Got FastPass for Starbucks?

DC Convention Center this morning. Mob scene pre govGreen conference. Shouldn't my gold card get me to the front?



- Posted from an iPhone

Post from the Sky

Well - I'm on the road again, or in the sky actually. Heading West for a week this time. American Airlines flight to SNA. Looking forward to a few of my favorite things, like In & Out Burger, Carls Jr. and Gelsens Markets, but I am also missing a great fall week in DC.




This past weekend could have been the most beautiful fall weekend we've had in DC in a few years. And all those tourist and activists were in luck this weekend as they welcomed John Stewart and Steve Colbert to America's stage - The National Mall. Did I attend the rally? Well I started to, but decided to go home and watch it. Maybe it was better from where you were sitting (or standing), but I was a little let down.

Still, I was in the mood to be outside, so I took a walk in Rock Creek Park.


From that view to this view in less than 24 hrs:



Sometimes it amazes me how diverse the landscape of this great nation is, especially as I'm flying 39,000 feet over it pondering.

Well, we're getting ready to land. More from the West Coast later.

- Posted from an iPhone

Labor Day

Not a bad way to start Labor Day...beachside sunrise.

Good morning Rehoboth Beach.




- Posted from an iPhone

Morning Flight to Georgia

I'm heading south for a few weeks. While today's temperatures are quite nice, where I'm headed it's going to be miserably hot. I'm looking forward to hitting a beach sometime around labor day. Till next time.


- Posted from an iPhone

Suddenly You Are a Bus Rider?

We all know it is hot in DC. I mean really hot. Today when I was trying to get home, I noticed that every bus stop had at least 20 people waiting for a bus. I don't mean those commuter buses, I mean the city buses that go up Conn. Ave and Mass. Ave.

It just annoyed me that suddenly we had a surge of Bus Riders in DC. How do I know these weren't the usual commuters with me? Because they were all paying with cash and coin on the bus. It was insane. Person after person piled into these mobile air conditioned methods of transport as they tried to get home.

It doesn't help that the metro trains have no AC either. I see people getting ready to pass out as the train approaches the platform and the famous Express or Examiner being used to fan themselves. This is sign number one the metro is suffering big time this summer. The other sign is the masses of people piling on buses - suddenly and surely to get a little AC and try and get a little closer to home before they have to walk in the swamp of soupy humidity.

Can we get a break? Or a few like the amount to equal the broken escalators on this crippled capital metro? Stay cool out there.

An Evening with Paramore

Last night I went to a place I've never been before. Merriweather Post Pavilion. Located in Columbia, MD, this little pavilion/big lawn proved to be a great venue for taking in a summer concert to close out 2/3s of the summer season. Of course it helped that I was going to see one of my all time favorite bands - paramore. They put on an incredible show that had the pavilion pumped and singing along to every song.

Now, just curious if there were more Baltimore-based fans or DC-based fans at the show. I would be extremely proud of DC if they had that much taste in music.

Thanks Hayley, till next time. You rock.


- Posted from an iPhone

Welcome August & Everything After

Okay, so after the hottest (deadliest) July we've had in a while I am very happy to ring in August and everything after. Little pop culture reference there for anyone who has great taste in music.

So while the summer seems to have flown by it also seems to have scorched us in the meantime. I'm happy August is here for it means birthdays and long overdue vacations. Where to go to get put if this broken metro town? That's the true question. Beach or mountains? Trains or planes? Decisions, decisions.


- Posted from an iPhone

Erratic Conductors on Metro

Wow the conductors on the Blue and Red lines are driving rather erratically! This isn't the money train - slow down! We've got precious cargo in our tourists, interns and LAWYERS! Somebody is going to get hurt and someone is going to sue.
Just like I don't run for trains, I don't think our conductors should put us in danger and floor it only to come to a sharp halt in a tunnel, ultimately jostling our brains at every brake.

Metro has a funny way of showing their improvements.
If a wheel falls off or they derail tonight don't blame me. I'm trying to warn you.

- Posted from an iPhone

NextBus App - Don't Leave Home Without It

Okay DC, it's official. One of my most useful iPhone apps is the NextBus app from WMATA. If you are a public transit junkie like me, and hate to drive in this town, you need this app. Not sure if the Droid or Blackberry has it too, but it's worth it. Give it a try and you will never find yourself stranded or waiting for that bus to come in sight up the hill or over the horizon.

User tip: the bus stop 7 digit codes are not nearly as reliable as the good old cross street search for proximity. Enjoy!

- Posted from an iPhone

DDoT

So this morning I am heading down to North Capitol St to apply for a moving truck parking permit. The process sounds rather cumbersome and may take some time. So of course like any DC resident, I am trying to get in line before the office even opens.

Why does doing business with the District remind me so much of waiting in line at the Registrar to try and get into University courses. Those of you in school now may not know what I am talking about, but not too long ago trying to get into your desired course in college was like an episode of Survivor. There were alliances made in line or even the night before. There were promises broken - "hold my spot please, I have to pee." There were even wrestling matches on the stairs. I am having flashbacks to my days at JHU when I would wake up at 4:30 AM just to get in line at the registrar.

Just a long way to say I hope the same experience doesn't happen today with d DoT.


- Posted from an iPhone

Will This Winter End?

Are we really getting another round of wintry weather? I'm not sure we in DC can take it. I should have flown south for the winter.


- Posted from an iPhone while standing at a bus stop.

Let the melting begin...slowly

This weekend was beautiful. Hard to believe that the temperature got above 50 this weekend. The snow is starting to melt, albeit slowly. The parking is getting better and the right lanes of the road are starting to creep back into existence.

Spring is not too far off.


- Posted from an iPhone

One Word Blog Entry for 2010

SNOW!




- Posted from an iPhone

Arlandria?!

Okay - so while out at a great happy hour in PC where you can buy rounds of margaritas and meals for 9 people under 40 bucks I heard a new 'geryuppy term: Arlandria. Apparently this is a part of that over saturated area between Arlington & Alexandria.

Seriously?! When did Virginia - I correct myself - Northern Virginia - become SO hip and overexposed that it felt it earned the right to blend community names? Who do these people think they are? Valley girls from SoCal? I mean it is one step worse than Van Oaks (Sherman Oaks + Van Nuys).

Grow up NoVa!



- Posted from an iPhone

Defrosting in DC

So whatever caused this chaos this morning - thanks. I was kicked off a bus in Georgetown and had to walk to the metro because everything was blocked off. Now I'm frozen and learning it is very hard to type on the iPhone in the very cold weather. The touch of the screen hurts. Days like today I hate DC.

Back to Work?

I'm not quite ready to face this town yet. Need a little Jay Z and Rihanna.


- Posted from an iPhone

Real World D.C = Disgrace

Okay, so I got suckered in and watched the first episode of Real World DC. Man was that bad. I have to say as a D.C. resident, this show was anything but D.C. I have to agree with many of the comments on DCist. The cast never made it more than 2 blocks from the house (did they really choose Buca to eat dinner?!) and the shots of D.C. were anything but accurate.

The house is not that impressive and the cast members are extremely annoying. I am curious to see what their "jobs" are going to be and where else they will hang out. Overall - this looks like it is going to be a very boring show without many REAL D.C. experiences.

Stay tuned.