How I Spent Superbowl Sunday

In addition to watching the first half and eating some of the best superbowl party food ever, I came home Sunday night and turned on what may be the most entertaining Superbowl take-off ever. PuppyBowl III. More Specifically, the Kitty Half-Time Show during Puppy Bowl III. I can't believed I missed PuppyBowl I and II. Next year, I'm setting my tivo. So cute!

Best Pre-Birthday Present Ever

The pre-birthday festivities have begun. My girlfriend has given me what I think may be the best pre-birthday present ever. This flying Monkey can slingshot across the room and yell on the way. It is a great stress reliever, and I plan to use it soon to fly over the cubicle walls and relieve stess at work.

Yeah for flying monkeys!

Heidi Klum-German/British Double Agent

The following 3 photos are: 1) Santino's german/elk-inspired design for the lingerie challenge in Project Runway's Second Season 2) Somone dressed up for halloween as Santino's design and 3) An actual outfit from Victoria's Secret Lingerie Fashion Show. They are uncomfortable familiar (and ugly!). Heidi Klum is involved in both shows. Also, if they are going to use Project Runway designs, at least choose the winners!
 

I always knew AARP was the most powerful lobby

Recenlty, I went to a panel with the folks from BeyondMarriage, a really amzing coaltion talking about the importance of validating all kinds of families, partnerships, and living situations rather than focussing all efforts on marriage. (they also have a lot of other interesting points, so check out their statement). At the panel, it was mentioned that organizers in Arizona were actually using this approach to gather support in fighting an anti-domestic partnership ballot intitiative.

Well, it worked! Arizona was the only state so far to defeat such a ballot measure (out of 28 attempts). And Even this article from Texas discusses the role of unexpected allies-the elderly. Who knew?

Who knew nursery rhymes would get so political?

This article from the UK calls for a new version of a classic nursery rhyme:

Three Blind Mice
Three Blind Mice

See how they run
See how they run

They could not see, and they often fell
The Doctor said they should try to use stem cells
It was controversial, but what the hell?

Three sighted mice.

Endorsements to Report

This weekend featured a trip to the Hudson Valley, complete with apple picking, a short hike, and peak foliage galore. In the end, I also walked away with two businesses I'd like to endorse.

First-Zipcar. The base cost for renting a car is similar to any other company but 1)you pick the car up right in your neigborhood, 2)the cars are cute-we had a Volkswagon Rabbit, 3)you don't have to pay for gas-which is huge these days, 3)it comes with EZ pass and XM radio. It was really easy to reserve, pick up and return the car. Unless you like trekking to the airport, I hightly reccomend Zipcar for your next out of town trip, or your next trip to Ikea.

Next-Ali's Roti Shop. On Flatbush Avenue near the Prospect Park stop, this small shop provided the best post-roadtrip meal I could imagine. Tasty, big portion, and unique to the city, it made me feel full, satisfied and "at home" all at once. The Roti are dishes that come from Trinidad via India and involve a delicious bread filled with curried vegggies, potatoes, chick peas, and chutney along with some hot sauce. I also hear that one should try the "doubles" if you go there.

Suburbs that don't make me gag

Where are these houses? BROOKLYN. That's right, they are right here in the borough of Kings. And they are not even that far out into the borough. I went this weekend on a tour of Victorian Flatbush and saw these and other houses in Ditmas Park and the surrounding area. We took the Q train to Newkirk to get there, only 5 stops past park slope. The white house with the blue trim is a 4 bedroom home with garage and is for sale for only 600,000. For NYC it's a steal. Lets just say, if I'm going to move to any suburbs, these could be an option. 

  

New Celebs in the Slope

I know, I know-readers are tired fo the baby picture thing. I'll try to hold off and post some celebrity gossip instead. It has been reported in the Brooklyn Papers that our newests Park Slope residents are Peter Saarsgard and Maggie Gyllenhal. Very exciting. I can't wait for the sightings, and family visits from Uncle Jake? I hope the paparazzi don't monopolize the line at Uncle Louie G's.

Jennifer Grey-Eat Your Heart Out

  

Plan B is Approved!

As a feminist, I am pretty pleased that Plan B emergency contraceptives, also known as the morning-after-pill, will now be available over the counter. The battle to bring these pills to the public has been going on for over 3 years, and the FDA has delayed and delayed their decision. Their own science has said the pills are safe and effective, but partisan politics would not allow them to make a decision until now. Senators Clinton and Murray held up the confirmation of the new FDA head until a decision was made, and now it has actually happened. On the not so great note, the pill will only be available to women over 18 (young women can still get it with a prescription) and it will be "behind the counter," so pharmacists can check IDs. No doublt this will lead to lots of embarassing impusle purchase while working up the courage to ask for it(at best) and pharmacists lecturing thier patients and judging them all over the place or refusing to give it out (at worst).

One funny note-in reading the Times piece on this, I followed a line to a group at Princeton University doing EC Advocacy. They have a list of emergency contraceptives and the brand names they are sold/prescribed under in other contries. While most were standard pharma-type names, I did find it interesting that in Thailand, EC is called "Madonna." I wonder if it works best when taken with Kaballah water.

  

I Heart (Free) Cheese

Last night I went to the weekly free beer & cheese tasting at Bierkraft on 5th Avenue in Park Slope. Usually I walk by the store and cannot go in because, despite knowing it's full of delicious beer, cheese and chocolate, I cannot take the pungent cheese smell upon entering. However, knowing the tasting would be in the back, outdoor (ie-less pungent) area, I ventured in. I tried 5 delicious cheeses from spain. Well, one was kind of like feet. The other four were great though. I especially enjoyed the zamorano, a sheepsmilk cheese very similar to manchego.Also worth a try was the mahon, a cow's milk cheese that was very salty and had a suprisingly pleasing crunch. The beers were pretty good too. Tastings are Tuesdays at 7pm, but get there early. I almost didn't get in.

To Pick or Not to Pick?

Apparently the answer is-pick. For scabs, that is. The NY Times has come out with an article declaring that it is not only ok to pick a scab, but it is preferable and will lead to less scaring. Yeah for mild self-mutilators everywhere.

Baby Charley: Inside the Actor's Studio

  

What kind of geek are you?

No, this post is not another blog quiz. It's about an article about two camps of geek fighting it out-the crossword-ers and the sudoku-ites. Apparently, it's quite the bone of contention that while crossword may require more "art," sudoku pulls in so much cash that even Will Shortz, crossword editor for the Times has jumped on the bandwagon of publishing these puzzles. I like both. Crosswords are a fun challenge, but sudoku makes me feel smart.

More Fun With Muppets

I just read about the latest version of law & order. It's on PBS, and it's called "Law & Order: Missing Letters Edition." Now even 4 year olds will know the meaning of that special two beat sound that indicates this show is taking over the world one channel at a time.

Yeah, I'm Scooter

You Are Scooter

Brainy and knowledgable, you are the perfect sidekick. You're always willing to lend a helping hand. In any big event or party, you're the one who keeps things going. "15 seconds to showtime!"

The Muppet Personality Test

When the lights go out in the city...

Last night I thought I was re-living the summer blackout of a few years ago. The lights were out on our block and all was quiet. That is except for the huge fireballs coming out of 5th avenue manholes. I came to work this morning expecting everyone to be talking about it. However, no one had heard a thing. None of the brooklyn blogs were reporting it. Was your power out? Was this just on Union St?

Great Study, Guys. Just Brilliant.

(From Seed Magazine-an awesome magazine on science and culture)

"Israeli researchers studied how the brain processes sarcasm by performing an experiment on healthy subjects, subjects with damage to the prefrontal cortex and subjects with damage to the posterior lobe of the brain. The experimenters told the subjects stories where a character spoke either sarcastically or literally; the subjects were asked to determine which was the case based on the context. Those with damage to the frontal lobe—especially those with damage to the right rear part of the prefrontal cortex—had trouble determining when the speaker was being sarcastic."

I always knew the people who didn't get my jokes were just brain damaged.