Vote Your Beer

An interesting study of beer drinkers, party affiliation and voting probability. I like Stella, myself. And I guess it makes sense that Sam Adams would be the choice of Tea Partiers......

Garden Homicide

A mantis makes quick work of a green grasshopper's head in this morning's grisly garden photos.

National Gallery

I went through the National Gallery of Art this morning. The east wing has a fascinating exhibit called Shock of the News. A timeline of the printed word through 20th century artists' eyes. And of course, there's all those Calders hanging around.

The coolest thing is the subterranean light show via the people mover between the museum's wings.

Gorgeous

A gorgeous day in DC today.... spent a few hours riding around and taking in the sights.

Abandoned Horoscope

I came across and unused and derelict fountain this morning. Probably made in the 1930's, around the rim were fantastic deco representations of the zodiac. Hopefully this little gem can be restored.

Latin American Day

I was riding around the National Mall this morning when I was drawn by some very nice music. A few blocks away, every latin american country was represented by elaborate costumed dancers and musicians. It was a festive interlude from the staid and formal DC museums.

Work and Play

Yesterday, we got to work around the grounds of the Jefferson Memorial. After work, it was back to the Park Hyatt for one of their tasty mint juleps.

Chartered

We arrived in Washington DC this afternoon via our chartered flight from eastern Iowa. The Saarinen terminal looked great as we taxied past. The best part was arriving at the Park Hyatt near DuPont Circle in downtown. As our wry director noted when stopped at a light on a suburban street, "There's more activity and life on this corner than the whole of where we just came". All I can say is that the bed is mighty comfy in DC.

The Girl

I seldom wish I had cable TV but this HBO Film makes me want to get it. "The Girl" looks to be a great film about Alfred Hitchcock's obsession with Tippi Hendren while making "The Birds" and "Marnie". Love the trailer. The film promises to portray the most twisted part of Hitch's twisting life. Watch the trailer here

Katie Llega a Madrid

Volleyball loving bilingual niece has begun a three year adventure in Spanish higher education. Her Mom joined her for the first week and presented a few snaps of what's new and old in this beautiful city.

Weekend Dog

Enjoying a snooze in the AC

Amis Explains

It's always interesting to see what foreigners think of the American political process. With the passing of Christopher Hitchens comes a new voice to the scene. Current Brooklyn resident Martin Amis went to Tampa to report on the state of the Republicans. In his brilliant piece for the Daily Beast, Amis' observations reminded me of why I tore through his early novels with perverse glee.

"Madamic good ole girls in scarlet ensembles, peanut-faced glozers in ambassadorial suits and ties, puns, rhymes, tinkertoy wordplay (“Give me liberty—not gimme, gimme, gimme”)..."

"With Ann Romney, the interest was human interest. Here was a woman who had submitted, no doubt with qualms, to the inevitable falsity of political display; and you warmed to her warmth, even as you realized that much of her speech, with its emphasis on “working moms,” “the couple who want another child” but can’t afford it, and so on, was plainly disingenuous." "The strugglers she claimed to champion...are the very people that her husband, if elected, will do nothing for."

"At the RNC it was Ryan’s oratory, not Romney’s, that inspired the rawest gust of triumphalism. And that rapture, we were told, would remain undiluted by the discovery, the next morning, that the speech was very largely a pack of lies."

Read the whole column here

As one of the comments states, "It's Amis being Amis and I love it"

See an interview of Amis by Slate here

Bird's Bath

Two days ago, WL was thinking we should be more kind to our feathered friends. So we drove to our favorite junk shop in Long Beach and scored a low concrete birdbath. He scrubbed it and filled it with water and this morning the birds found it. At one point 5 little ones were frolicking and kicking up a poolside party.

Mantis

A young mantis spotted climbing a tree @ sunset in the backyard.

Americans Speak

A short film we did for the DNC in NYC a few weeks ago. It was shown on the second night in Charlotte. Watch it here