don't stop to ask

Yes yes YES! SO good! Break down to Breakout! Thanks, Eat n' Park...good times.

what's new is old... (and alexa chung)

This is the best I've seen Alexa Chung look:

(photo cred: Getty Images/Instyle)

I guess I'm just not a big fan of her waifish, Big Love, nerdy hipster look that she's usually sporting, with or without designer pieces.

On other fashion talk, I'm still finding it hard to throw out many of my clothes that I haven't worn in the last year (isn't that the throw-out-if-not-recently-worn threshold?). Taking into consideration that I am currently wearing an orange pussy-bow blouse, and to repeat every intelligible soul out there, fashion repeats itself. I'm sure my mom had many a pussy-bow blouses. What if she had kept them? I wouldn't have had to spend the $9.95 at H&M for mine. Maybe it's because I'm mad old now, but when purchasing new items, be it boots, a bag, a new blouse, a jumpsuit, a pair of overalls, a pair of neon biker shorts, or some slouch socks, I think "this could really be an heirloom item." (Disclosure: I haven't actually bought the last 4 items I just listed...but jumpsuits and even overalls have made some sort of a comeback in that some prominant fashion bloggers have raved about them. Remember plaid flannel shirts, harem pants, ugly high-waisted pants, polyester, Keds, even my pussy-bow blouse, pumps (in the classic sense), tweed and floral prints? They've all come back. Even my grandma's orthopedic shoes and Chinatown-old-lady blouses and sweater jackets are enviable to a certain kind of fashionista...although those have been perennial favorites among the Chinatown paus.)

Anyway, so with each purchase as of late, I've been thinking of its heirloom potential. I guess I can apply this metric to weeding out clothes not worthy of staying in my dresser drawers and closet...maybe except for my race t-shirts and plaid tweed pants and silver baby-doll top, and....

ben harper

How could I have missed this...just yesterday?!?! (For those of you who don't want to click on the link, he played at 9:30 Club.)

(photo cred: his twitter page)

'yuns need to go

"...Mr. McConnell’s Republicans will filibuster any jobs bill, and Mr. Cantor’s will reject most of it." [NYTimes OpEd]

This in itself is despicable. We get it. The GOP wants the president to fail - but at the expense of those who gave them jobs (many of whom are unemployed themselves)? This is the only reason for their resistance to passing the president's proposed jobs bill. The bill is paid for! The bill proposes tax cuts! The bill proposes incentives for small businesses! Eeeeerrrggggggg

...but yes, I am biased. So I ask whoever wants to do a fact check on me - here's the Republican Jobs Bill Plan. Let me know if you see anything in there that doesn't jibe with the president's or that can't be combined to make the two plans complimentary to each other.

this weekend: taste of DC

Unfortunately, we'll be out of town and missing this year's Taste of DC (although I've never been to it any year).

If any of you lovely loyal and local readers go, leave a comment on how it was. 

my current bests

This week's List is one of my current bests. Here we go:

==CURRENT BESTS==

• Best show on t.v. that's in its second season: Happy Endings (Wednesday nights, 930pm, ABC)
• Best new Trader Joe's product: Chocolate-covered potato chips
• Best Greek Deli special other than its Lent salmon platter: Roast Pork
• Best tea: Milk Oolong
• Best way to find a mover: CityMove 
• Best movers: G & J Moving (or here)
• Best way to relieve tired feet after a run: rolling them on The Stick
• Best ice cream/gelato sandwich: Ciao Bella Gelato Squares in Belgian Chocolate S'mores

: : : : :

...and there you have it! Some of my favorite things right now, therefore (obviously) making them the best there is out there.

foggy bottom eats

I spent a good portion of my years in Foggy Bottom wishing there were more food options and for a real neighborhoody coffee shop to open up. I also traveled at great lengths to do my grocery shopping, that is, before the Trader Joes opened up. Now (since my moving to NYC and back), there is a new Whole Foods, Bobby Flay's Burger Palace, Founding Farmers, and I just read on Eater about two new places opening up in the last week: Burger, Tap & Shake and District Commons, both opened by Jeff Tunks of the Passion Food Hospitality Group. Although none of these new places excites me, they're additional food options for the neighborhood, nonetheless (hmmm...but the late night dinner at District Commons sounds like it may be worth a try).

ramen/baos/salvadoran

As promised, here is a little blurb about the Toki Underground/Baohaus mashuppopup! First seen on Eater then on Eddie Huang's own blog, this event is one of pippopuphiphopchiggaunderbutkindofabovegroundculture proportions, bridging the foodtypesbutprobablymostlyHStreethipsters of DC with the outspokenfoodmediapersonalitybaoadvocatefromNYC that is Eddie Huang. I personally prefer the ramen at Ren's to Toki's, as well as the overall space (I was never one for the sceney places, and plus, they seem confused on what kind of ramen they serve...they've stated they serve Taiwanese ramen, but they market their tonkotsu soup, and a Japanese friend says the ramen is hardly hakata, meanwhile I can't even remember what I had - I think it was the curry one, but I remember tasting the classic one and it was only mildly tonkotsu-y), but the ounce of scenester in me is tickling to check this out, especially because I never went to Baohaus during my NYC years. Eddie Huang has been busy with his new location opening up in recent months and his first location closing last weekend, so it'll be interesting to see what he's been hustling.

On other food talk, last night we dined at Los Tios Grill, a Tex-Mex and Salvadoran restaurant in the Del Rey neighborhood of Alexandria, VA. We went to Del Rey intending on going to Cheestique but fortunately stumbled upon a butcher shop (!) and Los Tios (Cheesetique was closed). Although it still doesn't get close to our beloved Bogota, it'll do as an honorable DMV (yeah, I stole that from you, Eddie Huang) back-up. After a long search, we found a place that, like Bogota, served a sangria/margarita hybrid. Let's talk about this for a minute. Dubbed the sangrita at Bogota, this libation is as pleasing to the mouth as it is your eyes:

(this pic is from my Foodspotting roll - see below left or go here)

Check out those orbs of frozen margarita suspended in rich red sangria. And here's the sangria margarita from Los Tios:

(this pic is also from my Foodspotting roll)

It looks similar, but they use a frozen sangria as well, so it's one big frozen drink (think frozen swirl margaritas at Lauriol Plaza). The drinks at Los Tios are humongous - this was a small! The large is over 20 ounces! Anyway, so although we still prefer the sangrita to the sangria margarita, taste and texture-wise, it's the closest thing we have here in the DC area to Bogota's sangrita. We'll take it. As for the food, delicioso and cheap. I had the mojarra frita...

...and G had the lomo saltado.

Our meals were tasty and good-sized and were complimented well with their 'special hot sauce' that reminded me of the spicy green mayo sauce served at El Pollo Rico. My fish was marinated and fried, making it tastier than just a fried fish, which in itself is the tastiest fried thing ever. G's lomo saltado was good too, with flavors that tasted a little Chinese to me, but I couldn't put my finger on what exactly made it taste Chinesey.

Our waitress was super-attentive and friendly (she went out of her way to warn me that my fish came with the head on, to which I replied "That's good," to which she displayed a look of approval, further explaining that she states that fact because there are some people who are put off with the head, to which I thought "Those people need to die"). The rest of the waitstaff were similarly friendly and helpful.

Oh - we also had their tres leches for dessert (how can you not, what with it on the menu, and eating it everywhere it's offered, and especially with G across the table?), which was huge too. It was soaked satisfactorily, but after you've had Oyamel's, it's hard to come close to such high expectations. All in all, a truly pleasant and satiating dining experience that garnered many return visits. Not bad for a Monday night.

hi-lo

...annddd we're back. Sorry, folks, for being silent for a few days. Had to readjust my life and move into a whole different state! It's amazing how much space clothes, shoes, bags, and coats occupy! ...and it's all really heavy. Anyway, I missed talking about fashion on Friday, so here's a quick post about some of my current wish list items - here's some high-brow low-brow action for you:

(photo cred: Celine)

I've been eyeing this classic Celine flap bag for quite a while now. Shown here in vernice black, it's so versatile, but also check out the wonderfully warm and equally versatile winter colors here. This bag is classically classic classy.

Also Celine is this gorgeously gorgeous trapeze bag. Right? I know. Just so refined and modern.

(photo cred: Celine)

I don't know why I just don't order these already since they're on sale - the Fioni-brand Tenley lace-up bootie from Payless. They're perfect for fall.

(photo cred: Payless)

alcohol tax

not so sure how i feel about this.  in one way, it bothers me that ordinary working folks are asked to pay more in alcohol taxes while millionnaires are still getting away with low tax rates. in another way, i suppose it's good for getting people to drink less.

it's similar to the soft drink tax, which i am not opposed to. hmmm. it's funny that the people who are against said tax are predominantly right-leaning, less-government types, but who are also lower income, who should be rooting for the government to raise taxes on rich people, hence, they should be left-leaning.

(the lack of capital letters means this was a very quick post.)

toki/baohaus pop-up...

...more on that next Tuesday!

(...and that, my friends, is what those in the industry call a teaser)

shining hope for communities

At least one in five kindergardners-second graders at The Kibera School for Girls in Kibera, Kenya have been raped. Help them by helping out this organization, as featured in Nic Kristof's column today.

sports talk

Time for List Wednesday! Today's list is my attempt to bring more sports talk to this blog. I'm a fan of most sports and enjoy watching them, even if it's falling into a nap on a weekend afternoon to golf. There are certain sports analysts/announcers/commentators/color commentators that I enjoy listening to and respect more than others (yes, I realize announcers and commentators are different things, but they all are part of a body of sports pundits/wonks...and I like using slashes). Here are my favorites:

== TOP SPORTS ANALYSTS/ANNOUNCERS/COMMENTATORS == (NIAPO)

1. John McEnroe + Mary Carillo
• Old friends, old players, entertaining and insightful to listen to and watch. They know the game and players so well and can inject friendly banter while not saying anything inaccurate or unnecessary.
2. Tony Kornheiser + Mike Wilbon
• One of my favorite ESPN shows. They yell a lot but are super entertaining. They're like a married, balding couple. Playing each other's devil's advocate, sometimes they make really good opposing points...or sometimes, one of them is completely disagreeable. Entertaining nonetheless, especially during commercial breaks.
3. Al Michaels + anyone (but I like Chris Collinsworth)
• Doesn't need an explanation
4. Kenny Smith + Charles Barkley
• I like Chuck and Kenny Smith jibes with him.
5. Brent Musberger + Kirk Herbstreit
• Like Al Michaels, I'm not sure an explanation is needed for Brent Musberger. I don't even care about college football, but have grown to appreciate the quality that is Brent. He's just so on point.
6. Ray Fosse (I realize Ray is listed without a partner...I just like him)
• The Oakland A's color commentator since 1986, Ray Fosse is excellent at what he does and naturally has the voice for it. It brings me back to my childhood. I can't remember him saying anything that was superfluous.
7. Scott Van Pelt and Ryen Russillo (that's G's contribution to this list)
• Per G, they are fairly new but are super entertaining. I can attest to their entertainment value, especially referring to their 'Best Available Video' bit.

animal research

There is a posting in the Well blog published today in the Times about a study that sought to see if exercise strengthened the brain. The researchers put mice on treadmills to measure endurance and then examined their brain tissue, in which they found new and increased mitochondrial activity in the mice that exercised but no comparable activity in their lazy, lounge-y counterparts. My question is: How cute are tiny treadmills!?

anita perry

Did I miss something, or did this article fail to state what Anita Perry's stance on abortion is? For someone who is a proponent of women's health and an advocate for victims of sexual abuse, it'd be interesting to hear how she feels about abortion, given her husband's conservatism.

good thymes

...Good times indeed at Rosemary's Thyme Bistro! This past Sunday was BVBC's second brunch gathering and it was a big success! Thirteen of us convened in the spacious and comfortable side room at the corner bistro, chosen for its varied menu, accommodating seating and close proximity to the originally chosen brunch location that won't be named but you can click on that link and this link to find out - Tabard Sucks. (Oops- I named it. Read the first reviews of each link for my shared sentiment.)

We all got to sit at one big table. Bloody marys, coffee and mimosas were ordered and conversation ensued! Not sure about everyone else's but my blood mary was bloody weak and could have used a bit more booze. Dishes ordered included:

 (photo cred: me)
Eggs Florentine (with home fries, arranged adorably into a smiley face)

(photo cred: S.L.)

Huevos Rancheros (ordered by two people, served over refried beans)

(photo cred: S.L.)
Lamb Shish (served with rice, beans, mixed vegetables and tzatziki)

• Pancakes with eggs and bacon or andouille
• Turkish omelette (served with home fries and fruit)
• Mediterranean Pide (with eggs)
• Kiymali (Turkish minced meat) Pide (with eggs)
• Adana (ground lamb and beef) kebab (served with rice, beans, mixed vegetables and tzatziki)
• Mediterranean pizza (without feta)
• and one more (sorry Grace - what'd you have?)

The pides (PEE-deh), or Turkish style pizzas, were topped flatbread that were folded on the edges so it looked like a boat (sorry no pics, but here's one from Yelp of another pide).

(photo cred: Pastrima pide by Patrick H on Yelp)

The pides were sapid - really tasty and runny with the eggs on top. The adana kebab was tasty as well, but the lamb shish was a bit tough and dry. One of our brunchers expressed some disappointment when he compared his huevos rancheros with those he had in New Mexico. I'm not sure about everyone else's thoughts about the food (I was too busy wolfing down my pide), but I think the general consensus was 'decent.' Although the food was not particularly spectacular, I think it's safe to say everyone was comfortable and the company was excellent (if you guys are reading, feel free to leave your comments below). Even the super-well-behaved kiddies were able to change seats for a change of scenery when needed. The service was friendly, but disappeared for long stretches at times, though this did allow us to enjoy each other's company at our own pace. To their credit, the waitstaff was patient with us, as we seemed to be super-spacey when our food arrived. (I even poked the egg yolks on the wrong pide. I know. Faux pas.) When the check did come, we rewarded the waitstaff nonetheless, because BVBC is so awesome that we were $10 over (yes, over!).

The restaurant is located a pleasant walk away from the Dupont north metro exit and the street parking is limited, though our few drivers had pretty decent luck finding a spot nearby. The take-home: excellent place for big groups and kids with enough food options to please anyone. (I'd like to return to try their tortilla espanola.) Convenient location allows for many nice and leisurely post-brunch activities.

On another note, there was a question of whether or not there was a restriction to ordering only brunchie items, since this is brunch club. The answer is NO! Sillies.

Thanks for making brunch #2 a success everyone! Hope more can make it next time! (Oh - and guests and restaurant suggestions are welcomed.)

Yours in brunch,
me

3.1 philip lim :: spring 2012

...just a couple of great images from last week's Philip Lim show in NYC to elaborate a bit further on the simplicity I mentioned last Friday. First, simple accessories. This clutch is perfect - the yellow shade is simultaneously bright enough for a pop of color but neutral enough to make room for an even brighter color. And that arm loop! So brilliant. Makes it snatch- and drop-proof.

(photo cred: Garace)

This here outfit is so simple, so clean, so chic....and so easy to (roughly) replicate. The wearability lies in the fact that each component is just so versatile.

(photo cred: Moda Operandi)

Why You Should Trust The FDA (And Not Dr. Oz)

(from here)
By Trevor Butterworth

If the reaction in the news media to Dr. Oz’s absurd claims about the dangers of arsenic in apple juice has been enormously heartening (essentially the media’s collective “Dr. Oz says this, but the FDA says that” narrative leaves the celebrity cardiothoracic surgeon looking like an unscrupulous and unethical quack), the disheartening part is that too many people will still choose to believe a television doctor who doesn’t know his ass from his elbow in terms of chemistry, over the massed ranks of PhD’s and toxicologists at the Food and Drug Administration.

This abysmal state of affairs was summed up by some fool on The View mouthing off about how we all should be grateful that Dr. Oz is looking out for our kids – as if the hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars spent on a vast array of regulatory agencies simply didn’t occur.

This “trust a TV-doc lunacy” is especially frustrating for me as I had the privilege to speak this summer at the FDA’s 12^th annual symposium on food safety and applied nutrition, which is jointly organized with Britain’s Food and Environment Research Agency (Fera), and the Joint Institute for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (JIFSAN) at the University of Maryland, College Park. The theme this year was “Dealing with Uncertainty in Risk-Based Decision Making and Response.”

As I listened to presentation after presentation from scientists who spend their working days trying to protect the public from contamination in food, I was struck by the fact that the real story about what the FDA does is almost impossible to convey to the public. Certainly, in all the years I’ve been reporting on risk, I have never seen any story in the mainstream media that articulates the complexity of the science. And if you don’t grasp that complexity, you just cannot understand how serious and scrupulous these scientists are when it comes to trying to protect the public.

This is why Dr. Oz, in refusing to acknowledge the simple, objective errors the FDA pointed out in the way his show measured arsenic, betrayed science. And when you betray science, it doesn’t matter how much you protest that you are only looking to protect America’s children. No one is protected by getting the science wrong.

But how do you communicate that betrayal to a public which simply doesn’t understand chemistry (and probably shudders at the mere mention of the subject thanks to high school), doesn’t think scientifically (i.e., mentally tests propositions for the ways in which they might be falsifiable), but reacts on a deep emotional level to the idea that the kids are in mortal danger?

What was notable – and praiseworthy – about the FDA’s response was that it added a much more personalized message to it’s straightforward scientific criticism of Dr. Oz’s claims.  Donald Zink, Ph.D, senior science advisor at FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN), said what often goes unsaid in these media controversies. “As a parent and grandparent myself, I understand the concern over recent reports that arsenic has been found in apple juice,” he said, before adding that years of testing at the FDA – and, more importantly, the way the FDA did its tests, left him without any cause for concern.

Now think about it: Dr. Zink is a microbiologist and biochemist specializing in food; how much microbiology and biochemistry do you really think Dr. Oz, a heart surgeon, knows?

More to the point, do you really think that the hundreds of parents at the FDA with academic qualifications every bit as impressive as Dr. Oz’s are somehow less reliable and less concerned about food safety than someone who has chosen to practice medicine on a daily television show? And finally, what is the likelihood that, in our age of massive food regulation, it just didn’t cross anyone’s mind to examine – and keep examining – apple juice?

The philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer warned that drama was as fundamental to journalism as it was to theater – and that journalists were like lap dogs, barking hysterically at everything that moved. It’s time to see Dr. Oz as having crossed the canine rubicon – and having abandoned science for a barking role in the theater of the absurd.

Dear MacPhail Family...

I'm wondering how you are feeling today. I, like so many others around the nation and around the world, went to bed and/or woke up feeling sick upon hearing the news that Troy Davis was executed late last night. I am so sorry for your loss of a son, a father, a husband, a beloved friend and family member. I'm also sorry for the community when they lost Mark MacPhail as a valued police officer. I am also sad for you, that you have not reached a point of forgiveness and peace after 22 years. True, your family has wanted some sort of closure - anyone in your position would. However, obtaining the closure that you have been seeking for so many years involves slowly allowing yourselves to be forgiving, merciful. Mark MacPhail died under unfortunate circumstances, circumstances that are still unclear today. No one can say confidently who the shooter was and if the shooter shot intending to kill. Witnesses and jurors have recanted their statements and decisions. The investigation suffered biased practices. Amidst all this uncertainty, though, you were certain you wanted Troy Davis to be killed. I believe inside each of you is an ounce of uncertainty, but you want so badly for someone to pay for the loss you have suffered...at the expense of a man who may well be innocent. And because I have hope that you are better people that I see you to be, I'm guessing you still can't sleep well at night despite Troy Davis' death - because  his execution is not what provides closure. I pray that you reach the point of forgiveness and peace. I pray that you realize what was done last night and use your uncured pain and suffering to fight to never put another family like yours or Troy Davis' in such a position that you were in.  I pray that all those who could have stopped this not let any future opportunities to save a life, to admit mistakes, to do what is right, slip away ever again. I pray that capital punishment is abolished, as it makes no gains for humanity, teaches no lessons, provides no peace, serves no justice. Lastly, I pray that Troy Davis rests in peace.

this weekend on the mall