What Every City Girl Needs

Living in DC has been quite an adjustment from my local small town life.  More cars, more buildings, more sirens, more going on at every hour of the day (I think that's why the LT blog has been so scarce).  But living in the city is totally manageable, actually quite fun in fact, if you know the tricks of the trade.  I will dispense this advice now:

1. Most importantly, get a group of girlfriends.  I call my girls "the bridesmaids" because we were all in the wedding party of one of my dear friends who lived in Chapel Hill and DC.  Good city girlfriends should:

-Be able to go out or stay in and have a fantastic time.

-Tell it like they see it, even when it's not pretty.

-Give advice on what [not] to wear.

-Call you when they're randomly 5 minutes away from your house so you can go ahead and put the wine in the freezer.

2. Get a warm coat.  The best investment I made in 2012 was a Lands End down parka.  The website said it was most comfortable between 0 and -30 degrees Celsius.  Sold.

3. Wear comfortable shoes.  Not those jenky Target shoes that make the balls of your feet burn or give you blisters on your heels.  Spend some cash on a cute pair of boots that will last several seasons.  When you're walking five blocks and spending the evening on your feet, the last thing you want to think about is when you're going to see a chair again.  

4. Have a cute dog.  Preferably a dog that flirts.  Lulu is an equal opportunity socializer and makes friends anywhere she goes.  I'm looking forward to front porch season when we will spend our days on the patio.

5. Have neighborhood digs.  A coffee shop, a bar, a sandwich place, a gas station where people know your name (or at least your face).  The neighborhoods are what keep the city feeling small.  

6. Keep the air mattress ready. Once you get settled into your fantastic city life, everyone is going to want to visit.  I'm really looking forward to the Girls' Weekend coming up in April.