Things I Did Last Month: May

Early in the month, I attended an event celebrating MG+BW’s 5th anniversary in DC - lots of well-dressed people, awesome munchies, and all the specialty drinks you could handle. I took a picture with my bff, Mitch, but it’s completely out of focus. Bummer! He said “lovely to see you again” upon greeting each other, but I’m pretty sure my beau planted the seed. Mitchell Gold meets too many people on a daily basis to remember lil’ ol’ me!

I’m sure you’ve heard about the clever Wes Gordon film by now, but weeks ago, I had no clue what I was getting into. I had seen pictures of the star-studded cast at Cannes (Love ya, Tilda!) but knew absolutely nothing about the movie itself. In the end, Moonrise Kingdom proved to be a delightful surprise. It was highly peculiar but made me giggle often. Go see it!!

On Memorial Day, I made my first trip to Arlington National Cemetery. My beau’s great-grandparents are buried there, so we visited their graves after taking in other points of interest. I was so distracted by the heat and uphill climb that I failed to properly photograph the experience. It really is a lovely place and can be quite tranquil once you break free of the crowds. Have you been?

Things I Did Last Month: April

Sharing a little more of my world with some things I did last month (I have a life. I swear!):

I’ve become quite the fan of independent movies over the past few years. I’m not what you would call a “buff” but I probably see more than the average person. Last month, I screened The Hunter starring Willem Dafoe. It’s about this hunter/wilderness expert who is hired to track down the last Tasmanian tiger, an animal thought to be extinct (or is it???). The scenery is STUNNING. In fact, the film may be worth viewing just to catch a glimpse of the lush Tasmanian rainforest. I could add my lengthy review, but I’m sure you wouldn’t want to read it! :0)

In short, a solid B.

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Seeking a change of pace, I searched online to find a highly-rated but new-to-me establishment for a friend’s birthday dinner. I settled on Belgian restaurant Brasserie Beck and it was well worth it. As to be expected, the mussels and frites were super tasty. After all, who can resist french fries?!?! Certainly not me. I also loved the pork belly appetizer (such fatty goodness!), and the dessert concoction mixing mango, coconut, and basil was strange but delicious. I felt like a judge on Food Network.

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Lastly (at least for the purposes of this blog entry), I attended a panel discussion and screening of the documentary Bully. It’s such an important film, especially for parents and students. Go see it! And/or support the cause at thebullyproject.com. Again, I could write at length about this particular topic but I’m sure you’re aware. Bullying needs to be nipped in the bud. STAT.

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Since I didn’t start these entries in March as planned, here are some bonus activities: Steve Jobs biographer Walter Isaacson at the National Press Club (He’s so smart and inspiring! Seriously. He made me want to write for a living) and the uber cute movie Salmon Fishing in the Yemen starring Ewan McGregor and Emily Blunt.