Memorial Day Weekend Update

I'm not dead--I've just been in Philadelphia! The short story is that it was a great trip. The long story? Well, you'll just have to wait till next week, after I'm caught up on my laundry and cleaning and errands and work.

I wanted to blog today because of a VERY worthwhile charity drive that is somewhat time-sensitive. I've written about the Fisher House Foundation before, but in case you don't remember, it is an organization that donates houses near military and veterans hospitals so severly injured/ill servicemembers can have their families nearby while they're receiving or recovering from treatment. Often, the servicemember ends up at a hospital far away from his home state. Thus, the Fisher House Foundation solicits donations of airline miles in order to fly wives and husbands and children and parents to the bedsides of their loved ones.

During Memorial Day weekend, the Foundation's airline partners (which include Delta, AirTran, American, United, and Northwest) are matching the public's donations. So, if you donate 1,000 of your Delta Sky Miles, Delta will donate 1,000 right to the Fisher House. See this website for more information about how it works.

I know that air travel is expensive, so frequent flyer miles can be very valuable and important. However, please consider donating some (if not all) of your miles to this noble cause. A family member's presence can have a tremendous impact on a patient's recovery, and these particular patients have certainly earned our support.

Enjoy the holiday weekend, everyone!

Hot or not?

I learned at Tuesday night’s pub quiz at Stetson’s that Lindsay Lohan has topped Maxim Magazine’s list of the 100 hottest women in the world. The rest of the top 10 consists of Jessica Alba, Scarlett Johansson, Christina Aguilera, Jessica Biel, Ali Larter, Eva Mendes, Rihanna, Eva Longoria, and Fergie.

"There is no other star in the world (who) causes more of a stir in the public eye than Lindsay," said Maxim Editor in Chief Jimmy Jellinek in a statement. "Her every move is watched and reported on."

Now, I liked Mean Girls as much as the next chick. And, as much as I hate to admit it, La Lohan can actually sing. But there is no way in hell that she is hotter than Jessica Alba. Even on her best day, and even if Jessica Alba had hat-hair.

Thinking about the Maxim Hot 100 made me wonder—is there a comparable catalog of male hotties? It seems discriminatory and wrong that female magazine readers don’t have a similar list to discuss (intelligently and sensitively, of course).

So, to open up that intelligent and sensitive dialogue, here is my top 10 (apologies for the lack of photos, but Blogger will only upload 5, AND my computer is being moody):

1. Rodrigo Santoro—SO much Brazilian yumminess! While I love him in the Chanel commercial, I adore him the most as Karl, the nerdy-hot designer in Love Actually. I can’t believe Laura Linney visited her brother in the psych ward instead of sleeping with your fine ass, Rodrigo. I would not make the same mistake.

2. James Franco—I mean, he looks like James Dean, so how can you go wrong?

3. Adrian Grenier—My favorite Brooklyn-born babe! I don’t know if it’s the impish smile or the floppy hair, but this Entourage star has a very mischievous, unassuming, Hugh Grant-esque style of hotness.

4. Nigel Barker—Modelicious, Sri Lankan, British, bald-headed, broad-shouldered goodness.

5. Justin Chambers—He can be a total jackass, but I’m betting that LOADS of women would love to be screwed and screwed over by Dr. Alex Karev.

6. Benjamin McKenzie—Smokin’ hot, college educated, AND a Democrat?!?! Swoon…

7. Mark Wahlberg—I never would have guessed that this pants-dropping troublemaker would end up as an honest-to-goodness heartthrob. Marky Mark = Hotty Hot.

8. Taye Diggs—I have lusted after this hottie for so long, I don’t even know how to summarize what makes him so fabulous. I think Jack McFarland said it best in Will & Grace: “Me digs Taye Diggs.”

9. Goran Visnjic—I can’t pronounce his last name, but he definitely made George Clooney’s departure from ER a lot less painful.

10. Brad Pitt—I know, I know, he’s been on every “hot” list from here to Timbuktu. But…there’s a reason for that. Everything about the man is chiseled and beautiful. Though, in the interest of full disclosure, if I had the choice of hooking up with him or his girlfriend, I might have to go with Angelina.

What say you, ladies? Who’s on your list? And for my male readers, what are your thoughts on the Maxim Hot 100?

Drawn to the Food?

The more I think about it, the more I think that I should turn “Drawn to the Rhythm” into a food blog. Lately, it seems that 90% of my time is spent dealing with or talking about or experiencing food. And that’s fine by me.

I spent a large part of last week agonizing over which restaurant in New York City would be my big, splurgy, over-the-top treat during my upcoming visit. I came up with a list of about eight hot spots, with cuisines ranging from Spanish to Italian to Mexican to good old-fashioned comfort food. After MUCH brain-wracking and review-reading, I decided that wd~50 would be the superior dining experience—with emphasis on the word experience. Chef Wylie Dufresne is a really interesting figure in the current culinary landscape, and his focus on molecular gastronomy (signature dishes include “Pickled Beef Tongue with Fried Mayonnaise” and “Carrot-Coconut Sunnyside-Up”) should make for a delicious and challenging meal.

In addition to planning for NYC and looking forward to next week’s omakase at Morimoto in Philadelphia, I ventured to Urbana on Saturday night. I have been wanting to try the restaurant (located in the Hotel Palomar at 21st and P Streets), so my sister’s last night in DC seemed a good occasion to do so. The atmosphere is cool and chic, with really simple but beautiful place settings, stemware, and accessories (I really liked the salt and pepper “shakers,” which ground the seasonings to an impressive fineness). The wine list is excellent, and the service was pleasant, attentive, and knowledgable. The food was tasty and attractively presented, and I found the prices to be reasonable for what we got. My one major complaint is that the chef was a bit heavy-handed with certain flavors. For example, my gnocchi with seared tuna had perfect texture and the fish was impeccably cooked; however, the garlic overpowered nearly all of the other ingredients. The tiramisu also had a great mouth-feel, but the liquor was too strong for my palatte. With a bit more subtlety, Urbana could turn into one of my favorite neighborhood spots.

I also worked three shifts at the restaurant this weekend—two as a manager trainee, and one behind the smoothie counter. While I don’t work in anything close to haute cuisine (that may be the understatement of the year), being a part of the food service industry helps me hone my instincts and truly understand what creates memorable—good AND bad—dining experiences. I hope that, at the very least, working in “the biz” makes me a more perceptive, participatory restaurant patron, since I have some idea of what can go on behind the scenes.

I suppose I have EatFoo as a place to air my culinary kudos and complaints, so there’s no immediate need to switch the focus of this blog. And on that note, I plan to put down the fork (so to speak) and get back to the “Drawn to…” feature. Right now!

Drawn to…Food and Friends. According to its website, the mission of F&F is “to foster a community caring for men, women, and children living with HIV/AIDS, cancer, and other life-challenging illnesses by preparing and delivering specialized meals and groceries in conjunction with nutrition counseling.” They value accountability, community, compassion, dignity, diversity, excellence, and reliability, and they have been serving the DC area since 1988. These folks tirelessly supported the Avon Walk (they followed the route and passed out delicious homemade cookies), and they were rewarded with a $450,000 grant from the Foundation. Each year, a number of events raise funds for F&F’s services, so go check them out!

Miracles of modern blogging.

Okay, so maybe I was lying when I said "Back tomorrow" on Monday. Since my sister is leaving for San Francisco on Sunday (for the whole summer, sniffle), I've been spending a lot of time with her at home. On the couch. In my jammies. Not exactly the ideal way to craft page-turning (or mouse-scrolling, as it were) blog entries.

There is one interesting bit of news, however--because of this here blog, I have finally gotten back in touch with a dear, dear friend from my storied past. And all thanks to this post (and the magic of the Google, of course)! I tell ya, just when you think the internets aren't paying attention, they really surprise you.

Have a great afternoon, everyone...

What a weekend!

Ouch. That pretty much sums up how I'm feeling right now. My body hurts in all kinds of ways, but it was definitely worth it to be a part of the 2007 DC Avon Walk for Breast Cancer. Thanks to MANY kind and amazing people, we had 3,100 participants and raised over $7.4 million!

I headed down to 16th and U at about 6 AM on Saturday, packed and enthused and ready to cab it over to the Kennedy Center. As I approached the intersection, I noticed two lovely ladies decked out in pink and carrying sleeping bags. I figured they were going to the same place I was! Once we hopped into that taxi, we were bound together for the rest of the weekend--so thanks to Heather and Sima for being such great walking companions!

The opening ceremonies were nice (and quite emotional), and before I knew it, we were on our way. On seemingly every corner, there were crew members, volunteers, and community members cheering us on. After 10 miles, I thought, "This is a piece of cake!" After 15 miles, I started slowing down. After 20 miles, I wanted to hitchhike to the campsite. With the encouragement of my new friends, though, I trudged on and made it to our overnight home in Silver Spring. Since I had no tentmate (due to my partner-in-crime breaking her foot before the event), I stood around and made sad, confused faces until a cute crew boy helped me set up my tent. Thanks, cute crew boy!

After a yummy meal and a shower in a trailer, I snuggled into my sleeping bag, put in some earplugs, and tried to sleep. Sadly, camping + me = no good, so I only actually got about 4 hours of shut-eye. I arose at 5:00 the following morning, disassembled my tent (without help, thankyouverymuch), ate a quick breakfast, and started trucking again.

The second day was shorter (13.1 miles, as opposed to Saturday's 26.2), but it was much, much harder. My body was rebelling against the previous day's activities AND the unsatisfactory night of sleep on hard, uneven ground. The route was nice, though, as it wound us through beautiful parks and neighborhoods and into DC via 16th Street (never have I been so happy to see my 'hood). After a brief lunch stop, I powered on until I saw my sister standing in front of my house and waving in support. I took a REAL bathroom break (as opposed to the porta-potties I'd been using all weekend), I pulled myself together, and I walked the remaining few miles to the Kennedy Center. I was rewarded with a photo op with MooCowGuy, who was one of the most vocal and motivational volunteers. I also got a shot of the middle school pep band, who played us on at various points along the route (one of their moms was walking in her 8th Avon event--incredible).

Upon reaching the end of the journey and listening during closing ceremonies, I realized that we had accomplished many great feats. Not only had we challenged ourselves physically during the actual event weekend (and the preceding training, of course), but we had challenged our families and friends and colleagues and neighbors to donate in order to support research and access to care, both of which can be life-saving to countless individuals facing the disease. And all of those challenges, while significant, simply pale in comparison to the challenges faced by the 235 breast cancer survivors who participated with us. Thanks to those brave men and women for inspiring us and showing us how it's done!

It was a terrific weekend, and I hope to participate again--maybe next year, I'll travel to a new city and meet a different crop of incredible people who are fighting hard for a cure. If any of you are on the fence about signing up, I encourage you to get over your fears and insecurities and register to walk. You CAN raise $1,800, you CAN walk 39.3 miles, and you CAN make a difference!

Back tomorrow, hopefully with less pain...

Avon Walking.

After months of fundraising and training, the Avon Walk is finally here! I’m just a registration and a VERY early morning away from starting what my mother refers to as my “40-mile death march.”

The weather is supposed to be nice (though a tad cooler than I’d prefer), and I’ve got my sleeping bag, camping pillows, and tent tarps ready for the overnight campout. I’ve got two pairs of sneaks, loads of wicking socks, and more cute pink duds than you can shake a stick at. As soon as I hit the Safeway and stock up on hydration supplies (Smart Water and Vitamin Water are my favorites), I’ll be good to go.

If you want to enjoy the lovely day AND cheer on thousands of dedicated breast cancer fighters, here are the designated “Cheering Stations”:

Saturday—

Francis Scott Key Park (Mile 2.75), M St. NW and 34th St. NW
Peak viewing times: 7:30 am - 8:30 am

P St. NW and 26th St. NW (Mile 4.3)
Peak viewing times: 8:30 am - 9:30 am

44th St. NW and Reservoir Rd. NW (Mile 6.50)
Peak viewing times: 9:00 am - 11:00 am

Arizona Ave. NW and MacArthur Blvd. NW (Mile 8.7)
Peak viewing times: 10:00 am - 12:00 pm

Foxhall Rd. NW and Nebraska Ave. NW (Mile 10.70)
Peak viewing times: 11:00 am - 1:00 pm

42nd St. NW and Albemarle St. NW (Mile 12.50)
Peak viewing times: 11:00 am - 2:00 pm

Bethesda-Chevy Chase YMCA (Mile 19.60), 9401 Old Georgetown Rd., Bethesda MD
Peak viewing times: 2:00 pm - 5:00 pm

St. Paul Park (Mile 24.50), Plyers Mill Rd. and St. Paul Street
Peak viewing times: 3:00 pm - 6:00 pm

Corner of Dennis Ave. and Evans Pkwy., Silver Spring, MD (Mile 25.80)
Peak viewing times: 4:00 pm - 6:30 PM

Sunday—

14th St. and Van Buren St. (Mile 4.85), 7611 Piney Branch Rd., Silver Spring MD
Peak viewing times: 8:30 am - 10:30 am

Rock Creek Park (Mile 6.10), 16th St. NW & Colorado Ave. NW
Peak viewing times: 9:30 am - 11:30 am

Corner of 16th St. NW & T St. NW (Mile 11.21)
Peak viewing times: 11:00 am - 1:00 pm

16th St. NW & Eye St. NW (Mile 11.90)
Peak viewing times: 11:00 am - 2:00 pm

G St. NW & 24th St. NW (Mile 12.24)
Peak viewing times: 11:00 am - 2:00 pm

Thanks to everyone who has been so supportive, both financially and emotionally. It’s been a long journey—I begged for money, I walked till I couldn’t feel my feet, and I even lost my walking partner/tent mate to a nasty stress fracture after our longest training hike. Through it all, though, I’ve tried hard to remember that fundraising, sore muscles, aching joints, and even broken bones are small problems when compared with the daily struggles of breast cancer survivors. I am walking with them AND for them this weekend.

Have a great one—wish me luck!

I keep getting older, and the hangovers keep getting worse...

A wise woman once told me, “It's not a good birthday if you aren't hungover the next day!” Well, friends, based on that yardstick, I had a very good birthday indeed.

I knew it was going to be a rough Wednesday morning when, after indulging in many beers and margaritas, and after participating in an evening of Glam Metal Karaoke in which no glam metal was actually performed, I found myself trekking up 16th Street with no shoes on. Sure, it was no bicycle assault, but it was still pretty upsetting in hindsight.

What was not upsetting was the hilarious look on my boyfriend’s face when he found the playing card with the naked man on it that was gifted to me by a very sassy blog-ette and that had been hiding in my shirt all night long. Come on, once we admired his come-hither pose and named him Lance, how could he reside anywhere else but in the protective warmth of my bosom?

Seriously, I had a great time on Tuesday night, and I want to thank EJ, Kassy, and Freckled K (and a few very brave co-workers) for making it a fabulous birthday bash. THAT is why the DC blogging community rocks my face off—good friends, good times, and erotic playing cards.

Back tomorrow…

Happy Birthday to ME!

Since it is my birthday, I expect to be treated like a princess (though I will not dress like one, as I did so many years ago)...

I will eat many sweets. Heck, I may even share some (if the mood strikes me)...

Most importantly, though, I will celebrate with buddies and beer tonight at the Reef (on 18th Street, in Adams Morgan). If you want more info, please e-mail me--anyone who wants to honor the day of my birth and buy me drinks will certainly be welcome. :-)

Happy birthday to all of my fellow May Day babies!