The Girl's Guide to DC
Issue 41: One Whole Year of Girl's Guide!
Hello and welcome back to The Girl’s Guide to DC, which turns one year old today! Send me your favorite thrift shops, bad date rants, or any “birthday” wishes by replying to this email.
If you missed last week’s issue, find it here.
One Year of The Girl’s Guide to DC
Exactly one year ago, I stopped complaining about how there aren’t enough resources for young women in DC and started doing something about it (typing furiously). I had always joked that I’d get around to writing about life in DC — especially how rough the dating scene is — but never found the right opportunity. It turns out I had to make one.
I’m so glad all of you have been along for the ride! I wasn’t sure if anyone would want to hear my ramblings — but now hundreds of you read it every week. I’m truly grateful, and I’m excited for Year 2 and all the amazing women I’ll continue to meet through The Girl’s Guide to DC!
If you’re wondering whether to jump into a creative endeavor you’ve been thinking about, take this as your sign to go for it. The beauty of the Internet is that, as long as you use the right hashtag, you’ll be able to find someone who is interested in the same weird and wonderful things as you. I’m always here to brainstorm with you or promote your projects — just shoot me a message by replying to this email.
For those of you who are new here, here’s the Twitter thread that started it all. I asked the women of DC what they wish they’d known before moving here. The responses were gold — and many of the topics I have yet to get to!
And if you haven’t read my first installment of Girl’s Guide back in March 2021, click here.
My one request for you is to continue reading, reaching out to me, and sharing Girl’s Guide with your friends. I love all your feedback, especially when you help me find more cool DC girls to interview. If I can help just one college student feel confident about moving to DC for her first job, I’ll consider it a job well done!
So without further ado, thank you for making year one of The Girl’s Guide to DC so well worth it, and enjoy the rest of this week’s newsletter.
Interview with Clara Johsens
Speaking of throwing yourself into creative endeavors… my interviewee this week is Clara Johsens, who designs some of the most beautiful earrings I’ve ever seen! Check out Clara’s online shop as well as her Instagram, where she posts oddly soothing videos about how she creates her masterpieces.
What do you love about your neighborhood?
My husband and I moved to DC in 2019 and live in Capitol Hill. We're both history buffs, so there's just something about living around so many beautiful historic buildings that makes us never want to leave! We love the fact that we're able to walk to the Capitol, Supreme Court, and plenty of fun restaurants and bars, but still have that really residential neighborhood feel. Plus, who doesn't love being able to watch the sunset from the Capitol any night of the week?!
What does your life look like right now?
I work full time for a religious liberty organization called Napa Legal and run a little handmade jewelry business on the side. I worked from home for almost 2 years during the pandemic, so frankly I'm pretty enamored with getting to go into the office at the moment!
Outside of work, my husband and I love traveling as much as possible, spending time with our amazing community in DC, staying involved with our church, reading, and soaking up all that the area has to offer like museums, restaurants, hikes, and historic sites. I'm trying to get back into running after running a marathon in October and then swearing it off for a few months. On the whole, I feel like right now we are just trying to take advantage of living where we do.
What would you tell someone considering a move to the DC area?
Do it! And know that DC is way more than politics. There's a great art scene, free world class museums (did I mention they're free?), beautiful hiking in Shenandoah National Park, really charming towns just about an hour away like Annapolis or Harpers Ferry, plus easy access to New York and Philadelphia or the Outer Banks and the beach in the other direction.
It can be a little hard to make friends because the city is so transient (when we first moved here, we felt like every time we were getting to know a group of people three of them decided to move away!), but just keep at it and you'll find your people. Also, don't be afraid to reach out and just invite someone to grab coffee! I've found that most people here are also looking for friends and are usually happy to get to know someone new.
My other plug is that there are three airports with direct flights to Europe that are often cheaper than a flight to California even with a layover.
What’s your beauty routine like?
After a solid, largely unsuccessful kick trying to make my own cosmetics (sorry guys, cinnamon just isn't ever going to replace my favorite eyeshadows), I've been a Beautycounter loyalist for a while. I use the Countercontrol line for all my skincare and wear mostly Beautycounter makeup as well. My very favorite product is Beautycounter's Overnight Resurfacing Peel. I swear my skin looks 10 times better every time I use it.
How would you describe your style?
Honestly, I feel like my style really varies depending on the season. In general, I lean towards a more classic French style but I love to add bold accessories and usually try to have at least one statement piece in any outfit. My vintage style icons are of course Audrey Hepburn and Jackie O, but the ladies I look to for a lot of my current style inspo are Jeanne Damas, Valeria Lipovetsky, Alexandra Pereira, and Sai De Silva.
The Haps
Saving Up for St. Patrick’s Day
So I’ll give you the good news, then the bad news. Good news: DC isn’t the location with the most alcoholic tendencies on St. Patrick’s Day — it’s only in the top 15, according to a recent survey. Bad news: DC is the second-most expensive place to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, bested only by New Jersey. DC residents are expected to spend an average of $56.67 on drinks on St. Patty’s Day. Read a full breakdown of the survey by clicking here.
We Don’t Talk About ‘Green Flags’ Enough
Women love to talk about red flags in men, but wouldn’t it be more helpful to talk about green flags? That’s the gist of this article in Evie Magazine, which lays out eight positive traits you should look for in a partner. I really appreciate that this article goes beyond superficial characteristics or habits and delves into the importance of a man’s relationship with his family, approach to his career, and mindset about past relationships.
Here are some more links to what I’m reading (and writing!):
Deepti From Love Is Blind Says She and Kyle Are Figuring It Out: I devoured the new season of Love Is Blind, and Deepti was definitely my favorite participant. It’s kind of jarring that she’s teasing a potential relationship with her co-star Kyle after her ordeal with Shake, but I wish them the best of luck!
4 Things I Learned Visiting My New In-Laws: I recounted my time in Honduras visiting my in-laws Kelly and Steve. My first Honduran Christmas was one for the books!
Bulletin Board
RACHEL HANKINSON joins the Classical Learning Test as an associate test developer. Congratulate Rachel on Instagram!
Come work with me! DISTRICT MEDIA GROUP is hiring an account executive — it’s completely remote, so you can be based anywhere in the U.S. View the job opening by clicking here!
Looking for a summer internship? AMERICAN MOMENT is accepting applications for The Fellowship for American Statecraft until April 1. American Moment pays fellows $3000 per month for 12 weeks and places them at an internship either on Capitol Hill or in the public policy non-profit sphere in DC. Click here to learn more.
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.
Read my most recent Ask Evie column by clicking here.