It's New Years Eve! Here's how to open your champagne the RIGHT way.

Watch this video for help on opening a bottle of champagne without losing it's natural effervescence - or hitting someone with the cork!

http://www.dailycandy.com/online/video/food-drink/82167/How-to-Open-Champagne

New in town

The National Pinball Museum at the Shops at Georgetown Park opened December 4^th and includes a game room with 40 machines to play.  Nationalpinballmuseum.org.

No Plans for New Years? Here are some fun ideas...

First Night

First Night Annapolis (newyear.annapolis.gov), First Night Leesburg (www.bluemont.org) and First Night Alexandria (all family friendly events with multiple performance sites and hands on games and crafts) firstnightalexandria.org

 

Newseum Party

New Year’s Eve 8 pm to 2 am, the Headliner’s Ball with cocktails and food by Wolfgang Puck, live music plus dj, access to all the museum’s exhibits and countdown to midnight on 40x22 foot high high def video screen.  www.Visitnewseum.org.

 

Dancing in the New Year

U Street Music Hall (www.ustreetmusichall.com), Ibiza (www.ibizadc.com), rock and roll hotel (www.rockandrollhoteldc.com) and Glen Echo Spanish Ballroom (www.glenechopark.org)

 

Fine or Funky

Fine:  Rooftop bar at the W Hotel with splendid views, open bar, hors d’oeuvres, dj, hip hop performances and midnight champagne toast. www.whotels.com  

 

 Funky:  Arlington Cinema and Draft House with an ‘80’s themed party and live broadcast of the celebration in Times Square.  www.arlingtondrafthouse.com

Consider Painting Your Front Door Red... Here's Why!

The Goodhart Group loves the decorating tips on Houzz (although a word of caution... some of the posts are great for decorating for your personal taste and living in the home, NOT for preparing it for staging).

This Houzz ideabook on painting your door red is great because red is the most common color we encourage our clients to paint their doors (depending on the style of the house). Take a look at this ideabook to see some reasoning behind choosing a bright and cheery red for your door color:

http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/167685/list/Your-Entry--Mad-About-Red

<div></div><div style='color:#444;'><small>traditional entry design by atlanta media and blogs Between Naps on the Porch</small></div>

Football

The Military Bowl on Wednesday, December 29^th at RFK Stadium at 2:30 pm, Maryland vs. East Carolina.    Last chance to see Coach Friedgen.  www.militarybowl.org

The Birch

Plenty of opportunity to enjoy class acts at Alexandria’s Birchmere – 12/28 – Beatles Tribute,  12/31 – The Seldom Scene and Ricky Skaggs – 1/7-8.  www.birchmere.com

The Roots

December 27 and 28^th, at the 9:30 Club for the Late Night with Jimmy Fallon house band. www.930.com 8

Fun on Christmas Eve

Santa water skis in at National Harbor near the Wilson Bridge  with kneeboarding reindeer and flying elves.  The Grinch will be on a jet ski at 1 pm!  www.waterskiingsanta.com

Downtown Holiday Market

Stalls stocked with handmade crafts and goods from noon to 8 pm at 8^th and F NW.  www.downtownholidaymarket.com through December 23^rd.

Holiday party tricks

Want to fit into that special New Year’s Eve dress?  Don’t eat the end crust on your pizza and save 100 calories, eat two egg whites instead of two eggs, drink seltzer instead of soda, eat open face sandwiches, swap mayo for mustard and eat fresh rather than dried fruit. 

First Night Alexandria

Get your tickets now for this annual family friendly alcohol free event featuring more than 100 performances throughout Alexandria culminating with fireworks at midnight.  www.firstnightalexandria.org

Oatlands Christmas

You don't need to wait another year for Christmas!  Relive Christmas in the 1870’s at this Greek Revival mansion with Victorian décor, greenery and Christmas trees.  Tours on the half hour on weekends, on the hour weekdays. Leesburg.  www.oatlands.org.

Holiday Cabaret

Through December 23^rd, Signature Theatre’s annual show featuring the December Divas and the Swingin’ Santas at 8:30 pm.  www.signature-theatre.org

A Washington tradition

The Morman Temple’s annual holiday display of 500,000 lights, 16 Christmas trees and a life size nativity scene plus musical performances nightly at 7 and 8 pm through January 1^st.  www.dctemplelights.lds.org

Just in time!

1saleaday.com is a site offering bargain merchandise from electronics to kitchenware.

Choo-choo!

Through January 3^rd, spend some time at Union Station to see the absolutely amazing model train display and do some shopping and noshing!

Signature Theatre

Another revival at Signature Theatre in Shirlington (Arlington) is “Sunset Boulevard” by Andrew Lloyd Webber through February 13^th.  www.signature-theatre.org

What to give your favorite aunt

Tickets to “South Pacific” at the Kennedy Center through January 16^th. It’s the very best Broadway musical revival.  www.kennedy-center.org.

Warning

The farmers’ markets at Market Square in Old Town Alexandria and in Del Ray openings have changed – Old Town will be open December 24^th from 5-10:30 am and both will be closed Christmas Day, a Saturday.

Zoolights

Beginning December 3^rd , stroll through the National Zoo to see animated light displays and more. 

Satire

Chicago’s Second City theatre group performs at Wooly Mammoth December 8-January 9 with “A Girl’s Guide to Washington Politics” satirizing some of the most powerful women in Washington.  Woollymammoth.net.

Happy Hanukkah

Celebrate the first night of this festival of lights with latkes and sparkling wine! December, 1 at 6 pm at Cork Market.  www.corkdc.com