The Girl's Guide to DC
Issue 16: Interview With a Travel Guru
Welcome back! If you missed my last issue, find it here.
I want this newsletter to be about you, the ladies of DC, so tell me your favorite DC style icons by replying to this email.
What They Don’t Tell You
I couldn’t fit everything I wanted to say about apartment hunting into last week’s newsletter, so here is round two!
Roommates make or break your living situation.
Roommate troubles can turn even the coziest apartment paradise into a stressful nightmare. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, so make sure you and your housemates discuss ground rules at the beginning, not when problems arise.
Of course, there’s no perfect way to nip all problems in the bud, but I love this article from Bustle about creative ways to ensure your household is harmonious.
BFFs ≠ good roommates (sometimes).
You know how you and your college BFF always talked about getting an apartment together in the big city? Well, you’re quiet, she’s loud, she works days, you work nights — if you want to remain friends, it may be best not to live together.
Recognizing that rooming together may put stress on a friendship is important. It may save your relationship.
You don’t have to be best friends with your roommates — you just need to be respectful of each other’s boundaries. Of course, it’s always awesome when a random roommate becomes a dear friend, but it’s not something that can be forced.
Don’t be scared of online housing groups.
Facebook groups like this one and this one, with their thousands of members, can be overwhelming. But if you’re starting from scratch, these are good place to begin, if only to get a handle on pricing in different neighborhoods and connect with potential roommates. You never know what you’ll find!
Here’s what you lovely readers had to add on Twitter about apartment hunting in DC:
Interview with Maggie McKneely
Meet Maggie McKneely, the travel addict behind the amazing blog Pink Caddy Travelogue! Check out Maggie’s most recent blog post.
Find her on Instagram and Facebook to see her amazing pics from places like Scotland, Portugal and Greece.
What do you love about your neighborhood?
I live in Capitol Hill and I absolutely love it! It feels like more of a neighborhood than anywhere else I've ever lived. The neighbors actually talk to each other, all the houses have their own aesthetic personalities, and it's just quaint and charming. Definitely not what I expected from city living.
What does life look like for you right now?
I'm a lobbyist for a nonprofit, so I've been "networking" via email and phone calls for the past year. As an introvert, I originally thought I would love that, but it has really just enabled my hermit lifestyle. So now I have a newfound appreciation for all those in-person meetings that I get to go back to soon!
Why did you start Pink Caddy Travelogue?
So many crazy things happen to me and my family on our trips, and social media just isn't an adequate place to share those stories. So I started Pink Caddy Travelogue as a way to preserve those memories, mostly for my own sake. But it has since grown into a lot more than just my own personal travel diary!
I absolutely love sharing tips, itineraries, and advice, and anything that will encourage more people to travel and explore new places, be it destinations overseas or a cool food tour here in DC.
Read Maggie’s blog about the best food tours for learning about DC’s rich history: Delicious DC Food Tour: Local History Served With Local Food.
What are your top travel tips?
My biggest tip for travel, both before COVID but especially now: prepare, but be flexible. The best-made plans can change with absolutely no notice, and you've just got to be able to roll with it. If you don't, those changes may stress you out and that's no fun on a trip. Besides, it's the unexpected that turns a vacation into a true adventure!
I haven't been able to travel internationally since 2019, but I do have a trip booked to Egypt for December. I've canceled so many plans this past year (I've been practicing flexibility myself!), I'm not going to believe I'm really going until I'm on the plane. But fingers crossed that I'll soon have a cliche picture of me on a camel in front of the pyramids!
Read Maggie’s blog post about dining at the only restaurant in the DC area with 3 Michelin stars.
How would you describe your style?
My style is "whatever I can make cute with the least amount of effort." I am extremely low maintenance but I don't want to look like a bum! Sundresses, shorts with a cute top, wedges (a.k.a. heels but comfortable). For work, I stick to classics that won't go out of style — and there's almost no outfit that a string of pearls won't make 10x dressier than it started.
Ask Evie
Have a question you want me to answer in the newsletter? Click this link to send your question anonymously!
I can’t promise to have all the answers, but I will consult with the experts, a.k.a. the plotlines of my favorite 2000s romcoms.
Congrats & More
AUDREY CONKLIN celebrates her birthday on August 14! Wish her a happy birthday on Twitter.
CAROLINE BRISCOE joins Rep. Jody Hice’s office as deputy press secretary. Connect with her on Twitter.
Have an announcement I should include in next week’s Girl’s Guide to DC? Drop me a line by replying to this email.
Got feedback, or just need to vent about a bad date? Email me at girlygirlsguidetodc@gmail.com.