that's all I can really remember. Right now I don't think Advance Car Rental is impressed with the credit line on my American Express. They're booked until after Labor Day!

Otherwise I celebrated by going to Cafe St. Ex, indulging in sweet potato fries, a glass of Grenache and a fried green tomato BLT. The BLT is definitley worth going on a diet for, temporarily of course, sandwiched between ciabatta is crispy applewood smoked bacon and gooey cheddar cheese. It drips onto the napkin on your lap. Mmmmm.

Friday I went to see The Raid, great story okay movie. Military buffs will like it, as will SAR people, the group I went with. Saturday morning, ignoring the heat advisory, I went climbing. Knocked out Bird's Nest, and flailed on Eagle's Nest. Decided the rest of the weekend would be best spent in A/C.

Otherwise what does a girl do when she doesn't have to worry about studying? I'm planning my next meal for my colleagues. My bike is in the shop, boo hoo, and going to happy hours without having a drink. I suppose now would be an excellent time to write up my review of Ceiba. Which, I liked. I like that I could choose any entree off the menu during Restaurant Week.

My sister had the shrimp ceviche, quite tasty. I has the special, a mushroom bisque of sorts with a dollop of crab meat. My mom had the Salmon taco, quite tasty fish. I got the pumpkin seed encrusted tilapia. The creole sauce reminded me of curry sauce, but the sweet plantain mash was quite tasty. The chocolate coffee cuban cake is to DIE for. Order it, if its the only thing you get at Ceiba. I think if I went back I would definitley aim for another soup, and spring for the mushroom again if they had it. The place is heavy on seafood. I have to admit, I'm not one hundred percent sold on Latin/Caribbean cuisine yet. Although Merkado has a made an impression on me.

restless

Mountaineers are crazy. In high school I went through an obsession of reading true stories of adventure. Like many I was captivated by Krakauer's Into Thin Air and Into the Wild. What makes someone go into a stratosphere deprived of oxygen, where vision deterioriates, and you face the 80% chance of death? I'm not sure why one needs to take adventure to that extreme.

Years ago, my family took a trip a out west, flew into Salt Lake City and then drove 4 hours into the desert to Brian Head, in Utah's Southwest. After spending a week there, exploring the nearby Cedar Breaks NM, Arches NP, Bryce Canyon NP, Grand Canyon NP, Mesa Verde NP, and Zion NP, we drove our rented Isuzu Rodeo up to Idaho, to stay 20 miles away from the Yellowstone Park entrance, and Grand Teton. While there I made a promise to do the following things:

• Canyoneer in Zion's Virgin river
• Backpack Arches NP
• Hike to the bottom of Grand Canyon, raft down the Colorado, and then take a donkey back up
• Backpack in Yellowstone
• Climb Grand Teton's Cathedral mountains

Anyone up for adventure next fall?

water works

I'm not a chic who likes to admit having emotions. But I have them. But I wondered if everyone at National Airport thought I was a bit mean looking, trying to avoid watching my mom start sobbing as my sister and her held on to eachother. My sister started to tear to. Believe me I was on the verge. I just didn't think I would help my sister much by bawling, and I had already gotten a $40 ticket in the drop off zone. She was going off to South Africa for the next two years for a Peace Corps stint.

When I went to England to see two of my cousins wed, I bawled. My male cousins thought it was hysterical. I can't even remember why such grief came over me. Something about that wedding was awfully sad and touching. Watching my uncle escort his daughter, a harsh looking patriarch, with tears streaming down his face.

Also last year when my ex and I ended it for good, my friends told me I was holding up really well. What they didn't know was that most weekend morning I was sobbing into my pillow and whenever I found myself alone in my new apartment, not knowing what else to do, I would cry as well, that lasted for maybe 5 months.

Vineyards

pelligrini
Originally uploaded by ScelestiX.

On a nicer weekend ...

1/4

So I won't be 24 come in less than a couple weeks and I need to change my banner (its has 24 on it for some reason). I suppose I could look at it as 24 hours or something, but I think its time for a change. And here's another post I thought about last night, and didn't put up:

still finds me attractive in spectacles:feeling underdressed next to his suit
laughs easily: slaps his knee a lot
feel natural around: censor my speech
easy going evening: can't sleep b/c thinking about him too much
makes fun of fiction: makes fiction
feel confident about introducing him to my friends: worry about introducing him to my friends
calls me for a date: e-mails me two hours after we were supposed to meet for a date
can tell what's on his mind: can't tell what's on his mind
nervous on the first date: confident or egotistical on the first date?
feels more like a brother than a boyfriend: feels like he'll hurt me in the end

days off

Sun
Originally uploaded by ScelestiX.

One Friday, last month, a good friend and I eased through the mad rush hour traffic, content that we would be floating, flying, skipping, with cool breezes on the water. I thought to myself, I could get used to not working. Especially seeing the stressed out faces on commuters stuck in Alexandria.

on

Friday I drank too much. It's typically what happens when I have a weekend off these days, I get completely shit-faced like a 16 year old at someone's house when the rents are gone. Usually I schedule rockclimbing the next morning. And usually its a good way to sweat out the hang over. But today hurt, oh I so hurt. My hip joints are crazy popping.

I have one more weekend before I pull my disappearing act again. On other news (skip if you're bored my climbing lingo), I found out hangover or not, not climbing for two weeks seriously deteriorates my forearms. Or should I do a warm up before tackling my nemesis? Everyone says its difficult, but they can complete it, but I can't. Even delivery room gave me trouble after I completely maxed out my forearms. Amazingly enough I'm doing the layback better but getting used to the cracks is not good for my typical favorites, the nubble face climbs (which are fine I guess with the help of a few flakes). My grip has also deterioriated. Hopefully next weekend I'll be practicing attaching anchors for a go at sport climbing.

The last time I went climbing I also gardened, we did a chimney for a beginner climb in the Cornice area. As the first person to go up the chimney, I found it was over grown with thorns, so I spent a decent part of the time pulling them out with only a bandana wrapped about my hands. The cornice roof however still remains my nemesis.

dare you to stalk me

BIGGEST PURCHASE THUS FAR (grad school doesn't count)!!! I'M FINALLY GOING TO THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE!!!!

Tue Dec-13-2005
Washington DC (IAD)Depart to London (LHR)
3672 mi(5910 km)Duration: 7hr 5mn

London (LHR)Depart to Delhi (DEL)
4169 mi(6709 km)Duration: 8hr 15mn

Wed Dec-28-2005
Delhi (DEL)Depart to Dubai (DXB)
1360 mi(2189 km)Duration: 3hr 45mn
Dubai (DXB)Depart to Johannesburg (JNB)
4022 mi(6473 km)Duration: 8hr 20mn

Wed Jan-11-2006
Johannesburg (JNB)Depart 8 to London (LHR)5640 mi(9077 km)
Duration: 11hr 0mn
London (LHR) to Washington DC (IAD)

sweet potatoes stood up

I was going to post something like this last night, but today I decided not to:

In this day in age with the many communication tools we have it makes absolutely no sense. This is surely chutzpah for my thinking I could actually have a dating life while being a graduate student and working full time (and only a week away from a final).
1. There's a phone, EVERYWHERE, call me and if you don't have a really good excuse, make one up, it'll help me feel better, I could be worrying that your sorry ass has been abducted by aliens.
2. We made plans an hour before!!! What could've happened???

But I'd rather talk about my favorite vegetable: sweet potatoes (if you count tomatoes as fruit):

Maybe you don't remember my quest for local homegrown festival hand cut sweet potato fries, only to be sorely disappointed, I discovered two joints that serve sweet potato fries within walking distance: P St. Bistro and St. Ex.

P St. Bistro Cafe has sort of flat, I think slightly coated double fried sweet potatoes
Cafe St. Ex has thin sweet potato fries

Neither are the festival variety I was looking for, but I can't cry about the P St. ones because they were donated by the table next to us when we were a bit conspicuous about staring at them. I like P St., I ordered a sandwich though, and I'm not really a sandwich person. It was the steak sandwich, although fine, wasn't exactly something to order again ... needed spice. But regardless its a great neighborhood joint to have a casual dinner with a girlfriend and catch up with gossip, etc.

girl women

Having heard much about the Cleveland Park Men's Club, I decided to peruse their website. For a sampling ...

Women vs. Girls

From a man’s perspective there are two types of available females: Women and Girls. At a certain point in his maturation, a man realizes that the latter category is an utter waste of his time, while the former category is rare and worth doing virtually anything to find and to keep, to have and to hold....

THIS IS A GIRL... A Girl
possesses a combination of several of the following characteristics.
OVER-CONCERNED WITH : UNDER-CONCERNED WITH'
Her Manicure : A Cure for Breast Cancer
Her Shoe Collection : Her Collected Works
Shopping : Living
Sitcom Plot Lines : Political Plot Lines
Being Skinny : Being Genuine ....

THIS IS A WOMAN...
A Woman possesses a combination of several of the following characteristics.
SHE IS : SHE IS NOT
Independent : Trying to Be a Man’s Dependent
Confident : Seeking Men to Bolster Confidence
Passionate About Something: Passionate Only for a Lover
Capable of Loving a Man : Capable of Loving a Man’s Title
Mature Enough to Be a Mom : Simply Capable of Being a Mother
Genuine : Putting on a Show to Catch a Man
Sincere : Playing Games to Test a Man
Longing for Love : Seeking Only Romantic Trappings
Self-Aware : Only Aware of Her

I find it ironic because I don't think most men would know a woman if she hit him over the head. Generally these are the men who think they'll find the 'one' at a bar or something. But Bureauqette, don't you go clubbing? Yah to dance with girlfriends in nice big circle, elbowing and shoving male interlocutors.

But ya know it got me thinking, I don't think it's so much the difference between women and girls, because I see the same difference between boys and men, if you can call it that. Really it comes down to experience and maturity. I've only had two boyfriends to speak of and they shared similiar backgrounds: parents still together, stay at home mom, private school education, good colleges, professionals. When I asked what was the worst time of their life, their response might have been something that was no doubt tough for them, but I think in the realm of childhood, experiences that were not particularly extreme or uncommon. I'm not going to say my childhood was worse or better than anyone else's, but there's a difference between people who've had to be decision makers in their families, and been part of the process of severe life changing events. There are other people who've had near perfect childhoods, one that anyone would want for their children. Although those are the people I find have a sunny rosy view of life, care not for health risks or other small disasters because although they've been preached about it, they have not experienced the vagaries of life.

So what about girls and women? How about immature versus mature applying to both sexes?

prudes

So tomorrow is my sister's birthday and in celebration she decided my mom and I are heading to Ceiba for lunch (as it is restaurant week). If I get the chance, I'll scope out the restaurant reviews before going, for a clue for what I must order and what I should not. So I'm reading the Washingtonpost reader's comments and I realize DC is full of prudes:

"you must try the Shrimp C***tail, but beware"

"asking for a c***tail menu is a criminal"

"excellent c***tails,"

I looked at Ceiba's spirits menu and there is no "c***tail."
Say it with me COCKtails, yes COCK!
Enough juvenile humor for now.

ny wine

In Long Island, at least according to my taste buds are better than some Virginia wines. Most of the vines are still young, and a lot of the bottles are overpriced. By the 2nd round of tastings I'm happy enough to handing my debit card over to purchase (over the course of a day) 6 bottles of wine which are now sitting in my car trunk. Anyway, here's the synopsis of my little wine tour through Long Island's North Fork, I didn't take notes during the trip so you're not going to hear anything about 'a floral nose' with 'a peppery kick':

Jamesport--They ignored us for the first 5 minutes. One guy served customers who came in after us before asking us if we had been helped. I didn't buy anything there. Their chardonnay is passable. Also my best-friend's sister who just got a job there was asked out by the manager, after rejecting him, he told her not to come to work.

Pellegrini Vineyards-Has probably one of my favorite Chardonnays (2003 Pellegrini Chardonnay)-faily medium-bodied. I'm trying to appreciate white wine again after solely drinking reds. Its so much better for a cool drink in the summer. I bought a Cabernet Sauvignon (2000 Pellegrini Cabernet Sauvignon) too, also pretty tasty. Pellegrini also boasts one of the most picturesque vineyards.

Castello di Borghese (Hargrave)- Oldest vineyard on the North Fork. I'm a sucker for French wines (particularly Medocs and Bordeaux) and these guys make their wines with the same techniques. I splurged again on their 2000 Meritage, which is a Bordeaux-like blend--tasty although must save for special occasions since it cost me $45 bucks (no more wine shopping till I hit South Africa and can buy them for cheap!!!). Also I quite liked their Pinot Noir, which after being completely turned off by the pretentiousness of its pedestal placing in Sideways, I gave another chance (most due to a newly met friend who was disappointed by my Spanish wine-heavy collection).

Bedell - Excellent table wines, both the Main Road Red and Main Road White. Pretty labels too!

queen madness

nyc queens 01 Aug 05
Originally uploaded by ScelestiX.

Seven hours of driving from Long Island, NY back to DC. A good hour of that was stuck on Belt Expressway in Queens for a quarter mile. I almost wished I had my bike still in my car trunk. Anyway, I was somewhat amused and delighted that people still use SUV's to go 'off road.' Man, forget gas is $2.50 in most places, traffic is just too gnarly!!! Whatev...

My Echo can do that too, I just really wasn't sure how to navigate back to Verrazano Bridge off the expressway.

quarter of a century

sl 55 AMG
Originally uploaded by ScelestiX.

Now, this is something some people have observed me doing while within view of this luscious gorgeous beauty of a car. Something akin to salivating, drooling, gushing, cooing, and possibly showing symptoms of suppressing a very public orgasm all at the same time.

A few years ago I decided that no matter what, I was going to shell out for this car for one day of pleasure, just me and this car. Take it off to the mountains. Just me and this car above the pastures of Virginia, playing my favorite music, hiking boots thrown into the trunk, and some really good music, to celebrate having gotten through a quarter century of life.

Well that event is about to approach and for the past month I've been searching for a leasor of this car. It has been found, for (croak) $799/day.

Imagine my reaction actually driving this .... uhh uh uhhh aaauuuuugh (haha, j/k)

Well anyway, I've tried to illustrate my reaction to this car, is it worth it??? Reader's poll ... is it?

steal u and me

It was awesome ...

28 Jul Thievery Corporation
Originally uploaded by ScelestiX.

I admit, I was nervous, how do I dress or react to an outfit (can't really call them a band) that brought lounge music to mid town, got so big they were featured in (ok indie flick) "Garden State," and too large and have to perform in one of DC's hot live act venues, the 9:30 Club????

Do I wear jeans, t-shirt, and sneakers, or do deck it like I'm going clubbing? Do I dress like a Paul Oakenfold night at the Nation? Or do I put on my black painter's cap and chain link belt???

Once these guys hit the stage there was no question. Pulling reggae, psychedelic, bossa, jazz, house, sitar, Latin American, and Parisian influences out of their bag, they finished off their second set. They weren't playing to put you in a mood to buy martini's at their home club, 18th St Lounge, chill out and hit the hashsisha, but they were rocking you to dance, dance, dance. For an encore, they pulled almost all the ladies in the front onto the stage.

This weekend they are pretty much taking over 9:30 Club, all the shows have been sold out, but I noticed people selling them outside the doors, if you haven't gone, not too late. Definitely uber fun, uber cool vibe, ensuring Washington can leave its musical mark, Thievery Corporation is very District of Columbian.

hosed

When one goes from working nights (9 PM to 5 AM) and then back to 5 AM to 5 PM ... I'm too old for this. In protest, my body contracted a killer virus that kept me home for two days.

Otherwise, I got to explore The Breadline. On their receipt I noticed they had their website. Which makes absolutely no sense to me. This website has nothing to do with marketing, instead it seems to be some managerial tool between the employees. Not really a way to attract customers.

alive

I am still ... emerging from the hell that is weekend and night duty and trying to figure out if I still have friends. Anything interesting to report???

Having Monday night off, I discovered Cafe Citron is open and dancing does commence, at least until 2 AM or something; and then I think the only 24 hour places are Ben's Chilli Bowl and The Diner.

Stick to anything but fish and red meat at Rose Mexicano.

Sushi Ko is very tasty, still Sushi Taro is my favorite.

Jewelry show!!!! How could I forget? I ended up buying two pieces: the most heavy chandelier earring (looked very SE Asian) and a chain link choker reminiscent of Queen Nefertiti, now I have to go shopping for a whole new outfit. I believe the host of the party (a male) discovered the secret to having a party with many beautifully dressed hot women, host a jewelry show fete! After about 2 hours, some other males got wind of this event and came to scope out ... jewelry.

Even during a heat wave, Great Falls (VA side) still has climbing in the shade and the river breeze keeps the air slightly less humid and cool. Attempted Cornice again, my nemesis!

escorts

I've become quite proficient at somehow ending up paying for really expensive meals on 'dates' for guys. Let me tell you, the reverse definitley does not work. Nor is it working well for my checkbook.

weekends

Chopingal said it straight. Although I've probably had more estrogen in my world the past few weeks than ever before, and I thought all I wanted was to interact with the male of the species, I quickly changed my mind after this weekend.

In his generous earnestness, a friend's ex was going to set me up with his buddy, which I had no knowledge of beforehand. I greeted this news an hour before we went to Agua with trepidation. I appreciate my friends efforts to alleviate what they perceive to be my lack of dating life and loneliness, but between work and school, and reminding my friends and family that I'm still alive with a timely visit, I have no desire for the added pressure of dating. Maybe what angered me the most about my friend's ex was his attempt to make me into something I'm not. I frankly did not plan to spend my evening sitting like a bump on a chair pandering to their intellect and rehashing my college and graduate international relations theory classes or talk about paintings. I wanted to dance. You wanted to see me lively? Get on the freakin' dance floor and don't make comments about me being too laid back when I just want to quench my thirst and endure your company for the duration of the drink.

Also, even though I've never had the pleasure of extended companionship with a politico, or those who thinks its fun to talk politics at a bar, I know why I don't want to spend my evenings off with them. Frankly when I'm at work and school, my brain works very hard, and I purposefully shut it down whenever I get the chance and would rather ponder whether Brad cheated on Jennifer with Angelina than talk about how GM has taken over the world, or how many celebrities someone has been seen with, or try to ponder the feminist ramifications of 'American Psycho.' Although I must admit, it make me laugh a little inside when I see how people get so animated by these topics ... oh the passion, even though they're not going to do anything to change it.

Also I'm not keen on guys who don't want me to tell it how it is, if I were back in ancient times, they'd expect to me play a harp, do a dance, sing a song, quote something out of a book of poems, and then lay me afterwards. So when I said "Caddyshack sucked," you just have to take it.

I had good points this weekend though: climbing in good company Sunday afternoon, enjoying the laughter of a guy who thought my derision of political talk was funny, dancing at Agua, and another friend's bbq where thankfully all the company wanted to do was talk about planning our next adventure. I don't watch sports, I play them, I don't talk books, I read them, I don't talk artists, I view/hear them, I don't talk EPA policies, I enjoy what natural lands we still have ... blah blah blah blah blah ....

mother

My parents like to put the fear of God into me, for example, I got a call from my mom Wednesday night telling me she feared for me because of a stabbing that happened five blocks from me. A freakish act of violence. Freakishly enough, at that time I was probably walking outside just a few blocks south on my way home from Foggy Bottom. I remember some guy behind me and I kept watching him out of the corner of my eye, making sure I took streets with other people and heavy traffic. Yesterday's events certainly overcame the violence of the act on Tuesday night. Although I didn't feel like going out, I did anyway. Not going to let terrorists stop me from enjoying my life.

I enjoyed it so much I got up this morning and found my legs and arms were sore, from dancing with girls at 18th Street Lounge, barefoot, and almost in the rain.

weeping

London is my sister, brother 1/2 of my family city. I walked in the rain home and thought about how crises brings out the worst in everyone, those who can only stomp their feet, bang their hands against furniture, yell at people, be inconsiderate to people, and make you realize who cares for you and who does not. Makes you realize who's in denial, who will cry, and those who will ask and show concern. I admit I cried intermittently through work. Had this attack happened in Egypt or when it happened in Spain on 3/11 I did not weep. But I have brothers and sisters in London, two of whom barely exited two tube stations that were affected by this morning's explosions. I had seen them wed one summer in London, and heard their pains and joys. Ma'shallah, they were safe, healthy and unharmed. It was a near call for them, and others were not so fortunate.

I saw Bush in stern proud stance behind Blair as they condemned the attacks as 'barbaric.' Then came the anger. Anger at Bush for going to war in Iraq, creating a quagmire, and possibly making the U.S. and our allies less safe. I was angry at Blair for going along with Bush and being what my British brothers and sisters call him, a 'poodle.' Bush's poodle.

I wanted to wring the necks of those who perpetrated the attacks, find them and execute every dirty martial arts maneuver I knew through my 12 years of training on them with my bare hands, my il ee bong (nun chucks), shangai sword, bo staff, cane, sai, belt, uniform ... and so on. Bastards, fucking hell bastard that give Islam a bad name and kill innocents for a cause they will never achieve (if we ever figure it out).

Anyway, its martini time.

bengali in DC

Cuisine that is? Forget it, unless you get an elusive and rare invitation from me for dinner or know Bengali families, the closest you'll come is Brick Lane in London's Aldgate. Buuuuuut ... you could go to Chinatown and check out Burma Restaurant. Yes, the review is written by someone who's never probably had Bangladeshi cuisine so when they described Burmese food, they described it in terms of Chinese, Thai, Vietnamese, and Cambodian food. What they forget is that Myanmar borders Bangladesh (the only other country besides India) and particularly in the seafood dishes, the taste of another drenched water-logged and silty river delta country come to mind. I had the recommended tea leaf salad, which is actually more like a dressing on shredded cabbage, very tasty refreshing, and light. My mother got the fish curry, a salmon steeped in tamarind, ginger, and other spices. We also got some fish broth soup, which I didn't like very much, but my mother claimed it was made from shutki, which is sundried fish (a famous and rather smelly delicacy in Bangladesh). Also there was the coconut cake, which was much like besbusa, another favorite of my family, made from cream of wheat. And this place was cheap! Lunch for my mom and I was less than $25 (both of us, not each). This place gets packed at lunch, recommend going early.

anti-histamines

Don't do them. Drunk at work, taking a header through your keyboard, weaving back and forth in the hallways, going into near tachycardia after two shots of espresso to counter the effect. Yeah, worst day ever, funniest day for the colleagues. I might've had rotating black and white swirlies in my eyes, or at least that's what it felt like. Benadryl+4 hours of sleep+Allegra+two shots of espresso=near disaster. Oh the things we do to regulate our sleep, not worth it! I am forever suspicious of pills or pill-shaped things.

wow!

You know I had some amazing posts to write about bad drug interactions and another restaurant review, but today I was pleasantly surprised (and rather super excited), that someone I don't know in the blogosphere recognized me!!! Woohooo! This blog gets readership? What kind of gratification is that? Someone is interested in my life out of billions of people and actually reads about what I think!!! My whinings, rants, raves, blah blah blah. Wow, and all this time I thought the life of a public servant and part-time grad student was uninteresting. Anyway, I was somehow featured in DC Blogs for my restaurant review of Merkado (which was commented on by Dave Winer--the owner of the DC Eat Well Restaurant Group) ... anyway, that's my exciting news ... besides the random anonymous comments I get about iPod headphones or my pain-in-the-ass cat.

outrunning

Happy Independence Day all!!! Before work I decided to bike down to the Smithsonian's Folklife Festival on the mall and see the Oman exhibit. I made an untimely detour and sat down for some kabob. After when I attempted to navigate through Constitution Ave. the parade had already started. Asking a bunch of cops where I could cross, they told me I had to wait until the parade was over. Realizing they would not sympathize with my need to get to work in 45 minutes, I went to the next cop, hoping she'd know where the parade ends and where I could cross Constitution. One cop suggested I try to outrun the parade and cut in front of them. So I started pedaling, thankfully they hadn't reached 17th yet and I was able to cross in front of the parade, my ears perked for the sounds of sirens or a stern order from a police officer ... yeah made it to work on time ...

This has been my second recent time spending Independence Day in DC. I have vague memories as a child twirling sparklers on the Mall while my parents lounged on blankets. A few years ago, my mom got rooftop tickets on the Francis Perkins Building (Department of Labor Headquarters--which has a clear view of Capitol Hill) and gave them to my uncle and some cousins. We actually drove into the city to find parking, watching awesome fireworks two blocks from the Capitol and then spent 4 hours trying to get back home.

I thought about standing on top of the garage at work to see the display, but it wasn't the same without friends or family. So I decided to hop in my car and saw most of the fireworks while trying to avoid revelers who would suddenly swerve in and out of the shoulders on 295, trying to make up their mind if they wanted to stop or go. Figuring my usual exit would be closed I tried the exit before and ended up on Independence Avenue, practically underneath the display, my world was lit up in champaign, green, and blue ... until I realized the 12th St tunnel was not closed and made some illegal turns to get back onto it. I heard the finale while in the tunnel, and crossed Constitution the second time that day north bound just as the cars started moving again. My window used to have a view of the monument. On the eve of the Inauguration I was awoken by the sounds of explosions, I looked outside and saw fireworks from the general direction of the White House. Now there's an almost finished apartment building blocking that view.

harris teeter

I walked into the Harris Teeter in Ballston off Glebe Road. I felt like I walked into the Charlottesville Harris Teeter. Post-grad frat boys and sorority girls clogging the aisles, young couples in gym shorts and t-shirts, girl-friends convincing boyfriends to buy ice cream. I was too eager to return my predominantly gay quirky ethnically heterogeneous neighborhood Whole Foods.

a beautiful weekend

1. Camelback leaks
2. Rope in knots after throwing down--takes forever to get untangled
3. Climbing buddy can't figure out how her harness got screwed up
4. Can't begin a climb done before
5. Bang my knee
6. Bathe in sweat while climbing
7. Sore from paddling out of dead spots on the Shenandoah river while tubing
8. Sunburnt in harness leg strap area so lowering and stopping someone falling is painful
9. Wimp out on a nubby face (usually my favorite type of climb)

Lesson Learned: Climb before going tubing.

merkado

P Street is only a couple blocks from me (technically three if you count Rhode Is. Avenue) and I've watched the pre-theater dinner places crop up across from Whole Foods. I'm rather disappointed they are not open for lunch (but they are for weekend brunch!). But I finally stepped into Merkado, which bills itself as Latin American and Asian fusion. Its very tasty and now my new favorite local restaurant. Local for Logan Circle, Zaytinya's is still my favorite in the city.

My friends and I first decided to split a bunch of small dishes, and an entree. Well this restaurant doesn't serve American sized portions ... unless you're dieting, you can order an appetizer, salad, entree, and desert for one person and not feel like you've completely pigged out. Also pleasantly surprising was the bill. At less than $40 a person including alcoholic beverages, the place was a steal. Well anyway, I had the most heavenly white tuna sashimi with a sake-miso reduction and truffles ... to DIE for, raw scallops, very simply garnished and tasting very fresh, chile rellenos was good but personally I still prefer Rose Mexicano's version with the raisins. We also later ordered quesedillas, better than the average (I'm not a quesedilla person), and for entrees, the halibut on a salad of mango, tomato, mint, and other yummy stuff, some fine silky fish. Hungry we ordered another entree of seared ahi tuna with bok choy, shitake, and wasabi mashed potatoes. My sister told me JMU would serve wasabi mashed potatoes, man if those were anything like what they served at merkado, I'd be taking them away from the dining hall to squirrel away in my refrigerator. A tasty well seasoned Ahi tuna, the amazing thing it was marinated without actually being cooked through the inside, which is quite amazing.

Anyway, there's my plug for Merkado kitchen. It's tasty, and serves one of the most amazing martinis I've ever had, a sake infused with black currant and pear ... refreshing actually.

credits

Not that I'm counting them!!! But I am nervous about the paper I turned in for my class. The instructor thought I was smart, and I'm afraid I'll disappoint with my treatise on ETA and Spain, she will see through the pretty words I used and see how uninterested I was in the topic. Another class starts Tuesday. But that's okay.

sick

oh how sick you are of the never ending saga that Tom & Katie. I stumbled upon this article which I thought was quite good and sums up those mixed feelings I have about the whole pairing. Established star picking up the starlet, running the show, and Holmes' outward innocence ... will all this result in making Katie a bitter woman a few years down the line??? Is she a victim of Tom's crazy shenanigans??? We've most paid attention to Tom's weird behavior, but what about Katie???

buzzed

buzzed
Originally uploaded by ScelestiX.

'Man, could you turn the lights down, they are killing our buzz.' ... so how I feel right now.

andalu

is it just me or is that place run by Ukrainians??? I don't remember it being so scrubby two years ago, anything that was 'Moroccan' about it is now stripped away, with plain bulbs in apparently what looks like cheap burlap wall fixtures. The music is not house, it's 'nostalgic.' This now ranks as one of my places now not to go, along with Poly Esther's and Tequila Beach. Dupont is in the weeds. What exactly happened to Cities (you know that place filled with the suits in Adams Morgan)? And what is exactly is going on on the top floor above Heritage India?

This ranks with that alleged wine wholesaler with a fake address.

9 inch hell

You can file this post under drunken and jerks ... I was so mad I walked all the way home (at least 1/2 mile) in 4 inch heels. I gotta respect a guy when he literally steps into my shoes and tries to dance in them ... to understand why I can have the equivalent of 6 drinks in a short amount of time and not fall down ... the pain, the pain through my feet, that only black out oblivion can cure. Yes, girls are crazy, he said it straight. But don't fucking laugh in my face when I tell you I'm black belt in Taekwondo, don't tell me it means nothing, especially after I've kicked you in the face and then twist your arm so bad you won't have full use of your wrist for the next few days. Hey, Mr. Blahnik, you told me you knew Aki do ... well fuck you, I know hap ki do too.

You use that line, "You're so beautiful, you're so hot," don't mean a damn thing when you laugh in my face when I tell you I enjoy beating the jerk out of asses like you. I told you my favorite place is Black Cat, and those people who know me, know I'm a badass ... am I trying to prove it to the readership, the few peope who read this blog? No, but don't insult a girl who's been wearing nine inch hells on her feet with two martinis, scotch, and god knows how much champagne in her.

spice

I actually went to IndeBleu a couple days ago for a real sitdown dinner. The first time I went was to have appetizers and drinks ... I'm still a huge fan of the blackberry mojito. As usual the tuna tartare was good, as was the mushroom stuffed dosa (the Indian version of a burrito). I ordered Tandoori Lamb, my friend ordered veal tenderloins crusted with fennel. Tasty, can't say terribly memorable. Dessert was the tiniest gulab jamun I had ever seen in my life with saffron-cardamom ice cream put through a potato press to make into 'spaghetti.' My friend and I joked about the 'choco sutra.' The waiter must've dislike me because when he asked if anything special had happened that day, I said, 'I got off work.' Maybe he thought I was being a snob. Really we had a few things to celebrate, for instance me actually treating my friend to his birthday dinner two months after the fact and my promotion and raise (nothing to whoop about-your typical gov't promotion and raise--you have to actually try very hard not to get one ... ooh I'm going to hate it when they move to the payband) ... anyway, the meal was good, thankfully they served naan with the meal otherwise I would've run across the street to Chipotle and stuffed my face with a burrito.

admittedly

I am once again blogging profusely to avoid writing my wretched 15 pager on Spain's Response to ETA's Terrorist Activities ... I am so out of love with ETA ... why are they still around? I don't even want to write this pointless paper. But it's just one more class to me getting to the next that will leave me 1 credit shy of being half way done with my master's. Suck it up (to myself).

OBL

Osama bin Laden ... yeah, that dude? Porter Goss reminded us last week that OBL still exists and that he knows where the man is ... he also reminded us all that the CIA is wondering what the freak they'll do once the Director of National Intelligence becomes the intended czar of the intelligence community ... normally I wouldn't touch on my graduate studies, but Wednesday night I found myself raising my voice much louder than usual in my discussion class.

The discussion was on the use of 'targeted killings,' a euphemism for 'assassination.' Several people in the class made the argument that OBL ought to be assassinated for revenge, retribution, and because we're in a freakin' war AGAINST terrorism ... Now I'm no one to say that I wouldn't be happy and do a little dance if the guy ended up dead ... but my argument was, how can you take out a man whose al-Qaida movement rewards martyrdom? Makes saints out of those who die in 'battle?' Who are encouraged by the reward of the afterlife?

Apologies for getting on the soapbox, if anyone reads this I am interest in hearing what YOU think. Will killing OBL make a difference?

knock it out

great_beginnings
Originally uploaded by ScelestiX.

Featuring newly un-virginized pedicured foot over the Great Beginnings climb ... can't see the climb itself too well, but it was cool (from last week). Today I went out and climbed a couple fun routes on Aid Box. The most startling was this toad in a crack who was offended by my reaching into his lair and started croaking almost right next to my ear ... I thought I was going to become a buzzard's dinner!

ala partay

flag_day_fete
Originally uploaded by ScelestiX.

At my spacious penthouse ... not!!! Flash purposefully not used to obscure the identies of those who braved the heat wave to enjoy homemade samosas, which I laboriously made the evening before; platters of antipasto, sushi, cheeses and fruit catered by Whole Foods; killer apple-tini's made by me (featured in the pix), sparkling apple cider, rioja, and white bordeaux :P ... yeah, that's to rub it, rub it deep for those who couldn't come.

pix time!

beach
Originally uploaded by ScelestiX.

Hopefully through the summer I'll see more of the ocean, but not as windy as it appears here with the sand giving free exfoliation treatments and the foaming surf too rabid for wading.

severence

Sometimes I wonder if I could walk away from everything, everyone, and every place (home) that I love and take the flight to a place I've never been and just wander. With a pack on my back, a sleeping bag for the chance I can't find established accommodations, and a beaten passport with three years left on it to fill up with visa & exit/entry stamps. I must admit, my urge to flee the United States to a foreign destination at least once a year is tempered by homy-ness. I attribute it to my ethnic background, which is known for keeping unmarried women living with their parents, considers close family 1st and 2nd cousins and wants less than an hour apart between each relation. A culture in which it's the norm for the bride to cry as she is escorted out by her crying father and uncomfortable-looking new husband on each side as her female relatives bawl hysterically at the end of the wedding reception. A culture where mothers are known to lapse into depression when an offspring flies the nest.

Right now my mother is upset and my father has taken to riding his bicycle in front of our mother's house, begging, pleading for my sister not to go to South Africa for a two year Peace Corps stint. They did this to me when I went to South Korea. This is the second time my sister has endured this, the resilient girl, when she went to Kenya for the summer two years before. I'm not going to even try to think of the hell and anguish I'll bring on them and myself if I am ever selected to go to Iraq or Afghanistan. My sister asked me to do something outrageous to get their attention off her and onto me.

But enough about my family and on a lighter note, I do have a friend who has been wandering through this world, uprooted himself from the trappings of the job, the career, the home, kids and wife, who is missed. Neil.

freak

Because every night I've gone to sleep this week, I've woken up with bites, sometimes in places where elastic from my clothes bunched my skin in sensitive places I shall not mention, I went to CVS in search of an indoor mosquito repellent. I'm not sure how they got into my apartment, I think they must've piggybacked on my pack when I came back from rockclimbing in Great Falls. In the past I've doused myself with DEET before going to bed, but I find that to be a rather unappealing long-term solution, particularly after taking a refreshing shower before I go to bed. Everything and CVS either had to mounted outside, involved burning something, or spraying something. The only thing they had was a portable Sunbeam electronic mosquito repellant which allegedly transmits a sound that can't be detected by human ears but can be heard by pets and insects.

I turned it on and I could actually hear the transmission! Hmm, so I have super human ears ...

swamp love

This is my first summer actually living in DC and I am reminded of something I always try to forget from the last summer ... the itchy red blisters on my skin from the blood sucking denizens of this marble city built over a swamp. For the past three years all my bug bites have not come from my rockclimbing escapades, Shenandoah hiking excursions, or mowing my mother's lawn, but from enjoying Ben'n Jerry's in Dupont Circle, or dining al fresco in downtown for brunch? What the hell??? I thought the pest trade one made when moving from the suburbs to the city was mice for rats, bumblebees for pigeons, and dragonflies for other things. I suppose I should remind my self that the cicadas hit DC pretty hard with their fat clumsy bodies, but I am rather perturbed by the mosquito phenomena.

I HATE getting bitten. I would rather scrape my right arm 10 feet across a quartz-spiked cliff ... at least that'll heal in a couple days. In the past, my bite would swell to ten times their size and burn for a week, sometimes even scar. I went to my doctor and told her I might be allergic. She told me to take Benadryl when I get the bite, take a prescription anti-histamine during the day, and apply a topical steroid to the bite area .... "You're not allergic, just sensitive."

Okaaaaaaay ... yeah not allergic ....

before i forget

I spent this splendid Friday climbing ... yar so what's else is new? And unofficially I suppose my blog has become my rockclimbing journal. Today Mere and I headed to Great Falls on the VA side, tied up Seclusion: Great Beginnings and Snowflake, and something in between. Did I mention I HATE laybacks??? I hate feeling like my shoulders are being pulled out of my sockets! My favorite climbs are face climbs, with the little nubs for handholds and footholds. True, it's more of a balancing act and there's rarely a handhold that lets you wrap your finger around it ... grip tight and use the power of your legs and balance! I've found my male counterparts hate face climbs just as much as I hate cracks.

Great Beginnings is a climb I remember from last summer, but I remember taking the easy way up (literally a steep hike through the mid section) and then copping out at the top when I got to the flat face with cracks (yes it was a layback). Today we went up the way we were supposed to. Involved lots of interesting underhand laybacks and after my second attempt, when I finally gave up on that luscious looking hold for my left foot did I budge up through the face I had given up on last summer. Next we made up something between Great Beginnings and Snowflake ... started with a face climb, got stuck on a roof, swung over, cheated, using a crack traversed and continued climbing. Snowflake was the crack ... my shoulders weren't up for it after 3 layback-heavy climbs, maybe next time. It was fun to swing around though ... like the monkey I am. (I'll have pix too whenever I send my film in).

calluses

I bought sandals, a glittery sequined excuse to shorn my feet of its calluses. Developed for over 12 years through Taekwondo, on hardwood gym floors, vinyl mats, body bags, hand targets, and a few opponent's body parts. I stopped into the Oriental Day Spa ... (which I've always been curious about) on Thomas circle. It was my first pedicure. The lady smiled as she took out the callous shaver and attacked my feet with it. All I could think about was how many people those size 11 gnarly feet had attacked. Good at delivering lightning quick roundhouses to the torso, back kicking fools across the room, and my favorite, swinging my leg high above my head, to bring heel-come-axe on someone's head. Usually a good technique for making my opponent cry. And now I haven't stepped into a do jang since January ... every now and then at the gym, in my apartment hallway, sometimes an empty hallway at work, I'll spring into my sparring stance, bounce bounce lightly, do the roundhouse flurry, followed by the axe, maybe a 360 round, and jump back kick. Once my neighbor's pomeranian caught me and started barking like a banshee.

I'm super proud of my feet, even when dry and cracked. Frankly I think they have a great shape, and a nice size to clobber unwitting fools with. I'm not sure how many times my instep has been broken or ankles sprained. Once or twice they've been slipped out of sandals and massaged by a former 'keeper,' and now they're lacquered, pampered, and feeling a bit naked without their hardened armor ...

mr. & mrs.

Having a Tuesday serve as one's Saturday's means that at a whim, I can ride my bike to the Regal Chinatown theater, buy myself a matinee ticket to a first run movie and not worry about lines or obnoxious people in the theater. I saw Mr. and Mrs. Smith. Being a huge fan of Bonnie and Clyde and Angelina Jolie, I can say the film was entertaining ...

*** spoiler alert***

For a marriage on the rocks all I read in the chemistry between Jane and John was sex, not the stuff I imagine life-long loves are made of. In fact there was no mention of love, not even after they made up. There was very little character development ... no building of a love story like Bonnie and Clyde, there was just the first time they met where after getting drunk they have sex, and then fastforward 5-6 years into the future, beat the crap out of eachother and then have make-up sex. Also I wasn't satisfied with the ending. If they turn on the enemy that set them against each other, all they did was apparently shoot down an entire mercenary army that was very bad at aiming at two obvious targets in the middle of a home retail salesroom. So where did they go after the firm? Maybe it was just an excuse to watch two hot bodies shoot it out. And you can't make it tragic by having them die in each other's arms. They're bad asses, assassins. But even these assassins have hearts that don't melt and its about killing and fucking.

Now don't get me wrong, I have no problem with sex. But maybe I'm a hopeless romantic and I keep thinking that somewhere actual courtship is alive. I don't get this going out with a group of friends and hooking up, and I don't get this dating someone just because they are a 'nice person.' Of course don't listen to me. I've been single, celebrated the one year anniversary on Memorial Day weekend. Maybe I'm willing to wait years to feel like I've been hit by tsunami, just because someone who made my knees turn to runny butter looked at me a certain way.

an ode

to my favorite beverage, the martini!!! Some have scoffed at me when I mentioned getting ridiculously drunk off of cosmopolitans and sour apple martini's. To them anything less than the classic or vodka martini was not really worth the wide cone shaped glass it came in. Well I discovered I make flat-on-your-back sour apple martini's. I don't let it sit in the ice ... I swirl just to chill the vodka and schnapps ... and then I pour and hand to some lucky friend a green bomb in a glass.

my saturday night

aka your Tuesday night. I threw a girl's only housewarming, overdue for my place (but not after a year). How fun it was. Pictures will follow. As for those who said couldn't they'd come and didn't, I'll let you make it up to me :)

alalalala ... the fun thing about living in dc, a resident of a fun young building, willing to party any night, Tuesday night. After most went to bed to responsibly cure hangovers or get to bed to get work on time the next day, I went out to 18th Street Lounge and Cafe Citron. Danced danced danced. Had plenty of brie, prosciutto, and samosas for a late night snack. I also remembered why I don't like dancing with guys ... one I'm horrible at following (must be the independent streak), the second must be because I hate for you to feel how sweaty I am and how hard I really worked to look that good on the dance floor.

80 samosas

To celebrate my temporary return to the civilization of 'day job-bers' I made 40 potato and pea samosas, and 40 ground turkey filled samosas. Besides my Bengalized Lebanese meatballs, this was definitely one of the more laborious kitchen-scapades I've committed myself too. Thank god I bought the pastry dough rather than make it myself. I worried all week that I wasn't going to be able to make these things, that they'd fall apart in my wok after spending hours crafting each one by hand. Right now they're chilling in fridge, ready to be heated up in a couple hours in the oven ... too bad I forgot the tamarind sauce.

black out

Part of the numerous purchases I make in-between semesters, I also purchased black out window treatments. Working the graveyard shift and having to go to bed at ridiculous times during the day I desperately needed them. I have one huge window in my condo facing South, which means constant light from fake dawn to twilight.

But black out window treatments really do work, maybe too well ... my body was so convinced it was the middle of the night that when I woke up at 12:30 PM (not AM), I promptly went back to sleep and didn't wake up until 3 PM.

moi on prejudice

050606 naz prejudice
Originally uploaded by ScelestiX.

Before I nearly fainted later in the day from too much sun ... knocked this one out like a salamander. Should've followed Mere's lead afterwards and hung out in the shady trees above us.

5.10

050606 prejudice
Originally uploaded by ScelestiX.

The sun was definitley against humans Sunday morning on this face. The climb in the pix above was a nice length so it make you feel like you worked it. However with the unforseen consquences of becoming delirious from the heat and the insanity of having the water right next to you ... I was only able to get part way up this face.

sith

Last night in an effort to start my staying up late marathon, I went to go see Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith. I was a bit late on the ball game, but I thought it was so MUCH better than the previous two and I'm glad Lucas waited years for Hayden Christensen to grow into the male beauty he now is. I can't critique Star Wars for its dialogue, it's like criticizing a romance movie for the improbability of its plot. If anything Sith seemed like a cautionary tale on how uncommunicative partners ruin romances and love makes people blind. Like a chick flick.

no fries

No love ... this year Herndon Festival had no meaning for me as my yearly quest for sweet potato fries came up with fruitless results. Also I had no desire to go to Carpool and do the unofficial HHS reunion, although I'll be calling Lisa for the dirt on what went on that night.