What I’ve learned since moving to D.C. (some of which should be obvious): 0066

3251.  No matter how bad you may feel, get up, show up, dress up, and never, ever give up;

3252.  The Sixth & I Historic Synagogue in D.C. has a bar (downstairs) in the basement;

3253.  (I think) Nick Howard (kind of) sounds like Jason Mraz;

3254.  (I think) Tristan Prettyman’s drummer looks like Ron Howard. . . . (I think) she looks like Ellen Pompeo;

3255.  Eric Hutchinson is from Takoma Park, Maryland;

3256.  (Except for banana bread,) I don’t (usually) like anything mixed with bananas, but I’ll make an exception for the banana and chocolate dessert panini at barmini (minibarByJoseAndres.com) in D.C.  It’s pretty tasty;

3257.  The George Washington Masonic National Memorial in (Old Town) Alexandria (actually) has a theatre for hosting concerts. . . . Who knew?

3258.  (Carl Orff’s) “Carmina Burana” has 25 movements;

3259.  The ting from a triangle can be rather annoying;

3260.  The bass drum sounds like a cannon;

3261.  BRABO (BraboRestaurant.com) in (Old Town) Alexandria has a Sunday Happy Hour.  From 5 o’clock until close, it’s half off the bar menu and $5.00 for house red and white wines and Tecates;

3262.  Celery meringue . . . sweet tasting celery just seems odd;

3263.  Be open to everything and attached to nothing;

3264.  If you’re shopping for fresh beets, choose smaller beets over larger, tougher beets and pass over any beets that are cracked, shriveled or look very dry;

3265.  If the beet greens are still attached to the root, they should be crisp looking and not at all wilted or slimy;

3266.  Beets should be cooked with their peel on to preserve nutrients and to prevent their deep red color from leaking out, which turns them brown, making them unappetizing in appearance;

3267.  When cooking beets, you should leave about half an inch of the stem on so that the pigment doesn’t leak out of the top;

3268.  Once your beets are done cooking, peel the skin off while wearing gloves, unless you don’t mind (having) your hands stained a deep red;

3269.  People say everything happens for a reason.  I don’t think that’s necessarily true.  I think some things can just happen.  But I do think you can learn something from everything that happens to you . . . good and/or bad. . . . Of course, some lessons are harder to learn than others.  Some might require you to take a long, hard look at yourself, face the truth and be willing to take responsibility for your actions and not blame others for what’s happened to you;

3270.  The Glenlivet distillery is the oldest, legal distillery in the parish of Glenlivet;

3271.  Bourbon is whisky made in the U.S.  It has to be made with at least 51% corn and aged in new, charred, oak barrels;

3272.  I (still) haven’t gotten over Robbie. . . . I know she’s not perfect. . . . She has her faults and her vices . . . being human, we all do. . . . But sometimes I wonder if I can’t get over the “real” Robbie or some idealized version that I’ve made up in my mind;

3273.  (Your) looks get you in (the door).  (Your) personality determines if you stay;

3274.  It’s interesting how our tastes can change (over time).  After not eating a lot of sugar for three to four months, fruit, desserts and even some vegetables taste so much sweeter to me (now);

3275.  Failure isn’t (necessarily) bad as long as you learn from it and don’t make the same mistake over and over again;

3276.  Teddy Roosevelt used to live in the row house that’s (now) Eighteenth Street Lounge (in D.C.);

3277.  Almonds are packed with tyrosine, an amino acid that helps your brain create dopamine – a neurotransmitter that stimulates the brain’s pleasure center;

3278.  Broccoli contains chromium, a mineral that helps increase the levels of serotonin and melatonin in your brain.  That means a more level head and even mood.  In fact, chromium is being studied as a possible treatment for depression;

3279.  Spinach and clams are good sources of folate also known as vitamin B9 and vitamin B12, a known depression-fighting duo;

3280.  Saffron is believed to help make serotonin more available, much in the same way that Prozac does;

3281.  Vitamin D activates genes that release neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin.  Sunlight is a great source of vitamin D, which is why during the winter many people experience a drop in vitamin D levels and, subsequently, depression.  You can help replenish your vitamin D supply with eggs – specifically egg yolks;

3282.  Studies have found a connection between low levels of omega-3 fatty acids and depression, and though they are an essential part of brain health, the body cannot produce them on its own.  You can get them by eating fish like salmon;

3283.  Chocolate contains anandamide, a neurotransmitter that acts a lot like T.H.C. (the most important component of marijuana).  The sugar in chocolate also helps boost endorphin levels;

3284.  When our brains detect capsaicin, the compound in chili peppers that make them spicy, they release endorphins in order to calm the body down.  If the peppers are spicy enough, the result can be almost euphoric;

3285.  You can get married in St. Peter’s Basilica (in Vatican City);

3286.  There’s a truly magnificent side to the unknown, but we aren’t taught how to welcome it, let alone explore the breadth of its possibilities;

3287.  Ube ice cream tastes like (Danish) butter cookies;

3288.  The fish B.L.T. (specifically with salmon) and the apple slaw at Harpoon Larry’s (HarpoonLarrys.com) (in Newport News) are pretty tasty;

3289.  Apparently, there’s such a thing as a tattoo party;

3290.  At Gap, if the price ends in .47, .49, .97 or .99, it’s a discounted or clearance price;

3291.  At American Eagle Outfitters (“A.E.O.”), a price ending in .95 is full price and prices ending in .00 or .99 is a clearance price and your best bet.  Your single best strategy for holiday savings at A.E.O. is to wait until Black Friday/Cyber Monday weekend.  Go in to the store on that weekend or shop online and head straight for the clearance rack and look for items ending in .00 or .99.  Why?  Because they always offer coupons on clearance items that time of the year which will help you Christmas shop at close to 80% off the original price.  You’ll save 20-30% more than any other time of the year;

3292.  Prices ending in .99 are full price at Costco, ending in .97 are a discounted price and an asterisk (“*”) in the upper right hand corner of the price tag means it’s a clearance item.  So when shopping for Christmas gifts at Costco, always start by looking for items ending in .97 or with the * on the price tag.  The .97 and/or * always provides the best value.  Let’s say you’re buying your mom a coffee maker and they have three different brands for sale.  By buying the coffee maker ending in .97 or with the * on the tag you’ll end up getting the item for 20%-30% cheaper than anywhere else. . . . Be sure to start looking for deals now, don’t wait until Black Friday or early December as the more time you have the better your chances of finding a deal.  Costco notoriously carries quality brands across the board so stop being a brand loyal shopper and instead use the price tag code and shop for the best value. . . . Also, while at Costco, look for items that end in .00 (i.e. $25.00).  It is either a returned, unopened item that has already been deleted from the system or a one-of-a-kind item and is always the lowest price;

3293.  At The Home Depot, a price ending in .06 and on a yellow price tag means it is a clearance item and has six weeks until the next markdown.  After that six-week period, it will be marked down to .03, which means three weeks until the item is liquidated. . . . You’ll find some good Black Friday deals on tools at The Home Depot but few of the deals will be as good as the yellow tag deals ending in .06 and .03;

3294.  At JCPenney, .00 is the full price, .99 is the first clearance markdown price, .97 is the final clearance price and then the price will be cut in half every two weeks.  The absolute lowest price an item can get is $2.97. . . . JCPenney keeps its clearance section in the far back of the store and it’s usually stocked with great gift ideas like housewares, dishes, apparel, heating blankets, silverware, linens and pillows.  Look for items ending in .97 and, if they have a bunch of any particular item, wait a week or two, come back and the item’s price will be cut in half;

3295.  Look at the digital shelf tag at Kohl’s, particularly in the upper right hand corner.  If you see a “NM,” it means new markdown and the item will go on sale that night or the following morning.  “GV” means great value and is a limited time price drop.  “S” is simply a sale item.  While the NM can be somewhat elusive, the GV can be found fairly easily.  Look for the GV and only Christmas shop in those sections of the store.  By doing so you’ll save a minimum of 25% off your purchase. . . . Also, be aware that you can use a Kohl’s printable coupon on all clearance items.  So be sure to stack a coupon on top of your clearance purchase to save close to 50%;

3296.  At Office Depot, a price ending in a 1 (i.e., $18.21) is the first clearance markdown, ending in 2 is the second clearance markdown, ending in 3 is the third markdown, a price ending in 4 is the “holy grail” and represents the final markdown price and the absolute best value. . . . Office Depot marks things down every 7-10 days.  So if you’re shopping for gift ideas and stocking stuffers and they have an item at the first or second clearance markdown, wait and come back.  By Christmas shopping early you’ll have plenty of time to come back and get items only when the price ends in a 3 or a 4. . . . Items that present the best buying opportunities are as follows: basic office supplies, small electronics, printers, software, packing supplies and desk organizers. . . . Office Depot is notorious for unloading some great clearance deals on Black Friday.  Shop on Black Friday and instead of fighting over the door-buster deals, head for the clearance sections of the store for better savings;

3297.  At Old Navy, prices ending in .47, .49, .97 and .99 denote a clearance item. . . . The single best time of the year to shop at Old Navy, for both gift ideas and the ability to stock up for the following year, is Black Friday weekend.  You can easily save 65-80% off the original retail price on pants, sweaters, dress shirts, outerwear and dresses. . . . The real value of shopping on Black Friday at Old Navy is taking advantage of the clearance deals. . . . In-season styles are typically not that great of a deal. . . . Plus, Old Navy typically offers some great clearance coupons on Black Friday that you can stack for even more savings;

3298.  When shopping at Sam’s Club, check out the letter in the upper right hand corner of the shelf tag and look for the “C.”  This means the item is cancelled and is a clearance price and, thus, provides the best value. . . . Similar to Costco, Sam’s Club stocks quality brands and products across the board.  So if you’re Christmas shopping for your sister and she needs a new crock-pot, go to the one with the “C” in the upper right hand corner of the price on the shelf tag.  The “Cancelled” item almost always provides savings in the 25-35% range. . . . A price ending in 1 is a sale price and on clearance;

3299.  At Sears, .99 is full price, .97 is a discontinued item on clearance and .88 is the final markdown price. . . . Where in the store should you look for items ending in .97 or .88?  This works best in the tools section as well as in electronics and appliances.  The price will typically be close to 30% cheaper than Amazon.com. . . . Take advantage of additional Sears coupons and clearance deals on Black Friday for maximum savings;

3300.  At Target, a price ending in .99 is full price.  .04, .24, .88 or .98 is a clearance item. . . . Check out the upper right hand corner of the clearance sticker for the tiny little number.  It will say 15, 30, 50, 75 or 90 and that represents the percent off the original price. . . . Clearance items get marked down every 10 to 14 days. . . . When Christmas shopping, the best departments in Target are: electronics, apparel, shoes, small kitchen appliances, housewares and linens. . . . When looking for bargain gift ideas, always look for items where the store has many in stock.  By doing so, you’ll be able to start shopping early and use the price codes to your advantage;