Legen..wait for it..DARY! Holiday in the Caribbean

The delicious food! with Dr. Pepper

Stardate: 65435.7

14:45 - Focus Foxies intimately acquainted with yours truly know my life’s ambition is to throw an epic office party. I mean the office’s send of season 4, Phyllis inspired shindig would be what I am envisioning. I want something magical. Well, this year, I came one step closer to that goal!

In November, I was nominated to co-run the Party Planning Committee (PPC). I immediately started planning greatness for my office Christmas Holiday party (we can’t have Christmas parties). I found a highly rated by Yelp caterer in the Petworth area, and thus the theme was born: A Holiday in the Caribbean. We ordered Sweet Mango Café, a small Caribbean restaurant/caterer. Sweet Mango Café specializes in Jerk chicken, so we didn’t deviate from their forte. I cannot stress that this was going out on a limb because I have never had Caribbean food. I was quite relieved when the food came, and they chopped the chicken up bones and all. You know something is authentic and amazing when they do not bother to use ‘American’ style of cutting meat. The jerk chicken spiced us up, the curry chicken cooled us off, and the fried plantains lit our world up! We might need to road trip up to Petworth for seconds!

Signage at the bar. 'Rebecca' never 

showed

My winnings

While on our Holiday in the Caribbean, we played some really fun games. The first was a drawing game; the object was to draw a person doing something at a place. We picked each of these three factors out of a pile. Other people had to guess what the picture was. I had to draw the Unabomber playing soccer at Disney World.  It was pretty twisted to having to draw that, but someone guessed it. We played White Elephant where Machiavelli meets Christmas in an epic battle not to get stuck with crap. I won a nice little bottle of white wine! #winning

The most epic part of our Holiday in the Caribbean (besides penguin decorations that I appropriated after the party) was the free happy hour I won for our office. We all went to the Mighty Pint for one hour. How many people do you know that can get you rail drinks and Guinness for free? Not naming too many, now are you? It was that awesome. True story.

All the festivities of the day turned out well. I was happy to be a part of making everyone’s day/season a bit brighter. And I have plans for next year…

Jingle All the Way 8k 2011

 Stardate 65418.2

Occupy DC had to move over a bit!

17:30 – As part of a resolution to run more often, I signed up for a 8k fun run called Jingle All the Way. For the Focus Foxies rushing to Google to get a miles conversion, it is about 4.97 miles. We will just round that up to 5 miles. This past Sunday, I ran that race in 32 degree Fahrenheit. If I was back in Texas, I would not even step a toe outside because that is just too cold. Yet, on Sunday, I managed to run those 5 miles and dress appropriately warm for it.

 

The race had around 6,000 runners from all over the DC area that trotted alongside and ahead of me.  I have never seen the roads of DC so packed with people. Literally, a sea of people washed over the nation’s capital trying to outrun their practice times.  Many people dressed in Holiday gear, including Santas, toy soldiers, reindeer, and a few menorahs. I was not as fancy, but I did have jingle bells on my shoes.

My time for the race was 51.18. Not a bad place to start, but I would like to get faster!

BBQ Bus and GovLoop

 Stardate 65412.8

17:30 - Two things you do not yell in a federal building: Fire and/or Free Food! Either declaration will be followed by a stampede of government workers.  GovLoop, a social networking site for government employees, broadcasted the latter, and a bunch of public servants ran out of their buildings. This past Thursday, 500 government workers received free lunch from GovLoop in honor of their 50,000^th member joining. The best part was Food Trucks served the lunch.

Being fortunate enough to work around the L’Enfant plaza, my free lunch came from the BBQ Bus.  Our amazing lunch came with tender pulled pork sandwiches, tangy coleslaw, and chips. Now this BBQ tastes pretty decent. I say this because it is North Carolina BBQ. While I appreciate the finer points of their style, it ain’t Texas BBQ, but a close second.  That is high praise from any Texan.

For those, Focus Foxies, not familiar with GovLoop, they provide a social network for public servants in all levels and positions to connect and trade ideas about making the government a better place to do business.  They gave my friend, Mauricio, a scholarship for writing an awesome essay. It may be a small world out there, but crossing over and connecting different agencies can be hard. I am glad that someone out there is trying to change that.

From one of the 500 public servants who received free lunch, I would like to thank GovLoop and BBQ Bus. It is nice to know that government workers are still appreciated.

Saturday in Annapolis

Maryland State House

St John's College

Stardate 65432.2

4:30 - I have not had the opportunity to explore outside of the DC metro area so when I received an invitation for a day trip to Annapolis, I jumped on the opportunity. Last Saturday, we road triped to the fair capital of Maryland to see what we could see. Focus Foxies, Annapolis may be small but has a lot to offer.

Party Boat

The start of our adventure began at Chick-fil-a. The only reason I include that in the log is for y’all in Texas to know that I still live in a civilized place. It even had Dr. Pepper. Once full, we journeyed onward towards the port town.  Crossing over College Creek, Annapolis greets you with a quaint colonial vibe with their St. Anne’s cemetery, streets named ‘Duke of Gloucester,’ and Maryland State House. The tour of Annapolis started at St. John’s College. I know what you are thinking, Focus Foxies: a liberal arts university in a capital city? Isn’t that bad news bears? Relax; it is not as bad as it sounds. The campus is lovely and uber small; the ‘Johnnies’ grow on you. Next, we meandered to the Maryland State House and Governor’s mansion, which both can easily be walked around.  Security is not tight there to say the least. Fun fact: as the first domed capital building in the U.S., the original State House’s dome was built without the use of nails. When rebuilt in modern times, they could not recreate that magic. From the Maryland’s seat of power, we sauntered down the streets of Annapolis briefly stopping into St. Mary’s Catholic Church (a must see for anyone in the area).  We finally came to my second favorite part of the day: the BOATS! We reached the harbor to see boats docked as far as the eye could see. They even had party boats!

Thurgood Marshall

Robert Brooke Taney

Our final destination for Annapolis was at Galway Bay, an Irish pub. Galway Bay is a cozy little place nestled in the heart of Annapolis and a staple in the local diet. Now I have been told that Maryland crab cakes or crab anything can be the most amazing thing you have ever tasted so I put that to the test and ordered a crab cake. It turned out well, enhanced by washing it down with a Galway Bay Red Ale. Another first try for me was eggnog. Galway Bay serves imported eggnog from Ireland, which tasted out of this world. I should have bought a bottle to bring home.

I could not have asked for a better way to spend a Saturday afternoon. I could live in Annapolis except for the skyrocketing real estate prices. But a girl can dream.

Annapolis Harbor

PR at Partners

Stardate 65420.9

14:55 - Last night, I went to PR at Partners hair salon because I needed to get my hair did, badly. I am not one to fuss about hair issues but my hair style was oscillating from 'no-style' to Alan Rickman's Severus Snape.  Either of these do not qualify as hot in my book. Being in a new city, I took a recommendation from a friend, which came with a coupon, and scheduled an appointment with PR at Partners.

Focus Foxies, when I go out on a limb and try to be cool with my hair styles, the hair cuts tend to be a series of bad 70s cuts. The most defining example of this comes from the seventh grade. As you can imagine, I was too nerdy/dorky/geeky to function, but I wanted to be cool.  At that time, all of the pretty, cool girls had 'layers' in their hair. Young me did not quite get the concept of layers because I had always had a straight cut in back and for my bangs.  So I requested layers for my next hair cut and my 'stylist' (who doubled as my piano teacher. $5 for a cut or piano lesson was the going rate). What she gave me was a 70s inspired shag cut. Google David Cassidy from the Partridge family; that was me in the seventh grade. It was so bad that the next day when I went to the lunch table, people said I looked like a boy and everyone laughed at me. I tried laughing with the joke and my orthodontic work got stuck, preventing my mouth from closing. Damn overbite corrector! Anyways, you can see how I could be a big ball of insecurity to this day when trying something new with my hair.

I have watched plenty of episodes Tabitha's Salon Take Over to know that going to a salon does not equal good quality. BUT, I am in a new fancy city, and I am trying new and fancy things. So, I put aside my upbringing and tried a place out that cost more than 15 dollars. I got played, badly.  Despite my stylist, Huey, being 45 minutes late, I only requested three things. (side note: he showed me a picture of Natalie Portman as what he wanted to do with my hair, and I had visions of looking like Senator Amidala. Expectations way too high for starters. double side note: the picture might have been of Kiera Knightley, but telling the two apart is really hard. See Episode I, but I digress.) The first thing, I wanted to have enough hair to pull back. I work out 4-5 times a week and need a pony tail. Check, easy to do. Second thing, low maintenance is key. He didn't do so great here. I will probably have to put product and blow dry it. Not a happy camper about that. Lastly and most importantly, I wanted volume to my hair. Let me explain you something about a stereotypical Texas woman. We like our hair big. The TV show Dallas was not lost on us. We updated our styles but continue the homage. We like big hair, big personalities and big... well you can fill the blank on that one. So you can imagine my surprise when the 'voluminous' hair cut I got fell flatter than a pancake. It was crepe thin!

Considering there were people sleeping on the ground outside, it was silly of me to walk out balling my eyes out, but I miss Texas so damn much at times like these. Every time I go into a place like this, I feel like I have sucker written on my forehead and someone will take advantage me not knowing anything about anything. Funny thing is, when I got home, the 'styling' Huey did left with Farrah Faucet wing tips. Some things just don't change.

18th Street Lounge

Stardate 65413.6

 07:13 - The is a story about how this Focus Foxy got her groove back at a little place we call 18th Street Lounge.  Since coming to DC, my Aggie friends do not like going dancing. If it is not the Hall, then they don't go. Lame. So a few Fridays back, I decided not to be lame and instead be awesome. True Story. My coworker put out the bat signal for all 'Dancing Queens' out there to come to 18th St Lounge. I answered her call by donning on my old ropa de Costa Rica, including hot dress, leggings, larger than life hoop earrings and a Rosary. (side note: I have lost enough weight to fit back into these clothes because of DC. What, what!)

How do I describe 18th Street Lounge? Located next to a Mattress Discount store, it is were vampires go to dance (not Twilight types).  This Victorian inspired dance club has different music playing in each room. Jazz is on top, latin in the middle, and house music in different pockets of this three story dance-a-poloza.  Now being in a 'fancy' dance place, I decided to let the bartender choose and make drinks for me.  These drinks were fancy and tasted funky (not in a good way), but I got one free. What you, Focus Foxies, want to know is can I still shake it? Fact. I base this on only Latinos being able to keep up with me. 'La Reigna' still has it. But on a more serious note, I was rusty.

I had so much fun that I almost lost my jacket at the end of the evening. I was so scared when I could not find it because outside the temperature ranged from 35 to 31, and this Texan can't handle that just yet. Bro tip: please use the coat check if inclement weather is about. Only three dollars, it is worth it.

Thankful Thanksgiving

Stardate 65411.4

12:02 - My first Thanksgiving in DC did not resemble anything like a traditional one. I spent it in a bar with my fellow Aggies. I had no turkey but opted for a bevo burn in the form of a hamburger, blue cheese and bacon. As we watched in hope, we were horrified at the last second by a field goal. I fully expected the next morning to wake up to facebook cries for Sherman's head, and there were a few.  I was very happy to see more Aggies still proud to be at Texas A&M despite everything that had transpired.

Of the multitude of reasons for why I love being an Aggie, a few were extremely transparent that day. First, I can always count on having someone to have dinner with on both Thanksgiving and April 21st. I know of no other school where complete strangers are willing to dine and spend a holiday night together. Because despite not knowing each other's name when you came, you leave friends.  As a new person in the city, our little bar was a beacon for new Aggies to the area who didn't have someone to spend the day with, but they had their fellow Aggs. Second, if a t-sip walks in on our bar, we treat them with respect. Expect the vice versa scenario to not be as respectful. Lastly, DuVal Jr. '51 once wrote of the Aggie football team, "I've seen 'em lose and I've seen 'em win But I've never seen 'em quit." The boys on the field had their fight cut out for them, but the team that I saw not quitting was the 12th man. For that, I am forever grateful to have been amongst the Fightin' Texas Aggie 12th man in the decks of Kyle Field.

Thanks and Gig'em!

Ethiopic

Taken from the Ethiopic website

Stardate 65411.4
 
12:01 - Ethiopian food has always topped my list of cuisines to try. After watching Marcus Samuelsson win Top Chef Masters, I was dying to get my hands on some.  Washington DC has a surprisingly concentrated population of Ethiopians who start amazing restaurants.  One such restaurant is Ethiopic on H Street. This quiet and romantic cafe boasts of some delicious Ethiopian food.

For those Focus Foxies not familiar with Ethiopian food, the closest relative would be Indian food (second or third cousin type of relative). Ethiopian food packs a curry like punch and the flavors tend to build over time. A staple in any Ethiopian dish is the spongy sourdough bread called injera. Injera serves as the base of each meal in which each meat or veggie dish is rolled up in. At Ethiopic, we ordered lamb tibs and fosolia caramelized. Lamb tibs consisted of spiced lamb chunks with jalapenos; the lamb was a bit tough but spiced nicely.  Fosolia caramelized involves green beans, carrots and caramelized onions soaked in balsamic vinegar. If I could make any type of vegetable dish in the world, it would be fosolia.  Believe me, since this night, I have tried....and failed. The final (and pretty much Texan part) side order included a pico de gallo mix of tomatoes and jalapenos. As far as wine selection goes, I highly recommend the honey wine which is a Ethiopian specialty. Sweet like the name suggests, honey wine helps mellow out the spiciness of the food.

I stole this one too from Ethiopic. I completely forgot to take pictures

I recommend trying Ethiopian food out; you will not regret it.  You should bring  a whole pack of Focus Foxies with you because Ethiopian is meant to be shared family style. If you decide to go to Ethiopic specifically, get a reservation at one of the alcove tables. It is pretty secluded from the rest of the cafe, but watch out for the lowered ceilings. True story.

Eye of the Turkey

Stardate 65391.6

07:22 - A while back, I posted about my taking up running again.  I wanted to share with you, Focus Foxies, that I have been keeping up with this horrid exercise. I ran a 5k at my gym for their first annual Turkey Trot. Yes, I finished a whole 5k, and I did it in 30:15 minutes.  This puts me at a 9.45 minute mile.  I pretty proud and stoked about that. To prepare for this epicness, I listened to 'Eye of the Tiger' thus the post title. However, the shirts they gave afterwards where an ugly hazard yellow.  I will not be taking a picture of it and showing you decent people because like me, orange offends your eyes.

First Fall

Stardate 65361.6

07:32 - Houston, Texas and the surrounding cities that I grew up in do not experience all four seasons.  Most notably missing is the Fall season.  There exists a week in November where we can turn off the air conditioning, and we have been accustomed to calling this Fall.  However, we generally move from blazing hot to our 'cold' in a blink of an eye or one bad rain storm. All of this has deprived me of ever experiencing a Fall. I mean never. Now that I am in D.C., I can finally see and feel what Fall is all about.  Focus Foxies, I am impressed with the crunchy leaves, changes in color, little kids dressed in cute mittens and coats, and fast moving squirrels preparing for winter.  Side note: D.C. has a ton of squirrels. I seriously worry about kicking one when I go running. 

 One of the benefits of Fall is Starbucks ability to tap into their consumers' love of holiday flavors.  They start offering seasonal drinks, such as pumpkin spic lattes, as soon as October comes around.  It always seemed nuts to me having these holiday drinks when the weather is still in the 80s in Texas.  I do not care how addictive Starbucks may be; in that weather, it's a no go for me.  This Veteran's Day, I enjoyed the cooler weather of DC and my day off. I took the Starbucks gift card from my parents, and I went to try the much beloved and talked about pumpkin spice latte. Let me tell you, Focus Foxies, freedom wasn't the only thing I was thankful for that day; this little latte was amazing until the crappy Starbucks cup exploded on me. So Freedom 1 Starbucks 0.


I have pictures of the Fall for all Focus Foxies still in Texas. As you can see, not all the colors are that ugly orange color.  Maroon leaves can happen. Whoop!

Special shout to my favorite military folks and this post's sponsors: Dad and Mom.

NAKID Karaoke

Stardate 65379

17:35 - I have joined a kickball league called NAKID (No, Adult kickball isn't dumb).  The league is full of young and awesome people from around the DC area.  Occasionally, NAKID hosts pretty sweet parties, and last Friday, they held a Karaoke contest. I have never been labeled a singer. In fact, when I told Mama Fox  I was going to do Karaoke, she flat out told me that I can't sing, and she only hears me in church.  So you know, Focus Foxies, that is the heaven sent truth. Luckily, Karaoke calls for a bit more performance than singing talent. With this in mind, I dragged Abby along with me to sing them a song.

We did not sing in the competition because let's be honest, we couldn't win.  We sang 'Chicken Fried' by Zac Brown Band. We would allow you to join our group, but you would have to wear a purple sweater dress, black tights, and black boots, which we both did without any pre-planning. I will say knowing the lyrics to a song will enhance your performance.  I really thought that I knew all the words to 'Chicken Fried', but it turns out, I don't remember the second half of the chorus.  It was a struggle.

More highlights of the evening include a pair of guys singing 'A Whole New World' from Aladdin. A dude in Dixie shirt wailed Barbra Streisand's  "Wind Beneath My Wings' but refused to joining the entire group of NAKIDers in a round of 'Friends in Low Places.'  Also, I met the guy who won 3rd place in the contest. So I know an extremely minor celebrity.

All in All, Focus Foxies, I highly suggest you sing when forced up to a Karaoke mic by your friends.  Remember, it is not peer pressure; it is just your turn.

Legendary Happy Hour

Stardate 65372.5

Snagged from the HC website

07:22 - A couple weeks ago, a coworker asked me to help plan a happy our for the office.  Focuse Foxies, DC runs on the concept and execution of the idea of happy hour. Washingtonians love a good happy; hell, we will even invite people form Virginia and Maryland to this merriment out of sheer good will and fun times. The challenge to me was to plan a happy hour for a group in a town with no space on a night before a holiday weekend. Challenge Accepted!

Space, location, and funness were all important aspects of a great Happy Hour bar.  Also, good food is a plus.  I searched high and low in the downtown, Chinatown, and Penn Quarter neighborhoods for the perfect bar for the young and old and all around cheap. Eventually, I went with what I knew to be a tried and true place: Hill Country BBQ.  Hill Country BBQ is where expat Texans go to find tender brisket and cold Shiner pitchers. With that in mind, I decided to bring all of my new coworkers to this Texas oasis.
And it was Legen..wait for it dary! Legendary! Half of the office showed up. More importantly, I used my Aggie connections to reserve two huge booth tables to accommodate everyone. Bonus, I introduced everyone to Shiner for the first time, and they were hooked. I actually have never partaken in the BBQ side of the establishment and corrected that, that night by ordering a brisket chomp meal.  Honestly, it tasted almost as good as my grandfather's pit.  Not bad praise from any Texan.

Everyone thought the event was a great success.  So much so, I earned a spot on the Party Planning Committee and am one of two people planning the office Christmas party.

Focus Foxy Shout Outs: Simon for making the Hill Country Connection