Markette Sheppard, co-host of Great Day Washington (WUSA*9), talks preserving quality items, on-screen makeup tricks and her favorite guests on the show.
Food
Date Night: In Old Town Alexandria at the end of King Street, there is a place called Mai Thai, and they have the best cashew chicken. I have not been to another Thai place that has better—I will go there specifically for that dish.
Family Friendly: I stayed home with my son (now 2 1/2) for almost the entire year when he was born, so I got really bored. One thing that I loved about Tysons is that during the day you can just look around and see tons of moms with strollers. I loved having a nice slow lunch at Maggiano’s or Legal Seafood.
Favorite Guests
Ice Cube was so humble, so intelligent, so nice, and he’s a real businessman. Gracia Martore [CEO of Tegna Inc.] was on the show, and I was just in awe. I have been in many meetings where everyone at the table was a man, and here she is managing a national media company. I hope to do half of what she’s done in her career.
Makeup
I own a natural cosmetics boutique called Messenger Beauty. I use a lot of products from my store every day (pictured left). I like nude lipsticks in real life, but they wash me out on camera. Bright pinks or deep reds work best for me. Because I wear so much makeup daily, I wear no makeup on the weekends to let my skin breathe.
Shopping
Overall Experience: I love The Fashion Centre at Pentagon City because it’s close and you can get everything you need in one stop.
Shoe Repair: In Pentagon Row there’s a little shoe place called Best Foot Forward that I go to every fall to get my boots shined and the heels replaced. I’ve had boots for almost 14 years that I just get resoled every year. I invest in good pieces, and then [I’m] not buying them every year.
Play Date Spot
Clemyjontri [Park] is perfect for a 2-year-old … there’s a carousel, a train, they have a special swing for wheelchair-bound kids, [and] there’s a school bus that can fit about five kids. It’s a really special place.
Health
I only eat organic meats, veggies and fruits from grocery stores that I trust. But I do that because I want lifelong healthy eating habits. I haven’t exercised regularly in over two years, which to me is proof that if you eat healthy and enjoy things like pizza and cookies in moderation, you can still maintain [a healthy physique].
(May 2016)