Washington Street and Beyond

6.29.2006

Play-time

Thanks to my super-thoughtful new boss (her her generous publicist friend), Leezie and I were able to see Some Girl(s), A Neil Labute off-brodway play at the Lucille Lortel theatre---fah free! This theatre just so happens to be up the street from us, so I pass it every day on my way to work. And ever since the adverts went up for it back in January, I thought it would be a great thing to do with Leezie since she took me to my first Labute play, Fat Pig (also at the Lucille Lortel) last year. (We really went to see our BFFs Keri Russell aka Felicity, and Jeremy Piven, but the play turned out to be really good!)

I never got around to getting the tickets for us, but then suddenly, a pair ended up in my hands at the end of the day yesterday. So Leezie and I met in midtown and rode the train downtown to Christopher Street. We had a GREAT time at the play...it had a very witty plot (33-year-old who is about to get married decides to revisit four women he loved and left. As a teacher turned writer, he has already "used" them for material in his short stories for a magazine, and may or may not be using these visits for his next piece)...and the all-star cast was excellent.

A rundown of who was in the show:

Eric McCormack(Will from Will and Grace)
Maura Tierney (Abby from ER)
Fran Drescher (The Nanny!)
Judy Reyes (Scrubs)
Brooke Smith (You'll know her as Toni Collette's friend from In Her Shoes, or the kidnapping victim from Silence of the Lambs, who was forced to put the lotion in the basket...)

And the best part? I only had to walk two blocks to get home!

6.28.2006

Sign of the Apocalypse?

Can't tell you how bizarre it is to turn on the Today show and see ROCKVILLE, MD flashing across the screen. According to Daddy (and the news), the dam near Lake Needwood is dangerously close to breaking. Residents who live nearby (like Aspen Hill) have been forced to evacuate to, of all places, WHEATON high school. Let's hope this won't turn into another Astrodome debacle!

I can just imagine how amped up Bob Ryan must be right now. The last time our "hometown" and neighboring areas got this much press was during the sniper attacks!

6.27.2006

Gay Pride Parade 2006

just call him "Ms. World Cup"

We departed the PATH train from Hoboken on 9th Street and 7th Avenue, weakened and wearied from the long weekend. The sidewalks and streets were choked with revelers who had splintered from the parade route into the narrow arteries of the West Village. Swathed in spandex in a spectrum of colors, the partiers waved miniature rainbow flags or draped larger versions across their wide backs. The Village--and Christopher Street-- had turned into a circus, complete with corn dog stands, peddlers pushing bottles of water, and cheesy photos ops. And then there were the freaks: A six-foot-five man decked out in nothing but leather chaps and suspenders (I think I'd seen him before). Two boys, walking shoulder to shoulder with chihuahua-size rats pearched on each shoulder, and one in each hand. The boys laughed and I screamed as they walked on by.

As we weaved our way throughout the masses with bags at our hips and a bike by my side, I wished, for a second, we lived somewhere--anywhere--else. But then we got home and closed the windows and turned up the A/C, hushing all of the outside noise. I sunk into our couch, fell asleep, and by the next morning all was quiet once more.

The scene from outside our window: The guy taking the picture was charging "five dollah five dollah" for a polaroid in front of these spectacular backdrops. You could choose from a bottle of Hypnotic, Cristal, or the Rainbow Flag. Ingenious! And aided by a few spotlights, he kept the flashbulb popping all night long...

That's Cowgirl, one of my favorite restaurants in the neighborhood, which turned into a rainbow-themed block party on Sunday! Most of those people are just walking down the middle of the street! Cars were definitely outnumbered by people...

6.26.2006

All-American

Congrats to Bec on her awesome finish at yesterday's U.S. Triathlon Championships in Long Beach, CA! She was the FIFTH American and sixth overall (there was a Canadian in the mix). Think about it--this officially establishes her as one of the best professional triathletes in the country. We all knew she could do it, now the rest of the country does, too!

6.25.2006

Saturday: Wedding Reception

We had a great time at Angela and Matt's wedding! As was expected, it was a lovely affair. Some details:

LOCATION-St. Thomas of Villanova (ceremony); Radisson Warwick Hotel, Rittenhouse Square, Philly (reception)

MENU-Salad: Boston Bibb red oak leaf romaine & radicchio salad with haricot verts, roasted peppers and boursin crustini served with a roasted balsamic vinaigrette

Entree: Petit filet mignon and jumbo lump crab cake over wilted spinach with a roasted corn and tomato relish

Dessert: Butter pound cake served with fresh berry coulis; Warwick wedding shortbread cookies

FLOWERS-Large pink roses with green (peonies?) accents

MUSIC-DJ; First dance: "Dreaming my Dreams" by the Cranberries, then oldies at first followed by a mix of modern tunes--everything from "Livin' on a Prayer" to "Golddiggah".

FAVORS- A white box filled with a special treat from four countries representing the couple's hertiage. (Columbian bocadillo; German Linzer Bar; Italina Baci; Irish Scone).

One of the best surprises of the evening was seeing my former "Current" (yeah, that's the paper from WM) co-editor, Grace Davy, at the reception! She and her mom sat with us at the reception.