Beaten Path to Walish Gooshe

I think I'm starting to feel the effects of traveling non-stop for almost three weeks. It most definitely hit me today.

This is how my morning went:

5:30 a.m. Wake up call to volunteer to serve breakfast at a men's shelter in D.C. I volunteer with GreaterDC Cares.

6:30 a.m. Leave house. Sadly, I had to be patient because the congestion during rush hour traffic irks me to no end. I decided to drive part of the way and then take public transportation.

7:45 a.m. I have arrived! Finally. I just had to jump in because I was late and the staff was about to serve breakfast. Two other volunteers were there assisting, which was quite a relief. Last time I volunteered, I was the only one that showed up.

9:15 a.m. I finished serving breakfast and also prepared peanut and jelly sandwiches for later in the day. The kitchen staff is uber efficient in their preparation, service and clean up. It was nice to just focus on one task at a time and work with the other volunteers to get the job done. I will definitely go back because I had plenty of fun. Next time though, I will come for lunch or dinner since traffic is a no-no for me.

12:30 p.m. - 1:45 p.m. By noon, I was ready to eat. Nothing new of course. I scheduled a lunch with two of my former co-workers. Hey Raj and Cecelia! We ate at a Thai restaurant and really enjoyed catching up with each other. I hadn't seen them in over two months, so I was happy to share my recent travels.

After lunch, I was spent. I went straight to the Metro to get back to my car. Even with my listlessness, I still took time to enjoy the unseasonably warm weather and the spectrum of autumn colors. I sincerely love the fall season.

I wish I had more time to settle in this morning, especially since I got home late last night. I thoroughly enjoyed myself yesterday evening. I met an array of people with interesting backgrounds, styles and stories. For the past two weeks, I have been teleworking with Jennifer of Walish Gooshe, a woman's clothing company based in D.C. She is the PR Manager for the company and was looking for a volunteer. I dove head first and eventually my ideas and feedback parlayed into a semi-hosting gig. I suggested inviting D.C. area fashion bloggers to preview the collection, visit the WG boutique space to mix and mingle. We nixed a previous contest idea between fashion bloggers. I am happy that so many bloggers came to event.

With the combination of Jen's networking and my follow-up emails, we had nearly ten fashion bloggers in attendance. I made sure to introduce myself to each one and encourage them to network amongst their peers. The Walish Gooshe Boutique is a tight space, but it has mighty aspirations. The event itself was a charitable occasion as well as an opportunity to educate women about the resources offered for those dealing with breast cancer. More importantly, the Stand By Her Shopping Soiree, was an avenue for survivors to share their stories. I felt blessed to hear real women express their struggles, passion and persistence to live and to educate.

Collaborating with Walish Gooshe's founder and designer, Greg Gaten Taylor, and Jennifer was a great experience. I hope to work with them in the future.