Lazy Woman's Thanksgiving: Eating Out

Since I'm not going home for Thanksgiving, and almost never do just to escape HOLIDAY TRAVEL MANIA flying to Seattle and back, I usually crash a friend's family party, or twice, amazingly, I cooked the ridiculous items and portions of food by myself, with friends.

Although I have the time, I refuse to cook this year. And I have no family parties to crash. If you, like me, love to eat but hate to cook large birds or globs of mushy bread, then the Washingtonian has a fabulous link of restaurants open this Thursday that can keep you from starving. Hell, even if you have Thanksgiving dinner somewhere else, you may want to hit these places for the "seconds" phase that usually arrives in the early evening.

Happy F**king Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving Dining Guide

Working the Fashion in D.C.

Listen, I've been asked by a very dear friend to also discuss my prowess for fashion and style, which is shockingly more and more possible in this town thanks to all of the awesome boutiques moving into U St and Georgetown, but a feat which is nevertheless still against the odds for most of us. I'm gonna blame the lack of inspiration that follows seeing your clothing under neon lights in the typical DC workday, rudely suggesting your just gonna look like crap anyway.

I'll start off easy. I'll drop you a note here and there. I'll add a column of links devoted to shops and shopping news. Quiz: Did anyone make it to the Unsung Designers closing fiesta? You're already one step behind....

If we're going to talk about clothing and fashion, it's only responsible that I also discuss a little about fashion morals and ethics. Yes, there are moral requirements you must consider if you are to take my advice and advance to be an independent, confident, hip, young fashionista (that noun works for both men and women).

What do I mean? I am of the school of "fashion as self-expression." Use clothing as a means to create an image, like a painter, of yourself and what your about. Following the trends blindly, buying what's "in," looking like a cut-out from a 1. Ambercrombie, 2. J Crew, 3. US Magaizine with stick-straight hair, tan- and gloss-overload is so BORING.

Buy good quality clothing that fits you well, is what you really want (this makes you confident), and is also AHEAD OF THE CURVE and you will be happy in ways you never dreamed! And why not? If you do this right, there's nothing wrong with spending the money on clothes, it makes sense, it's the first thing you put in front of other people, it's who you are, what you're about. Look at indie-chics and hipsters and women who wear heels. It WORKS.

So I have two recommendations today. First - Tonight is Femme Fete, a holiday shopping event at the Four Season's in Georgetown. It's $30 dollars, but you get free wine a totally non-committal opportunity to hit one spot and see many local designers (local and original designs are very high on the list of desirables for the individual YOU), to get quality samples, to possibly unveil the PERFECT item (on-sale, affordable, EXACTLY what you wanted) for you or your Secret Santa, OR, to give you ideas for the next time you shop at Filene's and put the ensemble together yourself. I recommend this to anyone serious about moving to the next level. You don't have to buy a thing, just OBSERVE AND LEARN, for godssake.

My second recommendation throws you straight into the
advanced level, but it's so attainable, you can handle it. The
clothing line Sustainable Collective has a new holiday collection that, if selected properly and before the holidays begin, may pre-empt the post-holiday regrets of gorging yourself uncontrollably because you already picked out the kick-ass dress for New Year's that you MUST fit into or risk wasting that good money. Plus - and MOST IMPORTANTLY - everything at Sustainable is made from organic fibers, pre and post-consumer recycled materials or from sustainably-grown fibers like hemp and bamboo. Available at Caramel on U Street. Don't care about the environment? At least do it for the conversations to ensue after you declare, "Can you believe this hot dress is made from recycled fish nets?" This will undoubtedly make you fashionable on several levels: the ultimate fashionista.

Now if I can only get a job to be able to buy more clothes....

Dear Diary,

It's been a while, huh? I'm really sorry I haven't written lately. Things have been kind of crazy around here. I promise to write more often. I was being all noble and crap and sticking with my writing compadres at the WGA, but let's face it -- nobody cares if I'm on strike, I'm bored, and they're taking a real long time. I signed they're petition, that's what really matters, right? I really missed you, too.

Luv,
Jobless

Average Day - RERUN

Due to the continued strike by the WGA, we now bring you a previously posted post, already in progress....

Average Day - October 25

Some of you wonder what I do in an average day. Well, they are so crazy, days, it's really tough to summarize and treat one like another. Why don't I tell you a bit about today and we'll call it an "average day." Though of course today was completely different from yesterday....








Street art in Dupont

8:30 am
Woke up and put some dishes in the dishwasher.
Picked up a cappuccino.
Rode the bus to a meeting for "work."
Picked out stationary.
Bought fabric for my Halloween costume.
Stopped by the dentist office for an old bill - leftover money day item.
Looked at the movies playing at Dupont and decided, "no."
Browsed through Olsson Books and bought ANOTHER book and ANOTHER movie (Haruki Murakami shorts Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman and Volver.)
Bought a piece of cigar wood with an original charcoal drawing on it, aka street art.
Ate lunch at Kramer books... the squash soup is fantastic.
Read the paper (the Post, actually, if you can believe it.)
Made a couple "work" phone calls.
Strolled Dupont, exclaimed to myself, "I love rainy days!"
Picked up a check at Secondi for consigned clothes, yay!--another leftover money day item.
Walked home, made some tea, uploaded my photo of the day, read through emails.
Made iPod mix, 'Soul Lady' and listened to it for a while.
Replied to some "work" emails, researched two projects, looked through the news of the day.
Flipped through the last Sunday Times magazine.
Had a friend over for beers after work.
Emailed ideas to director of another project.
Sent out house party email.
Watched The Office.
Worked on Halloween costume.
Had some ginger tea.
11pm

The Office is Closed

The writers from "The Office" are among the renegades on strike with the Writers Guild, and in case you want to get all pissy about reruns, you should check out this video to learn how messed up the whole thing is. I mean, don't get me started on NBC right now, I'm still mad hot about them taking "The Office" off iTunes and making me suffer through the same two commercials replayed 5 times. Retards. Sign the petition and do something with your life.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6hqP0c0_gw

While you're at it, watch this one too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJ55Ir2jCxk&NR=1

Travel Diary: DC Errands

Today's schedule is packed with errands around and out of town (Arlington)-- at least 6 to speak of at last count-- so why not share it with you in photos. I hope to incorporate at least 4 modes of transportation, weather permitting, although I loathe the idea of taking the metro to Clarendon....
(Note: This was much longer than I expected...)

5:28 pm. Damn, I took too long...

4:27 pm ....But I couldn't POSSIBLY leave Arlington without a stop at Murky! I'll just have to hurry--only one, a classic cappuccino even though they only serve them in-house. I'll be quick...

4:13 pm. Wilson Blvd, Arlington. Okay, got the tapes, done, time to head back.

4:05 pm. New Hampshire Ave in car, wondering if I'm gonna get stuck in some snarly rush-hour traffic on the way back from Arlington. Man, I hate driving. (P.S. Forgot I can't haul 3 boxes home on the metro.)

3:42 pm. 16th St. Just left Pollo Sabroso and heading home to pick up the car and head to Arlington before rush hour. When did it get so goddamn cold?

2:01 pm. Me and bike on the S2 bus.

1:57 pm. Taking the bus to Mt. P (I hate riding up hill.) I don't do the bus/bike combo often, but riding home will be cake.

1:10 pm. 18th and Kalorama. Nice day... never expected that one. Bag is now securely in back-pack mode and rain coat sure does look good, even if it's useless after all.

1:05 pm. Phew! I really needed to burn off the morning's caffine. Thanks again, gym! Flat tire scare averted after 5 minutes pumping what seemed to be a faulty travel pump. My imagination ran away with me as I swore the homeless guy against the wall stared at me the entire time....

11:52 am. Still on the way tot he gym. See how big my bag is? I hope my long rain coat doesn't get caught in the back wheel...

11:49 am. Leaving home. Heading out on the bike to the gym first. I have a really heavy bag stuffed for the afternoon that's going to be murder on any big bumps.

10:35 am. Puddle remains at T St NW. Dropped off the car and heading home for a bit for emails and siesta (though I seriously doubt I'll get the siesta.) Well hello there, sun, glad you could join us today!

10:23 am. Ontario & Euclid. Driving home from Tryst after a morning cappuccino. Their espresso machine was broken when I walked in but luckily straightened itself out in time to avoid cranky girl.

7:58 am. Driving up 13th St. NW. Round two of trip, after returning home to pick up the keys I forgot the first time around.

7:35 AM. Heading to Mount P. A very wet morning.

The S2 at 11:30 am

DolceZZa at Dupont Market

The Dolcezzito's are now at Dupont Market, you must go and try the yummy flavors of artisanal gelato and sorbetto, we had a half pint of RICOTTA HONEY at 11am and it was the best idea any one of us have ever had. We discussed how the flavors are so fresh and intense, not overpowering, but somehow infused into every frozen molecule. Rob is a gelato genius!

A belated day of the dead party made for a crazy Saturday night and a Sunday devoted to curing the Mexican-beer-and-tequila hangover.

Leftover Halloween Treat