A few things to know around DC: Southeast Tennis and Learning Center is expanding, with groundbreaking next Wednesday, increasing indoor tennis facilities in DC as well as outdoor tennis and pickleball. You can see the in depth plans here. It's cold 🥶 and getting colder. Expect more cold air and wind to come in this afternoon, making the windchill drop low. But, after this arctic blast, we're getting some warm weather coming Sunday. The metro is going to be all kinds of messed up December...
9 days ago • 8 min read
Happy Thanksgiving! Staying in DC around the holidays is fun. You can explore the city without the crowds, find parking fairly easily wherever you go, and have the opportunity to chill out. I hope that wherever you are, you do something that lights you up inside. I'll be hosting my parents, cooking Ina Garten's Perfect Roast Chicken instead of a turkey (10/10 recommend), and hopefully Lil Mikey will be earning a new BARK Ranger badge! I'm continuing with highlighting more events that are put...
16 days ago • 7 min read
Making friends as an adult is hard, and a lot of you want more ways to make new friends. I know that a common New Year's resolution is to put yourself out there more, so over the next couple months, I'm focusing more on things to do with groups that meet up regularly. Going to regularly-scheduled events with similar groups of people is a great way to get to know people better and connect. I've found that the hardest part is hanging out regularly, so these events will help you do that over a...
23 days ago • 6 min read
I've officially started adding holiday events to the calendar, so check out some options and plan your holiday season. I personally think Christmas should not be acknowledged until Thanksgiving has passed, but having gone to my first holiday market of the season last weekend, I also know that the world moves on without me! Valerie Give Back for Thanksgiving Join me and others from the community for an 8:00 AM shift to help pack groceries for home-bound DC residents before Thanksgiving. Food...
30 days ago • 4 min read
For no reason in particular, you may want to check out last week's issue for tips on how to disconnect. Valerie Give Back for Thanksgiving Join me and others from the community for an 8:00 AM shift to help pack groceries for home-bound DC residents before Thanksgiving. Food For All DC is located in Logan Circle and focused on helping the community for the past 40 years. Start and end times are flexible! Sign up for the volunteer shift on Monday, November 25. Spaces are limited! Things to Know...
about 1 month ago • 4 min read
I was in Charlottesville this weekend for a wedding, and let me tell you, this is a beautiful time of year to be enjoying the hills full of color. This is also the last weekend that a lot of pick-your-own apple farms are letting you pick, so get out there if you want to do it this year! Valerie Things to Know in DC The election is next week, and I have no advice on where to find the best watch party (though Kamala will be at Howard), but I do have some advice on how to disconnect from all the...
about 1 month ago • 6 min read
This week we're getting straight into events! It's been a busy week for me so apologies for the delay. There are some fun fall activities this weekend, and it seems like it will be a beautiful weekend for leaf peeping. If you head over to Rock Creek Park headquarters, you can see some foliage and also get your dog inducted as a BARK Ranger on Saturday. Looking for a BARK Ranger costume? Check out how I made mine! Valerie Things to Do in DC: Next 4 Weeks Psst!Want other fun things that pop up...
about 2 months ago • 5 min read
This past week, we've had the northern lights and a once-in-80,000 years comet. The comet has been elusive for me, though I've been looking each night. If you want to give it a try, here are some details on seeing it and where to look. I have read that you may need binoculars or a camera to see it, and maybe it's not visible by the naked eye? Give it a try though--you have some more days to try to catch it. Good luck! Valerie Things to Know in DC The leaves are starting to change colors, with...
about 2 months ago • 5 min read
Love is Blind talk has officially taken over all of my social feeds, and I have been loving the gossip--but at the same, it feels weird! Because they're in our orbits. I'm usually a Bravo reality TV girl. The production team is just unmatched. The fact that the producers didn't find the extra money to get Leo and Brittany past the pods should tell you everything you need to know about the difference in production quality between the two. I'm not saying that Bravo shows are perfect. But they...
2 months ago • 6 min read