Wednesday, May 24, 2006

Vintage Champagne

Who uses it: Winemakers and wine experts
What it means: A sparkling white wine made from a blend of grapes grown in one particular year in the Champagne region of France. Vintage champagne is not necessarily older than non-vintage champagne; it's just that non-vintage champagne can include the juice of grapes grown in more than one year.
How you can use it: When toasting something happy.

Congratulations today to Jen and Steve Lechner, who are celebrating their 10th wedding anniversary and are one of the funniest couples I know. Please do not ever get divorced. (I may be spending a little too much time with the Lechners these days. Their five-year-old, Grace, recently began a story by saying, "All the people who live in this house -- Mommy, Daddy, Ellen --")

Last night was another celebration, a reunion of (most of) the former residents of 1800 15th Street NW -- Ashton, Joseph, Brian Cook, Anna, and (just because we like him, although he never actually stayed at 1800 15th Street) Anna's husband, Tarren. We started with Champagne at Ashton's, then moved on to dinner at Firefly.

It was a lovely meal, marred only by the screeching voice of a woman sitting at the table behind us. Joseph noticed it first, then Tarren, then Ashton; as the rest of us noticed it, we started brandishing table utensils and wondering aloud how someone with a voice like that -- pitched somewhere directly behind the nose, with a vibrato like fingernails on chalkboard -- managed to have any kind of life at all. "Do you suppose she's married?" I asked. "No ring," Tarren said. "I checked. I can't imagine anyone living with that."

I'd originally planned to stay in D.C. through the end of the week, but need to get home sooner, for a variety of reasons. This afternoon I'll drive as far as Philadelphia -- then on to Maine tomorrow, after a stop in Boston to drop off some books.

First five songs off the iPod Shuffle this morning:

“Three Little Birds,” Bob Marley. I listened to this song almost constantly for the first several months of 1986, and it’s still one of the best cures for anxiety I know.

“Can’t Hardly Wait,” The Replacements. I notice that these lists very often include a ‘Mats tune. Since I have 2500 songs in my iTunes library, I can’t explain this.

“Three or Four,” The New Pornographers. This CD was my travel companion for most of last summer, and this song makes me think of the New Jersey Turnpike. I’m sure that wasn’t their intention.

“Everybody Hurts,” R.E.M. Some days, this song is too much for me. Next.

“Reach Out, I’ll Be There,” The Four Tops. Wow – this list sounds like my iPod’s giving me moral support this morning. Thanks, iPod Shuffle!

4 comments:

HouseRunner said...

I ate at firefly when I was in DC last month, happened upon it by accident, and enjoyed it quite a bit.

Jennifer Lechner said...

Thanks so much for remembering our anniversary. Steve and I couldn't divorce-we are staying together for all the people who live in our house-Gracie, Ellen, Dizzy . . .

Anna said...

I've been staring at the "leave your comment" box for a few minutes now, wanting to comment on the great reunion we had but I don't really know what to say about it. How do you comment on such a big part of your life? I think everyone would agree that we've changed, and for the better; even the crack house across the street has cleaned up its act! Thanks to everyone for sticking together. I'm grateful to have those folks still in my life.

Ellen Clair Lamb said...

Some family we're born to, some family we choose. You guys are family I chose (aren't you lucky!).