Here's the part that WMATA could learn from... the Starbucks website lets you manage your account online... You can add multiple cards, setup auto-reload where you can reload based on a date or when your balance hits a certain amount. You can transfer balances between cards (ie if you ever lost a card.... just transfer to another card that you have).

If you have ever registered your SmarTrip card with WMATA it appears to go into this big abyss.....where you can't search on it or pull it up again.

Maybe WMATA and Starbucks could go into business together?? I see enough people drinking coffee on the Metro in the AM anyway.... pay for commuting and coffee with the same card!!

I was debating between a few specific places (Matchbox and Bullfeathers)....but ultimately decided... the Best Place of 2009...

DC after 5pm!!!

I have had a bunch of awesome nights out this year, especially since I have moved closer to DC.

I almost went with Halloween up in Philly (for the last show ever at the Spectrum), but after further reflection I think my best night out was July 2 (July 3rd was the Holiday for July 4th).

I started in Capitol Hill for Happy Hour with some co-workers at our usual spot.... Tortilla Coast. Margaritas? Check. Coronas w/ Lime? Check. Tortilla Chips? Check. Random Hot Guy? Check. (I even spotted him on Metro a few weeks later... with Sunglasses on. Inside. Major FAIL :))

Then I went and met up with another friend at Penn Quater Sports Tavern. Then we moved on to Rocket Bar :D

Luckily I was paying attention to the clock and knew I needed to leave around 11/11:30 in order to catch metro since I need to switch from Yellow/Green to Orange. Which I did. But I fell asleep. Ended up in New Carollton. After the last train back to Vienna had left ( it was a Thursday so it was regular weekenight hours). So I had to cab it back to CHV....

Perfect :)

So many to choose from....

One of the main reasons I wanted to move closer to DC was so that I could spend more time in the city (after work and on weekends).

And I have certainly been doing that in the 6.5 months that I have been here.

Sometime over the summer I posed a question on Twitter asking about Brunch locations in Capitol Hill. I was directed to Matchbox on Barracks Row.

I ended up going for my Birthday, for Brunch with my mom.

We both started with Champagne Cocktails... my mom got the Capitol Hill (pineapple juice / champagne / aqua pear liquor / granny smith apple) to start and I got the Palm Springs (grapefruit juice / champagne / pama pomegranate). We both agreed the Palm Springs rocked and each ordered another . :)

The actual Brunch menu looked awesome and I had a hard time choosiing but I eventually ordered the cast iron chorizo & manchego egg tortilla (brunch potatoes / salsa verde / chipotle sour cream / grilled ciabatta with garlic butter) and my mom got the goat cheese & chorizo roll (tomato sauce / asparagus / scrambled eggs / brunch potatoes). We both agreed the food was awesome! As was the service! I definitely want to go back and try the stuffed french toast (cinnamon french toast / honey cream cheese / maple butter / fruit salad).

I have since been back for lunch (Awesome Crab Cake sandwich!) and look forward to trying the Pizza!

A few weeks ago I received my invitation to Nordstrom's Private Holiday Shopping Event (I got one last year but didn't go).

The trigger for the invite is spending a certain amount (via a Nordstrom Card) which I did when I purchased this....

So I decided to attend the morning event at Tysons Corner. I had never been to the mall in Tysons. A previous employer had an office there that I had been to once or twice And i had also been to the Tiffanys located there.

Luckily due to it being early on a Sunday traffic was not a problem.

I took my mom with me. As we are walking into the mall I notice she is carrying a big Macy's shopping bag!!!! I asked her to please fold it up ( hello! we can't have a Macys bag at a big Nordstrom event... that would be like taking a Kate Spade handbag to a Chanel fashion show ;) )

Her response: But my candy canes are in there!!

Me: What?!?!?!!?

Mom: Candy Canes! I hand them out to salespeople!!

This was the first time I had heard about any such activity... so I am sure I made a face....

Moving on...

We entered Nordstrom with my fancy ticket.

Silver platters of food, tea and coffee from Silver Service!



Waiters with trays of OJ, Water w/ Lime and fancy appetizers :)

I only bought 1 item, but wow! some of the other shoppers were going crazy!!

Then we went out and explored the rest of the mall. I did some damge in Pottery Barn, and my mom even handed out her candy canes, which the salespeople made a fuss over (since I am not one for fuss... and really want to avoid talking to salespeople at all costs anyway... I just smiled and tried to get out of the store as fast as possible).

We went to lunch as Coastal Flats..... it was all decorated for XMAS..... and I had an awesome Shrimp Roll .....

Yesterday I had the opportunity to work some overtime (aka bill extra hours aka buy more shoes!).

Orange line was of course single tracking (hey its the weekend!). So I decided to drive to my office. Mapquest put it at an approximate 20 minute drive. Metro usually takes me 30 Minutes. With the waiting around for single tracking trains driving of course won out. Weekend street parking was free. This all probably sounds like driving should win..... but I can't read while I am driving....In bound traffic would be way worse during the week....and if I wanted to go out after work I would need to move my car somewhere. Also the big downside to driving.... getting from SW to 295N. Its weird and annoying.

WMATA wins!!!!!!!

But the real question is... if I had used Metro to commute this weekend, and SmarTrip had converted to the new system... what purse would my fare have been deducted from!?

Its been one story after another of Metro-related deaths or serious injury this summer. Starting with the June 22 accident that killed 9 thru yesterday's bus vs pedestrian accident. Not to mention bad PR moves including WMATA closing 3 stations on Yellow/Blue line over a holiday weekend for track work. (The one positive of the summer has been the implementation of NextBus).

What else could happen in the next 4 days?

We all know Metro has funding problems. They should create some shirts that state "I survived the Summer of '09" and sell them. (Tacky - Yes, but I am sure someone will.... WMATA should at least make some money off the venture).

Oh.... and Fire Catoe!