Ladies, may I present, LadiesDC

The first time I had heard about Ladies DC was through my co-worker, Nicole. Being overly interested in getting involved with every type of networking event DC has to offer, I checked out the group's website after she sent me a link to their YahooGroup forum (which is a great place to post anything about everything: apartments, events, advice...)

Source: http://www.ladiesdc.com/

Talk about a well-organized, professional, stylish, and inspirational association. Set on the idea of "Women helping Women", LadiesDC was started by Lindsey Mask (a Texas native - go girl!) in 2006. With over 2,500 members today, the group has expanded beyond DC to New York, San Diego, Texas, and North Carolina. All of the chapters are centered around the idea of providing women with a supportive, connected network to advance member's professional and personal dreams via monthly meetups and virtual communication. After reading about the incredible, interesting women who comprises of the group's board, let's just say I was a bit nervous to waltz on in to their 2013 Summer Brunch with only a floppy business card and sun dress to make the first introductions.

Source: http://www.ladiesdc.com/

So I enlisted help (as any girl does) in the form of female partner in crime. More specifically, my co-worker, Brittany. Little did we expect that we would not only be the first ones to arrive, but subsequently have the chance to speak one-on-one with the speaker for the event: Angélique Roché. Angélique arrived shortly after we did, and together we broke into the bottomless mimosas as she explained to us bright pink bandaged arm (a unfortunate bike accident, but awesome cast). Other women began to filter in...and many mimosas began to be consumed. 

Source: http://instagram.com/ladiesdc

 

Angélique is a lawyer, policy expert, and Boardmember of the Women's Campaign School at Yale; but, more than anything she is  down-to-earth, engaging, and extremely disarming. Her talk, "Personal Development Strategies: Gaining Leadership Skills Inside and Outside the Workplace," expanded on how we can make the best use of time, resources, and opportunities in the crazy, hectic, non-stop city of Washington, DC to fulfill their dreams. She began her speech quite bluntly:"All of you are overqualified for what you are doing right now." I wanted to shout 'huzaaa'! Her wisdom, humor, and take-no-prisoners attitude continued to visibly inspire and actively engage us all. She communicated the importance of involvement in associations, professional societies, mentoring programs, and the importance of recognizing the value women bring to the workplace. She recommended keeping a close "advisory board" of colleagues and friends to tell you when you are off your rocker and when to pursue the crazy, daring dream. But what I loved most about Angélique's talk was her emphasis that time is a valuable resource and the avenue through which anything can be accomplished. Spend it wisely, and things will come your way. We enjoyed listening while chowing down:

The event was held at a lovely Dupont gem, Le Mirch. A combination of Indian cuisine with French influences, I ate my way through several plates of Masala French toast, scrambled eggs, hummus, vegetable curry, soup, salad and fruit. While I had never heard of Le Mirch before, I definitely recommend the little bistro for not only its authentic, flavorful food, but for it's attentive, smiley staff.

Source: http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/le-mirch-washington?select=ZpiZbTz8TQMvYxrTDT960Q#ZpiZbTz8TQMvYxrTDT960Q

Source: http://instagram.com/ladiesdc

Source: http://instagram.com/ladiesdc

You can find LadiesDC on facebook here, and follow them on twitter here. Also, be sure to sign up for their newsletter to keep up-to-date with upcoming events, conferences, and activities.