Under Review: Buzz

Buzz Bakery & Coffee

“There is a man who comes in every morning.  He orders a cup of coffee and reads the paper.  Then he just gets up and leaves.”  The silver-haired patron willingly shares this information with me as I brush croissant crumbs from the couch cushions.  This man must come here every day himself to know this information’; today he is wearing one of those hats with ear flaps and perusing the Washington Post.

The walls are a pinky-beige and covered with funky kitchen utensils.  The entire back wall is cubby holes whose overall image boasts a gigantic piece of chocolate cake with pink frosting.  Laptop users stack into a long wooden dinner table and immerse themselves in their work, study, or, as it goes, blog.  A Spanish-speaking nanny is dragged through the door by three toe-headed children who have to know if those cookies taste as good as they look.

Beyond all of this, the first thing you notice when you walk through the corner doors on Slaters Lane in Alexandria is the impressive display case of cakes, cookies, Quiche, muffins, croissants, and desserts.  You could try an oat current scone, or a sausage and cheese Quiche, or stick with a tried-and-true blueberry muffin.  These items are refreshingly not shipped in from a far off factory, they are baked and cooked right in the back.  The barista confirmed that they even supply the same baked goods with Peregrine on Capitol Hill.  As a huge fan of Peregrine, this scored instant points for the place.

Buzz is sunny and warm and a nice change from other coffeehouses because it’s just different.  Perhaps it is because it’s part of a neighborhood and therefore draws a more diverse clientele.  Perhaps it is because one can park outside the door and walk right in, eliminating the logistical frustrations that you may experience in the city. But whatever it is, I like it and recommend giving it a shot.

Coffee beans: Cappuccino - 3.5 beans of 5

Atmosphere: 4 armchairs out of five (today it is a literal armchair)

Work-Ability: 4.5 memos out of five

Staff: 5 tip jars out of five.

Massachusetts restores just a little bit of hope in the system

Oh, maybe I am going to get myself in trouble by writing this and then posting it to Facebook for everyone from every side of the aisle to see, but I just can’t help myself.  Last night was majorly chuckle-worthy for everyone who is sick of the “change” promised to us by our new President as he was sworn in  364 days ago.

This is the opinion of an amateur, of someone who couldn’t possibly and WOULDN’T possibly claim to have all the answers.  I do not claim to know every fact, have read every article, or be familiar with the inner thoughts of our political leaders.  But, this is also the opinion of someone whose bum was kicked to the curb 14 months ago when her boss lost his reelection in the House.  This is the opinion of someone who really couldn’t have witnessed it in much more of a firsthand way than she did, unless she was a family member of the ousted.  This is the opinion of a voting American who has seen a small snippet of federal politics… and not from the cheap seats.

It has always been said that politics is a pendulum.  After the last couple of years, I couldn’t agree more.  I am not a lifelong politico; in fact, before I came to Washington and worked on Capitol Hill, I had only voted in the 2004 Presidential election.  That’s it.  I knew the names of the Senators in Florida, and my representative.  Anyone else?   No way.  So,when I dived headfirst into the United States House of Representatives in the spring of 2007, I surfed in on the wave of Republican bloodbath from the 2006 election without really knowing it.  At the time, I thought, “I bet I am independent.”  That sounded good.  After all, being too extreme is, well, scary.  While I have realized that I am significantly more conservative than I initially thought, that revelation has proven to be frighteningly true.

When it was popular to despise former President George W. Bush, the American public grew to despise elected officials with his same party affiliation.  As someone who used to not follow politics, I relate with the notion that representatives and senators with the same party as the President must be his cronies.  I didn’t stop to think that there really isn’t only Democrat and Republican, there are infinite levels within each party.  But, America was tired of Bush, and they wanted change.  President Obama ran a brilliant campaign, using that very idea as his buzzword.  The public was hoping for something different, and he was the answer.  In November 2008, he beat Senator McCain handily, and created a tsunami that many newly elected Democrats could surf in on. 

When we put our feet back on the ground and get our heads of out the clouds, we realize that making huge changes is not as easy as we thought.  I think that a country so eager to get out of Iraq failed to realize that simply cannot happen overnight.  Ideally, it could.  Ideally, we wouldn’t ever have to fight to defend our nation, what we stand for, and others who can’t defend themselves.  We could all live in peace and harmony.  I say this with the utmost sincerity and zero sarcasm.  I wish our world could be this way.  But it isn’t. 

Obama then tried to champion health care reform, and made it the main focus of the first year of his presidency.  This is speculation, but I wonder if one reason for this was to have a check mark in the win column because he wouldn’t have the check mark in the “Get out of Iraq” box.  I believe the sincerity and hope for providing healthcare to all Americans is real.  Please hear me; this is not about that desire.  I think healthcare DOES need to be reformed, and something DOES need to be done for those who cannot help themselves. 

Obama and company’s mistake came by being too extreme.  Instead of working to decrease the budget deficit our country is running, he has only increased it.  Writing a 2.000 page healthcare bill that will dig an even bigger deficit hole and using political tactics to push it through the process simply isn’t going to fly with the American people.  People are going to notice when their money is being tossed around, and they are going to notice when the people that they put in office aren’t playing nice.  People are tired of that, and they won’t stand for it anymore.  

That is why Scott Brown’s win last night is so monumental.  A Republican won a Senate seat that was held by the most liberal of liberals for 47 years in a state that, until yesterday, was considered unquestionably blue.  If Massachusetts is this fed up, it does not bode well for Democrats nationwide.  

President Obama and his supporters in the House and Senate have tried to be too extreme and have become very exclusive as a result.  The need to listen to ideas from both sides of the aisle and not bank on the fact that they will have enough votes to push the agenda through regardless.  I know that this is what happens in politics, and this happened with Republicans.  Guess what?  They paid the price for it.  But, just because this is the historical pattern doesn’t make it right.  The reason our country is so special is because we can argue, debate, and have opposing opinions.  In the end, the people will be heard.  Because if our elected officials don’t listen to them, then they won’t win next time.  It’s that simple. 

Watching politics lean dangerously too far to one side this past year has been discouraging, as it always is for someone who leans the other way (no matter which way it is leaning).  But last night, I once again had my faith in our system restored.  It’s certainly not perfect, but it is right.  We live in a country where we can express our opinions, and if there are enough people who agree with us, we can make changes.  Our elected officials  cannot just fade into the curtains, they have to answer to those who put them onstage.   

It is my hope that President Obama and his supporters in Congress take what happened last night as a clue to begin to compromise in a fashion that will actually get things accomplished.  If they don’t, and it may be too late for some already, then they will face the same outcome that Massachusetts produced last night.   Congratulations, Senator Brown.  Go to Washington, and do what you said you were going to do.

Under Review: The Coffee Pot and New York City

You Washingtonians might wonder… The Coffee Pot?  Where is that?  Well, friends, my latest review comes from the corner of 49th and 9th… in New York City. 

Telecommuting unquestionably provides and enviable freedom.  For example, telecommuting gives one the freedom to say, hop on a bus to Manhattan one day just because your friend is there for a conference and has the hotel an extra night.  Even better that the bus has free wireless internet and provides for three and a half hours of uninterrupted work time. 

I love New York.  I think I’d like to live here for a grand total of a month (if I had a lot of money to live comfortably) but I do LOVE visiting.  The city provides a hustle and bustle that continues into the wee hours of the night; when you are in New York you forget that you usually get tired early.  Before you know it, you are eating sushi for dinner at 12:30am and it’s totally normal. 

This particular trip had to include working hours, but not without a little taste of the city.  At 11:00am yesterday morning, while riding on Bolt Bus, I double fisted my cell phone and my blackberry in an attempt to get through to the Late Show standby line.  Eight minutes and twenty calls later, I succeeded!  I became number 21 in line and was to arrive at the Ed Sullivan Theatre at 3:30 to see if I would make the cut for the 5:30 taping. 

After being teased with making it past the first round of cuts due to my place in line, I was informed that all the seats were full and I would not, in fact, get to hear the Top Ten or see Denzel Washington (last night’s guest) after all.  thoroughly disappointed but filled with resolve, I put “Go to the Late Show” back in my bucket of New York City Must-Dos and decided to see a play instead.

As a child born in the 80s who was perhaps meant to be born in the 50s, Jersey Boys has been a must-see on my list for quite some time.  I managed to find a comparatively cheap ticket for the 8:00pm show and was not disappointed.  The actor who played Frankie Valli had such an amazing voice; in fact, they all did.  It was as if the audience forgot that it was a play and not a real concert.  Video feed of the real Four Seasons in the background added to the nostalgia in a way that almost made you forget where (and when) you were.  I love this group because a) they represent an era that just needed some music and fun and b) It makes me feel connected to that era and my parents’ generation.  That, and they just don’t make ‘em like that anymore.

Anyway, back to the Coffee Bean.  Kelsey and I needed to do some work this morning, so we were advised by the concierge at the hotel to try the Coffee Bean.  I have learned that here in New York City, finding a place where you can sit for a long time is an added challenge.  So here we sit, at the corner countertop in an orange-stained walls, chewy New York bagel, black-and-white cookie boasting coffee joint, catching up on emails and assignments. 

It’s as cute as a walk-in bagel place is going to be.  It’s providing for excellent people watching out the window (I’ve seen three pedestrians nearly taken out by the yellow death machines), and the bagels are New York good. 

We will make our way across town to Serendipity III for lunch before catching the bus back to the district.  I am going to have one of these:

Final Rankings:

Coffee: 3 coffee beans of 5 (for the iced coffee)

Food: 3.5 bagels of five (ha, for bagels)

Atmosphere: 2 armchairs of 5

Work-Ability: 2.5 memos of 5

Why I Love Survivor

I love many things in this life: diving headfirst into crashing ocean waves, a hearty breakfast at a hole-in-the-wall diner, camp songs with hand motions… But when it comes to the entertainment and television-watching department of life, I am a complete sucker for Survivor.

I have been a loyal fan since Survivor:Australia, the second season, which aired in 2001.  I remember coming home from summer camp to watch the finale of the first season with my friend Lexie and her family.  They hastily caught me up on the show’s inner workings, and from then on I was hooked.

19 seasons later, I remain an avid fan.  I often get a raised eyebrow followed by a “that show is still on?” look from people that find out my guilty pleasure, but I argue that it remains one of the greatest social experiments (caught on film) to date.

There is a reason that a show can last for 19 seasons (and counting) and continue on the same themes: 39 days, 20ish people, games and challenges, rewards, testing conditions, and different personalities.  The reason is this: throw twenty strangers together and take away food and comfort, toss in the chance to win a million bucks, and you have something incredibly interesting to watch.  This show strips away the materials that we build our walls with in our normal lives.  We can find comfort in our jobs, our looks, and our money.  But enter into a world where a voodoo doll on a rope that can save your rear in the next elimination is more valuable than money, where you can’t shave, shower, or change your clothes, and where your career as an accountant does not matter as much as your ability to collect coconuts, and again, you’ve got an interesting scenario.

Additionally, to win, it is not enough to win the challenges.  Sure, that helps, especially if you can win immunity for yourself, but you also have to make people like you enough to vote to give you a million dollars… at the same time you are probably stabbing them in the back.  The mental game required is literally mind-boggling. 

But above all, Survivor demonstrates that people will be people no matter who they are or where they are from.  They want the same things and they are afraid of the same things.  Survivor gives ordinary people a chance to try something completely out of their comfort zone; it is this action that reminds us that we are meant to take chances in life. 

Season 20 begins in a few weeks, and this one is going to be good!  Ten heroes of past seasons versus ten villains, all together to see who can outwit, outlast, and outplay everyone else.  Inspired by television bloggers, I will be recapping the episodes on my blog. 

If you haven’t, give it a chance.  At the very least, it’ll remind us all that we want to visit Samoa.

New Year’s Resolutions

I know that I’m twelve days late on this, but in the span of 365 it’s not really that much, so I’ve decided to get over it.  I was asked to co-lead a discussion on New Year’s Resolutions with my small group tomorrow and I figured that I had better be prepared to talk: you know how it goes, when no one talks it is the discussion leader that fills in!  I need to ponder and pray over this anyway so here we go.  A friend drew my attention to a list of Jonathan Edward’s resolutions.  They’re stated in a much more eloquent way than I could come up with, so here are some of the ones I am adopting for myself.  To see a full list, click here. 

“Being sensible that I am unable to do anything without God’s help, I do humbly entreat him by his grace to enable me to keep these Resolutions, so far as they are agreeable to his will, for Christ’s sake.”

1.  Resolved, that I will do whatsoever Ithink to be most to God’s glory, and my own good, profit, an pleasure, in the whole of my duration, without any consideration of the time, whether now, or never so many myriad’s of ages hence.  Resolved to do whatever I think to be my duty and most for the good and advantage of mankind in general.  Resolved to do this, whatever difficulties I meet with, how many and great soever.

2.  Resolved to live with all my might, while I do live.

3.  Resolved, to never to anything, which I should be afraid to do if it were the last hour of my life.

4.  Resolved, to maintain the strictist temperance in eating and drinking.

5.  Resolved, frequently to take some deliberate action, which seems most unlikely to be done, for the glory of God, and trace it back to the original intention, designs and ends of it; and if I find it not to be for God’s glory, to repute it as a breach of the 4th Resolution.

6.  Resolved, to examine carefully, and constantly, what that one thing in me is, which causes me in the least to doubt of the love of God; and to direct all my forces against it.

7.  Resolved, to study the Scriptures so steadily, constantly and frequently, as that I may find, and plainly perceive myself to grow in the knowledge of the same.

8.  Resolved, to study the Scriptures so steadily, constantly and frequently, as that I may find, and plainly perceive myself to grow in the knowledge of the same.

9.  I frequently hear persons in old age say how they would live, if they were to live their lives over again: Resolved, that I will live just so as I can think I shall wish I had done, supposing I live to old age.

10.  Resolved, to improve every opportunity, when I am in the best and happiest frame of mind, to cast and venture my soul on the Lord Jesus Christ, to trust and confide in him, and consecrate myself wholly to him; that from this I may have assurance of my safety, knowing that I confide in my Redeemer.

11.  Whenever I hear anything spoken in conversation of any person, if I think it would be praiseworthy in me, Resolved to endeavor to imitate it.

12.  Resolved, not only to refrain from an air of dislike, fretfulness, and anger in conversation, but to exhibit an air of love, cheerfulness and benignity.

Of couse, it’s always good to have some specific goals too. So, if you’re still reading, here are some of mine for this year:

• Train for and compete in a triathalon.
• Finish a draft for my book.
• Learn not to be so afraid of commitment.
• Experience Washington, DC often enough to not forget where I live.
• Help bring people into public office that I feel will do good things, rather than just complain about the ones I don’t like.
• Figure out where to go and what to do, and then trust that God will provide for it.
• Visit somewhere in the United States that I have never seen.
• Volunteer.

Under Review: Starbucks at 7th and H NW

As I write, I am peering out the second story window at the intersection of 7th and H Northwest.  Out one window pane stands the traditional Chinese arch that one would find with visiting any Chinatown.  Bold and dominant, its red and turquoise patterns welcome the Washingtonian and tourist alike into a world of egg rolls, Hunan chicken, and of course, Starbucks. 

I am kind of partial to Starbucks lately (more than usual) because I have Christmas gift card money to spend.  And, well, that is a major perk without even walking in the door.

That being said, here we go.

When I search for a coffee shop to work, write, think, ponder from, one of the first questions I ask myself is this: “Does Barbaba Barista look like she will kick me in the shins if I stay too long?”  If the answer to that question is a resounding “YES”, I am not likely to want to come back.  I want a place where I can sit for as long as I want without fear of evil stares, sweeping underneath my feet, or bruised shins.  I figure, if I like it enough, I will come back and my contributions will more than pay for my table occupation.

This Starbucks is one of the better ones in the District for that purpose and more.  Downstairs, you are guaranteed to be in the hustle and bustle of the Chinatown area business crowd pretty much all day long, because (let’s face it) people are caffeine addicts.  Sure, morning hours might be busiest, but don’t discount the midmorning jolt, or my personal fave, the 3pm wake up call.  You know it well.  It’s three pm and you have two (or maybe three, four, or five) more hours at the office and you JUST DON’T THINK YOU CAN MAKE IT.  The one glimmer of hope is that down the street, Starbucks has left the light on for you and can promise at least the facade of coherence for the rest of your day.  There are lots of those types of people around here. 

It is also worth noting that you have a dern good chance of witnessing local greatness.  So tourists, pay attention.  At any given moment, a man in a gold suit worthy of a Michael Jackson concert could walk in, flash a smile revealing at least one fake gold tooth, and order a “Mocha Laaaaaa-tte” in a way that makes the words “mocha latte” sound dirty even though they shouldn’t. 

Indeed, the Chinatown Starbucks is a yummy smorgasboard  of coffee-drinkers.

But what makes this place really great is its upstairs.  Climb just two flights of stairs and enter a whole new world.  There are an adequate number of electrical outlets (I am using one now with no problem), and plenty of window seats.  Jazz that makes me want to snap my fingers and sip my coffee faster plays in the background, and I have a bird’s-eye view of all the hoopla occurring outside. 

If you have a phone interview, you can come and sit in the walkway to the storage room, make your call, and no one will bother you (unless they need more hazelnut).  At that point, just push your chair against the wall and think “pancake”.  Betty  can just climb over you for the sugary jolt of flavor Mr. Gold Suit has requested.  (This may or may not have happened to me.)

Overall, it’s Starbucks coffee, so you know it tastes good.  It’s Starbucks coffee, so you know the food stinks.  But it’s got the coveted seating and work environment for this telecommuter, so I rank it as follows:

Coffee: 4 beans out of 5(I am still waiting for the perfect cup of coffee)

Working Atmosphere: 4 armchairs out of five

Personnel: Um… I don’t know.  They’re fine, they haven’t spilled coffee on me, and they don’t kick my shins. 

Work-ability: 4 Memo notes out of five (with a good attention span… think reverse goldfish tank)

Under Review: Barnes and Noble, Potomac Yards

It’s only my second review and I am already cheating.  I am in Virginia, writing to you from the Christmas tree-green tabletops of the Potomac Yards Barnes and Noble.  I come to this table with an admitted bias for this place: I come here to feel “suburban” and therefore it holds a special place in my heart.

**Sidenote.  It does not help that the man sitting next to me just let out the hugest burp since Elf’s soda bottle burp.  He’s reading a book in French and didn’t seem to notice that his bodily function was vomit-inducing.  Gross.

Anyway, this shopping center is my haven for suburbia.   Growing up in the ‘burbs, you take for granted being able to drive to a store, park in a space in front of the door, and walk in.  In DC, it isn’t so.  In fact, the only place I can think of that I can drive to and park in front of is Safeway, and I don’t think I’ll be working out of the Safeway anytime soon. 

So, since I’ve moved to DC, I have used Potomac Yards to fill this gap in my heart.  Do you want laundry detergent, a tshirt, a DVD, a game?  Target.  Do you need printer ink?  Staples.  Want a nice American chain restaurant?  Hops.  Have a yearning for some pancakes at 3am?  IHOP.  The list goes on.

One of the anchor stores is the Barnes and Noble.  I spent many nights here studying for the LSAT while indulging in a piping hot cup of coffee and if I was feeling crazy, a melty chocolate chip cookie.  I appreciated being able to study at 10pm on a Friday night and not feel like as big of a loser for doing so because others were here doing the same thing.  The table tops are vast, the music is faint but reassuring, and you are never more than a stone’s throw away from a “break” book, be it a guilty pleasure like a quick chapter of Harry Potter, a handheld plan-your-dream guide in the travel section, or (should this be your cup of tea) a choice of 8,000 Barack Obama biographies. 

The food selection is surprisingly not crappy.  You can get a pretty legitimate turkey sandwich, and I give them props because bookstores aren’t required to have good food.  Starbucks should take a hint from Barnes and Noble and get rid of the cardboard they call sandwiches.  It’s not the best you’ve ever eaten, but it’s entirely doable.  And those cookies… dang.  Ask them to chuck it in the nuker for a few seconds and it’s like you’ve teleported to Mama’s kitchen after a day of baking.

One beef: there is a serious lack of outlets.  You’ve got to be willing to get up pretty early to get one and you ALSO have to be willing to stare directly out the window (I am talking a foot and a half in front of your face).  Personally, that makes me feel a bit like a goldfish, but sometimes that is the price you have to pay for power.

Final Rankings:

Coffee: 4 Coffee Beans (they make Starbucks coffee…)

Atmosphere: 3 Armchairs (one and a half if you are in an artsy mood for this is, again, suburban)

Service: 2.5 tip jars

Work Environment: 3.5 memos (unless you can’t get to a plug but need one.  Because they will not let you plug in at the tree table in the Kids’ Section… i tried)

Under Review: Jacob’s Coffeehouse

I love the coffee shop - the setting, the music, the beans, the smell.  In years past, I have actually taken up activities that would give me reason to pay the coffee shop even more frequent visits.  If “Friends” were real, I’d live at the Central Perk.  Ironically and amazingly, my job now allows me to work out of the coffee shop.  So, in honor of this delicious and caffeinated privilege, I am taking on a self-imposed challenge in 2010: Frequent as many coffee shop/wifi hotspots in Washington DC as I can. 

First in the lineup: Jacob’s on Capitol Hill.  I’d link it to their website, only they don’t have one.  Located on 8th and D Northeast, Jacob’s is the quintessential neighborhood coffee shop.  It’s small, family-owned, and boasts a decent selection of music (right now it’s classical).  The service is very friendly, and they have a wide selection of coffee, tea, and eats. 

I am having an internal battle over whether or not I need to branch out with my coffee consumption to include beverages other than just normal coffee because when it comes to java I am a plain jane.  Not because I don’t like it necessarily, but because if you are a coffee drinker and don’t want to be broke and weigh 400 pounds, you have got to stay away from specialty drinks most of the time.  Anyway, I’ve never had any  beverage from Jacob’s other than brewed coffee with a bit of skim milk, but I rank it as average.

The food is okay.  I just ate a chicken pesto sandwich for lunch, and it was pretty decent.  They have a sandwich press, which I personally think makes all sandwiches that much better.  Their bagels are a bit doughy, and the muffins are taken straight from a Costco-esque package.  The breakfast sandwiches are nothing to write home about. 

All that being said, there is a nice patio to sit on (if you don’t mind the traffic that drives by) and they don’t bother you if you sit for a long time.  There are also a lot of outlets along the wall – a huge plus for laptops.

I recommend Jacob’s if you are in the neighborhood and are looking for something close, and if you are tired of the chain shops.  They are a very sweet family to support and I like giving them business.

Final Rankings:

Coffee: 3 beans (out of five)

Setting: 2.5 armchairs (out of five)

Staff: 4 tip buckets (out of five)

Work environment: 3.5 memos (out of five)

College Applications are Oh So Funny

Applications are lending some seriously humourous moments.  Here are a few of my favorites; Question prompt in bold.

Parents or legal guardians occupations:

“Father:Dadechiefofcomputers”

“Mother: Domestic Goddess”

“Mother: Internet2″

 

 

Extracurricular Activities:

 

 “I got indicted into the Science National Honor Society my junior year.”

 

“National Honor Society – a club comprised of the most intelligent students in my school.”

 

 

 

Community Service:

 

“I have helped out a sorority of middle-aged women at a rodeo to raise money.”

 

 

Any additional information:

 

“I’m a blood donor.”

 

 

 

Essay:

 

“I will leave home a lily-livered boy; I will return home a man.”

My Life as an Admissions Officer: Part One

Can I share something that I have realized in my short time as an Admissions Officer? 

One of my tasks is to read freshman applications.  This involves reviewing extracurricular activities, volunteer work, and essays.  Even though I just began doing this recently, I have been struck with several major thoughts.

1.  I am coming up with a good list of “do’s and don’ts” for your college application.  That, however, is another topic.

2.  Our world is full of hardship and suffering.  The essay prompt is to write about a significant experience in your life and this understandably leads many people to write about the illness or loss of a parent or loved one, a life-changing car crash, emigrating from another country, or dealing with a disabled sibling. 

I have to learn to detach myself from these stories, to a certain extent.  If allowed, they will give me a skewed example of how many cancer cases exist, or how many children have had their mom or dad walk out on them.  But, these stories and essays are also a way for people to share something that has made them who they are.  With this, I see a remarkable display of courage, determination, and faith.

Often tragic situations have inspired these teenagers to pursue a career that will directly help solve the particular problem that has caused their live such hardship.  For instance, one boy has suffered the physical and mental effects of severe acne and now he wants to become a dermatologist that will help discover a better solution. 

I am reassured that God does indeed use the circumstances in our lives to do big things. 

OK, OK, one application tip:  As much as we all love Tim Tebow, please don’t talk about him in your personal essay.