I was honored to be invited by The Ritz-Carlton, Tysons Corner to host a Blogger Night Out Event for local social media influencers and their +1s. It was great to connect with old friends and meet and see new faces too! In the world of social media, you can never know too many people!

Iman, the marketing director, graciously invited us into Entyse Bar and Lounge for a spectacular night of networking, laughter, and of course, food and beverage. I have to admit that Vincent, the wine director, had us all feeling quite fine with his luscious assortment of vinos (my new favorite is the White Haven Sauvignon Blanc - try it, you won't be disappointed!).

The Ritz-Carlton, Tysons Corner is not just a swanky hotel for out of town guests - they offer so much more! For example: there are classes for kids in the kitchen, manicure and martini events for women, and sushi nights every Thursday!

Check out the pics below of the night out - Special thanks to The Ritz-Carlton for hosting! 

Cupid’s Bar Crawl celebrates the season of love with a fun group gathering. Join thousands of brightly clad fellow crawlers as they amble from stop to stop on this Cupid excursion. Whether you’re single, taken, or just hoping to get shot by Cupid’s never failing arrow, do so with some of DC’s finest!

A ticket gets you pink, white and red Valentine’s Day/Mardi Gras signature beads, a wristband, and drink specials at some of Dupont Circle’s best bars. Participating establishments include: Ozio, Public Bar, Irish Whiskey, The Mighty Pint and more to be announced shortly! Each bar will feature Valentine’s and Mardi Gras holiday shenanigans and drink specials from 3PM until 11PM! Registration: Irish Whiskey between 3PM-7PM

What you get: Valentine’s Day & Mardi Gras beads, a signature refillable mug, access to some of DC’s best bars, raffle entry for great prizes and free pictures of the event.

Dress Code: Participants are encouraged to dress in whatever best expresses this Valentine’s season, whether it be a full-body Cupid’s suit, a heart shaped costume, or a pink angel sent from the heavens.

You must be 21 years or older to participate. Please drink responsibly. For more event details visit www.CupidsBarCrawl.com

Last night was the grand opening party at South Moon Under @ Mosaic District. It also happened to be Mosaic's Fashion Night Out! I personally couldn't make it to the event - so my girlfriend, Jennifer, went in my place. Champagne was served along with Georgetown Cupcakes, 20% off the entire store all night, a DJ, AND a book signing by Cupcakes and Cashmere! Did I mention the awesome SWAG bags that South Moon Under is known for? Check it out!

Thank you so very much to everyone who came out last week to make my blogiversary (and my birthday!) a night to remember! Huge shout out to AT&T for sponsoring the event and supporting Mission Sleep.

If you missed it - you can check out photos of the event thanks to Valerie Bey Photography.

The Cheesecake Factory at Potomac Mills will open its doors to the public on Sunday, November 11th @ 4pm - just in time for the holiday season. Last night, I was one of the lucky few to get a sneak peek of all the deliciousness that they are about to bring to PWC. I took my 4 year old and invited my girlfriend Sheila and her son for mommy/son double date night!

To start, Dave, the mid-Atlantic manager, gave me a tour of the restaurant and kitchen.  Along the way, Dave told me about his history with the company - he started when there were just 7 restaurants. He went on to explain how the restaurants are still run like mom and pop shops and founded on fresh ingredients.

We picked up the kids (literally) and were swept through the hustle and bustle of a working kitchen. Have you ever heard that saying "too many cooks in the kitchen"? Try 55 cooks in the kitchen.

Dave took us for a twirl around their prep areas in the back and showed us the super tiny freezer and the amazingly organized refrigerator. I was completely shocked at the size of the freezer for such a large restaurant, but Dave said the only items that are frozen are basically the cheesecakes and shrimp. Everything else is made fresh daily. I had always been under the impression that The Cheesecake Factory served mostly pre-packaged dishes - the word "factory" is a total misnomer.

It goes without saying that our food and service was incredible. Even the "Skinnylicious" plate that we ordered was still super tasty - and less than 590 calories. This may sound strange, but one of the highlights of my night was the uber-clean bathrooms. Maybe I'm weird, but what woman doesn't love a clean bathroom? (esp. public!)

I'll leave you with three things I learned tonight that made me happy:
1. The restaurant will bring about 250 new jobs to the Woodbridge area.
2. Each time a slice of specialty cheesecake is purchased, The Cheesecake Factory makes a donation to Feeding America.
3. Love one of their many sauces? A little-known secret: You can buy a mason jar of any sauce for about $5. Make your Bang Bang Chicken and Shrimp at home!

Check out the pics below of our meal and follow The Cheesecake Factory on Facebook and Twitter.
(ps, they will be offering valet parking so that you don't have to deal with the crazy mall parking lots during the holiday season!)

*The Cheesecake Factory provided me (and 1300 other guests) with a complimentary meal during their preview events.
Of course, all opinions are my own. 

I can barely believe it - but we're about to turn ONE! WOO! Grab your girlfriends and join us to celebrate a night out with drinks, apps, and giveaways! Tickets are $10 online or $15 at the door. All ticket proceeds will go to MISSION SLEEP.

If you are a business and would like to sponsor a giveaway or purchase a vendor table at the event, please click here.

Friday night we hosted a Happy Hour @ the Dunkin Donuts in Fairfax - complete with pumpkin spice lattes, donut decorating, tons of samples, and lots of chatter. If you didn't make it out - check out what you missed!

Thursday, September 13, 2012 7:00 pm - Friday, September 14, 2012 9:00 pm
Flats At Atlas 1600 Maryland Ave NE, Washington, DC 20002

Wish you could live in a fantasy world? Well next week, you can party in one! Join YELP! at the Flats At Atlas for two nights of wonder: Yelp's Fantasy Land! Local restaurants, free drinks, silent disco, and live animals are just the start! Party on one of two nights: Thursday, September 13th OR Friday, September 14th, 7–9pm. Like any fantasy, this shindig's free, though there's a suggested $5 donation at the door to support Yelp's charity partner, THEARC.

+ Hosted by Yelp with Flats At Atlas http://www.yelp.com/biz/…
+ Lighting and entertainment by Chrysis Entertainment http://www.yelp.com/biz/…
+ Silent Disco (put on headphones to join the dance party) by Silent Storm http://silentdis.co/

I had the best time at the BlogHer conference in NYC over the weekend! Leave it to me to wait until 3 days before the conference to actually decide that I was going, buy a ticket, find a roommate, and make travel plans. Luckily enough, Hersheys and Walmart sponsored travel to and from DC - and Sarah was in the market for a roommate. It all came together at the very last second and I am so glad I took the plunge to actually attend with almost 6,000 other women!

BlogHer is basically like Disney World for women bloggers - but with no rides, just brands, and A LOT of caffeine and cocktails. The conference kicked off with a PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS from Barack Obama! How cool is that? Regardless of your political views, you have to admit that it is pretty cool that the president is acknowledging the industry of women/mommy bloggers.

From Trojan to RetailMeNot to Pfizer, there was something for everyone in the expo hall. My luck was in full swing as I got invites to private events with Verizon, Hasbro, McDonalds, NaughtyMonkey, CVS, and Starbucks. I lunched with keynotes from Martha Stewart (who totally makes you forget she's a convicted felon) and Katie Couric, had NY pizza and drinks with PR reps, and accumulated a ton of swag. All of the razzle and dazzle was great, but the best part of all was making new and partying with old friends. Whether it was a meetup at the hotel bar, lounging in the hotel room, or sharing a uterus pillow on the bus ride home - I created and strengthened bonds with ladies who I respect and admire.

I'll definitely be back for Chicago in 2013!