Sunday, March 27

Our Weekend in New York


We went to New York City this weekend, primarily to see the Signature Theatre Company's production of Angels In America.  We saw the matinee of Part 1:  Millennium Approaches and the evening performance of Part 2:  Perestroika.  In all, it was about 7 hours of play with four intermissions and a 2 1/2 hour break for dinner.

The show was amazing.  The theater was very small.  We sat in the seventh row for the first performance and the second row for the evening show.  We had already seen the HBO production of the show, so knew what to expect, but seeing it live was well worth it.  Prior Walter was played by Michael Urie, who played Marc St. James on Ugly Betty.  I was never much of a fan of that show, and I knew he looked familiar, but did not realize who he was until after the first performance.  The whole cast did an excellent job, especially Adam Driver, who played Louis.


Prior to the first show, we walked down (in the freezing cold) to the Hudson River and saw this aircraft carrier parked nearby, which made us feel quite safe from military attack during our visit.  


We ate dinner at this Japanese restaurant between shows.  It was very good.  We both had teriyaki chicken and miso soup, but mine also came with shrimp sumai, seaweed salad, and vegetable tempura.

I had already ate one of the shrimp sumai. 


When we arrived on Friday evening, we went to this piano bar, Don't Tell Mama, which has a back room for show tunes only.  It was also lots of fun.  I drank a Sexy Mama.  Mmmm.

Saturday, March 26

In NYC to See Angels In America

Shane and I are in New York this weekend to see both parts of Angels
In America. We already saw Part 1, which was amazing, and are about
to see the second part. That's about 7 hours of show! More later.

Friday, March 25

Buying New Glasses Part 2--Even More Frames

Here are some more glasses frames I tried out recently.  Do any of them do anything for me?

Harry Potter?

I don't hate these.

I do hate these.

No.

Hell No.

I think we have a winner.

Thanks to my co-worker, Sara, for going with me and taking all these pictures.  Visit her blog, the Butterfly Cottage, about her upcoming wedding here.

Thursday, March 24

Buying New Glasses--So Many Choices

I'm thinking about buying new glasses and getting a new look.  Which would you choose?

These are the Dame Ednas.

Yes. Those are rhinestones.

No.  It's me, not Michael Caine.

Ewww.

Now that's hot?

More choices later...

Wednesday, March 23

Elizabeth Taylor Tearing It Up in "Woolf"



She really was amazing!  She was only 33 years old when this was filmed.  She gained 30 pounds to play a mid-40s ball-breaking drunk.

This is from the blog, Signature Roles:
Her performance was and is still one of the most modern pieces of film acting ever. Her Martha is a ruthless, fierce, thunderbolt of rage and unacknowledged grief. She enters hard, like a wheel barrel of bricks being dumped on your front porch, and never let's up - until the last moment. Her hard thrust and power is an equal match to the amazing film-making.

Tuesday, March 22

New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #280

I need you to execute this will.

This is my submission for the New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #280.  Let me know if you have any ideas for a caption too. 

Monday, March 21

Monday Night Sing-Along with Laurie


Shane's step-brother Trent's wife Laurie, from Salem, Mass., is back in town for a business trip and we went out to dinner at Zest on 8th Street.  Laurie treated!!! Thanks Laurie.  After dinner, we came back to our house and took advantage of Laurie's piano skills to have her play a few tunes on our upright.  Highlights of the sing-along included the Star Spangled Banner, the Rainbow Connection, and Downtown.  It was very fun!

Sunday, March 20

My Popovers Pooped Out

This is what popovers are supposed to look like:

I have made popovers that have looked somewhat like the ones above.  They are awesome when they are warm, buttery and full of jam.  I made popovers this morning and followed my usual recipe and this is what resulted:


I don't know what I did wrong.  They were mealy, dark and not edible.  They didn't pop.  They were all poopy.  Oh well.  Maybe next time I'll have better luck.

Saturday, March 19

Sleepy Day with Blue Sponge


I have problems sleeping about once a week.  Last night I went to bed a little after 11 and fell asleep fine.  I have no problem falling asleep initially.  My problem is I wake up and think it is morning.  I am ready for the day and wide awake. I turn to look at the clock and it is 12:30 a.m.  I lay there and try to go back to sleep to no avail.  I get up and play on the computer.  I pet the cat.  I read.  I stay awake.  Luckily, today is Saturday, so I don't have to do anything really.  It is much worse when it happens and I have to go to work.  When this happens, I just feel like crap all day.  I have a bad taste in my mouth and am a bit grouchy.  I'll sleep tonight though.  On the bright side, it makes the weekend longer.

Friday, March 18

Ann "Coo Coo" Coulter Says Radiation Is Good



Will she say anything to sell books?  Somebody has been standing too close to the microwave oven.

Thursday, March 17

Where In the World Is Shane? Part 2


Happy St. Patrick's Day.  Here's another hint as to where Shane is on "business" travel this week.  They seem to be having quite the St. Patty's Day celebration there, but not as big as last week's party I bet.  I hope Shane doesn't have to show his boobies.

Wednesday, March 16

Where In the World Is Shane?



Can you guess what city Shane is on travel to this week from these photos he took out of his hotel window?  First one who guesses correctly will win everyone's admiration.  Here's a hint: It is not in Japan.  GOOD LUCK!

Tuesday, March 15

Monday, March 14

New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #279

I guess we shouldn't try to hold meetings during Oprah.  

This is my idea for my submission for the the New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #279.  Let me know if you come up with a caption too! 

Sunday, March 13

Running the St. Patrick's Day 8K in DC

Today, I ran the St. Patrick's Day 8K in Washington, D.C.  I came in 861st out of a total of 5,543 runners.  I came in at 653rd out of 2,367 men.  I came in 71st out of the 246 men in my age bracket (45-49).  I finished the 8K (5 miles) in 39 minutes and 31 seconds, which works out to a 7 minute, 57 second per mile average.  I was pretty happy with my result.  It had been a while since I ran in a race and the 8K was a good distance for me.  The weather was perfect and it was a fun race with bagpipe players around the course and adorable little girls doing jigs at the finish line.  More pics to come.




Saturday, March 12

Tweet of the Day-Springing Forward @jasonmustian

"Has anyone reminded Flava-Flav to turn his necklaces forward an hour?" -- Jason Mustian @jasonmustian

Friday, March 11

Trailer for Running the Sahara



I've been dying to see this movie and I finally got it on Nexflix.  The best part for me was when they got to Giza, Egypt and saw the pyramids in the distance.  What I didn't like so much was the personality of the one runner who was such an asshole.  The other two runners were much more forgiving than I would have been.  The movie did inspire me to go for a run though.

Thursday, March 10

Eating Out for Charity


We went out to dinner tonight to Trattoria Alberto, the Italian restaurant around the corner from our house.  Tonight was the annual "Dining Out for Life" event that benefits Food and Friends.  More than 150 restaurants in the DC area donate part of their proceeds to this worthy cause that provides meals and services to people with HIV/AIDS and cancer.  You can win a trip if you donate online, so do it.  I give to them through the Government's Combined Federal Campaign also.  It is very cool that you can go out and have a nice meal and also helping others.  I didn't mind a bit.  My salmon was delicious!

Wednesday, March 9

Off to See Some Rocks in the Shape of Dead Presidents


Shane is going on a business trip to South Dakota next month and I bought my ticket today to join him.  How many chances do I have to go see Mount Rushmore, Deadwood, Crazy Horse, and possibly take  a side trip to Wyoming to see Devil's Tower?  This is really just a chance to get more state awards on my Qrank game.