This week, the crow learned this bird isn’t the only one to eat social meat.

What are you up to today?
I just came down to grab a bite to eat. Unfortunately, my sister is in the hospital, so I’m spending the day with her.

This is a vegan restaurant (Plum Cafe, on 15th). Are you vegan?
Well, I am gluten-free, and have been for about five years. I usualy try to find vegan restaurants because usually they’ll have a gluten-free options on the menu.

Since gluten isn’t an animal product, it’s interesting that there are so many more gluten-free options in vegan restaurants…
Sometimes people who are vegan are more open to the idea of gluten-free, and alternative diets. I’m not vegetarian, but at home we do meat-free Monday through Fridays.

Why meat on the weekends?
Usually if you’re going out, or to someone’s house, it makes it a lot easier to have more options. Also, I do like to have meat every now and again, but I don’t like to eat it every day.

Why are you mostly-vegetarian?
For health reasons, for the planet…so many reasons. I know a lot of people who do “meatless Mondays,” which is similar.

You’ve been gluten-free for five years. As the hipsters say, you were into it before it was cool.
Yes, because I do it for health reasons–I actually have an allergy to wheat. Now it’s a diet, or a fad diet, which is great for people like me, who have to eat gluten-free.

Other than Plum, you know of any good gluten-free spots on the Hill?
Not any more, since I don’t live here any more. But there are so many restaurants in the area, I’m sure there are a lot of options. I just Googled “gluten free.”

Do you live in this area?
I used to, many years ago, but now I live down in Covington.

What line of work are you in?
I’m currently a homemaker. I used to be in IT recruiting, but I’ve been at home for almost ten years now.

Do you have kids?
Yes, I have a daughter. She’s a graduating senior.

You must’ve been a mom at an early age. I bet there are a lot of good things about that.
Yes, now that my daughter is about to go to college, I’m thinking about what’s next for me. We’re thinking of moving back to the city. I love this area–I would love to move back to the Hill.

What are you up to today?
It’s my one day off in the week, so I’m relaxing and not doing anything. I’m going to go pick up my mom’s taxes, then go back home.

What line of work are you in?
I work across the street at the video store (On 15th Video, on the eponymous avenue).

Some people say that video stores are a dying business. Do you think that’s true?
It’s definitely true, but we’re doing pretty well. There are a lot of people around here who aren’t gonna jump on the Netflix or use the Internet to download movies.

What I love about your store is that you have a lot of the artsy-fartsy foreign films that they don’t have on Netflix, XBox or the like.
Yeah, we have a lot of foreign and classic videos. I’m not really “that guy,” personally. I watch more Hollywood movies, and watch way too much TV.

Any recent releases that you would recommend?
The Life of Pi. I had heard bad things, but when I saw it, it blew me away. Such a great story.

What are some of your favorite hangouts on the Hill?
My house! I’m a homebody, and I live nearby. After work I go home, and don’t do much. But the Canterbury is definitely one of my favorites. It’s sad that it’s closing.

What’s the best thing about working in a video store?
Working with movies, and talking about movies.

How many movies would you say you watch a week?
Sometimes none, but on average, about three.

Any thoughts about life on the Hill?
It’s a great place to live and work; a nice community. I’ve never known anything else.

Did you grow up on the Hill?
I did. I still live in the same house I grew up in.

You know, in the year that I’ve been doing this column, I’ve only met one other Capitol Hill native.
There aren’t a lot of us.

In theory, at least, summer is on the horizon. What are you most looking forward to about the summer?
Warm weather. It’s freezing today!

Do you live on the Hill?
I don’t.  I work Downtown and I live in the U-District, but I’m up here all the time.

What brings you here to Central Co-Op tonight?
This is a good place to get food, and it’s a nice walk from downtown.

Walking up the hill is great exercise—way better than going to the gym, if you ask me.
So true—but my feet are killing me.

What line of work are you in?
Intellectual Property law. I work for a local firm

That sounds interesting.
Is it interesting? I don’t know.

If a young person were considering going to law school, what would you tell him or her?
Don’t.

That’s what I’ve heard from pretty much every lawyer I’ve ever posed that question to. Why do you think that is?
Well, I’m not a lawyer, and I didn’t go to law school, so maybe that’s part of my perspective.  But on the whole, I think a lot of kids are staying in University or getting law degrees just because they don’t know what else to do.

What do you like to get up to in your free time?
I’ve been hanging out with a lot of stand-up comedy folks lately. That’s pretty hot on the Hill.

We do have a pretty vibrant Komedy Kommunity, with two “Ks.”
It’s been growing. I just saw Janine Garafalo last week. I have the biggest girl-crush on her.

Me, too!  Are you a comedian yourself?
I was doing some standup, and now I’m working on a comedy podcast with a friend who’s been doing it for years. Hopefully soon I’ll start a YouTube channel myself.

Anything you want to plug?
Not at the moment, although I’ve been working with a friend to create a comedy showcase at The Grotto, which is underneath the Rendezvous in Belltown. It’s called The Comedy Womb.

Wait—did you say The Comedy Womb?
Exactly!

That. Is. Awesome.  
There was quite a thread for what the tagline should be.

I’ve never been to a comedy show based on a uterus pun before, but only because it didn’t exist. I’m assuming it’s all-female comedy?
Mostly, but also some male supporters. It’s every Tuesday night.

But, haven’t you heard?  Women are inherently un-funny.
Yeah, it used to be a lot harder to be a woman in comedy. People like Tina Fey and Kristen Schaal have helped open it up. It’s a lot better than it was.

Any favorite hangouts on the Hill?
I’ve been going to the Wildrose a lot. They have comedy there as well. The just had ‘Mo Wave—the queer festival. Which is an even harder comedy sector, because it’s a really specific niche. And right on the other side of the alleyway, there’s Hot House spa. Sometimes that’s my entire reason for hanging out on the Hill. It always smells like Jasmine.

More CHS Crow:

• Shelita, Eric & Isaac — ‘I do it professionally, but it’s not what I do for a living’
• Marina & Ranny, John & Craig, and Erin — ‘I’m a Buddhist and I work in IT’
• Alliedean, Michael & Marty — ‘It’s the closest real city to Boise’
• More…

Marguerite Kennedy is a freelance writer, semi-professional thumb wrestler, and recovering New Yorker who currently resides on Capitol Hill. She blogs at www.marguerite-aville.com, and does that other thing @tweetmarguerite.