Oye Mi Canto

Geddem, it's been a long while since I've posted!  A lot has happened since December.  The Jayhawk and I went to Costa Rica with the Chimneys to celebrate the nuptials of Dags and Mary Rice.  We went to KC to visit the Jayhawk's familia for his birthday (where he ended up getting the suede Prada boots that I'd scoped at Halls -- I'm not still bitter about that...no...).  I sang drunky karaoke Madonna (Like a Prayer) and Tina (Proud Mary) at La Linterna Verde (que te quiero verde) with Lady LaLa and the Boyz.  We saw Klingon Shakespeare auditions.  We bid au revoir to Fruchey, who's off in Austin for bigger and better things (and by "things" I think we all know I mean pipis...oh!; that was out loud).  We did pop-up dinner for Chez Billy at the Montserrat House.  I watched the 3rd Underworld movie with Puff and Candy -- and loved it (?!).  We mourned Don Cornelius and had our own drunky Soul Train revivals in our living room late nite.  We celenebriated Mattie's big move to the farm and danced to Whitney.  All in all, a ton of times over the past few months.  And tonight I finally released the latest Mango Mix for my friends to enjoy.  No Snow for Mango.  And the tracklist is:

Azari & III - Reckless (With Your Love)
Unknown Mortal Orchestra - How Can You Love Me
Howard Hughes & David Tattersall - The Lobster Boat
Grinderman - Worm Tamer
A Giant Dog - Chatterteeth
Caitlin Park - Baby Teeth
Sharon Van Etten - Serpents
Alabama Shakes - Hold On
Jamie Woon - Street
Fránçois & The Atlas Mountains - Piscine
Hanne Hukkelberg - Featherbrain
Husky - The Woods
Kikuyu - Infodome
La Garçonne - Super Hero
Sisterland - Dirty White
Electricity in Our Homes - As Fast as Lightning
Beth Jeans Houghton & The Hooves of Destiny - Sweet Tooth Bird
Grimes - Genesis
Anna Calvi - Blackout
Cate Le Bon - Falcon Eyed
Shrag - Tendons in the Night
Clubfeet - Teenage Suicide (Don't Do It)

And the link to these fine tunes is:  Error 404.  No music found.

I'll write more from now on, for realz, to keep y'all more informed on our comings/goings, mis bonitos.  I like writing for you.  I hope you like my writing, too.

We Off!

Candy, The District, and I, will be off on a (mis)adventure in a few hours to go Crate & Barrel Outlet and other shopping!  Don't Rob Me Now, though.  The Jayhawk will be home.

Que No Cunda el Pánico

That's what Prezzie Obama asked us to do in these troubled economic times at his first press conference last night. We need to worry, of course, but we need to channel that worry into positive action and not let it explode into panic or despair. So, don't go the way of the Wall Street brokers who facilitated the vote of no-confidence as soon as today's news broke that the stimulus package had passed. And definitely don't go the way of Chris Brown and go beat up on your Princess RiRis. If anything, beat up on the A-Roid and his stoopidity for causing that reporter to ask Obama about steroids in baseball when there are more important things to worry about. Jeebus...such a douche.

(Keep Calm and Carry On poster available at Barter Books. Read story of it here. Me wanny.)

Here Comes the Rain, Again

I almost went window shopping (with the itch to buy something) tonight after work in Columbia Heights, but the rains caught me as I walked up the 14th Street hill, so I veered home and found this website* to satisfy my shopping needs. Not that I needed to go shopping since I got my Reyes present from the concierge in Rita's building courtesy of UPS Ground. But I wonder if shopping at the actual HEMA stores is just as fun and exciting as on their website? Puts the Target to shame.

(*Ojo: Let the page fully load to enjoy the merriment)

(And, thanks, Rita, for being my shipping address once, again)

Gimme Gimme #14

Poppa needs a new murse. Or man bag. Or whatever you wanna call it. And what I really need is a black one since I really don't have a black bag to carry stuff in to/from work to match my new black boots. Because, you know, that one must match one's bag to one's shoes. Otherwise, there's clashing, and clashing leads to chaos. Unless it's purposeful clashing. Then it's fashion, and that's okay.

Anyway, black bags. Burberry caught my eye. I'd never pay that much for a bag that I use for little more than a style accessory and not to actually carry anything in. But it's nice. As is Matt & Nat's. Which would have been nicer had I followed through and gotten one 3 years ago when no one in DC knew who they were. But it's still nice. Much like demano's (the Universitat M 123-Verde, that is). Not black but green. I can make it work, though. But I can really make it work with Toscanella's bag! Oh! Com'è bello quello sachetto! Now that would make an impression on the 52 bus.

Gimme Gimme #12

Since Gossip Girl isn't back on until next month, I'm thinking of watching some movies to occupy my time while the Jayhawk's slaving away making other peoples' dining experiences pleasurable. And nothing warms me up better on cold winter nights than flicks with the hottness of Penélope Cruz. I've already got Volver and Abre los ojos, but I'd love love love to have Todo sobre mi madre and La niña de tus ojos. That second one is sooper hard to find, so I'd love love love it (and anyone who finds it) even more. But don't hurt yourselves trying to get it. Nothing's worth that. Not even bargain handbags at Saks. Ooph. Even shopping at Marshall's sounds better.

Then, again, I could always drink to keep the cold away. Or watch movie involving the drink! Or watch Penélope Cruz movies while hitting the drink! Yeah, that sounds about just right.

Gimme Gimme #11

Monkeys!

Happy sock monkey with hat is adorable.

And there's nothing cuter than Curious George.

Even monkeys in the shower make me giggle.

But Hanno cannot be beat! If I ever wanted a pet monkey, Hanno would definitely do. Alright, alright...He's a gorilla and not a monkey. But I can call him my cutie pie monkey when I play with him. And I'll love him forever and ever. Too cute.

Just make sure you make the deadline for Xmas shipping arrival time. I wouldn't want my dreams crushed if Hanno doesn't get to me by Santa Claus Day.

Gimme Gimme #7

Speaking of chefs made me think that today's installation should be all about food gifts.

I know this is corny, but I've always wanted someone to get me a Fruit of the Month Club membership. It reminds me of when my momma used to get pears shipped to her in Rico from Texas every month when I was a wee fruit, myself. Sigh...

How about some popcorn? Or cookies?

A nice cesta full of cured meats and wine would be nice. Although you can always keep it real and get a caja full of Rican coffee treats. Or keep it Midwestern with some KC BBQ goodness.

And there's yummy foodstuffs of the Omaha variety to use on with that BBQ sauce, too.

But if you really want to get to this man's heart, give a little bit of rice to those who most need it, and improve your vocab skillz while you're at it.

Num Yummy!

Gimme Gimme #6

We're back to asking for ourselves and not for others. And what better way to do that than by wishlisting items for the home?

Totally diggin' these multi-colored nesting bowls. They're not all red like the rest of our kitchen, but they're too cool to not make me drool over them. And they'd make a prefect compliment to the (red) stand mixer the Jayhawk's been drooling over.

These decals would go sooper well with our black and white tile kitchen floor.

Maybe we should get a dining room table before we get the tablecloth and napkins for it? Nah...I've never been one to actually put the horse before the cart.

I think we can do a cool Kansas meets Rico Christmas theme by decorating the hooge tropical spider plants the Jayhawk rescued from the cold with ornaments like these and these.

¡Vino vino, ay, que fino!

And, Jeebus, do we desperately need help with all of our remotes.

All of these are available right now and not next year like what H&M is spoda come out with online in February 09. I hope that H&M's venture into home furnishings means that Zara Home will finally make itself available to the Merican market. Until that happy day arrives, we can get our fix for some of the stuff they offer in person at Home Rule.

And, yeah, no babies. We can't have that. Just sayin'.

Gimme Gimme #4

Forget about the semi-nekkid NYC firemen (which, thanks to Guy Gone Wild Michael Biserta we officially can forget about), hunky Catholic priests, or even Le Dieux du Stade. This Christmas the calendar to have is of the nekkid doctors in Barcelona. They got the medicine to keep you warm in the cold winter months. Spoonful of sugar, indeed.

Gimme Gimme #3

Since we are in the electronic age, today's installment is all about techie toys. And everyone who knows me knows I'm all about my gadgets.

Behold! This toy will make me switch wireless providers. Not this one, though (no Verizon in Rico; it's Mexican now). That one's for the Jayhawk. His maternal family's surname is Storm, after all.

Look! Now that we've replaced one old-azz tube TV in the house (thanks, Shatterproof), I'd like to replace the other old-azz TV we got with one of these. And it would go great with a new region-free DVD player so I can watch me the three previous seasons of El Internado (on every Thursday night at 10PM on Antena 3 simulcast, BTW). The drama!

Read! I can't have one for Christmas, but that's why Ricans celebrate Three Kings Day, too. Always two sets of presents. Smart, huh?

Listen! Internet radio, anyone? Me, please!

Now, go shop!

Gimme Gimme #2

Cooking Edition.

Everyone knows I've got a fascination with La Madre Patria. The wine, the food, the history, the culture, the parties, they all keep me going back to vacation there every year. So, to satisfy my need for all things Spain, today's additions to the Christmas wish list are a few must-haves: (1) culinary gems from crazy José Andrés; (2) treasures found on the road; and (3) the essential guide to cooking no self-respecting lover of Spain can go without. No need to buy me crazy 'spensive saffron, though. The Jayhawk and I are gonna get it on the cheap at El Corte Inglés when we fly across the pond in February. Place your orders now.

Gimme Gimme #1

We're (I'm) starting a new category now that we're entering the Season of Receiving.

First on my list, I want Uncle Karl on me! Or on my finger, more specifically. And while I'm at it, I might as well ask for a Finger Anna, Finger Rei, Finger Doe, and Finger Yves to keep all my digits warm. Ooh! How about gloves with all of their faces on them? Even better!

But please keep Uncle Valentino away from me. He might rub off like he did on poor SJP. ¡Fóchila!

The Chicken or the Egg?

Hmmm...What kind of racket does Crate & Barrel think they got going on here? Looks like C&B wanted to compete against West Elm's fancy Lutz & Patmos pillows and throws by knocking off Simone Shailes' designs instead of just collaborating with her like TopShop is. Tssk, tssk...It looks like peeps at C&B are getting lumps of coal in their stockings for Santa Claus Day. And they can even buy them off their own catalog! Nice.

Talk about Meta

If there's anything good that comes out of big box stores and how they're crumbling because of these hard economic times, it's that some ingenious individuals are using those empty boxes for better purposes. I'm still waiting to go shop at Circuit City's uber liquidation sale while eating some Spam sandwiches from the Museum, though.

Toros y Julie y Karl, Olé(stra)!

I forgotted to mention that the Jayhawk and I went to Bodega in Gtown on Monday night for dinner. The space is actually really nice with that whole retro-modern/contempo take on tradition vibe going on. And the menu was good. I mean, it's no Jaleo, but there are very few places that can wannabe Jaleo. We had all hot tapas because it was cold as fuzz out. The tortilla española good but was also all about the tangy mayo sauce that came with it. The croquetas de pollo were good and creamy but way too hot in temperature and not at all in spice (not that croquetas are spoda be spicy, but add some flava to them, onetime). The pulpitos were way overdone and way powdered in paprika (not cute). The butifarra catalana with the stewed white beans were amazing, though. The sausage was so nice and gamy, and the beans were perfectly savory and tender. The albóndigas estofadas (meatballs) were just that (meatballs with not much going on for them). The piquillo peppers stuffed with scallops and mushrooms were much better. And the creamy saffron rice with the grilled shrimp were right up there with the Catalan sausage. Overall: decent. Not a place I'd rush back to (or even go back to). But a place I'd recommend trying. Hey, can't be any worse that any of the places surrounding it, right? Mr. Smith's? Garrett's? Blech. Run away from that.

Just like the Cowardly Lion. He's got a new book out! Don't run away from that (especially when thinking about what to get the Mango for his birfday, you know?).

Oh, and Bodega's bread was good, too. Crusty but not mangle-the-roof-of-your-mouth crusty. Which I'm sure Uncle Karl would appreciate since he apparently only eats fake bread to go with his fake butter (scroll down like halfway down the page). Looks like he and Rosa Inés del Pilar (my little hermana, Juliette) got something in common. He'd be mortified.

Gobble Gobble, Indeed

AT&T is buying Centennial for a cool $940 million cash. Dayum! Looks like a lot more Ricans are going to be getting iPhones, now.

They won't be getting them at the Circuit City, though. CC filed for Chapter 11 today. So watch out for discounted electronic goodies before CC goes under for realz and all that inventory either gets bought by the Best Buy or dumped in a Chinese e-wasteland. Which makes me wonder about what will happen to the inventory from Linens & Things that doesn't get liquidated. Will that be dumped in a Chinese wasteland of beds-in-a-bag and potpourri ball sachets?

Pretty Pictures Version 11.06.08

Selling Wednesday's WaPo on eBay for up to $100 a pop?! Seriously...Tragedy inspires greed but so does happy history, apparently. Listen to today's Pretty Pictures and do right, people: The Holloways' "Sinners and Winners."

With that said, though, I think I'm gonna buy me one. Hee...

Is Everybody Happy?

I love this! Too effing cute!* See, I would have definitely taken my vitamins when I was a wee Mango if they had been marketed/sold like this. It looks like I might have to add Barcelona to my next trip to La Madre Patria to buy me some candies.

(*Site en español.)

Piranha

Not only infest the actual Amazon but the virtual one, as well. Barack Obama Halloween mask listed under "terrorist" gear?! The listing's been taken down, but, still, WTF?! I've never been a fan of the Amazon and now know I'll definitely never shop from them, Oprah's new favorite Kindle or not. Wanna reconsider that endorsement there, O?