Monday, July 16, 2012

Lotus Eaters

Last summer before I left for the Land of Oz...I mean, D.C....I went to watch a great new band perform in Milwaukee. And now the Lotus-Eaters have finally released some rough demos for my east coast enjoyment!  Ok, full disclosure, my friend Zach is a member of this "psych and garage band", but I honestly think they have a great sound and infectious energy. If you're in Milwaukee I highly recommend cracking open a PBR and letting your hair down at one of their rockin' live shows. In the meantime, enjoy a listening party on a couch nearest you.


Like what you hear? Check them out on Facebook and see them live!

Random but relevant...

The day of my own personal Lotus-Eaters listening party I also caught up with some books I had not seen in a while. That day in particular I was traversing the great American landscape in a camper with John Steinbeck and his dog Charley when a surprisingly relevant passage jumped out at me:

Thursday, July 12, 2012

"Lanky brunettes with wicked jaws"

I decided to explore the mysterious Waterfront metro stop this past weekend after reading about a fringe community of houseboat dwellers docked in a little-known D.C. marina. Since it has always been a fantasy of mine to live in a residence that moves depending on my mood I had to check it out.

Not many people talk about (or seem to visit) the D.C. waterfront except to say that it is "under developed." They are definitely not wrong. A mini shopping area of essentials like CVS and Starbucks greets crowds as they exist the metro. Beyond that, however, it's as though people have both put down roots while remaining stubbornly transient. Even the bank is in a mobile home. Past the sleepy houseboats, one lonely hotel, and a strange arena advertising "the event" there is the fish market...under a highway. There is also a HUGE all you can eat seafood buffet that I first thought was a casino from the way masses of people were rushing in with a look of grim determination on their faces. Apparently nothings gets people out in steamy 100 degree weather like endless plates of lobster. Of course I'm not one to talk; I went out with the small hope that I might get to watch the sun set over the Potomac. No luck.

My plan was to follow whatever pedestrian pathway I could find over the river to the Jefferson Memorial. When I reached the point where I needed to cross, I encountered a grizzly-looking gentleman who offered three options: ford the river now, caulk the wagon and float, or wait for the ferry. Ha...oh man. Wouldn't that be awesome. A little Oregon Trail moment. My actual choices were either a dark tunnel of doom or a game of highway dodgeball (if you couldn't guess, balls=cars). I started having flashbacks to several highway-trekking, traffic-dodging family vacation nightmares. So, I chose life and turned my little self around. Not my most successful adventure. I didn't even get to caulk a wagon.

Later that night I shared a few laughs and cocktails with Nick and Nora Charles. Ok, so I know that Nick and Nora are just characters; but if this were 1934 and movies were real and every murder was solved over dinners and martinis by a retired detective and his fabulously wealthy wife, I'm pretty sure Nick, Nora, and I would be best friends. Just saying. It's possible.

Anyway, turns out the E Street Cinema shows awesome classic movies at midnight. I'm in love.

I'll leave you today with ONE's 2012 Summer Music Playlist. Enjoy!

Saturday, July 7, 2012

Big Girl Pants

Happy belated birthday America!  This great time of national celebration is an appropriate one for my much anticipated (cough) return to the blogosphere. Although that is not to say I have been completely absent from the world of blogging, tagging, keywords, SEO, etc. In fact, dear readers, I have been up to my boney little elbows in crinoline and tiaras, experimenting with specialty cocktails, and ogling delectable tiers of buttercream frosting. Enter my wedding-blogger alter ego


But enough about her. As I was saying, the magical day that is the 4th of July (yes, I know I'm a few days late getting this post up...so sue me!) is a perfect day to return to logging my life and observations on Roundabout. After circling the drain like the cliché college graduate that I am, taking internship after internship with the distant hope of a job offer, I finally landed my first job in Washington, D.C., our nation's lovely capital!  It appears I'm a "grown up" now (hence the title of this post). So cheers to you America: you're getting older and you gave me a job when so many others are not as lucky. Also great news, my mom is no longer telling people I am homeless and unemployed. Little things. 


What did I do to celebrate über-America day? Went to a Nationals game of course! Baseball is so American--hotdogs, beer, Cracker Jacks...Dominicans. Ok, well that last one was more in reference to a new baseball documentary--Pelotero--coming out next week. I don't really even watch sports, but I love films about sports and athletes. Not sure what that's about. My first Nats game was definitely a success. I can say that because 1. I did not pass out from the heat, 2. I learned that players pick their own "up to bat" music (awesome!), 3. We won! and 4. The jokes on my Cracker Jack's prize actually made me laugh out loud.


Q: What kind of books to planets read? (Keep reading to find the answer!)