Southern Exposure

Rascal Flatts

Small sample of the lawn crowd.

Sat., July 26, 2008

My friend Chhayal had lawn seats to see Rascal Flatts' sold out show at Nissan Pavilion and invited me to come along. My first reaction was to reply nooooo way! After all, classic /alt rock are in my blood. But being open-minded, I decided why not go see what a live country performance is like.

We met up with a zealous group of 14 acquaintances in the parking lot at the venue a few hours beforehand and tailgated. Making sure our tummies were well-lined to handle our cool summer beverages. Many of the people I spoke with said it was their third or fifth time seeing the band in concert. It was a beautiful summer night -- perfect conditions for an outdoor show. The crowd was very enthusiastic. Taylor Swift was the opening act -- not impressive. Later in the evening after the sun went down Rascal Flatts took the stage and boy what a performance they gave! Even though I only recognized two songs, I shockingly enjoyed myself. Their voices were impressive and their energy was contagious. Overall it was a really fun experience. Would I do it all again? You bet your banjo I would.

For Those Who Have No Voice

Carol Leifer

Sat., July 19, 2008

The Taking Action for Animals 2008 conference put on by The Humane Society of the United States was held at the Hyatt Regency in Crystal City this weekend. I wasn't able to attend the overall conference because of previous commitments, but I was able to attend the banquet dinner. The dinner was hosted by comedian Carol Leifer, writer for 'Seinfeld,' 'The Larry Sanders Show' and 'Saturday Night Live' and co-executive producer of 'Rules of Engagement.' Speakers included Congressman Earl Blumenaur (D-Ore.), 2007 Humane Legislator of the Year and Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of HSUS. Approximately 500 people attended the banquet, which loosely began at 7:15 p.m. Vegan fare was served, not my personal taste, but a respectful choice given the circumstances.

Carol's presentation was informative and entertaining. It was obvious she was well-prepared. She gave an update on advancements continuing to be made in California with the closing of puppy mill supplied pet stores. Congressman Blumenaur was up next and although his speech was sincere, it was very looooong winded. Last to speak was Wayne. Similar to Carol, Wayne's speech was passionate and inspirational. He said, "...it's not a question of animal behavior, it's a question of human behavior and not so much a question of animal rights, but human responsibility. ...we don't invent new standards and expect people to conform to them, we remind our fellow citizens what they already know to be true, and seek to hold them to their own standards of respect and compassion."

The 3rd Annual Humane Society Walk for the Animals is scheduled for Sunday, Oct. 5 at the Constitution Gardens in D.C. You can bet I'll be there with my rescue dogs in tow!

Summer Pastime

Fri., July 4, 2008

My friends and I gathered at one of their homes for a traditional Independence Day BBQ. There was an endless supply of cold beverages for us to get our drink on and good summer comfort food. It rained and hailed late in the afternoon so we weren't sure about the fate of the fireworks. Shortly after, Mother Nature calmed down. Covered in lots of bug spray -- we headed over to Stafford’s Pratt Park to hear the orchestral concert and watch the professional fireworks display. Midway through there was an unusual surprise aspect when the formation of a red star appeared. A fun time was had by all.

Shiny and New

Tent area for riders to sign up to test ride the demos.

Parking lot of domino configured motorcycles people rode in on.

Sat., June 28, 2008

The Ducati Truck demo fleet began its yearly summer tour of North America visiting Ducati dealerships across the nation. The truck stopped at my fav dealership DucPond Motosports in Winchester, Va., giving riders who were interested the opportunity to get in the saddle and experience Ducati's 2008 model lineup first hand.

Ducati brought 15 models for people to test ride including the new Middleweight Superpower 848, the intense Hypermotard and several others. The turnout was great; 87 riders showed up to admire and take turns test driving the various 2008 Ducati models on the nine mile loop route. Collectively, the test riders logged 945 miles that day!!!

Thanks to Donnie, owner of DucPond, for being a great host.