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Tonight, I went to the opening night of Salomé at the Opera...

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 17:39:57 -0500

Tonight, I went to the opening night of Salomé at the Opera Bastille.

Afternoon spent writing postcards.

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:54:00 -0500

Afternoon spent writing postcards.

New Favorite Joke

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 15:38:10 -0500

Why did the ghost go into the bar?

For the boos!

(Thanks, Christa.)

Place de la Concorde (via lacpunker) More photos here.

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 18:04:00 -0400

Place de la Concorde (via lacpunker)

More photos here.

Vroom vroom

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 15:19:50 -0400

My baby brother’s going to drive from London to Mongolia this summer. In a used Michigan state trooper car.

Here’s their facebook group if you want to keep apprised of their planning or wish them luck. And if you feel so inclined, please support their fund-raising efforts for Mercy Corps.

Le Grand Tour d’Angkor Heritage Watch and Mouth to Source...

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 12:50:40 -0400

Le Grand Tour d’Angkor

Heritage Watch and Mouth to Source have created a map of the Angkor Archaeological Park with 360-degree photographic views. It’s pretty darn cool. For those unfamiliar with Angkor, check out: Banteay Srei, Ta Prohm, or the Bayon. (Note: ‘control’ zooms out.)

Kodama Gentarō - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Today, I...

Sun, 25 Oct 2009 17:09:00 -0400

Kodama Gentarō - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Today, I bought an original stereoscopic photo of this man, a famed Japanese General in the Russo-Japanese War, taken in 1904, two years before he died. In the photo, he is standing next to General Terauchi, the Japanese Minister of War at the time (who went on to become the Prime Minister of Japan several years later).

I spent today searching the Clingancourt Flea Market for stereoscope slides, and found some truly extraordinary ones. My favorite one that I bought today is this one, of which another version exists in the State Library of Victoria. It’s of the deck of H.M. Battleship Revolution, assembled with the rest of the British fleet for the Coronation Naval Review. (It doesn’t look it in that image, but the photo is very high quality, excellent condition with incredible detail— you can see all sorts of details on the boats in the distance, even.)

My other favorites that I bought today are a series of Prince Henry of Prussia’s visit to the White House on February 4, 1902. In one, he is sitting in his carriage and facing the camera (and wearing a ridiculous hat, I might add), and another shows the highly adorned state dinner (complete with a 45-star flag).

Those are just a few highlights. In all, I bought 24 slides today. I can’t wait to take a look at them through the stereoscope when I get back to the US.

Two Countries, Three Maps - China Real Time Report - WSJ

Sat, 24 Oct 2009 19:08:39 -0400

Two Countries, Three Maps - China Real Time Report - WSJ:

Google’s approach to disputed borders.

Truly Terrifying Fashion Accessories: Reid Peppard’s...

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 14:27:53 -0400

Truly Terrifying Fashion Accessories: Reid Peppard’s Rodent Taxidermy Jewelry - Los Angeles Art - Style Council

I think these are fantastic. Creepy and morbid, but also fantastic.

This is fantastic! So creative. (Once again, I’m missing...

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 18:04:00 -0400

This is fantastic! So creative. (Once again, I’m missing out on a good ol’-fashioned U.S. halloween. And it appears that I might be drinking hot toddies— for a cold— this year as well.)

I was in Lille, France this past weekend. Lille is charming.

Sun, 18 Oct 2009 17:42:56 -0400

I was in Lille, France this past weekend. Lille is charming.

"You offend reason, sir!… I should like to offend it with you."

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 11:51:40 -0400

“You offend reason, sir!… I should like to offend it with you.”

- John, to Peter Pan

IMG_1265 (via lacpunker) The rest of my Washington and Victoria,...

Wed, 07 Oct 2009 00:11:33 -0400

IMG_1265 (via lacpunker)

The rest of my Washington and Victoria, BC photos are here.

The Top 10 Craziest Things Ever Said at the U.N. General Assembly - Joshua Keating | Foreign Policy

Tue, 29 Sep 2009 12:46:00 -0400

The Top 10 Craziest Things Ever Said at the U.N. General Assembly - Joshua Keating | Foreign Policy:

Qaddafi has a son about my age. Sometimes I wonder about him and if he ever gets embarrassed by his dad.

L'Automne

Tue, 15 Sep 2009 15:02:18 -0400

sept. 18 - 28 : wenatchee, washington (with a little bit of victoria, canada thrown in)

sept. 28 - oct. 5 : grosse pointe, michigan

oct. 5 - 7 : dc + ny

oct. 8 - 12 : london

oct. 12 - nov. 20 : paris

nov. 20 - 23 : london

nov. 23 - : ny + dc

Arts.21 | The Film Storm by Hans-Christian Schmid (via...

Sun, 13 Sep 2009 14:24:14 -0400

Arts.21 | The Film Storm by Hans-Christian Schmid (via deutschewelleenglish)

I’m very excited about this German movie, Storm, fictionally about the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia.

Not the least because The Notwist has done the soundtrack for it.

(war crimes tribunal : the notwist :: texas high school football : explosions in the sky) ?

Bourbon Coffee Home Page Bourbon Coffee is a Rwandan retail...

Fri, 11 Sep 2009 14:54:10 -0400

Bourbon Coffee Home Page

Bourbon Coffee is a Rwandan retail coffee shop with locations in Kigali, and now: Washington DC! It’s impossible to describe how excited and proud I am of this.

If you are in DC, please visit it! Rwandan coffee isn’t run-of-the-mill; it’s attributes are considered very special in the coffee industry (here’s a recent review). The Rwanda Blue Bourbon (Starbucks’ limited-release foray into Rwandan coffee) is considered one of the best coffees in the world.

Also, the fact that this shop even exists, and the Rwandan coffee industry is producing specialty-grade coffee as it is, is due in no small part to USAID and your tax dollars. Basically, this coffee shop is proof of the successes that U.S. foreign policy is capable of accomplishing.

2101 L Street NW

Mon - Fri: 6 am - 7 pm, Sat - Sun: 7 am - 6 pm

Great feature article in NY Times Magazine this past weekend on...

Tue, 08 Sep 2009 00:23:21 -0400

Great feature article in NY Times Magazine this past weekend on Spike Jonze and Where The Wild Things Are.

Swap & Trade Books, Trade Music, Swap Video Games, DVD &...

Sun, 06 Sep 2009 23:21:59 -0400

Swap & Trade Books, Trade Music, Swap Video Games, DVD & Movie Exchange - SwapTree

I’ve started using this website called Swaptree and I’m really loving it. It’s just a site that facilitates bartering.

Pretty straightforward: you just make a list of items you have that you are willing to trade, and a list of items that you want. The website matches you with someone who has what you want and will trade for something you have. Or when you enter an item that you have, a whole menu comes up of items you can get for it.

You can optionally print postage labels right from the site, and your credit card is billed for postage at the end of the month, so you don’t even need to go to the post office.

Yes, the barter system is based on trust, but there is some sense of pressure to comply. You have to give reasons if you reject a trade that someone has proposed. And you are rated by your trading partner after every trade (and you rate them).

I’ve only been using it for two weeks now and I’ve already traded four times— dvds and books I’d probably never watch or read again traded for dvds and books I’ve been wanting to own.

Virgin Mobile Free Fest wins in the category of best festival spent carrying around a box of shoes.

Mon, 31 Aug 2009 00:24:00 -0400

The Birthday Massacre (meh) -> St. Vincent (meh) -> Mates of State (briefly) -> [free pair of chucks!] -> The Hold Steady (fantastic) -> Public Enemy (Flavor Flav really took a stand on racism…) -> The National (amazing, as always) -> Girl Talk (amusing) -> Pete Tong (trippy) -> Blink 182 (will always be one of the greats)