I'm thrilled that Santos Rivera that works with me here at Cleveland Park Wines & Spirits ( 3423 Connecticut Avenue N.W. Washington D.C. 202-363-4265 sales@clevelandparkwine.com www.clevelelandparkwine.com ) aked me : " Why aren't you taking pictures across the street ". He says that he asked me this question more than once as I finally headed avross the street just past 6:30PM. I glanced up at the clock on our wall here in the office and saw that I was late for whatever was happening there. Santos did not know, I did not know either. I had heard nothing at all about this all day long.
It's been a constant slow drizzle day here in Cleveland Park N.W. Washington D.C. all this Thursday and we have been busy putting away many cases and assorted bottles of wine that arrived early from the Country Vintners wholesalers. I was still doing this as I walked out to go home and to have dinner with my son that has been sick and not feeling well. My wife would be joining us after a long day at school and later at her class. I planned to make something for us as soon as I got home. So many things on my mind as I passed the man doing out CHANG beer tasting. He was nice enough to go over to Firehook Bakery and buy us coffee and something to eat. I thanked him and he smiled saying I was the only one to say thanks. He also said that Jessica over there had made a big point to tell him to say hello to me. Thanks Jessica, I saw you a bit later when I bought our two favorite baguettes to take home for dinner : one with all the seeds on it, one plain. You sure have a nice smile and a very pleasant demeanor Jessica.
I got across the street late and immediately realized what all the buzz was about. Everyone was packing up and going home and all the children were already inside watching this new movie based on Maurice Sendak's stories of " Where The Wild Things Are ". I knew all about this thanks to my son and I immediately thought of him as I navigated my way carefully through the traffic across the street with my trusty Canon Power Shot SD&() IS to take my pictures and preserve the moment and share ith with our neighborhood as well as my family - and you all, of course that will see this blog.
I was disappointed of course to see everything being packed up and I immediately started snapping away to catch some of these last scenes. I did see a few children gathered around the big posters and so I took their pictures. I also spotted a woman by my right side and I started chatting with her. She was very nice and also willing to catch me up to speed on all of this. I asked her if any of the stars in the movie had come? She said that the little boy was scheduled to come but she did not think that he had made it. Too bad. She did say that some conressman had come to speak and so when I collected together enough of my thoughts I asked her which ones and why?
She told me that they had come to speak to the kids and to encourage children to get out from behind all the screens that they now look at from the t.v. to the ipod to computers, phones etcetera and to get them outside. She mentioned the idea of " no child left inside ". That phrase caught my attention immediately and I brightened up immediately and added all of my quick comments on this subject. I'm in total agreement : I want to get more children outside to discover the pure joys of the outside and not always those scripted by parents. Let them just be outside some and enjoy Nature.
I love that phrase " " No Child Left Inside ". I had never heard it before this moment. The congressmen that spoke were from Maryland and Colorado according to this lovely brunette lady who's name I wrote down and must add later as I find the piece of paper at home.
I asked her if she was going to the movie? She said " no ", that she was too tired and I empathized with her predicament. She obviously had worked really hard on this all day. We had a nice steady dialogue the two of us as I snapped a few pictures.
She said that she had come to the Uptown before to open movies and she mentioned the one called " Hoot " that I had never heard about. I asked her some questions about it and she filled in the blanks for me.
I knew all about the opening of this movie " Where The Wild Things Are " because of the excellent t.V. trailers that have been playing for the last week or so. Each and every time that they played my son would light up with a big, broad smile and tons of animation and launch completely into how excited about this he was and how much he wanted to see it when it comes out! I love seeing him so animated and happy about something. It's great to see pure, unvarnished, unrehearsed joy in someone's, especially one's child.
I got home safely navigating this drizzly dark night and all the traffic at 6:30-7:30 PM with my two baguettes and when I greeted my son and told me about this opening at the Uptown he immediately said that he hoped he felt well enough to go see it the next day, Friday.
I told him I was going to make some dinner but he said that he was still not feeling well. However, he did take some of the fresh FIREHOOK baguette and I was pleased for this.
I hope that you feel well enough son to see the movie tomorrow. You may have to take me , too son as I was also impressed with the movie trailer and it has caught my curiosity. Would you mind going twice?
Enjoy these pictures, cheers, TONY
I JUST ADDED THIS : 3/20/2014 was foggy, now the sun is out and I hear the birds chirping, sounds of our ' wild things ' outside a few feet away at the most, I like that! Spring's now on the way ... TONY
We had this marvelous opening of the movie at the Uptown Theater across the street from Cleveland Park Wines & Spirits and I was lucky enough to go over and meet one of the ladies involved and post this quick note with some pictures I took. I remember being invited by my daughter a couple of years ago to go read Maurice's story in French to her 2nd grade class of students. I would first read a page in French and then she would read the same page in English. It was quite a tongue-teaser-, and it tied my tongue and mouth as I struggled to get - to make the right sounds and get the same feeling and emotion of the words. It was no easy feat. We should have had a trial run. I should have read it a couple of times out loud by myself and then read it to her class. It went amazingly well anyway. We all had fun, many questions were asked of me. I enjoyed it, too. Some of the parents of the children were there and listened to me do this. I'd do it again. Cheers, Anthony ( TONY ) Quinn 3/20/2014
