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Sam’s Daily News

After spending the last week in Washington DC I got to know our nations capitol just a bit better than I had before. While there are the recommended sights to be seen such as the White House, Lincoln memorial, Washington monument and so on. I would also like to suggest a few places to eat and a great place to get your nails did. As this blog begins to take shape you will notice an ongoing theme of best and worst places to get a mani/pedi. It’s just something I’m fond.

NEYLA : A Mediterranean Grill
3206 N. Street, NW Washington DC
202.333.6353

This handsome gent I refer to as my boyfriend brought me to NEYLA in Georgetown for New Year’s Eve. As you walk into NEYLA the sweet smell of grilled fish and meat dance by your nose to the beat of middle eastern hymns booming from the speakers featured all over the restaurant. As the hostess walks us through the dimply-lit taverna I am eager to sit down and see what’s in store. They offer a special menu for the evening consisting of four courses. We begin with an amuse boucher which was a pumpkin/apple soup puree with a pan seared scallop. Honestly the most delectable little tease to wet your appetite. The following two courses consisted of bite sizes portions of hot and cold Mediterranean appetizers such as hummus, falafel, samosas, babaganoush, etc. After consuming copious amounts of appetizers I barely left room for another bite. With the arrival of our entrees mine balsamic glazed salmon and his filet minion and grilled shrimp, I basically looked at mine for twenty minutes while watching in astonishment as Hakim could polish off his filet and shrimp. As the entrees are cleared and the music is turned up the countdown begins and next thing you know we have just enjoyed our last meal of 2006. If you are going to be in the DC area I recommend eating here. Tasty.

LOVELY NAILS: Dupont Circle, Washington DC
Off the corner of Florida and Connecticut
202.328.1010

In desperate need of a manicure and no clue where to go in DC I called upon my cousin Allison to send me to her nail salon. First the cost of a mani/pedi in the District of Columbia is a joke, they actually want $40- $60 for the beautification of my fingers and toes. I pay a whopping $25 + $10 for a 10 min massage (which they don’t do) and I’ve spent $35 excluding tip. I really cannot wrap my head around these prices. So I get a $15 manicure and to my sublime joy it is fantastic. She painted my dainty fingernails as if they were a canvas to be featured at the Corcoran (a museum in DC I do recommend, although they have some odd exhibits). So after getting acclimated to the humid smell of rice and acrylic wondering what I had walked into my $15 dollars got me perfectly painted licorice black nails.

BORAT: Sacha Baron Cohen
In theatres or be ghetto and cop a bootleg

Naughty! Naughty! You’re all a bunch of silly little girls if you don’t see this movie. I’m still laughing about it.

ACCUPUNCTURE: Dr. Yuen
Chinatown NYC (I’ll give you his information if you are interested)

After hearing my sister in law Jessie rave about her experience with acupuncture I decided to give it a try. With the start of a new year and a new lease on life I booked an appointment for January 3rd. My ultimate goal is to help alleviate problems related to food allergies I have and to assist me in quitting smoking. I figure a 3,000-year-old ancient Chinese practice couldn’t be all-wrong. Always the skeptic New Yorker I was somewhat optimistic about my new adventure. Although while walking up Grand Street I began to revert to my old ways wondering what was I doing on this filthy street in Chinatown and what kind of whole in the wall was I about to walk into. To my delight the office was clean, friendly and organized. I was asked tons of questions pertaining to why I was there and what I wanted to be treated for. After filling out some information they checked my pulse, looked at my tongue and asked me some more questions. To be honest they were right on for the most part. Next I was pined like a cushion on my back and then on my front and in my ears. The acupuncture needles don’t hurt there are only a few places which are sensitive but it’s bearable. An eyebrow wax is worse. After an hour I was given a bottle of herbs to take 2x a day and I scheduled a second appointment to follow up with my acupuncture stop smoking campaign. Honestly, I do feel different after my appointment. I feel relaxed, my energy is a bit more balanced and I have no interest in smoking a cigarette. Which to be honest with you is a feat with in itself. I had a very positive experience and would be more than happy to share the doctor’s information with anyone whom may like it. I will add updates after my next treatments.

A little information on Acupuncture:
Acupuncture is one of the key components of the system of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). In the TCM system of medicine, the body is seen as a delicate balance of two opposing and inseparable forces: yin and yang. Yin represents the cold, slow, or passive principle, while yang represents the hot, excited, or active principle. Among the major assumptions in TCM are that health is achieved by maintaining the body in a “balanced state” and that disease is due to an internal imbalance of yin and yang. This imbalance leads to blockage in the flow of qi (vital energy) along pathways known as meridians. It is believed that there are 12 main meridians and 8 secondary meridians and that there are more than 2,000 acupuncture points on the human body that connect with them.