SEC Tailgate for the South

Just saw this on the National Capital Chapter Facebook fan page.  It's a tailgate at the Crystal City Sports Pup on Aug 25th.  They are asking for a minimum donation of $5 to the American Red Cross.  That money will enter you for raffles and giveaways and all donations will go to benefit the victims of the tornadoes and other natural disasters down South.  

SEC Tailgate for the South

 Crystal City Sports Pub

Thursday, August 25th

6-9PM

Suggested $5 minimum donation!

Donation gets you automatically entered into a raffle. The bigger your donation, the greater your chance of winning!

  

Show off your SEC pride and support a great cause during this pre-season tailgate. Nearly every southern state has been affected by weather over the past couple of months.

100% of the proceeds will be donated to the American Red Cross to aid in the ongoing relief efforts down south.

The event is open to all SEC alumni, fans and friends

so spread the word!

Alumni Club Specials 

 Miller Lite, Sports Pub Ale and Yuengling drafts for $2.00

Pitchers for $9.00

Miller Lite bottle buckets for $15.00

1/2 price appetizers

 Raffle Prizes:

(more to come)

Nick Saban Autographed Football

donated by UA Alumni Chapter 

 (2) Club Level Tickets 

Nationals vs. Astros

donated by LSU Alumni Chapter

Tailgate Goodies & Supplies from Makers Mark

 donated by UK Alumni Chapter

Tennessee Tailgate Chair & 2011 Gameday T-shirt

donated by UT Alumni Chapter

 Mark Richt Autographed Mini-Helmet

donated by UGA Alumni Chapter

Redskins Game

This Friday we got free tickets to the Redskins pre-season opener vs. the Steelers.  The game was an early one so we left work a little early to get to the tailgate spot by five o'clock.  We had a great time before the game and enjoyed some hotdogs, hamburgers and Yuengling on tap.  

Tailgating..  So glad football is back!

It was HOT outside

After a little tailgating we went to check out our seats.  Our tickets were on the club level on the 50 yard line.  I had been to a game before, but sat in the nosebleed section.  These seats were awesome!  We had a blast and the Redskins actually played a great game. (Ok I know, they were playing the Steeler's backups most of the game, haha)

View from our seats

TV screens 

 Photo shoot #1

 #2

#3

The club level had some pretty cool restaurants and bars beyond the usual nachos and burger stands.  We had a crab pretzel and some fries.  It also had a lot of areas that had oversized sofas and chairs to watch the game on flat screens.  

 Watching the game

 Sitting on the sofa

Food vendors

There was a really nice cigar bar in our section so we checked it out at halftime.  I got a honey flavored cigar and cozied up on the oversized chairs.  The bar had large projector screens where you could watch the game and enjoy a cigar.  

Projector screens

 Comfy chairs

 Cigar bar

 Cigar 

Me

Kevin

Evening Bike Ride Through DC

Last night we went on a bike ride through Arlington Cemetery up to the Lincoln Memorial.  We did a little step workout by the river, then rode through Georgetown back down to Ballston.

View from the steps

A little history about these statues...

"Flanking the eastern ends of the bridge and parkway are two pairs of monumental Neo-classical equestrian sculpture on identical pedestals. "The Arts of War" by Leo Friedlander stands at the end of the bridge. In "Valor" on the left, the male equestrian is accompanied by a female striding forward with a shield; in "Sacrifice" a standing female symbolizing the earth looks up to the rider Mars. "The Arts of Peace" by James Earle Fraser flanks the end of the parkway. "Music and Harvest" consists of a winged horse, Pegasus, between a male figure with a bundle of wheat and a sickle and a woman with a harp. In "Aspiration and Literature," another Pegasus is flanked by figures holding a book and a bow. The statues, approximately 17 feet tall are of gilded bronze. They were commissioned in 1925, but were not erected until 1951." 

Lincoln Memorial 

Redecorating the New Apartment!

I've been cleaning and decorating like crazy the past two weeks.  Here are some pictures of the new place!

Living Room

Couch

Chairs

Entryway

Front door

Kitchen

Pantry

Bedroom

Bedroom

Master bath

Dining room

Getting Crafty

I was looking at new beds at Crate and Barrel a few weeks ago with my Mom and fell in love with one that had a fabric headboard.  I decided that it was exactly what I wanted, until I looked at the price!  My Mom looked at it and said that it didn't look that hard to make and suggested I make one myself.  So I did.  Check it out...

Step One

We measured my current bed and decided how long and wide the bed frame should be.

Step Two

We took the measurements to Home Depot and got someone to help us pick out the right wood.  He said that for the size we wanted we'd have to cut two pieces of wood and connect the two pieces somehow.  There was an extra piece of wood so I got him to cut it into four smaller pieces for a separate art project I've been wanting to do.

Thanks for the help!

Cutting the wood

Finished product

At Home Depot we found metal pieces and screws to connect the smaller piece of wood to the larger one.  We already had a drill, so we bought a drill bit in the correct size for the new screws.  

Step Three

Next we headed to the fabric store to pick out the fabric for the bed.  Luckily there were three fabric stores located in Seven Corners next to Home Depot.  I picked out some mustard yellow fabric to match my bedding.  

Step Four

After purchasing the fabric, we needed some foam backing.  We found some foam that was $30/yard.  With the bed frame being a little under three yards, I thought $90 for foam was a little outrageous.  So what did I do instead?  I bought a foam mattress topper at the fabric store for only $30.  

Thrifty foam replacement

Step Five

Now it was time to assemble the headboard.  We measured where we wanted to attach the wood and drilled holes into the two pieces of wood.  Then we attached the metal pieces with screws.  

The drill and metal connector pieces

Drilling the holes to attach the metal pieces

Step Six

The next step was to attach the foam backing with a staple gun.  We wrapped the foam around the top and sides of the board and stapled it securely.

Step Seven

Next we used a steamer to get the wrinkles out of the fabric.  Then we stretched the fabric around the foam backing and used a staple gun to attach it to the wood as well.

Finished headboard

DIY fabric headboard:  $80

And now for the results...

Fabric headboard from Crate and Barrel:  $800

Want to see what I did with the extra piece of wood that I had cut into four smaller pieces?  I turned it into the DC flag for an interesting piece of artwork.  

Eastern Market

The Eastern Market is one of my favorite places in DC.  If you know me, you know that I love filling my home with original artwork and fresh flowers, sorting through vintage pieces, eating unique foods and hunting for a bargain.  What better place to do all of that than at Eastern Market on Sundays?

The Eastern Market is open every day except Monday and has every meat, fish, cheese, dessert, ethnic food and prepared food you can imagine.  It also has a small eatery where you can find their famous crab cake sandwiches.  The eatery has been featured in many newspaper and magazine articles, including one in Southern Living.

View from the market

Mom and Kevin enjoying their crab cake sandwich and fish sandwich.

   

Menu

Meats

   Cupcakes

Fish

Prepared dips and olives for sale

My favorite flowers :)

Lots of flowers 

Outside of the market there are various tents with people selling jewelry, paintings, crafts, organic fruits and veggies, clothes and photography on the street.  

Street vendors

Lots of people bring their dogs-- like this cute little guy.

Jams for sale

Local veggies

View of the outside of Eastern Market and the street

On Sundays there is also something called The Flea Market at Eastern Market that is held in the schoolyard beside Eastern Market.  They have vendors selling secondhand and restored furniture, handmade jewelry, vintage magazine advertisements and signs, t-shirts, candles, plants, vintage clothing and accessories and other unique handcrafted items.  

Entrance to the Flea Market

I have a small tin tile similar to the edges of these mirrors that I bought from another vendor, but I can't wait to purchase one of these gorgeous tin mirrors.  

This is what I ended up purchasing--  a handmade shelf made from scrap wood.  It has a mirror, rustic door handle and key hooks.  Can't wait to hang it!  :)