For the past month, I have been criss-crossing our fair country, meeting intrepid Kossacks far and wide in a variety of eating and drinking establishments. What follows is a thorough reporting of my various adventures, and our sterling and substantive conversations.
(Really, I just went home for awhile, and then came back to Austin, but it sounds much more dramatic that way.)
Pictures and recaps below the fold!
Part the First: Lunch With javelina
First on my tour of the greater New York metropolitan area was lunch with Top Comments regular javelina. Trying to recapture some authenticity of the New York City of days gone by, we met at the Upper West Side’s venerable Barney Greengrass for some bagels and nova lox, with a side of capers. Just so you know, one side of capers is enough for two people. This also helped me raise my bagel-eating tally while I was home (final score: 4). Now, you might be wondering what makes a bagel in New York better than a bagel in, say, Texas. Turns out, it’s all in the water: New York’s fantastic tap water has a particularly low amount of calcium in it. Great for bread, bad for espresso. Anyways. Lunch was fun, and our picture was taken by none other than Mrs. Greengrass herself (third iteration, as she is married to the third Greengrass to own the restaurant). Note the fantastic wallpaper behind us – it’s from the 60’s, and depicts the French Quarter in New Orleans. It’s rather, ah, well-worn, but efforts to change it prompt a local furor and it’s apparently it’s impossible to replace. javelina and I spent a lovely afternoon together after our lunch shopping and chatting. (Hey, this doesn’t make us "ladies who lunch," does it? Oh dear.)
Part the Second: New York Kossacks Meetup
Through some hasty emailing, srkp23, The Maven and I put together a meetup on short notice at Greenwich Treehouse. We had good turnout, thanks to casperr, who alerted the folks in the area. Even blue jersey mom came in from—-you guessed it—-New Jersey to join in the festivities. Pictures supplied by casperr, who knows well that if you always take the pictures, you don’t have to be in them.
srkp23 and I take a break from discussing critical theory and the particulars of Diary Rescue to pose for a portrait. She likes to call this "23 and 25!" Because that is how old we are. I swear.
Here's The Maven, blue jersey mom, and plf515’s elbow.
srkp23 makes an emphatic point about something while I shamelessly mug for the camera and mindoca laughs at me. Meanwhile, ask ponders his new IKEA furniture.
The meetup was fun. We had pretty substantive discussion about the candidates and their campaigns, and no fights broke out! We also talked about political participation, and about the role of blogging itself in all of this. In fact, srkp23, The Maven and I sat there talking so long I almost missed the last train out to Jersey that night. But thankfully, I did not. Though while running through Penn Station I felt embarrassingly Bridge and Tunnel. Sigh.
Part The Third: asimbagirl Comes to Town!
No sooner do I return to Austin than Top Comments’ own asimbagirl turns up to help with the organization of Netroots Nation 2008. I volunteered to play tour guide, which started (naturally) with a trip to my favorite taco place, El Chilito. After asimbagirl enjoyed what she aptly described as "the best pork taco I’ve ever had in my life" (Ed. Note: It really is.) we walked around downtown to check out the Wednesday evening nightlife... Of which there was not much. We ended up at Eddie V’s, a local seafood and steak place with a very classy bar that features live musical entertainment. As we arrived, the bartender was belting out his favorite torch song, so the manager served our drinks and gave asimbagirl a very generous pour of her favorite wine. To the right is a picture of the band.
Now, Eddie V’s is notable because Lance Armstrong hangs out there from time to time. The bartender also told us (once he finished singing) that one time Matthew McConaughey and Jake Gyllenhaal came in to the bar together, and within 30 seconds every female patron was texting their friends to get over there. The bar was rather full that evening, as one can imagine.
The next day, I showed off a few more of the local highlights, including the flagship Whole Foods, which also contains the corporate headquarters above it. While I enjoyed a tasty all-natural pulled pork barbecue sandwich and draft organic rootbeer, asimbagirl had a Fat Tire beer from her native Colorado. The degustational fun did not end there, however, as the enthusiastic sales force (and enthusiastic tour guide) sold her on some locally-grown and made creamy tomato soup and Lamar St. Blend coffee beans that were still warm from the roaster.
After Whole Foods, we joined area Democrats for the Iowa-caucus watching party at Scholz’ Beer Garden, where we saw local candidate for Congress and DailyKos member Dan Grant, who is running to unseat Republican Michael McCaul from TX-10. Alas, I cannot vote for him, but I can’t wait to volunteer for his campaign!
Plus, I’m excited that asimbagirl’s volunteering with the convention will bring her back to town again. We have a standing date to go eat more pork tacos when she does (though I may go back for more tacos before that... Shh, don’t tell!).
Part The Fourth: OrangeClouds115 Goes A-Farming
The fourth and final part of meetup mania occurred just last night, when OrangeClouds115 came to town to do research on sustainable farming. She visited the farm of Kossack Judith2007 and wrote a great diary about it today. That evening, area Kossacks gathered for dinner at Mother’s, a great vegetarian place. For those curious, I decided on the enchiladas mole, and they didn’t disappoint. We had strong turnout for dinner, including Dan Grant again, who is shown here offering his policy platform on what OrangeClouds115 should have for dinner. We talked plenty about food, sustainability, and agricultural issues, amongst other things. The food at Mother’s is really great (I also recommend the Spinach Lasagna, and anotherdemocrat is a big fan of the Szechuan Stir Fry), as is their treatment of their workers.
Here is roses, who organizes the Austin-area Kossacks. She is clearly excited about her tasty dinner! If you’re in central Texas, email roses at the address in her profile to get on the list.
Here is SandiaBlanca and her husband NoisyGong deciding what tasty vegetarian option to choose. Note the dude in the background, who is evidently curious about our vast left-wing conspiracy.
Here is Janet Strange, Judith2007, and anotherdemocrat, all wildly entertained by our conversation. I was pleased to see that anotherdemocrat is even sporting a DailyKos t-shirt! anotherdemocrat will be participating in the annual AIDS Ride hereabouts, so please be on the lookout for her diaries and consider contributing.
After dinner we headed across the street to Dolce Vita for coffee and dessert. We were joined by Larry Joe Doherty, who is Dan Grant’s primary opponent in the TX-10 race, as well as Cheers and Jeers regulars khereva and Texas Tiger, who I had last seen over a year ago when Markos himself came to town on his book tour. We talked until exhaustion, but don’t worry—once we all got home, we all blogged about it in last night’s Top Comments.
Whew, I’m tired from just recapping these adventures. On to the Top Comments!
From watercarrier4diogenes:
While browsing my shift for tonight's rescue, I came across this gem by ms scarlett leadpipe.
From Land of Enchantment:
8ackgr0und N015e's diary The Republican debates according to a 9-year old is full of wonderful comments. I like this one from lineatus. But really the whole diary is worth a visit.
From mommyof3:
This thread started by RandySF from dmsilev's Liveblogging the GOP debate made me spew my diet Coke--that's high praise from me! Too funny!
From sardonyx:
In shanikka's excellent diary A Black Woman's Musings on Coffee with Dad, Racism, and Barack Obama, bankbane writes about structural racism in the linked comment, and downthread as well.
Also in that diary, a very different comment from Jeffrey Feldman.
Chamonix asks where the Biden and Dodd supporters are going, and willb48 has the answer. From Bob Johnson's diary On candidacies ending.
My Picks:
plf515 makes a funny science joke about Plutonium Page.
From Devilstower's beautiful Front-Page diary This Year I Will Lose Weight,
mcmom offers some suggestions on how to do it, Lenny Flank reminds us what will happen if we don't, and barbwires celebrates a weight gain in her family.
Top Mojo by the erstwhile sardonyx!
Top Mojo excluding search-identifiable tip jars and first diary comments:
1) Thought I'd at least give it a shot. ( nt ) by BenGoshi — 165
2) Fucking Disgrace by librarianman — 114
3) We're still sulking by willb48 — 92
4) Big, big WOW! by nyceve — 91
5) Oh Duhhh by On Puget Sound — 88
6) Try this by atlliberal — 83
7) Bush used war and fear + he cheated by FishOutofWater — 78
8) "Shrub" by tgray — 76
9) My final thought: by mjd in florida — 76
10) NearlyNormal, it's far worse . . . by nyceve — 76
11) Amateur Assessment by prodigal — 75
12) Chimpy McFlightsuit by jetdog — 75
13) I hate to come to the Huckster's defense... by filmgeek83 — 73
14) If lots of us take little bites by NearlyNormal — 73
15) I disagree! by Vincenzo Giambatista — 73
16) LMAO! Diaries like this... by Neon Vincent — 70
17) LOL...Man dates by littlesky — 69
18) Nobody should make light of this... by The Termite — 69
19) Incurious George by crystal eyes — 68
20) Commander Codpiece by notableabsence — 68
21) While this will no doubt generate its share of... by BenGoshi — 67
22) TG I don't have to type R___P____ anymore. by Theghostofkarlafayetucker — 66
23) Here's the secret: capitalism demands regulation. by Clem Yeobright — 66
24) Right. It's not the joke he made, by Brandon Friedman — 63
25) My sides hurt from laughing by On Puget Sound — 63
26) Worst President Ever by WinSmith — 60
27) Captain CodPiece by kredwyn — 58
28) Great job, Amy. by TomP — 58
29) This story, by mikolo — 57
30) The Rael Underdogs by TomP — 56
Top Mojo with No Exclusions:
1) out of the mouth of babes... by 8ackgr0und N015e — 335
2) tip jar by lukery — 286
3) Tip jar by Brandon Friedman — 270
4) Tip jar by occams hatchet — 256
5) This is some bad, bad stuff . . . by nyceve — 254
6) I resisted impeachment for a long time, but... by lowkell — 232
7) Tips for THE PEOPLE! by NCDem Amy — 206
8) Tips for fighting by TomP — 187
9) Tips by turneresq — 174
10) Thought I'd at least give it a shot. ( nt ) by BenGoshi — 165
11) Tips by turneresq — 161
12) From NH... by Tasini — 158
13) Tips for all the families of all the children by edgery — 131
14) Tips? Flames by owl06 — 128
15) Yes, I'm a crank by gchaucer2 — 125
16) Oy. eom by Geekesque — 122
17) Fucking Disgrace by librarianman — 114
18) Thank You by ParaHammer — 108
19) Tips and a suggestion by JedReport — 97
20) We're still sulking by willb48 — 92
21) Big, big WOW! by nyceve — 91
22) Good luck with that by palpatine316 — 91
23) Oh Duhhh by On Puget Sound — 88
24) Try this by atlliberal — 83
25) Bush used war and fear + he cheated by FishOutofWater — 78
26) My final thought: by mjd in florida — 76
27) "Shrub" by tgray — 76
28) NearlyNormal, it's far worse . . . by nyceve — 76
29) Amateur Assessment by prodigal — 75
30) Chimpy McFlightsuit by jetdog — 75
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