EXPRESS_02162014

ALL WORK, SOME PLAY Shared workspaces cater to parents, writers and more 10

PERSONAL PEP RALLY Ex-cheerleader Molly Shattuck wants you to live vibrantly 11

UNBURY TREASURES How to find gems among the junk at estate sales 12

Friendly Chatter Online commenting leads to offline community for loyal followers of some local blogs 8

FEBRUARY 16, 2014 | A PUBLICATION OF

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READEXPRESS.COM | @WAPOEXPRESS

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Your Best Shot | Submitted by Angela Napili of Washington

eye openers

IMPATIENCE

She Wanted Her Slushie, And She Wanted It Now A woman in Manassas, Va., took a joyride from one 7-Eleven parking lot to another 7-Eleven about a mile away last month. Police said Natasha Cook, 30, had been waiting in the parked car while its driver was in the store when she hopped into the driver’s seat and took off. Cook was arrested and charged with grand larceny and driving on a revoked license, Manassas Police said.

POPPYCOCK!

“I find naming streets after prominent persons does help me with wayfinding.”

— DINO DRUDI, AN ALEX ANDRIA RESIDENT, SPOKE OUT AGAINST AN ORDINANCE PASSED BY ALEXANDRIA’S CITY COUNCIL LAST MONTH. IT REPEALED A REQUIREMENT THAT NEW STREETS BE NAMED AFTER EITHER CONFEDERATE MILITARY LEADERS OR PROMINENT PEOPLE OR PLACES IN AMERICAN HISTORY, OLD TOWN ALEX ANDRIA PATCH REPORTED.

CONSTRUCTION WOES

Your Crack Is Showing …

Bethesda commuters may have been startled to find an 8-inch-wide trench running across Wisconsin Avenue near its intersection with Leland Street last month, BethesdaNow reported. The State Highway Administration said crews had been working overnight and did not have time to cover the utility trenches left behind. It has since been filled. (EXPRESS)

PRETTY BIRD: Washingtonian Angela Napili says the National Zoo’s Amazonia exhibit, which replicates the diverse ecosystem of a tropical rainforest, is a difficult place to photograph because of its low lighting. But, as she points out, it also makes for a dramatic background. Pictured here is a Roseate Spoonbill, a large wading bird.

Want to see your pic in print? Submit your best shot by joining our Flickr pool at flickr.com/ groups/wapoexpress. Share a photo from the Washington region, and it could appear here.

If ad space were real estate, this would be a trendy gastropub on 14th Street.

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WS, T HE NE E A LITTL ASKEW

for what it’s worth

HOLIDAYS

STYLE

All the Presidential Men

What the Catwalk Dragged In

Don’t be sad if President Obama, or any former leader of the free world, turns down an invite to your Presidents Day potluck. Hire or visit one of these fine professional stand-ins.

Dean Malissa as George Washington Visitors to Mount Vernon might meet farmer George (left), General Washington or other incarnations of the first president — it depends on historic interpretative actor Dean Malissa’s attire of the day. For extra authenticity, Malissa sports his own white locks, rather than a wig, just as Washington did.

Patriotic props: A closet-full of regalia, including a $400 farming outfit and $3,600 period suit.

How Washington would feel about the U.S. today: “His heart would be broken.”

Little-known fact: The father of our country “was never seen ‘naked’,” to which Malissa quickly added, “Naked meant ‘without a coat’ in [Washington’s day].”

J. MAURITZEN

Nationals Racing President Teddy Roosevelt The Nats’ long-losing, finally victorious Teddy agreed to field our questions via his “representative” — so, probably a Nats marketing intern. Read more of “Teddy’s” thoughts on Twitter at @Teddy26Nats.

Race rituals: “After I win, I won’t change my socks and I will go without washing them until my next loss.”

Nutrition regimen: “I carbo-loaded the night before I ran the 2008 Marine Corps Marathon! I’m proud to say I am the only Racing President to have finished a marathon! 6:26:49!” Also, Teddy only drinks red or blue sports drinks: “Not into those other flavors!”

Larry Graves as Barack Obama Larry Graves came by the President’s good looks through genetics. The voice, though, took some practice for this traveling impersonator, who’s represented locally by Cast of Thousands.

Patriotic props: Graves comes with two faux Secret Service agents.

Sounding the part: The biggest challenge of mimicking Obama’s unique cadence? “The pauses. And the attack. Aaaaand youdowhatyoucan. Aaaaaand havefunwithit,” Graves said, sounding very Barack-ish.

Similarities to POTUS: “Often people will hand me something to write to see if I’m lefthanded, and I am left-handed, so it works out well.”

JESSE EDWARDS

MORE ONLINE: Go to readexpress.com for Springfield, Va.-based burlesque dancer ’Stache’s reflections on embodying George W. Bush.

For What It’s Worth is produced by Marissa Payne and Rachel Sadon. Have suggestions for the page? Email us at fwiw@wpost.com or tweet us @WaPoExpress.

DC Fashion Week (Feb. 17–23, dcfashionweek.org) may lack the cachet of its New York counterpart, but at least you don’t have to get into fisticuffs with a potato sack-clad Olsen twin to snag a seat. Should you choose to go, you better look the part. Express’ fashion editors provided this cheat sheet to what’s in, out and meh.

Eco-friendly threads; bold prints

Ruffles

Basic black; Gothinspired dresses

BIRTHDAYS

That Awkward Age Forty-seven years ago, President Lyndon Johnson signed a bill creating the Washington Metropolitan Area Transportation Authority. Before WMATA blows out 47 track switches to celebrate, let’s look at its accomplishments so far, and see how the agency measures up to other 1967-born locals.

Toni Braxton

25th Amendment

Oct. 7, 1967

Feb. 10, 1967

1996’s No. 1 hit “Un-Break My Heart.”

Formalized the line of presidential succession; allows for an acting president if POTUS is ill.

for a “death spiral.”

The Severn, Md., native’s dress fell off during a show last August, exposing her rear.

Dick Cheney was acting president both times George W. Bush got colonoscopies.

Stainless-steel rail cars. “No more … circus colors,” said General Manager Richard Sarles.

Starring in the reality show “Braxton Family Values”; publishing a memoir this year.

Colonoscopies.

WMATA Feb. 20, 1967

Greatest contribution to history

The Metro system; having the most escalators of any transit system in North America.

In April 2004, then-

Most chief executive embarrassing Richard White said Metro was headed moment

Midlife crisis

CORRECTION: The Big Picture, “The Traffic That Time Forgot,” on page 2 of the Feb. 2 edition incorrectly spelled photographer Jim Havard’s name.

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on the spot

LIZA MUNDY

have tended to fall to women in a way that’s really stressful and can hurt them in the workplace. [Help from dads] frees women up to be able to spend more time at work.

JOURNALIST AND AUTHOR

Can paternity leave help women succeed at work?

That’s the argument Mundy makes in “Daddy Track,” her Atlantic story looking at the trend toward paid paternity leave. The leave, financed by workplaces or in some states by a payroll-tax contribution, gives couples time to split child care more evenly, which helps moms when they get back to work. She’ll talk with The Atlantic’s Ta-Nehisi Coates at Sixth and I. Men are delighted when they can get paternity leave, and that it’s good for women.

How does leave for dads help moms?

When men are involved in the care of a newborn and become confi-

dent in the care of a child, this has permanent effects. Holding and feeding and bathing and diapering: Patterns fall into place pretty quickly. If a man is not home, the mother becomes kind of the keeper of these tasks. These routine chores that have to be done day after day

The longer the better. Three days isn’t going to make a difference, but six weeks can. The other thing that’s really important is that it be paid leave. When a child is born, I think men feel their breadwinning responsibility very keenly.

How have new dads historically been treated at work?

SAM KITTNER

So what’s the verdict?

How long should a paternity leave be to reap these benefits?

Mundy directs the New America Foundation’s Work and Family Program.

In general, workplaces have tended to reward men when they become fathers. Men tend to get paid more, they tend to be seen as more committed and responsible and pro-

motable, whereas the opposite has been true for women.

If more workplaces are doing this, why are states offering it, too?

The states make it available to people who aren’t in white-collar workplaces — roofers and firefighters and bartenders — who were not going to get offered this by their workplaces.

What will you and Ta-Nehisi Coates discuss at Sixth and I?

When men are engaged fathers and leaving work early, are they stigmatized for that? That seems to be a topic that studies are inconsistent on. BETH MARLOWE (E XPRESS) Sixth and I Historic Synagogue, 600 I St. NW; Tue., 7 p.m., $15; 202-4083100, sixthandi.org. (Gallery Place)

Workweeks Feel Like Weekends?

If so, nominate your workplace as one of the best in the greater Washington area for Top Workplaces 2014: a special section of The Washington Post coming early this summer.

washingtonpost.com/nominate

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PLAN AHEAD. STAY INFORMED. COMMUTE BETTER.

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02.16-02.22 THE BEST THINGS TO DO THIS WEEK | COMPILED BY EXPRESS STAFF

in a post-9/11 America, where they must come to terms with war, relationships and adolescent freedom. National

for “SNL,” will prepare for his new job with a pair of standup shows in Arlington. Arlington Cinema & Drafthouse, 2903 Columbia Pike, Arlington; Thu., 10 p.m., $15, Fri., 7:30 p.m., $24; 703-486-2345, arlingtondrafthouse.com.

Theatre, 1321 Pennsylvania Ave. NW; Tue. - Feb. 23, $48-$93; 202-628-6161, nationaltheatre.org. (Metro Center)

MONDAY

‘The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon’

STARTS WEDNESDAY

DC Independent Film Festival

Not much will change for Jimmy Fallon, right, when he graduates from “Late Night” and starts hosting “The Tonight Show” on NBC Monday at 11:30 p.m.

The Roots are still his house band, Steve Higgins is still his announcer, and his show will still tape in New York.

Expect Fallon to keep his unbridled enthusiasm and his signature brand of musical comedy, too. Will Smith and U2 are his first guests.

The oldest independent film festival in D.C. celebrates its 16th year of showcasing documentaries, shorts and feature films from around the world. This year’s festival venues are all over the city, from Chinatown’s GoetheInstitut to Columbia Heights’ GALA Hispanic Theatre. Go to impress a date or to use words like “cinema verite” with a straight face. Various locations;

FRIDAY

Lady Antebellum & Kacey Musgraves Lady Antebellum, above, and Kacey Musgraves have nine Grammy awards between them, including Musgraves’ recent win for Best Country Album. The trio’s soft melodies hearken to early 2000s country-pop, while Musgraves’ rural twang hints she could be the next Miranda Lambert. Patriot Center, 4500 Patriot

Wed. - Feb. 23; dciff-indie.org.

THURSDAY & FRIDAY

Colin Jost “Come To My Party,” from his latest album, “Electric Slave,” as example. 9:30 Club, 815 V St. NW;

Maira Kalman

Politics and Prose, 5015 Connecticut Ave. NW; Sun., 2 p.m., free; 202-3641919, politics-prose.com. (Van Ness)

TUESDAY

Black Joe Lewis Austin, Texasbased rocker Joe Lewis brings a vintage vibe to the 9:30 Club on Tuesday. The singer/guitarist potently melds funk, soul and blues — often within the same song. Take the gritty, funky and horn-driven

Tues., 7 p.m., $20; 202-265-0930, 930. com. (U Street)

ANDY KROPA (GETTY IMAGES)

In her new children’s book, “Thomas Jefferson: Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Everything,” writer and illustrator Maira Kalman doesn’t pull any punches. She details our third president’s love of ice cream along with his political achievements and complicated views on slavery.

STARTS TUESDAY

‘American Idiot’ Green Day’s 2004 album isn’t just the stuff of high school angst, it’s also the basis for the Tony Award-winning musical of the same name. The 2009 rock opera tells the story of three friends coming of age

We’ll be hearing a lot about Colin Jost, left, in the coming weeks as the comedian prepares to join Cecily Strong on the anchor desk of “Saturday Night Live’s” “Weekend Update” on March 1. Jost, the current head writer

SATURDAY

STARTS TUESDAY

Mandy Patinkin And Patti LuPone Seeing “Gypsy’s” Mama Rose duet with “Homeland’s” Saul Berenson may sound like a weird dream you once had, but it’s real. Broadway superstars Patti LuPone and Mandy Patinkin are on tour together.

They have a good track record: When they co-starred in 1980’s “Evita,” they each won a Tony.

Kennedy Center, 2700 F St. NW; Tue.Feb. 23; various times, $95-$150; 202467-4600, kennedy-center.org. (Foggy Bottom)

‘Mutts Gone Nuts’ “Two people and six dogs walk into the Atlas” isn’t the beginning of a joke.

In “Mutts Gone Nuts,” a circus-inspired comedy act, pups literally jump through hoops — and roll on barrels, and jump rope — for laughs. The show also promotes local animal rescue groups. Atlas Performing Arts Center: 1333 H St. NE; Sat., 1:30 p.m., $12-$15; 202-399-7993, atlasarts.org.

TAKE THE KIDS

Circle, Fairfax; Fri., 7 p.m., sold out; 703993-3000, patriotcenter.com.

CORY WEAVER

SUNDAY

STARTS SATURDAY

‘Moby Dick: The Opera’ If you couldn’t get through Herman Melville’s classic novel about one man’s obsession with the white whale who took his leg, try the opera version. The Washington National Opera jazzes things up with massive nautical sets and dazzling visual effects. Plus, it’s shorter than the book. Kennedy Center, 2700 F St. NW; Sat.-Mar. 8, $25-$305; 202-467-4600, kennedy-center.org.

(Foggy Bottom)

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Simple.

more snow. more terrain.

WINTER ESCAPE PACKAGE STARTING AT $81 For reservations please call 888-804-5341.

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cover story

Let’s Take This Offline Internet commenters aren’t all jerks. Some even form lasting, real-world friendships A happy hour for Internet commenters sounds like an oxymoron.

These are, after all, people known for filling the space beneath blog posts and news stories with personal attacks and the occasional xenophobic screed.

So as I searched for a real-world meeting of online commenters at a D.C. bar one recent evening, I was on the lookout for people hurling insults and perhaps even drinks.

Instead, I found about two-dozen somewhat nerdy, mostly middleaged adults cracking each other up.

“We have a lot of Ph.D.s and other well-educated people,” says information technology manager Bill Cuttitta, 50, who has been commenting on Washington Post writer Joel Achenbach’s Achenblog (washingtonpost.com/blogs/ achenblog) since shortly after it launched in 2005. That same year, a frequent poster suggested a commenter happy hour.

Cuttitta and other so-called Boodlers (Achenbach once referred to his blog posts as “the kit” and comments as “the caboodle” — hence the name) are drawn to Achenbach’s wide-ranging reporting and his sense of humor. Their online conversations tend to be funny and leap from topic to topic, often paying little mind to Achenbach’s original post.

Their real-life chats turned out to be similarly eclectic. At the Boodle meetup I attended, I eavesdropped on a debate about the heat death of the universe, which collided with a conversation about ferrets at urinals.

“It’s like going to the bar on the corner, where you know everyone,” says Scott Burnell, 46, a longtime

Writer Joel Achenbach, right, talks with online commenters Tim Livengood (whose online handle is ScienceTim), left, and Scott Burnell (ScottyNuke), center.

Boodler who is also spokesman for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

There’s at least one clear difference bet ween t he Boodle happy hour and Cheers, though: When commenters meet, everybody doesn’t know your name, or even your gender, before you show up. What people do know is your handle and any other information you’ve shared online. When Snarky Squirrel arrived, several people were surprised she’s a woman. But

Crossover Effect Online communities have a long history of crossing over into the real world, says Colorado State University communication professor Ashley Anderson. “When people are regularly talking online, they often want to meet in person and continue that conversation,” she says. Here are a few local discussion groups that can help you make the leap.

most everyone knew to congratulate her on her new Ph.D. Achenblog fans may be a particularly tight-knit group, but they aren’t the only local commenter community that’s spilled into the real world.

For Greater Greater Washington (greatergreaterwashington .org), which covers D.C.-area urban planning, the trick to friendly inperson relationships is a commenting policy that maintains civility while also encouraging lively dis-

cussions, says site comment moderator Matt Johnson. That’s why he’s always on the lookout for comments that stymie discussion with harsh criticism or name-calling.

“People know that when they make comments [on Greater Greater Washington], they aren’t going to get ripped apart by people who are being mean,” he says.

As a result, the blog is a place for high-level discussions about topics like zoning and public transportation, says regular commenter

DC Urban Moms And Dads

DonRockwell.com

DCURBANMOM.COM

This discussion board is perhaps best known for flame wars about pricey strollers, but it’s also a great place to meet other parents. Looking for a Lebanese-speaking playgroup? Or maybe you want to commiserate with other dads of twins over drinks? This is the site for you.

Washington-area diners flock to this site, created by shy computer consultant Don Rockwell, for restaurant news and reviews. It’s also a great place to find others who want to explore hole-in-the-wall restaurants, as well as people who are willing to drop serious cash on dinner.

M. MCKENNA

Social Life

and planning consultant Richard Layman, 53.

“I don’t read DCist or Prince of Petworth because most of the comments there are drivel, and it just bugs me that people say so much stupid stuff,” he says.

Uncivil comments are common on most blogs and websites.

One study found that 53 percent of comments on sites that allowed anonymity included language that was vulgar, racist, profane or hateful — though that dropped to 29 percent when users were required to give their real names.

Using your real face may inspire even greater civility. Johnson can’t remember a single raised voice at Greater Greater Washingtonorganized happy hours, which happen every few months and attract upward of 50 people. As on the blog, real-life conversation tends to be “very wonky and very geeky,” focusing almost exclusively on urban planning.

At Haxville happy hours, on the other hand, people don’t generally talk about Washington Post columnist Carolyn Hax’s previous advice columns (washingtonpost .com/pb/carolyn-hax), says frequent commenter and web designer Holly Russo. Instead, they discuss their personal lives, sometimes asking one another for guidance.

Conversations tend to bypass mundane pleasantries.

“When someone says, ‘How are you doing?’ you don’t have to say, ‘Oh, I’m fine,’ ” Russo says. “You

Washington Area Bike Forum BIKEARLINGTONFORUM.COM

Even when it’s cold and icy, the zealots on this biking discussion board plan group rides throughout the D.C. area and beyond. Join them, or just wear your bike helmet to one of their happy hours. You’ll fit right in and stay warm and dry.

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can say, ‘I’m not so great, because I’m going through a divorce,’ or whatever.”

The community’s support isn’t just emotional. Last year, they raised $975 for a commenter who was undergoing chemotherapy.

The Boodlers are similarly generous — every Christmas they buy presents for fellow commenters who have lost jobs or might otherwise be in need of some holiday cheer, says veteran Boodler Tina

add some green to your life (or blue, or red, or yellow).

“When someone says ‘How are you doing,’ you don’t have to say ‘Oh, I’m fine.’ ” — HOLLY RUSSO, WHO JOINS OTHER PEOPLE WHO COMMENT ON CAROLYN HA X’S COLUMNS FOR FRANK, IN-PERSON CONVERSATIONS.

Gibson, 56, an editor and designer.

Gibson is as surprised as anyone that the Achenblog spurred such a tight group. When she was invited to the first Boodle happy hour, in 2005, she skipped it because it seemed “weird” to meet up with strangers. Since then, she’s attended one Boodler’s wedding reception and two Boodlers’ funerals.

When Gibson went college hunting with her son in Charlotte, N.C., they even stayed with a Boodler. Gibson’s son didn’t end up going to school there, but he did meet his future wife on a subsequent trip. Neither of the newlyweds spend time on the Achenblog, but Gibson has laid claim to any future progeny.

“If they have children,” she says, “they will be Boodle children.”

The Metro Rider ’s Guide. Every second and fourth Wednesday of the month.

SADIE DINGFELDER (E XPRESS)

DC Theatre Scene DCTHEATRESCENE.COM

After you’re done complaining about how D.C.’s high-profile stages import all their talent from New York, make a date with your fellow thespians to check out the area’s flourishing communitytheater scene.

Advertisers: Have a metro-accessible location to advertise? rentalads@washpost.com

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outings

There’s a Space for Us Have a kid? A dog?

An unfinished novel?

There’s a coworking option just for you

None of the workstations face each other in the small space, so writers can capitalize on each other’s collective energy without getting too distracted.

Writers Room DC costs $130 a month for a six-month membership and $150 a month for three months. The incentives to stay longterm engenders a sense of community, Charles Karelis says, and means less time spent on paperwork for those who just want to use the space for an hour or two.

Productivity These days, wired workers don’t have to be tethered to an old-school cubicle desk. Many of them are flocking to coworking spaces — shared offices where you pay for only the time you use. As the number of coworking spaces grows, so does the variety. In the Washington area, you’ll find lots of shared office spaces that cater to particular types of professionals.

“We know what happens when you get the right people in the right environment. That’s where you start to see the magic.”

A Work/Play Date

For Dog Lovers If you can bring your kids to work, it seems only fair that you be able to bring your dog, too. Canvas Cowork (1203 19th St. NW; 202-556-1203, canvas.co/work), a loft-like space in Dupont Circle, caters to creative types like Web designers and developers. And to their dogs.

“It’s a natural disruption that we kind of like,” co-founder Martin Ringlein says of having fourlegged friends in the office.

Ringlein, a Web designer himself, says coworking is about more than just having a place to sit. At Canvas, people often support and collaborate with others they meet in the space.

“We know what happens when you get the right people in the right environment,” Ringlein says.

“That’s where you start to see the magic.”

Ringlein cautions that Canvas isn’t for everyone. Because there are no private offices, it’s not great for people who make a lot of phone calls or deal with customers all day. Rates range from $30 a day for basic access to $600 a month

— MARTIN RINGLEIN, C0-FOUNDER OF CANVAS COWORK IN D.C.

Nicer Than a Lobby

JASON HORNICK PHOTOS (FOR EXPRESS)

At Sprout Co-Work Co-Play Studio (3260 Wilson Blvd., Arlington; 703276-2355, sproutatsaffron.com), there’s a space for kids to play or take classes while parents work.

Launched as a coworking space in 2012 by mom and former attorney Rachael Galoob Ortega, now an entrepreneur, belly dancer and dance teacher professionally known as Saphira.

The dance/yoga studio has coworking lounges with free Wi-Fi and printing, a conference room, a cafe and private “repose suites” with day beds for parents to relax on (because parents need afternoon naps, too!).

Supervised playtime is available to kids between 18 months and 4 years old, while 3- to 8-year-olds can partake in a variety of classes. Sprout is a license-exempt daycare, which means parents have to stay on the premises while the kids are there.

“We created it because I didn’t have it [when I had kids],” Ortega says. “Everyone who comes in is like ‘you had me at the nap room.’ ” Rates vary depending on what services parents want. A weekly spot in a two-hour supervised playtime for one child costs $85 a month.

At Sprout, Carissa Renee Melton makes use of the cafe’s free Wi-Fi, above, and Tracy Yeager, below left, reads to kids while their parents get some work done.

for 24/7 access, a dedicated desk, a mailing address and other perks.

Novelists Welcome Working on the next Great American Novel? Writers Room DC in Tenleytown (4000 Albemarle St. NW; writersroomdc.com) offers workspaces to fiction and non-fiction writers, including journalists, with 18 workstations, 24/7 access — so you can pull an all-nighter

on that thesis — and free coffee.

Co-founders Charles Karelis, a writer and former academic, and his son Alexander Karelis, a novelist, say bringing writers together creates a sort of positive peer pressure.

“We’ve found that if there are a whole lot of writers in a room, they’re more productive — as long as they can’t see each other,” Alexander Karelis says.

If you do need a workspace for only a few hours, the “touchdown” spots at Carr Workplaces (multiple locations; 866-436-9214, carrworkplaces.com) may fit the bill. They look a lot like the carrel desks from your college library, says chief marketing officer Susan Lavington.

At Carr, these can be reserved for the day or just a couple hours. “In our Capitol Hill location, we have touchdown spots for [people like] lobbyists who could just be in for the day.”

Other options include shortand long-term offices and conference rooms, which are roomier than the carrels and vary across Carr Workplaces’ 18 metro-area locations. These high-end workspaces offer a little extra in the way of concierge and administrative services, Lavington says.

At the Capitol Hill location (300 New Jersey Ave. NW; 202-4693400), a carrel workspace is $50 a day. ERIN BYL ANDER (FOR E XPRESS)

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MOLLY SHATTUCK

is open to any activity — and the more you can mix it up, the better.

She recommends copying her every-other-day pushup routine, which she credits for keeping her stomach taut. (“I’d heard of an NFL player who didn’t lift any weights and became muscular from pushups. I decided, ‘I’m going to try that.’ Now I’m 100 percent convinced,” Shattuck says.)

In her book, she offers 21 days of workouts. On top of that, she tacks on an additional daily “knockout move,” such as leg lifts and lunges.

Get up during commercial breaks when you’re watching TV to check those off your list, Shattuck suggests. Besides the many other reasons why sitting is bad for you, Shattuck is convinced that pressure on

Molly Shattuck exercises with her trusty water bottle and dog, Lizzie Mae.

A Cheerleader’s Rules for Living Molly Shattuck offers a hip-hip-hooray for four healthy habits Books Molly Shattuck used to cheer for the Baltimore Ravens. And now she wants to cheer for you.

In her new book, “Vibrant Living” ($25, Hilton, vibrantliving .com), Shattuck lays out a 21-day plan to “transform your body, burst with energy and live your life with purpose.” The rules Shattuck has developed are based on decades of careful study — of herself.

“My experience comes from my years of living,” says Shattuck, who was a 38-year-old mother of three when she picked up her pompoms for the Ravens in 2005, making her the oldest cheerleader in

NFL history. Though she’s retired her pom-poms (and turns 47 this month), Shattuck hasn’t lost her pep or impressive physique, which explains why people are constantly asking for her secrets.

Shattuck has never belonged to a gym. She’s never hired a personal trainer. She’s never deprived herself of dessert.

But she always carries around a water bottle.

“Water is the wonder drug,” says Shattuck, who first realized the power of hydration after the birth of her first child. The more water she drank, the more milk she produced and the faster she lost the 50 pounds she’d gained during the pregnancy.

Her recommendation for people trying her program? Down at least 90 ounces a day. The first 30 should come within 40 minutes of waking up, and before eating breakfast. Fin-

ish the second 30 before lunch, and the final 30 before dinner.

“You’ll be so much more awake, and it keeps you from overeating,” Shattuck says.

That’ll help you stick with her 21-day meal plan, which limits proc e s s e d fo o d s and loads up on fruits and veggies. And when you want something naughty?

Just have a little.

“Put seven French fries on the plate, chew them slowly and enjoy it,” Shattuck says. Then, “walk away, drink water, brush your teeth and be done with it.”

You can balance out any extra calories by embracing Shattuck’s strategy of exercising daily. When it comes to what to do, Shattuck

After indulging in a treat, you should just “walk away, drink water, brush your teeth and be done with it.” your rear end can make it get wider.

The last piece of her plan is “unconventional,” Shattuck admits.

But “living for others” — by volunteering in a soup kitchen, reading books to the elderly or finding another way to help out — has a real impact on how you feel.

“I know it doesn’t sound as important as exercise, but it elevates your spirit and mood,” says Shattuck, who is married to Mayo Shattuck III, chairman of the Exelon Corporation. She spends much of her time volunteering in Baltimore and Washington and, in 2008, appeared on an episode of “Secret Millionaire,” doling out $190,000 to people in need.

Her mom duties never get in the way of any of these principles, Shattuck says, because she includes her kids in everything she does. And she’s taught them the first step toward any goal: “Writing it down.”

Once something is on paper, Shattuck is determined to make it a reality. That’s good news for anyone reading her book.

VICK Y HALLET T (E XPRESS)

THINKSTOCK

health

EASIER THAN YOU THINK

Grow Your Own Healthy Sprouts in a Jar When most people say “bean sprouts,” they mean alfalfa or mung bean. But pretty much any dried whole bean, grain or seed that you find in the bulk-bin section of your grocery store can be made to sprout, says Lauren Mulcahy, healthy eating specialist at Whole Foods Foggy Bottom. Studies say sprouted grains help your body absorb their nutrients.

What you’ll need: One or two tablespoons of beans, grains or seeds; water; a glass jar (a mason jar works well); a mesh screen lid or a cheesecloth How to: Place one to two tablespoons of your bean/grain/seed of choice in the jar and cover with an inch or so of lukewarm water. Cover the jar’s mouth with a mesh lid or a cheesecloth secured by a rubber band. Let the beans soak overnight.

The next morning, drain the jar. Then rinse the beans in fresh water and drain them again. With the mesh lid or cheesecloth still on, tip the jar so that it sits at an angle, over a sink, dish rack or towel, so any excess water can drip out.

Rinse the beans two to four times a day (returning the jar to its tipped position in between rinses) until you see sprouts emerging from each bean. It can take between 24 hours (for quinoa) and five days (fenugreek seeds).

More info: Keep an eye out for harmful mold growth. “The first time, I tried this with the jar upright,” Mulcahy says, “and that’s where I got mold problems. You want to make sure it can drain.”

TRACY KRULIK (FOR EXPRESS)

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shopping

One Mansion’s Trash …

Estate sales can yield treasures if you know how to shop at them

WHAT WE FOUND

Vintage

Mixed drinks look pretty in a goldtinted glass ($15 for a set of six).

JASON RAISH (FOR EXPRESS)

“What are those pieces of green paper everyone’s grabbing from that bowl?” I asked the man standing beside me on a recent morning as we stood huddled in line, waiting for an estate sale to kick off. The advertisement on estatesales.net said there would be “enough sewing notions to start your own business,” and I was anxious to get my hands on some much-needed supplies before the other craft fanatics did. “Those are numbers. They dictate the first 30 people who get in,” he replied as a newcomer rushed to snatch the very last slip.

Drat. I’d only been lurking outside the vacant Nebraska Avenue colonial for five minutes, and I’d probably already blown my shot at scoring that box of pink silk chiffon I spotted on the Internet.

Estate sales usually last three days, and are most often organized by professional liquidation firms that price the merchandise to move quickly. That means Aunt Anne’s flawless midcentury mod dresser or Grandpa Paul’s rare baseball cards are all up for grabs, usually for way below market value.

As are their stained tablecloths, rusty wrenches, half-empty shampoo bottles and burnt cookie pans. “It’s a crapshoot,” says

An abstract watercolor ($15) painting is groovy.

Shopping estate sales can unearth serious deals on previously loved items that might otherwise end up in a dumpster.

Michel Huebner, who organizes D.C. area estate sales through her company, Sage Consignment (sageconsignment.com). “You just have to keep your eyes open and hope you spot something [the organizer] has underpriced.”

Yes, there’s something vaguely depressing about estate sales, since they usually occur when someone’s belongings must be cleared from

How to Shop An Estate Sale Like a Pro KNOW WHAT YOU WANT If there’s something that caught your eye in the estate sale ad, ask the organizer where the item is located in the house so you can get to it first. “The people who know what they’re doing always walk in and ask me, ‘Where is X, Y and Z?’,” Huebner says.

their home due to death or downsizing. But shopping such events can unearth serious deals on previously loved items that might otherwise end up in a dumpster.

Because these sales reward treasure seekers, they have long attracted professional antiques dealers and educated collectors who know what to look for. But they also lure amateurs hunting

MAKE AN OFFER If you spot a velvet sofa you love but can’t afford the $500 price tag, offer $200 and ask the organizer to call you if anyone else tries to buy it. In the end, some money is better than no money for sellers.

COME ON THE LAST DAY Tensions and prices are highest on the first day of an estate sale when there’s plenty of merchandise.

Typically, organizers lower prices as the sale goes on. Pickings may be slim on the last day, but the remaining loot is 50 percent off.

for a piece of nostalgia to incorporate into their pads.

“We’re not seeing people collecting tea cups or buying things to put them in a glass case,” says Matthew Quinn, principle of Partners Estate Sales (partnersestatesales .com) in Fairfax and an appraiser on “Antiques Roadshow.” “People want things they remember from Grandma’s house. They want their places to look like ‘Mad Men’.”

If you’re the type who prefers to shop for items in neatly arranged rows or gets put off by the slightest blemish (ew, a scratch!), estate sales may not be for you. But for those who celebrate the eclectic and are

CHECK NEWSPAPERS Sales on estatesales.net, estatesales.org and Craigslist are often conducted by pros. But some of the best sales are advertised in newspapers.

“Someone who’s 60 years old is going to put an ad in the paper,” Huebner says. “And those are the people who probably don’t know the value of what they’re selling.”

BRING HAND SANITIZER Um, for obvious reasons. Some sales are tidy, and others look like outtakes from “Hoarders.” H.S.

A Moroccan leather pouf ($15) serves as extra seating or a foot rest.

A sundress ($5) will come in handy this summer.

willing to do a little digging, going to the right sale can be like hitting the jackpot.

Take, for example, that Nebraska Avenue sale I finally wiggled my way into. Martha Stewart herself wouldn’t have known what to do with all the spools of thread, balls of yarn and fabric scraps in the plastic tubs I saw in every corner of the house. I was painstakingly picking through a box of bobbins when I made my second mistake of estate sale-ing: lollygagging.

Another customer made off with the box of silk chiffon I’d come here for in the first place.

In the end, I walked away with some needles for my sewing machine, a retro rubber stamp kit, a never-worn sundress in ikat fabric and a set of gold drinking glasses from the ’50s — for a total $30.

T hat absolutely won’t be my last estate sale, though it will be the last time I dawdle.

HOLLEY SIMMONS (E XPRESS)

0 2 . 1 6 . 2 0 1 4 | E X P R E S S S U N D AY | 13

shopping

LAUREN LIESS

Make Things Up AFTER THREE YEARS of development, Erwin Gomez (a favorite hair stylist, makeup artist and brow architect to Washington elites) unveils a collection of cosmetics and makeup tools available exclusively at his West End salon, Karma (1104 24th St. NW; 202-293-3333, erwingomezcosmetics.com). Made to flatter all skin tones, the line includes pressed eye shadow in vivid colors (shown, $20), replenishing lipsticks with vitamin E ($20) and brushes that promise precision ($6-65).

She Sells Serenity On her blog, Pure Style Home (laurenliess.com/pure-style-home), interior designer Lauren Liess of Oakton, Va., shows a canny blend of rustic and refined, beachy and bohemian. She recently opened a shop, Lauren Liess & Co. (776-A Walker Road, Great Falls, Va.; 571-926-7825, laurenliess. com), hawking her finds and her line of printed fabrics ($120 a yard). Expect framed botanical prints, Indian kantha throws (made of recycled saris) and snazzy tribal rugs.

Vertical Blurizon Lady Like

MASSACHUSETTS ARTIST

James Soares, also known as “Spires,” creates colorful, geometric graphics for surfaces as diverse as soda cans and canvases. His latest collaboration, with decor decal company Blik, puts his blend of hard-edged shapes and soft-focus colors up against the wall. The self-adhesive wall tiles feature earth-toned rectangles (shown, $50 for two 24” X 48” decals, whatisblik.com), blue and black triangles ($50 for two 24” X 48” decals) and other color combinations.

fluffy pink dresses. For evidence, look to Danish fashion house Just Female (justfemale.dk), which has lured women since 2007 with sharp designs, saturated colors and raw detailing. Its sole D.C. retailer, Redeem (1810 14th St. NW; 202-332-7447, redeemus.com), has its threads for spring, including the Anton Jumpsuit (shown, $120) and matching blazer with zipper pockets ($120).

CUT CARROTS! Serve cheese! A wooden cutting board is so useful, it’s hard to remember it can also serve as a petri dish for bacteria and icky viruses.

Good thing Brooklyn furniture restorer Christophe Pourny concocted a Cutting Board Tonic ($22, Salt & Sundry, Union Market, 1309 Fifth St. NE; 202-5561866, shopsaltandsundry.com). Pourny blends vinegar with rosemary and walnut oils for a conditioning, sanitizing blend.

BLIK

MODERN FEMININITY isn’t about

Haute Hygiene

A Little off the Pot WILLIAMS-SONOMA, the California cookware giant, sells $3,000 espresso

makers and $600 copper pots. But the baking/boiling/braising supply emporium isn’t just for the top 1 percent of foodies. Its new Open Kitchen line features 100 value-priced items, including a 10-piece cookware set (shown, $300, williams-sonoma.com and stores), a sleek nylon spatula ($10) and bistro-worthy white soup bowls ($20 for four).

Grab Bag is written by Jennifer Barger and Holley Simmons.

14 | E X P R E S S S U N D AY | 0 2 . 1 6 . 2 0 1 4

fun & games ACROSS 1 It goes up in smoke 8 Sign on the ___ line 14 Spanish army hero El ___ 17 How many like their beer 18 Producing a deep, rich sound 20 Retro boot 21 Fight for a big man or woman?

23 “Clair de ___” (Debussy) 24 Gershwin or Levin 25 Loiter 26 It’s in it for the long haul 27 Hot dog (var.)

29 Exemplar of lightness 30 Zeno’s portico 31 Baby food

YOU LOSE! 33 Opposite of frumpish 34 Impediment to smooth sailing 36 Blind official, in stereotypes 38 Small songbirds 40 Host at a roast 41 Nursemaid 43 Ocean 44 Yonder female 45 Medium’s claim 47 Put two and two together 48 Chinchilla’s coat 50 Sheer cotton fabric 52 Up to the time that 54 Indication of trouble 58 Small winning margin

Last Week’s Solution

59 “Without further ___ ...”

60 Activity for 65-Across 63 MacGraw of “Love Story” 64 Fourth mo.

65 Drunk tank regular 66 Needing a refill 67 Essential point 68 Christmas carol 70 Spain’s Costa del ___ 72 Crafty 74 A third of ninety?

75 Give employment to 76 As many as 77 Color property 78 Common Market letters

80 Hearty laugh sound 82 Always, with an apostrophe 83 Eat like a bird 84 Last word in movies?

85 Victim of the Bolsheviks 86 Fixed attitude 88 No longer squeaky 90 Beginning 92 ___ chi 93 Bristle of barley 95 Suffix of ordinal numbers 96 ET’s craft 97 Things on a list 99 Wet thud 102 Electric car maker 104 Flowing, at the bar 106 Take your pick 107 Lie in wait 109 Like some shoes and drinks 110 Congeal 111 “Fantastic Mr. Fox” author Roald 114 Golfer’s mound 115 Lyrical song style 117 Decorated with gold 120 Wander around leisurely 121 Grazing land 122 Broadway lights type 123 Ali, more than once

EDITED BY GARY COOPER

127 Like Annie Oakley’s aim 128 Kind of witness 129 Turkey is part of it 130 Equine critter 131 Be bitter about 132 Engaged in a petty argument DOWN 1 Some leg bones 2 Oval-shaped wind instrument 3 Radiation particle 4 Do something 5 Indianapolis team 6 Gridiron gripper 7 Redolent 8 Cry from Homer Simpson 9 Change from a cashier, often 10 Beginning of Hamlet’s soliloquy 11 Nonsense 12 Borne by the wind 13 Made a hole 14 Follow a losing plan?

15 Struck a match 16 Like Zooey Deschanel 18 Pig’s place 19 Leave in stitches?

20 Hint of light 22 Prepared for hanging

28 All thumbs 32 Fictitious name 35 Iron fishing hook 37 Aches and ___ 38 Insignificant train station 39 Neural network 42 Dance done in grass skirts 46 Winter attire 49 Listing of priors

51 Dairy farm sounds 53 Something to scratch 54 Accumulated, as a tab 55 Dispense with nuptials 56 Watching one’s weight 57 Weather prophet of Feb. 2 59 Pint contents 61 Blender button

62 Use, as influence 69 Mischiefmaking Norse god 71 Stayed in front 73 Positive votes 79 Belief 81 Start for sack 85 Porous limestone 87 Type of pickle 89 They’re often the best parts 90 Exists longer than

91 Head honcho 93 Falcons’ home 94 Donners, as of clothing 98 Squirrels away 100 Endure longer than 101 Early delivery 103 Africa’s Sierra ___ 105 Countermand 108 Telephone panel 112 Distressed

113 Swimsuit synthetic 116 Physicist with a law 118 Greek harp 119 Kind of bed 120 1,000 G’s 124 Corny piece?

125 Have a little lamb 126 Item sometimes worn backward

I N N E XT W E E K’S

Why are Washington-area street artists putting down their spray paints and picking up stickers?

Find out in next week’s issue.

0 2 . 1 6 . 2 0 1 4 | E X P R E S S S U N D AY | 15

fun & games

BOLD PROVOCATIVE

WUMO | WULFF & MORGENTHALER

DYNAMIC

5

POOCH CAFE | PAUL GILLIGAN

TH

ANNIVERSARY FESTIVAL

February 21 through March 8 PEARLS BEFORE SWINE | STEPHAN PASTIS

■

Five stages of world premieres and innovative, adventurous performances.

■

Over 100 performances featuring more than 700 artists.

Sudoku

Take a chance.

Try something new.

DIFFICULT

Last Week’s Solution

How to Reach Us To place a display ad: Call 202-334-6732 or email ads@readexpress.com.

Spot a mistake? Email corrections@readexpress.com.

The newsroom: Call 202-334-6800, fax 202-3349777 or reach out to us on Twitter @WaPoExpress.

Who We Are

Need more Sudoku?

Find another puzzle in the weekday Express, the Comics section of The Post every Sunday and in the Style section Monday through Saturday.

Publisher: Arnie Applebaum Executive editor: Dan Caccavaro General manager: Ron Ulrich Circulation manager: Charles Love Managing editor, features: Holly J. Morris Managing editor, news: Lori Kelley Creative director: Jon Benedict

Features editor: Jennifer Barger Copy chief: Diana D’Abruzzo Story editor: Adam Sapiro Deputy creative director: Adam Griffiths Senior editors: Sadie Dingfelder Vicky Hallett Kristen Page-Kirby

Section editors: Michael Cunniff Rudi Greenberg Beth Marlowe Marissa Payne Rachel Sadon Sara Schwartz Holley Simmons Jeffrey Tomik Art director: Allie Ghaman Designer: Rachel Orr Production supervisor: Matthew Liddi

Published by Express Publications LLC, 1150 15th St. NW, Washington, DC 20071, a subsidiary of WP Company, LLC

Tickets and full schedule intersectionsdc.org or 202.399.7993 ext. 2

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1333 H Street NE Washington, DC 20002 atlasarts.org Founding Media Sponsor

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16 | E X P R E S S S U N D AY | 0 2 . 1 6 . 2 0 1 4

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