Steph Drahozal

Looking for something fun to do around DC to celebrate Christmas? I’ve got some ideas! Check out these fun places to holiday shop, see Christmas lights, and eat delicious food: Dec. 9 & 10 Rosslyn Holiday Market + Bonfire Check out the Rosslyn holiday market showcasing over 25 local and renowned vendors who will be offering a full variety of unique and high quality gifts. Along with the market there is also a Great Chocolate Race, Gingerbread Houses Workshop, and more! December 17; 11 am The Ugly Sweater Run at RFK Stadium Rummage up the Ugliest Sweater you can find and celebrate the holidays by participating in the Merriest 5K of the year. This is a perfect way to burn some calories, have some fun and immediately replace those calories with a warm hot chocolate, and a Kahlúa cocktail. $30 to register. December 17 - December 31 Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical at The National Theatre One of my family's Christmas traditions is to w...

Thanksgiving is by far my favorite holiday. We always host at my Dad’s house in Herndon, so it’s nice to not have to travel too far. It’s a holiday filled with family, friends, food, drinks, and games - what more could you ask for? We’ve added a few traditions over the past few years, one of them being a morning Turkey Trot. We run in the Ashburn Farm 10K/5K which benefits the continued education for Ugandan children who live in poverty. The first year we all ran the 10K, and then realized that was a bit aggressive. This year we all took it down a notch and ran the 5K, but hey it still made me feel a lot better about all the carbs I was about to consume. Melissa and Tom and the boys were able to join us before they headed to Melissa’s dad for Thanksgiving (bummed not to have them with us for the dinner portion for the first time in years!), and we got to run alongside the adorable boys in their jogger. After the run, we made ham and egg bagel thin sandwiches with...

On November 9, 2016, Donald Trump was elected as the next President of the United States. On that Wednesday, the feeling that overwhelmed me was shock. I was confident that Hillary would win. I thought it was going to be a close race, but I thought she was going to pull it off. And so did most of America. Commuting into DC that morning, the metro was quiet. The city was solemn. We were ready to celebrate the first female President. We were ready to see that glass ceiling shattered. My heart immediately went out to those with disabilities, the LGBTQ community, minorities and women. I couldn't stop thinking about the disappointment and fear they must be feeling. That morning my colleagues and I gathered in our office kitchen to watch Hillary give her concession speech. I was surrounded by people in disbelief, distress, and tears. A lot has been said about this election, and especially over this past week. With that being said, I don’t feel the need to talk too much...

Let’s start off with a fun fact: 25 sold more albums in one week than Taylor Swift 's 1989 sold in one year. Basically, her album crushed records and had the single largest sales week in the history of Nielsen Music, which began tracking point-of-sale figures in 1991. That means Adele overpowered Eminem , Britney Spears and the Backstreet Boys at the height of their popularity. With this being one of  the most popular albums ever, this concert was a historic event. And let’s just say, Adele did not disappoint. First off, we all know she has the voice of an angel, but she is also a doll. I really feel like I got to know her better after Tuesday night (yes we are now BFFs), but actually I think we would be great friends. She seems so chill and down to earth and like she doesn’t care what other people think. She was talking about how she was going to burp up her Nando’s Peri Peri during one of her songs and how her ass is so big when she twerks it hits her in the ba...

There’s something special about a mother’s bond with her child. Every relationship is different, no two are the same. Not everyone is fortunate enough to have a good (or any) relationship with their mom. I’m lucky to see so many great mother/child relationships amongst my family, friends, colleagues, and more. Mother’s Day is a great day to appreciate your moms and everything they do for you. I’m so glad so many people consider their mothers their best friends, and I know I did. I’m grateful for all the women in my life who are moms, and so glad I got to celebrate a few of the moms in my family on Sunday. After watching Melissa raise Rhys & Knox since day one, I now have an even greater appreciation for moms :). I’m also thankful for all the women in my life who act as mother figures to me - and a special shout out to Lisa Karim who was been extra amazing to me over these past few years. Thank you for constantly checking in on me and for our much-needed girls nights! Also ...

I recently made these chocolate banana muffins and let me say - they are delicious! And the best part- you don't have to feel guilty when you're eating them. These muffins are made without oil, sugar, or flour, and I replaced these ingredients with a couple superfood scoops of Shakeology. They are the perfect muffin for breakfast, a snack, or a healthy chocolatey dessert. Total prep time : 10 minutes Bake time : 18 minutes Serves : 12 muffins Ingredients : --3 ripe bananas --2 eggs --2 scoops chocolate Shakeology --3/4 cup rolled oats --2 tablespoons honey --1/2 tsp cinnamon --1 tsp baking powder --1 tsp baking soda --1/2 cup dark chocolate chips Instructions : 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat muffin tin with cooking spray or use liners. 2. Place all ingredients (except chocolate chips) into a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. 3. Once mixture is smooth, mix in chocolate chips. I also save some to throw on top of the muffins. 4. Divide ...

2015 - another successful year in the books! What happened? Let's see... First of all, I moved out! Of course I miss living with my family and roomie (Dad), but am really loving the Arlington life. And I got so lucky to live with three amazing gals! Second, I traveled. A lot. And loved it. I spent a couple weekends at my Aunt Shelly and Uncle Ken's condo in Ocean City, MD - thank you both so much for your hospitality and generosity!   I visited my Aunt Suzy and cousin Taylor in Colorado ! I went to Phoenix, AZ for the first time for a work trip. It was HOT. I got to go back to Austin, TX ! I visited my family in PA twice! And visited my family in New Jersey for the first time in way too long! I visited Claire and Adam down in Delray Beach ! And at the end of 2015, Claire and Adam got engaged!! So happy for the lovely couple - It's been a long time coming! :) I went on a girls trip with Anna and Melissa to New Orleans ! Craz...