Happy 9.02.10

I'll admit it, this post is a bit of a stretch for a DC blog, but we had to pay homage to the one and only*, Beverly Hills, 90210 on the one and only 9.02.10. Then again, maybe it isn't as big of a stretch as you might think. After all, Brandon Walsh left Southern California for a job in DC. Doesn't that sound familiar?

*Just like all of the re-creations that tainted the legacy of great movies (see: Kid, The Karate), the new 90210 doesn't exist in my world.

People talk about "soulmates." You know, like David and Donna. Other, more cynical but perhaps more realistic people like Dylan might preach about finding someone who can tolerate the skeletons in your closet. The happy medium, of course, would be celebrating - rather than hiding - each other's idiosyncrasies, and I'd like to think that is what J and I do. The most obvious example would be our borderline unhealthy devotion to our alma mater. The less apparent, but no less important, would be our love of Beverly Hills, 90210.

Before meeting each other, we both loved the show, not as a beautiful gem of television artistry, but for what it was at the time. If I have to explain this to you, then you might as well skip the rest of this post and read about our latest culinary adventure...

The fact is that much of our early relationship was built on days that began with homemade waffles and 90210 reruns. And while our time with the class of W Bev Hi 93 isn't as extensive as it used to be, we aren't ashamed to admit that we dream of someday buying the Walsh house or opening a Peach Pit. Would you expect anything else out of the couple who incorporated a 90210 credit reel tribute into their wedding slideshow and seriously considered the Bel Age Hotel (site of the infamous West Bev "Donna Martin Graduates" prom) as a wedding location?

The advent of 9.02.10 made us think about where the gang would be today. They might look old (remember, they looked middle-aged during their junior year of high school), but they would all be in their late 30's and we'd argue (or dream) that they'd be in Washington, DC.

What? They'd all leave LA? Yes, we think they would. Consider that valedictorian Andrea shunned Yale, troublemaker Steve avoided jail, and youngster David graduated a year early so that the gang could all attend California University together. So is it so far-fetched that everyone would have followed Brandon to DC just to stay together? We think not.

This is how we see it playing out: Clearly, Brandon would have learned the political machine through his time in the press and channeled his experience with the late Josh Richland to challenge Henry Waxman (representing Beverly Hills) for the Democratic nomination in the House. Riding the wave of anti "inside the Beltway" sentiment and with the shrewd campaigning of Andrea Zuckerman-Vasquez, Brandon's chances look good. However, his connection to noted lobbyist and political fundraiser, Steve Sanders (currently undergoing an ethics violation probe), is causing concern. There are also rumblings that his relationship with Andrea is not completely platonic, which doesn't sit well with her reconciled husband Jesse - now at the DOJ - or their teenage daughter Hannah.

Meanwhile, Brandon's twin sister Brenda is also in the news. After two failed marriages and an acting career that never took off, she is leveraging her new marriage (and new-found fortune and status) to former fiance Stuart Carson into a spot on the Real Housewives of DC. Spicing up an otherwise dull season, Dylan McKay enters the picture when he comes to town to launch his latest investment; a non-profit organization located in Dupont that rescues kidnapped children called "Saving Erica," which of course, is run by Kelly Taylor with assistance (and drama) provided by Valerie Malone and detective Jonesey.

David and Donna would have also made the move to DC. After taking off in LA, the Donna Martin Originals brand has expanded to include "Now Wear This, Too" in Georgetown. As her business continues to grow (mostly from disgruntled Georgetown Cupcake customers realizing the cupcakes are not worth the wait), Donna is helping to replace the whale belts and pastel popped collars that are all too prevalent in the city. David, on the other hand, struggled to find his place and bounced around several nightclubs, using what was left of his one hit wonder fame from the song "Precious." However, opportunity struck with the rise of Barack Obama. Always one to be on the forefront of technology, David's social media presence was a key to the election, which led to a position as the White House's unofficial social media czar. Currently, David is again feuding with Ray Pruit, both professionally and personally. Ray is now heavily involved with the Tea Party and trying to patch things up with Donna.

Finally, Jim - now a senior adviser to Timothy Geithner - and Cindy have returned from Hong Kong and purchased a charming home in Chevy Chase, which is visited far too often by the gang. Nat also made the move East after the original Peach Pit went belly up due to its entire clientele relocating to DC. He and Willie are now serving up Megaburgers at his new location in the up and coming H Street NE corridor, which he hopes will soon be reviewed by the local blog, TwoDC.