Hi. My name is Tiffany "Mahoganie" Browne and I am a card carrying member of "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants Suits."
As you can guess, Hillary's speech as just ended. I'm not sure how to feel. Granted I'm very proud of Hillary. Always have and always will be. However, my heart wants to cry for America right now. Clearly, Hillary was.. IS.. the one, but the non-believers can't see it. I'm sure those of the same will, would and do say the same about me when it comes to Obama or whomever their candidate is. I do recognize the critical importance it is to ..point blank... cold block John McCain's chances of becoming the 44th President. Still, I can't shake the feeling that America's fate is in limbo. It's frustrating.
While watching the speech I was logged onto instant messenger and was yip yapping with my fellow journalism sister. Since last night, we've been comparing our own notes on speeches. Tonight was no exception. Nancy Pelosi...boring. Michelle Obama... excellent. Mark Warner... boring (and he was tonight's KEYNOTE).
Hillary Clinton......
Journalism Sister: OMG
Journalism Sister: OMG
Journalism Sister: OMG
Journalism Sister: What have we done?
My thoughts exactly.
Yet I'll digress in stepping on my soapbox and once again break down my thoughts on Obama, my frustrations with the media (go fig) and how things were twisted around or the possiblity that this "fight" was really between Kennedy Democrats Vs. Clinton Democrats and Obama was used as a mere pawn and why I still firmly believe that America is taking a serious gamble.
Tonight it was all about unity. I believe that Hillary did an outstanding job in getting the point across. This was not just a "pat on the back" to Obama as I heard one reporter question earlier today on the Mo'Nique radio show. In my mother's words "she passed the torch." The torch being, the hope, belief and fight to expedite a progressive social change for a better America. Ok.. I know that line sounded a bit "politic-key" However, it is clear that John McCain is obviously NOT the answer.
I loved how Hillary talked to us, her supporters, and posed the rhetorical question of were we really a part of this fight because of her or was it because of the values that all Democrats believe in. I hope to God the rhetorical responses were the latter and not the former. As for me, it was and is about the issues.
Maybe what I am feeling right now is bitter sweet. Hopefully all is not lost in this and maybe.. just maybe WE Democrats can pull it off come election day and reject "Bush-isms" as McCain seems to be adopting and about to make worse.
If anything I hope, Obama and his team will slide Hillary in as Secretary of State or even Secretary of Health and Human Services. If she were to be sent to DHHS, I would consider going back just to work with, for her.
Ok.. ok.. ok... I'll admit. Michelle Obama did a marvelous job last night. Best of all.. she spoke from the heart. Yet, last night I found myself cheering more for her and feeling more proud of her than ever before. I was caught up more so in Michelle the person and forgetting the fact that she is Barack's wife.
I think the more I feel some inspiration from fellow women, the more I think I'm slowly becoming a feminist. I don't know for sure. I just get more pumped up for women who are on the move to make changes not just for themselves but... dare I say it... " to make the world a better place."
My feelings about Barack are still very much the same.. medium to low luke warm.
After Michelle gave her speech, I heard a commentator on MSNBC mention that the Obamas are the new Cosby family. So, is Michelle the new Claire Huxtable? Is she a superwoman? I'm sure the answer is obvious, but I guess the real question is does she have her breakdown moments? When has she ever felt most vulnerable. As a journalist, I would love to sit down and talk with her to know the deeper Michelle, that is if she is willing to open up and how much she is willing to tell.
Actually, I would just be satisfied talking to her as if she is a distant aunt. No notes, no tape, no pens. Just the two of us chatting about life over tea and peacan sandies off the record.
So this morning as I'm cooking up pancakes and eggs on the hotplate my thoughts were racing as usual. First of all Bill Maher was fresh on the brain. Once again, the Snickerdoodle decided she wanted to have a slumber party at 2 A.M. So we stayed up looking at pre-Democratic National Convention commentation on CNN and the Larry King show. Bill Maher was on Larry King discussing his spin on the political atmosphere and his debuting "documentary" Religulous.
For the record, obviously the show was recorded sometime right before Biden was chosen as Obama's running mate. Still, Maher made some very good points concerning both McCain and Obama campaigns.. especially Obama. I think Maher hit the nail on the head for me. Frankly I am bored and disenchanted with this election. It happened after the primaries. I think in part because Obama hasn't really said or done anything to "WOW" me yet to say or SHOW that he is different. As Maher pointed out, the Democrats need to be bold or have some "WOW" to them to unite and pull this election off. Right now everything just feels like the same-o political hype. I need for Obama to wow me. Not his legions of fans.. errr umm .. supporters. Not Michelle, his wife, once I hear her speech tonight. Not any other outsider or insider. I need for the man himself to woo me... court me. Otherwise, right now for the first time since I registered to vote in 1998, I feel at a loss as a Democrat. I'm disappointed.
Granted I started to look at the Rick Warren forum that featured both McCain and Obama a week or so ago, I turned it off after a while. My attention span was shot! Still Maher managed to break down a response about evil given by both McCain and Obama. I DID agree with Obama's response (see I'm not a total Obama "hater") and Maher's breakdown of Obama's response to the question at hand "What would you do about evil?" Obama's evil-is-a-constant-and-we-must-use-humility-to face-it-and-deal-with-it didn't sit well with the audience member. Yet, McCain's two simple words "Defeat It!" received a cheer. My thinking, McCain's answer was only well received because there is this conceived notion that evil is associated with the ones we are currently at "war" or at odds with. "Dubya" set the stage for that mess by using the term "evil doers," as if to say that we, America, are the "choosen nation" of people and anyone or anything otherwise is lesser. Yet, Obama was referring to the evil that surrounds us daily. Evil has no religion, face, name, age, race or real purpose. Evil is just that.. a spirit that destroys.
As for Maher's personal religious views... I had a discussion with my mother about the show and what she took away from it. Like me, she is an avid viewer of Maher's Politically Incorrect. So his agnostic like views aren't that surprising to neither of us. Yet as he talked about Rick Warren I had to recall bits and pieces of what I read from The Purpose Driven Life. From my recollection, a majority of everything Warren pointed out, he backed up with a Biblical verse that explained or broke down his point(s). So I don't believe that Warren didn't know what he was talking about, but basing his written word with The Written Word. My mother believes that Maher was one of those smart, intelligent kids that had to question everything and didn't or refused to see only one or two dimensions to a situation.
Maybe. Maybe not. Either way, Maher is always entertaining as well as someone that makes me think and not scared to .. as they say... "push buttons."
On another note. Earlier I had a discussion with Suga Mama concerning another view of the dreaded "ex-factor." I posed the question.
"If you were dating, seeing - whatever you want to call it - someone, would you not be interested in knowing about their past relationship at all or wouldn't mind hearing about their past relationship?"
Her response was simply she wouldn't mind. However, there is a limit. From her point of view it's nice to know that the person can feel comfortable enough to confide in you of what they went through, but what she would do is listen and then ask what was that person's part or role in the demise of their past relationship. I had to think of my friend Kel, who at some point was seeing a guy that quasi-constantly talked about his relationship with another female and all of the reasons why it failed because of her. Kel, hated it and didn't want to hear it. I remember her telling me how she told him flat out to not mention the ex anymore. She figured any problems he had with the ex, he should discuss with the ex and not her.
The question had been looming around in my brain for a minute. I asked myself the question. I answered myself back with a half assed response. Part of me doesn't want to hear it, because I figure the ex is just that.. history. Still, my curiosity does get the better of me. What did that person do wrong that I can possibly make right? It's a sick self imposed comparison game. I actually hate it. Yet, why do some of us do it? Why bother?
I haven't come up with a concrete answer for it. Still if I do.. I'll be sure to let the masses know.
I went out to get groceries yesterday and rode right past the store. Oh, I saw it. But I could not stop riding. It felt SO damn good! I stayed on El Camino headed toward SF looking for a road I've only ridden DOWN from Crystal Springs. I did not find it and instead turned up a road I did not know and found myself climbing up up up into hills and down down down into canyons. I have a great sense of direction so I headed in the "general" direction of home and let the road take me.
The day was warm, the air on my arms was cool. My bike was humming.
Eventually I bought groceries, called Ben to say I'm sorry I dropped off the planet, and headed on home.
The weekend came in with ease and ended the same. In between I managed to meet up with a group of friends for our annual get together of good food and drinks and have the usual laid back day with the Snickerdoodle. Unfortunately, I missed out on tickets to the Roy Ayers and Najee show at the Carter Barron. It was sold out. No worries. They'll be back next summer. They always come back.
This weekend seems to be closing out a lot of things. The Olympics have ended so now what? Oh right.. the Democratic National Convention. I'm still trying to get use to this whole business of an Obama and Biden ticket. Right now it seems more like a "The Odd Couple" kind of deal. My ideal from the start was (of course) a Clinton and Biden ticket. Oh well. Of course I'll be parked right in front of the "idiot box" to catch the speeches. I definitely can't miss Michelle Obama's speech (still have to read that extensive article on her in Ebony) and Hillary Clinton's. I wonder if they will honor Stephanie Tubbs-Jones some kind of way. I never had the time to sit down and say my piece concerning Tubbs-Jones' death. Actually what more can be said on the matter? Other than.. I briefly got to meet her during my brief freelance stint with the Congressional Black Caucus for their 2006 conference. She was everything everyone has said of her thus far and continuously. She was a genuine person. Honest and super-ooberly nice. I feel confident that her soul.. her spirit is resting peacefully.
Summer is official over for the thousands of children in area districts. Early Friday I watched my next door neighbor pack up and leave for college. My unspoken little sis is a freshman. She isn't going far away. Just only an hour outside of DC. Still, her leaving was sort of bitter sweet. I literally watched her grow before my eyes and felt proud as her aunt and grandparents enrolled her into schools that I had attended. So of course I would give her heads up about this class or that teacher. I'm very proud of her and looking forward to watching her grow some more.
My little cuz starts third grade tomorrow. He doesn't seem excited nor sad to be going back. Honestly, I think it's more like "whatever" with him. The only excitement I believe he is feeling is the fact that he will be able to show off his brand new Spiderman book bag. I took him and my aunt school supply shopping a few weeks ago. He was hard press to find the book bag section of every store we went into. Finally, when he was able to pick out a bag he shot pass every character, including his favorite "Sponge," to get to Spiderman, his latest "hero."
I'm trying to remember was I ever excited about going back to school. Mostly no, especially since I travelled with the same group of kids from prekindergarten to eighth grade. My first year in high school I was kind of nervous. I wasn't sure what to expect. During freshman orientation day I freaked out and asked my mother to take me home. I stayed long enough to meet my new homeroom teacher, pick up my locker assignment and my books. Later that day a field day was schedule in the gym where the freshman played all these ice breakers to get acquainted. I just couldn't hack it. Naturally, at the start of my sophomore year the nervousness was gone. I was itching for senior year.
My freshman year in college was different. Ironically I felt right at home. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that Howard is part of the community. So no matter if you attended Howard or not, you felt connected to it some kind of way, especially during homecoming. To this day homecoming at Howard is a big deal in DC. Maybe the school was my "destiny" whether I wanted it to be or not.
As summer whines down I'm always introduced to these mixed feelings. It's kind of strange. I was born in the winter - on the brink of a snow storm at that - but I love the summer. I live for the summer. I feel alive in the summer. I'm more active and inclined to do more. So there is always some kind of sadness to see it go. Yet the fall teases me. It's a time when summer heat still lingers, but that burst of cool air in the early morning or late at night is always welcomed and can lure you into some good coma-like sleep. Fall has always served as some kind of harsh reminder.
PLAY TIME IS OVER!
Days are shorter and when the cold hits it's more like the crack of the whip telling you to get to work. Fall is also more like the start of a new year. Not necessary a new fiscal or academic year. Fall seems like a good time to start, welcome, or usher in something new. I'm not sue what I'm aiming for with this thought. Maybe something new is on the horizon for me. Lately, I'm neither overly exuberant or even down and outwardly depressed. I'm level. I'm optimistic and a bit anxious to see.. to know... what's going on and coming up with me.
I just know one thing. Come the fall, the finalizations of the renovations should be underway. The kitchen should be together with appliances and all. Lord knows, food is becoming boring to me as we still continue to grill, use a hot plate and stock up on Chinese veggies and spring rolls for leftovers.
Right now I'm dying to try anything... something new.
Starting with the Mediterranean dishes of Cafe 8.
For those of you who missed the first chapter of my road trip restaurant saga, Xav and I took the kids to Bouchon Las Vegas and had an exceedingly mediocre dinner for which we paid a fortune. That story is here.
After I wrote that post, Debbie encouraged me to tell the Keller people my story and provided a link for me to do so. I immediately received a great response from their PR person who wrote:
"Thank you so much for your email and comments! While I was extremely disappointed to hear that you had a negative dining experience at Bouchon, I truly appreciate your taking the time to let us know about it. I am very sorry about this unfortunate incident; it is definitely atypical and uncharacteristic of the level of cuisine and service that we pride ourselves in providing our guests.
I am forwarding your email to Chef Keller, as well as our managers at Bouchon, in order for them to discuss this matter with you directly. Please let me know if there is anything I can do in the meantime."
Honestly, for me this could have been the end of it. Her note was nice, professional and made me feel listened to. End of story. Except that the Bouchon general manager also sent me an email:
"I am the General Manager of Bouchon, Las Vegas and I would like to respond about your recent visit in the form of a written letter.
If you will allow me to do so, may I have your address please? I appreciate your time and attention that you have given us.
Sincerely,"
(I'm not including names in this post)
Wow. A real letter? Like on paper and with a stamp? How quaint. But maybe it could be nice. I wrote him back to say it was completely unnecessary to write me (and BTW, my preference is for email) but gave him my address. I kept my expectations low.
This weekend I received the letter:
"Dear Mrs. Carbonnet,
I truly appreciate the time you took to write of your dining experience at Bouchon Las Vegas. I am sorry that you were disappointed with your experience at Bouchon. We pride ourselves with providing excellent cuisine, as well as service, and I apologize that we did not succeed that evening you dined with us in Las Vegas.
Please accept our apologies and find enclosed a dinner voucher for your next visit with us here in Las Vegas. Please do not hesitate to contact me personally at (phone number deleted) so I can assist you in making reservations.
Sincerely,"
And true to his word he included a voucher in the letter, undoubtedly the reason he wanted my physical address. Care to guess the amount? Let me save you the suspense: $50
I'll wait here a minute for you to stop laughing too.
The thing is, I was never looking for money. Furthermore I told both him and the PR person that I wasn't looking for money. In truth, I wasn't even looking for a dialog.
But now of course I'm offended. Instead of listening to me, addressing my concerns and letting it go with some personal correspondence, they tried to buy my good will for $50. Fifty dollars to eat in a restaurant where the cheapest bottle of wine is $100. Where a bowl of olives costs $6.50. A place where I have already spent $300. And to top it off, the voucher is embossed to prevent forgery and comes with a number of caveats - cannot be used for New Year's Eve, nor for gratuity, only at Bouchon Las Vegas, etc. The whole thing felt quite formulaic, to say the least.
I only stayed mad for a little while. As a marketing person I figure this guy probably deals with extortionists all the time - people looking for whatever freebies they can get. And perhaps he's become jaded and didn't believe me when I said I didn't want money.
I sent the voucher back.
A couple of nights ago we were on the internet searching for 1) SCUBA conditions for Monterey and 2.) airfares for Christmas trips to see family and coordinate our crazy travel schedules.
We didn't find the dive conditions for Monterey and we didn't figure out or book our holiday flights yet, but we did find a screamin' good deal on a quickie trip to Hawaii. So...being rather impulsive, we just pulled out the credit card and booked it: a direct flight from SFO to Kona and two nights at the Waikoloha Resort and Spa! It was just too cheap to pass up. This is the second time I've used Expedia's "Last Minute Deals" and booked a great vacation for a lot less than you'd imagine.
Plus, as things often work for us, we found a quirky little dive company that would take us out on short notice and seemed particular suited to our personalities and skills. The owner even has a blog. So we booked one of our three days here as a diving day and packed our bags for the Big Island of Hawaii.
After a three hour delay for some mechanical problems, a few too many glasses of red wine on the plane (we upgraded to First Class for a few thousand miles), and a too short nap, we finally arrived in Hawaii yesterday afternoon.
I used to live here on the Big Island ages ago when I was too young to appreciate it. Things have changed, but not as dramatically as I feared. It's funny to think that it was almost 25 years ago that I drove on this island road. Tomorrow we're driving up to closer to where I used to live in Waimea. It should be fun.
Friday we hung out at the hotel, swam in the warm ocean and had dinner outside with tiki torches glowing and our feet in the sand at the Fairmont Orchid. Our room is very nice and the bed is heavenly. I slept like a rock last night.
Today was the dive day and we went SCUBA diving for the first time as each other's dive buddies. The first dive of the day was sort of a bust for me because of the strong current and my guzzling of air like I was a Hummer drinking gasoline. But the second dive was great! I'll post more on that later, when I can download more pictures (I forgot the media card reader at home). In the meantime, I was able to pull a couple of shots off the Blackberry camera for a teaser illustration to this post.
Aloha!
Sadly, we fly back home tomorrow night at 10 PM local time, arriving at SFO at 6:15 AM Monday morning. Just in time to get back to work.
Ben and I headed up and over the Santa Cruz mountains and on to the beach on our motorcycles. Lots of twisty turns and great banked turns. We headed up highway 1 to Half Moon Bay. What a GREAT ride! It was hot here and as soon as we hit the beach it was cool and misty. The ride along the coast was beautiful and we stopped in for coffee before completing our ride. Met a lovely dog named Annie and chatted with her doggie owners then hopped back on the bikes for the ride back over the mountains to 280. I found myself choosing the freeway and testing out my scooter for speed. I thought I had it up to 90 but Ben says we were cruising at 82. I think my speedometer is a bit off. In any case it felt wonderful and I loved every bit of the ride. It was the first chance I'd had to wear my new Scorpion jacket. It matches my helmet and I adore them both!
Nym's first Palo Alto adventure was to the downtown art faire. He found
all the friendly doggies (and doggie people) and got lots of kisses.
Only a handful of people guessed his breed correctly (black and tan
bloodhound). Most people said he was a Bassett and one person told his
little girl that Nym was the kind of dog that would carry a keg of
brandy under his chin (um, Saint Bernard?) Oh and a guy next to the
big dog said "he can only dream of growing up as big as
this dog" we just blinked and said "actually, he will be quite a bit
bigger." I think Nym's favorite doggie was the the little
black and tan miniature pincher with the curly tail.
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