14 February 2008

Had a romantic Valentine's dinner tonight. Just me, my lovely spousal equivalent...oh yes, and our beloved cat Eleanor.

14 February 2008

So Starbucks is planning to close 7,100 of their stores on February 26th for three hours in order to "re-educate" their baristas. (Thank God, this will happen in the early evening hours--NOT the morning!) Says a spokesman: "They will be trained in creating the perfect shot, steaming the milk and all the pieces that come together in a drink. ...It's really about ensuring that the customer experience that we provide is the best that it can be."

I have no proof, but I think my lovely spousal equivalent may be behind this new push. She's quite the stickler when it comes to making sure her tall, skim, caramel macchiatto with extra foam is made just right--and has no problem telling the baristas, their boss, and their bosses boss if it's not. (Just ask the good folks at the U Street store!)

Me? I usually just ask for the drip coffee of the day.

13 February 2008

Obama working the crowd at Eastern Market yesterday morning...my old stomping grounds on Capitol Hill. He swept the Potomac Primaries yesterday. It was the first time I've ever cast a vote in an election that I felt actually had an impact.

10 February 2008

Saw Barry Manilow in concert last night. I have one word to describe it: fabulous.
My older brother Scott was a huge Manilow fan back in the day (I probably know every word to the Barry Manilow Live album), so I grew to love him by osmosis. But as I've gotten older, I've grown to love Barry in my own right. The concert was at times kitschy, overly sentimental, and utterly over-the-top, but I loved every minute of it. (I admit, I felt like I was part of the legions of teary-eyed, swooning 60-year-old women when he played "Could it Be Magic"--one my all time faves.) And to see the Verizon Center alight with people clutching their green Manilow glow sticks, swaying to "I Write the Songs," was indeed a magical moment. At 65 (and the beneficiary of some amazing plastic surgery), Barry sounded and moved like he did back in his heyday. He was energetic and every bit the showman I thought he'd be. The audience was filled with mostly women--the AARP crowd, folks like me who brought along their best girl friends, and, predictably, gay men.