Girl Friday

Jugo Mágico

I have discovered Trader Joe's energy drinks.  Everything is different now.

Seriously, these things are so delicious and they're made with organic evaporated cane juice (not high fructose corn syrup), natural fruit juices (not artificial flavoring), and 150 glorious milligrams of caffeine (see this handy chart for comparison).  I picked up a grip of them today, along with a big bottle of Joe's organic carrot juice and another of Joe's mango & antioxidants juice.  Put the three together (as in one part each of the juices and two parts Orange Passion energy drink) and you have a serious morning beverage that really kick starts your day.  Feel free to use my recipe.

I have two more State Fair trips planned before the weekend is over, and both will likely involve much more eating than what took place Monday (Monday was more of a visiting-all-the-animals, kicking-ass-at-skeeball kind of day).  Also, I spotted a red hoodie in The Bazaar that I'm contemplating.  Nothing really fashionable, more of an homage to my Polish heritage.

I was excited to try the new fried plantain on a stick at the West Indies Soul booth in the Food Building, but it was pretty disappointing.  First of all, the coconut batter is really sweet, which I wasn't expecting because I generally eat my fried plantains with a plain batter and a nice garlicky hot sauce.  They also drizzled some sort of marshmallow goo all over it before serving it to me, which threw me off even further.  Two little bites and it landed in the trash.

This week's vita.mn is the back to school issue, and each contributor's byline also includes their year of college graduation.  Except, you know, mine.  You've found me out, vita.mn... I'm a college dropout!  It's not that the U of M's Interior Design program was that challenging (trust me, it really wasn't that challenging), I just thought I'd take a stab at amateur pharmacology instead.  Luckily, I didn't find that too interesting, either.

 

Weird Email Exchange of the Week

Steve Marsh:  What's your position on cheerleading?

Me:  I don't have one.  I vote Libertarian, remember?

SM:  You don't have an opinion on the ideal female beauty? I find that hard to believe. For years, I was against cheerleaders for purely misogynistic reasons within a sporting event context, but now I've come around to the idea that the cheerleader is a much healthier feminine beauty ideal than "obsessive-compulsive artiste" or "coked out model" or "straight-ironed porn star."

I vote Republican, remember?

Me:  I credit cheerleading with being a real sport, but I don't think it's the "ideal female beauty" any more than I think a professional boxer is the ideal male model.

Honestly, I've never even thought about it.  I wasn't a cheerleader in high school, but some of my friends were.  I can no longer stand watching the NFL and I stopped following the NBA, so I guess I'm never really exposed to cheerleading.  I doubt cheerleading would ever catch on in the MLB.

I've caught a few college competitions on ESPN, which, for me, ranks right around watching pro volleyball or table tennis.  It's interesting and impressive, but nothing I feel the need to be passionate about.

Any reason for asking?  You're writing a piece on a cheerleader?

SM:  First of all: it doesn't matter what you think. I'm not saying that because I'm an asshole, I'm saying that because we live in a democracy dominated by a corporate hegemony, Alexis. It just matters HOW MANY people can AGREE on an "ideal of feminine beauty." And clearly that happens throughout history--it's what dictates taste. And I don't think "cheerleader" is it right now--I think it's probably the model look--but I think maybe there are compelling reasons why the cheerleader should be the ideal of feminine beauty.

Second of all: You think about it, albeit subconsciously, ALL THE TIME. You have to. Maybe not cheerleading specifically, but probably cheerleading as one of many negative choices; by eschewing the cheerleading ideal as an option you whittle down what makes you you. We are negative thinkers most of the time, not positive thinkers. We spend most of our time thinking about what we don't want to do or buy or feel or whatever than what we do want. That's why when an ideal comes up on which a lot of people can agree, it's such a powerful thing. It makes things easier for everybody.

No, I'm not writing about it or anything. I'm just asking because I wanted to talk to a woman about this.

OMFG

I'm doing some major home reorganization right now, and last night I had to assess my accessories situation.  I pulled out all of my scarves, wraps, and hair wraps to inventory them and I couldn't resist taking a picture:

The count was 87, but that doesn't include my cold weather knits, which are currently buried in an inflated Spacebag in the closet.  Spacebags, by the way, are crap.  They don't stay vacuumed flat and the plastic rips very easily.  Don't buy them!

Desk for Sale: Best Offer SOLD

Has anyone ever left IKEA with all of the items they purchased?  Perhaps it's just an Alexis phenomenon, but I always seem to leave one thing behind every single time I shop there.  If anyone grabbed my napkin holder, please return it to me at your earliest convenience.

I was at IKEA today looking for a new desk, since I'm moving my home office into my storage room.  I'm using this MIKAEL one right now, which is 55"x30"x30", which is just more desk than I need.  I ended up going the table tops and legs route for the new one, so now I have a cute little birch veneer top with red legs and it only cost me $39.99 total, plus tax. 

Anyway, I want to get rid of the MIKAEL desk as soon as possible, so if anyone wants it, please email me and make an offer.  I paid $69.99 for it, have had it for about 3 years, and have only moved it once so it's in good shape.  I can deliver it, but if I do, I expect cookies or something.  It looks just like this, except it's the really dark brown finish:

Urban Junket Sample Sale

Urban Junket is having a sample sale tomorrow and Friday at their showroom in the Warehouse District.  Though I'm not down with leather, I know many readers of Girl Friday would love the opportunity the purchase these unique, handmade handbags at 40-75% off regular retail prices.

Bonus: Saffron Restaurant and Lounge across the street is extending their happy hour specials all day long, both days, to accommodate Urban Junket sale shoppers.

More info (like where to go and when to show up) on the sample sale can be found here.

Matty T & The Sound

So I started this new thing where I do two "No Internet" days every week.  It's almost always Sunday and Monday, so I apologize for the recent absence of Monday morning posts.  I used to spend a good part of every Sunday evening putting a nice, lengthy entry together for the next day, but I think now I'm going to be more of an mid to late-week blogger.  We'll see how it goes, anyway.

- I discovered an awesome magazine last week: ShopSmart, by Consumer Reports.  I don't know how often it comes out but I'll probably continue to pick it up when I see it.  I've already learned that you should always buy plane tickets on Wednesdays (when airlines are trying to fill unsold seats for the next 10 days), that Trader Joe's has the best frozen cookie dough (Nestle Toll House ranked last), and that the 99-calorie Bud Select is one of the best-tasting light beers you can buy (but I so already knew that).

- The new M.I.A. album came out today and it's the joint.  Seriously.

- Sound Unseen officially starts tomorrow, starting with a 7:00pm screening of 7 Nights in The Entry at the Riverview Theater.  Check out the site listings of films and events going on tomorrow through Sunday.

- But you might not want to miss the Grumpy's Big Bash on Saturday at 3pm, Downtown location.  20 bucks to see the Melvins and Helmet while drinking good beer.  Sounds like a great deal to me.

- Speaking of Grumpy's, I was there Sunday night for Simon's birthday.  Matt and I decided to give the karaoke crowd a little taste of our combined talents, a preparation of sorts for our future musical endeavor.  Keep your ears to the ground for Matty T & The Sound.

Breaking: The GOP Loves Hookers

So this is kind of fun.

Remember when I wrote that article on sex in public for vita.mn?  And then Strib Reader Rep Kate Parry wrote a column attacking my article?  Well, one of the people she quoted for her piece was Tim Droogsma, former press secretary to both U.S. Senator Rudy Boschwitz and Minnesota Governor Arnie Carlson.  His quote from the Parry piece was:

"I don't think I'm too prudish (which, I realize, is what prudes always say), but do we really want this sentence: 'She hopped on my lap, facing forward. I pulled up her skirt in the back, slid her panties out of the way, and unzipped'?"

Well guess who got busted in a prostitution sting on Tuesday in St. Paul!  Caught "arranging a deal" for sexual favors via Craigslist.  I guess Tim's right about one thing; he really isn't too prudish.

Kitten TV

Ack, my blog has been overrun with spam comments the last two weeks.  I keep having to delete them and close off comments on old blog entries.  One recent comment, though, isn't spam and my friend Ben has declared it his absolute favorite thing in the world.  The comment can be found here.  Ben says he wants to join this guy's church, because he imagines it involves wearing an eye patch and living in Texas.

Matt has started a "Top 10 Questions Alexis Should Answer" list on vita.mn, and I encourage others to join in the fun.  (Side note: there are now Alexis on the Sexes ads on the sides of Twin Cities buses.  I saw my first one yesterday and had quite a chuckle at the "pick her up" tag line.)

Sound Unseen 2007 is nearly upon us, and the festival kicks off tomorrow night with Rock n' Bowl.  If you missed it last year, make sure to check it out this year; it's at a bigger venue (Elsie's) and there will be more bands, including local lovelies The Alarmists, Chooglin', Heiruspecs, Revolver Modele, and more.

Flipping through late-night TV last night, I came upon what I'm calling "Kitten TV" on MTN channels 16 and 17.  Two different camera angles, one on each station, both filming the same kittens at play.  I was transfixed.  What was I watching?  I checked the listings but didn't see any show descriptions that matched.

Like I Run

Found attached to a Nike ad in the most recent issue of JANE Magazine:

Modified for the front door of Casa Alexis:

Jasmine 26

Jasmine 26 opened at 26th and Nicollet about three weeks ago, and I checked it out last week.  My only regret is not going on an emptier stomach, because the two dishes that my friend and I did sample were extremely tasty.

The cuisine is Vietnamese, with staples like crepes, spring rolls, and pho.  We had the veggie egg rolls first, which were petite, cut into bite sizes, and stuffed with yummy cabbage and mock duck.  They're normally served with a nuoc cham, but my bartender (who happened to be a friend of mine that knows my vegetarian status) offered up a different dipping sauce which was basically just vinaigrette-type nuoc cham sans fish sauce. 

We also tried the salt and pepper tofu, which I was originally skeptical about since I'm not a big tofu connoisseur.  But it was fried to perfection with a crispy breading, and simply seasoned with sea salt and hot pepper.  Served over the tofu were bell peppers and onions, finely diced and sauteed, but that didn't do much for adding flavor.  I just dipped my tofu cubes alternately into the egg roll sauce and some of Jasmine 26's housemade red chili sauce (which kicks the crap out of Sriracha, by the way).  I had a bottle of Singha and my friend had some sort of lychee cocktail; Jasmine 26 does have a full liquor license.

Jasmine 26 is trying to be a little more chic than the other family-run spots along Eat Street, and they're doing a decent job so far.  The decor is Asian contemporary, with red and charcoal walls, dark wood (including a giant hand-carved Buddha behind the bar, commissioned from an artist in Vietnam), and ambient lighting throughout.  My only beef (and much more so with my friend, who wouldn't stop talking about it) was with some the electronics not being hidden, papers and calculators strewn across three tables, a printer/fax machine sitting on top of an empty buffet, a bathroom stall door missing the necessary hardware to lock it... basically it felt like a hole-in-the-wall joint trying hard to be classy, but forgetting some pretty obvious stuff.  Jasmine 26 just needs to clean up the dining room a little and the setting will be both beautiful and comfortable.

Jasmine 26 is owned and operated by the same family that owns Jasmine Deli around the corner, but 26 is across 26th from Little T's.  I'm eager to return so I can try their vegetarian pho (blasphemy, of course, to my Vietnamese friends) and the tamarind hotpot, which I was told can be made without a meat stock base, as well.