So after a little bit of checking I read about the "E Street" theater in downtown DC. And they were playing an interesting movie where John Malcovich plays a Johny Carson-esk Karnack-style "Mentalist" who is trying to make a career comeback. It looked like silly fun so I decided to head downtown. After getting all ready for the day, I grabbed up my ipod and flipped through the playlists. My soundtrack for the morning was "The Chieftans: The Long Black Vail" and I headed across the street through the underground mall that takes me to the Metro.
Along the way I exchanged a few text messages with my friend Jerod in Kansas where he educated me on the various communicable diseases that I could catch in DC if I were not careful (so rumored some nurse with which he was associated) as well as advice on other movies I should go see, namely the new film "I love you man" (which I also did go see this weekend. Very funny with a few laugh-out-loud moments.)
The underground mall was abandoned post-apocalyptic-style (spooky empty) and it made for a quick walk to the trains.
The trains into Crystal city headed out of town were quick and plentiful. About every six minutes one would go roaring bye. However, the trains into the city were about as lazy as I was at that moment. After about 15 minutes of waiting it arrived with a yawn and I headed toward Metro Center.
Now, riding trains always results in options and if you aren't paying attention, taking the wrong option makes your day longer. For example, I debated if I should head toward 12th street or toward eleventh when getting off the train. I headed toward eleventh which seemed like the right thing to do since the theater was on eleventh. That would have been a great plan, but I still turned the wrong way and emerged on 12th. It all works out because I found myself near the ESPNZone store -slash- restaurant. I had walked past here the first week I arrived in DC having moved, but wasn't quite sure where this was until this happy mistake. Now I have those bearings all worked out and will find my way back here again. In the mean time, it is now about 10:10am-ish and I have a movie to catch.
Up the block, past a nice little Barnes & Noble (also went past this particular B-n-N in that first week and it is nice to know how to get back here) I found my theater. It looked a bit artsy, and small, but put together and nice. Worthy of note, I have yet to speak a word all morning. Not an excuse me or a phone call or a hello. Some days it is nice to just chill and absorb the world around you without contributing verbally.
Once I was in the theater I realized it was a very nice place. In fact, from the lighting to the bathrooms it was amazingly nice. I didn't realize this but they even sold bear at the food stand which was unexpected. Had it not been 10:20am-ish, I would have endulged with a nice Saboro (Japanese) tall can (I know - can of beer? Isn't that, well, goofy.) Goofy is having a beer in the theater. Goofy is having a beer in the MORNING!? I wasn't feeling goofy (and they don't serve beer until at least eleven and while I desperately wanted to use the line "It is eleven-o'clock somewhere!", I wasn't really in the mood anyway.) Again worthy of note, I have to talk to the ticket man upstairs a moment ago and now this is my second conversation of the day: beer in the theater.
The movie was good. Very funny and it had an interesting feel to it. All of the acting was mostly good except the female love-interest role... that was some crapy acting in my humble-but-deadly-acurate opinion. I still managed to enjoy the experience. There was lady behind me laughing it up the entire time. It was a bit infectious (note to Jerod: the infectiousness laugher didn't seem to have anything to do with the diseases you mentioned in the text messaging, though I did catch what she had a little bit, so there might be something to that nurses communicable infectious in DC conversation.)
After the movie I headed to the B-n-N for a capucinno, the latest issue of "PRINT" magazine and walked over by the "National Theater" to do some people watching and drawing (I will scan those later.)
After that I wondered over to the Whitehouse for tea with the President.
OK, that part isn't true, but I did jump the fense and get this great shot on the south lawn. OK, that isn't true either, but it is an OK shot. I did a little praying for the government and wisedom and headed back for the Metro.
By this time I was listening to the "Garden State" soundtrack (nice songs there) and riding, and reading, and drawing and thinking about... "I love you man"... the movie. There are some day tha just call for a double-header and this was one of them, I suppose. So I rode right past my place and on down to the mega theater (the huge AMC) in Alexandria. This movie called for an audience where everyone could get a good laugh in together.
Quite a cool little day.
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