So I am a little late, but I’m testing out the much hyped Dupont Wireless today and I’m not impressed. Not impressed because I am here in the horribly titled Biddy Mulligans, the Irish Bar in the Jury’s Hotel and Dupont Wireless is barely to be found. It pops up here and there, but not really here, or not enough to be useable.

That you can’t use it just outside the Dupont Circle of Life, and I am against the window that looks out on the Circle, does not impress. I might have better luck in the Circle, but first off, I can’t drink there, or at least not legally. In addition, the transmitter is supposedly on the roof of the hotel. That you can’t get wireless in the hotel that hosts the transmitter makes me shake my head in annoyance.

I picked this bar for the sole reason that I thought I could drink and surf. That I can’t do the latter and the former is no smoke free DC double disappoints. I guess Dupont is not wireless after all.

Here’s a discussion question to occupy your mind today: if D.C. were to experience what has happened in New Orleans, would you leave?

It seems like for every person who voluntarily left New Orleans, there was another who refused to go. They knew that they could lose their homes and even their lives, but they didn’t want to leave the city. Faced with the decision, would you go? Would you refuse to be run out of your city by Mother Nature? Would you come back when the rebuilding began? Personally, I’d be on the first plane out. (Not because I don’t like D.C., but because I’m not going to try to stand up to a hurricane.) What about everyone else?

Tonight the Pixies are playing Club Sonar in Baltimore! Seeing this legendary live power-house band that has been selling out 50 thousand seat arenas in a 930 Club sized venue is going to be a real treat. I hope some of you got tix to this before it sold out – luckily I did – review to follow!

Now I just have to figure out where in Baltimore to go have some pre-show dinner. Any suggestions?

am heading to nissan pavilion tonight. have prepared to leave 5 hours in advance of the concert. have packed 1 gallon bag worth of food:

Patrons are now allowed to bring their own food in the venue, limited to the following guidelines:
Limited to a clear plastic 1 gallon bag
Paper and plastic products only
NO glass
NO coolers
NO metal utensils

am planning to park in premier parking:

Premier Parking announced at Nissan Pavilion!
– Available at venue on day of show only
– Limited space available
– First-come first-serve
– $20 per car, $20 per limousine
– CASH ONLY!

have tickets in the pit. have dressed appropriately for weather. have non-professional camera (which is allowed at this concert):

Non-professional cameras are allowed on specific shows determined by artist policy, please see the specific show advisory for a particular show.

am i forgetting anything? anyone have advice to keep in mind? i heard nissan is a pain in the arse to get to on the day of a friday concert, so hope to be on the road in 4 hours and counting…

Last night a dear friend of mine and I oo’ed and aah’ed our way through browsing the fall fashions at Pentagon City. Usually this involves showcasing our uncanny ability to pick up variations of exactly the same outfit, color, style – so much that sometimes we have to bargain with each other (“if you buy that one I’ll get this one instead”). But now something has changed this paradigm… she’s expecting.

So, as she commented last night, not only will she miss out on what promises to be one of the best fall fashion seasons in years, but our shopping expeditions will radically change into exploring the land of elastic waists and empire blouses. Selfishly, for the first time in ages I’ll be able to shop without fear we will end up at the same party wearing the same outift! But it also means I’ve gone from her best shopping buddy to one who’s completely hopeless and inept as the months progress.

Please help, shopping denizens of DC, fashionable mothers of the Washington area. Where do you go for classic, comfortable, yet stylish maternity clothes? Especially for a girl who works on K Street, like my friend, who needs to look polished and poised while her body changes. Please help ensure our shopping expeditions have continued success!

Is it just me or does partying in Old Town Alexandria sometimes feel exactly like you’re drinking on leave in Saigon with a bunch of grunts on 3 day pass?

Of the three bars I went to tonight – all of them were packed with high-and-tight space-monkeys – filling the bars with so much drunken testosterone that I was constantly expecting a good old cross-Armed Services branch fist-fight to break out.

I have nothing against our boys in uniform but their massive numbers and obnoxious behaviour got old real fast tonight. And then there were the women who followed these G.I.”s from bar to bar like medieval camp-followers waiting with beer and puke mingled breath to provide god knows what service at the end of the night – biding their time by stumbling overly-drunk around the dance-floor or creating make-shift melodramas by screaming “We have to leave NOW!” (seriously this happened at all three places).

Of all the places I went tonight the best was the Laughing Lizard which was little more than a small room with a pool table. It felt like a make-shift Officer’s club in there – which was kindof cool after the first two bars. The crowd in there were much more sophisticated drunks, saving their cheers, jeers, and hoo-ah’s! for pool table victories and dart board combat as opposed to hooting every time Billy “the new guy” burped.

Well, the Nationals are coming into their final series of the year, and while they’ve clinched a .500 record, it’d sure be nice to get that 82nd win. The Phillies come in needing to sweep the Nats to have a chance at the Wild Card, with their elimination number at 1 (number of Astros wins or Phillies losses required in order to eliminate them) they can’t afford to lose. Here’s hoping our Nats can at least hit .506!

You know how the news media always goes for heartbreaking over heartwarming? The Post has found a story that falls into the latter category. 76-year-old Craig Peel lived in New Orleans for 43 years but left his home in a senior citizens’ complex after Katrina hit. His neighbor, Ginger Lucci, was staying behind and offered to take in Peel’s dog, Sassy. Wheelchair-bound, Peel was taken to the Convention Center, then brought to the D.C. Armory. He positioned himself by the door a few days after arriving and held up a sign that said, “America’s Most Wanted: Sassy Peel.” When asked about family members back in New Orleans, Peel only named Sassy.

A volunteer named Anne Holbrook posted Peel’s story online along with photos of Sassy, an 11-year-old Lhasa apso. Someone e-mailed her to tell her about a woman named Ginger who had stayed in New Orleans and was interviewed by a San Diego newspaper. Holbrook got in touch with another person interviewed for the article and he promised to tell Lucci that Peel was looking for Sassy. Word got to the executive director of the Washington Animal Rescue League, Scotlund Haisley, who headed to Lucci’s house. Sassy took a 1,500 mile trip to Washington and earlier today she was reunited with Peel. She’s currently in a temporary shelter while Peel stays at the armory, but at least Peel knows she’s safe and sound.

Isn’t it nice to hear some good news for a change?

Did anyone catch Anthony Williams official announcement that he isn’t running for re-election today at noon?

It was probably Tony’s best public appearance ever. He was playing it very informal with the crowd at the beginning, in fact I’ve never seen him so comfortable with an audience, then he launched in to a great speech recapping the transformation of DC that his administrations have achieved.

In the middle of a passionate reading of a list comparing mid-90’s DC to present DC – a bumble-bee attacked Williams’ wife (who is allergic) – Williams stopped his speech and tried to swat the bee – then turned the attack into a great impromptu laugh by saying “7 years as mayor, I finally get people listening to me, and along comes a damn bee to interrupt my speech. In short, DC – bad then, good now – all because I was your mayor!”

I was riding my bike in traffic this morning on Rhode Island Avenue, and saw a car – double parked – with a professional looking fellow of indeterminate age standing beside it. Across the street stood his girlfriend / lady friend / friend friend / whatever – also of indeterminate age – . Their conversation went as follows:

Guy: (yelling) It’s like Frogger out here this morning!

Girl: (blank stare)

Guy: You know… Frogger…?

Girl: (same expression, head slightly cocked now)

Guy: You know, like… the game? (pleading) Don’t you remember…?

Um, Guy, my guess is that nobody – NOBODY – is going to think that “Frogger” is anything BUT “the game”. Perhaps you likes ’em too young…??? Anyway, just thought the pleading tone (especially considering the subject matter) was worth sharing…