Author Archive

Brittany Horowitz

Brittany Horowitz

Meet Joseph Kopser. Joseph is the CEO and co-founder of RideScout, a mobile application that helps users navigate cities more efficiently. After launching in Washington, DC in November 2013, RideScout is beginning to expand to other U.S. cities and has plans to make a big splash this spring. Joseph made some time to chat with FamousDC on how he plans on changing the way people travel.

Meet Joel Daly. Joel is the Washington, DC host of CreativeMornings, a monthly morning talk aimed to gather creative folks for good coffee and good conversation. The free series began in New York by Tina Roth Eisenberg and has now been expanded to cities throughout the world. Speakers are selected by each city chapter based on a global theme, and this month’s theme is Bravery. All of the available seats have already been distributed for this month’s talk with guest speaker Jason Steinhauer. Tickets go quickly due to the huge success of the series, but the series’ Twitter is a sure fire way to get the most useful information to secure a seat in the future. FamousDC was able to chat with Joel about his role as DC’s host and learn what goes in to planning these highly anticipated monthly sessions.

“Put your money where your mouth is.” “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” “Just do it.” For most people, such motivational quotes and clichés push them to meaningless action. They post the phrase on their Facebook, or they tweet how they will soon be making a …

Meet Elliot Spaisman. Elliot and his fellow co-owner, Jeff Halpern, are the pair behind Astro Doughnuts, the new Metro Center eatery that has become popular for its gourmet doughnuts and fried chicken – both of which sell out daily. Elliot and Jeff are native Washingtonians, and they focused on the busy red line metro stop because of the heavy foot traffic. FamousDC had the opportunity to chat with Elliot to learn more about Astro’s tasty creations and why the Washington Post has it ranked at the top of its doughnut competition.

Meet Tony Velazquez. Tony and his wife Teresa are the dynamic duo behind Georgetown’s Baked and Wired, an artsy coffeehouse that serves up fresh brewed coffee and delicious handmade baked goods – there are even treats for your dogs! Tucked away on Thomas Jefferson Street, Baked and Wired often has lines out the door that locals are always willing to cope with. FamousDC had the chance to chat with Tony, and he gave us the inside scoop on what makes Baked so addicting.

Meet Intern John. John became infamous in the DC area the moment he joined HOT 99.5’s popular morning show, The Kane Show. From his “Loser Line” segments to his “Pitch Perfect” and “Saved by the Bell” references, John has DC’s commuters laughing in their cars as they tackle traffic. FamousDC had the chance to chat with John about his career move to DC and life in radio. Unfortunately, his adorable dog, Chuy, could not make it to the interview.

After they weren’t given a table at this year’s White House Correspondent’s Association Dinner, Buzzfeed decided to host their own viewing party and broadcast the WHCD live. If we do say so ourselves, the night was a definite WIN.

Meet Lauree Ostrofsky. Lauree is a local life coach, blogger and new author. Her new memoir, “I’m scared & doing it anyway,” was published this month and explores her experience with battling a brain tumor. Lauree can be seen around DC speaking at events and sharing hugs with loved ones and new friends. FamousDC had the chance to catch Lauree during the excitement of her book release.

Meet Libby Casey. Libby arrived in DC after a successful career in Alaska, and she has made a name for herself in journalism as the host and producer of C-SPAN’s morning show “Washington Journal.” Libby was also a brave participant in a recent charity competition where she performed a standup routine. She was a standout (ba dum chh) among the other competitors with her Washington-focused C-SPAN riffs. Luckily FamousDC had the chance to catch up with her to discuss her career and comedy.

Meet Ericka Andersen. Ericka handles all of the social media for The Heritage Foundation, but when she is not in the office she is managing her fitness blog, The Sweet Life. A visit to her blog provides followers with information on running and living a healthy lifestyle, but Ericka also likes to incorporate exciting moments from her life outside of the fitness realm. FamousDC got a chance to learn more about Ericka’s blogging success.

Meet Dan Cohen. Dan is a six-time Emmy Award winning veteran journalist and documentary filmmaker as well as a native Washingtonian. His recent documentary, “Space Shuttle Columbia: Mission of Hope” has achieved mass distribution, airing on PBS stations across the country. FamousDC had the chance to speak with Dan about the incredible story he tells in his film. About the film: In 2003, Space Shuttle Columbia carried a remarkable and diverse crew, which included Israel’s first astronaut, Colonel Ilan Ramon who was the son of Holocaust survivors; however, the shuttle exploded on its’ return. Dan’s new documentary tells the untold story of Colonel Ramon and his crewmates as well as the story of a small Torah scroll from the Holocaust that was on the Shuttle. It is a story of hope that will connect with audiences of any background. The documentary will be on: Sunday February 17th, 2013 at 5:00 PM ET – WETA Saturday February 23rd, 2013 at 7:00 PM ET – MPT/WMPT

Meet Alma Katsu. Alma is a successful writer whose debut novel was a top pick by the American Library Association in 2011. She originally worked as a career Intel analyst for almost 30 years, and FamousDC had the opportunity to hear about her writing and learn about how she was able to make such a drastic career switch. Here is what she had to say about following her dreams.

Meet Holly Thomas & Krista Haywood. Holly and Krista are the founders of Butler & Claypool, a retail and design collective in DC. Holly’s full-time gig is DC editor for Refinery29, and Krista is a government contractor. FamousDC had the chance to chat with the two about thrifting, pop-up shops and all things fashion. Here is what they had to say.