Round of Applause

Tis the Season for big congrats! Sam, a good friend and colleague just graduated from film school (ok it's really not film school, but that's what she majored in - so that's what I call it!) She's been working her tail off and it finally payed off! Brace yourself world - expect big things from this chica!


Also a huge kudos to Katie Santo. Lady bug just ran a half marathon! She went from barely running across an airport to jogging 13.1 miles. And get this - Linds and I were there to cheer her across the finish line and the first thing she told us was how EASY it was. I was having a hard enough time staying awake after Tommy's birthday party the night before and let alone fathoming a breezy trek around Annapolis.

Speaking of Tommy's Birthday, that brings in the final congrats. One of my dearest friends Tommy turned 24. You can read what the DC blog chatter had to say about all his accomplishments, but the biggest is that he turned some serious lemons into lemmencello and now is doing fabulously - for any age. Congrats Tommy and Happy Birthday. We celebrated at The District in Adams Morgan with Mix 107.3's Stephanie Flax, Pamela Sorensen of Pamela's Punch, On Tap's Ashley Estill, WTOP's Bob Madigan, Chris Brown, and HOT 99.5's Toby Knapp ......good time was had by all - from what we can peace together of the evening.

Brown Baggin It

Last February, in honor of Singles Awareness Day, Tommy hosted a little soiree while he did his show live at the Hard Rock Cafe. Of course, with Chez Copa in tote.

What's not to love - a bunch of awkward singles, discounted booze, swag bags and -oh pinch me- a Photo booth! And yes, I did intentionally try to walk off with the Elvis glasses. I was caught. But we did walk off with some pretty awesome swag including a free facial gift certificate from Shiseido. So today at lunch I cashed that bad boy in.

The lovely Shiseido consultant escorted me to a back room at Bloomingdale's, Chevy Chase, equipped for such a challenge. Then for 40 minutes she gave my face a full rub down with all the fancy shmancy products that will never make it into the Jen-Richer budget. Despite the company's claims, I'm not sure how much long term good was actually done. But I did leave refreshed and look nice and shiny. And as a former Labrador in another life: I'm telling you the best part of the whole thing was when she rubbed my ears for 10 minutes. I took all my strength not to wag my imaginary tail.

NERD ALERT!

No Crutch About It

Last Sunday, Tommy, Steph and I were invited to one of the many Inaugural Balls, but this one in particular was quite special. It was the Disability Ball and one of the key performers was Bill Shannon. Now I know my two month stint last summer (foot issue) is in no way comparable to this, but I was lucky enough to figure out how to move all of two blocks, let alone defy gravity. It's incredible how beautiful Bill makes this look!

Chez Copa Votes

This important election season, chez copa did what they do best, participated.

Congrats Tommy

So in honor of Tommy getting his new evening show on Mix 107.3, I thought we would revisit a few of the more entertaining calls that perhaps brightened his audition experience! Can't wait for your guest hosts...the ladies of Chez Copa!

Convention Spirit - A DC Novelty

A friend of mine recently decided to throw a party...a themed party.

Now in other parts of the country this would include some of the regular offenders like angels and devils, bros and hos, etc.

This friend rocked a non-partisan Convention party - complete with credentials. The party was a huge success, people came decked in the appropriate attire - I of course went as a pool captain with a notepad and trench coat.

The next morning, as I worked off the hangover, I had to think to myself...only in DC can you mix business and pleasure. I love this town!

This Just In....

So Tommy and I finally made it over to the relocated, redesigned NEWSeum!

Originally housed at Freedom Park in Roslyn, this homage to the fourth estate has reopened on the mall with it's museum brethren.

Aside from exhibiting history altering headlines and taped first drafts of history, the multi-storied building houses some amazing tangible chunks of time, like a full section of the Berlin Wall. The exhibit that blew me away was the 9-11 display. The museum has one of the radio towers from the trade center's roof.

It sucked the air right out of my lungs as I remember standing next to that same tower while it was posted in its original location. I was in eight grade in New York on our middle school trip to the east coast. My two friends and I had snuck up to the roof to observe the city from it's highest point.

We snapped a couple of 35mm, before hustling back downstairs to blend back into our tour group before our absence was noticed. Now that tower stands indoors, crippled, with a satallite of the worlds headlines posted to the wall from the day it came crashing down.

While I was having my oxygen depleated moment of realization, I looked on as a young teacher tried explaining to her rambunctious field trippers what that tower meant. She was up for the challenge, but the explanation fell hallow on the group, who couldn't have been more than 2 years old at the time.

Fear not, there was fun to be had as well! We both tried our hand at reading the teleprompter too! I reported from the Supreme Court and was just as laughable in April as I was in eighth grade!

Party Crashers

"Special Olympics honored longtime supporter, Quincy Jones, at a 75th birthday bash for the Academy Award-winning film composer held on 23 April 2008 at the Kalorama home of Michael Klein and Joan Fabry in Washington, DC.

More than 150 guests including musicians, athletes, members of Congress, US ambassadors, business executives and philanthropic leaders attended the festivities to personally give Quincy their best wishes. The evening's highlights included the reading of a personal message from United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, a surprise phone call from the legendary Stevie Wonder, and a surprise visit from former Secretary of State General Colin Powell.

“What an incredible surprise,” said Jones of the phone call by his close friend Stevie Wonder. "