As a younger business owner and woman, I must say that it is sometimes a hard world to live in unless you have your girlfriends. Last night showed me what a group of incredibly talented and successful women can do to boost you into the clouds. This group of 20+ women were from all over the DC area and realized just how much they had in common with each other.

We started the evening out with homemade pizzas and a growing row of wine bottles. It was an evening of blind tasting which even included a bottle of Boone’s Farm. As the house started to fill up, the level of voices also started to fill up the house. A few people knew each other from previous Tweetup’s but we all had something in common. The food and wine kept pouring in until we had 17 bottles lining the counter. @CristinaMariaSE made a baked brie that was devoured and @johunt0311’s cucumber sandwiches were gone quickly. Mounds of cheese and loads of vino.

After 3 hours of really loud conversation and moving about the room to talk to everyone, I quieted the room and made everyone tell who they were, where they worked and a fun fact about themselves. This really got things flowing as people realized that those they hadn’t spoken with had similar interests. After this, the room got louder. I believe it had a little bit to do with the wine though too. The tastings were a lot of fun since no one knew what they were trying. @raelinn_wine, our resident wine extraordinaire had a blast tasting a swig of each and decided it would be best to just send out the whole list so we could buy the ones we liked. I’ve listed them below.

As the evening slowed down, the food was getting finished and people started to leave, I realized how many fantastic connections had been made throughout the evening. Geeky girls, foodies, web chicks, and the fabulous divorcee’s found each other and bonds were formed. Even today on Twitter, I noticed that the Twirlies were already following each other and helping each other out with things. Women are so encouraging to have around. How could you possibly ever have too many girlfriends? I’m looking forward to the future of #DCTwirlies events.

PICTURE ALBUM HERE

ATTENDEES:

Your happy hostess, Melanie AKA @Sisarina
Elizabeth @ebuie
Amy @amyeandrews
Mary @marybealladler
Jem @jembahaijoub
Iris @chairisy
Stephanie @scweeker
Heather @boones6433
Cristina @cristinamariaSE (co-host)
JoAnna @johunt0311
Susan @banjobunny
Raelinn @raelinn_wine
Lisa @lpsrocks
Line @storgaardconley
Shannon @SnSwahn
Teresa @themamateresa
Tina @bawdyjane
Nancy @faffingmyway
Kerry Jo @kerryjor

Wine List:
1 – Natura Carmenere/Emiliana $13.50 at My Organic Market
2 – Black Swan/Shiraz Merlot $7 at Harris Teeter (on sale for $5 now)
3 – Fat Bastard/Merlot $15 Safeway ‘Swine Shop’
4 – 3 Blind Moose/Cabernet Savignon $13 at Safeway ‘Swine Shop’
5 – Pine & Post/Chardonnay $11 Gilly’s
6 – Tavel/Rose $16 at Cowgirl Creamery
7 – Clean Slate/Reisling $11 Montrose Crossing Wine & Liquor
8 – Boone’s Farm/Snow Creek Berry $3.49 Sunday Sales Liquor
9 – Yalumba/Chardonnay $22 Gilly’s
10 – Cupcake/Marlborough $13 Talbott Center
11 – Jacob’s Creek/? – $10 Trader Joe’s
12 – The Little Penguin/Shiraz $8 Safeway, Penn Quarter
13 – Patapon/Pineau D’aunis $20 (via Raelinn)
14 – Novella/Chardonnay $7 Trader Joe’s
15 – Nine Stones/? $25 Adega
16 – Rex-Goliath/Pinot Noir $? Parkway Deli
17 – Fritsch Windspeil Rose/Zweigelt $15 (via Raelinn)

What is #DCTwirlies?
#DCTwirlies is a Twitter meetup for local DC Metro area ‘girlies’ to get together and do social events, thus meeting new friends, making great business contacts and generally having a great time. We meet around the DC area once a month and are always looking for businesses to promote and interesting things to do.

The #DCTwirlies met for the first Girlie DC Tweetup at Co Co Sala on Monday, July 6. Co Co Sala was a bit quiet on a Monday night, which we had hoped and were happy about. We were able to meet up with the Event Coordinator and she allowed us to sit around tables and enjoy delicious chocolate drinks and food. We were a bit disappointed with the overpricing of their drinks (which didn’t seem that different than other places other than the addition of chocolate) and the portions of their food but we had a fantastic time.

The conversations started out with why Twitter is so great, why iPhones are better than Palm Pre’s (they aren’t – hehe), and why Cynthia (@govpartners) has such an incredible husband. The laughs were contagious, @amyeandrews was her dry/hilarious self and made sure we were rollin’. We got around to introducing ourselves quickly and chatting with those around us.

After getting our food and sharing in the fascination of the small portions, we counted off and moved around to talk to other people. During that time we tweeted about what a great time we were having (see pictures of all of us on our phones) and tried to convince Jen (non-tweeter) why Twitter was so addictive, fun and helpful. (She’ll be on Twitter soon!) We counted off a 3rd time and continued to find more interesting conversations and then @marybealladler showed up and cracked us all up by learning that TweetDeck was available on her iPhone.

We finally got around to introductions and told each other why we joined Twitter and how our reasoning for tweeting has changed over the last months. @themamateresa ordered a beautiful chocolate platter and shared it with all (the platter was not as great as you’d think though). If you didn’t join us, you missed some great conversations, some delicious chocolate and fun girlie times. There will definitely be another in August – just need to find a restaurant who wants to sponsor us. Go ahead, tweet about it and see what you can find!

CHECK OUT THE PICTURES HERE!

ATTENDEES of #DCTWIRLIES
Melanie @Sisarina (your fearless leader)
Heather @Boones6433
Mary @MaryBeallAdler
Sonia @Pulpologist
Teresa @themamateresa
Grace @gracecunning
Amy @amyeandrews
Amanda @amandare
JoAnna @johunt0311
Jen (non-tweeter)
Kathy @WDCGardener
Cynthia @govpartners
Tara @tarapiver
Erica @eknoch

Any ideas on a restaurant who might want to host the next #DCTwirlies Tweetup?
Looking forward to more girlie time!

 What is #DCTwirlies?
#DCTwirlies is a Twitter meetup for local DC Metro area ‘girlies’ to get together and do social events, thus meeting new friends, making great business contacts and generally having a great time. We meet around the DC area once a month and are always looking for businesses to promote and interesting things to do.

Sisarina & the #DCTwirlies enjoyed events over the past few months and here is a quick update & attendees list for numbers 3, 4 and 5.

#DCTwirlies 3 - Julie & Julia Movie Night

The #DCTwirlies met at Vapiano's in DC on August 11, 2009 for happy hour enjoying great drink specials and pizza, pasta or salad and each other's company. We headed over to the Chinatown movie theater and took in a wonderfully written Julie & Julia while getting hungry despite our full bellies. The laughter, the excitement and the wonderment of Julia Childs made it an incredible evening for all.

Attendees:
Melanie - @sisarina
Deborah - @DBMC
Amy - @AmyEAndrews
Michaela - @NobleLawyer
Christina - @ChristinaMariaSE
Michele - @Freedom2Create
Grace - @gracecunning
Raelinn - @raelinn_wine
JoAnna - @johunt0311

#DCTwirlies 4 - Nando's Sangria Happy Hour

Nando's Peri Peri was having a $5 sangria pitcher that the #DCTwirlies felt they should take advantage of. On Sept 1, 2009, we booked Nando's private back room at their Dupont Circle location and enjoyed appetizers and sangria along with great get-to-know-you conversation. Business networking was had but friendships began and are continuing from that evening.

Attendees:
Melanie - @sisarina
Michele - @freedom2create
Kelly - @kelly_rgievents
Suzanne - @suzanneseymour
Danielle - @DanielaVillacres
Naomi - @digitalfangirl
Raelinn - @raelinn_wine
Shannon - @snswahn
Cristina - @cristinamariaSE
Amy - @amyeandrews

#DCTwirlies 5 - 'Dirty Dancing' Movie Night

Cynthia Karnik, CEO of @govpartners, invited us to her home in Leesburg, VA for a night of Patrick Swayze, mojitos and lasagna. She made sure it was a night to remember. We arrived and found ourselves at the bar in her basement enjoying spinach dip and mojitos along with girl talk about everything on the planet. Once everyone arrived, we headed upstairs for lasagna, salad and garlic bread and enjoyed each other's company. Once we were stuffed, we headed for the 113" screen in the home theater with giant comfy recliners and started watching Dirty Dancing. It was like watching it on the big screen at the movies. Singing, giggling, conversations and lots of dialogue repeating was had throughout the movie along with swooning for the late Patrick Swayze and comments about Jennifer Gray's nose. The evening was a HUGE success. Thanks to Cynthia and her incredible hostessing.

Attendees:
Cynthia - @govpartners
Tara - @tpiver
Melanie - @sisarina
JoAnna - @johunt0311
Amy - @amyeandrews
Rash - @rtadvalkar
Grace - @gracecunning
Heather - @boones6433
Cristina - @cristinamariaSE & friend

Come join us at future #DCTwirlies events!

#DCTwirlies 6 was an intimate group of incredible people, some new & ready to party, others ready to chill out with a bottle on October 21, 2009. At the last minute, at the coaxing phone call of a man-to-remain-anonymous *cough*, we allowed men to join our little party and we have to say... they definitely made the party rock. Melanie made Skillet Lasagna and garlic bread, Josh brought delectable chocolate to sample and everyone else brought the wine listed below for a blind taste test. No one brought Boone's Farm this time so we were in the clear although the cool weather brought out a lot of reds.

ATTENDEES:

Melanie @Sisarina
Grace  @gracecunning
Sonia and Mark @pulpologist
Debbi  @communicc8
Michaela  @noblelawyer
Lisa  @helfphoto
Bethel  @bethelism
Josh @birdjfc
Eryn  @studio_22 and @missusW
Dave @sibilaman
Edward
Mary @marybealladler

WINE LIST:

1- Boordy Vinyards Reisling, $11 from Gateway Liquor in Thurmont
2- Vuja Je Syrah, $20 from Mountain AAS Festival
3- Comus 2007 (a mix of 5 wines), $38 from Sugarloaf Mountain Vinyard
4- Da  Vinci Chianti, $12.99 from Beers & Cheers in Germantown
5- Red Bicycletta Merlot, 11.49 from Safeway
6- unknown
7- Wild Pig Pino Noir, around $10 from Giant
8- Willamette Valley Pino Noir, from Patricia Green Cellars
9- unknown
10- Cupcake Cabernet, $11 from World Market
11- Broadbent Vinho Verde, $16.95 from Red, White and Bleu in Falls Church

Sisarina organized a Sex & the City #DCTwirlies event. This event was specifically for women to gather together to enjoy some great happy hour deals, meet new people and of course discuss the ever deliberated question: Big or Aidan?

The night started off at Jaleo, in downtown Bethesda, where a small group enjoyed $4 Sangrias and shared a few tapas. As more of the hard working women came from their jobs, the conversation ranged from our interests and professional goals to the most important part of the night... our hopes and fears for the movie. The Bethesda movie theater was only a short walk around the corner and then we were free.

We will have more #DCTwirlies in the near future, the goal being to get local women together in a casual social setting so we can meet new people and make new friends.

Make sure to keep your eyes open for our next #DCTwirlies: ‘Tinis and Toes (on twitter as #tinistoes)

ATTENDEES:
Melanie   @sisarina
Nicole      @nicolemott
Debbie    @debrastratton
Erin          @erinleigh
Veronica @veebrown
Sonia      @pulpologist
Amy         @amyblaszyk

On Wednesday July 14th, local women congregated in the trendy headquarters of Sisarina for a girlie evening of pampering and socializing.

Nicole, @nicolemott, (Sisarina interina) was the bartender for the night making tasty Martinis all night: a Flirtini (cosmopolitan martini) and a Chocotinis, and Sangria. Liz, @eglomb, (also Sisarina interina) kept up with the flow of the party as well as checking on the menu, which included: cucumber tea sandwiches, pigs in a blanket, fruit salad and tomato & mozzarella salad.

Ladies from @nailtaxi (nailtaxi.com) provided great 15-minute mini pedicures while Jessica LaGarde, @peaceathandmt, provided 10-minute massages and fully impressed each of us. Lori Saitz from @zenrabbit provided the dessert for the event known as “Gratitude Cookies."

When Lisa (@DCeventjunkie) couldn’t make it, she raffled off her ticket for the best martini recipe. @KMDoyle won a free ticket to ‘Tinis and Toes with her suggestion of the dirty martini!

Peace at Hand Massage Therapists (Jessica LaGarde) had a quick note for you too:
Thanks, everyone, for welcoming me at the event! It’s so nice when work feels like play, and it was wonderful to meet you all. So many of you talked about how stressed or tense you felt, so I want to make sure you know about a few ways to get more (and sometimes free!) massage: First, follow @peaceathandmt on Twitter for updates on specials and all the latest news. Second, "like" The Spa Room on Facebook for a chance to win free massages and spa treatments. I hope to see you all again, either at another event or on the massage table!

Attendees:

Melanie @sisarina
Nicole @nicolemott
Liz @eglomb
Aisha @aishajcreative
Amanda @amandare
Annette
Carey
Charlotte @charswann
Chloe @sundaypeaches
Claudia @Fig2Design
Claudia
Courtney
Deborah @clickwisdom
Diana @ddkurcfeld
Elizabeth @ebuie
Karen @akaKRob
Jessica @autumnbriars
Laurie @SimplyLeapCoach
Lisa @helfphoto
Lisa @lpsrocks
Lori @zenrabbit
Maxine
Michelle @tdbunmasked
Michele
Olivia @hiolivia
Robin @RobinYasinow
Sheila
Sonia @pulpologist
Wendy @CRAVEdc

Check out the pictures Liz took in our photo gallery