Celebrating the 4th in Washington

I gather you all can tell that my attention has been elsewhere as of late. My apologies; I am currently shifting focus from college student to college graduate and moving to top it all off.
I will venture beach side for the 4th of July to the Outer Banks; but as always DC knows how to celebrate the 4th unlike any other!
The fireworks on the Mall are an amazing site to see. Check out the Washingtonian's guide for great spots to watch the big bang.

Also be sure to check out U Street's the Gibson this Thursday. The Gibson will kick off 4th of July celebrations early with a big ol' roasted hog and cocktails such as gin rickeys & spiked watermelons (aka whole watermelons split in half soaked in rum)
Dinner will cost $75 per person will run from 6 to midnight. Call 202-232-2156 for reservations.

Shades of Green

Simply gorgeous!

Chanel's limited edition Jade nail polish is totally swoon worthy.

The brainchild of Peter Phillip; the shade will be part of the fall 2009 collection (release in October)

Summer Scallops

Just take a gander at Chloe Sevingy. Her summer staple is certainly an inspiration.
Scalloped shorts, complete with a long blazer equals the perfect summer suiting. I bow down to the master.

Every hour is cocktail hour at The Hour

This is a proud moment for little Old Town as it welcomes a new neighbor; The Hour. The Hour is a unique cocktail boutique, aimed at meeting your every cocktail need. The shop blends modern bar gear with classic vintage appeal. The Hour boasts everything from vintage glassware, specialty highball glasses and of course the tools, retro shakers, tongs and jiggers galore.

The Hour is located in Old Town at 1015 King Street (near the Metro)

Farewell Tuscaloosa; its been real

Not exactly relating to the District...however, as I bid farewell to Tuscaloosa, Cassie and I decided to freak out the locals by doing a little photo shoot on the Quad. (practice our photog skills and Cassie's fantastic styling)
******
Realizing how limiting my current camera is, this little gem has sky rocketed to the top of my wish list after yesterday's shoot.
Nikon D5000 digital SLR camera.

Mark your calendar; Virginia Food & Wine Festival

The Virginia hills may not have the reputation that California's Napa Valley has; but it certainly produces some fine wines.
The Virginia Food & Wine Foundation invites you to partake in the first annual DC's Wine Country Food & Wine Festival July 10-12th at the historic Whitehall Manor in Bluemont, Virginia.

Tastings will be held 6:00-9:00pm on Friday and Saturday and 5-8pm on Sunday. Come taste 20 Loudoun Wineries, and enjoy dining, entertainment, and estate tours. Click here to read about all of the featured wines. Advance
on-line ticket purchases here and remember the event does offer transportation.


Below; the beautiful Whitehall Manor.

Farewell to the King of Pop

A brilliant performer and one in a million artist.
May you rest in peace.

If you are like many DC residents and are craving some MJ tunes tonight, check out this list of good spots.

Perfectly Wang

Can Alexander Wang do wrong?

Apparently not.
Wang's attention to detail and structure is masterfully demonstrated in his resort collection. Personally, I love the cool and sophisticated downtown chic.
Images from Wang's Resort 2010 collection.


Also loving Wang's airy T-shirt.
Find T by Alexander Wang at Barneys.

A man on a mission; a lego mission

I saw this over on InspirationDC and was thoroughly tickled. Jan Vormann, a 26 year old living in Berlin spends his days walking about the city repairing its historic buildings with Legos. Yep, Legos. He calls his art form Dispatchwork.
What a creative and productive hobby!

It's Alive; Eastern Market

There are many reasons to be thankful for this coming Friday (June 26th), one of them being the re-opening of DC's beloved Eastern Market.

Eastern Market was destroyed by fire in April of 2007. After a few years and $20million, the historic market is ready to become a bustling DC staple yet again.

The Washingtonian received a sneak peak of the market's makeover; click here to see.

Prepare to spend a leisurely weekend shopping and indulging in market treats; now with the added bonus of air conditioning AND restrooms.

1869 Society's Cultural Cocktails

This evening, the Corcoran's 1869 Society will host Cultural Cocktails from 6 to 9pm; a happy hour with an artistic twist.

The Corcoran collaborate with Barefoot Wine inviting members and their guests to receive a fantastic viewing of William Eggleston's Democratic Camera: Photographs and Video; 1961-2008; also to sample some wonderful wines and scrumptious treats.

Love the Nightlife

I'm in love with these Madison Marcus silk high waist shorts, available on Shopbob.

Hooray Hoorah for Wilco (the album)

Wilco (the album) is geared up and ready to go June 30th!
Wilco will perform at Wolf Trap July 8th at 8pm. The show is sold out, though I am proud to say that I did not procrastinate on this one. I cannot contain my excitement!

Also coming to Wolf Trap this summer;
July 15th- Joe Cocker
July 27th- Chris Isaak and Martin Sexton
August 14th- Crosby, Stills & Nash
August 16th- Bonnie Raitt and Taj Mahal
August 20th- Steve Miller Band

The 2nd Annual Affairs of State

The Young Professionals in Foreign Policy present the Affairs of State live auction at City Tavern Club this Friday, June 26th at 9pm. Click here to check out the ladies and gents facing the auction block.

The Smithsonian Folklife Festival

The 43rd annual Smithsonian Folklife Festival kicks off today on the Mall and will run through Sunday, July 5th.
The event specifically highlights three cultures each year, this year being; Las Americas, Wales and African American. The Folklife Festival presents each culture's native dance, music, and rituals through dozens of daily workshops and events
Check out the schedule here.

Virgin Mobile FreeFest 2009

No, this is not a joke.
This year the Virgin Mobile Festival is FREE; all you have to do is donate $5 to youth homelessness through RE*Generation. (pretty nice deal considering the times)
Check out the line-up; Blink-182, Weezer, The Hold Steady, St. Vincent, Girl Talk, Franz Ferdinand, The National, Wale, The Bravery, Public Enemy among others.
The Virgin Mobile FreeFest will be held at Merriweather Post Pavillion, August 30th.

National HIV/AIDs Testing Day

By now you all must be aware of the Washington Post report released in March which stated that at least 3% of District residents are infected with HIV/AIDS. That number may seem small on paper, however the DC rates of infection are higher than that of West Africa.
The study conducted by George Washington University School of Health and Health Services in relation with the CDC found;

"...three in five said they were aware of their own HIV status, and three in 10 said they had used a condom the last time they had sex."

National HIV/AIDS Testing Day coming up, falling on Saturday June 27th. I decided that if I planned on writing anything about HIV/AIDS awareness, I couldn't be a hypocrite. I chose to practice what I preach; to get tested myself. It is daunting and scary; but it is important to discuss HIV/AIDS in order to eliminate the taboo surrounding getting tested.
Personally, I was glad to be safe and responsible.

Click here for DC HIV/AIDS testing sites, here for Northern Virginia, and here for Maryland.

In relation, MyBagLadies Blog is working hard this week to promote HIV/AIDS awareness.
"Bag Ladies Reality Radio launches Bag Ladies Aids Project, a campaign to promote National HIV Testing Day which takes place on Saturday, June 27^th, 2009. Bag Ladies is producing a week long special edition show series which will air from June 22^nd to June 27^th and cover topics ranging from managing relationships, sex and dating to prevention, safety and protection."

Lolita ala Notoriety

Every week Chi Cha Lounge hosts Notoriety, a cocktail infused evening complete with good tunes and cool flicks.
Tonight Notoriety will feature Stanley Kubrick's 1962 film Lolita.
I have recently become a fan of Lolita, as it came highly recommended from my friend Libby; which I must say, is a fantastic recommendation.
If craving a relaxed Wednesday evening, check out Notoriety.
Chi Cha Lounge is located at 1624 U Street.

Lolita, light of my life, fire of my loins. My sin, my soul. Lo-lee-ta: the tip of the tongue taking a trip of three steps down the palate to tap, at three, on the teeth. Lo. Lee. Ta.

Double Teaming

The East coast and the West coast collide; DC based Durkl and LA based sunglass creator SabreVision have teamed up to design limited edition cobranded sunglasses. The collaboration will be unveiled this Friday June 26th exclusively at the DURKL x SabreVision Release Party at Palace5ive DC; then released worldwide Saturday June 27th in the DURKL online store.
Check em out while you can.

The new summer Do

Be being completely ravaged by the summer heat, I decided it was due time for a new summer do.Thanks to darling Cassie that is...Inspired by;

Growing a little green in the urban jungle

Fast paced city life is not the friendliest for growing a garden, however the past few years have spurred a resurgence of city gardening.
Urban farming has sprung up across the nation, including right here in our fair District.

The New York Times recently interviewed Tony Tomeldon, the principle owner of the H Street Corridor bar, Pug, who has begun urban farming atop the bar.
“If I can do something in my corner for the environment, that seemed a reasonable thing to do,” he said. “Plus I can save money on the tomatoes.”

Tomeldon is not alone, hundreds of city dwellers are cultivating home grown crops on their own rooftops; a part of the green movement, but also just a yummy adventure.

"A survey by Green Roofs for Healthy Cities, which represents companies that create green roofs, found the number of projects its members had worked on in the United States grew by more than 35 percent last year. In total, the green roofs installed last year cover 6 million to 10 million square feet, the group said."

Rooftop urban gardening has its advantages as well as disadvantages; less bugs, but more wind to knock over fragile crops. However, if you aren't able to afford your own plot of land in the countryside; a rooftop garden may just be the thing for you.


Check out the local blogging venture in urban gardens, The New Urban Sharecropper.

Warholapalooza!

If you are a fan of the man, the myth, the legend that was Andy Warhol; then do not miss Warholapalooza, this Saturday (June 20th) at the National Portrait Gallery.
Beginning at 11 am the day will feature kiddie friendly festivities, art workshops where you can attempt to mirror the master of POP art and Campbell's soup cans.
At 2:30 in the McEvoy Auditorium Reel Portraits: Andy Warhol's Screen Test will be shown.

Later at 5pm, critic Calvin Tomkins will host a discussion on Warhol with the Portrait Gallery's Anne Goodyear.

A chance to hear "One More Chance"

Fan of Bloc Party?
Well, click here to take an early listen to their upcoming single "One More Chance."
Set for release August 10th.
Whatcha think?

Corcoran Free Admission Saturdays

Don't forget, beginning this Saturday (June 20th) the Corcoran Gallery is offering free admission on Saturdays throughout the rest of the summer. This is quite a nice incentive, considering regular admission is $10.
This Saturday, the Corcoran will celebrate the environment with Earth First Family Day. From 10 to 2, there will be live music, Earth-friendly activities, and plenty of family activities such as puppet shows and art workshops.


Opening Saturday is the William Eggleston retrospective; William Eggleston: Democratic Camera; Photographs and Video from 1961-2008.
Come and see the world through the eyes of the photography pioneer.
The exhibit was crafted by the Whitney Museum and includes; black-and-white work, his rarely seen video Stranded in Canton, and color photographs from various bodies of work, including Troubled Waters, Graceland, Los Alamos, and Election Eve, among others.




Here are some upcoming events via the Corcoran;

Saturday, June 27 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. – Workshop* for adults with a focus on Maya Lin: Systematic Landscapes, Gallery activities and hands-on projects.

Saturday, July 11 from 10:30 a.m. to 12 pm – “Natural Impressions” Family Workshop*, Gallery activities and hands-on projects.

Saturday, July 18 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. – Liz Lerman Dance Exchange Performances in the Gallery.

Saturday, July 25 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. – “Architecture Day” including interior and exterior tours of the Corcoran’s historic Beaux Arts building.

Saturday, August 1from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. – Workshops* for adults with a focus on American paintings from the Corcoran’s collection, Gallery activities and a silkscreen project.

Saturday, August 8 from 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. – “Horizon Line” Family Workshop*, Gallery activities and hands-on projects.

BYT poolside Saturdays...Duh!

What's the coolest place to be in DC on steamy summer Saturdays?
Brightest Young Things Summer Camp Saturdays...DUH!

Every Saturday noon to 9pm, BYT hosts Summer Camp at Capitol Skyline pool.
Ten bucks gets you in all day to show off your super cool swimwear, cool off in the pool, listen to awesome live tunes and staying true to the camp theme; make arts and crafts!

You can enjoy drinks and snacks galore, including $5 sangria and bbq ribs.
The past few BYT Saturdays have proven quite the spot to be with a sweet 70s retro vibe.

Check out some photos snapped by Project Beltway from previous poolside Saturdays.

Quintessential Summer

The quintessential white summer dress.
Courtesy of ADAM, the dress is $89 marked down from $295.
Just looking at this beauty makes me want to be at a snazzy summer evening barbecue.

Stripe Chic

Stripes are soothing to me; they are always a fantastic choice-perfect for summer too.
I love standard chic.

Love my American Apparel jersey stripe sleeve crew neck t-shirt dress.
(goodness, that's a mouthful)




Top; Topshop Striped Cropped Sweatshirt, $55, available at Topshop.
Above; Steven Alan Buoy Top, $49, available at Steven Alan.
Images from Refinery29

Very top image from the Sartorialist

Regina Spektor's Far

The sweet Russian songstress Regina Spektor has done it again. Spektor's new album Far is sublime and filled with promise.
Don't you just LOVE the album cover!?
The red-lipped singer's Russian roots mix with the New York anti-folk scene, to create beautifully written music.
Spektor has released US tour dates, which sadly do not include our fair city...but does include St. Paul, Chicago, Boston and Philly.

NPR gives a first listen to the new album here a week before its release!
Check out the full album June 23rd.

Netting $ for a great cause

No plans tomorrow evening? Check out Nothing But Nets happy hour at Skye Lounge.
The Nothing But Nets happy hour coincides with the upcoming World Refugee Day (June 20th.) A child dies from malaria every 30 seconds in Africa; a sad reality that you can do a small part to prevent. The $10 cover buys one mosquito net for a child (and yourself a cocktail.)
Hosted by; Katherine Kennedy, Kate Marie Grinold, Angie Goff, Philippe Lanier, Ivan Carter, Jasmine Alexis and Steve Chenevey.

Nothing But Nets is the United Nations campaign to aid the spread of malaria throughout Africa; altogether the campaign has collected 2,722,977 mosquito nets.
The city of DC recently committed to raising enough funds to send 10,000 bed nets to refugees in Africa through the UN Refugee Agency.
If you cannot attend tomorrow, be sure to check out other way to can assist those in need here.

DC Fixed Gear Race in Logan Circle

Durkl is just one of the many involved in next Saturday's (June 27th) race round Logan Circle. Be there or be square.
Me gusta.

Inspiration of the Day

My focus being on Ashley Olsen; the bold coral and leather.

Grace Kelly in Alfred Hitchcock's classic flick, Rear Window...an appropriate name for a stunning beauty.

Casual cool & sizzling hot

The T-strap sandal, perfect for summer days...
Like these reasonably priced Ts from the Gap.The classic MUST have, the V-neck summer shirt from American Apparel (below is all organic too!)



Balmy summer evenings on safari in the city....
Safari cool, inspired from images of Lauren Hutton
Shirt below Gap (great finds lately!)



Hot summer nights in the city...
High-waist glory from the goddess of high-waist shorts; Chloe Sevingy.

The September Issue at SilverDocs

For those of you out there fascinated by the mysterious and iconic Vogue matron Anna Wintour; R.J. Cutler's The September Issue will surely entertain you. The September Issue is the upcoming documentary chronicling the life and work of Wintour preparing for the appropriately titled September 2007 issue of Vogue magazine.
Lucky for Washingtonians; September is coming early.
The September Issue will be shown this Friday at the AFI SilverTheatre at 7:15pm as a part of SilverDocs which runs June 15-22nd. SilverDocs features over 100 independent documentaries from all over the globe, including 14 Academy Award nominees.

Sweet 85th Birthday

Now this is a pretty sweet way to bring in year 85!
Former President George H.W. Bush celebrated his 85th birthday like his 75th and 80th by skydiving over the Bush family home in Kennebunkport, Maine today.
Happy birthday Mr. President!

Food Inc.

"Don't take another bite till you see Robert Kenner's Food, Inc., an essential, indelible documentary that is scarier than anything in the last five Saw horror shows," says Rolling Stones, Peter Travers.

Check out a little review from Huffington Post, cleverly titled, "Silence of the Yams."
In the tradition of Morgan Spurlock's Super Size Me, Food Inc quickly turned into a horror flick (with positive outcomes) Here are just a few revealing facts courtesy of the movie (that may make you rethink that delicious movie popcorn...)

1. Fattening up cows--although, as Food Inc. reveals, their digestive tracts aren't equipped to digest corn, so it makes them sick and creates a breeding ground for the potentially lethal E. coli 0157:H7 bacteria, which sickened 73,000 people in the U.S. in 2007.
2. Fattening us up on HFCS-filled soda and processed convenience foods, which makes us sick. One in three Americans born after 2000 will contract early onset diabetes, as Food, Inc. points out--unless you're a minority, in which case, the rate will be one in two.

Makes you wonder what is really in that hamburger you're about to eat...

Talk about a tease...

I don't know about you all... but I was beginning to feel like the Donovan House Hotel restaurant Zentan was never going to open; however it has officially opened its doors!
After the Todd English restaurant Cha didn't exactly work out, the Donovan House enlisted Chef Susur Lee, who is bringing his pan-asian approach to dining right here to the District. The space is a ultra modern and very sexy; with curtained private dining and deep dark wood and don't forget the best part hands-down is the rooftop lounge! The Donovan rooftop offers a great breeze on hot summer nights in addition to fantastic cocktails.
The Donovan House Hotel is located at 1155 14th Street (Thomas Circle.)

Check out the Washingtonian's lovely tour of the place, complete with menus and pictures!

The cocktail master joins Proof

Adam Bernbach of Bar Pilar fame will begin wielding finely crafted cocktails at Chinatown's wine bar extraordinaire, Proof. (Fritz Hahn at Washington Post) Beginning July 13th, Bernbach will surely be bringing explosive cocktail choices to the very wine oriented Proof.