We “Rum This Block!”

Washington DC– August 8, 2017.  Rum Day DC is back this year with “Rum This Block!” Rum Day DC is an annual celebration in its sixth year which affords a mix of the rum industry’s specialty and top brands, consumers, the rum-curious and enthusiasts alike.  Technically the holiday takes place on August 16th.  Rum Day DC celebrations provide numerous brands with a unique opportunity to educate consumers while promoting and celebrating the wide variety of flavors and versatility offered by the sugar cane based spirit (although honey and molasses based rums have also been introduced).

A Day Without a Woman

But did you die?! I’m just kidding, but I, unfortunately, had to work. I did, however, make my day count. I wore red, ate somewhere that supported the movement, and donated some clothing for a great cause.

I knew I had to work, so I wanted to make in impact in my own way. I found one of my favorite red dresses, no pictures, unfortunately. I then did some research on who in Gallery Place area was supporting the cause. I found Centrolina which has a woman as a chef and she is phenomenal. 

China Chilano Review

So, the last stop on the restaurant week leg was China Chilano. Sunday was the last day for restaurant week, but, don’t worry, it will be back in the summer. This spot is one of the infamous José Andres restaurants. I got to check out lunch at this spot. The idea behind this restaurant is that in the 19th century, Chinese and Japanese settlers travelled to Peru and made it their home. They brought with them some of their amazing cooking traditions and that’s where the multi-cultural Peruvian cuisine arose. 

This spot that has apparently been in Chinatown area for a while but I never thought to go inside. Well I’m glad I did finally make it in. The ambiance is very Asian inspired and the set has all these different seating arrangements which keeps you intrigued.  My friend and I decided to get different dishes for all three courses so that we could taste as many things as possible. For the appetizer we started off with the Dancing Yucca and the Ceviche Clásico La Mar. My favorite of two of these was the ceviche which contained red snapper, leche de tiger, sweet potato, red onion, and cilantro. Yummers! Lol!Next up was the main course which was a little bigger than the appetizer. If you haven’t noticed, already, this place does tapas style dishes. We choose the Ají de Gallina, chicken stew, and the Aeropuerto, basically a fried rice. I actually throrouhly enjoyed both of these dishes. The Ají de Gallina contained Ají amarillo chicken stew, fresh cheese, pecan, and rice. This dish is apparently Peru’s most precious dish. The Aeropuerto contains fried rice, egg noodle, crisp sweet potato, 20 seasonsal vegetables, sly bean sprout, “airplanes”. Yes, “airplanes” is one of the ingredients.And, we of course ended with dessert. The last two dishes were Suspiro Limeña, the iconic dessert of Peru, and Dulce de Plantano Manduro. The iconic dish of Peru was my dessert of choice and it was so good! This dish had sweetened condensed milk custard topped with soft and crunchy meringue, and passion fruit. The other dish had a lot of bananas, so not my favorite. I like bananas but in their original form and by themselves. Strange, I know, but that’s how I like to eat them. 

The service was top notch here. My cup of water never got less than half full which was impressive in my opinion. The food all very well curated and you got various flavors throughout the dish and it worked well. 

Million Women’s March 2017

I made my way to the Million Women’s March and didn’t know exactly what to expect. I kind of wish I got there earlier or later. I have to learn to go to some things along because it felt a little rushed but I did enjoy myself and the experience was powerful. I wish I saw more women that looked like me there but a lot of women that I know felt differently about what the march was about. After going to the march, I had a moment to take it all, and I totally understood where they were coming from.

I did, however, catch some great images of what I saw at the march. Enjoy.

How To Style Over-The-Knee?!

 

The over-the-knee boot is a must-have. I think this shoe adds a bit of personality to any outfit. Most people notice shoes before they notice the rest of your outfit. An outfit can be super simple, but if you have that unique shoe, boom!

I have seen brands from Marc by Marc Fischer to the high priced Stuart Weitzman. These will be shoes that you will be able to wear year after year.

Want to know where to buy these, sign up with my link www.trunkclub.com/djames and I can show you the way.

Day in the Life from 4.20

I occasionally can’t figure out how I do so much in a 24 hour day. I wanted to take you guys into my world on some of my days off.

This particular day started at about 5am to be exact. It was a Daybreakers kind of morning. I attended the event with Morgan of AsItHappens It took place at cafe Asia this go round. We had a good amount of space in here which was nice. We started out with Yoga and then it turned into a dance party with cool visuals on the wall, neon lights, a dope DJ, and a hula hooper.

BONFIRE OPENS IN DUPONT CIRCLE FEATURING, AGED, SMOKED COCKTAILS, EXTENSIVE S’MORES MENU & FIRE FOCUSED FARE

Downtown Washington heats up with Bonfire’s eclectic New American menu, campfire inspired desserts, seasonal ingredients and classic cocktails from the hearth

WASHINGTON, DC (April 25, 2016) – The Social Restaurant Group is thrilled to announce the opening of their newest concept, Bonfire, an innovative, campfire focused restaurant and bar located in the heart of Dupont Circle. Under Executive Chef R.L. Boyd and Pastry Chef Ellen Diekemper, Bonfire will take Washington, DC by fiery storm with a playful menu incorporating elements of smoke, fire, and rustic cast iron cooking techniques in the form of creative s’mores, campfire skillets and an innovative menu highlighting seasonal ingredients such as day boat scallops, rockfish and wild mushrooms.  

Trunk Club One on One

You all probably saw the group Trunk Club DC post of when I went to see Tippi at Trunk Club. I had the chance to create a trunk with Tippi. I started out with creating a profile of what my style is and what brands I tend to shop. They also ask your shoe size, clothing size, and pant size. It’s very detailed so the stylist can be sure to choose the items closest to your size. Tippi then took this information and picked various pieces for me including shoes. I was very pleased with what she chose me. Some were some pieces I might’ve never gone for on my own.

I took my trunk to meet Tippi at the trunk club. The cool thing about this is that you have the option to try everything ok at home and keep what you would like to pu chase and send back hate de didn’t quite work out. Going in is cool because your greeted and asked what you would like to drink during your styling session. Very comfortable environment.

Daybreaker is Back 4.20.2016

This is your invite. Let’s wake up and dance.

You’re invited.

“The meaning of life is just to be alive. It is so plain and so obvious and yet, everybody rushes around in a great panic as if it were necessary to achieve something beyond themselves.”

— Alan Watts
// Wednesday, April 20th

// Pre-dance Yoga: 6 – 7am // Dance party: 7 – 9am

// Asia DC — 1720 I St. NW, Washington DC (NEW VENUE!) 

// Free cold brew, healthy juice & breakfast treats with your ticket

// GET TICKETS HERE — Early bird tickets go fast, so snag yours now!

// Daybreaker Family,

Find the beast behind the button-down. On Wednesday, April 20th (tee-hee!) we’re gettin’ down, Downtown!

We’re doing an experiment. Bring your boo, bae, or bestie for just $18 and swap the date night with the sunrise. Claire Salvo is on the decks, Les Greene is on the mic, and the magic is on the dance floor.

   
 

DYBRKR 3.23.2016 is Coming!!!

 

If you all haven’t seen, I’m a huge fan of Daybreaker. I love how they came up with a concept to do yoga and then party afterwards all before 9am. So be sure to get some rest the night before. The yoga is some of the best yoga I’ve ever done and you feel amazing afterwards. They have tons of snacks and healthy drinks to keep your energy up and you feeling food. The dancing is my favorite part, of course. The DJ spins high energy music, live musicians, and the MC Haile Supreme keeps everyone active. I have included deets below about how you can participate in something like you’ve never done before. 

// Wednesday, March 23rd

// Pre-Dance Yoga: 6 – 7 am / Dance Party: 7 – 9 am

// Malmaison — 3401 Water St NW

// DJ Claire Salvo + MC Haile Supreme

// Free coffee, juice, & breakfast treats

// GET TIX — Drop down & get your color on Spring has sprung. Let’s wake up and dance.
Shed your layers and leave the chill in winter, because spring is upon us and we’re blooming to life in full color. Come kick-start the season by waking up to the highest vibes and amazing people.