The Girly Girl's Guide to DC
Issue 6: What the First Date Says About Him
Welcome back! If you missed last week’s issue, find it here.
I want this newsletter to be about you, the ladies of DC, so send me your best cherry blossom photos, bad date rants, and advice for interns by replying to this email.
What They Don’t Tell You
If you move to DC as a single woman, get ready for a lot of first dates. First dates at the park. First dates at a bar. First dates who don’t even show up.
If you’re lucky, you’ll have a last first date. My last first date is named Nick, and our first date was peak DC: we ate tapas at Jaleo, rode his motorcycle around the monuments at sunset, then canoodled at the Lincoln Memorial where he cracked open a bottle of champagne he had stashed in his backpack.
I fell in love with the man, not the first date itself, but his romantic gestures certainly didn’t hurt.
Would we be in the same place we are now had we run into traffic, missed our reservation, or gotten rained on? Totally. The great thing about a good first date is that it doesn’t matter where you are. What matters is how the other person makes you feel.
That being said, where a DC guy chooses to take you on a first date says a lot about him — and his commitment level. I conducted a very formal informal survey of my girlfriends to create this non-exhaustive list:
Drinks at Union Pub
Once a Hilltern, always a Hilltern. This guy may have moved up to legislative correspondent, but he’ll still give you a list of every member he’s interned with (or taken a photo with, for that matter). He blames work when he’s 30 minutes late to drinks, and you’re glad he didn’t ask you to dinner after all so you can end the date early and go eat Trader Joe’s frozen dumplings at home.
Walk on the National Mall
Does he want to do something different than the normal dinner-and-drinks routine, or does the climate nonprofit he works for just not pay him enough? Even if the guy isn’t spending any money, a stroll through the National Mall can be a cute date. Brownie points if he buys you ice cream halfway through.
Dinner at Le Diplomate
French cafe Le Dip is a DC favorite, especially among the ladies. That means this guy either really really likes you or just aged into his trust fund. I’m hoping it’s the former, and he’s a hopeless romantic who wants to give you a cute first date you can tell your future kids about, and not an entitled Ivy League grad who will introduce you to his parents and then say he’s not looking for anything serious.
Cocktails at Trump Hotel
Hanging out in the see-and-be-seen hotel lobby bar at DC’s Trump Hotel? Word to the wise: he’s not there for you, he just needs company while he waits for his favorite Trump-fluencer to pass by so he can ask for a photo. But hey, while you’re there, make sure to order the gourmet bacon and put it on his tab.
Coffee on Capitol Hill
This guy is cautious and definitely doesn’t want you to think he has a “dinner, drinks, come back to my place” routine. If he tries to go Dutch on $4 coffees, run. But a coffee date can be super cute, especially if he doesn’t try to impress you by sternly ordering a plain black coffee to prove his manliness.
Closing thoughts
Bad first dates are a dime a dozen, but a good first date feels like you’re in a movie. Send me your first date stories (the good, the bad, and the ugly) at girlygirlsguidetodc@gmail.com or by replying to this email.
Interview with Rebekah Hoshiko
Every week, I plan to introduce you to a woman who knows the ins and outs of D.C.
Rebekah Hoshiko is a dear friend of mine and wears so many hats I don’t know where to start. She is a supreme social catalyst, hosting book clubs, church small groups, and Friendsgiving gatherings (where her baking skills are always put to good use).
She also used her pandemic free time to start an earring business, Capitol Clay. Find her on Instagram here or Etsy here.
What does your job look like during quarantine?
I'm the Republican Communications director for the House Committee on Natural Resources. It's been a bit of a hybrid between working from home and going into the office.
When the pandemic first started we were entirely remote and have since been easing back into the new normal of office operations. Hopefully once everyone is vaccinated we'll be back to the old days — I've missed the hustle and bustle of Congress! Plus my job is much easier with face-to-face communication, so I will be grateful to drop the masks and welcome people back into the Capitol.
What’s your quarantine beauty routine like?
I like to think I'm the kind of person with a robust beauty ritual, but let's be real, I usually splash some water on my face and call it a day. My one non-negotiable is sun protection — I'm not trying to have wrinkles when I'm 40.
When I'm feeling fancy, I've really fallen in love with Beautycounter products, especially their brightening serum and moisturizer. They've kept my skin healthy during the dry winter months. Their lipstick is also phenomenal and I have a few favorite shades, unfortunately no one can see it behind a mask. Someday!
How would you describe your style?
My style is probably best described as "Goodwill chic." I love the thrill of the hunt that comes from thrifting, and I'd say a solid half of my wardrobe is from Goodwill. I'm someone who likes to change up their clothing pretty often, and I have much less guilt doing that when I've only spent $6.99 on a dress!
Now that it's finally warm outside, you'll probably find me wearing a sundress and white sneakers or denim overalls. My workwear usually consists of a dress and heels, and I'm a sucker for a good floral print. Someday I aspire to have the wardrobe of Julia Berolzheimer, the creative genius behind Gal Meets Glam. Unfortunately, Gal Meets Glam isn't making dresses anymore, but her designs are still some of my all-time favorite pieces.
What’s your favorite DC restaurant?
If you live in D.C. and haven't been to 2 Amys, you are missing out! It's my absolute favorite restaurant, and their wood-fired pizza is the closest I've found to recreating that elusive Italian flavor here in the U.S. Great ambiance, great staff, great food, it's the whole package. As soon as they reopen after the pandemic, I will be there every weekend to make up for lost time.
The Haps
“Selling Sunset” Meets “West Wing”
Have you ever driven by a DC mansion and wondered who lives there? Well, Daniel Heider probably knows — because he sold them the house. I enjoyed this story from The Washingtonian about how Heider went from waiter to luxury real estate agent.
I wouldn’t be surprised if he turns his TikTok following into a reality TV show a la “Selling Sunset” in the next few years.
We All Scream for Ice Cream
What do Tyra Banks and Dolly Parton have in common? They’re both adding ice cream to their business empires. Dolly Parton’s collab with Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams (which you may know as Nancy Pelosi’s favorite ice cream brand) is called Strawberry Pretzel Pie. Read about it here.
Tyra’s ice cream brand, which is only available in California, is called “SMiZE Cream,” which, I hate to say, sounds a lot more like eye cream than a yummy dessert. Flavors include “Salted Caramel King” and “The Best Vanilla I Ever Had,” according to People.
At this rate, I feel like I’ll be the only one without an ice cream brand before long. Keep an eye out for my DC-themed line hitting freezers this fall, featuring flavors like “Keurig Cup Coffee” and “Coworker’s Birthday Cake.”
Bad Date on Blast
“One time, this dude took me to a four-course dinner at Filomena in Georgetown (his suggestion, not mine) and didn't pick up the check. And then he wanted a second date.” - Weary in Washington
DC Dating Bingo
If you date in DC, there are a few things you’re bound to experience. With the help of my friends on Twitter, I came up with this DC Dating Bingo card. Let me know what you score!
1-4: It’s time to work on that Hinge profile.
5-15: You’re power couple material.
16-25: You have so many stories you need a dating podcast.
My favorite issue yet! Real question though...Coffee dates are cute but how do you know if it’s just networking or maybe something a little more?