In case you didn't know, I'm an avid reader. I once dumped a guy because he told me that he had read one book in the past year. It's sort of a deal breaker. I try to alternate between chick-lit, classics, and contemporary writings. I'll try to update on which book's I've read recently and give you yay or nay. Enjoy!
House of Leaves
Mark Z. Danielewski
I'm a fairly quick reader. I can usually get thru a book in a day, maybe two. I'm the kind of person that can't put a book down once I start. House of Leaves took me a solid week to finish.
It's the second best book I have ever read. It's also the scariest book I've ever read.
I'm a sucker for scary movies, especially the classics. I saw The Shining when i was 10, Child's Play when I was 6, and Rosemary's Baby when I was 12. Part of the reason this book took me so long to read was that it was so frightening I had to stop reading certain parts and take frequent breaks from the scariness.
The novel itself is unique. It's a story within a story with several side stories as narration. Footnotes are chapters in length and have footnotes of their own. Chapters that are written backwards and upside down, mimicking the feelings that the characters in the book are experiencing, creating feelings of isolation and claustrophobia.
I don't want to give away any plot details. But if you haven't read this book, do so, soon.
Around Town
The National Cherry Blossom Festival
The National Cherry Blossom Festival annually commemorates the 1912 gift of 3,000 cherry trees from Mayor Yukio Ozaki of Tokyo to the city of Washington, honoring the lasting friendship between the United States and Japan and celebrating the continued close relationship between the two cultures. It's a gorgeous sight. Pink blossoms all in bloom along the Tidal Basin. If you make a trip to the Basin, I suggest parking near the Jefferson Memorial, you might think that it's not a long walk from the Lincoln Memorial, but it is. Also be sure to try out the paddle boats. I haven't done this in a few years, but last time I checked it was $4 a person, and in DC you can't beat those prices.
From the Foodie in Me
I was chatting with my friend Sarah yesterday, who is truly a foodie (she's made a career in nutrition) and I realized that I like a number of different dishes that I only get to eat once a year (when I visit my parents). I thought I'd share with you a few of the more ethnic dishes that I haven't subjected my friends to.
Barbacoa- Literally translated it means "barbecue" in Spanish. However it's not any barbecue. It's cow's head (that's what she said). You take the cow's head and you cook it whole in a big pot. You then pull the meat from the bones when you're done. Many people often include the brains in the meat. Sound's yummy, no? Well it is. Because it's meat from the face of the animal it's ridiculously tender, and it bears a resemblance in appearance to chopped beef brisket.
Lengua- Literally translated it means tongue. No sugar coating it (pun intended) that's what it is, cow's tongue. You cook it, chop it up, and put it in tacos.
Menudo- Literally translated it means a Mexican boy band... haha, not really. I saved the best/ grossest for last. Menudo is a spicy reddish brown stew. It has lots of hominy (it's what grits are before they are all mushed up). It can be dressed up with diced onions, cilantro, shredded cheese, and lemon juice. On the side you usually have guacamole or avocado slices and plenty of fresh corn tortillas. Now for the gross part, the stew is made from the lining of a cow's stomach. Often people add pigs feet as well. Mmmm. The origin of the stew is Mexican... however not even my Mexican boyfriend will eat this dish. Yum!
My Addiction to...
Craigslist
Seriously, I can't get enough. I scan the gigs section daily. I'm always looking through the free stuff and the furniture. The best-of section cheers me up on a rainy day. The forums let you vent about anything and everything. If I'm bored I can always look in the activities section. When I need to get rid of junk in my house I post away and someone will come haul it off and usually pay me for it. Seriously, it's the best idea ever.
However, I now find myself at a loss when I need something done and craigslist can't do it for me. Recently I was looking at moving, I checked CL night and day looking for a place. I couldn't find anything that was a good fit. Where else do I look? Are there other websites out there? I'm sure there are, but my dependency on CL has grown out of control.
I guess that's why it's called an addiction.
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