The District is a semi-posh area with scenic landscapes, a rich history, and nooks around every corner with interesting stories.  It is truly a place like no other; where adventures find you and experiences are what you make them.

This summer, my younger sister and I decided that we would get out of the house as much as possible and one of our favorite places to go is into Washington DC. It’s a short trip, but we always have big fun! As coffee enthusiasts, we like to explore the coffee shop circuit in the District and discover which places tickle our fancy.

We happened upon a coffee house on a non-hectic corner of Northwest called Le Pain Quotidien. This adorable shop has a rustic look and organic feel. The ambiance: chic minimalistic light fixtures, distressed wooden walls, communal sized tables and chairs, and large windows allowing for natural sunlight to stream in, adds to the overall tranquility of the space. 
What keeps my sister and me coming back is the variety of hot and cold beverages on the menu and the kind nature of the people who work there. The price range for any drink on Le Pain Quotidien’s menu is two (2) to five (5) dollars depending on whether or not you get a small or a large.  The coffee is superb. Whether it’s hot or iced it will definitely put pep in your step. Want something a little more mild? Try their Chai Latte. It is the perfect blend of spice and sweetness (sweetened with organic agave nectar).

 If you’re looking for some sustenance to go with your morning or afternoon coffee, keep in mind that you can spend anywhere from $3.95 for a pastry to just under $15 for a breakfast omelet or salad.  I suspect that is because everything here is organic. Le Pain Quotidien prides itself on being 100% Botanical/Vegan and this year the café is celebrating 25 years of successful business!  They are certainly doing something right!

Be sure to stop in!

Le Pain Quotidien Carroll Square
975 F St NW, Washington, DC 20004
 
We couldn’t leave DC without having another coffee shop excursion, so we headed up to 18th St. NW to check out Tryst which is a Coffeehouse, Bar and Lounge.  Tryst is a unique space, perfect for hipsters in the DMV. There is such an eclectic mix of people who come through the establishment: from young professionals to a more seasoned group of men and women. Those who choose to dine in are either sitting on colorful couches or by windows with their faces nestled in front of their Apple laptops.
Tryst’s menu is just as unique as the people who work there and prices for food are reasonably priced from nine (9) dollars to twelve (12) dollars.  They have ALL Day brunch with yummy options to satisfy the pallet of any breakfast connoisseur, salads,sharable nachos and quesadillas and for those with a sweet tooth, they also have decadent desserts.
Tryst has a wide variety of drinks as well; with non-alcoholic drinks ranging between $2.75 to $5 and cocktails, wines and beers that are priced anywhere from eight (8) to twelve (12) dollars by the glass.
My sister got an Americano and I sipped on an Iced Mexican coffee, both were an acquired taste, not bad, just different.

For a DC spot, Tryst has a vibe all its own.
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Next time you’re near Dupont Circle, make Tryst one of your stops and see what you think.

Tryst
2459 18th St NW, Washington, DC 20009
 
 
 
 
 

 ​Bloggers and Cocktails and Giveways oh my!

My goal for 2016 has been to attend and cover more events and continue working toward making Simply Ari a household name in the field of Journalism. Part of my strategy is to put myself in front of other journalists, news makers and bloggers and in part, share my vision with them. 
Last night, I had the esteemed pleasure of attending my first Blogger Scene event hosted by DC area bloggers Natalie Pinto (The Fashionably Broke), Julien Garman (It’s Julien) and Alicia Chew (Alicia Tenise) located on the rooftop of the beautiful Embassy Row Hotel in Washington DC.  There I met and conversed with lifestyle bloggers, fashion bloggers, entrepreneurs and the like.  I listened to a panel of blogging experts: Sara Azani (Style MBA), Diana (MissLustLocal) and Diego Gonzalez-Zuniga (Diego Downtown) who gave great advice to the attendants. Some of the main points that the panel touched on were how to stand out as a blogger and how they as full-time bloggers are adjusting to Instagram's recent algorithm change.

​To be a true stand out in the blogosphere they advised the following:

• ​Get to know the brands that you're writing about/collaborating with on a personal level
• ​Having  interpersonal communication with the brands you work with will be key to your success as a blogger
• ​Meet with your clients face to face
• ​Invest in making a good media kit

As it pertained to Instagram's new algorithm they advised creating a Social Media Support Group- a group of individuals who will be some of the first to like and comment on your posts to aid in pushing up your content on the feed. They also suggested being more strategic about what and when you are posting, engaging with your audience and getting their feedback, varying your content, commenting on others pages and being sure to be kind and courteous to those who comment on your posts.
​Diego brought up an interesting additional point saying to "go through your own feed and figure out what your theme is."
Guests also had the opportunity to hear from a client of a few of the hosts of the event too. She offered a unique perspective and shared what clients are looking for from bloggers: personal/face to face interaction, having clean images across websites and social media platforms, inspiring content, sharing your “youness” with the world in a unique way; “it’s about lifestyle, real life; your internal journey and authenticity.”
 
To me, the greatest take away was being surrounded by and conversing with passionate people who have a clear vision, are working toward making their dreams a reality and building their businesses. As I sipped my PeachE Punch Mocktail and watched the sunset over the District, I snapped pictures with new friends, exchanged information with potential collaborators and processed all that I learned and I’m looking forward to applying them in the near future.
 
Thank you Blogger Scene!

As an introvert, I am typically the “Wall Flower” at social functions; you know, the person that stands on the wall and observes her surroundings? The Lord however is stretching me in this area. Yesterday, I had the opportunity to attend my first journalism event at The National Press Club in Washington DC. It was a “Diverse Social Media Editors and Digital Journalists Facebook Meet Up”. I had prepared myself a few days before the event, reading up on the speakers who were going to be in attendance; Sarah Glover, NBC Television Networks Social Media Editor, and Gene Demby, the Lead Blogger of “Code Switch” at NPR (National Public Radio). The night before, I printed off a few of my resumes (you can never be too prepared), I opened my fresh new pack of business cards and took a moment to pray about what I should wear to this event. As I rummaged through my closet, I happened upon a hot pink dress that I had recently purchased from H&M a few months ago, and I felt confirmation in my spirit that that was what I was supposed to wear. So I laid out the outfit with the necessary accessories and went to bed excited and a bit nervous about the next morning.
When it was time to leave yesterday, I checked and double checked to make sure I had everything I needed to make a good impression. When I arrived and stood outside of the National Press Club, I had butterflies in my stomach. I realized in that moment that this was the first step toward getting my name out to influential people in the field. Unlike others who may have been in the room, I wasn’t going to be promoting someone else’s business, I was going to be promoting me, Simply Ari.  I took a deep breath and swung opened the building’s big, beautiful glass doors and walked inside. As my heels clacked on the marble floors toward the gold elevators, I rehearsed my 60 second sell in my head over and over again. In the elevator, I prayed that the Holy Spirit would bring peace to my spirit, order my steps and guide each conversation that I had with individuals in the room.
When I arrived on the 13th floor, I said to myself, “OK Ari, this is it. You’ve got this.” Nervous to enter an area with about 100 people, maybe a few more; I found a quiet corner of the room and observed the them. I saw young professionals and seasoned men and women and tried to assess where I fit in. Like a turtle in its shell, I began to poke my head out and walk around the event space, and as I was scanning the room, a young woman stopped me and complimented me on my dress. That conversation helped break the ice. She and I spoke up until the speakers took their places on the platform to get started. She went back to her seat and I found another spot toward the back of the room and awaited the hosts discussion.
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Ms. Glover lead the discussion and Mr. Demby enthusiastically gave his perspective on the topics being discussed. They talked about the importance of mentorship, having people in your corner who can vouch for you, being an advocate for news and the stories that are being overlooked by mainstream media, the power of Social Media in our society, the importance of “Black Twitter”, the importance of credibility, establishing trust between a publication and its readers, and as journalists, verifying your facts. As Demby, went into depth about what “Code Switch” is, what it discusses and why it is relevant today, his face illuminated and the passion that he has for his work was evident. I was left so inspired. Shortly thereafter, the discussion part of the event was over, guests were invited to mix and mingle with each other. I began to scan the room again and got a glass of water, before venturing out to speak with anyone else. My goal was to speak with the two keynote speakers and let them know how much I enjoyed the discussion. But God took me in a different direction, I met another young woman who was in a pretty yellow dress and she and I conversed for awhile exchanging thoughts about the event, and eventually exchanged information as well. Then I got in line to speak to Ms. Glover. I took a deep breath, and extended my hand to introduce myself and share with her how much I enjoyed hearing her speak. She was kind to me, so kind in fact that she took me around the room and introduced me to other professionals that she knew, the Director of Membership for The National Press Club, along with a few others including the Digital Lead at NBC. I could hardly believe what was happening. The Lord was providing opportunities, and opening doors left and right. My heart was so full, and the more I got to talk about Simply Ari and my plans after graduation (May of 2016), the more comfortable I became. I then had the pleasure of speaking with Mr. Demby and he too was kind and seemed genuinely interested in my pursuits. The icing on the cake for me was the willingness of both Sarah and Gene to take pictures with me to commemorate this exciting milestone in my life.  It was a perfect end to a perfect evening, I honestly don’t think that I could have prayed for anything more. And to think it all started with a little pink dress!
It is my sincerest hope that I will be able to attend more events like this in the future. I want to surround myself with people who are passionate about the work that they do, build confidence when speaking to professionals in my field about the work that I do, and build a strong network around me of individuals who will challenge me, teach me, believe in me and who can mentor me in new and exciting ways.
I am so grateful to the Lord for meeting me, and I look forward to walking out my purpose as the Holy Spirit leads!