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As it turns out, something fairly simple, actually…

Maxie on the left, Jenn on top, mine on the right.

This week while at the beach, we finally got the “hashtats” we’ve been talking about since we dreamed them up in Vegas. And before you try to tell me that Twitter won’t last forever (insert Captain Obvious joke here), this symbol isn’t about my favorite social networking site. It’s representative of everything wonderful in my life I owe to social media, most importantly, the two BFFs who got it with me (soon to be three, Cara!!) - friends I never, ever would have met without blogging, the tweeter, and all the rest. I think my girl Meghan said it best…

“	#FF to @rachaelgk and @ihatesomuch for proving in ink this week that the friends you make on the Internet sometimes last a lifetime xo
	PirateMeghan June 24, 2011

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It’s cute, it’s teal, it makes me smile every time I see it, and it looks hot in heels.

I? Am in love.

Mama said share.

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I am not really one for the schmoop. Generally, I prefer sarcasm and bonding over self-deprecating jokes over talking about our feeeeeeeeelings. If and when we do discuss our emotions, we better be a bottle of wine (or three) deep, ya dig?

But this time, I can’t help it. The past weekend was one of the best of my life, and I just want to scream it from a rooftop, like I was an Italian lover with a heart full of song, or John Cusack in the 80s. (Or John Cusack ever, who are we kidding.)

I spent the better part of last week in Vegas at Bloggers in Sin City (#BiSC), surrounded by 50+ of the kindest, sweetest, funniest, friendliest bloggers this side of the US border. (Yes, that includes Canada, Brandy/Simone. See what I did there?!)

Listen, I’ve been to a lot of meetups, tweetups, and other “let’s take this party offline” festivities in my day – I’ve even put on a few (dozen) of them myself. But let me invoke the power of Sinead O’Conner for a moment, and just tell you that nothing compares to this.

Everyone was just so OPEN and ready to really get to know each other. And we were at an immediate advantage with this, because we’ve all been stalking each other online for months in anticipation. As Nico so eloquently put it in his video recap, “instead of feeling people out and starting from scratch, a lot of these friendships just kind of hit the ground running.”

I didn’t walk into that first happy hour on Thursday to a crowd of strangers. I walked in and was immediately embraced, figuratively and literally, by 56 friends (and more than a few life-size cutouts of Donny Osborne. That shiz is everywhere in Vegas.) And while I am lame and old and wasn’t really drinking (since by midnight I literally felt like I had been roofied from exhaustion - DAMN YOU, EST INTERNAL CLOCK!!!!!), the party didn’t stop until the moment I left on Sunday morning.

Nicole (our amazing organizer), you are like a fairy godmother who sprinkles vodka and hair tinsel and condoms down on us all. My life is approximately 529% better for knowing you.

Chelsea, take care of that piece of my heart that you stole because I AM BROKEN WHEN YOU ARE NOT AROUND. Jenn, Doni, Katelin, my life is cold and gray without you in it. New pact to never go a year without seeing each other EVER AGAIN, cool? Cool.

Jenny, I’m so glad we got to spend serious QT together this year. Welcome to the club of “My Favorite People on Earth”. (It comes with a gold star.) Ditto Molly – your bubbliness is infectious, and I don’t do bubbly, so this is saying something.

I want to list every single person I met but A) I’m lazy, and B) we’re too busy chatting in our top secret Facebook group anyway. #nerds #loveit

Suffice to say I love each and every one of you, and will continue to stalk you on the internet now that we are apart once more. (Tear.)

And now, I will finally shut up about how great my life is, and let the pictures speak their thousands of ridiculous words.

To everyone who was there, face licks and hashtag dances and slash scoops forever. I can’t wait to see you all again next year.

Mama said share.

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Now, I can dress myself. Rather well, I might add. BUT.

I am, like most of the female population, one of those girls who never has anything to wear. I can barely get into my walk-in closet thanks to all the crap in there, and this is still the case. I buy pieces that I love, but have trouble turning them into outfits. It takes me twenty minutes just to pick my clothes in the morning, and I generally go through five outfits before I find something I don’t hate.

This should not be the case.

So when I saw the opportunity to have a “strategic shopping” session with Kaarin Moore of Closet Caucus that promised to help me sort through my wardrobe woes, I was curious. And after I googled a bit, I decided that she sounded legit (and just lovely to boot), so why not give it a shot?

(She’s also on Twitter, which automatically makes me like any company about 50% more.)

Before our session, she asked me a zillion questions about my style, personality, and what I liked to do. (Me: “Does ‘mimosas’ count as a hobby?”) So when we met up in Georgetown last week, she already had a solid idea of where I was coming from and what I needed to accomplish. We spent a while discussing what I had in my wardrobe already (thereby determining which staples we were on the hunt for that day), and discussing strategies for optimizing my closet as a whole, so that my pieces would all easily fit together and I’d never be left struggling with that WHAT TO WEAR?! question again.

Next, we hit the streets. First, I needed the perfect Little Black Dress, as I hate the 10 or so already in my closet. About five minutes later, we walked out of White House Black Market with an absolutely perfect, high quality, flattering LBD. You’ll probably see it on me at the next happy hour, so get ready, y’all.

After that, JEANS. We headed into Levi’s (Her: “Levi’s has been doing great things lately…” Me: “I don’t care what the label says, as long as they make my ass look good.”) and headed upstairs… to see 4,294 pairs of jeans. I trembled in fear, while Kaarin marched me to a dressing room and returned in five minutes with three pairs.

The first fit well, but wasn’t quite IT.

The second was so perfect, I didn’t even try on the third.

Yes, that’s right. Homegirl found my Cinderella Jeans in TWO. TRIES.

We hit a few other stores where I found some perfect summer dresses for my weddings and conferences I have this summer, a couple adorable cardis, and more. The whole time I was completely comfortable – shopping with Kaarin was honestly more like shopping with a BFF who really knew her shit. (I didn’t hold back – she got the full Rachael… and she didn’t bat an eye. This chick? Is cool.)

The one thing I couldn’t find was the perfect black blazer. A few hours after our session, Kaarin emailed me a link to the exact kind we’d been looking for.

She also sent me an invite to ideeli.com, which, after looking around there, means my wallet is in a LOT of trouble. (If you want an invite, let me know in the comments. I’ll make it happen.)

Now, I know this whole thing sounds like she paid me tons of money to write it.

She didn’t. Not a cent. But after telling a few of my besties about it, they all said they’d be interested in something like this, so I wanted to share. (She’ll also come over to your house and clean out your closet for you, which will probably be my next purchase…)

Anyway, the only thing I’m getting out of this writeup is a 10% discount for you:

Closet Caucus is a fashion and wardrobe consulting company located in Washington, DC. Stylist Kaarin Moore was inspired to start her own business when she found herself becoming the go-to shopping companion for her friends and their friends. Kaarin has a passion for helping clients, from those who are body conscious to clients who are completely uninhibited.

So go forth and fix your wardrobes, ladies. And do it under the guiding hand of Kaarin Moore. (Cinderella jeans. TWO TRIES. You just can’t beat that.)

Mama said share.

If you know me at all, you know that the #1 way to my heart is the thought of homeless cats and kittens never finding their Forever Home. So you can understand why I melted when this popped up in my inbox:

“I volunteer at a no-kill cat shelter in Alexandria, Virginia called King Street Cats. We take in all sorts of kitties, and all our money comes from donations and a big portion from our upcoming fundraising event. I’ve attached a press release outlining the party on June 3.

Bottom line: We’s be poh’ and we are in dire need of cash since kitten season is quickly approaching. Even if people can’t make the event, any donations are GREATLY welcomed. We’re always looking for crazy cat ladies and gents who might be looking to volunteer as well!”

Here’s the press release for the June 3rd event, which sounds like a blast. (If you can’t make it, send a few dollars instead!)

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KING STREET CATS TO HOST ‘PURRFECT’ THEATER NIGHT FUNDRAISER

Join KSC for a Night of Theater, Hors d’oeuvres, and a Silent Auction!

(Alexandria, Virginia) – Local cat orphanage King Street Cats (KSC) will host its highly successful annual Theater Night fundraiser on Friday, June 3, 2011 at 7pm. This entertaining event will be held at the Little Theatre of Alexandria, featuring the British comedy, “Move Over Mrs. Markham.” The event will raise money to support KSC’s goals of finding loving homes for all cats and kittens in their care and providing community outreach regarding cat welfare. The event promises an enjoyable evening of theater, hors d’oeuvres, and a silent auction.

Tickets for the event are $40 in advance or $50 at the door (if available). All ticket purchases and donations are tax deductible. Tickets can be purchased by visiting the Website at www.kingstreetcats.org.

Vivien Bacon, board president of KSC, said: “We are thrilled to welcome the community and friends to our 5th annual Theater Night fundraiser. The evening will be a wonderful social night and will serve to help us raise much needed funds to support our goal of finding forever homes for all the cats and kittens in our care. As a completely volunteer-operated organization, we could not survive without the support of the community through their donations.”

KSC, formerly known as The Albert Foundation, was founded in 2003 and is proud to be the only no-kill, cat-exclusive orphanage in Alexandria. KSC saves the lives of 200 cats who have run out of time and options; giving them another chance at life and at finding them the loving forever homes they deserve. KSC provides the care and medical attention they need until a new home of their own is found. KSC is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that is entirely volunteer operated and is located at 25 Dove Street, Alexandria, VA.

Mama said share.

There are many different types of blogs in this world. Industry blogs, dating blogs, financial blogs, news blogs, pop culture blogs, mommy blogs… you name it, someone’s writing about it.

But what I consider this place to be, and the type of blog I relate to, are “lifestyle” blogs. People who talk about the interesting things that happen to them; momentous life events, hopes and dreams, funny stories, and the like. And if I had to wager a guess, the vast majority of posts from these blogs involve one little thing we can ALL relate to:

VENTING.

Delightfully exaggerated, unadulterated hatred for the minute, yet uncompromisingly annoying day-ins and day-outs of our lives. The endless atrocities that strangers, traffic, and small children commit against us each and every day. Dare I say, a lot of this very blog revolves around such things; in fact, if you click on my post category “hatred“, there are some 25 posts there alone. While I don’t think this is unusual, as writing is often a therapeutic outlet for frustration, I do sometimes worry that all you guys see of me is the haterade. It’s only natural- we as humans are much more likely to share a bad experience than a good one, because dammit, commiseration feels GOOD, yo. But I don’t want that to be the only side of me shown here.

Truly, I am a lover. I love LOTS of stuff. I love dive bars, wine, red meat, brunch, cats, rollercoasters, cheeseburgers, and- believe it or not- even a sizeable handful of people in this world.

(Sidebar: while we’re on this topic, are you one of those people who says you “love to laugh” in your social media bio? Because ZOMG YOU MUST BE THE ONLY PERSON IN THE WORLD WHO LIKES THAT! You are so original. I bet you also don’t like having the flu, and that you prefer Fridays to Mondays! Let’s bond over our mutual affinity for being happy rather than sad together!!)

Whoops… a little venting fell out. Moving on!

So, to mix it up, here’s some of the GOOD in my life – those little things that will make me love you, almost as quickly as standing on the left side of the escalator will make me shank you.

What?

Things That Will Make Me Instantly Adore You:

(thiiiiiiiiiiiiiiis much!)

Making a “there’s always money in the banana stand…” reference.

Belting out a song in public, karaoke or impromptu. (Extra points as the song gets more embarrassing.)

Giving your seat on the bus to a lady, a munchkin, someone older, etc.

Being fully aware of, accepting, and openly discussing your flaws (not in a debbie-downer way; just a self aware, “I’m working on this” way).

Admitting when you’re wrong.

Giving me an honest opinion in the dressing room. I am depending on you to set me up for (booty) success, here.

Expressing a love for meat. (Extra points for meat wrapped in other meat.)

YES and also PLEASE.

Not being afraid to cancel our grandiose plans of sight-seeing or museums in favor of getting tipsy and people watching. (Also see: recognizing the inherent value in getting tipsy and people watching).

Showing up at my house with an awesomely bad movie and three bottles of wine… for the two of us.

Openly weeping tearing up at children’s movies. (Up, Wall-E, Toy Story 3, I’m looking at you.)

Getting me a wee present when you go on vacation, just because you wished I was there.

Knowing that women have a right to their bodies, and everyone has a right to get married.

Only judging me a little when I openly mock jeggings for months, and then maybe sort of buy a pair… (only for boots! I swear!)

Tipping the bartender… well.

Not having a ginormous stick up your ass. (This shouldn’t be as hard to find as it is.)

Surrounding yourself with quality people who are funny, welcoming, and also don’t have ginormous sticks up their asses.

Come to think of it, I may just change my Twitter bio to “I totally don’t have a stick up my ass, even if I did hypocritically buy a pair of jeggings.” Thoughts?

Mama said share.

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So, you all know that I started a lovely new job in January. (And if you don’t, consider yourself EDUCATED, fool!!)

Said lovely new job involves a bit of travel. One and two day trips to consult with clients around the country; a conference here and there. At first, I was excited. “I’m so Big Time!”, I thought. “I’ll get to visit e-friends all over, see new cities, huzzah!”

Anyone who’s ever had to travel for work would now like to tell me one thing:

I’m an idiot.

Work travel is basically everything that’s stressful about a vacation, except, yanno… minus the vacation. You agonize over what to pack, only times a bazillion because it’s FOR YOUR JOB. You worry about being late, only times a bazillion because it’s FOR YOUR JOB. You actually have to shower in the morning, only times a bazillion because it’s FOR YOUR JOB. (What?)

In a nutshell, it’s travel without sun, sand, skis, or wine. Hopefully at the end of the day there is a job well done, and maybe HBO in the hotel (but never Bravo, WTF?!) – but that’s about it.

Now, I’m not complaining. Because even considering all that, traveling to meet with clients is still pretty cool, frankly. And I love my job, so putting a checkbox in the “great meeting!” box feels fantastic.

It’s just, you know… stressy and such.

(For those of you who were following my journey to Wisconsin on Twitter yesterday, which totally involved me DRIVING A CAR, LIKE, FOR THE FIRST TIME IN FOUR-ISH YEARS??? … I’m alive! So is everyone else who I encountered on the road! The car is even intact!)

And, as a bonus, I had dinner with the absolutely hysterical and extremely freaking talented Jenn of Ex Hot Girl, who then- probably due to the multiple boozy beverages I plied her with- took me to her studio to just, you know, shoot some headshots for fun. Because that’s what awesome fun people who are also photogs do, apparently. And in less than three minutes (no, seriously) – the girl made me look like this:

Click here to see her professional site/portfolio

If you need a headshot for social media (or anything else), wedding/engagement photos, etc – please check her out! She does travel and she IS amazing. Thank you Jenn!!!

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.

***Update: Contest is closed! Winner announced here***

Lean Pockets!!!

*cue Jim Gaffigan* “hoooooooooot POCKETS”

Like a few of my favorite gals (and guy) across the blogosphere, I was recently given the opportunity to throw a “Wrapped in Goodness” party to showcase the Lean Pockets new Culinary Creations to some of my besties. They not only provided the grub (in delicious Pocket form), they also gave each of us our very own Snuggie, provided a gift card for “party supplies” (read: LOTS O BOXED WINE), and oodles of coupons for free Lean Pockets for my guests.

Seeing as this party was a triple win from the start, it really couldn’t have been a better night. I asked all the ladies to bring their favorite chick flick and themselves, preferably in PJs- and nothing more. B disappeared to a friend’s house for the evening and the girls’ night kicked off promptly.

(Now, trust when I say that, even though it’s been a while since I was a single gal, the stereotype of the convenient “for one” meal + Snuggie was not lost on me. To this I say, who cares? Free food/booze/blankets with sleeves, all of which are things I individually adore! But, just so you know I’m not completely oblivious. You guys know me better than that.)

Delicious Snuggies forrrrrr meeeeeeeeeeee (us), I *guess*

Bubbles and carbs FTW!!!

Just in case you weren't excited yet. And yes, my shirt *does* say "purrito".

This is what's called a "fancy table". Just FYI.

You can tell exactly how lazy I am by the fact that I bought cute “winter” cups to disguise the fact that they weren’t actually wine glasses, meaning I wouldn’t ACTUALLY have to do dishes. Whatevs. That snowman is way cute!

A Q&A game they sent us. Answer to whether my friends are veggie paninis or corndogs: Everyone in my life is a corndog. Duh.

Getting Snuggilicious with it.

Ain't no party like a Maxie party.

I love my friends.

Even our crazy can't scare away the ferocious Murray.

SNUGGIE PHOTO BOMB!!!!!!!!!!!

Once everyone had settled in and warmed themselves with Snuggies and boxed wine and kitty faces, it was time to stuff our faces, like any respectable ladies’ night in:

Finally time to dig in...

Going... going... NOM.

The Lean Pockets lasted approximately 2.6 seconds before I had to put a second (and third) batch in the oven. We were especially fans of the Garlic Chicken White Pizza (well, actually, ALL the pizza varieties), and I had bought a couple sausage, egg & cheese pockets for my trip to NYC in the morning with Maxie and Cara that were surprisingly breakfast-sandwich-y delicious.

Cliff Raven 2009 Malbec and 2010 Torrontes

We were also fortunate enough to have  some samplings from Cliff Raven Wine- the malbec was spicy and delicious, while the torrontes was crisp and refreshing. (Thanks so much, @CliffRavenWine!!!)

While my guests certainly lucked out in the Snuggie and free food/booze department, fret not, dear reader, for you too can experience the convenience and nom-ity that is the Lean Pocket… for a YEAR. For free.

What WHAT?!?!!?

Simply by liking this post on Facebook right under my disclaimer below (and leaving a comment to tell me you’ve done so), you’ll be entered in a drawing to win a full year’s supply of Lean Pockets. You can get extra entries by tweeting this post, by liking Lean Pockets on Facebook, and by following them on Twitter (all separate comments, please.)

Basically, with the click of a mouse, you can make it rain cheese and chicken and Lean Pocket pizza up in your face ALL. 2011. LONG.

And that? Is all Imma say about that.

Contest ends at 11:59 pm on Tuesday, December 21. Winner announced at 10 am ET on Wednesday, December 22.

Disclaimer: I was totally provided with Lean Pockets for the night (and coupons for my guests), Snuggies, and gift cards both for party supplies and as a host thank-you. Despite this, y’all know opinions are my own. Boo yah.

Mama said share.

If you peek at my left sidebar, you’ll notice a lot of pretty buttons linking to, as I like to call them, “Lovely Stuff ‘n Things”. These are shops that I know and love and am honored to have as sponsors. In light of the holiday season, I thought we might take a closer look…

Santastitch

Among other things, Santastitch specializes in absolutely adorable homemade gloves (I like the fingerless ones for easy smartphone access) and cheeky cross-stitch quotes that I want, well, ALL of. (There’s even some from the infamous Sue Sylvester in there…)

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3crows

Next up, Sara Pulver’s adorable shop of “Whimsical, Fun and Funny Animal Paintings and Prints”! YES, PLEASE. This undeniably adorable-with-a-dark-twist shop has dozens of creations ready to purchase, OR Sara can make your very own custom painting. If your mother is as obsessed with her dog as mine is, it may just be the perfect extra thoughtful gift this Christmas. Check it:

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SwirlyGarden

Meena’s hand-painted glassware took my breath away the first time I saw it. How do you not fall in love with someone whose favorite materials are “Anything that can get messy”?  I mean, just LOOK as this stuff:

SWOON.

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per:cent

As if Kat’s adorable handcrafted jewelry (made from vintage materials, fabric, stone and found objects) wasn’t reason enough to surprise someone with a piece from her shop this holiday, she also donates 20% of her profits to the Sierra Student Coalition, an amazing youth run environmental organization. She’s a fellow blogger as well, so check out her there after you’ve picked out your favorites from her shop, like these…

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PuppyDogsNPolkaDots

Every time I take my iPad out in front of someone new, they squeal. Know why? Because its case looks like this:

I KNOW. This lovely shop features adorable handmade cases for eReaders, iPads, iPods, phones, cameras, and more, as well as a zillion adorable fobs that I basically want all of. They worked with me to create the exact case I wanted, from fabric to patterns to monogramming, and they’d be happy to do the same for you.

They’ve got so much freaking cute stuff in their shop I could never do it justice here- so please click through and check it out for yourself- but here’s a sampling of my favorites:

For the Twitter addict:

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simply – bags

This mom ‘n pop operation of monogrammed tote bags is one of my favorites. Whether you’re looking for a laptop, diaper or beach bag, they have every style you could ever want, from animal print to bold and fun to classic and chic. They even have WINE bags- um, love. Here’s a few of my faves:

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Finally, my friend Jess has a request for you, on behalf of her and her recently-deployed best friend, Alex:

“The site “Let’s Say Thanks” allows people to have cards sent with a personal message to deployed soldiers. It takes less than five minutes, but it means the world to the soldiers recieving them. In 10 short days, Alex will be one of the deployed on a 365 tour in Afghanistan. Thank you, very much, from the both of us.”

Please take just a few minutes from your day to remind a soldier abroad how grateful we are for what they do for us. I can’t imagine how difficult it must be to be across the world away from their families and loved ones over the holidays, but we can hopefully put a smile of their faces with a card of thanks. Do it. DO IT.

And happy freaking holidays, y’all.

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Want to see your shop/blog/etc. on my sidebar? Click here for more info.

Mama said share.

If you’re local to DC (or my amigo on Foursquare), you probably know that Tonic of Mount Pleasant is my local watering hole and personal Cheers bar. You probably also heard about the tragic Mount Pleasant fire a couple weeks ago. Well, I went in for a drink last night and found out that three of the burn victims included one of Tonic’s own line cooks, his wife, and their four year old daughter.

The details are below, but the bottom line is this: if you can donate even $5 or $10, you’ll be helping them towards what is sure to be an impossibly difficult (and expensive) recovery. And, bonus- it would mean the world to me. If you’re short on moola and still want to help, feel free to forward this email, and/or share the following on Twitter/FB:

Help the family who lost everything in the Mt Pleasant fire- click the “Help Byron” tab to find out how: http://tonicrestaurant.com

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This can be seen on Tonic’s website with the donation link- just click the “Help Byron” tab on the bottom- the one that looks like this:

Donations for Byron and His Family:
 
On September 29th at 3:45am, an apartment building in the Mt. Pleasant neighborhood of Washington DC caught fire. One of our Tonic family’s longest tenured employees — Byron Paredes — lived in that building with his family. Byron and his wife suffered third degree burns over much of their body and will be spending at least two months in the hospital. Their four year old daughter was flown to a burn trauma center in Boston with third degree burns over her face and body. They lost everything in the fire.

Anything you can provide – even if it is just a dollar – can help pay medical bills and buy them clothes, toiletries, food, everything we take for granted on a daily basis. For direct donations, please click on the paypal link below or for additional information, or cash donations contact Elizabeth Lettic at 202-560-2858, or by sending mail to the following address:

Tonic at Quigley’s Pharmacy
2036 G st. NW
Washington DC
20052 

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Additionally, I will be attending this fundraiser at Tonic Mount Pleasant TONIGHT to support Byron and his family- please come if you’re in town!!

Friday Night Raffle & Fundraiser
Date: Friday, October 15, 2010
Time: 7:15 AM – 12:00 AM

Tonic Mount Pleasant will host a raffle to raise money for the family of one of our employees who suffered severe injuries as a result of the recent devastating fire in Mt Pleasant. Byron & his wife are currently in intensive care at Washington Hospital Center & their four year old daughter was flown to a burn center in Boston. Get here early to get a raffle ticket for the 7:15pm Raffle.

Thanks for your help in any way you can!!

Mama said share.