Inspiration - #78: Buy a pair of fabulous red pumps

I've never owned a pair of red shoes, much less a "fabulous pair of red pumps." The shade walks a fine line between powerful femininity, and gaudy tramp. Inspired by images like the one below, though, I'm determined to find the right pair to bring color and spice to my conservative DC staples.

Even though I'm on a shopping hiatus through the end of March, I'm still very much allowed to window shop. In my hunt for the perfect pumps to satisfy #78, here is a round up of a few of my favorite contenders. Nothing too flashy, too shiny, too low-heeled, too square-toed or too pointy. Most are in my price range (aside from the pair of aspirational Christian Louboutins).

The breakdown (from upper left):

• Nine West - Cress
• RSVP - Giana
• Mia - Uptown Girl
• Stuart Weitzman - Hello
• Christian Louboutin - Rolando
• Nine West - Ambitious
• Type Z - Darla
• Nine West - Eye for Eye
• Kate Spade - Zacara

#40: Take a Bubble Bath

This to-do may not seem like a big deal to most of you. "A bubble bath?," you think to yourself. "That's not even difficult." And you're right.

But for a year, the husband and I lived in a basement apartment with a shower stall so teensy-tiny that we were lucky not to bust our elbows every time we lifted our arms to wash our hair.

Needless to say, I was thrilled to move into our house with a big, roomy shower and a fully functioning bathtub. I hadn't broken it in, though, until this weekend.

Over the Christmas holiday, my mother in law was kind enough to pass along a Bath & Body Works gift card she knew she wouldn't use. On Sunday, I cashed that puppy in for a bottle of bubble bath (Warm Vanilla Sugar scented - delish!).

This bubble bath - paired with a bottle of Sam Adams and a good Pandora station - was so relaxing and refreshing. And until this bottle of bubble bath runs out, should you need to find me after 9 p.m. on Sunday nights, this is where I'll be.

Two-fer, Part II

I have a Friday two-fer for y'all! These two updates are about as exciting as that time I got my suit tailored, but you know, a check mark is a check mark. So here you go...

#100. Take a pair of shoes to the cobbler for re-heeling.
No sound is quite as grating as that terrible scrape of metal heel on city sidewalk. For months, a pair of heels has taken up real estate in my closet - unable to be worn because their heels had worn thin and I strongly subscribe to the Capitol Hill Style policy of not sporting noisy high-heel nails. I found a cobbler in Union Station, dropped off my black patent beauties for a weekend, and came back the next Monday to a like-new pair of pumps. This particular cobbler may have been a bit overpriced ($16), but compared to the cost of a new pair of shoes, I suppose it's worth it.

#101. Visit the eye doctor and get new contacts.
This is just something I needed to do, as a responsible adult. I had to put it on the list, though, because 1) I hate going to any type of doctor, 2) I especially hate doing that air puff test, and 3) I always feel like I've been fleeced as I empty every last penny out of my pocketbook to pay for a 10-minute eye exam and contacts that are the exact same prescription as the previous year. Blargh.

A Two-Fer!

Today I have two fabulous list updates that can both be shared via one set of photos!

On June 26, I had the pleasure of co-hosting a couples' wedding shower for Kaylan and Paul. She and I worked together at the White House when I first arrived in DC four years ago. (She managed www.whitehouse.gov; you may have heard of it.)

Barbara - another White House pal - and I hosted a "stock the bar" party for the pair, inviting all of their friends and family to join us on the rooftop of the Cairo near DuPont Circle. Let's take a moment just to soak in the Cairo's incredible view.

We all had such a lovely time sharing wine and delicious snacks, dancing in the open air and swapping stories about the lucky couple. This gorgeous party brought me one step closer to my goal of hosting 10 parties in one year.

As for the second update - did you see my lipstick in these pics? The perfect red.

All photos by Kaylan's lovely mom and sister.

#45: Go on a Girls' Trip

Last weekend I went on a whirlwind trip to New York City - 24 hours in the Big Apple to celebrate my dear friend Rachel's bachelorette weekend. Even though the trip was a quick one, we were able to see a lot of the city's sights and had a fabulous time!

Because this was the first trip to New York for a number of the gals (including our bachelorette!) we spent Saturday afternoon seeing a number of the city's highlights - Times Square, the Empire State Building, Rockefeller Center, the Statue of Liberty, 5th Avenue, Ground Zero, and on and on.

Saturday night, we had a celebratory dinner at SEO - a lovely little Japanese restaurant near our hotel - and then ventured out to the Hudson Hotel for a (loooong) night of dancing.

It was so nice to leave the boys at home, get out of town and enjoy a wild weekend in the city - definitely something we'll need to do more often!

photos 2, 3 & 5 graciously borrowed from Vanessa

#57: Get a manicure

In college, I wore acrylic tips on my fingernails for three years straight. While it certainly wreaked havoc on my natural nail beds, my regular, monthly manicure habit gave me good quality time with my girlfriends and a clean, polished look. As an unpaid intern in DC, I was forced to slash the manicures from my tight budget and instead invested in a few good OPI polishes (and lots of patience). As good I as I got, though, nothing I can accomplish will ever replace the look of a professional manicure.

On Tuesday, I took a "late lunch" and visited Patsy's Nail Bar in northwest DC for one of their famed shellac manicures. This polish claims to last 2-3 weeks without chipping. Weeks?! Yes, please!

I hesitate to share the name of the spa because I loved it that much and halfway wanted to keep the spot a secret. Toiya, my technician, was so friendly and just the right amount of chatty. And she helped me pick the most beautiful, bright red polish. I hope it truly will still look this great in two weeks!

Now, a few gratuitous shots of my manicured nails (and my brand-spankin' new Nook color):