A few months ago, I was excited to hear Mary Poppins would be making its way from Broadway to Washington, DC's own Kennedy Center this summer. Well, the time is finally here. As I'm writing this "a spoon full of sugar..." is constantly playing in my head.
The legendary tale of Mary Poppins everyone's favorite nanny will run from July 1 - August 22 and tickets range from $35 - $105. I was just on the Kennedy Center's website and tickets are still available but in very limited quantities. I'm sure it would be safe to say, it's sure to be sold out within the next week or two. If you're interested in checking out this must see musical, click here to see the schedule of upcoming performances and to purchase your tickets.
Savvy Deal: As posted on the Kennedy Centers website, a limited number of $25 tickets may be available for this engagement. They are available for purchase in-person only at the Kennedy Center Box Office with a limit of two (2) tickets per person. Prior to coming to the Kennedy Center, please call (202) 467-4600 to check availability.
For more information or to purchase tickets.
Every Monday from now through August 16, The National Theatre will host their annual Summer Cinema series. This year's film series will feature the work of famed actor Cary Grant. Oh and did I forget to mention it's FREE. These films will run from 6:30 - 8:30 PM every Monday (with the exception of July 5).
Although the film screening is free, you'll need a ticket to enter. Tickets will be available half an hour before the show time and are first come, first served.
What a great way to beat the heat this summer. For more information about the upcoming Cary Grant showings, click here.
National Theatre
1321 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20004
202.628.6161
http://www.nationaltheatre.org/index.htm
One of my favorite organizations, College Bound, is hosting a happy hour on Tuesday, June 29th at Jordan's 8 on Capitol Hill. The event has been coordinated by I.C.E. (Ivy Cause Events) and 60% of the proceeds will be donated to College Bound to continue their mentoring and college preparation work with DC youth!
If you're going to go to a happy hour, why not do it for a good cause?! Hope to see you there and please spread the word!! RSVP: http://www.ivycauseeventsjune2010.eventbrite.com/
A little about College Bound...College Bound provides tutoring and mentoring to for students in the 8th -12th grade. Students must be currently enrolled in Metropolitan DC Public and Public Charter Schools. Their goal is to motivate students and provide them with opportunities for growth which will prepare them for their transition to college. One hundred percent of College Bound students graduate from high school and over 95% matriculate into college. If that's not impressive, then I don't know what is. To learn more about College Bound, visit www.collegebound.org.
Donation: $11
(QUESTION: Why $11 you ask? FACT: 11 students DROP OUT in the Nation’s Capital each school day.) This is in keeping with College Bound's 11 Campaign started earlier this year)
Can't make it to the happy hour but still would like to make a donation, please click here to submit your tax deductible donation online through Network for Good.
Last week, I ran into several alums from college at a happy hour. I was connected with one by the name of Roger Payano, who informed me that he would be starring in an adaption of the legendary play Othello. The play is currently being performed at the Kennedy Center and will run through July 3.
From what I've read, this version of Othello is very unique. The performance is being put on by the Synetic Theater, DC's Premier Physical Theatre. Each year 1 out of their 4 stage plays is a Shakespearean play, the twist is that it's completely "SILENT" meaning that the story of Othello is told by dance, music, fight choreography and emoting through the body.
The play has received numerous rave reviews from local outlets including, The Washington Post, The Washington City Paper, and The Examiner.
To catch a glimpse of the essence of this unparalleled performance, view the trailer here. For more information and to purchase tickets for one of the last remaining shows (July 1-3), please click here.
If it has to do with food, I'm all about it. Fortunately, I've been blessed to be fairly petite in stature so I'm able to eat practically anything I want and often times I do. So when I received an email about this week reminding me about Safeway's National Capital Barbecue Battle, my mouth instantly started to water. Oh how I love BBQ, let me count the ways...
Sorry, I had a moment but I'm back. The BBQ Battle will be held on Saturday, June 26 (11A-9PM) and Sunday, June 27 (11A-7:30P) on Pennsylvania Avenue NW between 9th & 14th Streets. This year marks the 18th year the BBQ Battle has been in existence. Every year more and more chefs, locally and from across the country, participate in this cook-off. In addition to eating there will be tons of vendors and live musical performances, click here for the detailed line-up. Of course, it wouldn't be a DC event without the Godfather of Go-Go, Chuck Brown. He'll be making an appearance on Saturday from 7:30-9:00PM.
Being that I love to support as many charitable organizations as I possibly can, it makes me feel even better that part of the proceeds from the Battle will benefit the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington. The costs are listed below.
Cost:
$10 Adults
$5 Kids (6-12)
Free Kids 5 and under
For more information:
BBQ Battle Website
Event Program
I'm the Queen when it comes to finding deals and learning about free things going on in DC. I'm definitely savvy when it comes to knowing about anything and everything going on around me. I'll let you in on a little secret, I don't find out about all of these events and promotions on my own. I receive several emails on a daily basis that keep me up-to-date on the best deals this city has to offer. So, I'm going to share some of my favorites with you.
***Living Social
Living Social offers daily deals on everything from restaurants and spas to outdoor sporting events and entertainment. Their deals are not limited to DC. They have deals in cities across the US including Boston, St. Louis, Charlotte, NYC, Austin, and New Orleans just to name a few. As of now, I still have a few deals that I need to use: Tea & Treasure Hunt at a mansion, gift certificate to a new wine shop and dinner at an upscale Italian restaurant.
The best part of joining Living Social is it's FREE, plus you'll received $5 off your first purchase. To sign up for Living Social, click here
***Groupon
Groupon and Living Social are a lot alike in that they offer similar deals. What sets Groupon apart is they offer global deals in addition to those they offer in many US Metropolitan cities. Their global reach spans to Germany, Spain, Italy, The Netherlands and 13 other countries. Since they are a large company they offer more promotions, including surrounding deals, for instance if you live in DC they also provide you with deals in Northern Virginia and Maryland.
In addition to the usual, what I like most about Groupon is they often have daily deals that are ideal outings to do with friends or on a date including golf packages, laser tag, kayaking, white water rafting, and even yoga and pole dancing classes.
Sign up for your own FREE Groupon account today, click here.
***DC Girls in the Know
I'm not exactly sure who told me about DC Girls in the Know but instead of sending daily deals like Living Social and Groupon, they send monthly offers. Another great feature about this one is they have a listing of the newest restaurants in the city. Their deals range from miscellaneous gift certificates, to cosmetic procedures (teeth whitening, botox) to discounted Polo tickets. They definitely earn the name DC Girls in the Know because they give you exclusive access to the hottest events at a discounted rate.
When you click on the link below to join, you'll receive a $10 credit on your account to be used towards your first order. If you don't click on the link to sign up you won't get the $10, sorry. This month they are offering a $20 gift certificate to Artfully Chocolate (a chocolate and wine bar) for only $10 through June 30. When you sign up using my link, you can get a $20 gift certificate for FREE, no strings attached. I got mine for free! This month they are also offering a $40 gift certificate to Cake Love for $20, which will be $10 for $40 worth of cupcakes. You can't beat that!
Join the savviest women in DC and become a part of DC Girls in the Know, click here
Whether you're new to the area or a native, these sites provide excellent sources for things to do. They don't cost you anything and you won't feel like you're being bombarded by multiple emails. Why pay full price, when you can go practically anywhere and pay 40-90% less than everyone else at places around the city and around the world? I'd suggest you'd take my advice and sign up for these great sites and take advantage of all that your city has to offer, I know I do!
Note: Please email shessavvy@gmail.com to let me know if any of the links don't work and I'll send you a new one.
The DMV (DC-MD-VA) International Film Festival will be held June 25-30 at the Goethe Institute Washington located at 812 7th Street, NW Washington, DC.
The DMF IFF is one of the newer film festivals in the area and will showcase independent film makers, artists and musicians from the Washington, DC Metropolitan Area otherwise known as 'The DMV'. The pricing is very reasonable $10 for feature length films and $5 for shorts.
The DMV IFF will begin with a kick-off reception on Friday, June 25. For more information about the movies and performance, visit http://www.dmviff.com/welcome.html
If you haven't heard the latest news, the newest Apple store in Georgetown will open on Friday, June 18th at 5:00PM. It will be located at 1229 Wisconsin Ave. NW and will be the company's 290th retail location.
Below is the email I received about the grand opening event:
Bring your curiosity. It's the best place to learn all about the Mac, get set up on iPhone, see the amazing things iPad can do, check out iPod—and even get advice for your business. If you find something you like, take it home that day. When you get to the store, find a Specialist in a blue shirt—they're your guides to everything from checking in for an appointment to checking out instantly. And in celebration of our new store, current Mac owners can buy a One to One membership, normally available only with the purchase of a new Mac.* Plus, the first 1000 customers get a free commemorative T-shirt.**
Stop by to check out the latest iPhone4, I'm sure they'll have some in stock. I might swing by to grab a free t-shirt, if the line isn't too long. We'll see.
Just came across this amazing deal courtesy of Travel Zoo. Apparently, MegaBus is offering free travel from select cities in the Northeast in celebration of Philadelphia becoming their newest bus hub.
While, I've never taken MegaBus, I have several friends who swear by it and take it on a regular basis between DC and NYC. The site says they are giving away 10,000 tickets between the cities listed below. When the free tickets on each route are gone, remaining seats will start as low as $1 each way. Still a great deal right? You can travel at no cost between the following 11 cities from July 21 - Sept. 20:
Atlantic City
Baltimore
Boston
Buffalo
Harrisburg
Philadelphia
Pittsburgh
State College
Syracuse
Toronto
Washington, D.C.
Taken from the megabus.com website:
With express service on all of its coach buses, megabus.com takes the hassle out of travel. Plus, new double-decker buses boast free Wi-Fi, video services, restrooms, reclining seats, power outlets and air conditioning.
Visit www.megabus.com and enter code "LUVPHL" in the Promotion Code box. Free tickets are subject to availability on select dates and routes, as well as a $0.50 per transaction booking fee.
Safe travels!
Tomorrow, June 16th marks the official opening of Step Afrika in Washington, DC. The show runs through June 20 and will be held at the Harmon Center for the Arts, in the Lansburgh Theatre located at 450 7th Street NW, Washington, DC 20004.
Step Afrika was originally created to showcase an artform made famous by members of African-American sororities and fraternities. Since then, stepping has evolved into a specialized form of dance featuring performers of all ethnicities whose choreographed movements create an exhilarating, rhythmic beat.
The Step Afrika performers have danced their way all around the country and around the world, including stops in North & South America, Europe, Africa and the Caribbean. General admission tickets range from $29.50 - $39.50. In addition to their regular performances join them on Saturday, June 19, 2010 for the "Step Afrika V.I.P. Experience". The VIPs will be treated to a pre-performance wine & cheese reception at 6:30pm, show at 8:00pm and post-performance dessert reception at 10:00pm. Tickets are $100.
Discount Offer
For a limited time, receive 20% off of general admission tickets by using code '7837' at checkout. Note: The code doesn't work for the VIP experience, I tried it.
Website: http://www.stepafrika.com/
Follow them on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/StepAfrika
Last week, I was invited to attend a reception hosted by the Houston Convention Bureau for meeting planners at the newly opened Buddha Bar in DC. While, I'm not a meeting planner, it's a field I'm interested in as well as planning special events. I'd been planning on going to Buddha Bar since I first heard about it several months ago and have been anticipating its opening since.
Buddha Bar officially opened on May 13. According to several reports, it cost $10M, yes as in the number 10 with 6 zeroes behind it, to build it. Although Buddha Bar is new to DC, they have established locations in London, Paris, Las Vegas and New York.
When you walk in the first thing you notice is their massive bar which could easily accommodate 20-30 patrons. The space has incredibly high ceilings, with dozens of large, red chandeliers hanging down throughout providing very dim lighting for the venue. It wasn't until we walked down the bar and to the center of the restaurant we saw the huge golden Buddha, the namesake for the restaurant.
For the event, we were treated to several choices of beverages but the best by far was a champagne cocktail with pureed strawberries. Delish! Let's just say we had more than a couple. The attentive wait staff walked around with tasty appetizers including some of the most mouth watering spring rolls I'd ever had and these ever so tender beef satay skewers with a tiger sauce. Eventually, they opened up a sushi bar and guests sampled all kinds of rolls from California to eel to tempura shrimp. I'm not a fan of sushi, have tried it several times but for some reason it doesn't agree with me, but everyone else raved about how amazing it was. All in all, I was pleased with my initial experience at Buddha Bar.
Ambiance: A+
Food: A
Service: A
Buddha Bar
455 Massachusetts Ave.
Washington, DC 20001
202.377.5555
http://www.buddhabardc.com/
I received the email below and thought I would share. They are looking for PAID, yes I said PAID, volunteers. See the details below.
Counters with the Space Use Project (volunteers ages 18 and up) will help Prince George's Department of Parks and Recreation better understand how all of the spaces and rooms in community centers, senior centers, and nature centers are being used.
At 10 am, 2 pm and 8 pm on each day from July 11 to July 24, 2010, Counters with the Space Use Project will count and document the number of patrons using every room at one or two assigned facilities. Volunteers who complete 100% of their assigned counts and submit the documentation on time will receive a $100 gift card. Training is required and will be held on June 24, 10 am to noon. Background checks are required. This opportunity will be available again from October 17 to October 30, 2010.
Interested individuals can sign up to volunteer at https://ec.volunteernow.com/recruiter/index.php?class=OppSearchResults&recruiterID=1059&interest=3995.
Visit http://www.pgparks.com/ for more information. For additional information, contact Teresa Gardner-Williams at (301) 864-6957, x23 or teresa.gardner-w@pgparks.com.
Last night I had the opportunity to go to a reception and dinner at the Ambassador of Sri Lanka's Residence. The event was organized by the International Club of DC and the Embassy of Sri Lanka. The evening began by being announced then allowed to enter the residence of Sri Lanka's Ambassador Jaliya Wickramasuriya and his family.
(The photo to the left is me with the Ambassador)
Sri Lanka is one of those countries you hear about once in a while but don't know much about the country nor its people. All I knew prior to the experience was that the small country was to the south of India. While there I learned that Sri Lanka was named the #1 on the New York Times lists of 31 Places to Go in 2010. It's a tropical place surrounded by water were elephants, monkeys, and buffalo roam free.
The evening began with a little mixing and mingling. Waiters walked around with various beverages native to the country including a very tasty rose milk drink. We tried to figure out what exactly was in it but all we ended up figuring out was that it was good so we gave up. We listening to a brief greeting from the Ambassador, the President of the International Club of DC, Sanjaya Hettihewa (a native of Sri Lanka) welcomed the group, then there was a presentation by Jettway Airlines who is hosting a 10 day trip to Sri Lanka from DC later this summer.
We continued sampling drinks then were ushered into another room where we sampled a traditional Sri Lankan meal prepared by the Ambassador's chef and were treated to some live music.
After dinner, we were lead downstairs and into the Ambassador's private garden where several dancers performed to live music. Everyone gathered around the young dancers in their beautiful, vibrant native costumes and watched them elegantly dance to the beat. It was quite a sight. After the performance, we thanked the Ambassador for graciously allowing us into his beautiful home and for his hospitality.
What a way to be welcomed into the International Club of DC! I love to travel and being around diverse people has always excited me. I can already tell being a member of this organization will continue to expose me to new cultures and people whom I wouldn't typically come across on a daily basis. I'm definitely adding Sri Lanka onto my list of places to visit.
Last week, I was presented with an opportunity to see a play called "Thurgood" written by George Stevens, Jr. and starring the famed actor Laurence Fishburne at The Kennedy Center. I'm a huge fan of the arts and pride myself on knowing all about the latest plays and musical performances, both locally and on Broadway.
Surprisingly, I had not heard anything about this play, a one-man show about the life of late Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, until I was offered the tickets. (After doing some research I found out the show first premiered on Broadway in April 2008)
When I entered the theater, the first thing I noticed was the show had to be sold out and how diverse the audience was, one of the reasons why I love DC. Laurence Fishburne walked onto the stage looking very much like the Thurgood Marshall I remember seeing in history books growing up. He began to tell the story of how Thurgood ('Thorogood' as his name was actually spelled upon his birth) Marshall became the man he was destined to become.
Prior to seeing this performance, I admit the only thing I really knew about Thurgood Marshall was he was the first African American to serve on the Supreme Court of The United States of America. Laurence Fishburne vividly reenacted his life, including showing us a different side of Mr. Marshall, as a man with a sharp tongue and a serious sense of humor. A large amount of time was spent on him telling of his many accomplishments including being the defense attorney in the legendary Brown v. Board of Education case, which eventually lead to desegregation of public schools.
This one-man show had me enthralled in every word from start to finish. I'm not usually one whose attention span can handle a 90+ minute monologue (with no intermission) but he captivated me along with the rest of his audience by enabling us to envision each and every story. His voice was booming, the story telling was vibrant and at the end I felt like I had actually learned something new. It's not often I see something and feel like I really got much out of it, that was a pleasant surprise.
"Thurgood" starring Laurence Fishburne will be at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts until June 20. I'd highly recommend it. For more information, visit http://www.kennedy-center.org or call 202-467-4600.
Stroga is an amazing yoga studio located in a beautiful, historic building in the Adams Morgan neighborhood. They offer a weekly Community Class on Saturdays from 10:15AM - 11:45AM and the best part is the class is FREE. Actually, they refer to it as a "Pay-What-You-Can" class. Those who are inclined to make donations, should know their money is going to a local charity.
To learn more about Stroga, visit http://www.stroga.com/. To register for classes, click here.
Stroga
1808 Adams Mill Road, NW
Washington, DC 20009
202.238.YOGA
www.stroga.com
U Street Movie Series:
Harrison Field Under the Stars
Harrison Field on V Street between 13th and 14th Sts.
June 8 – September 21, 2010
Gates open at 7:00 PM
Movies begin at 8:30 PM
Join the folks on U Street for a FREE outdoor summer evening event watching movies under the stars. If you've been to Screen on the Green, think a more intimate, cozy version. We’ll be showing four great music-related films to pay homage to U Street’s musical past – schedule below.
Word on the street is they are also planning to a live DJ before the movies begin for your listening entertainment.
Gates will open at 7:00PM and movies will start at sundown around 8:30PM.
BONUS: Free popcorn for the first 100 people!
MOVIES
June 8: Michael Jackson’s This Is It (rain date June 15)
July 13: Buena Vista Social Club (rain date July 20)
Aug 10: The Soloist (rain date Aug 17)
Sept 14: Duke Ellington’s Washington and Soul Power (rain date Sept 21)
This morning while I was scrolling through my timeline on Twitter I saw a few people talking about a way to earn a quick $75 (a $75 AMEX gift card to be exact) for participating in a study on Blogger. I figured I'd spread the wealth and share what I found out. It only requires 60 minutes of your time and you must have a computer running the later versions of Windows, fairly simple right?
Below is a little information about the study.
Tell us what you think about Blogger by signing up for a usability study! The study is an opportunity to provide feedback on something that's currently in development. This study will help the Blogger team better understand your needs in order to incorporate them into future product enhancements.
We’re currently scheduling participants for a study that takes place June 17-23, 2010. Sessions will be remote - basically we’ll call you on the phone and set up a screen sharing session with you on your own computer. You’ll need a high-speed Internet connection and a computer running Windows 7/Vista/XP/2000. If you’re interested in participating, please complete the questionnaire linked below. We’ll then be in touch directly to discuss details and set your appointment time.
Here's the link for more information and to participate. Blogger Study
I was going to begin this post with "Most people have heard of the Junior League..." but over the years I've realized that this is not the case. If you have heard of it, feel free to bypass the next introductory paragraph.
The Junior League is an organization of women committed to voluntarism. Many would say it's similar to sorority in that it brings together like-minded women who have a passion for making a difference in the lives of others. The Junior League was founded in 1903 by a young socialite and over the years became known as an organization of ladies who lunch (meaning rich women whose only daily commitment was to having lunch with their friends rather than have a job to go to) Over the last century, I'm proud to say that the Junior League has changed drastically.
I've been a member of the Junior League since 2003. It's hard to believe it's been that long. The Junior League is an excellent resource for professional women who are hoping to get more involved in their community, whether it's through direct service to a nonprofit organization or in-League (i.e. member development, public relations, fundraising).
Throughout my tenure in the Junior League, my placements (the name for your annual community service commitment) have revolved around working with the elderly. I've meet many amazing women through my time volunteering with our community partners, at fundraisers, and at various social events. I would highly recommend the Junior League to anyone woman who is trying to expand her network both professionally and socially. It's also a great way to become a nonprofit board member and forge relationships with nonprofit executives, if that is something you're interested in.
Every year the Junior League admits new women into their ranks. While I'm sure it's too late for the 2010-2011 year, it's not too late to start thinking about it for next year. Most leagues require you to attend an orientation, the one in DC fills up quickly so it's best to know someone who can inform you as to when it will be held. Also, in DC due to the high demand in membership, they've had a lottery to bring in new members for the past few years. It not all about who you know anymore, or so they say.
For more information about the Junior League as a whole, visit http://www.ajli.org/. To learn more about the Junior League of Washington, visit http://www.jlw.org.
Last week I stumbled across an amazing website for the International Club of DC or ICDC (http://www.internationalclubdc.com/). I've been planning to attend some embassy events for a while so I did a Google search and came across the site which lists not only events at various embassies but numerous activities focused on developing relationships with the international population in and around DC.
Some of the upcoming events in June that I found to be of interest are listed below but there are hundreds of events posted on their website.
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Discover the Tropical Island Paradise of Sri Lanka: Dinner Reception at the Sri Lankan Ambassador’s Residence to experience Sri Lankan music, dance, culture, and traditions. Escape with us to the tropical island paradise of Sri Lanka! Join us for a delightful reception at the residence of the Ambassador of Sri Lanka that includes a traditional dance and music presentation. Enjoy a dinner feast of traditional Sri Lankan delicacies and learn about Sri Lankan culture, art, music, dance, and traditions while discovering one of the world’s most exotic travel destinations. Cost: $55/$89, must pay in advance. For more info, click here.
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Rooftop International Happy Hour at the Embassy Row Hilton Hotel.
Join us for Washington's international Happy Hour with the best views in town. Enjoy panoramic summertime views of downtown as well as surrounding monuments while you meet, socialize, and network with other ICDC members in a relaxed and friendly setting after work. Cost: $5 with online registration for ICDC members (membership is FREE) and $8 at the door. For more info, click here.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010 at 7:45 PM
Learn to dance the Argentine Tango as danced in Buenos Aires Argentina
The International Club of DC is pleased to invite you to "An Evening in Buenos Aires." The Argentine Tango is known around the world for its romance and bold flair. Don't miss this rare opportunity to learn how to dance Argentine tango from an expert instructor and meet other ICDC members in a friendly and relaxed setting. Dance the night away to a great mix of tango and Latin music! Cost: $16. For more info, click here.
Today, is the first day of June and it also marks the start of the DC Jazz Festival which is scheduled to run June 1 - 13. The jazz festival will feature over 100 musicians at various venues throughout Washington, DC.
The DC Jazz Festival is a highly anticpated annual event and features not only performances by jazz greats but by local musicians and students. Events will be held at Bohemian Caverns, Carter Barron, Listner Auditorium (on the campus of George Washington University) as well as other locations.
Since I'm all about free and low-cost things to do in DC, I scoured their website for FREE jazz festival events. On June 5 and 6, there will be Jazz 'n Families Fun Day at The Phillips Collection a celebration of music and art, for more information click here. On Saturday, June 12 at 3:30pm, there will be a matinee performance featuring the Claudio Roditi Quartet (Brazil) & the Eddie Palmieri Latin Jazz Band. Tickets are available at Lisner's Box Office and through Ticketmaster. While the event is listed as free, there's a $3.00 Ticketmaster convenience charge + $1.00 ticket fee per ticket, which really isn't bad for a concert. For tickets, click here.
To learn more about this event, visit http://www.dcjazzfest.org/. You can also follow them on twitter: www.twitter.com/dcjazzfest.
