On my agenda this weekend: seeing The Hard Tomorrows at DC 9, a party, a brunch, probably some work and... shopping for bridesmaids dresses. Because it's always been my dream to own an overpriced, shiny, purple dress. I have faith that the bride-to-be will pick the best of the overpriced, shiny, purple dresses, but still... I would add that this dress will most likely be something I'll never be able to wear again, but I've decided that I'm going to DJ in it at least one time after the July wedding, just so that I can say I wore it twice.
Thursday, November 10, 2005 :::
Last night's top secret activity has been declassified: as part of a small group of Information Leafblower's friends, I was touring the West Wing, thanks to Kyle's friend at the White House. Kyle sums it up pretty well, so check out his post, which links to his photos. It was really an amazing, well-given tour that included the Oval Office (you get to look in, but not walk in), the Rose Garden, the Press Room, the swimming pool under the Press Room and more. On the way out, we even walked through the Eisenhower Executive Office Building and sat in the room that Nixon used as his office during his presidency, and where the Nixon Tapes were recorded. I sat in Helen Thomas' chair in the front row in the Press Room. I stood behind the podium in the Press Room. I really wanted to pose while imitating Rumsfeld's "voodoo hands," but I kept cracking up and all of the photos are of me smiling, which just looks so incongruous at that podium. I just don't look evil enough to be in government. Thanks so much to our knowledgeable guide and of course to Kyle for inviting me to share this great experience. Not every girl from Old Country gets a look into the Oval Office.
A view from the Rose Garden (named for Rose Kennedy, not for the flowers):
The main entrance:
The rest of the photos are here. I look goofy, but I had to post them anyway because, damn, I was in the West Wing of the White House.
Wednesday, November 09, 2005 :::
Update on the Annie performance: you can get advance tickets online or at the club, like you would for any other mainstage show, even though it's a dance night. What are you waiting for? Get your tickets. But not before I get mine. This is definitely going to sell out.
Tonight: I have something top secret going on, but if I wasn't doing that, I'd be at iPod Jukebox.
Seriously, people, this is huge, and not just for Scandinavian pop nerds like me.
Annie will be performing live at the << BLISS >> dance party on Saturday, December 2. Sponsored by the Royal Norwegian Embassy. Yes, you read that correctly. Annie is actually performing in D.C. It's taking place on the main stage at the Black Cat. It will cost you $10.
While in Chicago, I bought many, many records that I'm looking forward to spinning at the next bluestate and beyond. I got everything from ABBA to Saint Etienne to The Ramones to Cinnamon to 25-cent Britney Spears remixes to Lesley Gore to Blondie performing "Call Me" en Espanol. I think I'm most excited about that last one.
Between Lincoln Park and Hyde Park, I shopped at five stores, of which my favorite was probably Dave's Records, where the above photograph was taken, although I also really liked Hyde Park Records. The latter is located across the street from my brother's apartment (and on the same block as the under-renovation Ribs "N" Bibs), and next time I'll definitely go there first, since they had the best prices in addition to a great selection and snooty clerk. I think if I'd spent more time there, I would have declared it the winner. Check out the "Stuff We Find in LPs" section of their site. One of the interesting things I spotted in the store was a small bin near the register where you can drop mix CDs for a mix CD exchange, something that makes a lot of sense but that I haven't seen in other music stores. Over at Thrown for a Loop, RJ details some of the more amusing exchanges that happened during our record shopping trips, once at Hi Fi Records and once at Hyde Park Records.
On my last day, after some amazing breakfast at Valois (not pronounced it the French way), my brother had to study, but RJ and I wanted to do more record shopping, so my brother sent us to a thrift store somewhere around 68th and Stoney Island. He said that although it was a general thrift store, there was a good chance of finding some interesting records. With no exact location and no store name, we couldn't find it, but the second time we drove by a closed place called The Cheap Store, I had to take a picture:
I think the picture would have been far less interesting had The Cheap Car not been driving by The Cheap Store at the very moment I aimed my camera.
When I showed my brother the photo after RJ dropped me off, he exclaimed, "That's the place!" Too bad it was closed. I would have liked to have shopped at The Cheap Store.
01/05: Taint and Bliss present INFAMY, 9:30 Club
01/10: Emily Haines & The Soft Skeleton, 9:30 Club
01/19: Benjy Ferree, Meredith Bragg and the Terminals, Greenland, Black Cat 01/24: Hej Hej, Cafe Saint-Ex
