The Message in the Clouds

I am fascinated by the tag clouds of the speeches at the Democratic Convention. They let you peel back the rhetoric, and be more aware of the message points that are being pounded into your head. Can't wait to put this the tag clouds of this week's speeches next to the tag clouds of next week's Republican speeches.

I also think tag clouds have a certain beauty. TagCrowd calls them "visual poetry," and that sounds about right to me.

Tag crowds can help our association to analyze how we are framing our mission and our issues. To see how our message is structured, I did a tag cloud of the About Us/What We Do page from the Web site. Here's what it says, and the tag cloud is below. What do you think?

NAIOP provides communication, networking and business opportunities for all real estate related professionals; provides a forum for continuing education; and promotes effective public policy, through its grassroots network, to create, protect and enhance property values.
NAIOP chapters members have great opportunities at the local level to enhance their business through educational programs, networking and government affairs. Members can also get involved at the national level — by attending conferences for continuing education, participating in National Forums for professional development and working to advance legislative initiatives like real estate taxation issues on Capitol Hill.

The forum for commercial real estate both locally and nationally, NAIOP promotes effective public policy through its grassroots network to create, protect and enhance property values. It offers education programs, research on trends and innovations, networking opportunities and strong legislative representation. NAIOP members are the principal players who shape the industry.

advance attending business capitol chapters commercial conferences continuing create development education effective enhance estate forum government grassroots hill initiatives innovations involved issues legislative level local members naiop national networking opportunities participating players policy principal professional programs promotes property protect provides public real related representation research shape strong taxation trends values

created at TagCrowd.com

Birthday Temptations at Restaurant Eve

It seems that I am eating my way across the DC area this summer (as my strained jeans will confirm). This weekend found us in the Chef's Tasting Room at Restaurant Eve, in Old Town Alexandria. To celebrate my "small" birthday, Al made reservations in June, after having struck out getting reservations there for our "big" anniversary dinner.

Restaurant Eve is every bit the temptress that her namesake is. I began the meal with a "hand crafted cocktail" -- lavendar, lemon juice and cucumber water -- virgin, alas, but very refreshing. Warned ahead of time to expect a 2 1/2 to 3-hour dining experience, we opted for the five-course menu rather than the nine (!) I brought my camera, but decided that snaps (even with my cell phone) would be beyond gauche. Here is a list of the temptations I chose -- made easy to remember from the take-home gift of my scrolled-up, personalized menu, tied with peach-colored ribbon! (They also gave me a gift bag with scone mix, specialty coffee and Kerry Gold butter pats.)

My Birthday Dinner:

Four teeny appetizer morsels to start things off: They weren't on the menu, just something the chef cooked up to begin the temptation in earnest.

Followed by Barbie-sized bowls of the creamiest, freshest mushroom soup I have ever eaten.

Pause -- Meyer Lemon sorbet to cleanse the palate

First Course -- Creation: Eve's Garden Basil Custard with Sweet Corn-Avocado Relish and Opal Basil Vinaigrette

Second Course -- Ocean: Pan-roasted Thai Snapper with Maryland Blue Crab, Roasted Sweet Corn and Crisp Pancella

Third Course -- Earth and Sky: Broken Arrow Ranch Loin of Axis Venison "en Feuille De Brick" with Morels and Huckleberry, Ginger Snap Jus

Pause -- Watermelon sorbet to cleanse the palate

Fourth Course -- Age: Terrine of Cashel Blue" with Walnut Cracker and Santa Rosa Plus Jam (I think this was my favorite course!)

Fifth Course -- Eden: Warm Hazelnut Cake with Poached Peaches and Chantilly

By now, we were completely sated and ready to take a nap at the elegant table. That's when they brought out a tiered silver serving dish with tiny sweet nothings --a jelly treat, a merengue, a truffle to die for and a dab of white chocolate, almonds and cornflakes, of all things. We waddled to our car, drove home and flopped into bed, with happy, calorie-free dreams.

Before going to Restaurant Eve, I thought The Inn at Little Washington was unparalleled. Nothing else even came close to the food and the pampering. But Eve is every bit as good, a lot closer and even a lot cheaper (although NOT AT ALL inexpensive -- all things are relative). I'm going to ask Al to make reservations now for my next birthday!

Wow What a Web Site!

Thanks, Bennett, for sending me the link to the Springs Preserve in Las Vegas! This is the most amazing Web site I think I have ever seen. As you wait for an image to load, a Rorschach inkblot of Southwestern flora and fauna unfolds, telling you how long you have left. Sounds of the desert chatter, click and flutter in the background. Click on Origen Experience or any of the topics, and you will find yourself hurtling through the desert wildly, actually trying to catch your breath as you arrive at your virtual destination. I will never again think of a "nature preserve" in quite the same way. Can't wait to visit when we go to Las Vegas!

Word Cloud of Post Below

The Oysters Are Better In Galway

Armed with a gift certificate to Hook for our 40th anniversary, Al and I ventured into Georgetown last night. Back in late 1960's we often gravitated here, on weekend road trips from college. Then, the stores and restaurants were all upscale and out of our reach. Now much of Georgetown has morphed into familiar mall standards, which do not make the grade as urban cool. Five Guys in the spot where Au Pied du Couchon used to be? Sacre Bleu!

After the requisite pilgrimage up and down M and Wisconsin Streets, with a side stroll along the C&O canal, we headed to Hook for dinner. This restaurant scores the foodie trifecta -- sleek decor, sustainable fish cred for its hook (I couldn't resist) and celebrity chef, Barton Seaver, actually featured in O magazine. But like many divos, he left in a huff a month or so ago. No matter, Hook has lured (sorry, again) the chef du cuisine from Oya, another amazing restaurant where we celebrated our daughter's birthday in May, and all is well.

Something about the decor in Hook reminded us of the restaurants in Barcelona, where we ate fabulously last summer, completely ignoring the pounding our dollar was taking. Our waitress at Hook had just returned from Spain, and eagerly shared her love of Barcelona, naming all the places we had been but couldn't pronounce. My first course at Hook was a trio of oysters. Good, but not the best I had ever tasted. That honor goes to a restaurant in Salthill near Galway. Sablefish for my entree last night -- a Harry and Sally moment of obscene oohs and aaahs. I'll have what she's having!

Just reading the dessert menu at Hook was pure pleasure, but there really was no choice when I saw the Nutella tart with Nutella ice cream. If you haven't tasted Nutella, there's no way you could understand. If you have, you are moaning now just thinking about a dessert like this. Scrolled on the plate in liquid chocolate was "Happy Anniversary." I took a picture with my cell phone and sent it to my sister-in-law Lois, who had arranged for the gift certificate to Hook.

On the walk back to the car, Al and I talked about how lucky we are to have experienced all these things -- oysters in Galway, chilled cucumber soup with basil ice cream in Barcelona and Nutella tart in Georgetown. Oh, and beer can chicken at our cabin in West Virginia, where the chef is also a diva.

Trying out Smilebox

Make a Smilebox postcard