Friday, December 3, 2010
Just Voice and Mouth - Mike Tompkins
This guy is awesome! He does the song 'Dynamite' with his voice - only. Amazing! Someone needs to sign this guy fast!
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Cartoon That Make You Cry
I just read the PopWatch Confessional article about cartoons that make you cry. Sandra Gonzalez mentions the ‘An American Tail’ as her cheesy/sappy tear-filled cartoon pick. I have to admit, I always feel like a cornball when I cry at movies – especially cartoons. I mean, I understand crying at movie characters because they are actual people (albeit in a fictional story). I feel even worse crying at 'animated' characters, but I digress. Pixar and Disney have a way of ‘tugging at your heartstrings’. Here are a few animated features that got me weepy-eyed.
- The Fox and the Hound – I cried at this when I was 8yrs old, and I've never had a desire to watch it again. I think it was quite traumatizing.
- The Lion King – I always cry in the beginning, but I think it’s because I’m really moved by the “Circle of Life’ movie score. I'm a sucker for Hanz Zimmer.
- Monster’s Inc. – The very end after Mike pieces together Boo’s door. When Sully enters, Boo says “kitty…”. (SOBS GALORE)
- UP - This cartoon was not made for kids. It was sad right from the start. I think I cried in the first 10min.
- The Land Before Time – No matter how many times you see it, this cartoon is sad. The entire thing too. Especially when all the dinosaurs hug-it-up with Sara to stay warm.
I’ve been warned about Toy Story 3, which I will receive via Netflix this week. That one may bump up to my number 1 spot.
Friday, October 29, 2010
Transformers 3 in DC
Sorry this post is quite belated. In early October, Michael Bay and the Autobots descended upon Washington DC and Virginia to film the next installment of Transformers 3: Dark of the Moon. Upon hearing that Shia LeBeouf was in town, I made sure to plan my trek to see the filming. I'm always in awe of movie production when it comes to DC. It's pretty fascinating so see all the trailers, lights, crew, etc.
On Columbus Day, we headed down to DAR Constitution Hall. I got a 'tip' that filming was going to be around that area in the morning. Sure enough, we spotted Shia LeBeouf filming what looked like a 'White House' scene for the film. I talked to a couple really nice guys on the production crew, and they stated that the Producers tried to get permission to film at the actual White House, and they were totally shot down. I can't blame them - Obama has better things to do that schmooze with Hollywood. In any case, we stayed for a little while, with the other small group of gawkers, and shot these pics. Thanks to Metromix DC, I submitted these photos for their site, and received some cash for my first amateur paparazzi gig. Pretty sweet. I could totally do this full time!
(P.S., Rest in piece to Autobot Bumblebee who was hit by an actual on-duty police car on Capital Hill that day. Although, I'm positive Mr. Bay has plenty of Camero's on hand for this sort of thing. I image he's blown up a couple Autobots already....)
On Columbus Day, we headed down to DAR Constitution Hall. I got a 'tip' that filming was going to be around that area in the morning. Sure enough, we spotted Shia LeBeouf filming what looked like a 'White House' scene for the film. I talked to a couple really nice guys on the production crew, and they stated that the Producers tried to get permission to film at the actual White House, and they were totally shot down. I can't blame them - Obama has better things to do that schmooze with Hollywood. In any case, we stayed for a little while, with the other small group of gawkers, and shot these pics. Thanks to Metromix DC, I submitted these photos for their site, and received some cash for my first amateur paparazzi gig. Pretty sweet. I could totally do this full time!
(P.S., Rest in piece to Autobot Bumblebee who was hit by an actual on-duty police car on Capital Hill that day. Although, I'm positive Mr. Bay has plenty of Camero's on hand for this sort of thing. I image he's blown up a couple Autobots already....)
Sunday, October 24, 2010
What Kind of Geek Are You?
This week, I found this nifty flowchart from Flowtown. The chart gives a great explanation of the 'evolution' of the term 'geek', and it details all the various types of 'geeks' there are. I must say, I encompass a few of these. I'm a part music/film/comic book/otaku/pop culture and design geek. I must say, I do not fully understand the Star Wars and Star Trek geeks out there, nor the Dungeons and Dragons geek - but who am I to judge. We're all just dorks in the end.
(click for larger image)
(click for larger image)
Moroccan Lentil Soup
Once the weather starts to get colder, for some reason my body craves 'soup'. A hearty soup is the best on a cold, rainy day. One of my favorites is the lentil soup noted below. I originally copied this recipe from 'AllRecipes.com', but I modified it a bit. And istead of doing this soup on the stovetop, I use my trusty crock pot. Enjoy! This is definitely a staple in our house during the fall/winter.
1 chopped onion
Beef cubes
Salt (to taste) – just a pinch
Paprika – use judgement
Cinnamon – just a pinch
Nutmeg – just a pinch
Red Pepper flakes – just a pinch
2 cloves of garlic
1 teaspoon ginger
4 cups beef broth (Swanson – low sodium)
2 cups water
1 cup red lentils (or brown)
1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained (these are also chickpeas)
1 (19 ounce) can cannellini beans (or white kidney beans)
1 (14.5) can diced tomatoes (drain some of the juice)
½ cup diced carrots (about 15 baby carrots)
½ cup chopped celery (about 4 stalks)
1 teaspoon garam masala
1½ teaspoons ground cardamom
½ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper (not necessary if we don’t have any though)
½ teaspoon ground cumin
Directions:
Put all ingredients in Crock Pot. Simmer for 6-8 hours on low.
1 chopped onion
Beef cubes
Salt (to taste) – just a pinch
Paprika – use judgement
Cinnamon – just a pinch
Nutmeg – just a pinch
Red Pepper flakes – just a pinch
2 cloves of garlic
1 teaspoon ginger
4 cups beef broth (Swanson – low sodium)
2 cups water
1 cup red lentils (or brown)
1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained (these are also chickpeas)
1 (19 ounce) can cannellini beans (or white kidney beans)
1 (14.5) can diced tomatoes (drain some of the juice)
½ cup diced carrots (about 15 baby carrots)
½ cup chopped celery (about 4 stalks)
1 teaspoon garam masala
1½ teaspoons ground cardamom
½ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper (not necessary if we don’t have any though)
½ teaspoon ground cumin
Directions:
Put all ingredients in Crock Pot. Simmer for 6-8 hours on low.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Ovarian Health Seminar at Sibley Memorial Hospital
Yesterday I had the privilege of attending a free informative seminar are Sibley Hospital titled: Ovarian Health: Knowledge Is Power. As many of you may know, October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. Around this time of year, I often see many women sporting pink ribbons in honor of this month. But, how often have you seen an individual wearing a ‘teal’ colored ribbon? Probably not often.
Not to demoralize or minimize the severity of breast cancer, but I sometimes feel that ovarian cancer doesn’t quite get the recognition it should. It’s one of the most deadly forms of cancer that affect women, and often when it’s diagnosed, most women are in stages 3 or 4. I know first hand how scary this form of cancer can be, as a close family member of mine was treated for this very disease. I truly appreciate the doctors who took time out of their busy schedules to inform us, the public, about this deadly form of cancer. The doctors that spoke on this issue are four of the most outstanding leading medical professionals in the field Gynecologic Oncology. And I know that two in particular specialize in ‘bloodless’ surgery – which in and of itself has a host of health benefits whether you have cancer or not.
While there’s no way I can relay all the information discussed in this seminar, I would like to summarize some of the notes that I took. I was quite shocked that I was one of three women between the ages of 20-30 to attend this seminar. The other audience members were mostly comprised of middle aged to elderly men and women. More women need to educate themselves about ovarian cancer, as it truly is a ‘silent malignancy’. There are rarely any glaring symptoms, as some symptoms are often mistaken for gastric problems. I think you will find the points below very interesting. If you suspect that there could be any problem at all, you should definitely follow up with a doctor. I personally think prevention for any disease can start with regular check-ups – especially if you notice something out of the ordinary.
Wednesday September 29, 2010
6:30pm – 8:00pm
Sibley Memorial Hospital
Program MC: Frederick R. Smith, MD, Medical Oncologist
Click here for seminar description
Not to demoralize or minimize the severity of breast cancer, but I sometimes feel that ovarian cancer doesn’t quite get the recognition it should. It’s one of the most deadly forms of cancer that affect women, and often when it’s diagnosed, most women are in stages 3 or 4. I know first hand how scary this form of cancer can be, as a close family member of mine was treated for this very disease. I truly appreciate the doctors who took time out of their busy schedules to inform us, the public, about this deadly form of cancer. The doctors that spoke on this issue are four of the most outstanding leading medical professionals in the field Gynecologic Oncology. And I know that two in particular specialize in ‘bloodless’ surgery – which in and of itself has a host of health benefits whether you have cancer or not.
While there’s no way I can relay all the information discussed in this seminar, I would like to summarize some of the notes that I took. I was quite shocked that I was one of three women between the ages of 20-30 to attend this seminar. The other audience members were mostly comprised of middle aged to elderly men and women. More women need to educate themselves about ovarian cancer, as it truly is a ‘silent malignancy’. There are rarely any glaring symptoms, as some symptoms are often mistaken for gastric problems. I think you will find the points below very interesting. If you suspect that there could be any problem at all, you should definitely follow up with a doctor. I personally think prevention for any disease can start with regular check-ups – especially if you notice something out of the ordinary.
Wednesday September 29, 2010
6:30pm – 8:00pm
Sibley Memorial Hospital
Program MC: Frederick R. Smith, MD, Medical Oncologist
Click here for seminar description
- Ovarian Cancer is often found after it has spread to other organs
- Risk Factors include: Family history, BRCA 1 + 2 mutation, age; and women who have not had children, and women who have had other cancers increase the risk.
- Individuals of Ashkenazi Jewish descent have a higher risk of carrying the BRCA mutation
- Factors that decrease the risk of Ovarian cancer: Having been on birth control for 4+ years and removal of ovaries (though not 100% effective)
- Ovarian cancer is the most lethal form of cancer, and the symptoms are often very vague.
- Symptoms of ovarian cancer: excessive bloating, abdominal distention, pelvic pain, urinary symptoms, feeling ‘full’ quickly, gas/nausea/indigestion, tiredness and fatigue.
- Ovarian Cancer is typically diagnosed by: a pelvic exam, a rectal exam, abdominal exam, tests-such as a pelvic ultrasound, CA125 (although there can be false negatives and false positives), and a CT scan.
- Ovarian cancer is rarely found in stage 1, and because of this, there is not much data available for stage 1 patients.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Chuck Close Prints: Process and Collaboration at the Corcoran Gallery of Art
This review is belated. In fact, the Chuck Close exhibit at the Corcoran is now closed – so I hope you were one of the fortunate ones to view the gallery before its closure on September 26th. I had the pleasure of attending this gallery show in the middle of the summer, a day shy of hearing Chuck Close’s formal lecture.
I must admit, before touring this show, I only thought of Chuck Close as the ‘big portrait’ artist. He’s so much more than that. Chuck Close is not only a portraitist, he’s a printmaker, a photographer, a painter, colorist, master of grid-structure, and even a paper-maker. Working in large scale medium is a challenge for any artist, but Chuck Close created phenomenal pieces with ease. He devised calculated methods to piece-together his large scale creations. His work is often viewed from afar because of the scale – but the real technique is seen when you view his pieces up close. One such piece (photo below) was so fascinating to me. In this piece, Chuck used layered pieces of color paper in grey scale to create a portrait with the depth and three-dimensional appeal of an actual painting. I must admit I started at this one for about 20minutes.
Hopefully this is a traveling show, and will hit a few other cities. It’s a real treat to view Chuck Close’s pieces in person. And it’s so rare to be able to view the magnificent work of an artist who is still alive to ‘tell the tale’.
close up
actual portrait
I must admit, before touring this show, I only thought of Chuck Close as the ‘big portrait’ artist. He’s so much more than that. Chuck Close is not only a portraitist, he’s a printmaker, a photographer, a painter, colorist, master of grid-structure, and even a paper-maker. Working in large scale medium is a challenge for any artist, but Chuck Close created phenomenal pieces with ease. He devised calculated methods to piece-together his large scale creations. His work is often viewed from afar because of the scale – but the real technique is seen when you view his pieces up close. One such piece (photo below) was so fascinating to me. In this piece, Chuck used layered pieces of color paper in grey scale to create a portrait with the depth and three-dimensional appeal of an actual painting. I must admit I started at this one for about 20minutes.
Hopefully this is a traveling show, and will hit a few other cities. It’s a real treat to view Chuck Close’s pieces in person. And it’s so rare to be able to view the magnificent work of an artist who is still alive to ‘tell the tale’.
close up
actual portraitMonday, September 27, 2010
Food Review: DC Lobster Truck
On Friday September 24th (quite possibly the hottest fall day DC has ever had), I ventured out for lunch around 2pm. Much to my surprise, I spotted the coveted DC Lobster truck across Farragut Park! I finally had my chance to score a juicy, tender lobster roll - the very food I've been hearing about all over town for the last 3 months. If you're an avid Twitter-head, you'll know that many Washingtonians stalk this lobster truck all around town. They're pretty easy to find, but once you do, you have to sometimes wait in an hour long line to score a lobster roll or shrimp roll.
It was my lucky day, because not only did I spot the truck, but the line was only 10 people deep. It only took about 15min to score my lobster roll, Cape Cod chips and Iced Tea ($17 with my $1 discount).
I will tell you now, the lobster rolls LIVE UP TO THE HYPE! The lobster meat was sweet and fresh, with hardly any filler. I think the mix only had a bit of mayo, celery, and Old-Bay. For $15, at first, I thought the roll looked a bit small. But the size will deceive you, because the roll is very filling. I was totally satisfied after lunch, and was happy licking my fingers on my way back to the office.
Famous DC Foodie Tom Seitsema also favors this little truck, and we all know Tom is always right when it comes to DC eats.
Follow the Red Hook Lobster Truck on Twitter!
It was my lucky day, because not only did I spot the truck, but the line was only 10 people deep. It only took about 15min to score my lobster roll, Cape Cod chips and Iced Tea ($17 with my $1 discount).
I will tell you now, the lobster rolls LIVE UP TO THE HYPE! The lobster meat was sweet and fresh, with hardly any filler. I think the mix only had a bit of mayo, celery, and Old-Bay. For $15, at first, I thought the roll looked a bit small. But the size will deceive you, because the roll is very filling. I was totally satisfied after lunch, and was happy licking my fingers on my way back to the office.
Famous DC Foodie Tom Seitsema also favors this little truck, and we all know Tom is always right when it comes to DC eats.
Follow the Red Hook Lobster Truck on Twitter!
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Virgin Mobile Free Festival 2010
Thanks to a contest sponsored by the Maryland Department of Tourism and the 9:30 Club, I had the privilege of winning 2 VIP tickets to Saturday's Virgin Mobile Free Fest. The package included VIP treatment in the Pavilion and West Stage, some free 'swag', and a Backstage Tour. We had a blast as this was my first time at the Festival. Since I didn't attend the first one a couple years ago at the racetrack, I've not been able to score pre-sale tickets (and regular tickets sell out rapidly).
This is the best venue to 'people watch', although any festival or event that is FREE will bring out the craziest of people. While all the bands were awesome, I enjoyed my backstage tour, and my meet-up with Rob Garza of Thievery Corporation (my favorite band by the way). He was super nice, and I got a chance to take a couple photos, and chat with him a bit.
Another highlight was getting in the front near the stage during the Thievery and Ludacris show. Both were phenomenal. I will hold my tongue on what I thought of MIA (hey, it's FREE!). I was sad to miss LCD Soundsystem, but I heard they killed it during their closing performance.
All in all, I hope I can score tickets next year. Thanks again to MD Dept of Tourism and 9:30 Club. You made my week! Below are a few photos I snapped of the festivities.
This is the best venue to 'people watch', although any festival or event that is FREE will bring out the craziest of people. While all the bands were awesome, I enjoyed my backstage tour, and my meet-up with Rob Garza of Thievery Corporation (my favorite band by the way). He was super nice, and I got a chance to take a couple photos, and chat with him a bit.
Another highlight was getting in the front near the stage during the Thievery and Ludacris show. Both were phenomenal. I will hold my tongue on what I thought of MIA (hey, it's FREE!). I was sad to miss LCD Soundsystem, but I heard they killed it during their closing performance.
All in all, I hope I can score tickets next year. Thanks again to MD Dept of Tourism and 9:30 Club. You made my week! Below are a few photos I snapped of the festivities.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
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