Presidential

I'm heading to DC in a few hours where I'll be staying for the next few weeks for an off-writing gig [editors note: it's true: TFE doesn't pay the bills. *sniffle* so I take non-writing jobs to replenish the bank account on occassion]. I've been to DC a couple of times before and always enjoyed the journey.

I've heard they've shuttered every single one of the wild clubs I once hit and loved (ugh. DC was so sexy/crazy just 5 years ago... what happened?) but my favorite touristy things aren't going anywhere ever. They'll all be standing long after we're all dead and buried. The three things I'm craziest about.

1. the hugely moving Vietnam memorial. You'll never see anything like this built again. Public pieces are too artistically diluted these days by committees, polls, media scrutiny and aesthetic unfriendly corporations.
   
2. the ruby slippers in the Smithsonian. It's my Judy G problem -- or my Judy G blessing however you wanna see it.
   
3. The majestic Lincoln Memorial. I've always responded to massive statuary.

I was thinking about that last one today and wondering when and if we'll ever see Liam Neeson (an underrated star) play Abraham Lincoln in the Steven Spielberg directed biopic which is currently slated for 2010. I hope so. Spielberg has made a few bios in his time atop Hollywood's directorial pack but Schindler's List (starring, hey... Liam Neeson!) was easily the best of them. Lincoln seems like a good match of actor and role. Supposedly Neeson has already read 22 books on the 16th president to prepare. Biopics are usually the quickest way to Oscar glory but it's never a sure thing: Kinsey didn't win him a nomination even after an LAFCA prize. Maybe the reunion with Spielberg will give him a boost?

I was on iChat with a friend yesterday and I jokingly suggested he pop over to DC to see me. Unfortunately he had vowed he wasn't setting foot there until Bush have moved on. So the timing was wrong. For him, I throw up this hilarious (and true) running mate campaign logo...


...which I found at Lazy Circles . Also I'd like to remind y'all that Obama has way better taste in reel presidents than John McCain.

Anyway... If you're familiar with DC, I'd love to hear suggestions about things to see and do and places to eat on the odd evenings when I'm out on the town.