to the pawn shop(s) I went. new ring in hand.

mistake #1. pawn shops are not a place where women hang out. i was a complete stand out wearing my hot pink dkny zip up hoodie.

mistake #2. i am not the best negotiator when i am not 100% comfortable with a situation. the reality is, everything that i know about pawn shops, i learned on this History Channel's Pawn Stars (love Chumley!).

mistake #3. i did not know what my item was worth. since i bought the item online from an estate auction, i didn't think to request an appraisal or any paperwork.

mistake #4. i really like jewelry. and i really like diamonds.

so i took a gamble. i paid $130 for the ring, knowing nothing about the value of the jewelry.

i walked into the first pawn shop. dirty. raunchy. my skin felt grimy just walking in there. the young kid behind the counter was probably born in 1992. and this was going to be the guy to determine what my diamond and emerald 14kt gold ring was worth. this schmoe was going to be my appraiser. lucky me.

meanwhile, his boss/store owner was stuffing his face while ebaying right in the middle of the store. he would randomly belt out one single line to 80s rock songs. this guy had no shame. i think that out of the 10 men in the store at the time, i probably felt the most shame being there.

the kid offered me $200 for the ring. one small emerald was missing. i looked down at the ring on my finger and it was gorgeous (recall mistake #4). i didn't want to let it go for such a low number. i told him i wasn't desperate for the money and left.

i went to two other pawn shops to see what they would offer. in all aspects of my life, i get three estimates. for contractors, for car trade-ins at dealerships, and now - for pawning adventures. the offers at the next two shops were $160 and $170.  and just as grimy.

ouch. now i had to make the walk of shame back into shop #1 with Schmoe and Steve Perry. they weren't really surprised to see me back. it was almost as if they had expected me. i took my $200 and drove home.

not a bad gig for $70. i basically got paid to go on a little escapade and experience a new industry. not so sure that i would do it again... but i honestly can't stop looking at estate sales now! who knows, maybe i'll go on another adventure :)

_i came across a hyperlocal estate auction website based out of richmond... and i got sucked in. basically, it's like ebay, but with a significantly lower amount of users.

so i'm browsing through the site, checking out jewelry and some neat old sewing machines... old coins and antique china plates. all of these items have extremely high bids. clearly, some will be worth something to the next owner, as they were once worth something to the homeowner. a box of 3 men's ties sold for $18.

then i come across the little lady's wedding dress. it is well kept. well preseved. the white satin has yellowed a little bit, but you can tell that the poor little lady cared for the wedding dress. i'm sure that this dress was invaluable to her. simply priceless. i mean, she had kept it for all these years - at least since the 1940s.

i'm sure by preserving her wedding dress, she assumed that someone in her family,  her kids or grandkids, would want to hold on it. it would be passed down, generation by generation.  someone surely would treasure it. and treasure the memories of her nuptials to the patriarch of her family... everlasting love.

nah. who wants a crusty old wedding dress that probably smells like moth balls?

while sewing machines and doll houses went for over $100... guess how much the dress went for?

two dollars and forty nine cents. completely heartbreaking.

just goes to show ... one man's trash is another man's treasure.. and vice versa.

ps, i ended up buying two pieces of jewelry through the auction. i'm taking that stuff right to the pawn shop. let's see how much i get for it.

pps, i've never been to a pawn shop before. that will likely be my next entry if i dare to go. i watch enough Pawn Stars to know what i'm doing, right?

so i finally picked up TurboTax (thank you costco for the coupon)... and all i can think about is:
HOW CAN I SPEND MY TAX RETURN?
the money is burning a hole in my pocket and i don't even have it yet.

i've gathered this list of things i think i need to do with the money to continue to feel like a responsible adult:

1. pay off my credit card (ehhhh... the balance is not that high)
2. set money aside for my next semester of grad school/tuition
3. set up a little account for a christmas fund
4. travel fund
5. rainy day fund
6. make an extra mortgage payment or two
7. pay off my suv
8. save it for a rainy day
9. make a large payment on my student loans (sallie mae owns me)
10. invest/son's college fund

ideas i actually like:

1. pamper myself for a day .... i need a massage!
2. go on a date with my lovebunnie to a restaurant we can't afford
3. get a dvr for my bedroom so that i can watch all of my trashy reality tv shows on my schedule
4. buy myself a nice piece of jewelry
5. VACATION!
6. extensions
7. paint my bedroom (hire someone, of course)
8. new washer and dryer (you know you're old when you actually would look forward to a new home appliance)
9. buy another motorcycle
10. shoes!!!

How are you going to spend your tax return?

Be part of the festivities when Disney On Ice celebrates 100 Years of Magic arrives at the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C., February 15-20! A century of classic and new Disney stars are taking to the ice to share memories, laughs and excitement with you and your family.

100 Years of Magic combines Disney’s most unforgettable stories and enthralling characters. The production features the largest cast ever assembled of lovable Disney stars on ice – from Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Buzz Lightyear, Woody, Pinocchio and Jiminy Cricket to Stitch, Nemo and the Incredibles – plus exciting moments from Disney’s Mulan and The Lion King.

Audiences will not want to miss beautifully choreographed figure skating to Academy Award®-winning songs “When You Wish Upon a Star,” “Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah,” “Beauty and the Beast,” “Under the Sea,” and “Can You Feel the Love Tonight”.

Verizon Center, Washington, D.C.
Wednesday, February 15 – Monday, February 20, 2012
Venue/Ticket Information: Tickets can be purchased at all Ticketmaster outlets via charge, by phone at 800-551-SEAT, via www.ticketmaster.com and at the Verizon Center box office.

Show Times:
· Wednesday, February 15th @ 7:30 p.m.
· Thursday, February 16th @ 10:30 a.m. and 7:30p.m.
· Friday, February 17th @ 7:30 p.m.
· Saturday, February 18th @ 11:00 a.m., 2:30p.m. and 6:30 p.m.
· Sunday, February 19th @ 12:30 p.m. and 4:30p.m.
· Monday, February 20th @ 12:30 p.m. (President’s Day)

To discover more about Disney On Ice, go to www.disneyonice.com.

Here's how to enter:

1. Simply leave a comment on this post!

2. Additional optional entry: Like Real Housewives of Northern Virginia and then leave a comment on my facebook wall letting me know that you have done so.  If you’re already a fan, leave a comment on my facebook wall and let me know that you want to win the Disney On Ice tickets!
Note: In order to comply with Facebook rules, please remember that it is not the act of liking the page that is the additional optional entry, it is the act of then commenting that counts as your entry. Please do not feel compelled to like my page if you are not interested in receiving Facebook updates from Real Housewives of Northern Virginia.

3. Additional optional entry: Follow @novahousewives on Twitter and tweet about this contest with a link back to this page.
Be sure to come back and leave a comment here with the Timestamp of your tweet.
Here’s a sample tweet:
I want to win 4 tickets to see #DisneyOnIce from @novahousewives! http://goo.gl/DS4yu

One winner will be randomly selected on Wed, February 8th and contacted via email to confirm mailing address.

yes, this is one of her creations... how awesome is that cake?! i think i need to order one for the 6th anniversary of my 21st birthday this year!

i just read this article about Nicki Minaj and it had me wondering... which beauty product do i fully rely on?

the answer may shock you. but i completely rely on qtips to make myself appear presentable in public! i am a mascara, eye liner, and burts bees kind of girl. nothing too fancy.

i'm pretty sure that i would look like i was stuck in the 90s (picture black, goth eye makeup) if i didn't figure out a way to apply liquid liner perfectly.  i use qtips to straighten the liquid eye liner on my eyes every morning. after applying my mascara (i love falsies), i hit up the qtips to wipe away any imperfections.

i also use qtips when painting my nails. when i do a french manicure on myself, i always get asked where i got my nails/toes done. "um, i go to this place called, Mi Casa." i dip qtips in nail polish remover and then straighten the line for the french tips after applying white polish. i also am wearing julep maven's megan on my tips and toes.. and to keep my right hand (painted by left) in check, q's in acetone are the answer.

*ps, i was not paid by qtips to write this. i truly love them and always have a few in my pocket or handbag at all times. no joke.

_McDonald’s in the Greater Washington, D.C. region are offering customers $1 any size cup of the great tasting Premium Roast Coffee. McDonald’s provides the taste and quality of a coffeehouse, with added convenience at a great price.

The offer is valid both in-store and drive-thru, and each cup of coffee can be customized to the customers’ request. Customers can also add a shot of flavor (Sugar-Free Vanilla, Vanilla, Caramel or Hazelnut) to their coffee for a nominal charge.

McDonald’s Premium Roast Coffee is made with 100 percent Arabica beans and freshly brewed every 30 minutes. Only the finest fully-ripened beans are used, ensuring great taste. Espresso machines freshly grinds the beans before brewing them under pressure, with high-quality milk and flavor syrups added. Giving you that craved for morning taste without the heavy cost! 

connect:  @McDonalds_DMV to be in the know on the latest and greatest in McDonald’s food and drinks!

the first five followers to comment on this post letting me know your favorite McCafé beverage will receive one for free!
Of course, the Premium Roast Coffee is included in the McCafé family along with 21 other delicious drinks.

Need a single place to search for kids activities in Washington D.C.?  We have the answer! Introducing Play Today DC, a one-stop online shop featuring kids’ classes, events, and activities happening in and around Washington, D.C. Even better, parents can register for listed activities right on the Play Today DC site! Play Today DC recently launched their beta site and they are kicking it off with a family friendly launch party called the Find the Fun Fair on February 4th from 10 am- 2pm at Westwood Country Club in Vienna. There will be demos, giveaways, raffles, activities, and more for local families.

Busy working mom and Founder Elisa Kepner came up with the idea for Play Today after visiting several different websites to find activities and classes for her kids. Her search was cumbersome and she found it frustrating to keep visiting different websites with one goal in mind. This experience gave her the idea to create a one-stop-shop where parents could easily find events in their neighborhood. Once the initial seed was planted, she expanded the idea to include a calendar function and an opportunity for families to share feedback, which allowed for a dialogue between parents.

“We’re all moving a million miles a minute constantly trying to balance work and family time. At Play Today, we hope to make family fun simple and more easily accessible for busy families,” said Founder Elisa Kepner. “By creating this convenient resource, families can plan an activity ahead of time or at the last-minute that allows them to reconnect with their kids, try something new or simply meet new friends,” added Kepner. “The goal is to maximize the good times with our children.”

Play Today DC includes a technology that allows parents to highly customize their search so they can find only those events that are relevant for their children. Parents can locate a specific activity by selecting categories or key words and then filtering by location, children’s age and gender, allowing families to get involved in activities that are happening right in their own backyard.  Additionally, a calendar function provides parents with an opportunity to compare events and invite other parents to join for a specific activity. Parents can continue the conversation via Play Today’s social media networks, Twitter and Facebook or share event plans with family and friends via email. Families can also post feedback on a specific event or activity that they attended with other Play Today users.

While Play Today DC recently launched their beta site for towns in Northern Virginia, the company plans to expand in the DC area and to other cities in 2012. To be become a Play Today partner, email info@playtodaydc.com or call 855-PLY2DAY. For more information visit www.playtodaydc.com.

a little snow and ice wasn't going to keep me hunkered down this weekend. saturday morning, we got up early (aka 11am) and decided to hit up the dulles expo center to check out the home and remodeling show. i completely renovated my kitchen 2 years ago, but i thought i might get some ideas for my bathrooms. i totally walked away from the expo center with bathroom envy.
while browsing the bathrooms, we noticed this really bizarre, yet picturesque, looking statue in the back of the expo center. what was more bizarre than the look of the statue was that there were hundreds of people just standing around and staring at it. i couldn't figure it out. neither could anyone else.
finally this statue started to turn... with such perfection in its movements that i thought it was robotic. i was completely captivated by this living art exhibit! she did 5 shows on saturday... and i couldn't help but wonder how much someone like that charges for their art? can you really make a living off being a water statue?
the best part was that when she was done with her performance, a man wheeled over a dolly and picked her up, placed her on it... just as if she was a real statue.