Recently in DC Category

Last night I purchased Major League Baseball 2k8 for my PS2 - probably one of the last games I acquire before upgrading to a next gen console sometime this year - I'm leaning XBox this moment as 1. I am a Microsoft Shareholder, and 2. GTA IV (I know the PS3 will also have GTA IV, but it's WAY too expensive). However, it's also hard for me to dismiss getting a Wii because it's...well...just plain fun. But I digress - got 2k8 and was ready to checkout the Nats and Nationals Park.

I picked MLB 2k8 over The Show for two reasons - one, my copy of 06 The Show's franchise mode was buggy - contracts wouldn't stick, and there was general weirdness. But more importantly, Pitchfork was involved with picking the music for 2k8 - as any licensed hipster knows, one cannot deny anything with Pitchfork's stamp of approval.

I played 1 full game last night, and had started one before I stopped because I realized I had yet to eat dinner.

The first game, which only lasted 3 innings, contained one very ominous sign - Nick Johnson hit a slap single, and was immediately pulled from the game for spraining his ankle. Doh! As hunger called, I shut off the game and cooked some of my delicious bounty procured earlier in the evening from Trader Joe's.

Next, the actual full game. First impression, Patterson looked pretty good - only gave up one run through 6, but he started to run out of gas. Since it was a one run game, I kept Rauch and Cordero in the pen and put in Wagner - bad move. Wagner proceeded to load the bases. Brought in Rivera, who proceeded to completely cough up the game. But the good news was the Nats hit two homers, both over the left field wall - Nicky J and Lo Duca. Perhaps the Nats homer drought will be over with this new park?

The Park itself didn't look great in the game, but I don't fault them as they had to program this WELL before they could actually see what the real thing looks like. I'm not at all concerned - the new stadium looks wicked pretty on the construction web cam. I can't wait for opening day (and yes, I do have a ticket for it - it pays to have friends who are season ticket holders.)

The lasting effect that Israel has had on me is a taste for Bissli.  What's even more exciting is that the Potomac Yards Harris Teeter carries Bissli now!  Seriously!  And here I thought I would only be able to find it at Wegmans!  WOOO!!!!

Fine dining is a lot of money for delicious by tiny portions.  Restaurant week is a bargain??!!??

As someone who has spent years playing guitar, and harnessing their craft - I find Rock Band to be an abomination.  A fantastically fun abomination.

Norman Mineta would've approved Metro to Dulles.  But instead we're stuck with these anti-transportation assclowns.  And to your people bitching about the tunnel, Bechtel built the rest of the system with a design/build no-bid contract, and they did a fuckin' good job.  Plus tunnels = cost overruns.  And honestly, those of you trying to scuttle the elevated track, you weren't for the tunnel either - you wanted to kill the damn project either because of some misguided notion of "slow growth" or because you didn't want to hand a political victory to a primary rival.  But I digress.  Assholes.  We need that train.

I downloaded all of Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass's Going Places album because I wanted to expand my collection of cheesey music.  But I'll be damned if Tijuana Taxi isn't a catchy song.  Is it possible I'm starting to ACTUALLY enjoy Herb Alpert instead of just IRONICALLY enjoy him?

Living in Pentagon City is somewhat akin to living in the Barbican, but perhaps with a little more soul.  A sea of concrete and high rises - and yet, that is exactly what I was looking for.  I know, I'm odd.  But I really dig just about everything over here - except possibly the somewhat sketchy walk from the Pentagon City Metro to my apartment building - 2 blocks of industrial park.  I know that in all likelyhood there's absolutely nothing to be concerned about, but it still is kinda creepy.  So if I'm heading home late, I usually ride the extra stop to Crystal City.  I actually did some calculations using the ruler in Google Earth.  From my apartment to Pentagon City it is .39 Miles or 369.51 Smoots.  From my apartment to Crystal City is .42 Miles or 400.95 Smoots.  So it's essentially a draw - though there is a longer traffic light to wait at when walking to/from Crystal. 

The dog has been adapting - he does seem to like it.  There's a fenced in doggie-exercise area next to the building - gives him a chance to run around, socialize, etc. 

The apartment itself is quite...cozy.  And by cozy, I mean small.  It's technically 500+ square feel, but probably about 100 sq feet of that is a hallway.  A HALLWAY!  Oh well, it's a really nice place, has a washer and dryer, and is in a good location (see above).

Sometimes I get my weird news links from abcnews.com...I guess I really am a news junkie.  Anyways, I was just surfing and came across this site for some dude wanting a second chance with a girl he met on the subway in New York.  A couple of years ago I noticed this incredibly attractive girl riding on the Orange Line with me outbound from the District.  We kinda smiled at each other more than a few times.  I was an idiot, and didn't go up and say hi.  She got off at Clarendon and kinda shrugged said, "Guess I'll see ya around".  I SHOULD HAVE TALKED TO HER!!!  And then this dude comes along and actually figures out how to get a hold of his random subway girl!

Oh well.

Last night I watched Game 3 of the World Series at the notorious Democratic and Red Sox hangout, Stetsons.  Stetsons has long been a Washington favorite of mine - good beer, fun atmosphere, and cheap food. 

After a long day of apartment hunting, I had a few hours to kill before the game (all the apartment offices were closed at this point).  I thought about going back out to VA, but it seemed silly to go out of the city just to return an hour later.  So I stopped off at the National Museum of American Art and National Portrait Gallery.  Aside from the preamble written in license plates to the right, the highlight of the museum for me was a video display that including Brian Williams describing the absurdity of Burt the Turtle and Duck and Cover.

I was also amazed to find
an art installation using Vari*Lites!   For those of you don't know, I used to work in stage production.  VLs (as they are known) are my favorite kind of moving light - they're graceful and bright.  See below the grainy shot of the VL5s hanging in the museum (I didn't see where their Smart Repeater was...)


Following that brief sojourn, it was off to Stetsons!  As soon as I walked into the bar, I knew I was in the right place as I got cheers and applause for walking in wearing a Sox hat.  Suddenly, I regretted not bringing my jersey with me.  As we got closer to the game, more and more Sox fans poured into the place giving it an absolutely Fenway-like atmosphere.  People would walk in, see everyone with Boston gear on, and turn around and walk out.  The place roared at every Sox hit.  Pandemonium took over when Daisuke Matsuzaka got his first major league hit, a 2 RBI single!  And the bar grew quiet during the Rockies 6th inning rally, only to grow loud again when the Sox brought the score back up. 

I found myself in a conversation with the people who were sitting next to me - turns out they too work in the political realm, and we quickly discovered we had many mutual friends.  It was a bit of the ol' Jewish Geography, Workplace Geography, and since it was a Sox game - Newton Mass geography (Waban??  No way!).  I even got into a conversation over whether or not the Star Market in Fenway was now a Shaws.  This disturbs me, as I have not actually lived in Boston - rather my parents did & grandparents did.  And yet, I can talk about local grocery stores.

From Me:
"I was wondering if:

1. You had any efficiencies available?
2. How much they rent for?
3. If small dogs (13 lbs Poodle who enjoys watching Television) are allowed?

Thanks!"

Response:
"Hi and thanks for your interest in [REDACTED] Apts.,

I'm sorry but we do not accept pets of any kind, even if they're small,
cute and watch TV.  LOL"

Fantastic.

In 2 weeks, I'm moving back to Washington.  So I'm trying to figure out where in the area I want to live.  Do I want to move into the city itself, but have difficulties parking and possibly sacrifice in-state tuition at George Mason?  Do I want to move to Pentagon City which is less convenient, slightly less fun but more economical and the apartments are much much newer.  Then there's the dark horse - Cleveland Park.  Lovely area, lots of stuff, but also not quite as convenient as the other places.

DIFFICULT DECISIONS!!!!

I also have to consider dog-walkage.  Specifically, where I'm going to walk Julius (the unusually intelligent Poodle), and how easily I can run home, walk the dog, and then get back into town for a Happy Hour/Baseball Game.

Several of my friends (JEFF!  ERIKA!) have made it their respective missions to make me move into the city.  It is difficult to ignore their logic/threats as I consider this whole process.  But I also have to ask myself - is it REALLY a good idea to be walking distance to both Stetsons AND the Brickskeller?  Of course, I lived in Pentagon which was walking distance to a Legal Sea Food and I didn't end up eating Chowda every night (CHOWDA!!!!!!!) but...