"Curbside Cook-off" for DC's food trucks October 7th and 8th

If you haven't noticed there is a huge trend in DC's food scene- traveling food trucks that are steps up from the hot dog and junk food carts along the mall. Think Indian food, lobster rolls, and all natural frozen yogurt. Unfortunately these trucks don't make there way up by my office in Upper NW, so I plan to catch them at the 2010 "Curbside Cook-off" a festival for Street Truck food at the old convention center! See details HERE.

Support Girls Rock Music Camp!

I have friends and clients who are volunteering this year at a Girls Rock!DC, a week-long camp that helps young girls build self confidence and learn about music. The campers have a showcase at the 9:30 club from 11-1 on Saturday August 14th. For $10 you get to see a fun show (it's certainly going to be more exciting than my summer camp's talent show!), check out what the 9:30 club looks like in daylight, and support a great cause. More info here.

DC's best rummage sale this weekend!

This weekend is the Junior League's annual fundraiser "Tossed and Found" in Crystal City. It's a fantastic rummage sale with really quality items that are DIRT CHEAP. Lots of furniture, books, home goods, designer clothes, etc.. For more info on the sale, location and hours, click here.

Elephants coming to DC!

(and no I don't mean Republicans...)

The circus is kicking off it's DC shows with an elephant parade from SW to the Verizon center next Tuesday March 16th. For info on the route, click here.

Fall Fun- Kennedy Center and National Book Festival!

Two day-long events are coming up in September that provide cultural entertainment for free! On September 12th, the Kennedy Center opens it's doors for an Open House Arts Festival. I volunteer at N Street Village a transitional housing center for women who have substance abuse/mental health issues and we are taking the women there to see a performance. This year's open house has circus performers and street performers, ballet and even an "instrument petting zoo" for kids. Click here for the complete schedule. On September 26th, the National Book Festival descends on the Mall. Every year I volunteer as a "line manager" for the Junior League and it is so much fun to see all the young readers lined up to meet their favorite authors. This is certainly not just for kids, as this year's authors include some famous names like James Patterson, David Baldacci, John Irving (my personal favorite- I saw him speak at the National Book Festival years ago), Jodi Picoult, John Grisham, Judy Blume, Nicholas Sparks, Tim O'Neil and many more. It's a wonderful event for readers and if you are in a long line please be polite to the women trying to direct traffic!

Screen On The Green Has Been Saved

HBO announced roughly a month ago that they would no longer be sponsering "Screen on the Green," an outdoor film screening on the Mall that I blogged about after going last summer. Washingtonians launched a huge campaign to save the screenings, writing letters and joining facebook groups asking HBO to reconsider. According to this Washington Post article, Screen on the Green will return and be jointly sponsered by HBO, Comcast, and the Trust for the National Mall. The full schedule of movies has not been released yet but the first will be "Close Encounters of a Third Kind" on June 20th. I highly recommend grabbing a picnic and spending an evening watching movies under the stars!

Day Trip Idea- Barrel Oak Winery

There's nothing like getting out of the city on a sticky summer day and relaxing in the country. A few weeks ago I attended a bridal shower for a friend at Barrel Oak Winery out in Delaplane, VA. The winery has an outdoor patio with comfortable chairs and tables for enjoying a picnic lunch while sipping good wine and taking in the panoramic views. It's only about an hour from Washington and a great easy way to get in a mini-vacation this summer.

Restaurant Review- Maine Avenue FishMarket

This past Saturday I visited the Maine Ave fishmarket on the SW waterfront for the first time. The market has about 5 different vendors selling every kind of fresh seafood imaginable. We got lots of live crabs had them steamed with old bay right in front of us, you can't get any fresher than that! I also tried their raw oysters, at 1$ dollar each for massive oysters it was a steal and they were delicious. There is a wooden railing along the water that serves as a table where you can eat your seafood and stand under umbrellas for some shade. Many of the vendors also sell other cooked seafood with sides, the people next to us were eating lots of fried fish with sides of coleslaw, cooked veggies, and rolls. The only downside? Crabs taste best washed down with some cold beer and the fishmarket doesn't sell any. I don't want to recommend bringing your own because I'm not sure if it's legal, but there were a few groups of people drinking. You can always venture over to Cantina Marina after you've had your fill of seafood for some drinks. It was a perfect saturday afternoon in Washington and I highly recommend taking advantage of this fun, yummy, and inexpensive activity!

Greater Goods on U Street Hosts Free "GreenTaste"

On April 25th from 2-5pm, we'll be holding a free GreenTaste event at Greater Goods (think mini, green-focused food festival). Local vendors with lots of tasty products will be on hand to let you sample their wares. Stop by the store anytime between 2-5pm to give your taste buds a treat! You'll enjoy great food and treats from local vendors like First Vine, Soupergirl, Healthy Bites, J. Chocolatier, and more! And, it's all free!
(from www.greatergoods.com)

Smithsonian to Extend Summer Hours

Great news! The Smithsonian museums will be open until 7:30pm over the summer in an effort to boost revenue from food and gift shop sales. Article with details here.

Opening Up a Great Loft For a Great Cause

Last Friday I attended an art exhibit at an Adams Morgan loft that is currently on the market. The listing broker, mortgage company and loft owner all teamed up to sponsor a wonderful evening with proceeds going to benefit Smyal (Sexual Minority Youth Assistance League) . All of the art featured was done by current students at the Corcoran. The space was so perfect for an art gallery/event space that it took a moment to realize that this was an actual residence. Now, if I had $2,750,000 I don't think I would choose to live across from JumboSlice...but the loft itself is very cool. Check out pictures here. I thought it was a very creative way to cross promote a charity, a listing, and local artists.

Welcoming Obama and Perhaps Oprah?!

For many Washingtonians this upcoming Inauguration is both exciting and terrifying! After a lot of thought, I plan on attending the historic ceremony despite the crowds. Unfortunately there is not much helpful information out there about what metros will be open, what streets will be closed, what time to get there, etc... but this website had some information and will hopefully be updated with more info as we get closer to January 20th. I plan to keep checking this website for more details as all of the kinks get worked out and they know more about how everything will be run.

Speaking of big names from Chicago...rumors abound that Oprah is coming to Washington and looking at some well known mansions in Georgetown. One is Evermay, which I have blogged about but I don't know if Nate Berkus is up to the challenge of bringing this home up to Winfrey's high class standards. Apparently it needs quite a bit of work. Other houses she is considering can be seen in this article from New York Social Diary.

If either Oprah or Obama need a fellow Chicagoan to show them around, I'm happy to oblige!

Winter and Holiday Events for Washingtonians

The holidays are here! December schedules are usually jammed with cocktail parties, family time, and loads of shopping (and then waiting in line at the FedEx store), and in addition there are so many wonderful things to do this month in Washington. I personally love the Kennedy Center for a holiday concert, and stopping for a hot chocolate in Georgetown to people watch. Here is a pretty thorough list of Washington's winter activities. http://www.washington.org/planning/press-room/news/consumer/holiday-happenings-in-dc

Richard Avedon at the Corcoran Gallery

A few weeks ago I visited the Corcoran Gallery with a friend to see the new photography exhibit: Richard Avedon, Portraits of Power. It was a fantastic display of Avedon's work, and ranged from war victims to celebrities to politicians. Many of the photos are moving in their own right, but I recommend taking a tour to learn some of the backstories of these interesting photos. It was especially interesting to compare Washington's power players as shown in this exhibit(older white men) with the diverse group of men and women campaigning for power in this election. I would highly recommend this exhibit!

Haunted Houses of Washington DC

(The Exorcist Stairs in Georgetown)

In honor of Halloween, my favorite holiday, I found this website listing the most "haunted" houses in Washington. http://www.hauntedtraveler.com/haunted_washington.htm

Several years ago on Halloween I visited one of the haunted houses on this list and it was definitely haunted so I think there is some validity to this list!

National Book Festival is This Weekend

This Saturday I will be volunteering at the National Book Festival, a day to promote reading and literacy on the National Mall. The Junior League of Washington's cause is literacy so every year we provide volunteer services for this great event. I went a few years ago to see John Irving speak, and worked the lines last year. It is so much fun, especially to see all of the kids so excited to meet their favorite authors (some people line up for hours!) This year some of the big names are: Tiki Barber, R.L. Stein, Philippa Greggory, Alexander McCall Smith, Salmon Rushdie, Kay Bailey Hutchinson, and Cokie Roberts. You can see all the authers and get more info here :http://www.loc.gov/bookfest/2008/authors/

Its a really fun event, I encourage everyone to come!

Fall Gold Cup

Virginia's Gold Cup races are a wonderful chance to get out of the city and spend a day in gorgeous Virginia horse country watching the races (and people watching). Spring Gold Cup usually draws a much larger crowd than in the Fall, but I think Great Meadow is much more beautiful with all of the trees changing color. Above is a picture I took at Fall Gold Cup in 2006. There are many different Gold Cup options to suit different styles; from corporate tents and casual family picnics to rowdy party buses. For more information on this year's Fall Gold Cup on October 18th visit: www.vagoldcup.com

Music and Movies Under The Stars...

Summer provides Washington area residents all sorts of inexpensive outdoor entertainment. Last Friday I visited WolfTrap Theater in Vienna, Virginia for the first time. The theater reminds me a lot of Ravinia, an outdoor theater in Illinois that I love. I went with some friends to see the National Symphony Orchestra play Rogers and Hammerstein's best loved music while a large screen showed clips from Oklahoma, The King and I, and The Sound of Music to name a few. While we were probably the only concert-goers in our mid-twenties, we had a wonderful time. We got lawn seats for $10 (it was a special promotion, tickets are usually more), and brought a picnic and some wine. I drove (so no wine for me, obviously) but you can also get there via Wolftrap Shuttle from the metro.

Closer to home, the National Mall has special movie screenings during the summer. "Screen on the Green" is free and a lot more fun than sitting in a movie theater or your couch to watch a movie! Last night they played "The Apartment" a 1960s flick about a low level professional who lends his apartment to all of the executives to bring their mistresses. Next Monday I believe "Superman" is playing. You can't bring alcohol to the Mall, but a picnic and a nice blanket are all you need to enjoy this fun free entertainment.

New Obsession- Mr. Yogato

Ok so two new frozen yogurt places have opened around DuPont this summer. I have yet to actually try TangySweet on 20th and P because I can't handle the club scene vibe (think dark and loungy with techno music) when I'm waiting in line. However, I braved the long line at Mr. Yogato on 17th and P last night and it was well worth it. I got the tangy flavor with blackberries and honey, delicious. I also volunteered to have my forehead stamped (astringent got it right off) to get a 20% discount. See below for other "rules" that I copied and pasted from www.mryogato.com

Rules of Yogato
If Mr. Roboto comes over the speaker system and you sing along, you get 10% off yogurt.
Try your luck with a trivia question. Get it right for 10% off, but get it wrong and 10% is added.
If you will wear a yogato stamp on your head, you get 20% off.
If you can recite the Stirling battlefield speech from Braveheart in a great scottish accent, you get 10% off yogurt.
Order a yogurt for 30 consecutive days and we'll name a flavor after you.
If a customer suggests a topping or flavor which is then adopted, that customer receives a 5% discount for life.
If anyone can stump Steve on trivia regarding Seinfeld or "The Rock," 10% off yogurt.
Anyone wearing a kickball uniform and has played hard (evidenced by dirt on their knees) will receive an automatic 10% off yogurt.

Weekend Activity Idea- Tubing

Does Washington's heat and humidity have you sitting inside with your Netflix subscription on Saturdays? When I desperately needed to get out of the city last summer, I headed out 66 to Front Royal, Virginia (about an 1.5 hour drive) for a day of tubing on the Shenandoah River. The weather was sunny and breezy and we spent a fun day floating down the river with our tubes all tied together. We even got an extra tube for a cooler with snacks, sandwiches, and drinks. Its inexpensive, fun, and its a great way to get in a mini-vacation. A bonus of all the rain we've had is that the water levels are high which makes for great tubing! You can also rent canoes, rafts, and do overnight trips from this river outfitter http://www.frontroyalcanoe.com/