T-Minus 5 days… oh sugar! It’s almost Mother’s Day! We know it’s tough to keep track of what day it is so let us help you NOT SCREW THIS UP. Here are our recommendations of creative, quick, and resident-mom favorites.

First, we encourage you to shop local! You might not have enough time to get orders shipped and it’s a great way to give back to our communities.

Fiola Mare - Order dinner for two, cocktails, gift baskets, flowers - Oh my! (Let me know if anyone needs my husband’s email address)
HUNGRY@home - one of our favorite caterers is now accepting Mother's Day brunch orders.
Corcoran Caterers - Another fun food delivery option! Corcoran has weekly rotating menus and they have some special options for Mother’s Day plus family meal kits.
Red Orchard - this lovely boutique in Bethesda does local delivery and has some fun curated gift baskets. Caroline, the owner, will even customize your order with you!
SW7 - This cute shop in Kensington, MD will also work with you to customize a gift order. They have lovely textiles, body butter and cocktail supplies.
Palace Florists - Serving the DMV for 75 years, this mom is keeping her business going with help from her daughters.
Helen Olivia - This Alexandria florist is also doing deliveries on Saturday and Sunday as well as pick up orders.
Teach your kids how to do laundry! See below for photo evidence that it is possible.

Make home-made greeting cards.
Make a coupon book.
Enjoy this playlist on Spotify.
Have the kids create an At-Home-Spa for Mom.
Work off your meal with an outdoor scavenger hunt.
Set an alarm on your phone to CALL your mother on Sunday.

If your mom is outside of the DMV, remember that tool called ‘GOOGLE’ and search for local restaurants doing e-cards and florists nearby your mama!

And finally, Jaime sends this from maternity leave: “What more could any mother ask for?” How about a massage and 5 minutes alone?😋

8-year-old boy doing laundry. This image has not been altered in any way.

ZOOMing…

Zoom fatigue is a real thing. Seriously. And now that we are all becoming seasoned Zoom users, we at MAA want to promote the importance of the Virtual Background. Two key factors here: 1) Privacy and 2) Flair! This is an opportunity to let your personality SHINE! Don’t squander it. ;-)

First, PRIVACY. Let’s face it, we don’t all have glorious home offices that are perfectly appointed, decorated and well-lit. Instead, we are often in bedrooms and basements. It’s fine for our friends or parents, but perhaps you don’t want your C-Suite exec viewing your personal space or worse - a Member of Congress? When it comes to flair, why not show off your personality a bit? Here are links to our favorite Zoom backgrounds! (Of course, if you are looking for a sterile, professional background, we recommend these options).

Molly: Den of Geek: Marvel, DC Comics, Simpsons. I’ve also dropped some vacation pics into my background. Nostalgic and hopeful for better times.

Hannah: Enviable interiors courtesy of Anthropologie.

Jacob: Who would've guessed it would be a classic Disney backdrop? The Circle of Life, indeed!

Haley: Love Island Confessional Room because I don’t even want to admit the amount of time I have spent watching this show.

Lexi: Dogs. Just so many dogs. AKA Wags with Swags.

Madison: The Annie Liebovitz photoshoot of the 2020 female presidential candidates.

Isaac: The Office conference room. A place for hot takes and working.

Rebecca: Transport yourself to Schitt’s Creek!

Are you Zoom-challenged? Here are the step-by-step instructions to install your virtual background.

Hannah’s Day in DC:

Morning: Like so many others, we hopped on the Peloton bandwagon last Fall. Start the day with Emma Lovewell’s 20 Minute Listening Party cycling class (great way to be introduced to some new music while you ride) followed by 30 minute body weight strength. If you don’t have a bike at home, the Peloton app has many bike-free options including running and yoga. You can try the app free for 30 days.

Afternoon: Head down to Union Market. My husband and I met in the loading dock during a concert, so we often venture there to pay our respects and pick up some produce and fresh pasta. Our favorites include Harvey’s Butcher, The Creamery and Al Volo. Union Market offers a grocery delivery service, so you can get your favorite items straight to your home. Many of the Market’s vendors are also open for takeout.

Evening: My husband and I are the King and Queen of buying groceries, but then deciding to eat out anyways. All that fresh produce will last, right?! So we head to Zeppelin on 9th Street for some sushi. Our favourite dishes include the Crudo and Negitoro Roll.

We finish the evening with an episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm and a Boulevardier, one of the signature cocktails served at our wedding. We’ve had some time to perfect our bartending skills and neighborhood spot, Bassins MacArthur offers curbside pick up to ensure we always have what we need. They’ll deliver locally too!

Happy Tuesday, friends! We’ll leave you with the MAA Quarantine Playlist. Pop in some earbuds and go for a walk around the neighborhood. We dare you not to smile!