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Famous 5

Meet Jeremy Essig. Jeremy is a full time comedian from St. Louis, MO. His comedy has been labeled “intelligent cynicism.” He’s appeared on NPR many times, and if that doesn’t make you a smart comedian, I don’t know what does. His Twitter followers include Members, Senators and Mayors on both sides of …

Meet Will Simon. Will Simon is bringing some DC pride to our every day fashion choices with his DC inspired Socks. Currently, Simon is working to fund his new fashion sock line, LINEDWEAR, on Kickstarter. As an early investor we hear you’ll be the first to receive a pair as they are already in the process of being manufactured. When we asked Simon what inspired his venture, he responded by noting that even though we may all be from elsewhere, everyone is incredibly proud of the place we now call home. We couldn’t agree more. Below is the quick story behind LINEDWEAR and how you can get a pair of these amazing socks. Check out LINEDWEAR’s awesome Kickstarter

Meet Brendan O’Connor. Brendan O’Connor is the co-founder of RaiseDC and with a tagline like “A Virtuous Nightlife” we could not help but be intrigued when we learned of his venture. Starting just a year ago (anniversary party details below), RaiseDC seeks to combine the forces of DC’s nightlife with fundraising for local nonprofits. In just one one year they have helped out 8 DC organizations with 100% of ticket sales going toward the cause. Win-win, right? We thought so too and were lucky enough to chat with O’Connor about the organization, its upcoming events and how we can all be a little more virtuous. *Follow RaiseDC at www.facebook.com/RaiseDC and stay tuned for their coming website: www.raiseyourcity.com .

Meet Josefina Urzaiz. Urzaiz is a DC based entrepreneur who started her hammock business as a way to stay connected with her Mexican heritage while helping people along the way. Her efforts have grown since launching in 2010, even landing Hammock Boutique a shout out from Nate Berkus! For those of you wondering, he picked the Thick Cord Hammock. Before going full time this past January with Hammock Boutique, Urzaiz studied Business and spent time abroad before moving to the US to attend Georgetown for her Masters. She then worked in New York City as an investment banker for five years. Luckily for us, Josefina had time to chat with FamousDC about the good work she’s doing, what got her started and where she’s going.

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 Erik Huey. Government relations pro representing the gaming industry during the day and rock star by night. Literally the man is a rock star, which you can see for yourself next Friday. Huey will be playing with his band, The Surreal McCoys, at Hill Country.

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.

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 Erin McPike. After what we can only call a superwoman performance covering the 2012 election, Erin McPike got scooped up by CNN to join Jake Tapper’s newest venture, The Lead. Having been a fan of McPike since day one, FamousDC was excited to see her make the jump from Real Clear Politics. Luckily, between assignments McPike had a minute to sit down with us and answer a few questions on her new gig, working with Tapper and roller blading with MO.

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 Alejandra Owens. Owens works at AARP, where, specifically, she oversees the blog all the while still writing for three other blogs on the side. A few years ago Owens started her own blog and it took off from there. She now contributes to the Food Network’s City Eats and Borderstan while maintaining her personal blog and working the tech scene for AARP. With so many bloggers in the District we thought it would be fun to catch up with Owens on how she does it all and why she loves this town.

Meet Brian Johnson, aka the Hungry Lobbyist. Johnson runs the popular food and lifestyle blog, The Hungry Lobbyist, where you can read about the sequester while browsing for the perfect power lunch spot. FamousDC is also lucky enough to have him write a bi-weekly column, Feasting Famously, where he interviews folks around the District about their favorite meals, what they cook and the weirdest things in their fridge. With a site redesign and several new content areas, we thought it was prime time to introduce you to the Hungry Lobbyist.

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 Lia Seremetis. Lia Seremetis is the founder and leader of DC Bike Party, a monthly ride through DC that focuses on the fun of riding in a group and always ends at a bar (how could you not love this?!). Seremetis is a communications professional in DC by day and also writes for FamousDC. When she’s not riding her bike around town you can catch her hitting up one of the many concerts and shows in the District. We were lucky enough to chat with Seremetis about how it all got started. Got a bike? Want to make new friends? Head out to DC Bike Party tonight for a Mardis Gras ride through DC. As always, the fun starts at Dupont Circle.