Television Have I Loved

Today I went to lunch at a cafeteria-style restaurant that used to be a Georgetown campus dining hall nicknamed "The Max" for its likeness to the hangout in Saved by the Bell. I can't in good conscience call it a cafeteria now, because it is so much nicer than it used to be. Gone are the 80s decor and, ooh, waffle machine; they've been replaced by giant salad bars, made-to-order food, and a really amazing array of gummy candies (Haribo + Kasugai).

Explaining the old dining hall's nickname to the two coworkers with me led to a discussion of Saved by the Bell and, subsequently, Clarissa Explains it All. I think besides my current fixation on 30 Rock and Project Runway (OK and a growing love of Gossip Girl...), I was most in love with TV when I was about 8 or 9. My parents only let me watch TV for about an hour a day, but I was undeniably influenced by Clarissa's fashion choices and had dreams about Zach. Granted Clarissa is rocking a pretty small outfit in the show's opening credits, but on the show it's refreshing to look at it and see a kid clearly looking like a kid.

Talking about Clarissa also brought up Matilda, another favorite girl character. Which also made me realize that those are two of my favorite names, the former also for literary ties. I blame my interest in names on one of my absolute favorite professors. Anddd speaking of professors, I ran into a preferred French professors at lunch.

"Reader, I married him."

P.S. I am most likely going to watch this later this afternoon, during the pie-baking.

Portes ouvertes, oh penoose

This Saturday, my friend/coworker and I are going to be staffing a booth at the embassy's open house. (Let me say now that "open house" is my new favorite English expression to say with a French accent, because it comes out sounding like "oh penoose.") She and I are two of three Americans on staff, although she has dual citizenship. Oh, to be able to talk about scientific diplomacy in Charlotte Gainsbourg's voice! I will probably be able to offer French snacks, though, and pins at the very least. And I designed our brochure.

If you're in DC, this is the EU site for the embassy open houses. Hopefully the weather will be good. At any rate, no matter your location or forecast, I hope you can enjoy as much as I did the discovery that Melle Gainsbourg starred in a 1996 version of Jane Eyre.