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March 19, 2007

The only thing missing was the fried Komodo

On Saturday night, I had the strange fortune of attending a gala at the Waldorf for the Explorers Club, an admirable old organization that brings together lots of rugged, outdoorsy (and yet unattractive) scientists who wear assorted medals. The 103rd annual dinner focused on the importance of polar exploration and was appropriately hosted by media-icing victim Dan Rather.*

Along with all the random stuff they had at the pre-gala reception -- arctic wolf-petting for batshit old men, photo-ops with baby brown bears and scared little owls, and cocktails for the freaks who took the "come in native dress" part of the invite a bit too seriously -- there was what I can only describe as a buffet of the bizarre. This was open only to the super-special scientists and disturbingly wealthy benefactors (suffice to say, I had no business being there). Apparently these are the sorts of folk who really enjoy dining on nutria, alligator, kangaroo meatballs, beaver (snicker), and bovine penis (double snicker). I tried all of it, save for the pork uterus. Gotta keep kosher.

And then there was the roasted bear claw, which I thought was an extremely freaky plastic decoration -- until I saw some self-satisfied creep carrying it on his plate, ready to devour it in the corner like some sort of aristocratic caveman.

Oh, and we also ate tarantulas. Seriously. They were kind of like chewy tempura skewers from hell. Not terrible if you didn't look at 'em while you ate them, but not even worth considering without three drinks beforehand. Which obviously I'd had, or there's no way I'd have been smiling.

*Rather was kind of disappointing -- he just wasn't himself. Dude didn't even say something about how the polar regions were more cold than Jamestown without a flint rock.

posted by jessica at 04:12 PM | Comments (0)

March 06, 2007

Everything I worked so hard for, destroyed.

I know that it's not my thing anymore and, more importantly, no one owes me anything (really!), but allowing Chris Noth back in Gawker Stalker? An egregious offense.

posted by jessica at 10:42 AM | Comments (0)

March 04, 2007

Elvis Mitchell: Still existing!

Dispatch from Aspen: Taking a break from nubile undergrads, last night Mitchell moderated a panel with the creators and stars of Entourage. The panel wasn't particularly hilarious, but Mitchell's buttock-grazing dreadlocks were absolutely breathtaking. The man is like Crystal Gale for the Rastafari set.

posted by jessica at 11:35 AM | Comments (0)