It's Summer. Let's Have Some Fun

[Image via: here]

Today is the last day of school for students. And on Friday, most of the staff  [including me!] has their final day of school/work. And that means summer really, really will be here by the end of the week. Ahh! Here's how I want to romp around and enjoy the sunshiney days, when I'm not being a grown up/interning/working at my other job, of course:

 

[Image via: here]

[All other images via: here]

What are your summer plans?

Outdoor Movies At Capitol Riverfront

[Image via: here]

In high school, when summer rolled around, my friends and I would anxiously wait for Hyde Park, the cute little neighborhood in our hometown, to start playing their season of outdoor films. We would crowd around the stone fountain to see old black & whites like Casablanca to Gone With the Wind. So much fun.

At Hyde Park after a night of movie-watching

When they eventually stopped showing free outdoor films, we were devastated. Luckily, DC has tons of different venues that host outdoor movie nights in the summer. 

Such as: Tingey Plaza near Navy Yard. Thursday nights @ 8:45 PM. This year's theme: best of the Oscars - so you know they're going to be good.

Here's a full list of all the films:

[Image via: here]

Pack a blanket or chairs, some snacks and cool off at sunset with free flick. For more info: visit Capitol Riverfront's website here.

Jazz It Up In The Sculpture Garden

[Image via: here]

Weekends in the District provide plenty of opportunities for cultural and musical perusing - and freely doing so. This summer is no exception. DC's uber-popular Jazz In the Garden season returns again, starting tonight at 5 P.M. Enjoy live jazz from the comfort of a blanket with good friends, sangria and snacks [BYOS, unless you're actually pro-long lines]. 

It's the biggest picnic-style after work party this city's ever seen. If you're on Operation:Cool Down and escaping to the beach this weekend, no need to fret. The Sculpture Garden will play repeat host every Friday through September.

 

That's 16 excuses to leave work early, dig out your old picnic basket and frolic in the grass. Not that you needed any.

H-B Woodlawn 5K Trail Race For Change

[Image via: here]

Do you want to help provide clean water solutions to children in Haiti and Bangladesh? Like to feel your blood pumping and work up a sweat for an amazing cause?

All you 5k lovers and morning joggers - this one's for you: H-B Woodlawn and H20 For Life are putting on a 3.1 mile trail race this Saturday at Potomac Overlook Regional Park [map available here]. Online sign up is now closed but will open again the day of the race at 7 A.M.

The money that's being raised - by the wonderful students I previously blogged abut here] will go directly to children and families across the globe who are in desperate need of sanitary drinking water.

When: THIS Saturday, May 21st
Where: Potomac Overlook Regional Park

Time: Sign up at 7 A.M.; race begins at 8 A.M.

Cost: $30  UPDATE: Only $25!

Will you race for change?

Free Classes During DC Yoga Week

[Image via: here]

Whether you're a yoga guru or a causal class attender, there's something for everyone during DC Yoga Week. From May 15th to May 21th, studios around the District are opening up their doors for free or greatly discounted classes.

If you've ever looked at the Mall and thought, "This would be a great place for a sun salutation," you will not want to miss Yoga At The National Mall this Sunday. Hundreds will gather at 1:30 P.M. during this sixth anniversary - all ages and levels of experience are welcome. 

The mission behind this yogalicious week is to" increase awareness about the benefits of yoga and meditation for people living in the DC area, in an attempt to help encourage greater physical health and well-being in our community." So grab a mat and try out a few classes. And not to worry, NoVa, your week of all-things-yoga is coming soon to a studio near you!

DC studios offering F-R-E-E classes:

- Unity Woods:

- Flow Yoga Center

- SomaFit

- Bikram Yoga Tenleytown

DC classes at $5 a pop:

- Unity Woods

- The Studio DC

- Flow Yoga Center

- Bikram Yoga Dupont

- Bikram Yoga Capitol Hill

- Capitol Hill Yoga

- SomaFit

- Bikram Yoga Tenleytown

- Stroga

- Tranquil Space Yoga

Dessert & A Movie for $1.50

[Image via: here]

The washing machine in my apartment started churning out icky, brown liquid yesterday. As the maintenance man stopped by to assess the situation, he let a ginormous bumble bee into the bathroom.

I don't do bees. Or leaks. No, thank you.

For a quick and inexpensive way to put motor oil floods and hostile stinging insects out of my mind, I met with some lovely friends and we used loose change to our sugary benefit. After strolling across the street, enjoying the [at the time] beautiful weather, we arrived at what we consider to be the best, although unexpected,  cheap but delicious fro-yo in town. I'll give you a hint: it's in a warehouse and they card you at the door. Okay, that was two hints.

Some of you may have guessed it:  Costco. May sound like a funny place to get your sweet tooth fix but one look at the customers lined up by the dozen pushes all doubts away. They have chocolate and vanilla fro-yo by the cup, plus different flavors of gelato. A generous helping is only $1.50. Take that, Coldstone.

Add in two free Redbox DVDs, courtesy of money-saving promo codes, and let's call it a bargain night.

This Quirky Site Lets You Do The Writing

[Image via: here]

Ever have the urge to express your concern in writing/send a quick scribbled rant to someone anonymously but still get the message out there? No need to wait for a starry night - the guys over at Dear Blank Please Blank are making your wish come true. Dislike the teen vampire phenomenon? Want to vent about bumpy sidewalks? Or perhaps the myth that a college degree equals an amazing job?* At DBPB, you can submit rants and raves whenever you have something on your mind.

A funny one I stumbled across today:

So that explains it . . . 

*P.S. This post is courtesy of muah, pre-finding a job[s] after graduation.

[Image via: here]

Get Your Mardi Gras On - Fun Events in & Around DC

[Image via: here]

It's Fat Tuesday, Pancake Day, or as most of us from the South refer to it as: An Excuse To Eat Good Food and Watch a Parade Day. Sounds good to me.  The District may be hundreds of miles from the actual Bourbon Street but the festivities are no less fun-filled or purple, green, or gold. Check out these local events for a Bayou-sized helping of King Cakes, colorful beads, and plenty of jazz.

Red Derby Madi Gras Party - 3718 14th Street NW [Columbia Heights] - $5 shrimp po' boys and $3 hurricanes on the roof are in the works for this evening bash. Also included: live zydeco music and plenty of beads.

Clarendon Mardi Gras + St. Patrick's Day Parade - Along Wilson Blvd., from N. Barton St. to N. Irving St. - This 2-in-1 holiday celebration starts at 8 P.M. and will be featuring homegrown floats, lots of shiny beads, and costumed animals. Bonus: it's family friendly.

Mardi Gras at Acadiana - 901 New York Ave. NW [Metro Center] - Whether you're looking for a four-course Southern meal or street fare, Acadiana has it all tonight. Specials include $5 cocktails and New Orleans grub at the bar for under $10. Or try the $50 price fixe menu [5:30 P.M. - 10:30 P.M.] if you're hankering for some crawfish jambalaya or rabbit etoufee. 

Fat Tuesday Party at Bayou Bakery - 1515 N. Courthouse Road [Courthouse] - At this newly opened eatery, they serve up New Orleans delicacies all-year round. Stop by before, during, or after Clarendon's parade for yummy gumbo, beignets, and King Cakes galore.

Drink & Spell at The Rock & Roll Hotel

Like to drink? Love to spell? How about combining the two a-c-t-i-v-i-t-i-e-s? Every Friday night, the Rock & Roll Hotel hosts their own grown up version of a spelling bee D.C. drinking game, in which you spell your way to first prize. $60 bar tab? You bet your Hooked On Phonics tapes there is!

I have to be completely honest - I'm a bit of a nerd when it comes to stuff like knowing that the e comes before u in maneuver and there are two t's in poinsettia. If you, too, enjoy an evening of mental stimulation, then the Spelling Buzz is a bar competition for you!

Here's the deets: Beat the after-work traffic and show up by 6 P.M. if you want to participate - they randomly select 20 names from the sign-up sheet. You must have a drink in your hand every round - oh, interesting. And, wait for it . . . the MC can make you sip it whenever he wants to.  Even more interesting. Non-spellers are welcome to watch, point and laugh when 8 P.M. rolls around and the verbal challengers carry their beers to the podium, tipsily trying to recall if camaraderie is with a c or k. There's no price tag on such entertainment [it's free!].

[Images via: here, here]

Spruce Up Your Monday for Under $10

Hope y'all had a lovely Christmas! And coming up next - get out your sequins, sparklers, & champagne - it's New Year's Eve.

Whether you're back at work or still enjoying time with family & friends, here are some fun ideas that won't wear a hole in your pocket and will help occupy your time until Friday night rolls around.

1. Turn on your favorite Pandora station & have an impromptu dance party as you clean the house or take down Christmas decorations. Cost: FREE. Bonus: Burn about 74 calories per 15 minutes you shake your groove thing, according to Diet Bites.

2. Wondering what to do with that really terrible present from your well-meaning Great Aunt Martha? Donate unwanted gifts to your church's outreach program or drop them off at your local Salvation Army. Cost: A few $ for gas but basically FREE. Bonus: Be a blessing to those who are in need. Greatest. feeling. in. the. world.

3. Put on your cozy sweater and leggings, then head over to an ice skating rink near you. Whether you're looking to skate in Tampa or Washington D.C., it's bound to be an afternoon of wintery fun. Cost: Around $10 for most ice rinks, including skate rentals. Bonus: Burn over 300 calories per hour.

4. Still deciding what to wear for NYE? Check out this article on dazzling do's and don'ts of party style for a little dose of inspiration. Cost: FREE - not including the sudden urge to go out and buy something shiny, of course.

[Image via: Media Bistro]

Feeling a lot under the weather? Check.

There's nothing quite like starting out the week with a spontaneous, out-of-nowhere cold - and losing your voice. Awesome. My first official sick leave day of winter.  If you're feeling blah and about as jolly as the Grinch like I was earlier today, here are some easy ways to rest and recoop. After all, we can't stay home from work forever . . .

-Drink lots and lots of fluids. For me, that meant OJ, water, hot tea, more water, plus my mom's ho cho recipe [Heat up milk, add 1 heaping spoonful of Hershey's dark cocoa and some organic honey,  sprinkle in some cinnamon and nutmeg, stir, and enjoy].

-Fluff those down pillows, pull up the covers, and take a loooong nap. Wake up only to roll over. Then proceed with lovely dreaming.

-Read some of that book you've been meaning to but before today didn't have the time. I pulled The Normandy Diary of Marie-Louise Osmont: 1940-1944 [translated by George L. Newman] out of my stacks of neglected books and got to reading.  Let me just say that Marie-Louise was a tough, kick-butt kind of lady: during the war, she was a widow who managed her household, helped out at the Red Cross, and worked in a nearby library. Oh, and kept her cool while enemy troops took up residence in her château. You know, everyday stuff. 

-Spend time praying. For family, friends, our nation, a pure heart, to hear God's voice. And if you're up for it, journal some of those prayers.  It's wonderful to be able to look back and see how God has been faithful and answered when we cry out to Him - whether His answer was the one we wanted or not, He's in control and will work all things out in for His glory.

-Tune in to some cheery holiday chick flicks.  ABC's 25 Days of Christmas is featuring lots of feel-good movies on TV.  Exhibit A: Christmas Cupid.

Because, really, who wouldn't want to sit back and watch the adorable Chad Michael Murray try to woo his way back into Christina Millian's life as the ghost of her dead, martini-drinking celeb client haunts her with ghosts of boyfriends past? Classic.

-If you're feeling a tad bit stir crazy, bundle up and go for a walk.  I don't know about you, but I always feel better once I get my heart rate up.  And since the wind factor outside has been ridiculously unbearable, that's when the treadmill in my apartment's gym comes to the rescue.

With these tips, you can get through any sick day. Bring it on, winter flu!

With love and chicken noodle soup,

Lorin

[Images via: Inspired Occasions, ABC Family].

Day 674: Where is Gao Zhisheng?

On February 9, 2009, Christian human rights' attorney Gao Zhisheng was taken away from his home, his family, his life, by members of the Chinese government.  That was 674 days ago.  Since then, no one can say for sure where they are keeping him or how he is being treated.

His only crime? Standing up for those that were being persecuted.

According to FreeGao.com, Gao is a two-time nominee for the Nobel Peace Prize [2008 + 2010], plus he was honored as "one of China’s top 10 lawyers by the Ministry of Justice in 2001 for his work defending victims of medical malpractice and farmers whose land had been seized for redevelopment," says an article in the NYT dating back to February of this year.

The article goes on to say that Gao was arrested in 2005 for 54 days for similar charges [i.e. anything against the Communist Party] and publicized the details of his time in jail: "He was shocked and beaten almost continuously, he wrote, or forced to sit motionless, enveloped by blinding lights. By the end, he said, 'the skin all over my body had turned black.'"

Gao Zhisheng has been "missing by force" since 2009.

So what can we do about it?

1. Remember Gao and his family in your prayers.  Go before our Heavenly Father on behalf on Gao - ask that he remains bold in his faith, his family will be abounding with the peace of God which transcends all understanding, and that his life is a living, breathing testimony and reflection of the glory of God.

2. Sign the petition.  It only takes a minute or two.  Add your name to the 140,000 + who have already voiced their support for Gao. Every signature matters.

3. Send a message to our U.S. Representatives or the Chinese government officials and media sources.  Tell them we have not forgotten Gao and the "power of freedom and human rights" [FreeGao.com]. 

Unlike J. Mayer's catchy "Waiting on the World to Change," let's intentionally move towards creating that change.

Have a fantastic weekend,

Lorin

[Via: http://bitsandbytesofbob.blogspot.com/]

Free Thai food. And Georgetown Cupcakes.

As a lovely birthday treat last night, CS & I ate dinner at Bangkok Bistro over in Georgetown. The service was very fast and friendly and the food was delicious.  Bonus: when it's you birthday, show your ID before ordering and they'll give you a free entree [$12 credit].

Can someone say chicken pad thai? Thank you.  And CS, who's not the biggest fan of Thai, ordered sushi rolls. The verdict? Two thumbs up.

After dinner, we raced - literally - to make it to over to Georgetown Cupcake before closing.  Yes, it's the cupcake store of TLC's DC Cupcakes fame. The lines are long and the hype is big all throughout the city.  Before yesterday, I hadn't stopped by to try them.  I kept meaning to but just didn't get around it ... until 8:55 pm.  I paid the parking garage ticket while CS got the car.  She dropped me off at the corner of 33rd and I sprinted inside. 

The decor is all pink, silver, and sleek.  And the cupcakes, my goodness.  Vanilla birthday, chocolate, lemon berry, chocolate ganache ... So many choices!

I decided to go with red velvet and CS got vanilla birthday.  We could barely wait to get home to try them.  Let's just say we were down to crumbs within a few minutes.  The icing was rich and cream cheese-y.  The cupcake itself was moist and full of flavor.  Follow them on Twitter for the "secret flavor" of the day.  Make sure to order it by name in the store and it's yours for freee. ♥

[Image via: Bangkok Bistro]

Road Trippin' Rules

This past weekend, my roommates and I packed our Vera Bradley duffels and headed down south to Charlotte, North Carolina. Traveling - especially taking a road trip - is one of my favorite things to do.  My family has dubbed me "Roadtrip Warrior" because of frequent trips across state border lines.  Here are a few tips I've picked over the years that can save you a whole lot of Tylenol and throbbing headaches as you' set off on a holiday car trip through the mountains or long drive to spend Christmas with the in-laws.

1. On the road, compromise is key. Although CS and CM aren't usually FSU fans, they temporarily supported the Noles for 48 hours, seeing as I'm a huge fan and we were headed to watch them play in the ACC Championship. 

CS showing off her Seminole pride

(Now CM may try to object to the above statement but there's no denying she did the Warchant a few times).

If one person wants to eat at a sit-down Mexican restaurant and another insists upon having Italian for lunch, then y'all will get nowhere without coming to some kind of an arrangement .  Maybe you can agree to stop at Mexican on the way there and then get Italian on the way back. Done and done.

2.  Not everyone in your car wants to hear the newest Glee soundtrack 7834 times.  I know, it's hard to believe, right? Especially considering their fantastic renditions of Empire State of Mind and Forget You, but that's beside the point.  Instead of blaring poppy goodness on repeat, let each person play one CD/playlist of their choice.  By taking turns with the music, you'll have a fun variety of songs to listen to and won't be forced to deal with a friend's, bless their heart, love for screechy techno beats or polka jams the whole way.  Plus, they might realize they do appreciate Glee a little more than they initially thought.

3. If it smells, keep it at home.  Whether it's nail polish, Chinese food, or scented lotions - unless everyone in the car wants to be breathing in glitter and peaches for 8 hours, be considerate and refrain from using/eating it.  As my good friend Lauren Elizabeth likes to say, "Funyuns are not road-trip friendly food."  And she's right.  Four Little Trees Car-fresheners later and your car still smells like stale onions. Not okay.

In the car? Forgetaboutit

4. When figuring out who will pay for gas, discuss all costs before getting on the road.  Nothing says awkward like the following conversation.  "Okay, the E light just came on.  It's you turn to fill up."  "Wait, what? I thought I was just along for the ride."  "Umm, no.  Where did you get that idea?"  Avoid any confusion by deciding prior to the trip that everyone will buy 2 tanks or you will each fill up one way.

5.  Be prepared. Load up anything you think you may want while on  the road.  Here's a look at what I like to bring:

-Yummy trail mix

-Refillable water bottle

-A book, my Bible, and some magazines

-Emergen-C packs [for a quick pick-me up] 

-My trusty iPod plus headphones when it's time to snooze

-Catchphrase [such a fun game!]

-Sunglasses

-Cellphone and handy-dandy car charger

Plus, it's important to remember things you may need in case of battery failure/flat tire/etc. such as:

-A flashlight

-First Aid kit

-Blankets and extra warm clothing

-Spare tire plus repair kit

-Protein bars and enough water for everyone

6.  And the most important thing to remember is to have a lovely time! Throw your bags in the back, set the GPS, and enjoy the open roads.

What are some of your tips for a great road trip? Anything you always do while traveling? Or something you must bring with you?

[Image via: Frito Lay]

Best Places to See Christmas Tree Lighting

Happy December to you! Now that it's finally here, all things Christmas will be in full swing. Ice skating, holiday movies, manger scenes, hot chocolate - I can't get enough.  I'm especially excited about the possibility of snow days! Never thought this Florida girl would ever get to say that.  This great weather blog will be tracking when and how much of the fluffy stuff we'll be getting this winter. Ahh, I can't wait!

But, until it's time to break out the corncob pipe and button nose for some serious snowman making, check out these local Virginia and DC events for Christmas tree lighting events that are sure to brighten your week.

- Wednesday is the annual Light Up Rosslyn event over on Wilson Boulevard.  At 6:31 pm, they will flip a switch and illuminate all the buildings on the skyline.  Not technically a tree lighting but still pretty darn enchanting.  Plus, free chili, cookies, cocoa, and chorusing, too.

- If you're looking for a quaint, small town feel, The Village at Shirlington is a perfect choice.  My roommates and I live within walking distance from here and can't w-a-i-t for the countdown to the tree lighting and a relaxing carriage ride around town (in exchange for a non-perishable food item).

- For more politically inclined festivities, head over to the tree lighting ceremony at Union Station.  Like the French, the Norwegians, too, have expressed their friendship to our country with a gift - in this case, a 32' tall gift. 

- And for a truly DC Christmas experience, the one and only - lighting of the National Christmas Tree. And there's quite a lineup of musical performances scheduled for the night, too: Sara Bareilles, B.B. King, and Maroon 5. This is a ticketed event - don't even try to Salahi your way in without one.  If you didn't register for a ticket or get picked through the lottery, no worries.  You, me, and the rest of the District can watch the capitol event in the glorious comfort and warmth of our own homes, via live stream at 5 PM on Thursday, December 9th.  No, thank you, DC.

Well bless your heart,

Lorin

[Image via: Shirlington Village Blog].