Hold that Truck!

click me to see the truck driving around town! (video by Hutzpah Outdoor Media)

Only in Bethesda does a sidewalk sale have its own madcap runaway truck-- bright pink & green, logo'd and ready to go. I'm determined to chase the thing till I find out what's in it, and where it is going to stop. The heat and storms have abated; the cloud's parted and the power's back on. It's gorgeous outside.  Follow the trail of bright balloons to find summer and fall preview bargains at the shops all along Bethesda Row. Ahhh, and you'll stop, you know you will, at Georgetown Cupcake (the line moves fast). It's okay, just don't lose sight of the truck....

Eno for less at the Tasting Room's Thursday night happy hour

Try the Tasting Room's Thursday night happy hour from 4-7 pm where wine lovers get a $5 glass of champagne, chardonnay or Italian red wine and half-price cheese platters and $1 off hummus and bruschetta nibbles to help wash it down. Middleburg's Boxwood Winery opened The Tasting Room earlier this year as a way to showcase their wines alongside a good array of European vintages, both red and white. I was there recently and sipped on some summer whites, but must say my favorite is still the Topiary red (Cabernet franc/Merlot blend). The cheese platter is spectacular, and the large to share makes a nice meal. We particularly like not worrying about the bar tab. Simply purchase an Enocard (kind of like a game card) and use it at the Enobar till you're out of funds.  If you have leftover funds on the card, use them next time. The Shops at Wisconsin Place, 5330-A Western Ave., Chevy Chase 301-664-9494.

Chris4Life's Blue Crush helps smash down colon cancer

See nationally known artists and local DC faves alike at the first annual "Blue Crush" event Tuesday night presented by the Chris4Life Colon Cancer Foundation. The $35 ticket (to be purchased in advance online) gets you into STROGA in Adams Morgan for a full lineup of live entertainment and events. Schedule includes blues singer Evan Bliss, CityDance Ensemble, indie rockers The Four Horsemen, Low End String Quartet,  hip-hop artist Christylez Bacon, videos, testimonials and more. For tix see  http://chris4lifebluecrush.eventbrite.com; for more info visit http://www.chris4life.org.

Justin Trawick plays on Bethesda Lane

Last night I met a friend at Le Pain Quotidien in Bethesda. I had an ulterior motive in choosing that spot-- I wanted to catch folksy musician Justin Trawick playing just outside the door. It was a horrendously hot and humid night, but that didn't stop a good crowd from forming in front of the talented Trawick and his band. Of course, Bethesda being the small town that it is, despite its highrises towering over fancy cobblestone "lanes" of upscale boutiques, I ran into a friend whose son was playing drums with the group.  Like a person in New York who's never been to the Statue of Liberty, I often feel that I don't take advantage of all the free events going on just minutes from me. Justin Trawick is a talented act and I was happy I finally got to hear him--for free! He's playing Saturday at the 9:30 Club and at Rockville Town Square on August 5. To find out more about Bethesda Row's free Wednesday night concerts, check www.bethesdarow.com.

I say Eyedews for my windows to the soul

If eyes are the window to the soul, then you don't want yours to be a baggy, saggy,  raccoon-like welcome to your inner beauty. When tired eyes aren't an apt advertisement for your most beautiful self, then you might want to say I Do to Eyedews, an instant spa pick-me-up to refresh and soothe those world-weary eyes. A friend recently introduced me to Eyedews and I need to share. They are freshly scented little crescents of gel-like goodness you simply place under your eyes for about 20 minutes. While you rest, the ingredients go to work, transforming the under-eye area from baggy and dark to bright and tight. I had them on while I worked, and they did their magic despite me. Did I take them to my high school reunion? You bet. On a plane, at the office, at the movies, this refreshing portable bath for the eyes washes away dark circles, lines and bags, leaving you feeling relaxed and refreshed. Miracle ingredients include pure water, carrageenan, hyaluronic acid, chitosan, collagen, vitamins E, C and CoQ10 and lavender oil. Sweet. To order and read more about Eyedews, visit their site at  www.eyedews.com.

Food for the soul

On the hottest day of one of the hottest Junes in D.C. history, my husband and I intrepidly headed to the Mall to see Los Reyes de Albuquerque perform at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival. We love the festival, not only because we get to hear free concerts (including Guy Clark and Asleep at the Wheel), but also because we have dear, longtime New Mexican friends who are invited to play from time to time. This was one of those times. Los Reyes de Albuquerque has its roots in Albuquerque, founded by Roberto Martinez, a renowned composer and performer of New Mexican Mariachi music -- ballads (corridos) polkas and waltzes, the sounds of vihuela and guitarra interwoven with violins. Though we melted in the heat, fanning ourselves and gulping down liquids with the exertion of merely sitting, Roberto sang and played his guitar untouched by the weather, barely pausing for a sip or a breath. His passion and love for his craft was evident in every note. His twinklng eye and captivating smile captured the hearts of the crowd, who showed their appreciation by filling the dance floor. His best line of the night was "music is food for the soul." His well-fed soul shows its light in the joy and passion with which he lives his life. Though he lost two of his beloved daughters to cancer, and his neither of his sons Roberto Martinez, Jr., and violinist Lorenzo Martinez could make this trip, the show goes on--with his grandchildren taking the stage. Hats off to you Senor Martinez! Hasta pronto!

To read more about Los Reyes in Smithsonian Folkways Magazine, click here.

Jazzercise - Move your Boogie Body 1982

"Oh yeah. That's Right. Hot dog." There are so many weird things going on around here. First, the earthquake. And seemingly coming from the depths of the earth--or the '70s--is the resurgence of Jazzercise. Today's MoCo Groupon deal comes eerily (for me) just days after a video of founder Judi Sheppard Missett demonstrating how to "move your boogie body" was circulating among my Facebook friends. I actually did Jazzercise pretty regularly in the '80s and liked it. But then our instructor wasn't leading it with quite the "gusto" Ms. Judi did in the YouTube version, so it was a little more low-key. I loved the combo of dancing around and then the muscle-strengthening floorwork (which at least I had some control over). Though my exercise routine has certainly evolved since then, it seems Jazzercise has too, incorporating hip-hop, Pilates and other more contemporary moves. If you want to try it, check out today's Groupon deal of $39 for two months of unlimited classes. If you want a trip down memory lane into early '80s mayhem, start the video and move that boogie body, baby.