Byeeeeee!

I mentioned this idea to Hannah and Jaime a few days ago and finally got around to looking it up… and would you believe it that today marks the THREE-year anniversary since we started Confessions of a Teleworker?!

You may have noticed (or not, but let’s just say, you did) that we haven’t been writing lately. Honestly, with life returning to some new normal, we just got real busy (and there was an election, so there’s that).

Let’s face it, this blog was started for a bunch of reasons that really changed… for starters, we needed something to occupy ourselves. There was a little thumb twiddling at the beginning (don’t tell our clients!). And more importantly, we all felt so disconnected from each other and from you. When your job’s primary function is to connect with people, well, that’s pretty painful just to stop.

So this was just a fun way to reach out. We started writing our tips on staying home and silly missives about our lives. Everyone on team MAA had a hand in writing and contributing (a particular shout out to alums & expert taskmasters Haley Brown and Rebecca Harbison who kept us going for so long). It was a creative outlet when we were hosting zoom after zoom after mind numbing zoom...

Here are some highlights:

• Ellis Ritacco’s birth!

• Henry Huey’s birth!

• Jacob’s adoption of Luna the Dog (RIP, sweetie-pie) and his engagement and marriage to Kristy!

• Shorts the Dog arriving to Haley’s life

• Archie the Doodle joining Molly’s

• DIY Haircuts

• Puzzles, plants, cooking classes, recipes, online workouts, books, movies, shows…. and so much more!

Then our posts became more infrequent, and we sort of ran out of topics and unsolicited advice to dole out.

This auspicious anniversary date feels like an appropriate time to have an official sign off. We might pop back in later from time to time, but let’s hope it’s under far different circumstances than how we started!

So, THANK YOU to everyone who read this blog. THANK YOU to our team members, current and former, who contributed to it. Our team has grown and changed over these three years, and I’m pretty damn proud of the community and culture we’ve created. I’m especially proud of the ways we supported one another during these trying and volatile times. Love you guys!!

xoxo,

Molly

P.S. - Fun story - right before the world shut down, we had some money riding on the birth of Jaime’s baby, Ellis (Madison won). We never got around to completely erasing the chalkboard and three years later, it still says “Baby Squares” at the top. Thankfully, Hannah is expecting #2 so we have a reason to bring it full circle once again with another interoffice gambling ring!! Woot! You’ll probably hear from us again with that news (birth and winner, of course).

Jaime, March 2020

Hannah, March 2023

P.P.S. - It’s tough to pick your favorite photos but here's a snapshot of some favorites :-)

Recap of August Travels

Hi! We hope you all are getting into back-to-school mode. As we kick-start this busy month, we wanted to share what we have been up to for the past couple weeks. Here’s what some of our team members were doing during August recess:

JAIME

Our family kicked off the month with one kid having a blast with his grandparents in CT, and the other recovering from a much needed tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy surgery (all went smoothly and we have a much quieter sleeper!). We then headed to our happy place in Bethany Beach, DE! We visited with a whole crew of family from my husband’s side, and spent countless hours by the pool and beach and taking jaunts to our favorite local spots. It was all a wonderful respite before sending Sonny off to Kindergarten and Ellis to a new preschool! Here’s a small photo sampling of some favorite memories!

MEG

As soon as August hit I got to go to southern Alberta, Canada to visit my dad's side of my family. The highlight of the trip was all the beautiful hiking in Waterton Lakes National Park! I've been going (almost) every summer since I was young but it manages to blow my mind every visit. The second-best highlight was escaping the DC humidity.

CAROLINE

This August I visited France with one of my best friends from college. We spent several days in Paris, visiting the Louvre, Eiffel Tower, and Montmartre, and then we ventured south to spend a few days in Nice and Monaco. This was my first post-pandemic trip abroad and it did not disappoint. The weather was beautiful and it was an incredible experience!

JACOB

This August I attended the Rep. Panetta LPAC Trip to Pebble Beach, California. The photo to the left is my view from lunch, overlooking the 18th hole. This was incredible trip filled with wonderful weather, food, and people to share the experience with.

HANNAH

We escaped the DC heat for Wellfleet, Massachusetts and spent two weeks with my parents. Henry is officially a beach baby, loving the sun, surf, sand and soft-serve ice cream! But safe to say the favorite part of his trip was the airport...

Molly

This summer, my kids and I got away two times to our favorite and happiest place on Earth: Lakeside Ohio. This little town is a throwback to easier, quieter, calmer times and the best place to recharge. We golfed, kayaked, putt-putted (is that a verb? it is now), swam and ate amazing Ohio corn (don’t @ me Iowa people). Over Labor Day, we were lucky enough to also escape to the beach. My kids are growing like weeds so I’m holding on to every memory I can make with them!

BEST THING ON THE INTERNET

This week we want to share the story of Duane Hansen. He had been growing an 846-pound pumpkin for nearly a decade and recently hollowed it out, plopped a cooler inside and hit the banks of the Missouri River. Click the photo below to read more about his journey.

Day in the Life of an MAA Intern

HERE WE GO!

 Hi, my name is Michael Kennedy, and I am the intern at Molly Allen Associates.  I grew up right outside Washington D.C, in Kensington, MD, and am a rising junior at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem NC.  If you have been to the office this summer, I am the red head guy at the front desk.

Despite my blog inexperience, I have taken the reigns of our blog this week and will be documenting a day in the life of an MAA intern. Luckily, it is an in-session week for Congress, so it should be an eventful day.

8:45AM

My day usually starts at 8:45 am when I exit the MARC train at Union Station and walk to 412 First Street SE. It’s a nice walk, as I pass the Capitol, Supreme Court, and Library of Congress on my way to the office. It is about a 15–20-minute walk, and my main goal is to stay as cool as possible. While getting to work on time is the number one priority, a close second is limiting the amount I sweat on the walk from Union Station.

9:00AM

I arrive in the office at 9:00, and check Teams, Outlook, and Asana to make sure that I’m not missing anything and begin my work for the day. While getting started on my daily tasks, I like to listen to music for the first couple hours of the day to get my day off to an upbeat start. Today, I started my day listening to the album Born in the U.S.A by Bruce Springsteen (which is coincidentally fitting for political work). After settling in, I check Politico and other news sources to see if our clients got any media attention.

10:00AM

There is no better way to start the week than getting checks early Monday morning! After distributing the morning UPS checks, I got started on some prep for the Blue Dog Kingsmill Trip this upcoming weekend.

1:30PM

After a brief meeting with Hannah and some memo work, I headed to Congressional to grab lunch. Usually, I will bring my own lunch, but I did not feel like eating ham and cheese on whole wheat bread for the 20th consecutive day, so I grabbed a Chipotle Chicken Melt from the deli above Congressional Liquor store, a favorite lunch spot for Team MAA!

3:15PM

After finishing up lunch, I was surprised by the office with a birthday celebration. I am officially 20 years old today. Some say it’s all downhill once you hit 20, but I don’t think I’ve peaked yet. After the celebration (thank you everyone!) I got back to work on finalizing my memos…totally unconcerned about my impending downfall at 22.

3:45PM

For about an hour I made some calls to various organizations to invite them to an upcoming event for a client. While the calls were daunting at first, every one gets a little bit easier, and I certainly feel much more comfortable doing call time now than I did at the beginning of the summer!

5:00PM

From 5:00 until I leave, I work on client media tracking, where I search through newsletters, press releases, and articles to find any new information or media activity from our clients.  On top of client news, I try and include information about transitions in the lobbying world.  At the end of every day, once I have rounded up all the relevant news, I send out notable articles with brief summaries to our MAA team.  After this, I head out of the office and walk back to Union Station, praying it’s not over 85 degrees and humid.

Thank you all for reading, and props if you were able to put up with my commentary until this part of the blog.  In all seriousness, however, I have loved my experience so far at Molly Allen Associates, and I am excited to finish the summer strong.  Whether or not I am allowed back on the blog after this experiment is out of my hands.  So, if this is the last time you hear from me, Thank You!

BEST THING ON THE INTERNET

NASA recently unveiled its first images from the James Webb Space Telescope. Check out a Washington Post article linked to the photo below to learn more about this incredible milestone in space exploration.

How To Celebrate Sunday, June 19

FATHER’s DAY

Team MAA hopes you have exciting Father’s Day plans on the horizon! If you are struggling to find a last minute gift, please read below for several fun gift ideas.

Washington Nationals Tickets
Yeti Cooler
Dopp Kit
Workout Gear
Wood and Marble Decanter Gift Set
Hot Sauce Making Kit
TaylorMade 202 1TP5 Golf Balls
Smoking Wood Chunks

Juneteenth

This upcoming Sunday also marks Juneteenth. We would like to highlight a few different ways to celebrate Black history this weekend.

• The Kennedy Center is hosting a fantastic program this week, with dynamic performances by the Dance Theatre of Harlem, the Ballethnic Dance Company and Collage Dance Collective. If you are interested, you can purchase tickets here.

• Something in the Water Festival is this weekend, and it is aimed at celebrating Black art, culture, and music. From local musicians to Grammy-winning stars, this is sure to be an incredible experience. Click here to purchase passes.

• From June 18-20, the National Archives will display the original Emancipation Proclamation and General Order No. 3. The Archives will be open from 10:00am - 7:00pm, and admission is free.

• Visit the National Museum of African American History and Culture. This museum highlights various aspects of the African American experience, covering the arts, slavery, athletics, and more. Click here to reserve your timed passes on the museum website.

COMING SOON: Gabby Giffords Documentary

We would like to share a clip of former MAA client, Gabrielle Giffords, upcoming documentary, “Gabby Giffords Won’t Back Down.”

A Few Things on Our Mind

WELCOME MICHAEL

We are excited to welcome Michael Kennedy to our team! Michael joined us earlier this month as our summer intern. He is a rising Junior at Wake Forest University and is pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Politics & International Affairs.

A graduate of Gonazga College High School and native to Kensington, MD, Michael is no stranger to the DMV area. An avid sports fan, Michael enjoys going to Washington Nationals games and cheering on the New York Giants in his free time.

If you see him around, please do not hesitate to give him a friendly welcome!

How to help our friends

Matt Thackston, a MAA alum and close friend, is raising support to fight against Alzheimer’s. Two years ago, his mother received her diagnosis, and Matt has been a first-hand witness to the negative impact this disease has on family and friends. Matt is hoping to raise money to help future generations.

As part of his fundraising efforts, he will be holding a cookout on June 18th. Please contact him at Matthew.thackston@gmail.com if you would like to join.

We hope you will consider making a donation to help the Alzheimer's Association support all those facing the disease. Thank you!

CLICK HERE TO DONATE!

HOW TO HELP fight for Abortion Rights

In light of the recently released Supreme Court draft opinion that would overturn Roe v. Wade, we want to share several organizations that are committed to maintaining, and broadening, reproductive rights in the United States.

Planned Parenthood
Sister Song
The Afiya Center
In Our Own Voice
Black Women For Wellness
Indigenous Women Rising
National Abortion Rights Action League
Gender Justice
Bold Futures
Holler Health Justice
New Voices for Reproductive Justice

Social Media in DC!

Here at MAA, we love to meet new faces, discover new artists, and find new recipes. Social media is a hub for restauranteurs, bloggers, and artists alike, and for this month's blog post, we want to highlight several of our favorite pages!

MAA TEAM RECOMMENDATIONS

Jaime: @bestfooddc
This Instagram account highlights incredible dishes all over the DMV area. If you are struggling to decide where to head for breakfast, brunch, or date night, hop over to this page to discover the incredible dining spots our city has to offer.

Caroline: @districtbymeg
Meg’s instagram account features spectacular photos of blooming flowers, row houses, monuments, restaurants, and more. Rain, shine, or snow, Meg is committed to finding the perfect angle for each photo. If you find yourself on her page, do not forget to check out her highlighted stories where she provides commentary on all things DC.

Whitney: @crisclapplogan
This DC based illustrator is well-known for her incredible artistic skill. Her work is featured in Louis Vuitton, Washingtonian, and more. Specifically, we love the piece she did to commemorate the historic nomination of Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson (as seen on your right).

Jacob: @730DC
This twitter account provides daily updates of local news and culture in Washington, DC. This account is a great resource to discover more about Washingtonians and their connection to its community.

Meg: @barredindc
Are you in need of a new happy hour spot? This twitter account can help your find the best deals in your neighborhood.

Madison: @chelseacirruzzo
A local DC reporter for Axios, adjunct professor at American University, and freelancer, Chelsea Cirruzzo’s Twitter page is full of incredible content. She keeps her page updated with DC happenings and other relatable content!

FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM

It would be remiss if we did not take this opportunity to share our Instagram account: @mollyallenassociates. Here is a photo of several members of our team enjoying the White House Garden Tour this past weekend!

We hope you have been influenced. Do not forget to like, follow, and share!

Nacho Average Blog

Please join us in wishing a warm farewell to our fearless Event and Operations Associate Rebecca Harbison! Rebecca is moving home to Charleston, SC. You may not know this about Rebecca, but she is a passionate expert on queso. As a parting gift, she is leaving us and you with her list of DC recommendations:

Rankings strictly based on queso at restaurants (does not include chips, salsa, vibes, main dishes):

Molly, Jaime, Rebecca & Emma at Blue Dog Summer Retreat, July 2021

1. El Paso

2. Millie’s

3. Republic Cantina

4. Uncle Julio’s

5. Surfside

6. El Techo

7. Lauriol Plaza / Cactus Cantina (tie)

8. El Tamarindo

Fast Food Queso:

1. Moe’s

2. Qdoba

3. Chipotle

4. District Taco

Don’t be a stranger, Rebecca! We are planning a PAC trip to Charleston just to hang out with you!

Welcome Caroline!

We are excited to welcome Caroline Littlepage to our team! Caroline originally hails from Alabama and most recently was district scheduler to Congressman Jim Cooper in Music City Nashville. Caroline moved and settled with us on March 1. She will be working with us on the Blue Dog PAC, Future Forum and California State Society. Please say hello when you see her next time you stop by the office!

How to help

The harrowing accounts of the attacks and tragedy in Ukraine has left us all stunned and wondering what support we could give from so far away. NPR has put together an excellent list of organizations that you can read more about here, but here’s a quick list with links. Molly Allen Associates has made a donation to Save the Children.

UNICEF

Doctors Without Borders

Voices of Children

Sunflower of Peace

International Committee of the Red Cross

Save the Children

UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR)

CARE

International Medical Corps

Disney Time

Earlier this month, Jacob took a long awaited trip to Disney World. Read below for his trip to the happiest place on earth!

Disney Time

At the start of the month, Kristy and I took a (very belated) trip to Disney World! We had rescheduled 4 times since the start of the pandemic, and I had originally planned to propose to Kristy at Magic Kingdom. Fast forward to this year and we’re getting ready to celebrate our one year elopement anniversary. Needless to say, we had an absolutely amazing time at the happiest place on earth!

We got a window seat at Sanaa, an African inspired restaurant that overlooks Animal Kingdom Lodge’s Savanna! While the animals and views were great, the food was absolutely incredible!

While in the parks, we spent plenty of time in Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge- and I even made my own lightsaber! We also spent time in Toy Story Land aka Andy’s backyard, and did some pin collecting, dining and shopping in Disney Springs.

While at Magic Kingdom, we enjoyed every snack we could think of: Dole Whip, Citrus Swirl, churro, popcorn, confectionary treats, and more! We also made sure to enjoy our favorite attractions (Peter Pan, Thunder Mountain Railroad, and Haunted Mansion) and time to just relax and enjoy the day. The 50th anniversary fireworks show was spectacular, and a perfect way to end our day.

It was a great way to start the year, and even better to take a vacation that felt like it would never happen. If nothing else, I hope you all will make time to be happy and surround yourself with people that create that happiness.

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Super Bowl

As we gear up for Super Bowl Sunday, team MAA is sharing their favorite snacks to make your night all the more enjoyable!

MAA PICK:

Confessions of a Not-So-Teleworker will be supporting the Bengals this year in solidarity with MAA alum Haley Brown! Haley is a Bengals super-fan, and as you can see has been a life long supporter. Joe Burrow is also objectively the coolest quarter back in the NFL!

Favorite Super Bowl Spreads

Rebecca - Queso, sausage dip, Publix chicken fingers, & a Corona with a lime
Jacob - Cowboy casserole, cactus cooler soda, and a winning parlay
Hannah - Spinach and artichoke, queso, salsa, hummus. Variety is key
Molly - Agrees with Hannah. Dips all the way
Madison - Wings, margaritas, and all the dips
Whitney - All the dips
Meg - Twice baked potatoes, Cool Ranch Doritos, and peanut M&Ms

Recipes

Cream Cheese Corn Dip - From Salt and Lavender

Pizza Dip - Everyone’s favorite food, in dip format

Folded Crispy Buffalo Chicken Wraps - Total crowd pleaser

Bacon-Wrapped Jalapeños - For all the bacon lovers out there

Air-Fryer Doughnuts - While salty snacks are the main show, everyone needs a little sweets break during half-time

Pinwheel Pizza - As made by Molly

Puppy bowl

For anyone who isn’t a football fan, don’t forget about the Puppy Bowl! This year it airs on Sunday, February 13 at 2:00pm. Martha Stewart and Snoop Dog will be hosting this year as well—big bonus!

BEST THING ON THE INTERNET

Rebecca’s dog, “Billy’s” fine art twin!

Use the Google Arts & Culture app to upload a photo of your pet and they will match it to a work of art!

Happy Hobbies!

Are you finding yourself with copious amounts of free time? No..? Well, free time or not, it’s always a good idea to have a hobby on the side to keep you sane. Read below for some hobby inspiration!

Needlepoint

I first picked up needlepoint last year but let it lapse over the past couple of months. I find the best way to get back into needlepointing is to have a project that you are excited to complete. The key to a good project is a cute canvas! Here a few of my go-to-needlepoint kits!

Hannah Bass - My pick would be this map of Washington, DC or her alphabet collection.

Lycette Designs - Based out of Palm Beach they have plenty of colorful and fun designs. Ranging from Tabasco Bottles to Elephants Drinking Martinis!

Bad Bitch Needlepoint - Gives you the opportunity to needlepoint some of the biggest icons… aka Taylor Swift and Madame VP, Kamala Harris! - Rebecca

FISHING

My boyfriend introduced me to fishing at the beginning of the pandemic and I’ve been “hooked” ever since! There are a lot of places to go within a 30-minute drive of DC (I recommend checking Virginia’s trout stocking schedule for the best times and places) but nothing compares to the springtime shad run right in the city at Fletcher’s Cove. DC’s fishing licenses are very affordable, even if you don’t live in the district, and you can have a great time tossing a hook in the water at iconic DC sites like Tidal Basin. - Meg

BRAVO

Sometimes, the idea of learning a new hobby is daunting and ends up completely deterring me from starting one. Hobbies don’t have to all be super creative and impressive. Oftentimes you just need a hobby to unwind and escape the real world—and that’s why the Universe gave us the Real Housewives Franchise. I consider myself a Bravo expert and can’t recommend delving into these shows enough. Some might find it intimidating because there are so many cities, but I’ll give you my expert advice. Start with the Real Housewives of New York, it’s a classic and created the footprint for many to follow. Next, go with Potomac (not to be confused with the DC version) because every single character is iconic and will have you hooked. After that, you should be pretty well versed in the Housewife Universe and can move into all of the other cities! My ranking: NYC, Potomac, New Jersey, Beverly Hills, Atlanta, Salt Lake City, OC. - Rebecca

Live Music

Madison recommends checking out other people’s hobbies! Head on over to Mr. Henry’s on Wednesday evenings for Capitol Hill Jazz Jam.

Knitting

One to never sit still, I took up knitting after a particularly grueling campaign season when I was on the trail. Keep in mind this was pre-parenthood but I still strongly recommend knitting to anyone! You can stick to simple scarves or try your hand at something more complicated. I really loved the book Stitch N Bitch for helping me get started because - wait for it - I taught myself how to knit before YouTube tutorials were an option (yes, I am that old). Here are fun examples of what knitters have made from this book - I actually did this baby blanket for my nephew and it was so easy. My mom got my daughter started with a kit like this one and we made this fun scarf together! - Molly

Collage Making

One of my favorite hobbies is making collages. Grab some magazines, old newspapers, stickers, and a glue stick. I start by flipping through all my materials and cutting/ripping any image or phrases that stand out to me. Collages are a great creative outlet, I've even started making digital collages with Canva! I'm working on my 2022 mood board collage so I can visualize all the good vibes and goals I want to accomplish this year. Give it a try! - Whitney

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Valentine Season

Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, but have no fear—we’ve got you covered!

Shop Local

Salt and Sundry - Great options for gifts, including candles, blankets, and jewelry!

Shop Made in DC - Shop Valentine’s Day gift boxes or any of their huge collection of products from DC!

Frères Branchiaux Candle Co. - Candles created by the 3 Gill Brothers. They also donate 10% of their profits to homeless shelters!

Need to ship?

Foxtrot has curated a few great gift boxes….Our pick: The cookie skillet gift box. Pro tip: if you are local you can also have wine and cheese delivered to your doorstep!

Looking for beautiful and unique flowers? Check out Flowerbx

Upload your favorite photo and have it custom framed and delivered right to you — via Framebridge.

Valentine’s Day dinner around dc

Ilili - Offers a 5 Course menu for $100 per person

Nina May - Offers a Valentine’s menu for $80 per person.

Tail Up Goat - Is going for $125 a person (& you have an option to add on a bouquet of flowers)

Sfoglina - Offering a Valentine’s day menu with festive specials

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POTUS in the neighborhood!

January Round-Up

This week we have your guide to restaurant week and “Wordle” the latest internet craze that actually isn’t melting your brain!

Honoring MLK

Earlier this week the country honored Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy and life. Consider a donation to the King Center, an educational and social change institution (founded by the King family) that is “dedicated to educating the world on the life, legacy and teachings” of Dr. King.

restaurant week

There is still time to enjoy the great DC Restaurant Week deals! Lunch (and brunch) deals run for $25 and dinner deals go for $40 to $55. For a full list of restaurants participating click here.

A few of our reccomendations:

All Purpose
Ambar
Dauphine’s
District Winery
Mi Casa
Rasika

Restaurant inspo

In the mood to try something new? The DMV has some great new options that have recently opened. Check out a few of them here and here!

Our highlights? Another Call Your Mother location (West End) and a new Italian spot, L’Ardente.

Wordle craze

Impressive Wordle score courtesy of Molly!

Have you recently across some colored boxes on your social media timelines that look like the above? “Wordle” has taken the world by storm. Every day you get six tries to guess the five letter word of the day. You start by guessing a five letter word. Once you guess, the tiles change colors depending on how close you are to the correct word. Gray tile = the letter is not in the word; yellow tile = the letter is in the word but in the wrong spot; green tile = the letter is in the world and in the correct spot.

A new Wordle is posted everyday, click here to play!

Free COVID Tests

You can now order 4 free at-home COVID tests directly to your house! You can order them here from USPS and receive them at your home (limit one per household).

Best thing on the internet

On what would have been her 100th birthday, the #BettyWhiteChallenge raised thousands in donations for animal groups. The LA Zoo was one of the groups and received over $70,000 in donations that day!

January Reset

January = New Years resolution time. However, it’s also freezing in DC and we’ve got snow on the ground..aka a time for comfort food. So, read below for some ideas to get through January!

Comfort Food

It’s Girl Scout Cookie Time! You have until January 22 to order cookies from Molly’s daughter Maren and have them delivered right to your door. There is even a new flavor this year, Adventurefuls, which are DELISH. Click here to order from Maren and help her earn some fun prizes!

Gorgeous gorgeous girls love soup

Whitney’s suggestion: Half Baked Harvest’s, Creamy Chicken and Parmesan Sage Dumplings

Molly’s suggestion: Tomato Lentil Soup

For the French Onion soup lovers - Try this one from Once Upon a Chef

And for those who prefer to avoid cooking, the Washingtonian has a list of places around the city to get your French Onion soup fix.

You can never go wrong with White Chicken Chili…check out this easy recipe!

Dry January

Dry January Delivery

Foxtrot has a great selection of non-alcoholic spirits and beverages to get you through Dry January. Bonus, because they deliver around DC or if you are outside of the delivery radius, they can ship to you. Our pick: the Amass Mosc(NO)Mule.

Non-alcoholic cocktails

Derek Brown, the bartender at Columbia Room, has curated alcoholic optional cocktails at their pop up bar Disco Mary. Read more about the concept here, and make a reservation on Resy!

Not so dry January

Barred In DC has a comprehensive list of where to get hot cocktails around the city — perfect for winter weather.

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Bonus submission for Meryl Streep as a Girl Scout Cookie

Omicron Curveball

Omicron ruin your holiday plans? Throw you a curveball? Us too! Read below for our holiday recap. Things did not go exactly as planned. Luckily, we are all healthy and looking forward to a better 2022!

Before we get started, we would like to take a second to mark the one year anniversary of January 6th.

Remembering January 6

As we reflect upon the one-year anniversary of the insurrection, we are grateful for the bravery of the Members, Staffers, and Capitol Police that protected our democracy that day.

Reps. Kuster and Kildee, who were both in the House Chamber that day, shared their experiences on the insurrection. Additionally, Rep. Kildee shared his powerful reflections a few weeks ago.

Rebecca

My family was supposed to travel to Jamaica for Christmas but cancelled it because of COVID. Instead we spent Christmas in the mountains of North Carolina and then New Years at the beach in South Carolina (playing lots of Codenames)!

Madison

I was supposed to travel to Las Vegas with my boyfriend to visit his family, but tested positive for Covid and had a quarantine for Christmas in DC instead! I read 3 books, watched 4 Christmas movies, and finished 2 puzzles!

Jacob

Kristy and I went to the AZ state Capitol together for the first time! (We have a challenge going to take a photo in front of every state cap building)

Hannah

Henry had his first Christmas — and is a big fan of wrapping paper!

Molly

Matching PJ’s for Molly’s household!

Whitney

A series of highs and lows for Whitney. High: Taking my nephew (Logan) and niece (McCall) out for a hot coco date! Low: Receiving the above notification at 3am the day of my return flight.

Jaime

Our travel plans also got canceled due to covid so we took advantage of the 60 degree weather and spent Christmas eating ice cream on the mall!

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Happy Holidays!

Happy Holidays from Team MAA! Read below for some of our holiday favorites. Don’t forget to donate to our toy drive!

Toy Drive

Please don’t forget to donate to our holiday toy drive benefitting the National Center for Children and Families. For more information click here!

Favorite Holiday Movies

Molly - It’s a Wonderful Life
Hannah - White Christmas
Madison - The Grinch (Jim Carrey version)
Rebecca - Love Actually
Jaime - Home Alone, Elf and the Santa Clause
Meg - Little Women (2019 version), Muppets Christmas Carol
Whitney - Love Actually or Elf
Jacob - White Christmas, Home Alone, Scrooged

Holiday Treat Inspo:

The Holiday Cheermeister Bourbon Punch from Half Baked Harvest. The perfect festive holiday cocktail!

Peppermint bark chocolate chip cookies from Two Peas & Their Pod

A favorite savory snack. Texas Trash from the Anthony Kitchen

For the people who hate cooking

Don’t feel like cooking? The Washingtonian has you covered. Click here for a list of restaurants to get takeout for Christmas.

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Countdown to Thanksgiving

If you are feeling emotionally wrecked from the release of “Red -Taylor’s Version,” there is no better way to lift your spirits than Thanksgiving food! Read below for the MAA guide to Thanksgiving.

Recipes

Check out some of team MAA’s favorite recipes.

Stick of Butter Rice — Harbison family favorite and it’s as good as it sounds

Sister Shubert Rolls - Hands down the best rolls (and a lot easier than baking it yourself)

Mashed Potatoes - Martha Stewart’s Mother’s recipe

Mulled Wine - Top off the meal with some delicous mulled wine

Sticky Buns - A favorite of Molly’s family

Sausage and Sage Stuffing - Jacob certifies this as the best stuffing you will ever have

Southern Style Mac n Cheese - Courtesy of Babish

Favorite Thanksgiving Plate

Need any inspiration for your Thanksgiving meal? MAA is here to help with our favorite dishes.

Jacob (vegetarian Thanksgiving) - Silva family lasagna (wife’s recipe), stuffing & mashed potatoes with gravy & a treacle tart

Rebecca -Deep fried turkey, mac n cheese, brown rice, collard greens with bacon, and chocolate pie

Madison - Deviled eggs, cheesy cauliflower, sausage & sage stuffing, cranberry sauce

Hannah - Deep fried turkey, sweet potatoes, mac and cheese, & pumpkin pie

Jaime - Mashed potatoes w/gravy, my mom's mushroom stuffing, green beans, turkey (more gravy, of course) with my family's fav pumpkin cheesecake and something chocolatey for dessert

Giving back

The Washingtonian curated a list of places around the DMV to help those in need and give back to the community. It includes places to volunteer, donate, and drop off food. Click here to see the full list.

DC COVID UPDATE

DC just announced the mask mandate will be lifted next week. Masks will still be required in some places (such as public transportation), but you will no longer need them in gyms or restaurants. Click here for more information on the changes coming soon!

Best Thing on the internet

Thanksgiving usually means a lot of family time… so enjoy a new spin on everyone’s favorite family!

Veterans Day

On this Veterans Day, Molly Allen Associates would like to thank all of those who have served and sacrificed for our country! Please read below for several ways to honor veterans this year.

Honoring Veterans

the National Mall

The National Mall has events at the World War I and II Memorials, the U.S. Navy Memorial, Vietnam Veterans Memorial, and the Korean War Memorial. Click here for the schedule.

Veterans Day Concert

The U.S. Navy band will play in honor of Veterans Day. The event will take place at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library at 1:00pm.

Conflict to Creativity: Transitions

Honfleur Gallery will showcase the art of ten veteran artists — opening on Veterans Day. “This group exhibition embodies continuity of service by veterans as leaders in the art world. The space between veteran and civilian fades as visual forms of expression connect both of their worlds.”

Salute to Service

The History Channel and Variety will pay tribute to veterans with their special “Variety Salute to Service” at 9pm ET on Veterans Day. It will “showcase those whose lives were changed by their military service…highlighting the incredible true stories of veterans who have sacrificed so much to serve their country.”

Calling all leaf peepers

It’s about the time of year…the Ginkgo Leaves are dropping soon! Enjoy the beauty of the leaves around the District before they stink up your street!. The Washingtonian has a helpful guide for you “leaf peepers” hoping to check out the trees “peak grinkgo”

Holiday Starbucks Drinks

Holiday drinks are officially back at Starbucks! If you need some inspo, see below for the MAA Team favorites.

Madison - Oat milk latte with 2 pumps of Irish cream with whip (and an honorable mention to the sugar plum cheese danish)

Meg - Sugar cookie iced latte (with oat milk)

Rebecca - Peppermint hot chocolate

Hannah - Not a fan of the holiday drinks…sticks with an Almond milk chai latte

Whitney - Caramel brûlée latte, half sweet w/ non fat milk

Best thing on the internet

A missing sixteen year old was rescued after she used hand gestures (popularized on Tik Tok) to signify that she was in distress. A driver recognized the hand gestures and notified the police. The hand gestures (included above) “represent violence at home — I need help.” We wanted to share the hand signal and encourage you to learn and share it as well!

Halloween Recap

Team MAA isn’t quite done with Halloween yet. Check out our past and present Halloween looks!

MAA KIDDOS

Ritacco kids!

Ellis Ritacco the monkey

Henry Huey

Tuesca kids

MAA Team through the years

Jacob back in the day

Madison and Jackson as Paulette and the UPS Guy…See below for their inspo

Meg as toothpaste

Rebecca (and her sister)

Thanksgiving prep

For everyone that is over Halloween, and ready for Thanksgiving…start your planning here. Washingtonian has compiled a list of places around DC that offer Thanksgiving takeout.

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WMATA WOES

T’s and P’s for all of the Metro riders out there this week. Click below for some content to get you through your commute!

mONDAY MORNING METRO MAYHEM

WMATA pulled 60% of its rail cars after investigating the recent blue line derailment. On Monday only a whopping 40 trains were operating. Please enjoy a few memes as you endure your long wait times and crowded cars this week!

And for those who were on the derailed train, WMATA is offering $21!

Getting through the pain

A few tips to get you through your commute….

• Union Pub is offering “Metro Sucks Happy Hour Specials” that are available until 8PM!

• Succession season 3 is now streaming, binge watch the first two seasons to catch up!

• Squid Game has officially become Netflix’s biggest series launch and it’s worth the watch.

• Adele dropped a new single for the first time in almost 6 years. Stream the single on repeat until the album drops!

Zebra Tracker

For all of you still following the runaway zebras… a new plan has been hatched: food and companionship. Read more here!

Best thing on the internet

Enjoy the spinning otters!

Oregon zoo animals chomping down on some pumpkins!

The Sweet Life

The Holiday season is right around the corner, starting with Halloween! And nothing screams Halloween like, well, a child screaming “TRICK OR TREAT” to get free candy. So get in the spooky spirit and start loading up on sugar!

But first…

farewell, emma

Next week, I report to Maxwell Air Force Base in Alabama for Officer Training School, which makes this week my last week with MAA! I am so sad to be leaving, but am grateful for my amazing team and for all the wonderful experiences along the way. Here’s to the next chapter—aim high!

- Emma

Some of the MAA team plus guests at the Congressional Baseball Game. From left to right: Madison, Whitney, Emma, Emma’s roommate Jenn, Jacob, and Jacob’s wife Kristy. Not pictured: Reps. Jimmy Panetta and Dan Kildee, superstar clients and baseball players!

sweet tooth

It’s never too early to start stocking up on Halloween candy! And to start thinking about what you want to see in your (or your child’s) trick-or-treat bag this year. We asked around the MAA office for everyone’s favorite candy, and here are the (somewhat controversial) results:

Molly: Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups

Hannah: York Peppermint Patties and Oh Henry! bars (for obvious reasons)

Jaime: Kit Kats

Jacob: Flavored tootsie rolls (ranked in order: Vanilla, Lime, Orange, Cherry, Lemon)

Madison: Lindt chocolate truffle variety bag

Rebecca: 3 Musketeers

Whitney: Raisinets

Emma: Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, but pronounced the right way

Meg: Peanut M&Ms, but caramel apple lollipops for Halloween

Lauren: Kit Kats

Bonus: Are you sweet, indulgent, or maybe a little sour? Click here to take a quiz on what type of candy you are!

did you know?

Since 1968, there has been a desk in the U.S. Senate filled with candy. This tradition was started by Senator George Murphy of California, who kept candy in his desk for his colleagues. Murphy started his term in 1965, but in 1968, he moved to the famous “candy desk,” situated right by the door of the Senate Chamber. Because of this new and busy location, Murphy kept even more candy in his desk. After he lost reelection in 1970, the new occupant kept up the tradition, as has every occupant since. There have been over 15 tenants of the “candy desk” and each has brought their own personal take on the candy inside, ranging from hard candies to chocolate bars. Even popcorn! The current tenant is Senator Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania, the state that is also home to Hershey’s! In his desk, you can find Mars products, Hershey’s products, Just Born Quality Confections, and Josh Early Candies. This stash of candy is the only food allowed on the Senate floor, so now we know how the Senate stays energized!

Also, October 28th in National Chocolate Day in the U.S., so don’t forget to mark your calendars and eat those desserts!

best thing on the internet this week

On Wednesday morning, cheetah Rosalie gave birth to 5 cubs at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute in Front Royal, Virginia. The new family can be seen via the institute’s Cheetah cam footage - just click the picture!