Haute Holiday: Menswear Edition

I know Thanksgiving is next week, but let's get real. We all know we are secretly figuring out how to fill our December calendar with fabulous fetes that put us in the festive spirit.

But Ladies, your fun or formal fashion sense doesn't have to be the only thing that shines this holiday season. Let your man bring a little fashion swagger to the relationship too.

While DC is typically a traditionally dressed town, attending holiday parties gives your man an opportunity to spice up his normal attire.

Take dull to dapper with these decadent textures, colors, and patterns found in accessories from some of DC's best local brands. Links to product websites are listed below.

English Wool Neck Tie from Read Wall

Night Owl Socks from Nice Laundry

Holiday Pocket Square from Hugh & Crye

Black Velvet Bow Tie

Vintage Diamond Knot Lapel Pin

Happy Holidays!
S.

DC Photo Shoot with Mantas Photography

It's official, winter is upon us. And that means more time for cozying up in front of the fire, reading the paper, watching endless hours of HGTV, and of course blogging. Today, I have had a ton of fun reviewing a photo session my husband and I did last weekend at the Thomas Jefferson Memorial.

Most people only have professional photography taken when they are engaged, married, or pregnant. Granted, those are all incredibly important times in one's life that you want to remember.

But what about everything else?

All those years that are not marked by some huge, life altering event but never the less, you find yourself gloriously happy.

Maybe we should want to remember those times too.

My husband and I have now been in DC for a year and a half. We feel more at home in our Capitol Hill row house then anywhere else we have ever lived. We are at a solid point in each of our careers. We are happy and healthy and enjoying a wonderful time in our lives. And I think 50 years from now, we would like to look back and remember these moments.

We worked with local DC photographer Mantas Kubilinskas and he was fantastic! Mantas is an incredible photographer. He makes you feel comfortable in front of the camera and makes sure you have a good time while doing it.

For anyone in DC looking to hire a photographer, I would highly recommend Mantas! Here are a few shots from the session, I have listed Mantas's contact information below. Enjoy!

Mantas Kubilinskas Photography

Click Here for Mantas's Portfolio

Click Here to Contact Mantas

Thank you, Mantas for a wonderful day of shooting!

- S.

A Guide to the Best of DC's Performing Arts Winter Season

I am totally overwhelmed by the amount of exciting performances happening in the District over the next few months. The weather may be cooling down but the performances are heating up! From one theater lover to the next, here are my top picks for the winter performing arts season.

Little Dancer, A New Musical

This world premier Kennedy Center musical is inspired by the story of a young ballerina immortalized by Edgar Degas in his famous sculpture. The show is only running for a few more weeks, make sure you don't miss it!

The Kennedy Center from Oct 25th - Nov 30th

Tickets from $45-$155
Click here for tickets

(Both photos courtesy The Kennedy Center. Left: Tiler Peck; right: Edgar Degas, Little Dancer Aged Fourteen

Gigi, The Broadway Musical

Production Poster

This was one of my favorite classic movies growing up, I am so thrilled Gigi will premiere in DC before heading to Broadway! Gigi is a new production of Lerner and Loewe's musical comedy, where true love between a free-spirited young woman and a wealthy young playboy must overcome the conventions of turn-of-the-century Paris. 

The Kennedy Center from Jan 16th - Feb 12th

Tickets from $45-$145

Click here for tickets

Julius Caeser

Production Poster

Beware the Ides of March, Caesar. Julius Caesar returns home victorious, securing both unparalleled power and popularity. Fearful for the Republic and driven by their own ambition, several senators conspire to assassinate the Roman dictator in the Capitol. However, their brash move plunges Rome into chaos and threatens the very democracy they swore to uphold. 

In the shadow of the nearby Capitol building, Shakespeare’s searing commentary on power, ambition, and democratic responsibility smolders in our own dear city that is centered around politics and power. 

Folger Elizabethan Theater from Oct 28th - Dec 7th

Tickets from $40-$55

Click here for tickets

Sleepy Hollow

Photo courtesy of The Washington Ballet

And no, I'm not talking about that horrible show on Fox. Washington Irving’s classic tale is now being told through the lush language of ballet. In a love triangle, the new school teacher, Ichabod Crane, finds himself smitten by a flirtatious beauty, Katrina Van Tassel, much to the displeasure of town rowdy, “Brom Bones” Van Brunt. A rivalry ensues and the ghostly “Headless Horseman” comes into play one fateful night. This program features original live music. 

The Kennedy Center from Feb 18th - Feb 22nd

Tickets from $30 - $125
Click here for tickets

Weekend Wandering: Charlottesville

Hello, everyone! Wow, have I missed you. It's been such a long time since I have sat down in front of my laptop to write. Life has been very busy lately!

One of the many goings-on in my life has been celebrating my husband and I's third wedding anniversary. We wanted to get out of town, but not spend a ton of money doing it, so Charlottesville became the perfect destination. We had a fantastic time and I've been dying to share the details with my fellow Washingtonians!

Charlottesville is only a short 2.5 hour drive from DC, which makes it perfect for a quick weekend getaway. There are so many things to do in Charlottesville - visit presidential homes such as Monticello or Montpelier, booze it up at any number of wineries, or have a blast hanging out on the downtown mall next to UVA.

Check out the tips and tricks below from our weekend. A picture is worth a thousand words, so this post is image heavy! The scenery was so gorgeous, my words would not do it justice.

S i g h t s e e i n g

Thomas Jefferson's Monticello

Garden Front Entrance - House tour is $25 per adult

The views from Monticello, which means 'little mountain' in Italian

Outdoor sitting room

V i n e y a r d s

The wineries in Charlottesville are incredibly inexpensive! Most tastings are either $6 or $12, most glasses are only $5, and most bottles are only $25. You can bring your own food to almost any winery, so stop by somewhere and grab a picnic to go. Trust me, with all that vino you will be drinking, you are going to need some food to nosh on. 

Our Pick for Best Winery: Trump

A glass of their award winning Blanc de Blanc

My husband and I

This weekend adventure called for my real pair of cowboy boots

Trump Winery

www.trumpwinery.com/

3550 Blenheim Road

Charlottesville, VA 22902

Our Runner's Up: Jefferson Vineyards and Blenheim Vineyards

A glass of their Cabernet Franc

Jefferson Vineyards

jeffersonvineyards.com

1353 Thomas Jefferson Parkway

Charlottesville, VA 22902

Inside the Tasting Room at Blenheim Vineyards, which is owned by Dave Matthews

Blenheim Vineyards

blenheimvineyards.com

31 Blenheim Farm

Charlottesville, VA 22902

Our Favorite 'To Go' Food Spot: Salt Artisan Market

Outdoor dining area

Our charctuerie plate to go - it was delish!

A shot looking across the street, so charming

A c c o m o d a t i o n s

We chose the Prospect Hill Plantation Inn for our trip and had an amazing stay. We were lodged in Unlce Guy's House, a structure on the plantation dating back to 1796. The owner Doc is friendly and accommodating, the plantation is full of animals for you to engage with, and the on-site restaurant was divine. I would absolutely recommend staying at Prospect Hill if you are looking to decompress from city life for a weekend.

Breakfast in our cabin

Our lodging, Uncle Guys House dating from 1796

Inside our cabin with the original fireplace

A photo of the main house at sunset

A stuffed quail appetizer at the Prospect Hill Restaurant

The apple galette dessert

The plantation grounds

Alpacas

Rocky, the plantation dog. We played fetch with him for hours.

Horses

A one mile trail along the back side of the plantation grounds, beautiful and serene

If you have any questions just leave a comment below, would love to hear from you!

S.