Mark your calendars now, the 10th annual Georgetown French Market will take place Saturday, April 19 and Sunday April 20th, 2013 in the charming part of Georgetown known as Book Hill. Let's just hope Macaron Bee doesn't run out of macarons this time ;-) Last year, I had a lovely time with my friend Cécile, strolling (well, more like elbowing our way through the crowds) along upper Wisconsin Avenue, between P and Reservoir Road. We took silly pictures at the photobooth, shopped at one of the area's cute boutiques, grabbed a merguez sandwich at Patisserie Poupon and crepes at Cafe Bonaparte. Then we washed it all down with a French wine tasting at Bacchus Wine and Cellar. It was a blast, ...
Save the date
D.C. by the Book Launch Party
The nation's capital has served as the backdrop for many books, particularly non-fiction work on current events and biographies. But not only... our streets, monuments and landmarks have been featured in many fiction novels as well. These novels set in D.C. are the focus of a new interactive digital project that attempts to map out the literary fabric of the city. D.C. By The Book is the brainchild of Tony Ross, a D.C. native and administrative librarian for neighborhood libraries with the D.C. public library system. The website is officially launching this Wednesday, March 27th (6-8PM) at the Busboys and Poets on 5th & K. Laptop "exploration stations" will let people try out the ...
10 Commandments of Home Buying Brunch
My friend Ati (whom you have seen on an episode of HGTV's Bang for your Bucks episode before...) is having a big week! She's busy preparing to host a workshop on home buying this weekend AND her business, DC Home Buzz, landed itself in The New York Times' "Capturing the Soul of a Business in a Single Photograph" slideshow. Not bad ;-) While getting your picture featured in The New York Times is a big deal, let's talk about the workshop... I bought my first (and so far only) place a little over four years ago. The husband and I went into the process of buying our condo pretty blindly. From what I understand from my friends who are in the process of looking for their first home right ...
Twitter Chat With the French Embassy in the US
I love that the French Embassy here in D.C. is (slowly) embracing social media and I love this new project they're doing: a twitter Q&A about France. The Internet is a great public diplomacy tool to connect with new audiences. Like any tool, it has limitations and its own set of challenges. For one, the language issue is tricky and diplomats have to strike the right balance between communicating in their own language for the audience back home and the expat community as well as the language of the country where they are posted to reach "the locals". Immediacy is a huge challenge as well. Social media, twitter in particular, strives on the right now. Diplomacy, on the other hand, is more ...
Art All Night ~ 2nd Edition
The Nuit Blanche and I were just not meant to be this year :( I missed Paris' Nuit Blanche on October 6 because I was in Washington, D.C. And I won't be able to go to the district's Art All Night this Saturday because I'm in Paris. Figures. Of course, both events are not really comparable... Paris' Nuit Blanche, enjoys the full support of the city of Paris which means it actually spreads all over the city and can last all night. In Washington, Art All Night is produced by the Downtown BID and is concentrated in just one part of town, in eight venues throughout the Shaw-Penn Quarter area. It ends at 3AM too, so "all night" is kind of a misnomer (to be fair, do you really want to be walking ...
Whose Curbside Cuisine Reigns Supreme?
I know the show premiered back on August 20th but I just recently stumbled upon the Food Network's "The Great Food Truck Race." The show is basically a cross between The Amazing Race and Top Chef on wheels, so it was bound to become an instant new favourite of mine. Food trucks have taken the country by storm lately and have elevated the level of street food to delicious and diverse new heights. In New York, there’s even an annual event, the Venty Awards, dedicated to honouring the city’s many street vendors. And now there’s a similar event in D.C...D.C. Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs has teamed up with the D.C. Department of Arts and Humanities and Brightest Young Things to ...
Save the date: Georgetown French Market April 23-24
They say there’s nothing like Paris in the spring. Well, unfortunately, I don’t get to go back to Paris until August :-( Luckily, the Book Hill neighbourhood of Georgetown is bringing a little something of a Parisian spring to its cobblestone streets with the annual Georgetown French Market! On April 23-24, stroll down Wisconsin Avenue while enjoying a crêpe or a café and peruse merchandise and treats from over 30 participating boutiques, antique shops, restaurants and galleries. Additionally, on Sunday April 24th, you can get a sneak peek into Georgetown living as some of its most beautiful homes and gardens will be open to the public for the annual Georgetown House Tour. Among the ...
Save the Date: Empty Bowls
While we ponder which new restaurant to try out this weekend (Masa 14? Taylor Gourmet...?), it’s easy to forget that not everyone in D.C. gets enough to eat every day. To shed light on the issue of hunger and remind us that there are some 600,000 empty bowls in the National Capital Region, the Capital Area Food Bank is hosting their 2nd annual Empty Bowls lunch. The concept of Empty Bowl is simple and should satisfy any foodie looking to lunch for a good cause. This Wednesday, October 21, anytime between 11:30 AM and 2:30 PM, you just need to show up at DLA Piper (500 8th Street, NW) with $25 in hand. In exchange, you will receive a handcrafted bowl created by local artists filled with soup ...
Jazz on the Green
If you're tired of the scene at Jazz in the Sculpture Garden (been there done that) there are a few alternative for you for free jazz this weekend. The first one is actually indoors, which given the temperatures that we have been treated to these past few days, might actually be a welcome break from the heat. This Thursday being the third Thursday of the month, The Kogod Courtyard at the Smithsonian American Art Museum is hosting Take Five at the Smithsonian from 5 to 8. There will be live jazz as well as a cash bar, and you’ll be able to check out the art while you’re at it. Otherwise on Friday, The Friends of Bundy Park are throwing the 1st Jazz on the Green at Bundy. The event, slated to ...
Save the Date: Beautification Day August 22nd
While many D.C. public school students, especially young girls, might be looking forward to August 22nd as the day David Beckham comes to town, I am looking forward to getting my hands dirty and helping “spruce up” my neighbourhood's public school buildings in preparation for the first day of school. And, of course, heading to RFK later on that day to cheer on D.C. United as they take on the L.A. Galaxy.Beautification Day was established in 2005 as a citywide “spruce up” of all D.C. public school buildings ahead of the start of the new school year. Volunteers usually spend their time picking up trash, planting flowers or painting. You can sign up to help as individuals as well as get a group ...
