Hello Everyone,
As 2010 evaporates like morning dew, the reality hits that a new year has emerged. Are you tired of predictions yet? No? Good. I have been gazing into my crystal ball for signs of whats to come in 2011. The inside of my unreliable illuminated devise has given me some tantalizing hints and warnings of disasters yet to come. I make no guarantees nor apologies for the following.


ECONOMY & BUSINESS

Hate to be the pessimist here but it will get worse. Buckle up small business because 2011 will be the real deal. Expect less, not zero growth, but less.Very unpredictable (excuse the pun).

The house in the suburbs is doomed. With oil so expensive make sure you live near a metro. The only real estate that will hold its value will be within walking distance to the city.

The price of fresh fruits and vegetables will skyrocket. If you like vegetables….start preserving PICKLES or grow your own. I plan on foraging for morels in the spring with my new friend Todd.

Mobile and G4 will be a must have tool for businesses.If you can ever figure out that new app.

Shopping will be perceived as a dominant cultural activity as a result of using a cell phone to do your shopping. Oh boy!

Remember travel agents? Well, the untouchable, infallible, unstoppable American LAWYER will soon become a starving blogger like me. Sites like Cybersettle, that are so crazy cheap will make hiring an attorney obsolete.

The middle class is dead. Period. We will define our class and social stratus by going 3 generations back, as in my great -great -great- grandfather was a merchant from France that settled in Traverse City, Michigan.(mono-class anyone?)

POLITICS

There will be no” withdrawal “from Iraq. Prime Minister Maliki is not capable of maintaining security OR stability long enough to organize a going away party for our troops. Do our soldiers know how to tell a Shi”te from a Sunni? Have we taken the time to explain how useless this war is?

Karzai and Zardari will be “surged” out. These sock- poppets need to be ousted. The only down side will be that Gen. Pervez Musharraf might return and thus give the Pakistani Taliban a national platform. Good God.

Sinophobia will bring Pelosi and Gingrich together like white on rice. They will start to bash the Chinese for their economic expansionism and blame them for our shameless dissoluteness. The fact that they own our debt and have financed our post 9/11 shopping spree will not be mentioned. The same attributes that earn praise from us in western countries, will now be used to condemn the Chinese.

Total economic meltdown in Europe.Totally. Deflation, panic, bad investments and dirty governments will insure the downfall of the European economy. Have I said enough here? A debt crisis is a debt crisis for goodness sake. The only good thing about this, is that you can’t get much lower than… this. This will be hitting bottom.

LOVE- FOOD-LIFE

Cupcakes are out and pies are in. Real people make cherry pie. Pie is good! Chocolate and red wine always IN. Single malt scotch IN ,but, always neat, NOT in a cocktail.Grilling…IN.

Music, live music, will bring all age barriers together. Invite your grandpa to a live street music performance.

Your lack of individualism will vex your heart. Your internet virtual being will expose your blog/shopping/ viewing trends to the entire world. No more you.

When you will be asked to choose between Religion and God, most of us will choose God. Thank God for that one.Phew!

Monogomy will be hot. Marriage and commitment will be back in style with men playing a more traditional role once again. Online dating will decline and people will ask family and friends to introduce them to someone good and deserving. (mom knows best…I told you so).Commitment is the new black.

Love will be based on trust,friendship, adventure,respect, spontaneity and an exclusive relationship. No status update needed…..I wish you all a Great 2011.For hair and fashion predictions, please visit the Miracles Salon Blog
For discounts on local fun things to do visit our friends at Groupon. A deal a day great things to do, eat, see, & buy in your area. Shop Groupon.com today!
January 2011 Events Guide

SPOTLIGHT: His name is Brian Lawrence. Sunday January 9, 2011 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM. He has a great voice, writes his own music and plays the Flamenco Guitar.

Black Fox Lounge
1723 Connecticut Ave, NW
Washington, DC 20009
Neighborhood: Dupont Circle
(202) 483-1723
www.blackfoxlounge.com/

My friend Ann Marie from small friendly planet has a whole list of fun things to do in Washington DC for January 2011. Go have some fun and enjoy life.

FEATURED EVENT: Second Thursday Torpedo Factory Art Night
DOING GOOD: Saturday Night Sips
LA PRIMA COSA BELLA Film Screening
Haiti: One year later – Still Waiting for Relief
Art + Coffee: Luce Foundation Center for American Art
NBC4 Health and Fitness Expo
SUNNY MEMORIES: The Fusion of Solar Technology & Industrial Design
Full Moon Hike at the National Arboretum
Washington Wine Academy’s Wine and Art Night Reception
Best of DC Shorts
An Evening with Scriptwriter Marilyn Bage

FEATURED EVENT: Second Thursday Torpedo Factory Art Night
When: Thursday, January 13, 6-9pm
Where: Torpedo Factory
105 N. Union St. Alexandria, VA
More Info: http://www.torpedofactory.org/thursday.htm

Browse open studios and galleries, interact with artists, and enjoy refreshments at this free event held on the second Thursday of each month at the Torpedo Factory Art Center. Drop by on your way to dinner, or make an evening of it! Cozy up at the Torpedo Factory and enjoy a special evening inspired by the wonder of the winter season! Artist-made snowflakes and twinkling lights will set the scene as visitors enjoy a candy buffet with treats and sweets featuring the colors of winter.

DOING GOOD: Saturday Night Sips
When: Saturday, January 22, 6-9pm
Where: 1609 16th St. NW, Washington, DC
Cost: $100
More Info: http://saturdaysips.eventbrite.com/

Saturday Night Sips is a cocktail reception with ALICE WATERS AND JOAN NATHAN, celebrating the role young people play in fighting hunger both locally and nationally. The event will have tastes from the area’s hottest young chefs, specialty drinks created by DC mixologists and wine tastings by Le Baccanti and speakers from Martha’s Table and DC Central Kitchen. Join your community in celebrating health and nutrition while combating hunger and poverty in DC. The event will feature several rooms showcasing young local chef’s including Will Artley of Evening Star Café, Graham Bartlett of Zengo, Antonio Burrell of Masa 14, Daniel Giusti of 1789, Shannon Overmiller of The Majestic Café, David Varley of Bourbon Steak

LA PRIMA COSA BELLA Film Screening
When: Sunday, January 9, 4-7pm
Where: 3251 Prospect Street NW, Washington DC
Cost: $8
More Info: http://www.meetup.com/italiano

This highly anticipated new film by award-winning director Paolo Virzi is coming to Washington, DC. This brilliant comedy-drama won Best Actor (Valero Mastandrea), Best Actress (Micaela Ramazzotti) and Best Screenplay at the 2010 David di Donatello Awards, and is Italy’s 2011 entry to the 2011 Oscars. Gorgeous Anna Nigiotti was named Miss Mamma of Livorno´s most famous bath house in 1971, and her son Bruno never got over the embarrassment. Burning all the bridges to his past, Bruno left home to make a living far away. But now that Bruno´s mother (who´s still a ball of fire) is terminally ill, his sister Valeria has convinced him he needs to come home to Livorno. This highly engaging family drama will make you laugh and cry, sometimes both the same time.

Haiti: One year later … Still Waiting for Relief
When: Wednesday, January 12, 6:30pm
Where: Alliance Française de Washington
2142 Wyoming Avenue, NW, Washington DC
Cost: $15
More Info: http://www.francedc.org/en/index.aspx

Please join in a discussion about the current situation on the ground in Haiti and the challenges facing the Haitian people in the near term. On January 12, 2010 Haiti was hit by a magnitude 7.0 earthquake devastating the fragile country’s infrastructure and killing 300,000 people, wounding 400,000 and leaving 2 million homeless. Despite an outpouring of donations and aid commitments from private citizens, foreign governments and multilateral institutions, there has been very little progress on recovery and reconstruction. Only 2% of the rubble has been cleared, people live in 1,370 camps under makeshift tents with no electricity, sanitation or potable water. They have limited access to healthcare and food. With elections scheduled for November 28, 2010, Haitians now have to worry about a deteriorating security environment as the ruling Party begins to put in place the foundation for an electoral coup. All proceeds benefit Doctors Without Borders.

Art + Coffee: Luce Foundation Center for American Art
When: Saturday, January 15, 1:30–3:30pm
Where: American Art Museum, F Street Lobby, Washington DC
More Info: http://www.si.edu/Events/Calendar/?trumbaEmbed=date%3D20110115

Learn about the more than 3,300 treasures of the Luce Foundation Center for American Art during this tour. Afterwards, enjoy a complimentary cup of coffee or tea. The Smithsonian American Art Museum’s Luce Foundation Center for American Art is the first visible art storage and study center in Washington. The Center features more than 3,300 objects in secure glass cases which quadruples the number of artworks from the permanent collection on public view. The center features paintings densely hung on screens, sculptures, crafts and folk art objects arranged on shelves, and miniatures and medals in drawers that open. Large-scale sculptures are installed on the first floor of the center. Interactive computer kiosks provide the public with information on every object in the center, including a discussion of each artwork, artist biographies, audio interviews, video clips and still images.

NBC4 Health and Fitness Expo
When: Saturday, January 15, Sunday, January 16, 9am-5pm
Where: Washington Convention Center
801 Mount Vernon Place NW Washington, DC
More Info: http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/health/2011-NBC4-Health–Fitness-Expo-99946029.html

Are you interested in getting and staying healthy? Don’t miss the largest, best-attended Wellness Expo in the country!! Health-conscious Washingtonians can receive free health tests, screenings, valuable medical and health information, and participate in a variety of interactive sports and fitness activities that are fun for the whole family. Attendees can also enjoy Healthy Cooking demonstrations, soccer, rock climbing, a community blood drive, and many more activities that are designed to engage and entertain.

SUNNY MEMORIES: The Fusion of Solar Technology & Industrial Design
When: Tuesday, January 18, 6:30pm
Where: Washington Design Center
300 D Street – 6th Floor, S.W., Washington, D.C.
RSVP: wla@eda.admin.ch.

Come for a special opening reception for Sunny Memories, an international workshop created to innovate around the concept of ‘dye-sensitized’ solar cells. The exhibit presents unique and fashionable design objects as a result of the fusion between solar-cell technology and design. Led by the Swiss based EPFL+ECAL Lab (Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne and the Ecole Cantonale d’Art de Lausanne’s Laboratory), the project involved more than 80 students from four top design schools: California College of the Arts (CCA) / San Francisco (U.S.A.) Royal College of Art (RCA) / London (UK) Ecole Cantonale d’Art de Lausanne (ECAL) / Lausanne (Switzerland) Ecole Nationale Supérieure de Création Industrielle (ENSCI) / Paris (France) and major designers like Yves Béhar, Sam Hecht, Jörg Boner or Jean-François Dingjian. This event is produced by the Embassy of Switzerland in Washington, D.C. as part of the U.S.-wide program ThinkSwiss-Brainstorm the Future. As a leading country in science, research and technology, Switzerland is working with its American counterparts to address key global topics.

Full Moon Hike at the National arboretum
When: Wednesday, January 19, 7pm
Where: National Arboretum, 3501 New York Ave, NE, Washington DC
Cost: $22
More Info: http://www.usna.usda.gov/Education/events.html#January

This four-mile-long, mildly strenuous hike is a magical trip through moonlit gardens, meadows and woods. Discover how the striking landscape of the arboretum changes under the moon and stars of the night sky. Your guide will share points of special interest and seasonal highlights. The two-hour walk over hilly and uneven terrain is more a hike, not a tour, so wear good walking shoes.

Washington Wine Academy’s Wine and Art Night Reception
When: Thursday, January 20, 7-9pm
Where: P&C Art, 212 King Street, Old Town Alexandria, VA
Cost: $34
More Info: http://www.washingtonwineacademy.org/public-events.htm#jan20

Please join Washington Wine Academy for a reception at P&C Art in Old Town Alexandria. Want to get out but not spend a fortune? Then, come to Old Town Alexandria for a wine and cheese (and more) reception at a great art gallery and with fun people. The reception will feature more than 12 different Wines of the World and display of cheeses, dips, munchies and dessert items.

Best of DC Shorts
When: Friday, January 28 – Saturday, January 29
Where: Atlas Performing Arts Center
1333 H Street NE, Washington, DC
Cost: $12
More Info: http://rewind.dcshorts.com/

Due to popular demand, the “Best of DC Shorts” had expanded from one night to an entire weekend. Blocks of films (animation, foreign, local, documentary, etc.) will be screened and end each evening will end with the Best of DC Shorts 2010. This is the perfect opportunity to catch films you might have missed from past years — and whet your appetite for future DC Shorts events.

An Evening with Scriptwriter Marilyn Bagel
When: Monday, January 31, 6:30pm
Where: The American News Women’s Club
1607 22nd St NW, Washington, DC
Cost: $20
More Info: http://www.anwc.org/home.html

Visit the The American News Women’s Club and meet Marilyn Bagel, a versatile scriptwriter for major national events and multimedia, a playwright and an author who has been putting words in the mouths of high-profile people for years. Bagel began her writing career as an award-winning advertising copywriter for print and broadcast. She is credited with the ability to get inside the minds, hearts and styles of her notable clients including David Hyde Pierce, Candy Crowley, Jean Smart, Joan Cusack, Richard Roundtree, Linda Ellerbee, Lamman Rucker, James Earl Jones, Kathleen Turner, Chris Matthews, Willard Scott, and Ed McMahon. The American News Women’s Club, one of the nation’s premiere press clubs, promotes professional pursuits; provides a place for members to find helpful assistance and encouragement in their professional development and community endeavors and awards grants to outstanding
journalism students and media professionals.