Step Up 3D

Last night I went to a free screening of the movie Step Up 3D, which opens on Friday. I went with my DJ/dancer friend Baxter and if it were not for him, I would not have even known about this movie. I'm not a frequent movie-goer and was apprehensive about the possibility of being in a theater with a bunch of kids. But I figured it would be something to do. And I also hadn't seen a movie in 3D since I was a kid.
Luckily we had cocktails before the movie because this was one of the corniest movies I've ever seen. I'm talking Disney corny. Scenes that were supposed to be serious got laughs from the audience. My favorite moment was when one of the characters was informed that he was BFabb - Born From a Boom Box. Ok, what the hell is that? I think it was explained but I must have been laughing too hard to hear it. On the plus side, the movie has a lot of energy and there were some interesting dance moves. But what I would be excited about is a Daniel Craig or Bourne Identity movie, or even the NBA in 3D. Yes, please!

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Dude, Really?

The good thing about being single is that generally when a relationship is over, it's over. You can completely cut ties with the person. And especially when a relationship ends badly, you're very grateful for that fact. I was very happy to be done with a guy I dated a few months ago but unwisely had occasional sex with him. What can I say, we had strong physical chemistry. But about a month ago, I made the decision not to do that either and was truly cutting ties. I was trying to wipe the slate clean for something better. Good for me, right? Well, apparently this wasn't good enough for someone - his PREGNANT WIFE! Yes, this past weekend I got that crazy psycho call every single woman fears. Fortunately (or, maybe not) for me, I wasn't afraid because I've been there before several years ago. However, back then the circumstances were of the stereotypical kind: naive girl knows the guy is married, he claims he's not happy and the wife is a horrible person, and girl believes that he will leave like he claims. But I learned my lesson and knew I would never fall into that trap again. With all the other really ridiculous man-drama I experienced since, I figured I'd gotten my fair share of karma.
So, this was somewhat of a shock for several reasons. For one thing, I met several members of this guy's family, including his parents. I was at his parent's home (where he lived) several times. For a while we were spending so much time together that it was almost like we were living together. So, where was the wife during all of this? According to her, she arrived in the U.S. permanently several months ago. His response to this nonsense, including how she got my phone number: nothing. And surely his family was involved in this marriage. Um, could you have let me in on this bullshit? If there was a limit on the number of WTF?'s a person gets, I would have surpassed it now by a million.
Now I know this may sound ethnocentric, but I may need to add a category to the Who Not to Date List: men who are culturally different. Even though this guy, like his gazillion siblings, has spent the majority of his life in the U.S., we were just way too different. He was completely immersed in his family's life: lived with them, worked for them, socialized with them. They had a lot of control over him and I just didn't get it. I mean really, 6am phone calls from your mother? I don't' think I'm supposed to get any of this. All I know is that I'm starting to think that the years women spend dating in DC are like dog years. I may have to retire from dating altogether if I don't want to end up a senior citizen next year.

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Settling in DC

Back in February 2008, I blogged about my reaction to Lori Gottlieb's article in the Atlantic Monthly about single women and settling for Mr. Good Enough. I remember how pissed off and somewhat offended I was by the idea. Last night I attended the discussion of her new book, "Marry Him: The Case for Settling for Mr. Good Enough" at Sixth and I. I haven't read the book but was interested in hearing her talk about these ideas and hear what others thought. My biggest problem with the article was that the basic premise appeared to be that marriage to a man, no matter how boring or physically unappealing, is always a better option for women, especially those who want children, than being alone. Aside from the fact that I think DC just doesn't have a marriage culture, I think the premise calls into question whether the traditional family really is the best and/or only choice for women today, particularly those who live and work in big cities like DC.

One of my favorite quotes in the article is, "Marriage isn't a passion-fest; it's more like a partnership formed to run a very small, mundane, and often boring nonprofit business." For the women I know in DC and probably for many others, this is not the kind of marriage they are willing to sign up for. Many of these women are actually running their own nonprofit businesses and don't want a tedious, mundane spouse to come home to. As a lot of women have already done, why not reconfigure life for ourselves in a way where we do get all of our needs met without having to establish a traditional family. Because as many married women know and research has shown, women get much less from marriage than men do. Like many women in their 20's, I used to think I wanted to be married and have children. So I asked myself last night, what is it that I would really want from marriage and being a parent? What I came up with was: love, companionship, sex, and being involved in a child's life. When it comes to the love and companionship, I already get that from my friends and family. They also provide me with a rather fulfilling social life. The sex I can always get from a guy I actually do find physically appealing. And kids? Well, there all sorts of ways to be involved with a child that don't involve marriage: mentoring, hanging out with the children of friends and families, adoption, sperm donor, or even joint custody with a stable guy you know. Kind of like car sharing. Of course, these things may not satisfy all of our needs like maybe, the desire for romantic love. But I've begun to realize that romantic love isn't all its cracked up to be. The older I get the more it seems like an immature, manufactured notion. Me, jaded? Maybe. But anyway, the point is that I think modern women have no reason to feel forced to choose a lifestyle that doesn't fit.

And in DC, why settle for a mediocre cocktail? After the book discussion I headed straight to the Passenger where Nick Brown mixed up a lavender mint daiquiri for me (right). I noticed that on Sundays they're doing a hangover brunch that lasts all day. Now that's genius!

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Things Change and Stay the Same

I'm now officially on vacation from everything and have had time to collect some of my thoughts. The last two months have revolved around my regular job, the freelance thing, travel, and figuring out what city other than DC this City Girl should be living in. The where to live part has required some ongoing introspection. I have also felt rather uninspired (and somewhat guilty) about the whole "city girl living in DC" yet writing a blog thing. I mean really, if I'm trying to get the hell out, what do I have to say? Well, as life goes, I end up experiencing all kinds of crazy things I only would in DC that make me question my quest to leave or at least the reasons why.
In no important order:

The Town and Country in the Mayflower Hotel: 5 years ago I worked 3 blocks away and this was a regular happy hour stop for me and several co-workers. Haven't been since then. I stopped in last month and Sam, the infamous bartender, is still doing magic tricks and mixing up the best martinis in town. I was greeted with, "Welcome back. We missed you." How is that for service?

What I didn't know before moving to DC: I love interesting things in a bowl, particularly noodles with stuff. Variations consist of: pho, curry laksa, gamjatang, congee, udon noodle soup....Well, DC Noodle has fed my craving lately with their spicy noodle soup complete with ground peanuts, cilantro, bean sprouts, scallions, and two types of tofu - crispy and soft. Delicious!

Acadiana and TenPenh have two of the best patios in the city - breezy and comfortable. TenPenh even has a Sunday night happy hour from 5:30 until close. This is great for those of you who want to avoid the 9 to 5 crowd and have cocktails and small bites like kobe beef sliders later in the evening.

Shopping Euphoria - The Denim Bar at Pentagon Row. As many women know, shopping for jeans can be a traumatic experience. This place takes all the trauma away - even for a curvy girl like me. And yes, the word 'bar' is for real. I walked in, told the salesperson my dilemma, and was immediately offered a glass of wine while he quickly found jeans suited for me. Jeff was amazing. He demanded (I love forceful men!) that I come out as I tried on each pair for an evaluation. I ended up with a pair of Paige jeans that were perfect for work and partying.

How does marriage and motherhood give women automatic entry into sainthood/super-significance? And why do women validate this craziness? Beyonce, half-naked dancing on a stage, dates a man who "puts a ring on it." Crazy groupies on Basketball Wives are supposedly in a special club all their own because they have gotten married to the lying, cheating athlete. My own past ex-Mr. DJ marries a stripper and all of a sudden I'm the whore because I fooled around with him. More recently, I had a man declare, as I was kicking his ass out, that he would have "wifed" me. Is that even a word we are accepting now? That is, of course, if I had not been such a bad girl. What the hell?

Don't ever date a townie. A rule I should have learned years ago. Absolutely no one who has grown up in and has immediate family in DC, Maryland, or Virginia. Hey, these are things college women learn.

Seems as if there will never be another Red nightclub. I appreciate U Street Music Hall but as a house music head, it just leaves me wanting more. And really, who are these completely uncoordinated yuppies who knock drinks and you on the ground as they so-call dance?

I would never advise a woman who wanted to get married and have children to move to DC. Odds are, you just won't find that guy here. You can go out on dates with men from 25 to 80 all day, everyday (as I did recently all in one night). But get married and establish a family? Not likely.

Amazing art/music events like AudioTrip two weeks ago. DJ Spinna, Rich Medina, and live art, right up the street from me? Come on!

I have never truly been bored in DC. There is always something to do - or drink!

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Failure to Launch

Between being back at my old job and getting reacquainted with that stress, and experimental dating, I almost forgot I had a blog. Leave it to me to awaken from my Lovahville slumber to the realization that I'm with Failure to Launch Guy. I'm beginning to think that if I keep dating, I will have met every loser guy character in a movie and on Sex in the City. My biggest beef with this one is that unlike in the movie, I was not being paid by his parents to get him to leave their house. Maybe I should have suggested that to them. He actually believed that they liked having him around and that out of several other siblings, he was the favorite. Well gee, why else would he be the only adult child still at home. While the mother seemed content using her 39 year old son as an errand boy, the father had completey given up and didn't even speak the times I saw him. Yes, he actually thought trips to his parent's house qualified as dates. The last straw was when he suggested that I do my laundry there. Let's see, I'm not in college anymore and those aren't even MY parents! At one point he told me that his mom wasn't speaking to him because he was spending so much time with me. Can we spell freaky? Oh, and I can't forget how he was always borrowing a family member's car, which he had to quickly return to the suburbs the next day. Probably the biggest benefit of all that extra money he saved not paying rent was being able to use it for his toy helicopters. And no, I'm not kidding. He had several that he even tried to fly around my tiny apartment. Yes, at this point you've got to be saying I was crazy for sticking it out as long as I did. Well, to be honest, I was getting a cheap thrill out of seeing just how bad it could get. I didn't really believe this guy was serious. I do love a good story, even at the expense of my own sanity. And I did get the funniest line I've heard in a long time from him. When I finally ended it, he reassured me that there was "a gang of broads" that wanted to fuck him. I didn't even know guys still used the term 'broads' anymore. My sister, who is now separated after 20 years and dating again, tried to one-up me with her story of a guy bringing a bottle of Nutcracker liquor on a date. At least he came with an offering.

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Reality DC Starring The Sa-LIARS

As much as I hate giving these people anymore attention, now that I've come out of a leftover turkey-eating coma, I just had to vent. The party crashing Salahi psychos personify all that's wrong with DC - incessant social climbers who stretch the truth to appear more important than they are and think politicians are celebrities. One of my personal favorites is a guy I went out with who told me he was patent attorney but turned out to be a docket clerk. He's now known as 'fake attorney guy' to my friends. In most other cities, this guy would've have no problem with his job title. But this is DC. And this WH crashing incident has race and class written all over it - also consistent with the huge social and economic disparities in this city. If this couple had been Tyrone and Shaniqua from Southeast DC, they never would have gotten into the White House. I almost feel sorry for these people...but I don't. How delusional can you be? They were also kicked out of a Congressional Black Caucus dinner in September after sneaking in through the kitchen. I mean come on, Wedding Crashers was funny, but that was a movie. Maybe if they were in their 20's it would be a funny but these 40-something people should know better. But then, I guess not. They're being given validation by Bravo and this whole reality subculture. And it seems that's the whole premise of reality TV - this blurred line between reality and fiction. I think we should start calling it fantasy TV. When you think about it, the Salahis are perfect for the Real Housewives because it seems nothing they do is real, just like the cast of the existing shows. They're a bunch of delusional, fame-seeking people with fabricated lives who often have sketchy, and sometimes criminal pasts. As we now know, the couple has several civil suits pending against them. Maybe we'll be getting footage of them in court when the show airs. Or, maybe coverage of the Salahis and the Bravo camera crew being kicked out of more events they weren't invited to. My theory is that the wife is the mastermind behind the whole operation. Her failed attempt at being a model has made her obsessed with getting in the media anyway she can. They probably know every alley entrance to every kitchen where high-profile political and social events take place in the city. Makes you feel real secure, doesn't it?

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Models of the Runway: How Stupid is This?

In the words of my friend Lena, the show Models of the Runway, which airs right after Project Runway on Lifetime, is a waste of air time. It seemed like a good idea in theory but has just fallen flat. Given the success of America's Next Top Model, one would think this new show would work. I have to admit that Top Model is one of my guilty pleasures. It's hard to deny that the show reinforces the stereotype that models are just stupid. And it doesn't help that in the fashion industry, models are expected to be very young which comes with obvious problems. They're often awkward in their own bodies and don't have a clear sense of who they are which comes through in their photos. Last season, one doe-eyed contestant could only manage one facial expression - confused. She, however, was preferred over a talented but "too old" 25 year old. But you get a combination of things with Top Model. It's comedic to watch the drama between the girls, enlightening with regard to the world of modeling, and offers a critical forum around beauty and acceptable female images in this country and around the world (since they do go to other countries). So far, Models of the Runway just seems like an afterthought to the creators. And a pet peeve of mine is that the age of the model is not displayed by their name when being interviewed yet designers ages are always shown. Hmmm....why is that?

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Julie & Julia

I have been eagerly anticipating the movie Julie & Julia and I happily accepted advance screening passes from a friend. I have to be honest though. As a kid, I thought Julia Child was "that weird old lady" on PBS. It wasn't until much later that I understood her significance in the culinary and TV cooking world. Her cookbook, Mastering The Art of French Cooking is a must-have for any kitchen.
So, I want to see this movie for two main reasons: 1) It celebrates the life of an amazingly brave, pioneering woman and 2) It's the first major film about a blogger. And that's a lot for one movie! I'm just so excited to see a blogger in the spotlight. I really do think this is an important statement about the significance of blogging. So, on Friday, all of us bloggers should toast to this milestone! And of course, I'd love to hear how you enjoyed the movie. Cheers!

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Love-Hate Relationship

As I mentioned recently, I've been evaluating my life in DC and considering a move. In doing so, I've been thinking a lot about what I love and hate about DC. Here are just a few things I thought of in the past few days:

Love

• Motorcades. Even after all these years, they're still exciting to me. I love the slow build up as the police clear the street and the long stream of police cars, ambulances, and SUV's with secret service guys hanging out of the windows with guns. And they seem to bring absolute strangers on the street together as we all stand around speculating on who could be in the armored car.


• The great architecture and lovely little gardens you see in the spring and summer.


• Diversity of people


• Constant abundance of new restaurants to check out


• The fact that DC has increasingly become a hot spot for shooting movies. Last week I stood outside in Adams Morgan with a huge crowd of on-lookers watching a scene from a movie being shot (picture) starring Reese Witherspoon and Paul Rudd. Not a sight you see everyday around here. However, like many others, I could care less about The Real World being filmed here. I can't believe people still watch that stupid show.


• The numbers of dates with different guys you can go on. Of course, if you're looking for more, this can be kind of negative. It takes me about 3 or 4 dates before I get really bored with the guy anyway and who can knock a free meal.

Hate

• Cab drivers. I've posted about my dislike of cab drivers before. But it's unfortunately hard to live without them, especially when you don't have a car. Some of the things about cabbies that really infuriate me are: telling you they don't have change (how ridiculous!), stopping to ask where you're going before letting you in (they're not even supposed to do that), smoking (also a no-no), and talking on a cell phone without an earpiece (yep, also illegal). Just today I had a cab driver who was filing his fingernails at each light and a few times did not stop doing this when the light turned green!


• People who wear work badges to happy hour


• The overabundance of people who have this sense of self-importance because of their job title, place of work, Alma Mater, salary, organizational affiliation, etc.


• The lack of authentic Asian food in the city


• The fact that some places tend to draw such stereotypical characters like Teaism, especially the Dupont location. I go there often because I love the food and it can be a tranquil place to eat during slow periods. But that wasn't the case the other day even at 3pm. The place is so small that you just can't help hearing other people's conversations. On one side of me were two "connected" moms, one with her child in a stroller, cackling away about a luncheon given by a woman who runs a foundation. As it turns out, Julia Roberts showed up at the luncheon because of some kind of charity work. The two of these women went on and on about how they were so in awe of her, what she looked like ("I bet she doesn't have any wrinkles") and what kind of mom she seemed to be. On the other side of me was the "intellectual dude" with his laptop and stack of Henry James novels as he proceeded to craft the perfect piece of literature.

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Just Not That Into You

I finally saw the movie, He's Just Not That Into You. I've been familiar with the term since it debuted on Sex and the City a few years ago. I didn't find it to be a revelation but many women did and I can understand why. If for no other reason than to save us the unnecessary talking, stressing, moaning, crying....whatever, over a guy who is not interested, I'm all for that. I for one, have wasted way too much time over that and the longer you are single, whether in a long-term relationship or just dating and not getting what you want, it is SO not worth it. Might as well spend that time talking about the failed American economy or if Rachel Ray will ever shut the fuck up. Anyway, my main beef is that I thought the movie should have been called, How to Tell If Somebody Is Not Into You. While the focus was on women, there were a few man lessons in there and in general, the movie provides good illustrations for guys and girls. The whole Scarlet Johansson character should definitely teach guys a lesson or two about women who just want to be friends. I've been there many times and don't get why the guy doesn't comprehend that all I want is friendship. And when it comes to women, I truly believe the old rules apply. When he wants you and only you, it will be obvious. We should never settle for anything less or try to force a decision. If you have to wait for that ship to come in until the dock rots then so be it. Just make sure you're out there having fun and enjoying life in the meantime.

In fact, there was a line in the movie that played out for me over the past few days. Rule: If a guy is really interested in you, he will ask for your number rather than just give you his number.

In the past 3-5 days, I've gone out and been given several cards. I've learned over the years to trash them because as any seasoned DC dater knows, that's just par for the course. There are lots of card tossers out there. However, on Friday night I was asked by a very cute government worker who was out with co-workers celebrating a birthday if he could have my number. Now, when a woman is interested, she will give out her number. If not, she will make up any old excuse not to - can't find a pen, don't have a working number, makes it a policy not to give out number to strangers - and this tells the guy something upfront. It also puts the ball in his court which means he is confident enough to accept said ball. A day later, I get a call from this guy and we have scheduled a date for later in the week. There you have it. I'll keep you posted on how things go!

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Quantum of Solace: Planes, Boats, and Automobiles

Last night I needed some eye candy so I went to see the second James Bond film starring Daniel Craig as Bond, Quantum of Solace. I absolutely loved Casino Royale and I'm not even that big of a James Bond fan. But this one? Not hardly as much. Like some other reviewers, I agree that there was not enough of the super cool Bond, the glitz, glam, swagger, and sex. In this one, he comes across as mean, callous, unhappy, overconfident (even for James Bond), and just plain stupid. I'm not a guy and even I couldn't understand how he didn't take time to sleep with the main leading lady, Olga Kurylenko, who is gorgeous. After a while, those action scenes in various forms of transportation were just starting to look unbelievably goofy. But then...ok, the man is just hot! The penetrating eyes, the walk, the pout, and the ability to wear anything like nobody's business (as the pictures illustrate). And you've gotta love Judi Dench. She's one of the best actresses ever. By the end of the movie, all you can say is that you want Daniel Craig on your side in times of trouble.

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You and Your Queue

I have to admit that I'm one of those Gen X'ers who can't quite keep up with the new stuff. You know what I mean: ipods, iphones, digital cameras, tivo...you name it. Heck, I don't even have cable. So, it's no wonder that I'm a recent convert to Netflix. And now I'm addicted. I find myself messing around with my queue way too often. I'm checking on what's coming next, adding stuff at 3 am, re-ordering it several times, etc. Of course, this probably has something to do with the fact that's it's so frigid out that even I don't want to go out and watching a movie with a glass of wine seems like such a better option. Given the suggestions I'm offered based on my selections, I got to wondering about what my queue says about me and whether or not I can be easily categorized. Let's see, what do I have in my queue right now?

• Mad Men Season 1
• Amelie
• Bourdain: No Reservations
• Diva
• World in the Balance
• Party Girl (why don't I own this?!)
• The Starter Wife
• Project Runway: Season 4 - very long wait :(

What does this say about me? Special request: send me an email or comment and share your queue. What does it say about you?

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Time to Hibernate

Have I mentioned how much I dislike cold weather? Even though I grew up in the Midwest, my body never adjusted to harsh winter weather. This is a major reason why I will be hibernating all weekend long. But besides that, I just need a break. For one, my job has fully exhausted me and I just might take the entirety of next week off. I also just got into a fight with my married older sister with three kids yet again, over her bossiness and lack of understanding about what it's like being single - for one's entire life! I'm beginning to believe that I really don't like ANY married people and have never been fond of older siblings. How is it that I'm in my thirties and she's still trying to boss me around? My consulting side gig almost brought in a new client which would have been great holiday money. As luck would have it, it fell through - couldn't afford the services after all. Guess they were running low on disposable income just like me. What else? Oh yes, the other day I was completely dissed by my neighborhood bar/restaurant. While I've never considered Old Domionion Brewhouse to be the best when it comes to service or food, I can always count on a good, affordable beer, familiar faces, and neighborhood gossip. When the place is like two blocks away, you can't beat that. And what the hell else is on 9th street near the Convention Center? Unfortunately, I made the mistake of ordering food. When the food was cooked incorrectly, I told the bartender who then talked to the manager. The reply from the bartender: "the manager said you could order something else." Huh? I just wanted what I ordered cooked the right way. Is that so hard? What's really messed up is that the manager never spoke directly to me. As much money as I've spent in that place, I felt violated. Needless to say, I paid my bill without a tip and left. And I won't be going back, ever.
On the positive side, my apartment is stocked with: good wine, Netflix movies, Le Petit Ecolier dark chocolate cookies, and lavender bubble bath. I also learned that mega fashion site, net-a-porter.com, has just launched a new set of virtual boutiques to make it easier to find the items you want. For me, it's like window shopping online. I love dropping things into my "shopping bag" that I will never buy and it gives me ideas for when I go to stores for us normal people. Let the hibernation begin!

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Me - Getting Serious

Ok, so this blog is in no way political. Well, I guess you could argue that everything is political - relationships in particular. But I am really not a politics kind of gal, which is the perfect lead into my big issue right now - Sarah Palin. I'm all about women having power, but this just offends me. Look, I'm not even going to get into my party preference, voting tendencies, and stand on major issues. This shit is about right and wrong and to be honest, I'm scared. I saw the Vice Presidential debates and the Katie Couric interviews, which just got worse and worse each day. Here's just a little of what scares me about the Republican Vice Presidential nominee:

• Thinks being gay is a choice
• Seems to think the morning after pill is an abortion pill
• Thinks global warming is part of some cyclical weather pattern and not due to human activity
• Can't/won't name a newspaper she's read
• Can't name a Supreme Court case other than Roe vs. Wade (imagine that)
• And, let's not forget she's a shooter. Don't we have enough gun-toting shooters in DC?
• Her speech is worse than a 3rd grader in one of America's worst schools: also, fersure, doggonit, youbetcha - do we really want 4 years of that?
• Tried to ban books in Alaska

I know that there are people who said they'd move to Canada if Reagan was elected so, I'm not saying anything new but I just may look into the northern region. I just don't get it and I am left with many questions. How is someone in the running for Vice President of this country who treats a debate like a beauty pageant - winking, completely incoherent answers, ignoring questions, hair tossing? Do Americans really value higher education when they can support someone who went to 5 schools before getting a B.A. in journalism and then bashes the media? This is not Clueless. Being stupid is not cute in a presidential election, is it? Can acting like a politician get you into the White House? Hmmm...Ronald Reagan, Arnold Schwarzenegger. And really, who the fuck is Joe Six Pack?
Can we all just get serious for a moment? This country is facing serious issues. What I don't need is a wink and a smile!

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Romance Lives?

Like most women, after seeing the Sex and the City movie, I am still talking about it. Being reunited with the girls, the clothes, the shoes, the relationships with men... It really was great but it left me with a lot of questions. I couldn't quite figure out what was bugging me until now. There was not one but two weddings in this movie. Both of these weddings seemed to be based on this: if you give the guy long enough, eventually he will come around and realize you're the one. As SATC fans know, the last line from Mr. Big in the series was, "Carrie, you're the one." While I still don't want to give much away, (even though if you haven't seen the movie by now, what the hell are you waiting for you!) this just seems to be an idea I found running through the script as well as this undying belief that "love" will conquer all.
Then, this weekend while having dinner at a very nice restaurant, I witness something that I've only seen on TV and in film. A very cute, well-dressed couple who appeared to be in their mid to late twenties were having dessert and all of a sudden the woman lets out a scream. It becomes obvious why when the guy gets up and kneels down on one knee. He proposes and of course, she starts to cry. I notice that she spends the rest of the night on her cell phone, probably telling her friends and family about it and planning the wedding. Call me jaded, cynical, bitter, whatever, but all I could do was wonder how long this union would last.
Sorry, but my date tonight was so bad that I'm considering joining a nunnery. We met at Proof. The food was great but absolutely no connection or conversation. His main pastime? Playstation. And yes, he is over 25. I mentioned that I forgot to bring my umbrella and he jokingly (or so I thought) said that he hoped I wouldn't get rained on. I walked to the restaurant, and he drove. His car was actually parked two blocks away in the Gallery Place garage. As we were leaving, I stood by the door watching the rain and not once did he offer a ride or to pull up and drop me at home which is only a few blocks away. What did he say? "Give me a call sometime." Yes, romance lives and eventually men will come around. Right.

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SATC at Last!

Well, I just returned from an advance screening of the Sex and the City Movie and as I imagined, it did not disappoint. If you are as big of a fan of the show as I am, you couldn't wait until this movie came out. I have the entire DVD set at home and would pop one in whenever I felt the need. Like needing to see a particular episode that reminds you of a date you just had. I swear that at this point in my life, every crazy thing that happened to them, has happened to me as well. I have now had every freaky dating situation there is to have! But the show was about so much more than men and sex. They became like your own girlfriends and the friendships were so familiar. I will not however, give anything away for those of you who haven't seen it yet.
What I will say is that if you haven't already arranged a spot for you and your friends to have cocktails before and/or after the movie, you should seriously consider Corduroy. As I've mentioned before, the restaurant recently reopened in a new location across from the Convention Center. The chef is highly acclaimed Tom Power and the food is amazing. What I am loving most is the incredibly chic bar and lounge upstairs. The service is impeccable and bartender Pichan, has just introduced his new lemongrass cocktail. Delicious! A great way to toast to a great movie.

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In Bruges - and Elsewhere

Megan and I attended a screening the other night of the movie "In Bruges" with Colin Farrell and Ralph Fiennes at E Street Cinema. I've known for some time now that I'm not a movie person and often have a hard time describing a movie to someone after I've seen it. I think it's because I just get distracted and start thinking about things that have nothing to do with the film itself.
I started thinking about: how beautiful Bruges is and why I've never been to Europe; why there were no members of the press in the many "press seats" which forced Megan and I to sit way too close to the screen; what qualifies one to be a member of the press; how the word 'fuck' sounds so much better with a British accent; if Colin Farrell purposefully grew a unibrow for the film; and how thirsty I had become for a good Belgian beer because there seemed to be beer drinking in every scene.

Given my last thought, I headed to The Reef in Adams Morgan which has great Belgian beers on tap. I had the Winter Koninck and pretended I was in Bruges for a while. I tried to tell the bartender what the movie is about but all I could think to say was that it's about a couple of hitmen with a conscious which just sounds like an oxymoron. It gets released next month. Cheers!

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