Emerald Door Salon helps you beat the mid-week slump

Now here's a good deal: Get a free manicure with any pedicure at Emerald Door Salon through July. Have a treatment mid-week, midday (by 3 pm) on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday and get your manicure free. Use promo code PMW and book online here, or call 301-587-5800. I love this salon--the pedicures are great, very relaxing and hygienic.

Candace Bushnell launches Summer and the City at the Avenue in DC

Candace Bushnell signs my book
Photo courtesy Daniel Swartz revamp.com

Last night writer Candace Bushnell launched her new book, "Summer and the City"at a fabulous BrandLinkDC event with the pair behind Georgetown Cupcake, Sophie LaMontagne and Katherine Kallinis at the sleek new Residences on the Avenue. Though the sky promised rain, it never delivered and we all enjoyed the views of DC from on top of the new apartment building near GW University. A full bar was done appropriately in Carrie pink, and waiters came around with delicate, little appetizers. I loved the tuna tartare bits wrapped in crispy wonton--they looked just like mini ice cream cones. No details were overlooked--if your makeup needed a humidity check, which it probably absolutely did, there was a lipstick bar by new cosmetics company Nectar Skin to take care of it. Neiman Marcus treated guests to a glimpse inside "Carrie's Closet," on the 3rd floor, complete with a Manolo Blahnik $500 shoe giveaway and Carrie-inspired furnishings by Room and Board. One of the best parts of an event like this is people-watching. I love seeing the fashions, and of course, the shoes. I'd told Ms. Bushnell she'd created this nearly iconic legacy. I mean, really. Where were Blahniks before Carrie Bradshaw ran through the cracked NY sidewalks in them? Though after a while I hated to keep bending down to shoot people's feet, I did try to bring you a roundup of the best. My mind was also wandering thinking what it would be like  to actually have "Karen's" closet in my own snappy little Avenue apartment.... Right. Note: if you ever get an invite with BrankLinkDC anywhere on it--go. Just go.

Sophie LaMontagne, Katherine Kallinis (and matching Birkin bags) with Candace Bushnell

Danielle Dobin of new athleticwear company, Apifeni and Eun Yang of NBC4

The bar--note: they used cloth cocktail napkins, a nice touch

The Avenue's rooftop pool overlooks DC

Rooftop views

A peek inside Carrie's Closet

I couldn't get a good shot of these, but they were fantastic

Hmm, guess who with the tattoo... 

The best for last

Back to business: AFI's Guggenheim Symposium

Ok, now that I've recovered from my trip to the dark side ("Friday Frivolity") I can get back to serious work. Thursday night I attended the Guggenheim Symposium at the AFI Discovery SilverDocs festival, where I was wowed by the body of work by DA Pennebaker and Chris Hegedus, the honorees and stars of the event. Sen. Al Franken, their subject  in "Al Franken: God Spoke" started the show with a series of refreshingly hilarious, self-deprecating remarks. I was dying for him to break into "Stuart Smiley" just one last time, but that milieu didn't lend itself to shout-out requests. He introduced a film compilation of the prolific team's body of work, films about a very young Bob Dylan, Carole Burnett, Al Gore, John DeLorean, Bill Clinton, James Carville. Their films are like poetry in the way that they capture a moment of time--simply as it is, for what it is. No tidy endings, no protagonist appeals to the audience to "like me, like me."

Their next project is a restoration of Richard Leacock's "A Stravinsky Portrait". The filmmaker captures Stravinsky's intensity, passion and the joy he finds in his work just by filming him talk about it. If you want to catch a little Hegedus and Pennebaker for yourself, go see "Kings of Pastry" running through Saturday. Click here for a clip.

Lululemon Athletica reopens with love

Almost as touching than the crowds thronging Bethesda Lane Saturday morning in a yogic salute to departed colleague and friend Jayna Murray, was the newly renovated store's permanent tribute to her, a stained glass mosaic with the word "love" stretching over the entryway. We liked that the renovation wove her persona and memory so intrinsically into the store's new design. On Saturday morning Adam Pearlstein of Bethesda's Bikram Yoga led a one-hour yoga class and minute of silence to remember Murray, who was slain in the store, in one of most grisly murders Bethesda has seen. Murray's parents were present as the store reopened and though it was hard, they said they were glad they went to see the tribute to their daughter, Jayna. "Today is a day she's doing cartwheels in Heaven," her mother said. Though we were happy to be back shopping at the store on Sunday, we weren't ready to do cartwheels just yet. But we'll get there.

Friday Frivolity: You can't be serious...

Okay, wow. I was all set to post on the wonderful evening I had at the AFI Discovery Silverdocs Guggenheim Symposium last night listening to venerable filmmakers Chris Hegedus and D A Pennebaker ("War Room," "Monterrey Pop") talk about cinema verite, but like a true junkie, I got one look at this and can't stop watching. Really? There are no words.  Oh yes there are: "Release me from my cage. I belong on center stage." Um, riiight. I think Hegedus and Pennebaker could have a field day with this one....

View more videos at: http://nbcmiami.com.

Lululemon Athletica reopens in Bethesda with love and yoga

The white shroud with the single word "love" in honor of former employee Jayna Marray will be lifted from Lululemon Athletica Friday, June 24.  The store is celebrating its Bethesda reopening with a community yoga class at 8:30 a.m. outside the store on Bethesda Avenue. We wish all at Lululemon the best--new store, new beginning. Though the community will not forget the tragic events that forced the store to close, we are happy to welcome Lululemon back to Bethesda. Here's the info from the invitation:
yoga. love. fun. peace.
Please join us for a heart-opening vinyasa yoga class as we re-open our doors to the Bethesda community.
Soula Power with vocals by our very own Leah Gibian will be providing the live music for our practice. 

AFI Silverdocs is still here

Be sure you catch some of the great documentaries at the AFI Silverdocs film festival. It offers so much--symposiums with filmmakers and directors and great films in a really pleasant venue. Not only that, there is ample parking in public lots sprinkled around downtown Silver Spring. I just saw The Swell Season Monday night about folksingers Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova. They starred in ONCE, which won an Academy Award for best original song ("Falling Slowly"). Thursday night is the 2011 Guggenheim Symposium honoring Chris Hegedus and DA Pennebaker, who made "The War Room" about Bill Clinton's campaign and "Al Franken: God Spoke". In fact, Al Franken will be there to speak at the event. This is one of the best film fests around. We loved it last year as well. Don't miss it. silverdocs.com

Imagination Bethesda Saturday June 4

Is it June already? Yes. And the weather is finally perfect--no rain, humidity or unbearable heat is in the forecast. So... take the kids out to a special event in their honor--the Imagination Bethesda street festival along Woodmont Avenue and Elm Street, presented by the Bethesda Urban Partnership. All events are free. The fun starts at 11 a.m. and ends at 4 p.m. Below is a list of tents and activities. For more info, click here.

Adventure Theatre - Create an 'Annie' decoder ring
American Plant - Plant a flower
Artworks - Pastel Drawings
Audubon Naturalist Societey - Create a nesting bag
Be With Me Playseum - Clay cupcakes & wood paintings
Beanstalk Montessori - Montessori arts & crafts
Bethesda Green - Make a Be-Green chain
Bethesda Magazine - Coloring books, balloons & bubbles
Glen Echo Park - Create & decorate musical instruments
Gymboree Play & Music - Movement to music activities
Imagination Stage - Make-your-own mask
Iran Cultural Center - Face painting & bookmarks
Joy of Motion - Decorate your own dance pose
Kidville - Decorate door knockers & picture frame
Language Fundamentals - Build with magic noodles
Montgomery County Police, 2nd District - Crime prevention
MusiKids - Musical instruments & sing-alongs
Plaza Artist Materials  - Create-your-own photo mat
Round House Theatre - Create miniature costume designs
Strathmore - Arts & Crafts
Tea with Mrs. B - Imaginary tea parties, paper flowers