Volume 1, Issue 73, June 19, 2010: Four Must Haves For The Summer

Summer officially starts on Monday June 21. To kick off the start of the Summer, I'm making a list of all the essentials for the Summer 2010.

MAXI DRESS

They are made in jersey, silk, cotton fabrics, they come in multiple colors and prints, and they are great for all shapes and sizes. They are extremely versatile, sexy and boho; you can wear a maxi at the beach or just on a nice day as a casual dress. Maxi dresses are my favorite type of dress to wear in the Summer. I love wearing long dresses because it protects my legs and lower body from insects and mosquito's and it is very easy to wear because I for one feel very uncomfortable in shorts and and pants. Maxi dresses can be dressed up for a nice evening out on the town. Silk scarves, bold jewelry and statement shoes can be perfectly paired with a Maxi Dress.

SEXY SWIMSUITS

Last Summer was my first time in years wearing a two piece. I used to think that I was so fat and dumpy but it's the complete opposite now. I'm in love with my body now and I feel very comfortable stripping down barely there bikinis on the beach. I have brought 3-4 swimsuits in the last couple of months; three came from Target and one came from Aeropostale. The best places to buy swimwear are Target, Aeropostale, VS Pink/Victoria's Secret and H&M has a swimsuits as well(H&M's swimsuits are fucking small. It's like the itty bitty titty committee at that store).

SEXY SANDALS

Sandals are some of the oldest shoes in the World. Everyone has worn them from the Greeks, Romans, Japanese, and SoCal surfers. They come in a variety of different styles and types. I prefer gladiator sandals such as the ones pictured above and flip-flops.

SUNGLASSES

Sunglasses protect your eyes against harmful UV rays, bags under you eyes, and they also make you look badass when you wear certain pairs. I'm not much of a sunglasses person. I don't really like any type of glasses but right now I'm looking for a pair but I'm not sure what type of frame and shape is right for my face. I have some pairs at home but i rarely wear them because I feel like they look funny on me and they make my face look big : /.

Volume 1, Issue 70, June 12, 2010: Meals I Would Love To Cook Right Now

I promised myself that I was going to cook more this year and really get try to cook at least twice a week.  My mom hasn't been shopping and all we have are condiments in our refrigerator. What am I suppose to do with mustard, relish, syrup, ketchup and jelly? Individually these things are fine to eat but together that's just plain wrong. Anyways, here is a list of things I want to try to make in the near future:

Fried Green Tomatoes

MMMMM! One of my favorite dishes to eat are Fried Green Tomatoes. When I was little my great-grandmother on my mother's side, who is of  European, Native American and Black Ancestry, had a green thumb. She grew her own herbs, fruits, veggies, and flowers; we would help her to harvest the crops and she would cook things straight from her backyard. One of dishes that she made quite often were Fried Green Tomatoes.

Fried Green Tomatoes is an old Cherokee recipe that has a Southern twist. When Tomatoes are first harvested they are green and unripe. Tomatoes turn red quickly so you must quickly cook them while they are green. When they are green they have a much better taste and they are easier to fry because they are less mushier and more solid.

Recipe for Fried Green Tomatoes

Seafood Gumbo

I haven't had this for a while. This old Louisiana recipe has a combination of African, Native American and French/Spanish ingredients. It is a very heavy dish and very easy to make. When I make it I'm going to put some curry powder and jerk.

Recipe for Seafood Gumbo

Fried Okra

Okra which originates from West Africa was brought over to the Americas by African slaves. Ever since than, Okra has become a staple in Southern cuisine. Okra can be eaten by its self, fried, in salads, as a side and can be used in many stews and soups.

Recipe for Fried Okra

Macaroni & Cheese

Mmmmm, the real kind not that box crap!!! Mac n Cheese is real simple to make and it isn't time consuming. You can put any type of cheese inside of this. I like to use as many cheeses as I can. I like my mac&cheese with Cheddar and Monterray Jack.

Recipe for Mac n Cheese

Tamales

Tameles are a classic Latin American dish that orginated in Mesoamerica between 5000-8000 BCE. Aztecs, Mayas, Olmecs, Incas and even Taino/Arawak/Carib natives chowed on Tamale, s. Tamales are made of masa(strachy dough, made from corn) and they are wrapped in either leaves, leafs or conr husks. Tamales are are ubiqutious and varied as sandwhiches, they can be filled with meats, chili, cheese, or veggies.I've never made these before. I have eaten them many times. This will be a great challenge to me. I would probably use beef, beans, corn, and peppers.

Volume 1, Issue 69(lol 69), June 8, 2010: What should I do for my bday?

I'm not sure what I want to do for my 20th birthday I'm deciding between these choices:

The Beach/Picnic

Paintballing

Horseback Riding

Paint something at "Color Me Mine"

Picnic at the National Arboretum

Volume 1, Issue 66, May 30, 2010: My Favorite Resturants in th DC area Part 2

Dukem Misto Combo Platter mmmmmmm!

Dukem

Hours of Operation: Sun-Thur 11am-2am; Fri-Sat 11am-3am

Address: 1114-1118 U Street (12 Street NW) Washington, DC 20009

Cuisine: Ethiopian

Price Range: $16-25

Nearest Metro Station: U Street Cardozo on the Green line

Considered on of DC's best Ethiopian restaurants Dukem is a lively and bustling atmosphere on the U street corridor. I've been here a couple of times and the food never disappoints me, but the service is so-so at best. The servers are mostly Ethiopian and so are the majority of the customers.Not to stereotype but some Ethiopians aren't too keen about certain ethnicities(i.e. Caribbeans, Somalis, Other East Africans, Other tribes besides their own,West Africans, and Black Americans), this is from what I observed in the DC area.Putting all arrogant Ethiopians aside, Dukem's food always hits the spot I love the spiciness of the Lamb Wot and the Doro Wot, those are two of my favorite dishes. Dukem has a very authentic feel with live music and dance every weekend.

Wok & Roll
Hours of Operation:Sun-Thur 10:30am-10:30pm; Fri-Sat 10:30am-1:00am
Address: 604 H Street NW, Washington, DC 20001
Cuisine: Chinese/Japanese
Price Range: $16-25
Near Metro: Chinatown-Gallery Place on the Green, Red, Yellow line

Located a few steps from the metro station and Chinatown's Friendship Gate, Wok & Roll is a quaint Chinese/Japanese tea house and a DC landmark. The restaurant is actually apart of " The Mary Surratt House", where President Abe Lincoln's assassination was plotted. Anyways, Wok & Roll has very inexpensive and delicious Sushi choices, large portions, and bubble tea. The staff and service is always nice and quick.

Bugsy's Pizza
Hours of Operation:
Address: 111 King Street, Old Town, Alexandria, Virginia
Cuisine: American
Price Range: $10-20
Nearest Metro: King Street on the Blue and Yellow Line.

Ahhh, Bugsy's Pizza! It brings back memories when I was a teenager in Alexandria. Me and my friends would always go here and a nice large pizza and go to the waterfront and just hang out and run amok. They have some of the best pizza in the whole DC area. It's authentic, cheesy, and full of zest. Not to mention you get a large array of toppings to choose from. I myself cannot pass up a nice slice of  pizza with anchovies, feta cheese, olives and tomatoes. My favorites from Bugsy are: Bugby's Power Play Deluxe, Chicken Fiesta Pizza, and Taco Pizza. Forget Domino's(because they suck, even with the new recipe), Bugby's Pizza is the best.

Volume 1, Issue 65, May 28, 2010: My Favorite Restaurant's in the DC Area Part 1

My awesome lunch this afternoon courtesy of Wok and Roll

If eating was an Olympic sport, I would gladly take home several gold medals for the USA. I love Italian, Chinese, Japanese, Indian, West African(mmmm fufu with peanut butter stew), Ethiopian, Mexican, Thai, Bolivian, Dominican, Jamaican(mmmmmm jerk chicken), you name it I've probably have tried it. I've dined in numerous restaurants, carry-outs and food joints in the DC and I've complied a list of my favorite places to eat, in no particular order because I like them all equally and for different reasons.

Located in Gallery Place/Verizon Center-Chinatown, DC

Legal Seafoods
Hours of Operation: Mon-Thu 11am-11pm; Fri-Sat 11am-12am;Sun 11am-10pm
Address: 704 7th st. N.W. Washington, DC. 20001
Cuisine: Seafood
Price Range-$16-25
Nearest Metro Stop: Chinatown/Gallery Place on the Red and Green Line.

I feel in love with Legal Seafoods when my mom brought some of their tasty calamari home. I've been here twice and I've never been disappointed. They have some of the best seafood in DC and it is fresh daily. My favorites from their menu are their crab cakes, New England Clam Chowder and their salmon. The ambiance is very upscale, chic and modern. The majority of the customers are tourists, yuppies, and government workers. Near this restaurant are many nice museums and touristy attractions like the Spy Museum, the Verizon Center, The Friendship Gate, Madame Tussuad's Wax Museum and there are also many shops as well.

There is one in Tyson's Corner and the other is in Friendship Heights

Maggiano's Little Italy
Hours of Operation: Mon-Thur11:30am-10pm; Fri-Sat 11:30pm-11pm, Sun Noon-10pm
Address: 5333 Wisconsin Ave NW, Washington, D.C., 20015
Cuisine: Italian
Price Range: $16-25
Nearest Metro Stop: Friendship Heights on the Red Line

If you love a bustling atmosphere that caters to all ages and family Maggiano's is the place for you. Maggiano's is a chain restaurant operated in 21 states in the US. There are two locations in the DC area, one in Tyson's Corner and the other is in Friendship Heights/Chevy Chase. The one that I frequent is the location in Friendship Heights. Maggiano's serves very heartily, authentic, Italian food. The pasta is very delectable, its is made from the finest grain. Maggiano's offers very, very, and I mean, very, very nice portions! When you place you order they ask you, do you want half or whole? Always whole because you will get a large serving that is guaranteed to make you full and there will be some left over to take home. Some of my favorite entrees from Maggiano's are: Linguine & Clams with White Sauce, Shrimp and Angel Hair al'Arrabiata, and their select Veal choices.

There are four locations in the DC area: U street, Brentwood, Benning/Deanwood, and Marlow Heights

Tropicana Eatery
Hours of Operation: Mon-Sat 11am-10pm, Sun 11am-7pm*
Cuisine: Jamaican
Price Range: $9-15
Nearest Metro: U St Cardozo on the Green line.

I've been practically raised on Tropicana. There used to be a location in Sliver Spring on the DC/MO border. Whenever my mom and her friends would go on shopping trips to City Place Mall they would all take us kids to the Tropicana. It's reminds me of many of the Chinese carryouts, but its more like a hole in the wall place. The food is cheap and it is very delicious. My favorites are the Coco bread, Beef Patties, Dumplings, Escoveitched Red Snapper, Goat Roti, Oxtail. Oh yeah for all you who have dietary restrictions, (i.e. Vegetarians, Muslims, Jews, Hindus), they serve no pork and have some very tasty Vegetarian and Pork/Beef free options. I wish the U St. location could stay open late for all the drunks and clubbers in the neighborhood. They could make a killing, Jamaican food is the cure to a ragging, hyper-sexual, obnoxious drunk.

*Only for U Street and Brentwood locations.

Me and my friends(All 25-30 of us) had an end of a year dinner here and we almost got kicked out!

Kabob Bazaar
Hours of Operation: Mon-Thur 11am-10pm, Fri-Sat 11am-11pm, Sun Noon-10pm
Address: 3133 Wilson Blvd Arlington, VA 22201
Cusine:Persian
Price Range:$10-20
Nearest Metro: Clarendon on the Orange line.

 So, the MSA club at my school choose this location as our end of the year dinner and from then on things got interesting as the night unfolded. The restaurants interior is synonymous with many Middle Eastern/Near architecture, with mosaic tiles, arches, ottomans, iron furniture and rustics color schemes. The restaurant is very small, and it wasn't ready for our rowdy group; the management gave us the evil eye because were being too loud. They gave us a fixed menu we had a choice of beef, chicken, and lamb kabob, along with hummus/pita bread, some salads, and for dessert we had this mysterious "Persian Ice Cream." The ingredients in the ice cream were rose water, saffron, pistachio nuts and some weird chunks of frozen thingys that caused a debate among us(a very smexy Iranian British man told me it was frozen cream ♥). This is a great place for a romantic first date, it has live music playing, fresh Chrysanthemum at every table and a very fragrant smell of spices.

Volume 1, Issue 62, April 24, 2010: Portfolio In Motion "All Doll'd Up" 2010

My university's fashion department puts on an annual fashion show ran by the students called Portfolio in Motion. I was a backstage volunteer and a dresser. Even though I didn't get to actually see the fashion show live I was backstage to see all the wonderful garments that my fellow classmates made.During the planning of the fashion show, students pick a designer as special guest and as the designer of the year to be honored at our fashion show.

 
This year it was Isabel Toledo, the famous Cuban-American designer who created Michelle Obama's lime green Ingauration dress. Also with Isabel, she brought her wonderful illustrator husband Ruben Toledo. He has drawn many designs and sketches for Vogue and also for Isabel. They had came backstage on the first night of the show to see the models and designs, but as usual everyone crowded the door and I wasn't able to sneak a picture with them.

But the next day before the second show, I got my second chance to actually see them. Isabel and Ruben had a special presentation for Fashion, Art, and Graphic designs students in the auditorium, it was basically a timeline of their work and history in the industry. I enjoyed the presentation very much and it inspired me to never give up on my ideas, dreams, or my desires. Also, it made me really happy for Isabel and Ruben that they found each other, they have the most beautiful relationship and I hope to find a wonderful guy like Ruben who can be supportive of me, my career and to be my partner in crime.

Volume 1, Issue 60, Friday, April 16, 2010: Pictures From Great Falls

I went Great Falls, VA a couple of weeks ago to get a little hiking, nature and some shells. Great Falls is located a couple of miles north of DC and there are two sides to the park, one side is for Virginia and the other side is for Maryland. The Potomac River is the great divider between the park. It's a really great park if you love exploring, hiking, and water rafting. There are also tons of snakes there, but most of them are not venomous. Snakes with venom are closer into the water and deeper inside the park. Most of the pictures were taken by Tenesa and Audrey and they are beautiful.