Surf over to Mags Direct for savings on magazines.

Housekeeping! *fluffs pillow*

1. I announced yesterday on the Social Media Club – DC blog that I’ve taken over as President! We had such a successful year – even with some organizational challenges and a few people who had to drop out, we still held a high-quality panel or networking event every single month with 50-100 people in attendance. Imagine what we could do WITH a little more organization? So with that said, we’re currently accepting applications for the 2011-2012 SMC-DC Leadership Team. We’ll need people for the Events, Sponsorship, Digital, and Marketing teams (complete descriptions of the committees and roles here). If you or someone you know would be interested, you know what to do!

2. If you’re thinking about applying, or just want to hang out with a kickass group of social media enthusiasts, make sure you come to the SMCDC Summer Social tomorrow night at Co Co Sala. Scoutmob is sponsoring (Wednesday is also their official DC launch date!!) – and they’ll be buying a drink for every single person who downloads their app to their phone.

3. As part of the oh-so-awesome group involved with The Community Manager, I’ve volunteered to help organize the first ever DC Community Management meetup on Tuesday, August 2nd at Elephant & Castle. If you help manage the Facebook page, Twitter account, or other online community for your business or group, we’d love to have you! Register here.

4. I’ll be speaking at the D.C. Humanities Council “Humantini” on the “ABC’s of DC: Americans, Blogs, and Culture” on August 10th at Tabaq on U Street. It promises to be a grand old time…

5. I’ll also be speaking on the Baltimore Social Media Club’s panel on “Blogging and Social Media“ on August 11th with Jill of Scary Mommy, Scott Paley of Abstract Edge, and Sunday Stilwell of Adventures in Extreme Parenthood. I’d love to see some of you there (where my Bmore people at?!)

Mama said share.

Ahhhhhhhhh it’s been two weeks!!! What the what? How in the???

I missed you guys.

SO. Yes, the shiny new job is everything I hope it would be and more. I am a lucky, lucky girl… DON’T I KNOW IT.

There is so much going on my head is spinning, LIT-RALLY, but it’s all good- nay, great- so you won’t hear a peep of complaint out of me. I’ve been trying to scale back all those extra little projects I constantly seem to take on, but I think at my core I’m happiest when I’m busy and plotting planning and meeting friends and making connections, so as long as I’m “juggling” rather than “burning out at a terrifying pace”, life is what it is- one big, happy, crazy mess of STUFF ‘N THINGS that I adore.

For example, DC friends! It’s been far too long since we clinked a beer together. Let’s fix that at Tonic (Mt. Pleasant) on Wednesday, Jan. 26th, mmmkay? They’ve recently renovated the upstairs bar (next to Radius Pizza) and it is THE GORGEOUS. My dear friend Patrice, the best bartender in the world, will be personally taking care of our group, so RSVP here (no physical ‘ticket’ needed to come- that’s just Eventbrite’s way, just sign up and you’re good to go) and I’ll see you then! (Half-priced burgers, beers, and more… and don’t forget, Tonic is the king of the tator tot!)

Now! For everyone NOT in DC, it’s also been too long since I saw you. Particularly if we’ve never met.

Let’s fix that.

This May 19th-22nd, bloggers from all over the USofA and beyond will converge on America’s Playground, aka Las Vegas (Vegas, baby, Vegas!!!) for the renowned BLOGGERS IN SIN CITY ultimate meetup. Four days of drinking, bonding, sun, drinking, unicorns, hugs, dance parties, and drinking. All the info you need is here, but feel free to ask me any questions in the comments if you’re thinking about coming (please do!) It was an absolute blast last year, and with more organization and some crazy awesome sponsorship, this year promises to be even better. What what!!!

Next up: I finally decided to make one of those rad “Facebook pages” the kids are all talking about for this here blog, so if you want to add a little glitter to my day, head on over to the ‘book and LIKE this crazy thing. I’ll also be deleting my “blog” profile in lieu of that page, so if you wanna KIT, that’s where to do it!

Finally (housekeeping! You want me fluff your pillow?) – after a wonderful year as a contributing editor with DC Blogs, I’ve decided to relinquish my Tuesday slot to someone who has more time on their hands and is able to truly find the best, the brightest, and the most colorful from around the DC blogosphere. If you’re interested in being a weekly contributing editor at DC Blogs, shoot them an email with your info (name, url, etc.) and why you want to be a part of that stellar community (and trust me, it is).

*phew*

So that’s my news! What’s yours?

Mama said share.

Ladies and germs, come on dowwwwwn to the Greatest Show/Hot Mess/Birthday Party/Epic to End All Epicness in the World!!!!

This Saturday I, along with my co-birthday gals Maxie & Liz, most of DC, and friends from California to Colorado to Pennsylvania to New York to Chicago to Seattle will be coming together to celebrate the amazing, the awesome, the helluva hot mess that is

We’ll be launching the PARTAY (hey! ho! hey! ho!) at Sign of the Whale (18th and M, Farragut North) at 8pm this Saturday evening, with no end in sight. Put on your big girl panties, your drinking hat, and come on out for a Grand Ole Time. Just say “PB and Tuna” at the door, and they’ll usher you into our top secret back room area, where we will enjoy $3 domestics, $3 rail drinks, and $4 SWEET TEA VODKAS, YO.

For more where/when/who info, and to RSVP (not required, but your mama raised you right, yes?)- please just click that big disgusting PB & Tuna button up there. For more reasons to show your pretty face and for pictures from last year’s event, check out my lovely lady Maxie’s post.

Can’t wait to see you all!!!!!!!!!

Mama said share.

(Apologies for the above. It was simply too horrendous NOT to share.)

Well now, it’s just not like me to let a holiday go by without a celebration of sorts. Especially a holiday that means we don’t have to go to work on a Monday. BLAM!

So Thursday, Sept. 2nd (so you peoples heading out of town have no excuse), come on down to the Sign of the Whale to celebrate our day of freedom from Labor and hopefully, the end to this hellish summer weather.

Specials include $2 domestics, $2 rails, and $4 sweet tea vodka drinks (just for us, because we’re special and the SotW people are freaking awesome).

So make sure to come on out and wear your best AMERICAN!!!

Love,

LiLu & Liz

CLICK THE PRETTY BUTTON TO RSVP (and then tweet to share!):

Steal the pretty button to share with your peoples:

<a href="http://twtvite.com/americuhhh" target="_blank"><img src="http://i556.photobucket.com/albums/ss5/Livitluvit/labor-day.gif" border="0" alt="AMERICUH FTW HH" /></a>






Yes, this is an ad. Mama is poor, yo:

Guaranteed HP0-S26 exam preparation with help of 646-230 dumps and 642-384 practice exam!

Mama said share.

The deal is this: I have a new sponsor, and they’re freaking awesome.

I’d tell you about What’s The Deal (WTD), but the picture on their “How It Works” page does it better than I ever could:

Much like the other “coupon-y” sites out there, right? Except 1) they’re DC-centric (love), and 2) WTD doesn’t put a 24-hour clock on their deals- you have 7 to 10 days to snatch something interesting. (Like, say, if a great deal comes out on Tuesday, but you don’t get paid til Friday… not that I’d ever be familiar with THAT scenario. I’m much too responsible for that. Cough.)

Also, they’re cool. And I know it doesn’t take much to be cooler than me, but you don’t have to take my word for it; just check out their FAQs.

Will WTD come and party with me?

Sure. Just e-mail us at comepartywithme@sowhatsthedeal.com

What’s your favorite color?

Blue. Not quite navy but a nice dark blue does the trick.

How many fingers am I holding up?

s;dkljg

Ummm none… all you did was scroll down to the answer. You’re better than that…

Love me a company with some personality, yo.

Anyhoo! One of their latest deals is $25 worth of food AND drink- yes, booze- for a measly 10 bucks, at the awkwardly-green-and-golf-themed-yet-perfectly-located 19th (at 19th and Eye St NW). I was just there a couple weeks ago for a happy hour and it was officially a grand old time. They have food and drink specials at their “Happiest Hour,” as they call it, and the BBQ sliders I had were a) six bucks and b) DELICIOUS.

Also, the lovely Chelsey introduced me to some magical grapefruit concoction they have that was both delightfully refreshing and entirely boozy (A+ in my book).

You’ve got til Wednesday to grab the deal, so hurry up and do it so we can all go party down one summer eve. (Inside and air-conditioned is how I like it lately, but they do have an outside patio as well.)

To sign up for the WTD daily email (today’s featured deal is 50% off at Panache; tomorrow is $25 for $10 bucks at Adams Mill- I like this food thing they’ve got going on here)… just clicky here.

In accordance with FTC Guidelines, blah blah blah obviously I already TOLD you they were a sponsor. But y’all know I don’t promote shiz I don’t like. So here’s your disclaimer: “Yes they paid me some monies for a picture on the sidebar and all but are still totally awesome.”

Mama said share.

If you will remember from yesterday’s post about how kickass my fave local band Redline Addiction is (are you following them on the Tweet yet? Liked them on Facebook? Bought their albums??? GET ON IT!)- there’s another very important part to this Challenge; the “Personal” aspect.

Personal: What three musical moments have impacted your life most?

Let’s do this.

Moment The First!

When I was still a wee Masshole in the 4th grade, I got my very first CD. I played it over and over and over and OVER until I’m sure my parents wished I’d never heard of that hot new band…

ACE OF BASE!!!!!

Not only did I have the album on repeat for the better part of 1994, my teeny bopper pals and I choreographed an entire dance routine to “The Sign”- a very, very literal one- and performed it at my elementary school’s talent show for all the world to see.

Even as a munchkin, I knew not what “embarrassment” was. And I’m about to prove that I remember every. last. move…

It was cuter when I was 10. Promise.

(The crimped hair, BoSox t-shirt, and super-flared jeans are all throw backs to my years as a 90′s kid in New England. Wicked pissah, right??)

Moment The Second!

When we made it to middle school and decided that Swedish pop bands weren’t cool enough for us anymore, my super edgy friends and I dove into the swing and ska phase that swept the nation. (I guess we weren’t so edgy after all, huh.)

I’ve always loved the old school big bands and brass boys- Glenn Miller, Duke, Dizzy, Benny Goodman, Louie Armstrong. But with the arrival of Reel Big Fish, Less Than Jake, and the Cherry Poppin’ Daddies (whose album my father refused to buy me- ha!)- my love of horns suddenly had a modern place in my life.

When The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, my MOST FAVORITE BAND EVER IN THE WORLD WORLD AT LEAST THIS MONTH ANYWAY I’M A TEENAGER AND I’M FICKLE, YO!!! came to town, I begged and begged and begged my parents to let me go to my very first concert, unsupervised, on New Year’s Eve, with a pack of 14 year olds. They said no approximately 4,389 times… and then relented just in time for a very convenient Christmas present.

We were having an okay time at the Worcester Centrum, but we wanted to get down to the floor where the actual skanking was going on! Only problem was, you needed a very fancy (read: expensive) orange wristband to do it.

So, we did what any kid would do. We bought king-sized Reese’s cups (orange!), and folded the wrappers into “bracelets.”

I don’t think we fooled the guards for one second, but they must have felt sorry for our pimply little faces, because they let us onto the floor, where we proceeded to have the Best. Night. Ever. Of our pathetic adolescent little lives, anyway.

I still have that Reese’s wrapper.

Moment The Third!

Throughout my life, whenever someone has asked me who my favorite artist of all time is, I’ve not once hesitated. It is, without question, Billy My Main Man Joel.

As long as I can remember, his songs have moved me like no one else’s. Scenes from an Italian Restaurant, She’s Always a Woman, The Entertainer, Piano Man, Captain Jack, We Didn’t Start the Fire, The Longest Time, Uptown Girl… (well, okay… ALL OF THEM, basically).

And yes, especially “Only the Good Die Young,” even though I will never forget this moment; my father and I were driving home listening to it (Hi, Dad!), and at the tender and awkward age age of 16, I proudly belted out every last word. He pulled into the driveway, stopped the car, looked at me, and said,

“Do you know what that song is about?”

OHMIGOD OHMIGOD WE ARE SO NOT HAVING THIS TALK RIGHT NOW EFFFFFF MY LIFE!!!!!!

Somehow, that moment passed without me dying. And years later, when I finally- finally- got to see my musical hero live in Madison Square Garden… that is a night I will never, ever forget.

It is, undoubtedly, one of the very biggest checks on my Bucket List.

LOVE YOU BILLY, you musical genius you!!!

Bonus Round!

I promised to RickRoll a bar if y’all got me to 3,500 followers on Twitter, and by George, you did it. So last Friday at our DC Amazeballs Happy Hour, I dragged the crew over to one of my favorite spots in town, Fado, who not only allowed us to partake, they supported me throughout with Tweets and Facebook posts. You guys are the best!

Karaoke has always been one of my favorite extracurricular activities, and the Ginger’s is often my go-to song… so in short? I’d say we rocked it.

Update: So, I just watched the Ace of Base and Rick Astley videos and succession, and I realized that my skills as a choreographer are currently EXACTLY the same as they were when I was 10.

Like the post tag says, it’s a good thing I make a mean martini. (And a mean tweet. There’s no dancing in tweeting, right, MTV?!)

Mama said share.

No, literally. She sent me this. Like in an email.

Gotta say, while freaking hilarious, it doesn’t quite hold a candle to the hot mess that was Liza Minnelli’s rendition in SATC2 (aka the only five minutes I didn’t want to put my eyes through a sieve during that movie).

Happy weekend! And thanks to everyone who came out last night for the Happy Hour- so great to see you!

Maxie
Lexa
Brad
Katie
12minds
GraceElena & her darling man
Restaurant Refugee
JerzeyGrrl
DCPrincess &”the boy”
Jesserker
Elizabeth Clay
RachelSmiles & her entire office building
Jasmine
The Northerner
J. Money & delightful friend
Malnurtured Snay
AmandaKruse
Lusty Reader and her charming hubby
LA Cochran
Gilahi
Rachel (What a Grand World)
and pixie658 all the way from VA beach! Amazing to see you so soon after Vegas!

If I forgot anyone, hugs and kisses, my brain is not, how do you say, *functioning*, yet. Let me know and I’ll fix it on the fly, yo.

Thanks again for coming… bear hugs and big wet smooches!

~take it, leave it, love it, spank it~

Mama said share.

You all know this game by now. Time for another installment of “The Shiz My Boyfriend Says.” Woot!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Yesterday, B dropped off our yoga mats to our (phenomenal) neighborhood bartender for their kids event this Saturday. Upon returning home…

B: So I dropped the mats off, and she came out from the bar like she was going to give me a hug, and we just stood there looking at each other. So awkward.

Me: What? Why wouldn’t you give her a hug??

B: I don’t do hugs.

Me: …….

B: You know those people who like to hug all the time? I’m basically the opposite of that. Not for me.

Me: But I hug you all the time!

B: Well, you’re different.

Me: (pause of disbelief) Um, not even joking? I bought a shirt that says “Free Hugs” today.

B: Well, here we are.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We see a commercial for Saw 19 or whatever.

Me: Seriously?? (meaning, they’re actually making ANOTHER of these?)

B: I know, didn’t that guy die in the first one?

Me: I don’t know. I don’t watch that horror shit.

B: Oh, that’s right… cause you’re a goddamn coward.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I look up to see B feeding Axe Murderer bits of chicken on top of the bookshelf. He grabs a nearby paper towel and takes a half-hearted swipe at the mess.

Me: Um, gross. Can you at least get a WET paper towel?

B: Why, so you can EAT off there?! Sheesh.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Trying out our new HD Blu-Ray, an episode of Legend of the Seeker is on. I should probably mention that the main character looks like this:

You can use your Sword of Truth on me anytime, baby.

Me: Oh Richard… so shirtless.

B: What! I’m taking the Blu-Ray back!!

Me: Oh, please. There’s more than enough boobs-in-slow-mo fight scenes to make this even.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

See you all tonight at the Happy Hour, lovebugs! Chinatown Vapiano’s after work, but Maxie and I will be there at 4 to squat at a table for us if you’re out early. I’ll be on the tweet if you can’t find us.

Do it!!!

(And share the button if you’re coming!)

<a href="http://www.livitluvit.com/2010/05/because-apparently-i-didnt-get-enough-to-drink-in-vegas.html"><img class="aligncenter" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3382/4641327737_8457fb1000_o.jpg" alt="DC HH June 4" width="300" height="370" /></a>

~take it, leave it, love it, spank it~

Mama said share.

So.

It’s that time, friends. That sit-on-a-rooftop-and-drink-beer-with-dear-friends-and-a-few-strangers-but-no-one-who’ll-rape-you-time!

Disclaimer: Does not apply to cuddle-rapes.

Second disclaimer: Yes, I know rape’s not funny.

Third disclaimer: Unless the word “cuddle” is in front of it.

DONT FIGHT THE IRONY, AMIGO!!

Anyhoo, if there’s one thing in this world I’m good for, it’s bringing strangers together. In the biblical sense.

Wait. No.

Sexy-friendsical sense?

Let me try that on.

*shakes it out*

Sure. That’ll do.

What I’m trying to say here, is that I’d like to see you. Your face. And your legs. And even your hugging arm. (It’s your left. No, your other left. Just make the “L” with your hand, goddammit!! We don’t have all day.)

Wait, yes we do. We’re at “work”.

Bwahaha! Take that, The Man!

So, if you would like to see me, and all the awesome people who are going to comment here to let us know they’re coming, be at Vapiano’s in Chinatown (map) at 6pm on Friday, June 4th, a la your vote.

Spread the word, y’all. Spread it like herpes at Woodstock.

Dirty hippies.

Steal this button if you’re coming!

Copy and paste the code in your own blog:

<a href="http://www.livitluvit.com/2010/05/because-apparently-i-didnt-get-enough-to-drink-in-vegas.html"><img class="aligncenter" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3382/4641327737_8457fb1000_o.jpg" alt="DC HH June 4" width="300" height="370" /></a>

Mama said share.

Hey all! It’s been far too long since I tipped back a beer with many of you, so in true LiLu form, I’m here to fix that.

On Wednesday (the 7th), Tonic in Columbia Heights (about 2 blocks from the metro; map here) is throwing a Cherry Blossom-themed Happy Hour to benefit Global Youth for Education and Change, a non-profit in South Africa that provides food, clothing and general care to children impacted by the HIV/AIDS pandemic. No cover charge and drink specials galore- what more could you want?

If you can come, RSVP here and let me know I’ll be seeing your pretty face! I know the bartender personally and she’s a doll among dolls.

That got weird.

But seriously, I hope you can make it. I’ll have my bells on. Or a boa. Or something equally ridiculous.

Now scroll down for your Friday happiness… 

Keep going…

TOLD YOU.

Happy weekend, lovebugs!

Mama said share.