Hello World. Vitals is alive. Did you miss us?
(see two new posts, below)

The return of school, the return of Vitals: Backpacks, notepads, PDAs, laptops, books (like, we still have those crazy, physical objects called books?!) and a handful of writers whose crazy, everyday life experiences are antipated and revered by our ever growing reader base = colorful, worth slacking on your "real work" reading. Like, for sure.

Speaking of valley girl talk, the 80's are making a comeback vis-a-vis high-end (haute) fashion and main stream (the gap) fashion. I went through the leg warmer and pegged jeans combo, side ponytail and flats phase once. I was ten. Now, I'm slightly older, (although, the woman at the DMV today blurted, to the entire 100 person room, that I look 16) and my sophisticated and flatering cut countoured pants should be turned in for "skinny" jeans. Jesus. And they say carb dieting is out?!

Couldn't some marketing phenom call them something else? Where are the marketing terms that we have grown custom to:
Bootcut = Hip hiders and ass minimizing
Contoured = Low fitting and loose
Skinny = starve yourself for a month and jam yourself into spandex-ey jean hell; wear long tunic and look very "indie" while drinking PBR

For now, I'm sticking with the ass minimizing look and working on my Ban Urban Outfitters campaign.

smooches, antigone

A Refutation of the Muscular Morality Argument

I shamelessly ripped this quote off of one of the many foodie blogs I spend too many work hours perusing. Just too good not to share. Nigella Lawson ROCKS MY FACE!!

"I don't disparage the shallow concerns of the ordinarily vain, which, after all, I share. What I hate is all this new-age voodoo about eating, the notion that foods are either harmful or healing, that a good diet makes a good person and that that person is necessarily lean, limber, toned and fit. Quite apart from anything else, I don't see the muscular morality argument. Why should a concern for your physical health be seen as a sign of virtue? Such a view seems to me in danger of fusing Nazism (with its ideological cult of physical perfection) and Puritanism (with its horror of the flesh and belief in salvation through denial)."

--Nigella Lawson, from "How to Eat: The Pleasures and Principles of Good Food"

Rasika for Restaurant Week

I can report on 2 spots from last night. Had a pre-dinner drink at Jaleo, and (tho we did not eat there) it was not mobbed as I thought it might be--in fact, there were a number of empty tables at 8pm and the bar was practically deserted. Might be that the $30 RW offering is not such a bargain at Jaleo--as their tapas price-point is already pretty low.

My party of 5 then scooted over to Rasika and we all did the RW menu, which consisted of about 5 choices for each course (with free rice and naan)--not bad compared to some places that offer very limited menus. The place is lovely and overall I'd rate it a positive RW experience.

I started with the palak chaat (fried spinach w yogurt and tamarind) and--Hallelujah!-- it did live up to all the raves it has received! Mmmmm... I love taking something so healthy and making it so divinely unhealthy. Now to figure a delicious way to fry up celery.

Course 2 was the chicken makhani. The sauce was lovely, though stunningly rich and filling. The chicken however, was a bit fatty--I'm not complaining that they used something more flavorful than chunks of boneless, skinless breast like lots of places, I just would like all the fatty skin bits removed from my chicken thigh is all... probably just a personal quibble.

Dessert was just ok--the chocolate ice cream with pistachios and honey was mediocre. Tasted like haagen daz with lots of nuts swirled in. No honey, that I could tell. The lychee sorbet was another snooze.

Service was just...peculiar. Our waiter was truly a weirdo, and offered his (unasked-for) opinion on more that one occasion. Point in case: someone at the table tried to order the Halwa and he said "Don't. You won't like it. Trust me."Just thought that was a bit strange--for all he knows we could be the DC chapter of the Shredded Carrot Fan Club...