To Buy Or Not To Buy . . .

Jube and I have recently visited some houses in our area. We are currently renting a house for a very reasonable rate (from a family member), so we've been able to save up some money. (You might remember we bought a car in November; we've also bought tickets for France, Guatemala, and Las Vegas this summer, and we've still been able to put money in our savings account, if that tells you how little we've been paying in rent.) Then recently, I noticed a nice house for sale in our neighborhood. The real estate market has been very bad in the US for home owners... but that makes it a "buyer's market," right? And interest rates are super low, right?

So, yes, we've visited houses and gotten pre-qualified for mortgages. And then when we consider the monthly charges and a 30-year loan, we both get scared. Neither of us are sure about buying a house, but we almost feel obligated to look. We both wish we knew more about the whole process!

Winter Storm '09!

Last night it started snowing in Washington. We woke up to 7 inches of snow, and by the afternoon we were up to 13. We went on a little excursion to a nearby bakery (I'd bought lots of cold weather food - fondue, raclette - but no baguette to go with it!) and took some photos.
Not surprisingly, no one here knows how to drive in the snow, although Jube says it shouldn't be so difficult for them to figure out that they need to drive slowly!

Last Weekend

Last weekend the weather was wonderful. Jube and I biked to Bethesda, where we ate dinner and French pastries. There is an amazing patisserie in Bethesda called Cacao. I have to admit that while I was in France, I never understood why macarons were so beloved... I've read countless blog posts about macarons; about where to get the best ones, which flavors are the tastiest; but mostly just raving about their existence. Cacao has made me reconsider my indifference. The macarons there are amazing! After dinner, we went straight for the macarons, and it started pouring rain. The picture above was taken while I tried to sip my espresso without getting too wet.

The next day we went to Baltimore. Jube was happy to see the humongous guitar topping the Hard Rock Cafe in the Inner Harbor:

And then on our way to Fell's Point we saw a monument dedicated to Polish soldiers:

I'm a Convert!*

Yesterday Jube and I went out with this guy who works for the Federal Communications Commission (suddenly, I realize how living in DC affects the people we meet...). His big project right now revolves around the "DTV Transition," which will take place in about two weeks (don't know what I'm talking about? You must not have suffered through snowy reception for two years like Jube and I have).

I've been complaining for about a year about the DTV transition. I didn't want to spend the money to get a converter box for my TV; I didn't think it was fair that we should be penalized for not buying cable; I was happy enough with my fuzzy reception. But two weeks ago Jube and I bought our DTV converter, and I saw the light! It's wonderful! When my father came to visit, he thought we'd signed up for cable.

I even feel more informed about the world since we receive four PBS channels. I now understand what stock options, hedge funds, and the financial crisis are all about - and The Bachelor has never looked as good! (Actually, Jube and I think he looks sort of like a young George W. Bush.) So if you've got basic cable right now, I'm telling you: quit it and buy a converter box! You'll thank me later!



*Pun absolutely intended. Every time I say this to someone, I have to restrain myself from saying, "Get it? Get it???"

Chinatown

The other day Jube and I decided to be tourists. Of course we have seen most of the monuments and a good number of museums in DC, but we certainly haven't seen all of them. We wanted to go to the International Spy Museum, but it turns out that it costs something like $14 to go in. We nixed that idea and instead chose to wander around Chinatown, where the museum is located.

Now, DC's Chinatown is not exactly authentic. I've been to New York's Chinatown, and was impressed by the atmosphere. In DC, the "atmosphere" comes from a local ordinance which requires all of the shops to have their names written in Chinese as well as English. That means that Anne Taylor Loft, Starbucks, and Urban Outfitters (all very typical Chinese corporations, as I'm sure you'll agree) have an extra sign.

While there is a distinct lack of Chinese culture, DC's Chinatown is still fun to visit. There is streetside shopping, a movie theater, the National Portrait Gallery and the International Spy Museum.


And a really cool looking Chinese arch.


And on the day we went, a group of people learning how to ride Segways.

Next time we go, we're eating at one of the restaurants. Yee haw!



Oh, and yes... pardon the 2 month absence... oops!

Dans la nature...

During my old commute, I would drive a short way down Beach Drive. Beach is a winding road that traverses Rock Creek Park, 10 miles or so of lush forest that goes from Washington, DC to a street very close to my house. In the early mornings I sometimes see deer lurking in the brush on the side of the road, and in the afternoons bicyclists seem to think that they have the right of way (they travel in packs). I also see the same Metro commuters walking from Grosvenor Station back to their houses.

On one of my last days, I was driving through the morning mist when I saw a Metro commuter cross the road in front of me. I thought it was a bit strange that I'd never seen him before, but I figured that he might have left earlier than usual. Before my car drew level with him, he disappeared into the woods on the other side of the road. Bemused, I tried to find him in the woods as I drove past, but all I saw was a small path leading through the underbrush.

I enjoyed imagining deer and commuters sharing the same paths every morning, and then I turned off of Beach and entered the Beltway, where no one shares the same path happily.

Labor Day

On Labor Day Weekend, Jube and I had set up a busy schedule: Planet Arlington World Music Festival on Saturday, Picnic on the Mall on Sunday, family barbecue on Monday. Only Saturday and Monday succeeded, and all because I am a big idiot.

We were on the Metro, heading to Capitol South, when Jube realized that we were going the wrong way. We got out and started heading toward the escalators that connect the two directions. As we started up the moving stairs, Jube heard the train arriving on the other side.

"Hurry!" he told me, "We can still catch it!"

I had my doubts, but I still ran up the escalator. Or at least, I tried to run up. My flip flop caught one of the steps and I fell heavily on my left leg, bruising my knee and scraping my ankle. Because I am a cruel person and I wanted Jube to hurt as much as I did, I snapped, "Why did you make me run?" Tears had sprung to my eyes and I limped off of the escalator. It really really hurt! I've never felt as much pain in my life (well, maybe I have, but I certainly don't remember it feeling that bad!).

As I rode the other side's escalator down, I felt moisture on my leg. I looked at it and saw blood trickling past the bottom of my cropped pants. Strangely, I hadn't noticed any cuts, just a feeling of bruising around my knee. When I pulled up my pants leg, I almost fainted. Blood caked my knee and continued down my leg. In my bag, I had nothing to staunch the flow; no napkins, not even any receipts.

I started feeling nauseated and faint, so I sent Jube back up the killer escalator to find a station manager while I sat on the floor next to one of the concrete barriers, whimpering to myself and swabbing at the blood with my now-stained pants. Jube couldn't find any help, so we decided to head home. (For some reason, I'd thought that I could still make it to the picnic if only the station manager had been there with a first aid kit!) Of course, by this time we were about half an hour away from home and I would have to limp through the Labor Day Weekend crowds with a bloody pair of pants, but we couldn't help that.

I managed to keep from puking or fainting until we got home, where I cleaned up my wound and gently placed myself on the sofa. And then, since we had managed to miss our vegan picnic gathering, I turned to my husband and moaned, "Jube... could you get me a big hamburger from Wendy's please?"

I think I deserved it.