Belt it,sister

Current mood: pleasantly surprised

Trisha Yearwood was much better than expected. Now, I like country music, but she's a bit more of a crooner than I usually care for. But as soon as she got on stage, mocking her own "maturity," everything about her (except, maybe hair color, and that's OK) screaming "real woman," I warmed up quite a bit (heh. full humidity, 80 something in the dark, and no breeze to speak of - I hate summers in a swamp). The bonus about being a "mature" performer on the circuit means that you've had plenty of time to perfect your stage presence and you know how to work your (rather extended and enthusiastic) fan base. She's tall, generously proportioned, and has a soothing, yet wry demeanor. This was in stark contrast to her opener, Danielle Peck, who was young, wiry, frenetic, and overly rehearsed in her audience banter (though with a nice voice). Mrs. Brooks has a lusty, throaty voice that sallies forth effortlessly and hangs in the air - it's a pleasure to listen to, and I stayed a lot longer than I'd planned.

Fun over, I'm off to San Jose!

Ugh

Current mood: rolling rolling rolling

Maggiano's last night. First time. 10 courses. Ow, ow, ow. Sorry, belly.

Fork, please

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Seriously, we heard you the first 30 times

Current mood: are you pregnant? really? no way!

I have a coworker that is completely in love with her pregnancy. She's really cute about it, but mentions being "the pregnant girl," or that she's "eating for 2!" (chirp chirp) or the something or other is happening "because [I'm] pregnant" at least every 5 minutes. No really, I timed it. Turns out it is possible to talk about wastewater and (food, and driving, and drinking, and TV, and working out, and baseball, and...) pregnancy in the same breath. I thought about turning it into a drinking game, but even if I weren't at mile-high elevation or I had the enzyme to metabolize alcohol, I'd still be one drunk puppy and probably too wasted to work. It's one thing to be in the office and hear this, maybe 1-2 hours a day. But at a conference, with meals, and mandatory entertainment? That's 12 hours plus!

Tub time

Current mood: I'll be taking a bath...

Let me say that I wish this were my room all the time. I'm not usually quite so enthusiastic about my travel lodgings, but this Hyatt completely rocks (excepting for having to pay for Internet. Boo!)!!! The Cali-king bed is just the right plushy-firm and big enough for a party, the leather chairs are loungey, the workout room, complete with personal TVs (with plug-in headphones, lemon or lime water, and chilled and dry towels provided), running track, and tennis court is just downstairs, and the tub, oh my god!, the bathtub is perfection!!!!

Tannish granite finish. Built-in shelving. A ledge going all the way around the tub, with angled edges for your bathing comfort. A massaging showerhead. And. And! The curved shower rod that makes the already-spacious tub area (yes, it's really a bathing area) feel like your personal, screened-off pool.

Awwwwwww, yeah!

On the road again

Current mood: cable it up

June was a really nice break from business travel. Too bad I have to pay it back in spades...Denver today. The flight is so much shorter than that to Cali. I always think of Colorado as west-coastish, but the flight time says differently. I could really get used to half-length flights...

It's sort of the land of the bland. Choices for dinner involved mostly different burger toppings. One thing I had missed was my monthly dose of cable TV. World Series Poker, endless reruns of Crossing Jordan, and several types of Law & Order. Also, Disney channel quality movies such as Wendy Wu: Homecoming Warrior. (No Cadet Kelly, but sufficiently amusing, if for nothing more than the teen queen hair & makeup.) Tomorrow I will be forced to partake of the so-called Great American Pastime, in which it's an exciting game if nothing happens and can theoretically last forever. Rah rah rah, woohoo, etc. Are the Rockies a real team?

RSC

Current mood: big grin

Not the Royal Shakespeare Company, but the Reduced Shakespeare Company. I did want to go, mostly because my friend did, but to be honest, when I read the description, I thought, "three guys on a stage? How interesting could that be?" Well, for the hyper at heart, the slightly-or-more ADD, and the just generally silly, this is a great show. Prop improv comedy gold, for the most part. And I was really pleased to learn just how much of the complete history of America (abridged) could be crammed into 90 minutes. Oh, and there was a Newt sighting!

Chinese food, finally

Current mood: so, so full. and yet, somehow, wanting to eat more

Because I am too d*mn lazy to trek up to Rockville, I don't usually get to eat Chinese food. Sure, I could get American Chinese in lots of places in sunny Virginia; however, that is a whole different animal (snerk) from hometown, Boston - or New York-worthy Chinatown food. So, imagine my delight when I found out that one of the Rockville restaurants touted as being "authentic" has an outpost in Annandale, just a hop, skip, and jump down the street from me!
I was lucky enough to try A&J Chinese Restaurant with a person who knew virtually the entire menu by heart. It took us a little while to negotiate (because we both wanted everything), but we settled on 9 terrific dishes, listed here in increasing order of I must have this again (soon!):

5208 - Vegetarian delight w/ gluten, dry bean curd, and mushrooms (cold dish): the mushrooms were well marinated, but I've never really cared that much for gluten. Non spicy, soy sauce-based flavor. Great dish if you like gluten.

4109 - Thousand-layer pancake (hot dish): it's fun to pull this apart, but it's a little messy and tastes mostly of fried dough (nothing wrong with that, just kind of boring). Nice, thready texture.

4104 - Scallion pancake (hot dish): good, with lots of layers (probably the best I've had around here), but a bit thick and heavy. Also, I prefer to have vinegar sauce with my scallion pancake, rather than just straight vinegar and soy sauce.

2102 - Spicy wonton w/ hot red sauce (hot dish): tasty, but not very spicy. Not exactly swimming in hot oil, as you'd imagine after having the spicy baby wontons a la Chef Chang.

5102 - Sliced beef (marinated & cooked w/ bean paste) (cold dish): these slices were good wrapped in pieces of the thousand-layer pancake. Mild, flavorful, and very prettily (and thinly) cut.

5203 - Cucumber salad in hot garlic sauce (cold dish): spiciest thing on the table! Fiery and vinegary, yet cooling. Great summer dish.

5207 - Bean curd skin w/ mustard greens and soy beans (cold dish): mustard greens for the weak! The greens are diced up and doused with vinegar, so they aren't bitter at all. Tossed with edamame and light curd skin, this mild, salad-y dish is very refreshing.

4101 - Pan-fried beef bun (hot dish): SQUIRT! Juicy, beefy inside, crispy outside, nice thin dough. Tastes like home.

5101 - Smoked chicken (cold dish): hands down the best thing on the table. Delicately smoked with both the smell and flavor permeating the meat. Large portion of beautifully-arrayed chicken slices.

At ~$16 each (for 2) with a LOT of leftovers, this meal was quite a steal. Of those dishes I liked least, I would still order each one again (though maybe not all at once). Even so, I already have a whole new meal picked out for next time. This place is right down the street from me, and apparently they also serve breakfast foods on the weekends! I'm going to be in deep-fried trouble!!!

Assassins

Current mood: thoughtful

(Are assassin and assassinate some of the words you aren't supposed to write on the Internet/say on a cell, like j*had? Maybe only if it's in close conjunction with the word, "president." Hmmmm.)

The thing about a show where all the main players are cast as lunatics...the eyes have to bug out just so. (Much like this...

...possibly the best picture I've ever seen on the front page of the electronic Post.)

Everybody has to be able to portray intensity. And they do, in spades; enough to *almost* make me fear for my life (that might also have to do with the realistic-looking toy guns shooting loud caps in my general direction). The heat from the theater lights makes it so the requisite sheen of nervous sweat is easily achieved.

I thought I'd seen spare staging for Chicago, but this non-set put the razzle-dazzlers to shame. The entire audience was the set! That first moment, when the giant flag-curtain is dropped, and you are staring into mirror-audience setup is quite startling.

The danger of over-enunciation and close quarters - some of the patrons were sweated/spit upon in the name of art. I have to say I'm glad it wasn't me. Having been sweat upon/kicked by a member of the Julliard trio while page turning, I know it's not the most glamorous fun to be had. On the flip side, as the actors moved about the aisles, I was really, really tempted to stick out my foot as they ran by...

This was a disturbing show. Entertaining? Definitely, but also more than a little creepy, with its message that some people simply go slightly to the *extreme* to be happy/make their mark. I like that it spanned 19th century America, as well as being modern enough to have a bucket of KFC as a prop (I'm easily advertised to - I picked up some on the way home). Ah, Sondheim. Only you would write a love duet sung to Charlie Manson and Jodie Foster (I guess if you can write a love song to a cow...).

Shrinking heart

Current mood: firmly resolved to Move It

My heart! She is healthy! -ier, even! Apparently, shrinking your heart is a good thing, at least, according to my cardiologist. One might think that nice, wide-open vessels would be better, but no, more petite vessels are currently in vogue. Even your heart needs to lose weight!

I found out something interesting. The incidence of exercise-like cardio is actually more important than the duration. Thus, rather than my 3X per week, hour-long plus workout sessions, the doctor (an earnest and alert, neatly-pressed older gentleman with an encouragingly good-example, weedy physique) recommended 15 minutes per day, 6X a week. Apparently once that is achieved, some optimum of heart stimulation leading to increased cardiological health is reached. He dismissed lifting and stretching as "stuff you do to get dates" (I may have paraphrased a little). To forestall protest that 6X per week is difficult to achieve (which it is, considering the rigmarole of packing the gym bag, changing clothes, fighting traffic, and getting a parking space - but I wasn't actually going to protest. 15 minutes really isn't all that long and I am more than capable of gyrating in front of the TV for half of a sitcom. I already spend most of 24 jumping up and down anyway.) he suggested running in place. I have to say, picturing my doctor running in place in his tie and jogging shorts in front of the TV was one of the funnier visual places I've been sent to in recent memory...

time to grow up yet?

Current mood: sugar crashed

When my sister and I lived together, our grocery cart often looked a bit...irresponsible. Cookies, ice cream, cheezy poofs, lots of candy and soda...(but not wine coolers. No one would ever let me buy wine coolers when the underage lil' sis was around, d*mn them!). Sometimes we'd be embarrassed and tell the clerk, "We have no parents..."

So, when exactly is that supposed to change? Are we supposed to just wake up one day and firmly resolve to add wheat germ and Metamucil to the grocery list? When does ramen stop being acceptable as a 2nd dinner option?

Sometimes I think I'm making progress. Lots of chicken in the freezer, more than one vegetable in the bin, containers of yogurt that I will actually eat, instead of just keeping in my fridge for show...And then, sometimes not. I try to eat bananas, but I don't really care for them. But they're easily transportable, and I don't get all that much potassium, so bananas it is. Somehow, though, they always seem to blacken before I get to them. Then I have to make banana bread! That's still healthy, right? A cup of sugar and a stick of butter are natural complements for bananas! Well, yesterday, I made the best. banana. bread. ever. How, you ask? I may or may not have dumped an entire bag of chocolate chips into the batter...

ummmmmmmmm.

Razzle my dazzle

Current mood: Wishing I could wear hosiery like that

The set is spare, but the choreography, costuming (scant but effective), and lighting are dramatic, slinky, and HOT! The musical numbers and staging are more than faintly familiar, as I come to realize that the movie version managed to faithfully protray most of the original show (having now seen the show, I can say that I think Hollywood also did a decent job of casting most of the movie, especially with Queen Latifah. The only one I'm not convinced about is Renee whatsherface - I now know that Roxie needs a bit more moxie and a little less of a pouting moue, which I'll admit Renee does play to perfection. However, Roxie needs curves to back up that strut and wiggle, and a jutting collarbone doesn't quite cut it...). The singing - fantastic, with dead-on 1920s and slightly crude inflection. The dancing, I would call, "spicy," if an all-black-clad cast could properly be called, spicy. Hmmm, let's go back to sexily slinky, with dancers moving their bodies in a jointless, prowling manner that can honestly be called catlike. Also, there's a whole lotta spreading goin' on (see note below). The monologues/solo numbers are fun, but sometimes drag on a bit. I'm all for limited doses for megolomania, but really prefer the heightened dramatic and artistic tension of tightly-written ensemble pieces. The end is a bit anticlimactic, but it could partly be due to the fact that the whole cast plays so seamlessly together that you don't want the show to end. And everyone just looks so GOOD! (Dancers really do have bodies that need to be showcased.)

Now, that's Chicago.

(For the record, this really isn't a show for children. Leave the under-7 years olds at home, tucked in their beds, dreaming PG-rated, mischiveous thoughts, so you won't have to answer questions like, "Why don't more pretty ladies wear clothes like THAT," or, "Can I really kill people that are mean to me," and, "What does she mean, he was a zero in bed...")

Fie!

Current mood: why, oh god, why??!!

Imagine that, after tasting seeming legions of inferior whites, you finally found the perfect wine mate. Lightly sweet, with a touch of summery tang, but with enough body to get you through the cold, dark winter nights. Then, out of all the lovely and less-lovely selections, they discontinue your beloved friend. Now what will you serve will chicken, fish, or beef? The magic is gone; the love affair is over. TJ's, while you aren't *quite* dead to me (we managed to survive the discontinuance of my preferred vegetable stock, my favorite mozzarella, and those delectable buckeyes - chocolate/peanut butter heaven! What were you thinking??!!), you and I are probably going to have to take a break while I recover from this latest betrayal. I'm very disappointed in you :(

Anger management (part the second)

Currently: serene

Aha! Now I remember why I try to go to the gym regularly. In addition to the classes that encourage running, jumping, kicking, and punching (which both provide an outlet to alleviate angry feelings, and yet also encourage them), I make myself to go cheezy yoga-ish classes that feature lots of new-age music. Now, while this setup should irritate me, it actually soothes me, as it is intended. Holding a downward-facing dog not only drains all the blood from your head, it also manages to siphon off most of the stress, as well. And try being angry during a bridge or swan pose - it's impossible, because your body is so busy crying out "I don't bend that way!!!" that all else is blocked out. Once I'm all stretchy and loose, it's really hard to maintain pissy feelings. Thanks Bodyflow! (Yeah, really cheezy classes.)

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John. Tucker. Must. Die. is one of the most effective movie commercials that I've seen in a long time. I must see this fine artistic work! ASAP!!! (hee!)

Working on electric avenue

Currently: straining my eyes

It's interesting when the power goes out at work at a typical office. There isn't a whole lot of work one can do offline and there isn't anything inner-office dwellers (me! me!) can do without lights (can't bill for communing with your plants, napping, or telling ghost stories, wah!). The herd of interns wanders around, gabbing and amused, while the higher-ups scramble to reconnect phone calls, continue client meetings, and play mah jong. Luckily, I snagged a UPS from the magic closet when they made a brief appearance, so at least I don't lose all my open files every time Pepco gets cranky or a storm sweeps by. There's no point in leaving early, because the whole building is emptying out and the roads are messy without the regulation of stoplights.

I don't even want to think about what happens to the insides of the already-gross office fridges. Last year the socket that our fridge was plugged into shorted out overnight. By the next morning, there was a large, brown puddle and a distinctly unpleasant smell in the kitchen...and I sat right across from the kitchen...

Oh, also? Taking notes for a conference call is hard on a cell.

Gym:1, me:0

Current mood: huuuuurts!

That is all.

Except:

Ow. OW. OWIE!

(Someone should tell the gym that hurting people who crawl back after an ever-so-brief absence is not the best way to get them to come back.)

Gipsy royalty

Current mood: flamencoed out

I don't think I've ever seen a sold-out Sunday night at Wolf trap - it's fun, but also little ugly, with seemingly every foot of space taken up by picnics and boozy warm bodies. The crowd was considerably more ethnically diverse than any other I'd seen, which confirmed the "world music" audience.

The Gipsy Kings' "wall of guitars" made a wave of sound that demanded more movement than the mere tapping of toes. The crowd was lively and up and dancing for more than half the time - unheard of the in the staid and generally older patrons of the house! It was great to witness the family dancing. Sure, lots of couples and girl-gaggles were up and moving, but so were dads and daughters, moms, toddlers, and grandparents! And all together! It was heartwarming to see families out and enjoying themselves. Little kids were the most fun to watch, especially those that were too young to be self-conscious and just sort of threw themselves about (lots of twirling) with uninhibited enthusiasm.

:)

Nerdfest, ho!

Current mood: who needs revenge? this is fun!

And I say that in the least judgemental way possible, considering that I also chose to attend this event. However, any show that has fans screaming out "Live long and prosper!!!!!," not in the serene, contemplative manner in which it was first heard on TV, but in the harsh, excited tones of a drunken fratboy, well, that can definitely be counted as a raging nerdfest. A concert called To Boldly Go..., narrated by Leonard Nemoy? No question, right? Let's just say that there were quite a few

sightings... (I wonder what the video game music concert will be like!)

So, let's see, Emil de Cou was appropriately charming, introducing the symphonic themes from 2001 Space Odyssey, Twilight Zone, The X Files, Star Wars, and The Bride of Frankenstein. Strangely and yet obviously, the music from Star Trek needed no introduction, and the lawn fans went nuts when it began. (How often do the lawn fans rock out at the symphony??!!) The last piece of the first half, the closing music from The Wrath of Khan, featured the disembodied voice of Spock himself, which really excited the fans. I thought it was silly, though, not to use the giant projector screen hanging overhead for this half of the concert. Considering that the screen was distractingly present and all of the music could have been easily matched to TV/movie moments, it was kind of a waste.

Now, all this pop classical was fun, but what I had come for was The Planets. Specifically, the movement dedicated to Jupiter, which is one of my all-time favorite pieces of music. This may have a lot to do with the fact that every time I hear it, I'm sensorially transported back in time to my last GBYSO concert on a moonlit beach in Nettuno, Italy... Anyway, I was disappointed, but not at all surprised that they moved the order of performance so that Jupiter would be played as the finale. Disappointed, because I'd have to stay till the very end (which I hardly ever do) to hear it, but appreciative of the fact that it would be the best piece to end the evening. The visit from some famous American astronaut (he looked nice, he wore a blue uniform, who says I don't do details??!!) and the NASA photos of Mars, etc. provided an engaging counterpoint to the music. While the Mars Rover pictures were interesting, the shots from the Hubble were gorgeous and much more visually arresting (sorry, Mars, your brown and red and orange and burnt sienna and brick, etc.-colored rocks really don't pop on the screen).

The NSO did a good job on the music, but there was just a hint of sloppiness that really drove home the sense that this was an outdoor, summer concert. It was all right, but was slightly distracting, since I know first hand that the score isn't that technically challenging. Also, the pacing and instrumental highlighting chosen by Emil were different from my recording, so I have to say that a few of my favorite moments were lost (though this could have been due to the sound quality at my particular seat on the lawn). However, the feeling of sitting on a cozy blanket outside, on a beautiful night, looking up at the stars, while letting the music float around me; that was nearly magical. *dreamy smile*

(It was good to finally see people I know at the Park. One set of friends, one acquaintance sighting, and an accidental bumping into of old friends.)

Random

Wednesday, July 05, 2006
Current mood: outta here!

* Why, oh why, must cute new shoes pinch so? Ow and...sniff.

* Working after vacation is extremely unpleasant. Finding a bona fide sugar daddy is sounding pretty good right about now.

* It's really easy to stick to a strict not-working-out schedule. Far easier than it is to keep up with regularly scheduled exercise. Ugh, lazy me.

* Rent turned out to be a great movie! They did such a good job at the show adaptation that I was forced to watch all of the special features (I adore DVDs!). I was particularly impressed (and it made sense) that they kept almost the entire original Broadway cast intact for the movie.

* While I don't particularly think of D.C. as a town of sweeping vistas, looking out over the city from high ground (such as a tall building rooftop in the National Cathedral neighborhood) is a surreally beautiful experience, especially when there are fireworks displays, large and small, popping up all across the horizon. I love it here!

car care

Current mood: sheeplike

"Your car is down about a quart of oil; it's a good thing you let me check it," said the pump attendant at my usual southbound Jersey Turnpike service station.

"Oh," I replied, thinking, man, I just stopped for gas and I have a long way to go, "is that bad?"

And instead of yelling at me, Of course it's bad, you diptsh*t! Your engine could explode through your sheer negligence!, because sometimes, I really am a Dumb Girl, I got a concerned, "Oh yeah, sweetie, it could be real bad, but don't worry, I'll take care of it and you'll be on your way in no time."

(casual endearments don't bother me at all, as long as they are not dropped with too much of an air of condescension by too-old or too-icky men, because they fall from my lips in a near-constant stream)

And he did and I was. When it doesn't lead to being fleeced, being a Dumb Girl isn't half bad. Though I do think I should learn a bit more about caring for my car and the bad things that result as a lack thereof.

Commerce, baby!

Current mood: triumphantly tired - shopping is also hard work!

Having been moved by the patriotic nudity portrayed in Mrs. Henderson Presents, (one fellow viewer: "These are the most amazing shows! Where can we find such wonderful shows!") my sister and I hastened to do our part for the wartime economy. Since the opportunities to do naked but tasteful musical tableaux are few and far between, now, as ever, we elected to contribute by enduring a fast and furious shopping trip.

The Tanger outlets are apparently the place to shop on Long Island, and having experienced them myself, I'd have to agree that many, many bargains are to be had. They are, in fact, so efficient at parting you with your hard-earned fistful of dollars precisely because the deals seem too good to pass up - even when every store seems to have them. You feel like you owe it to yourself (and the economy, don't forget the economy!) to keep buying, long past the point of your actual and optimal buying power. I got the cutest snub-nosed, pointy-toed, blue shoes, among many other purchases, and I have to say that my only regret is that we ran out of energy and time (we had long past run out $, but that's what credit is for!) and so had to leave the majority of the stores untapped. I don't often go on shopping blitzes, but when I'm on, and every store seems to have things that I want at acceptable prices points (this does not happen very often), I have no problem letting loose. Whee!

Then we went home and promptly "played purchases." This is an excellent game of sisterly bonding in which we carefully lay out our finds and model them for each other, all the while exclaiming about our cleverness at detecting bargains.
Girls have strange fun, sometimes.

Not so fast, there

Current mood: can't imagine how tired my sister is...

Even with two parents, two full-time child care aides, and having others to do the cooking and cleaning, babies are hard work! It's a good thing that baby creatures have been endowed by nature with a fundamental cuddliness and cute neediness; as it is, the efforts of tending to a child's needs are barely edged out by their marginal adorableness. Clearly, I'm still at the baby-renting stage. Hurrah for nieces!

Family time

Current mood: full circle contentedness

"So much for being 'shy,'" my sister snorted. "You were quite the socialite last night." I was feeling pretty good about my party performance, during which, incidentally, I managed to enjoy myself thoroughly, when she continued, "I didn't even have to take care of you at all!"

Ugh.

No one likes being told that they can (occasionally) be a social dead weight; a party millstone; a sulky wallflower. Resolution: try to be more extroverted in social situations. Since I know I can do it, and even do it well, I should turn on the charm, even when I don't feel like it. I'll probably have more fun, and the people around me definitely will.

*******************************
Who's a snuggle worm!!! My little guppy face drool monster!!!

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My dad, a conservative Chinese gentleman of the immigrant generation, is slowly coming around to the idea that Girls Are Good. When I was little, I was told that I was "his little boy," supposedly so it would be easier for him to take me about in public, but not-so-secretly, I think, so he could pretend I was his number one son. I was his little tomboy, his firstborn, and for better or worse, I would be the child that followed him around, talked electronics and cars, and debated issues of interest. A while back, during family gatherings, my dad started looking at my sister and myself (as we ran ourselves ragged keeping our parents entertained, fed, and happy) and commenting absently to the air (roughly translated) "Girls are really worth raising!" These days, as he melts into a mushy puddle of grandfatherly tenderness while holding my niece, he unabashedly proclaims to the world, "This is my favorite girl! Girls are better than boys!" My mom still looks over at us elder girls in mild alarm, agreeing with him, but adding in a quick, "no offense girls, but the baby is cuter than either of you." My dad, however, takes no notice of this and feels no need to add caveats to his extravagant declarations of love. And I have to say, I don't mind a bit...