tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-134208452024-03-07T02:53:17.272-05:00Call Me ABIt's a crazy world out there and I aim to fit right inAlexandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03697909535745955436noreply@blogger.comBlogger80125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13420845.post-65540527808293102852009-03-05T22:06:00.004-05:002009-03-28T22:50:54.983-04:00Thumbs Down!This past weekend I went out to the Canaan Valley (pronounced ka-nayne, for some inexplicable reason) for three days of telemarking and snowshoeing at the fabulous White Grass nordic resort. Or at least I hoped that's what it would involve. In reality the snow coverage was so minimal that we had to resort to making do with snowshoeing where any other sane person would have been perfectly fine with regular hiking boots, and cross-country skiing over ice, leaves, rocks, and whatever else lay before us in the spring-like temperatures that greeted us. To our credit ("our" being a reference to me and my friend Kevin, who similarly scoffed at alpine skiing in such conditions) we accepted these obstacles cheerily and did not let the less-than-ideal conditions keep us off the mountain.<div><br /></div><div>The real reason I'm posting this account, though, is to relate the story of how I went home at the end of the second day with my hand in a splint and several hundred mgs of ibu in my stomach. On this day, Saturday, Kevin and I signed up for a two-hour tour of the upper ranges of White Grass with the owner/proprietor of the resort, a wild, zany, fun, and certifiably cookoo dude named Chip. Because we would start the trip with a chair-lift ride at the Canaan Valley alpine resort and finish with an alpine descent, we were outfitted with cross-country gear that included a steel edge along the length of the foot (normal nordic skis do not have such an edge - however, these were still not telemark skis, with complete edges to better assist with turns). After the two-hour tour through the trees -- which was its own sort of scary, exhausting challenge -- we returned to the top of the lift and began the laborious process of skiing down the alpine slope. To say Kevin and I struggled with this would be a gross understatement; quite simply, it was torture. I can't even begin to describe the level of frustration we felt as experienced alpine skiers, suddenly reduced to the very lowest level of ability by our equipment, so ill-suited for the environment. With the exception of a few times we attempted to telemark, we primarily stuck to scooting down the hill in a snow-plow. But without the edges provided by alpine or telemark skis, and with the warm temperatures turning the snow into slush, it was desperately difficult to remain in control. Like I said: a fall every minute. Perhaps you can see, then, how injury was just a matter of time. Indeed, one of my falls turned out to be slightly more violent than the others, and as I fell, my thumb jammed into the ice/hardpack at high velocity. The first minutes afterwards were excruciating. I was in hysterics until someone offered to get Ski Patrol to pick me up in a stretcher, at which point my pride forced me to dry my tears, pick myself off the ground, throw my skis over my shoulder with my good hand, and hike down the hill to the lodge (with Kevin accompanying me, like the gentleman he is). Eventually I found Ski Patrol, who conducted a bunch of tests to make sure it wasn't a bad break and then splinted me up and gave me a bag of dirty snow to keep the swelling down.</div><div><br /></div><div>Fast-forwarding to the current day, I can happily report that the thumb is not fractured, but the interior tendon has torn. I did some research and was delighted to discover that this is commonly referred to as "skier's thumb," although how I got the injury is not typical (my pole was not a factor - it was just the speed involved in "jamming" the thumb into the ice). According to Ski Patrol, this is one of the longest-lasting injuries to the hand; it will take many months for the tendon to heal. Right now at least the splint is gone, but my thumb feels stiff and arthritic. </div><div><br /></div><div>Otherwise a fun weekend, but man, what a pain!</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: rgb(102, 102, 102); white-space: pre; font-family:Arial;font-size:11px;"></span><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc55p-yWPZJHXbpp7xNLXF8g5rnp8r1knntTzepOhALZoUD8OiI-kJTCIgBjX0q7kfBk1fcfIwl2EiIszDfn0FgKDWQJ2rx6AwVQ27Uu1bva7kPYnjVgseapn6aqpgg-YENbK-/s400/splint1.jpg" /><table style="width:auto;"><tbody><tr></tr><tr></tr></tbody></table><br /></div>Alexandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03697909535745955436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13420845.post-20135493491205556672008-12-20T17:27:00.002-05:002008-12-20T17:52:08.131-05:00Best Music of 2008It's that time of year again!<br /><br />My favorite albums of 2008:<br /><br />15)<span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"> </span>Dear Science</span>, TV on the Radio<br />14)<span style="font-style: italic;"> Partie Traumatic, </span>Black Kids<br />13)<span style="font-style: italic;"> Street Horrrsing</span>, Fuck Buttons<br />12)<span style="font-style: italic;"> For Emma, Forever Ago</span>, Bon Iver<br />11)<span style="font-style: italic;"> Robyn</span>, Robyn<br />10)<span style="font-style: italic;"> </span><span style="font-style: italic;">Rook</span>, Shearwater<br />9)<span style="font-style: italic;"> Keep Color</span>, The Republic Tigers <span style="font-style: italic;"></span><br />8) <span style="font-style: italic;">In Ghost Colors</span>, Cut Copy<br />7) <span style="font-style: italic;">Parc Avenue</span>, Plants & Animals <span style="font-style: italic;"></span><br />6) <span style="font-style: italic;"></span><span style="font-style: italic;">Alpinisms</span>, School of Seven Bells<br />5) <span style="font-style: italic;">Santogold</span>, Santogold<br />4) <span style="font-style: italic;">Carried to Dust</span>, Calexico<br />3) <span style="font-style: italic;">Crystal Castles,</span> Crystal Castles<br />2) <span style="font-style: italic;">Fleet Foxes</span>, Fleet Foxes<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">1) </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Furr</span><span style="font-weight: bold;">, Blitzen Trapper</span><br /><br />Why 15 instead of the usual 10? Because I was simply overwhelmed with awesome choices this year.<br /><br />Other amazing albums that I just couldn't fit on the list: <span style="font-style: italic;">Saturdays=Youth</span>, M83; <span style="font-style: italic;">Oracular Spectacular</span>, MGMT; <span style="font-style: italic;">Third</span>, Portishead; <span style="font-style: italic;">All Together</span>, Pattern is Movement; <span style="font-style: italic;">Love is Dead</span>, Lowry; <span style="font-style: italic;">The Seldom-Seen Kid</span>, Elbow.Alexandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03697909535745955436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13420845.post-42536066439913231472008-11-26T22:01:00.009-05:002008-11-26T22:13:19.849-05:00Fingerless Mits with Crochet Edging<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvtGfbN5DO9rT5-OsKDkkrEI1tpaflkXYGdTYefua2jWP6xgdwc-41avyZRWfbJn-dshEy59LMfXEA_unpCFxIaftfLvsHqW17UdvElO8LGI9sKBNIUB39Rm_OuquaEYNwgqJH/s1600-h/DSCN0425.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 283px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvtGfbN5DO9rT5-OsKDkkrEI1tpaflkXYGdTYefua2jWP6xgdwc-41avyZRWfbJn-dshEy59LMfXEA_unpCFxIaftfLvsHqW17UdvElO8LGI9sKBNIUB39Rm_OuquaEYNwgqJH/s320/DSCN0425.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5273167437660040130" border="0" /></a>Not to brag, but I'm kind of enjoying the results of my latest knitting endeavor. It's a pair of fingerless mittens, knit mostly with a really fun yarn called Jellybean that I picked up in Anacortes on my trip last month (see post below). The challenge for this project - because there is always a challenge - was to try out some crochet edging. I'm not much for crochet, so this was an interesting task. The tops and the thumb holes are edged with a simple slip stitch, but the bottom is a very cool, beautiful picot edge that is my real coup. See details below.<br /><br />BTW, this is an Xmas gift for a family member.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx9mb0s36k1f1oXiQlclm_I_d09YFn5lyL7UYB2gkqlJKWhA7mmlLgW49DskZdl_olJxCJh1JKKhCq5oCD4MtayOeba5hQg2YD8nVT4ysEpJS8QAZAJdkmlMN0g1f8MytuS6qX/s1600-h/DSCN0419.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx9mb0s36k1f1oXiQlclm_I_d09YFn5lyL7UYB2gkqlJKWhA7mmlLgW49DskZdl_olJxCJh1JKKhCq5oCD4MtayOeba5hQg2YD8nVT4ysEpJS8QAZAJdkmlMN0g1f8MytuS6qX/s320/DSCN0419.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5273168600285424482" border="0" /></a></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm5BDHNRyN1c5nupK-YpRGLEYYcG-MYy_GRcqUoYxQFLaT2iY3WFCTbCmg6BErL1_02YaOVl2UWaKJtsIwhdb9fjhDnCdSVQe3ivHQdo_VjkZ4xaxSgtQZK96Cyxbf35RwJvNs/s1600-h/DSCN0421.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm5BDHNRyN1c5nupK-YpRGLEYYcG-MYy_GRcqUoYxQFLaT2iY3WFCTbCmg6BErL1_02YaOVl2UWaKJtsIwhdb9fjhDnCdSVQe3ivHQdo_VjkZ4xaxSgtQZK96Cyxbf35RwJvNs/s320/DSCN0421.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5273169582696128578" border="0" /></a>Alexandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03697909535745955436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13420845.post-39558283200929976712008-10-07T11:50:00.013-04:002008-10-16T16:52:26.879-04:00Adventuring in the "Other" Washington<table style="width:auto;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/k35rZcI9kqGDzd3UHr6wuA"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/ablasgen/SOltSsc1pZI/AAAAAAAAE4E/kloEDzzY400/s288/DSCN0163.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ablasgen/OlympicNPAndGuemesFidalgoWhidbeyOctober2008">Olympic NP and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Guemes</span>/<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Fidalgo</span>/<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Whidbey</span>, October 2008</a></td></tr></tbody></table>Last week I decided I would make the most out of a meeting I had to attend in Redmond, WA, by bookending work time with vacation time. First stop: Olympic National Park. I flew into <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">SeaTac</span> airport on Saturday afternoon, picked up my thrilling Hyundai Sonata rental, and drove the roughly 2.5 hours out to Port Angeles. I made it just in time to pick out my site at the Heart O' the Hills campground and set up my tent. Heart O' the Hills is located just inside the park entrance and in an low-elevation rain forest. The place was beautiful:<div><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/Ig1_DV7WmG-puhlSNuJTPA"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/ablasgen/SOlsl0kypfI/AAAAAAAAE1w/gXqRnpIsQjA/s288/DSCN0129.jpg" /></a><br />...but there was one enormous problem that hadn't occurred to me: wood. I had been planning to gather wood from around the camp (which you can do in the off-season), but the thing about rain forests is that they, and everything in them, are <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">wet</span>. That was a bit of a set-back. The first evening, therefore, I spent about an hour wandering around trying to find the <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">least wet</span> sticks and branches there were laying around. I skipped a warm dinner and a fire that first night because I wasn't confident I had enough wood yet, plus it was already dark and I was tired. </div><div><br /></div><div>The next morning I woke up (surprisingly late! My new sleeping pad was comfy) and drove up to the visitor's center at Hurricane Ridge. Wow, what a difference from the campground! All the way up the mountain it was warm, dry, and crystal clear (my dad says this is called an <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">inversion</span>). Not exactly what I had expected from the famously wet Washington. I found an interesting-looking trail that ran from the Hurricane Ridge Visitor's Center along the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Klahhane</span> Ridge for almost 4 miles and took off for a stroll. The four miles out took me almost two and a half hours, although for the most part it was not at all strenuous until I hit the switchbacks at the end. Beautiful views and terrain the entire way (see picture at the top, which was taken at the summit). The only downside was that it was rather a warm day (in the 70's) and the trail was a bit more popular than I would have liked. Nevertheless, super fun. The hike back took less than two hours, and I was happy to find on my drive down that I had sewing-machine legs. Must have been a half decent workout. When I got back to my campsite, I went straight to work collecting more half-rotten, half-soaked sticks from the surrounding woods. My paranoia levels were high. This was the moment of truth. If I went without dinner again, after 11 miles of hiking (including the three I took through the rain forest after the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Klahhane</span> Ridge hike), I would be unbelievably miserable. And pride would of course make going into Port Angeles for dinner a complete non-option. I pulled out the copy of the Express I had brought all the way from DC, arranged a few pieces of kindling, and strategically inserted a few choice <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">firestarters</span> that I suspected would make all the difference. After about 5-7 minutes of smoking, dying, adding more paper, smoking more, and just generally looking like a complete and utter failure, the fire finally took off. The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">firestarters</span> must have managed to dry out a couple pieces of wood just enough to allow them to catch on fire. Score! I quickly poured some water into my pot and set it on the grill to boil. My proudest moment of the trip:</div><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/KW-EwiTdnbAV2EEZqRHKFg"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/ablasgen/SOluuj0tidI/AAAAAAAAE4w/ZSpFsjbgLWA/s288/DSCN0173.jpg" /></a><br /><div>Dinner was mine, and it was good.</div><div><br /></div><div>The next day, Monday, I took off for my hotel in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Bellevue</span>. In typical Alexandra let's-try-something-new fashion, I picked a route that would take me via ferry over to Seattle. I've been on ferries many times as a kid, but experiencing one as an adult was downright thrilling. Driving on, parking the car, walking all over the deck (it helped that the weather was amazing) - it was all a blast. I took the ferry from Kingston to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Edmonds</span>, then drove done to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Bellevue</span> without incident. Voila.</div><div><br /></div><div>Work took up the rest of the week, but on Friday afternoon I was off for more adventuring; this time to the north. My first stop was <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Anacortes</span>, where I grabbed a delicious salad at the fabulous Adrift restaurant, then picked up some yummy skeins of yarn at Ana-Cross Stitch. Eventually I made my way over to the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">Guemes</span> Island ferry terminal and got in line. This was my second ferry ride of the trip, but it couldn't have been more different from the Kingston-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">Edmonds</span> leg. The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">Guemes</span> Island ferry is just a little platform for about 20 cars and a tiny cabin for the walk-on passengers. You couldn't even get out of your car. But on the other hand it was a very short trip - less than 5 minutes if you don't count the loading and unloading of the cars, which takes more like 15. The weather was drizzly, but I decided I needed to see a bit of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">Guemes</span> before heading over to my lodging for the evening. I took off north, looped around to the west and then south, then went east. I think managed to pretty much hit every non-private road on the island.</div><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/zloQJQybuQCoxCzM8mHagg"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/ablasgen/SOlv5L2aObI/AAAAAAAAE6A/yhKpMaBxLvY/s288/DSCN0186.jpg" /></a><div>Finally I made my way over to my home for the night: Deb and Dave's. Deb and Dave are a fabulous <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">Guemes</span> Island couple who have converted a horse arena and stable into a house. Needless to say it's enormous and a little bit strange. The garage, which used to be the arena, is gargantuan. The stables are now used for storage (and, in one case, a hot tub). A former tack room is now a bedroom, the old horse wash is now the laundry room, etc etc and the list goes on. It's a fascinating work in progress. Deb and Dave also make their own <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">biodiesel</span> from the local store's french-fry oil and have an incredibly impressive water <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">reclamation</span> system that takes water from their large roof and stores it in drums for their daily use (apparently much better than the insufferable well water they would otherwise use). Breathtaking, all of it.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>The next morning Deb and Dave left early for a trip of their own, and I headed off for a day of slow meandering down the length of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">Fidalgo</span> and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">Whidbey</span> Islands. Connecting the two islands is a fabulous bridge over a narrow pass called Deception Pass.</div><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/GvM-4EhNmtErmKC-2R4YUg"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/ablasgen/SOlzFOceIYI/AAAAAAAAE8E/ks8QHO4pPWU/s288/DSCN0217.jpg" /></a><div>Beautiful. And the weather was actually cooperating all that morning, go figure.</div><div><br /></div><div>I had lunch in a wonderful cafe in Oak Harbor called Angelo's, then made my way as slowly as I could down to Clinton to catch the ferry to Mukilteo. I made stops at Fort Ebey State Park and the Whidbey Island Winery to smell the roses, as it were. And after one last ferry ride through cool grey drizzle and a quick jaunt down to my airport hotel, my great PNW journey came to an end.</div>Alexandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03697909535745955436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13420845.post-89701359395680363682008-07-08T09:24:00.001-04:002008-07-16T09:41:49.687-04:00Alaska!<table style="width: auto;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ablasgen/AlaskaTripJuly2008/photo#5220019277606393618"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/ablasgen/SHE74EprlxI/AAAAAAAAC84/fAoYsCPI0Qg/s400/DSCF3094.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; text-align: right;">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ablasgen/AlaskaTripJuly2008">Alaska Trip J...</a></td></tr></tbody></table>Got back on Sunday from a wild and wonderful first-ever trip to Alaska. The wildlife was plentiful, the scenery breath-taking (literally, for me, when we got to Skilak Lake), and great fun was had by all. My tour group, lead by intrepid Alaskan Waldo, was pretty awesome. We hiked, camped, golfed under the midnight sun, and set off fireworks on the 4th of July (made somewhat lackluster by the absence of any contrast with the sky).<br /><br />The picture above is from one of our more exciting experiences: a very close run-in with a bear sow and her two cubs. That's my tent in the picture. Click on the picture for a link to my photo album, which includes many other awesome shots (that still somehow don't convey exactly how awesome Alaska is).<br /><br />Here's a brief itinerary of the trip to accompany the viewing of the photos:<br /><br />Day 1 (Sunday, June 29): Drive from Anchorage to the Kenai Peninsula. Stop at Portage Glacier in Chugach National Forest (which just now I learned is "Alaska's most visited tourist attraction"!). Set up camp on Hidden Lake.<br /><br />Day 2: Two hikes in the morning, one to Kenai River and one to Skilak Lake (where we skipped rocks). Canoeing and bear run-in in the afternoon.<br /><br />Day 3: Drive up to Seward, boat tour of the Kenai Fjords (glaciers! orcas! humpbacks!), dinner in Seward.<br /><br />Day 4: Loooooooong drive up to Denali via Anchorage. Awe-inspiring views of the Alaska Range, including Mt. McKinley. Apparently it is extraordinarily rare to see them as clearly as we did - they are (especially Mt. McKinley) almost always covered with clouds.<br /><br />Day 5: In Denali National Park on the bus system (the only way to access the park). Hopped on and off for two hikes at Polychrome Mountain and Toklat River. Game of midnight golf from 10 pm - 1:30 am.<br /><br />Day 6: Fourth of July! Big hike up Mt. Healy at the edge of Denali NP. Fireworks show at 11:20 pm.<br /><br />Day 7: Sad last day. Brief hike down to Horseshoe Lake (unfortunately no moose to be found) and then a drive back to Anchorage. Incredibly long wait at the Anchorage airport, but at least the Chili's served Alaskan.Alexandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03697909535745955436noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13420845.post-14739255250359640442008-05-27T14:58:00.005-04:002008-12-09T19:45:56.049-05:00Happy Holyoke HollyA big congrats to my friend Holly Norwick, who graduated <span style="font-style: italic;">magna cum laude</span> from Mt. Holyoke this past weekend.<br /><br /><table style="width: auto;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ablasgen/HollySMtHolyokeGraduation0508/photo#5204858455602690914"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/ablasgen/SDtfMFhi-2I/AAAAAAAACoQ/QEngwM8mdEA/s400/DSCF2976.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; text-align: right;">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ablasgen/HollySMtHolyokeGraduation0508">Holly's Mt. H...</a></td></tr></tbody></table><br />I spent three days with Holly, her Mt. Holyoke friends (including boyfriend Shaun, who was awesome enough to pick me up at the airport), and of course Jason, who flew out from Hawaii to be there. As you can tell in the above picture, Holly has spent enough time in Hawaii to justify an enormous collection of graduation leis.<br /><br />What else happened? Eating and more eating, a tour of the Mt. Holyoke campus, a stroll around North Hampton, and <span style="font-weight: bold;">karaoke</span>. Holly works at the (in)famous Rex Lounge in Chicopee, so of course her graduation party was held there. I managed to overcome my I'm-not-in-Hawaii-anymore- why-bother-with-karaoke funk and sang a few songs myself, with various amounts of success.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGz3x_1Ykjcsj6Y9NCQsaw0HpXAorJ5DjSkSS9c2K6B1Pl5h5zcRtUce-L3vgsQ5ZhyfYq9E54k9LolThRs9sbk5Tfq8EpJoA7JOgZtty8HY9QbzHHwwM0u7yIZ1Dro2ILc7os/s1600-h/karaoke.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGz3x_1Ykjcsj6Y9NCQsaw0HpXAorJ5DjSkSS9c2K6B1Pl5h5zcRtUce-L3vgsQ5ZhyfYq9E54k9LolThRs9sbk5Tfq8EpJoA7JOgZtty8HY9QbzHHwwM0u7yIZ1Dro2ILc7os/s200/karaoke.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5215931168820269986" border="0" /></a>Alexandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03697909535745955436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13420845.post-47793907941474757352008-04-04T19:32:00.005-04:002008-12-09T19:45:56.410-05:00Cherry Blossoms/The HypeMany things simply aren't worthy of the hype they've managed to accumulate for themselves. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, for instance, or Roombas, or ecinacea. I'm sure we all have our personal lists. Every so often, though, something thumbs its nose at the laws of too-high expectations and actually proves itself worthy. Two soaring examples of this in DC are Ben's Chili Bowl and the cherry blossoms. Sure, Ben's has ridiculously long lines at nearly all hours of the day, and the Tidal Basin in late March/early April is inconceivably crowded with the most disgusting hordes of tourists, but at the end of the day...it's hard to explain. It's as if missing out on these things would be missing out on life itself.<br /><br />I didn't make my usual pre-dawn trip to the Tidal Basin this year, but I managed to sneak in a late-afternoon stroll through the blossoms. As always, they filled my eyes with sparkly joy and made my heart giddy with beauty. Consider this my official addition to the Cherry Blossom Hype, then, I guess. Click on the pix below for a floral <span style="font-style: italic;">explosion</span>.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6gCXLzQfq90XxuhY4rO8NNx_uoHD9XzH1yqUTzyc485rCcDHK1sbeVoXSkePa9hLt6o2GxuybG-3JZZogjH55cJuhaXE-JxiZrBT7Z318udhtcW06e_bN0vKXxbPOvhP1BAVZ/s1600-h/DSCF2776.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6gCXLzQfq90XxuhY4rO8NNx_uoHD9XzH1yqUTzyc485rCcDHK1sbeVoXSkePa9hLt6o2GxuybG-3JZZogjH55cJuhaXE-JxiZrBT7Z318udhtcW06e_bN0vKXxbPOvhP1BAVZ/s320/DSCF2776.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5188512665996811890" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUSvq1wqKR-c_saVhJop7Pl0c3EVG71QCQcaL5nsYlZy-o4u_ImSzyxlvnrq7g5oXhwwmP3lyHhaew_Cq9FQEh1U-5znARc28Y_3Ao8gNGSbEDDwONcv4x_ymGAIaB6lA0R0Ta/s1600-h/DSCF2797.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUSvq1wqKR-c_saVhJop7Pl0c3EVG71QCQcaL5nsYlZy-o4u_ImSzyxlvnrq7g5oXhwwmP3lyHhaew_Cq9FQEh1U-5znARc28Y_3Ao8gNGSbEDDwONcv4x_ymGAIaB6lA0R0Ta/s320/DSCF2797.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5188512021751717474" border="0" /></a>Alexandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03697909535745955436noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13420845.post-70540029075145228672008-03-26T22:15:00.004-04:002008-03-26T22:30:41.720-04:00Maybe not in my life, though...This is silly, I know, but I just can't get over the first sentence.<br /><br />Alexandra's diary entry for September 23, 1989 (I'm barely 11 years old):<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Today just happend to be the worst day, maybe not in my life though. It was sunshine in the morning. We had our family picture taken at Grafflin. The picture included Max. The bad part was, it started pouring, while I was opening a refigerator door my finger got smashed, Nick wacked me in the eye, and last I got sooked and froze while running to the car. At night dad and mom went to a party, and Nick and me had pillow fights and watched T.V.<br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span></span></span></span>All misspellings <span style="font-style: italic;">sic</span>.<span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"></span><br /></span></span></span>Alexandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03697909535745955436noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13420845.post-65906643815910907242008-01-23T22:05:00.000-05:002008-01-28T22:50:33.707-05:00A Heavenly WeekI ask you, what could possibly beat this view?<br /><br /><table style="width: auto;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ablasgen/Tahoe2008AndJonSWedding/photo#5158116809829598898"><img src="http://lh3.google.com/ablasgen/R5VP6N_dRrI/AAAAAAAABk4/1FuFE-PFTK8/s400/DSCF2520.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr></tr><tr><td style="font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; text-align: right;">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ablasgen/Tahoe2008AndJonSWedding">Tahoe 2008 an...</a></td></tr></tbody></table><br />Now you know how Heavenly got it's name, eh?<br /><br />As usual, I thoroughly enjoyed my week-long stay with family and friends at the Heavenly Valley Townhouses, a short walk from the California base of Heavenly. Mainstays Cherif, Kate, and Susan H joined me and my parents at the condos. I took my once-yearly ski lesson with Bob Haas early in the week and spent the rest of my time on the slopes working on improving - ok, <span style="font-style: italic;">maintaining </span>- my modest ski form. I have to say that despite over two decades of skiing, it's only been over the past three years, joining the crew at Heavenly, that I've become a real enthusiast. It also helps that for <span style="font-style: italic;">once</span> in my life I was skiing on my very own equipment. Speaking of which...<br /><br />Countless hours of my precious vacation were spent dealing with my infamous "boot problem." You see, back in May I had thought I was so smart and competent and had gone out to buy cheap off-season boots at REI. After the first day of skiing, though, I knew something was terribly, terribly wrong. By the second day I was in so much pain I had to cut my day short. I then went in desperation to Powderhouse to see Jeff, a master boot fitter. We spent two hours together fitting a boot: taking measurements, cutting out a footbed, inserting heel lifts, and grinding down the padding on the tongue (the last three things solely because I have an incredibly tight plantar ligament in the arch of my foot - Jeff called it the symptom of a "very intense" person!). The next day I went in for another couple hours to have a custom footbed made. Finally on the day after that I went in for a heel wrap. Total cost of the new boots & custom footbed: $470. Cost of old shitty REI boots: $249. How much I would have paid for the new boots after having skied for two horrid days on the old boots: $1,000,000. What I learned about the experience (useful only for other skiers, but essential for them!):<br /><ul><li>When you first put on the boots, your toes should be squished against the end. When you buckle in, your toes should be just brushing the end. The boot should feel on your foot like a firm handshake feels on your hand.<br /></li><li>Unless you're a super regular skier with lots of experience buying boots, use a boot fitter! Again, <span style="font-style: italic;">use a boot fitter</span>. It's not just important, it's <span style="font-style: italic;">absolutely necessary</span>.<br /></li></ul>More pictures from the week:<br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ablasgen/Tahoe2008AndJonSWedding/photo#5158116732520187522"><img src="http://lh5.google.com/ablasgen/R5VP1t_dRoI/AAAAAAAABkg/PJaldyoqeJw/s288/DSCF2508.JPG" /></a> <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ablasgen/Tahoe2008AndJonSWedding/photo#5158116831304435394"><img src="http://lh4.google.com/ablasgen/R5VP7d_dRsI/AAAAAAAABlA/ARy-SKpqZsw/s288/DSCF2522.JPG" /></a><br />Me and the lake and me and Cherif<br /><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ablasgen/Tahoe2008AndJonSWedding/photo#5158117110477309826"><img src="http://lh5.google.com/ablasgen/R5VQLt_dR4I/AAAAAAAABmk/cU0G_NFWFEo/s288/DSCF2592.JPG" /></a><br />Newly engaged couple Kate and Tyronne with my 4 year-old cousin Audrey<br /><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ablasgen/Tahoe2008AndJonSWedding/photo#5158116912908814066"><img src="http://lh3.google.com/ablasgen/R5VQAN_dRvI/AAAAAAAABlY/6xcdVfuI8-o/s288/DSCF2529.JPG" /></a><br />Audrey plays animal charades. Any guess at what she is here? (Hint: it smells!) (we were laughing soooooo hard...)<br /><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ablasgen/Tahoe2008AndJonSWedding/photo#5158117131952146322"><img src="http://lh6.google.com/ablasgen/R5VQM9_dR5I/AAAAAAAABms/OXPVgZJP3l4/s288/DSCF2594.JPG" /></a> <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ablasgen/Tahoe2008AndJonSWedding/photo#5158117149132015522"><img src="http://lh6.google.com/ablasgen/R5VQN9_dR6I/AAAAAAAABm0/d04QyAYHOIA/s288/DSCF2595.JPG" /></a><br />Evan and Audrey give the "evil eye"<br /><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ablasgen/Tahoe2008AndJonSWedding/photo#5158122311682705634"><img src="http://lh4.google.com/ablasgen/R5VU6d_dSOI/AAAAAAAABqY/ppR4aaMuaQE/s288/DSCF2512.JPG" /></a><br />I can't help it - another gorgeous view.<br /><br />Until next year, dear Tahoe!Alexandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03697909535745955436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13420845.post-3984074010128029092008-01-04T10:22:00.000-05:002008-01-04T11:58:58.156-05:00Farewell 2007Thank goodness for my awesome friends. They really know how to have a good time. When it came time to consider plans for New Year's Eve, Jamie and Kevin were quick to appear with a most tantalizing offer: four days at the Mutton Top PATC cabin, far from civilization and cushy amenities like running water but stock full of natural beauty, peace and quiet, gourmet food, booze, and low-tech games. We spent the days chopping wood, cooking, eating, cleaning up after the cooking and eating, reading, hiking, and hanging out. For the New Year's celebration, <a href="http://notetojon.blogspot.com/">Jon</a> and I dressed up in ironic evening wear, champagne flowed, and Linny counted us down with the help of Jeff's GPS (our source of "real time"). 2008 was welcomed in with 16 pairs of very happy open arms (and several roman candles and bottle rockets).<br /><br />Our glorious home-away-from-home:<br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ablasgen/MuttonTopNYE2007/photo#5150667120335208482"><img src="http://lh4.google.com/ablasgen/R3rYdN_dQCI/AAAAAAAABKU/ufFX_LLKee0/s288/DSCF2425.JPG" /></a> <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ablasgen/MuttonTopNYE2007/photo#5150667274954031250"><img src="http://lh4.google.com/ablasgen/R3rYmN_dQJI/AAAAAAAABLQ/yqyjJq8T8VU/s288/DSCF2437.JPG" /></a><br /><br />Two substantial activities over the weekend: cutting and cooking.<br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ablasgen/MuttonTopNYE2007/photo#5150667313608736930"><img src="http://lh5.google.com/ablasgen/R3rYod_dQKI/AAAAAAAABLY/WqpoY6tYShM/s288/DSCF2439.JPG" /></a> <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ablasgen/MuttonTopNYE2007/photo#5150667536947036450"><img src="http://lh5.google.com/ablasgen/R3rY1d_dQSI/AAAAAAAABMc/nO6f_QsTlMc/s288/DSCF2450.JPG" /></a><br /><br />A hike in the Shenandoah on New Year's Eve Day lead us past countless beautiful waterfalls:<br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ablasgen/MuttonTopNYE2007/photo#5150667867659518418"><img src="http://lh6.google.com/ablasgen/R3rZIt_dQdI/AAAAAAAABN4/yMViK8LYquA/s288/DSCF2465.JPG" /></a><br /><br />Finally, it's New Year's Eve! After getting cosy by the fire: <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ablasgen/MuttonTopNYE2007/photo#5151637130109076738"><img src="http://lh4.google.com/ablasgen/R35KrN_dRQI/AAAAAAAABbI/DQWzz-5U06E/s288/December%202007%20491.jpg" /></a><br />Jon and I proceed to get fancier than any Mutton Top guest has ever gotten: <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ablasgen/MuttonTopNYE2007/photo#5150946512252781570"><img src="http://lh4.google.com/ablasgen/R3vWj9_dRAI/AAAAAAAABWU/Jv0I8crbaZ8/s288/IMG_2790.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ablasgen/MuttonTopNYE2007/photo#5151024066477245602"><img src="http://lh6.google.com/ablasgen/R3wdGN_dRKI/AAAAAAAABY4/tE9u0pMDF1g/s288/IMG_2822.JPG" /></a><br /><br />Time for the countdown! 5, 4, 3, 2...<br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ablasgen/MuttonTopNYE2007/photo#5150946572382323778"><img src="http://lh6.google.com/ablasgen/R3vWnd_dREI/AAAAAAAABW0/mPtsYOeuQCE/s288/IMG_2807.jpg" /></a><br /><br />1! A Hollywood-glamorous kiss starts the New Year off on the right foot.<br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ablasgen/MuttonTopNYE2007/photo#5151637151583913250"><img src="http://lh5.google.com/ablasgen/R35Ksd_dRSI/AAAAAAAABbc/cCERrv7AfqQ/s288/December%202007%20528.jpg" /></a><br /><br />But soon it's time for bed, foursome-style:<br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ablasgen/MuttonTopNYE2007/photo#5151251317491844322"><img src="http://lh5.google.com/ablasgen/R3zrx9_dROI/AAAAAAAABaQ/9IS7Na7gur0/s288/IMGP2349.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Farewell 2007! 2008 will beat the crap out of you fo sho.Alexandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03697909535745955436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13420845.post-89464379041602988562008-01-02T10:46:00.000-05:002008-01-02T11:00:14.032-05:00A Green Christmas in Old St. Aug<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ablasgen/XmasWeekendInStAugustine/photo#5150695110637077362"><img src="http://lh5.google.com/ablasgen/R3rx6d_dQ3I/AAAAAAAABSI/rbOACjrcmZA/s400/IMG_0993.JPG" /></a></td><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ablasgen/XmasWeekendInStAugustine/photo#5150695093457208162"><img src="http://lh5.google.com/ablasgen/R3rx5d_dQ2I/AAAAAAAABSE/hDijcEAoDfE/s288/IMG_0966.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ablasgen/XmasWeekendInStAugustine">Xmas Weekend in St. Augustine ...</a></td></tr></table><br /><br />Since I had a long weekend over Christmas, I decided to spend a couple days in the warmth of Florida, exploring the city of St. Augustine. While the weather was mild and the town lovely, the best part of the trip was hanging out with fellow travelers at the Pirate Haus Hostel (see picture of me with Dietmar and Staci above). We tooled around together during the day and then celebrated Christmas Eve with a giant, chaotic, schizo dinner buffet-feast followed by an outing to a local dive bar. Hostels are just great. I also got clued into <a href="http://www.couchsurfing.com/">Couch Surfing</a>, which I may very well try out myself one of these days.Alexandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03697909535745955436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13420845.post-14332793344936896772007-12-28T10:38:00.000-05:002008-12-09T19:45:56.915-05:00Best Music of 2007<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieKym06nNiadTPbORVNMp31jDqQIrnUojvAsNSml9mNpWQPZZpsTgxc_nTfu5mbBStBuEuavy8z3Zuo4bMKgL_AW8q2SSbmYT8UcDFmRcvpgu6RNRSuLwP5X1ztCXJ65PO-Uie/s1600-h/mouse.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5149075195001913250" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieKym06nNiadTPbORVNMp31jDqQIrnUojvAsNSml9mNpWQPZZpsTgxc_nTfu5mbBStBuEuavy8z3Zuo4bMKgL_AW8q2SSbmYT8UcDFmRcvpgu6RNRSuLwP5X1ztCXJ65PO-Uie/s200/mouse.jpg" border="0" /></a>Screw Christmas, Hanukkah, New Year's, and "holiday cheer" - I love December for all the delicious year-end lists. Best (and worst) movies, TV shows, and books all have their own special appeal, but for me nothing beats the best-of lists for music. Several websites compile their own lists, which provides an interesting opportunity to compare how different readerships (<span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">listenerships</span>?) and critics weigh the relative merits of each album. Where do they overlap? Where do they <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">diverge</span>? Which albums are <em>really</em> the best??<br /><br />See what the pros have to say:<br /><br /><div><ul><li><a href="http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/feature/47446-staff-list-top-50-albums-of-2007">Pitchfork</a> (the l33t perspective)</li><li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Best-Music-of-2007/lm/R36PJP1OLB3M2C">Amazon </a>(speaking for the common man)</li><li><a href="http://www.avclub.com/content/feature/the_best_music_of_2007">The Onion's AV Club</a></li><li><a href="http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=17144780">NPR </a></li><li><a href="http://www.metacritic.com/music/bests/2007.shtml"><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Metacritic</span></a></li></ul><p>And now I humbly provide my own Best Music of 2007 list, available <a href="http://www.amazon.com/My-2007-Top-Ten/lm/R1BFHE9TGANZJ0/ref=cm_lm_byauthor_title_full"><strong>here</strong></a>. That link provides my explanations, of a sort, but I'll reproduce the list here in the interest of completeness. </p><ol><li>Modest Mouse, <em>We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank</em></li><li>Caribou, <em>Andorra</em></li><li><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Radiohead</span>, <em>In Rainbows</em></li><li>Band of Horses, <em>Cease to Begin</em></li><li>Lily Allen, <em>Alright, Still</em></li><li>Of Montreal, <em>Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?</em></li><li>Iron & Wine, <em>The <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Shepherd's</span> Dog</em></li><li>The Hot Toddies, <em>Smell the Mitten</em></li><li>Patrick Wolf, <em>The Magic Position</em></li><li>Okkervil River, <em>The Stage Names</em></li></ol><p>Runners up: Andrew Bird, <em>Armchair Apochrypha; </em>St. Vincent, <em>Marry Me</em>; Arcade Fire, <em>Neon Bible</em>; The Shins, <em>Wincing the Night Away; </em>Battles, <em>Mirrored; </em>Rocknoceros, <em>Dark Side of the Moon Bounce</em>.</p><p>Until December 2008!</p></div>Alexandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03697909535745955436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13420845.post-89746059250319520892007-11-19T09:54:00.000-05:002007-12-06T11:20:49.734-05:00Bloody AntietamMy fake siblings Jon, Darren, Sarah, Yvonne, and I belatedly honored Veteran's Day with a trip to the Antietam battlefield in Sharpsburg, MD. On the bloodiest day of the Civil War in September 1862, 23,000 soldiers were killed, missing, or wounded. See my powerful reenactment of a dead Confederate soldier below:<br /><br /><table style="width: auto;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ablasgen/Antietam/photo#5135367957971191282"><img src="http://lh3.google.com/ablasgen/R0R98w3LxfI/AAAAAAAAA84/UDGBkRGvX5M/s400/IMG_2065.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr></tr><tr><td style="font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; text-align: right;">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ablasgen/Antietam">Antietam</a></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br />Click on the link for other tasty photographic treats, courtesy of <a href="http://notetojon.blogspot.com/">Jon</a>.Alexandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03697909535745955436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13420845.post-39676300789405835962007-11-07T08:46:00.000-05:002007-11-08T17:05:48.147-05:00A Second Swipe with the Old Rag<table style="width: auto;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ablasgen/OldRagHike1107/photo#5129078254294753458"><img src="http://lh5.google.com/ablasgen/Ry4lf0xrYLI/AAAAAAAAAxc/eVZnt4CCHvs/s288/DSCF2378.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr></tr><tr><td style="font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; text-align: right;">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ablasgen/OldRagHike1107">Old Rag Hike ...</a></td></tr></tbody></table><br />"What, another boring foliage shot, AB?"<br /><br />Yes, dammit. I happen to be slightly obsessed with autumn. When I was living in California and Hawaii the turning of the leaves was easily the thing I missed most (just don't get me started on the things I now miss from those places).<br /><br />Back to the event at hand: a wonderful hike of Old Rag at peak or close-to-peak foliage. Amazing weather and large crowds greeted us when we arrived at the trailhead at 9 AM. An hour later and we certainly would have had our patience tested on the trail. To clarify for those of you unfamiliar with the mountain: Old Rag's famous rock scramble to the summit is full of narrow and often difficult passages through the rock, which naturally creates bottlenecks when the crowds increase. Fortunately on the way up I had none of that, and hiking down again the same way (foolish foolish foolish, but Jon <span style="font-style: italic;">made </span>me) we managed to wiggle our way down a weird alternate route through the worst of the bottlenecks. My thighs have been in pain ever since, but it was absolutely worth it. Perfect, perfect day.<br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ablasgen/OldRagHike1107/photo#5129403817110757778"><img src="http://lh3.google.com/ablasgen/Ry9NmExrYZI/AAAAAAAAA0Y/lcyF1rnj05c/s288/IMG_1779.jpg" /> <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ablasgen/OldRagHike1107/photo#5130592169344751538"><img src="http://lh6.google.com/ablasgen/RzOGZR0x17I/AAAAAAAAA2E/DtTuhscJFhw/s288/DSCN7161.JPG" /></a></a><br />PS - for another write-up of the same trip (one could even say a better write-up), see <a href="http://notetojon.blogspot.com/2007/11/id-climb-highest-mountain.html">Jon's account</a>.Alexandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03697909535745955436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13420845.post-60763799001747014792007-11-02T09:32:00.000-04:002007-11-02T09:50:02.377-04:00Adventures in Paris (not THAT Paris)<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ablasgen/MyronGlaser1007/photo#5126526584159428626"><img src="http://lh5.google.com/ablasgen/RyUUxExrYBI/AAAAAAAAAuU/o57s6WDotUI/s400/DSCF2366.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ablasgen/MyronGlaser1007">Myron Glaser ...</a></td></tr></table><br />Last weekend I managed to finagle a day off work (a holiday, even - not "personal leave"), which I planned to spend hiking in the George Washington National Forest before heading over to Paris, VA where friends Jamie and Kevin had rented a <a href="http://potomacappalachian.org/">PATC</a> cabin for the weekend. Well, long story short, the hike was a bit of a bust, and on <span style="font-style: italic;">top</span> of that, the guy I was caravaning with, John, somehow got his car stuck in a ditch and we were compelled to spend the next 2+ hours driving to Front Royal (for cell service), calling AAA and waiting for the tow truck, driving back to the GWNF, and finally towing that sucker out.<br /><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ablasgen/MyronGlaser1007/photo#5126526167547600722"><img src="http://lh4.google.com/ablasgen/RyUUY0xrX1I/AAAAAAAAAss/sGKCRKCpLZY/s288/DSCF2341.JPG" /></a> <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ablasgen/MyronGlaser1007/photo#5126526197612371810"><img src="http://lh3.google.com/ablasgen/RyUUakxrX2I/AAAAAAAAAs4/ETFEidkC5Ig/s288/DSCF2345.JPG" /></a><br /><br />Fortunately John's car was undamaged by the whole fiasco. And we were still able to get to Paris early enough so that it was still light out for our rainy 2-mile hike along the AT to the cabin. Saturday was spent sleeping in, eating pancakes (I was the flipper), and hiking a roughly 10-mile loop of the AT in the Sky Meadows area. The day was just gorgeous and sunny, and the foliage was beautiful (see also the picture of my "rainbow tree" at the top of this post). <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ablasgen/MyronGlaser1007/photo#5126526541209755650"><img src="http://lh3.google.com/ablasgen/RyUUukxrYAI/AAAAAAAAAuM/unXit0nNXjg/s288/DSCF2365.JPG" /></a><br /><br />Sadly I had to leave that evening to get back to DC for the New Pornographers show, but I felt like I managed to make the most of the trip. And now I've realized that these PATC cabin/hiking weekends are pretty much the most fun and wonderful thing I do.Alexandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03697909535745955436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13420845.post-32095977176272852182007-10-20T22:56:00.000-04:002007-10-21T17:11:13.446-04:00Steeple chaser? I hardly know 'er!<table style="width: auto;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ablasgen/InternationalGoldCup2007/photo#5123615220790726914"><img src="http://lh4.google.com/ablasgen/Rxq85bEEEQI/AAAAAAAAAl4/O7VlBLSedl0/s288/Ramya_Di_n_AB.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr></tr><tr><td style="font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; text-align: right;">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ablasgen/InternationalGoldCup2007">International...</a></td></tr></tbody></table>After having attended the Virginia Gold Cup (a spring event) for the past couple years, I finally had the chance to check out the International Gold Cup today. Fewer hats and sundresses, more corduroy and tweed, but otherwise the same sweet combination of tasty victuals, fashionable friends, and thrilling races prevailed. I spent my time almost exclusively in the role of bookie, taking $1 per bet and calculating payout by dividing the number of bets by the number of betters on the winning horse. (At the dire risk of boring, this creates some interesting wagering strategies. Most interesting was the case of my friend Morey, who placed a dollar bet on every horse in the race. Think about it...there are some interesting possibilities there). Anyway...<br /><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ablasgen/InternationalGoldCup2007/photo#5123615199315890418"><img src="http://lh3.google.com/ablasgen/Rxq84LEEEPI/AAAAAAAAAlw/u_1O2jBRejo/s288/smiles_everyone.JPG" /></a><br />Did I mention how good everyone looked? Did I mention that we owe this all to the fabulous Jeff?<br /><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ablasgen/InternationalGoldCup2007/photo#5123898645682590066"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ablasgen/InternationalGoldCup2007/photo#5123615276625301810"><img src="http://lh5.google.com/ablasgen/Rxq88rEEETI/AAAAAAAAAmQ/u7Gav3b-jzw/s288/round_th_bend.JPG" /></a> <img src="http://lh3.google.com/ablasgen/Rxu-q7EEEXI/AAAAAAAAAnY/WTT4XOx__pY/s288/IMG_1519.JPG" /></a>Alexandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03697909535745955436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13420845.post-62971968259523624432007-10-01T15:36:00.000-04:002008-12-09T19:45:57.232-05:00A Visit to the Decidedly Non-DC NortheastLucky me! After several months (a year?) of pestering Jeff, I managed to score myself an invitation to visit the famous King Family Camp, a beautiful cabin tucked away in rural West Topsham, Vermont. For 48 hours, Jeff ran me and fellow traveler Ann ragged, first stuffing us with delicious Vermont food and then hustling us up the White Mountains. I think if he had been inclined to charge, Jeff could have made a pretty penny off of us for his awesome tour-guiding! Check it:<br /><br /><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf" flashvars="host=picasaweb.google.com&captions=1&RGB=0x000000&feed=http%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2Fablasgen%2Falbumid%2F5116527199639225473%3Fkind%3Dphoto%26alt%3Drss" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" height="192" width="288"></embed><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Trip Journal</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Friday</span><br />Made our way to Jeff's cabin in Vermont via the Manchester, NH airport with relatively little drama (other than Jeff's thrilling attempt to drive down the wrong side of I Street). Jeff cleared out the two dead mouse bodies and dispatched a large spider, thus making the cabin about as critter-free as possible. Jeff couldn't get the gas stove working, but the futons and wool blankets provided us with as toasty a bed as we could wish. Ann and I were naturally delighted to discover there's no outhouse at the King Family Camp.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Saturday - Eating our way around Vermont</span><br />We indulged in a rather late sleep-in, then hit the Waits River General Store for breakfast. This was to be the first of SIX food stops over the <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU7jcjBpcYdIn7UGYlxXWeDye-ZcB0Ogh2GEk5ub_FfTLUVBePWQrhUV8pDb3NMivmVUGQNSbhepIb9oMZmc4-tPBLq1AzDDPue_6UnW1Sbm8LaeUV_23aLbPatwysLcachURU/s1600-h/DSCF2247.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU7jcjBpcYdIn7UGYlxXWeDye-ZcB0Ogh2GEk5ub_FfTLUVBePWQrhUV8pDb3NMivmVUGQNSbhepIb9oMZmc4-tPBLq1AzDDPue_6UnW1Sbm8LaeUV_23aLbPatwysLcachURU/s320/DSCF2247.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5117257666202093698" border="0" /></a>course of the day. We made our way through the gorgeous countryside and eventually ended up at the Cabot Creamery, where we took a tour (they were making Habanero cheese) and tried absolutely everything on the sample table. Vermont cheddar is the BEST. Next we made a stop at the Morse Farm Sugar Works, where of course we learned all about sugarin' and got to sample all the different kinds of maple syrup. I was raised on the fake stuff, but how can you not fall in love with maple syrup, eh? The rest of the day included stops in adorable downtown Montpelier (for lunch), at Ben & Jerry's in Waterbury (for the free sample at the end of the not-so-exciting tour), at the Cold Hollow Cider Mill (for cider and the <span style="font-style: italic;">most </span>delicious doughnuts ever), and finally in Burlington (for sunset, dinner, and the Red Sox game). Stunning scenery all around. Foliage to die for - even a covered bridge! Yes, I've seen this stuff before, even in VT, but the power of simple beauty never fails to amaze and awe. Also, Vermonters are so damn friendly! I definitely think I belong in a less populated area, at least personality-wise. Too bad I'm hooked on things like concerts, opera, public transportation, amenities, etc. etc.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Sunday - White Mountains hiking</span><br />After picking up breakfast at Dunkin' Doughnuts and lunch sandwiches at a deli in Woodstock,<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqYOlOEuVVoAWxPBI5uQKp_lQBcw9eK0UPZ09BWnY31lh7PPKQYghZSiqLuVEgPg0pnASGnGAEYRQ3SdKyogwo-vC4IUOQPzYvpNp1Um24_BEtKCLs0_rgeBVUk9NEzSMhdmW-/s1600-h/DSCF2294.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqYOlOEuVVoAWxPBI5uQKp_lQBcw9eK0UPZ09BWnY31lh7PPKQYghZSiqLuVEgPg0pnASGnGAEYRQ3SdKyogwo-vC4IUOQPzYvpNp1Um24_BEtKCLs0_rgeBVUk9NEzSMhdmW-/s320/DSCF2294.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5117260251772405906" border="0" /></a> NH, we arrived at the trailhead for the Old Bridle Path at Franconia Notch. Over the course of two hours, we ascended 2,000 ft in three miles and ended our trek at the AMC's Greenleaf Hut. Needless to say, the views were breathtaking. So was the hike, actually, in a more literal sense. The ascent got my pulse racing and the descent made my knees ache, but I loved every second.<br />Our mountain adventure tired out even trail-blazer Jeff, so you can imagine our joy when we discovered our flight back to Baltimore was delayed nearly an hour. We killed the time by chatting with a fellow passenger who recognized us from the hike (small world!) and eventually boarded and took off. I didn't get to bed until 1 AM - and I was the first home (poor Jeff, stuck driving all day!). But, in the end, even if I hadn't gotten any sleep at all...it still would have been worth it. When are we going back already, guys??Alexandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03697909535745955436noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13420845.post-17520097551007335282007-09-17T22:12:00.000-04:002008-12-09T19:45:57.858-05:00Good Gauley, Miss AB!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSSwarisB7ffkgFKU9cHbUryosQ2jUwy0kwoWw2gX_uIGicTGIqapJJZbYAO-WXUkLZMHWG67Si9JNnwG5_jr_y7h5THzDfldOgzYs1XXl2Fin6Ro4ptpV0QkpHgkORhtuWsLr/s1600-h/DSCF2167.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_" style="margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; clear: both; float: left;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSSwarisB7ffkgFKU9cHbUryosQ2jUwy0kwoWw2gX_uIGicTGIqapJJZbYAO-WXUkLZMHWG67Si9JNnwG5_jr_y7h5THzDfldOgzYs1XXl2Fin6Ro4ptpV0QkpHgkORhtuWsLr/s320/DSCF2167.JPG" border="0" /></a> Back from a gnarly weekend taking on the wild waters of West Virginia. Radical!<br /><br /><---Lower Gauley rafters<div style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://picasa.google.com/blogger/" target="ext"><img src="http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif" alt="Posted by Picasa" style="border: 0px none ; padding: 0px; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" align="middle" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_p6g2NFHS7KoAq4YpcZLZ7NfxaOTrSYoMaLQdbqlrsiPvqxSUTGfxj57p4zo0-q0NOfb4Kno1Rxeq0Ymrr_oHLaFI33oBxOVaMxA_JM5wVaUyYsU60pTtqTrRZ7yLCvJyntKS/s1600-h/raft5.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_p6g2NFHS7KoAq4YpcZLZ7NfxaOTrSYoMaLQdbqlrsiPvqxSUTGfxj57p4zo0-q0NOfb4Kno1Rxeq0Ymrr_oHLaFI33oBxOVaMxA_JM5wVaUyYsU60pTtqTrRZ7yLCvJyntKS/s320/raft5.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5123949858872627650" border="0" /></a></div>Alexandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03697909535745955436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13420845.post-4599201610596306162007-09-13T11:05:00.000-04:002007-09-17T11:34:56.657-04:00TMBG Builds a Birdhouse in My SoulThose of you who know me (and presumably that's everyone who reads this) are aware that I am a rabid music lunatic who attends more shows per month than I have fingers and toes to count them on. I rarely (if ever - can someone do a search on this for me?) post anything here about the shows I see because I don't usually have anything important to convey about them. Especially not when I compare what I would write with what my friend Dana does on her <a href="http://clubd.blogspot.com/">concert blog</a>. Anyway, point being: the fact that I'm bothering to bother you with my thoughts and feelings on the They Might Be Giants show at Ram's Head Live yesterday should speak volumes about how amazing it was. How amazing <em>they</em> were.<br /><br />My feeling with regard to concerts is that, on a scale from 1-10 in awesomeness, all bands start with a 5 and move up or down from there. Points are awarded not just for sounding good, but for the frills and sometimes thrills that differentiate seeing a live performance and listening to a studio recording on my Bose. The Giants get a 10 for their show yesterday. The songs were great and included classics like <em>Particle Man</em> and <em>Birdhouse in Your Soul, </em>as well as choice selections from their new record <em>The Else. </em>But what put them over the top was the theatricality and <strong>personalization</strong> of the show. During one skit involving a phone call from "beyond the grave," Edgar Allen Poe (Baltimore celeb) called in and read a poem (which turned out to be Metallica's <em>Enter Sandman</em>). The audience was asked to clap - with hands above their heads - for the entirety of <em>Particle Man</em>, and when enthusiasm flagged and hands began to drop, John Linnell improvised a verse about lame people who don't clap at concerts. John Flansburgh had lucky first-row audience members strum his guitar. Let me not forgot that they had not one but <strong>two</strong> encores, complete with an explosion of confetti.<br /><br />Well, of course I haven't done a great job of putting you in the midst of the crowd, but take my word that it was an engaging, hilarious, fun show, and well worth the long drive up to Baltimore. It was the first night of a national tour, so try to make it out to see them if you can.<br /><br />On a related note, Ram's Head Live is a terrific venue.Alexandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03697909535745955436noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13420845.post-78818992501313067722007-09-03T22:34:00.000-04:002008-12-09T19:45:58.244-05:00Ravens Run Hike<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX97QwD7sjcwGta7OKG1PHs-3STn4OcKJb7w0V52DQ_9Ng9QtCUZ5Jq1Owi6b5FTAbqB-YjLSdiMv6t7XHxtJf8ZNUlGwfzpXz5R7XV3cYz3VK40e43X5OH7R11H9_8gCQWdRU/s1600-h/DSCF2149.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX97QwD7sjcwGta7OKG1PHs-3STn4OcKJb7w0V52DQ_9Ng9QtCUZ5Jq1Owi6b5FTAbqB-YjLSdiMv6t7XHxtJf8ZNUlGwfzpXz5R7XV3cYz3VK40e43X5OH7R11H9_8gCQWdRU/s320/DSCF2149.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5106543314884339666" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIB3aQ8qjw3AxEi83jWfxmj57-BhUlqHesZgAyh1THC5HWbFY6wO1CqH1M96RJmFX37PIrRp0o3GRS7XwSMnUDdmzJa_pxevNzfO0ZJwh1PvJOghUu2kJ2VjQJTd5wmocNoeeg/s1600-h/DSCF2143.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIB3aQ8qjw3AxEi83jWfxmj57-BhUlqHesZgAyh1THC5HWbFY6wO1CqH1M96RJmFX37PIrRp0o3GRS7XwSMnUDdmzJa_pxevNzfO0ZJwh1PvJOghUu2kJ2VjQJTd5wmocNoeeg/s320/DSCF2143.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5106543138790680514" border="0" /></a>On Sunday I went on a quick but satisfying hike on the Virginia - West Virginia border (see pic of me and Sarah at the sign). We found a turtle on the trail and beautiful views greeted us at the top - well worth getting up a little early on a Sunday. We later negated all our burned calories by stopping for Cold Stone on the way home. Also listened several times to all the Flight of the Conchords songs.Alexandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03697909535745955436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13420845.post-76134408387716555962007-08-28T16:41:00.000-04:002008-12-09T19:45:58.823-05:00Assateague Camping 2007<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu1_wBCVpobkVZg9AKo4PEY5_cSUGGBG6JWy-zcy7-pmjbHC4YpmgghRzQMXsvwr6hF-Afufd2VcOaj5APZDoWLixtws4GBwff6FZTSYJ8rPVAXLQs10ZTI67M4jAoCGMTpGyF/s1600-h/IMG_4270.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu1_wBCVpobkVZg9AKo4PEY5_cSUGGBG6JWy-zcy7-pmjbHC4YpmgghRzQMXsvwr6hF-Afufd2VcOaj5APZDoWLixtws4GBwff6FZTSYJ8rPVAXLQs10ZTI67M4jAoCGMTpGyF/s320/IMG_4270.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5103931944703600562" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><div><---Jeff, Ann, Darren</div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div>This weekend I indulged once again in a camping expedition to the Eastern Shore, this time to the Maryland side of Assateague Island (see last year's trip <a href="http://atotheb1978.blogspot.com/2006_07_01_archive.html">here</a>). My camera unfortunately reacted poorly to the excesses of sun, sand, and surf, and froze up shortly after Joel took about 100 pictures of a humorously-posed dog. So, lots of pictures of Reagan, not too many of the rest of the weekend. I'm sure you would have loved to see me all scarred up from the millions of mosquito bites I endured. Man, it was painful. But at least I got to hang out with great people (photos courtesy of Joel) and read a hell of a lot of Harry Potter.<br /></div><div> </div><div> </div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD5C2DcekjkXhDR9L6u9f-TNwyUCG2RWbat5m02X0vbwnB6DGgyCcW9UHM-xvYdA0g5ev9LW3GPxoC48LSboEjElTf5J9ueQ8nxtBM8rPYdsS0YG80vwaRi05GGWPu2fX15jug/s1600-h/IMG_4271.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD5C2DcekjkXhDR9L6u9f-TNwyUCG2RWbat5m02X0vbwnB6DGgyCcW9UHM-xvYdA0g5ev9LW3GPxoC48LSboEjElTf5J9ueQ8nxtBM8rPYdsS0YG80vwaRi05GGWPu2fX15jug/s320/IMG_4271.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5103931562451511202" border="0" /></a><---Dana, AB, Jon, Yvonne <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBsMOZitXf82DZMZ7iG4PFc5hYBUwjXMg_PjwqQGhIthWR8TXkefnW991d04JQtC07I7BvefECaY_0IihPumbfRp-M5gJj57t6repvFkNYgpm1Y8UnO_hRRSdLQv5CzJpBv3Z6/s1600-h/DSCF2136.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBsMOZitXf82DZMZ7iG4PFc5hYBUwjXMg_PjwqQGhIthWR8TXkefnW991d04JQtC07I7BvefECaY_0IihPumbfRp-M5gJj57t6repvFkNYgpm1Y8UnO_hRRSdLQv5CzJpBv3Z6/s200/DSCF2136.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5103929299003746194" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Reagan</div></div>Alexandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03697909535745955436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13420845.post-67688613512312108872007-08-20T21:20:00.000-04:002008-12-09T19:45:58.985-05:00Brian, me, and Brian's Artwork<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2lFy90XDHov8f7gSvtWr37N62xO3qbzIzqv-mEXG9QeFEOtMoFeGvdyF5qYa61eFNBEyu6mhkf3EuVlWCcabFRr2pzDbFuCS8_CbxzVYO9JMZ8ZHeaEeZdDWa9ZY-elpHNvYQ/s1600-h/DSCF2124.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2lFy90XDHov8f7gSvtWr37N62xO3qbzIzqv-mEXG9QeFEOtMoFeGvdyF5qYa61eFNBEyu6mhkf3EuVlWCcabFRr2pzDbFuCS8_CbxzVYO9JMZ8ZHeaEeZdDWa9ZY-elpHNvYQ/s320/DSCF2124.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5100958091100205074" border="0" /></a>Alexandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03697909535745955436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13420845.post-20380350433409872142007-08-18T16:12:00.000-04:002008-12-09T19:45:59.208-05:00The Last Strokes<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif8oQsBmtGDZlpml4b8igb_bIqDXhXDZ_ssJGC28Y9zzEWcwJUIVP1wajSasZqifDs6Jma-w-Iy_wbBaFDX0UHSkYa-HchvD4LTAw6i_raMkI-olU-fC0ERkmQClVBbna9LfAl/s1600-h/DSCF2122.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_" style="CLEAR: both; FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif8oQsBmtGDZlpml4b8igb_bIqDXhXDZ_ssJGC28Y9zzEWcwJUIVP1wajSasZqifDs6Jma-w-Iy_wbBaFDX0UHSkYa-HchvD4LTAw6i_raMkI-olU-fC0ERkmQClVBbna9LfAl/s160/DSCF2122.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />MPP is <em>over</em>. Now, to move onto the hallway...<div style='clear:both; text-align:LEFT'><a href='http://picasa.google.com/blogger/' target='ext'><img src='http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif' alt='Posted by Picasa' style='border: 0px none ; padding: 0px; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial;' align='middle' border='0' /></a></div>Alexandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03697909535745955436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13420845.post-54016898278339948752007-08-15T18:13:00.000-04:002008-12-09T19:45:59.478-05:00Artwork SCORE!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6zdmeJe63hIQ_48oXA6WQO0S7BEU0lv8koKkrkTRcKXsYTZ1-NLXLkI0L0c2XF47MF4T1kLv7SDCtiiZ8OsWtmUrW21nW9pSevM90Z9BhPE1h2c6lh73ibpDz-UC07wivpMau/s1600-h/DSCF2117.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6zdmeJe63hIQ_48oXA6WQO0S7BEU0lv8koKkrkTRcKXsYTZ1-NLXLkI0L0c2XF47MF4T1kLv7SDCtiiZ8OsWtmUrW21nW9pSevM90Z9BhPE1h2c6lh73ibpDz-UC07wivpMau/s200/DSCF2117.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5099054482447231298" border="0" /></a>Finally - real artwork in my new place! This is a significant first and my eyes verily well with the specialness of the moment. Best of all, the artist is world-renowned abstract painter (and dear friend) Brian Williams, genius extraordinaire. Brian took pity on my art-starved walls and graciously gifted me these masterpieces (titled <span style="font-style: italic;">Submarine</span>). He didn't even know that my middle school colors were orange and blue. Go Bell!<br /><br />Seriously, though, I think these add a lot to the space. Combined with my 46" LCD TV on the other wall, I've got plenty of eye candy!<br /><br />On a related note, B-dub does actually sell paintings as well, so if you or any of your rich relatives are looking for an interesting piece, drop me a line. :)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiN7utnp6RtWh5XbX41H5FgzjqgLERmrG_MnJcxl2QZ2abn03jzO6owsWPXV6WEe6NHu7LFYujuVYCTeBHCBc9wfjcwjKgFQO1Lst6WMGjx-HOEx_BShiK120qf6JeGOHvN3jB/s1600-h/DSCF2119.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiN7utnp6RtWh5XbX41H5FgzjqgLERmrG_MnJcxl2QZ2abn03jzO6owsWPXV6WEe6NHu7LFYujuVYCTeBHCBc9wfjcwjKgFQO1Lst6WMGjx-HOEx_BShiK120qf6JeGOHvN3jB/s200/DSCF2119.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5099055998570686802" border="0" /></a>Alexandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03697909535745955436noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13420845.post-69128475670099647832007-08-08T08:03:00.000-04:002008-12-09T19:45:59.768-05:00Birthday Dinner at Etete<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOooaaDF5N2nogI3_lgSZ-RJP_lzCeVBXl__FUupekC41mEe1RHq192R7BM9_zzyysgMoJq7fo5iaPioqaiFIE0e4ErtfivsCp9j0m1QvsW8NT98BnETVjeCuQ0ceMZyB2jRfx/s1600-h/DSCF2106.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_" style="CLEAR: both; FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOooaaDF5N2nogI3_lgSZ-RJP_lzCeVBXl__FUupekC41mEe1RHq192R7BM9_zzyysgMoJq7fo5iaPioqaiFIE0e4ErtfivsCp9j0m1QvsW8NT98BnETVjeCuQ0ceMZyB2jRfx/s160/DSCF2106.JPG" border="0" /></a>Celebrated my birthday (which is today) with a dinner last night at the fabulous Ethiopian restaurant Etete. Our party of eleven strained their table resources but made me feel very popular. Thanks everyone. :)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnOPBzrO5TedpJqVLGS0lFhBonqrzhSrW3SG6cxYbI9X19wyZwQ-lJQpTYsJdeBLORyCDx7GjNorYgOKd0-8KIkImIFm_2115WzfNK4N3sKC22lRrXWrxonkemc6QIPB5ibVYL/s1600-h/DSCF2111.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_" style="CLEAR: both; FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnOPBzrO5TedpJqVLGS0lFhBonqrzhSrW3SG6cxYbI9X19wyZwQ-lJQpTYsJdeBLORyCDx7GjNorYgOKd0-8KIkImIFm_2115WzfNK4N3sKC22lRrXWrxonkemc6QIPB5ibVYL/s160/DSCF2111.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: left">Birthday-celebrating, food-eating revelers. Oops, I seem to have missed Patrick in this shot. Sorry babe.</div>Alexandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03697909535745955436noreply@blogger.com1