DSS! DSS! Tickets go on sale today

Get your shopping pumps on and elbows ready. This fall the District Sample Sale benefits the GW Mammovan (George Washington University's mobile mammography program). This huge all-volunteer sale for charity, founded by the now-Real D.C. Housewife Mary Amons, features the area's best boutiques with merchandise slashed to near ridiculous prices. Don't let the lines and near hysteria stop you. Get in there! I snagged a cashmere cardigan last year from Daisy Too for a mere $70 marked down from $350, Bettye Muller purple suede pumps, and a nifty little Donna Morgan dress I wear all the time. And I'm a very frugalista shopper. Boutiques present are from both D.C. and MoCo: Urban Chic, Wink, Lettie Gooch, Daisy Too, Luna, Imagine, Emily Grace, Ginger, Hysteria, Cupcake, Sassanova, Simply Soles and...more...The sale will be held Sept. 16 in Georgetown at 3336 M Street, NW. 

General Admission: $40
Admission to the sale from 6:30-9:30pm
Cocktails & hors d'oeuvres
VIP Ticket: $100
the above plus:
Admission to the VIP shopping hour from 5:30-6:30pm
VIP Goodie Bag
Benefactress Ticket: $250
 the above plus:
Admission to the VIP shopping hour from 5:30-6:30pm
Benefactress Deluxe Goodie Bag
Listing as a Benefactress Sponsor in the program and signage

VIP and Benefactress tix are first-come, first-serve.
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Happy Birthday, Redwood!

Party, Party! Tonight Redwood restaurant in Bethesda extends its dinner service to 11 p.m. in honor of its second anniversary. The party starts at 7 p.m. and includes live music, happy hour specials, appetizers and a special screening of TV show "Top Chef D.C." Redwood is known for primarily using local, organic ingredients and has a fantastic location with large windows opening out onto Bethesda Lane and outdoor seating. 7121 Bethesda Lane, 301.656.5515

Healthy Happy Hour

If you're looking for a happy (healthy) alternative to drinking after work, try  Zumba, a cardio class inspired by Latin dance. Hot. During the entire month of August Washington Sports Club is opening their  Zumba classes to the public--free and no membership required. So, if the liquid alternative isn't working for your wallet or your bod, try moving Latin-style and see what happens. Classes start at 7 p.m. Thursdays in South Bethesda. Classes are also offered in Columbia Heights, Saturdays at 1pm; Dupont Circle, Fridays at 6 pm; and Glover Park, Thursdays at 7:30 pm.

Love, love, LOVE Bishme

Thanks to The Glamazon Diaries for first introducing us to Bishme Cromartie, local Baltimore design wunderkind. When he was just 16, he had his own show. Now three years later, his sophisticated fall line is out and really needs to be seen around town. Tim Gunn, what do you think?  I think Bethesda would be a great place to showcase this local Cromartie's Ying Edge line, no? Architectural shapes, sophisticated styling; it all looks impossibly new and fresh and unbelievably refined--for anyone, much less a teenager. You can be sure that we'll be following him and reporting back on his fantastical visions and edgy sensibility. Wow. Stay tuned.

Housewives and Cupcakes, Naughty and Nice

I actually had something else planned for you all today, but because my friend (and MoCo native) Kelly Collis of CityShopGirl was on the radio talking about my two current obsessions, tomorrow's premiere of the Real Housewives of D.C. and D.C. Cupcakes (about Georgetown Cupcake, which I was eating again last night), I decided to leave you with this clip with a little parting spin of my own (I'll be in L.A. for all the premiere/premier party hubbub). Though the gate-crashing, wine-tossing Salahis may be good promo material, I am more intrigued by the nice, "normal" appearing Stacie. She seems a little less predictable. I'm riveted by the dirt, but need a little side of nice. And I also enjoy shopping the District Sample Sale, Housewife Mary Amons' cause, and am curious to see any hints of that crowd in action. Oh, and back to those cupcakes... Just talked to someone last night who reports that there ARE indeed lines in Bethesda. Long ones full of people who need last-minute birthday treats or who have traveled all the way up the coast for a cupcake. Too bad they waited till closing time to get in line and had to be turned away. Hey, TLC, can't you go out to the unscripted squabblers trying to push into the doors? MUCH more fun than doing that signature swirl.

Posh Spice, Baby Spice, Scary Spicy Housewives

As we wait in eager anticipation of Thursday's Real Housewives of D.C. premiere, we already feel like we're in it to win it--the "scary housewives" prize that is. (Posh Spice--N.Y.; Baby Spice--O.C.; Sporty Spice--N.J.; Atlanta--Ginger) So far, trailers have revealed one indignant wifey (of a photographer) who can't believe the POTUS didn't RSVP to their invite (Afghanistan be damned! No jobs? Who cares? There's a party going on). There are also reports of a man-on-woman wine toss in L.A. (White House gate-crasher Salahi husband peevish at model agency owner tosses red wine all over her dress.) Ugh. There's even squabbling behind the scenes about which premier/premiere party is the REAL one, and did I detect a a whiff of a fake British accent? Washington can be bland. Powerbrokers just don't toss enough wine (in public anyway), which is why we need this little D.C. behind-the-scenes escapist fantasyland to break up the monotony of stiff upper lips, discretion and, well, power.  The heated players bubbling beneath the surface look to be far more entertaining, albeit a tad scary sometimes. Can't wait to see bright-spot appearances by style man Paul Wharton, charming celebrity hairstylist Ted Gibson (interviewed on this very blog-LOVE him) and other familiar faces and places. As T.O. says, "Get your popcorn ready!" We're in it for the long haul.

Buff up your bumpit and do the Jersey Core

Ahhh, the spreading tentacles of the reality show Jersey Shore have finally reached the faraway land of Bethesda. On the runaway reality hit, Jersey boys like 'The Situation' flaunt hair gel and magnificently ripped abs. You too can work on getting those Jerseylicious muscles at the "Jersey Core,"  a full-body workout class offered at North Bethesda's Washington Sports Club this Wednesday and next at 9:30 am. I love the video--the elegant, amazing Libby leads the class, and....drum roll....our fave trainer Madeleine Watkins, above in green shirt and incredible abs already, takes it. Stay tuned....she gets interviewed.