Chicago

As always, Chicago was a good time. Started Friday night at Lizzie McNeill's with the usual suspects and a few new faces. Lots to drink. We started outside, went inside, then went on. Along with a drinking contest between Chris and Beth and getting the new guy to do car bombs, we had an enjoyable meeting.

I did a little shopping. Bought a slimming pink dress at Banana Republic, though I returned a skirt that just didn't work, colorwise, with me new black jacket. Oh, well.

Dinner Saturday was at NoMI. The sushi appetizers were fantastic, along with this artichoke soup with bacon foam. The beet salad with goat cheese was tasty, though fragile. I did not like the lamb chop. Too fatty. Though perhaps I should have eaten it; I was a little hungover afterwards. And the pineapple soup was silly; a couple of small chunks of pineapple and cream. Summery, sure, but not great. My least favorite dinner this year, by far. I was on a big sushi kick in Chicago, though. After-party was on the 7th Floor Park Hyatt bar, though those folks were snooty there. And MGDs were even pricey!!

But it was a fun weekend. Now back to home and wedding stuff. Only 33 more days! And so much to do!!!!!!!

SCOTUS, Obama, Work, Stuff

The DC gun ban came down, 5-4 in our favor. Yeah. Not that I am about to go out and buy a gun, mind you. But I think Scalia is brilliant, and it is ridiculous that the District has basically denied its citizens to own and register a gun, unless you lived in this city as a legal adult back in 1976.

As usual, Jan Crawford Greenburg nails it. Yes, Obama, you are a hypocrite and panderer.

Work is eh now. I am off to Chicago tomorrow. I am looking forward to the weekend and catching up with FS friends, but am tired. I feel like I am getting so far behind on wedding stuff again. So much to do, and only 37 days left! Less really when it comes to planning!

I caught up with Sal on Monday, did I mention that? Good to catch up.

I also did some shopping this week. Macy's, Ann Taylor for a cute black jacket and a dress. I need a shower outfit!!!

Fred Thompson, AG?

See his critique on Boumediene.

Again, it will be a federal judge - not the President or the Congress or a military tribunal - who will decide the appropriate extent to which the detainee will have access to classified military information, as just one of the more troubling examples. In other words, the branch of our government least qualified to make determinations on national security and foreign policy will now do just that. One other thing is certain. Whatever comes out of this new habeas corpus mish mash will generate a new round of appeals and our avowed enemies will work their way deeper and deeper into our court system.

And on Obama:

It should also be noted that Senator Obama thinks that the decision in Boumediene v Bush is an excellent one. I don’t know what’s worse: that he doesn’t understand what the Court has done … or that he actually does and still thinks this was a sound ruling. Good luck to all of us.

Detroit, Tourist Destination!

The Washington Post profiled Detroit this weekend.

"It looks like a nuclear bomb went off," Chris assessed, after picking me up from my downtown hotel.

The streets were idle and empty. So many of the buildings that were hauntingly handsome at night were sad in daylight; windowless, hollow and crumbling. Lot after lot laid bare, covered with slabs of broken concrete or half-dead weeds. Warehouses, storefronts, office buildings left to rot, sealed with plywood, disfigured by graffiti.

I thought parts of the piece were unfair. But truthfully, the city has deteriorated so badly over the last four decades, it could be described as miserable. That being said, witnessing the energy at a Tigers game or heading into Greektown or visiting its music clubs will make those doubters think there is a bit of hope there.

I guess the mantra about I can criticize my hometown as much as anyone, but don't you dare criticize it is certainly true!

One last word on Tim Russert

As usual, a graceful and honest column by Peggy Noonan.

After Tim's death, the entire television media for four days told you the keys to a life well lived, the things you actually need to live life well, and without which it won't be good. Among them: taking care of those you love and letting them know they're loved, which involves self-sacrifice; holding firm to God, to your religious faith, no matter how high you rise or low you fall. This involves guts, and self-discipline, and active attention to developing and refining a conscience to whose promptings you can respond. Honoring your calling or profession by trying to do within it honorable work, which takes hard effort, and a willingness to master the ethics of your field. And enjoying life. This can be hard in America, where sometimes people are rather grim in their determination to get and to have. "Enjoy life, it's ungrateful not to," said Ronald Reagan.

Also, I am keeping Paul & Megan in prayers this morning.

Happy Hours

I caught up with Kathy at Poste on Tuesday and Jenny W at Ceiba tonight. I don't tadhink I have seen Kathy in about a year. She is doing well, no new news to report. It has been nearly a decade since we've met and now that I think about it, the person I have known the longest in DC. Wow. Talking to Jenny, we were commiserating on friends who are pregnant, moving on to the next stages of our lives, and how just when you develop your niche, things advance and something changes. Not a bad thing by any means. But one day you are right out of school, living in the group house and not making any money and eating pasta every night or drinking dollar buds at Politiki.

Even the change between being 27 and 32 is stark enough. That was what, 2003? Then again, everyone got married then, and that was so traumatic at the time. But really, not much has changed. Kids change things more than anything. And I am fortunate to have girlfriends in the city who are at the same stage of their lives as I am, trying to come to grips with being older, being married or just about so, knowing that you do not want to be AMA (advanced medical age!) at the doctor, but knowing what reality often tells you.

We had dinner with the married people on Sunday, great red meat and shrimp and more desserts than we could consume. And it's great, and I would not want to be anywhere else. But wow, do times change and they change in good ways and different ways and crazy ways sometimes. But if Sal's college roommate could be having a baby and her little sister getting divorced, what else could change? Stuff to ponder six weeks, one day, and 15 hours from the wedding. I would like to think I will not change, not matter what stuff changes, and I will maintain these friendships and keep these circles of friends. But who knows where I will be at 42 years old...who knows what will change. It will be an interesting time.

More on Tim Russert

This was an amazing interview. His son is so well-spoken and articulate. Matt Lauer said something that viewers will see Tim in his son, absolutely true. I am sure the last place Luke wanted to be on Father's Day was alone with his dad's chair.

Tim Russert

Tim Russert died this afternoon, after returning last night from a trip to Italy to celebrate his son's graduation. Terribly sad news, and on Father's Day weekend no less. He always struck me as one of the more balanced media guys, and he ripped into Republicans and Dems with equal vigor. We'll miss his analysis this year during the election.

He was 58 years old.

So sad. Can you imagine his wife and son still in Italy, enjoying themselves, and getting this call??? I cannot.

Employed!

SJE starts Monday at his new job! Very, very relieved. It's a good position, he is happy, and we can breathe easier and start planning other future things. We celebrated with T over wine and pasta.

Invites have mostly hit, though we have had a few quirks with the post office screwing up our postage. VERY annoying. It may be my least favorite government entity, at least this week.

Top Chef finale is tonight. Will be very happy if Stephanie wins. Or Richard. NOT Lisa!

Napa

We just got back from the annual trip to Napa. Friday we ate at Redd and I enjoyed a Forni Brown Mixed Salad with goat cheese, sourdough croutons and sherry vinaigrette, followed by Petrale sole with creamy jasmine rice and saffron. We stopped at Freemark Abbey and Markham before the cocktail party. After the Saturday meeting, I went to Cline and bought bottles of the Sonoma Zinfandel, Ancient Vines Carignane, Cool Climate Syrah, and the Los Carneros Syrah. I also stopped at Rutherford Grove, buying a bottle of Zinfandel. Finally, we had dinner at Del Dotto Winery, enjoying a tour of their caves before dining on salad, pasta, and lamb.

I am happy to be home. It's been a long few days!

Top Chef

And oh-my-god can you believe that very unpleasant, perpetual-bottom dweller Lisa beat out Antonia for a spot in the final Three of Top Chef? Yikes!! I do know that Richard (LOVE his congratulations for winning the bronze medal comment) and Stephanie will seriously crush her in the final. They are great, though it would have been a much better finale if Antonia or Dale had survived so long.

The pig challenge was crazy, and I can't believe Dale forgetting to fridge the pork belly could have cost Stephanie. She and Richard both seem like great cooks, and really neat people to boot.

Omni Tasting

We had our wedding tasting yesterday afternoon at the Omni with T and SJE. Yummy. We were really impressed with the Maine Diver Scallops on a bed of Shiitake Risotto with Saffron Sauce. Yummy. Love scallops and the risotto was melt in your mouth buttery delicious. The crabcake was fine but not phenomenal. We can have that at the cocktail reception. Salad wise, we probably will go with the California mesclun greens with feta, olives, radish, and balsamic vinaigrette. Love feta. It was creamy and goat-cheese like.

I was a big fan of the filet with pink peppercorn sauce and dauphinois potato. Oh, that was the best potato I had ever tasted. SJE was not such a big fan; he really liked the lamb, but filet it has to be. The sea bass was good too, but we're going to skip the sauce on it.

The wine was great, the champagne was tasty. I am excited for the menu!

Red Wings Win!

After a hard-fought series against Pittsburgh, Wings Win Lord Stanley Back!!!

very productive weekend!

We got a lot accomplished over the weekend for the wedding:

• We booked a honeymoon to Sandals Antigua!! Oh it just looks so beautiful!
• I went for alterations for the wedding gown. Very pretty, very pricey!
• We talked to Moira's dad about a DC tour.
• We addressed over 100 invitations, ready to mail out tomorrow or Wednesday.
• We selected some of the music we'd like at the wedding.

We also played several games of Scrabble, resulting in one last majestic win for me! And we ate well...homemade pizza on Saturday night, SJE's favorite chicken florentine pasta on Friday. We also cleaned, though some of that just involved moving stacks from the front room to the backroom. Also, I made a mega grocery store/Target run to stock up. We also drank a lot of wine, but that is not such a bad thing.

Back to the real world, with job searching and a trip to Napa. I need to figure out how to work the Cline thing. We also have our tasting on Wednesday, which should be fun.

Two months from today!!!