DJ Lemz + Stuart Parlier Vibe to Kylie Minogue

This month, we’re bowing to 11 badass local couples making moves (with righteous intent) and leaving their mark on the District. Among several questions, we ask how they’d remix the concept of power couple. What emerged is a collective belief that the energy you bring, the responsibility you share (to each other and your community), and the joy of the journey all greatly matter. We also learned love and humor coexist well. Thank you for the laughs and inspiration.

Steve “DJ Lemz” Lemmerman, DJ + Event Producer +  Stuart Parlier, Communications + Marketing Manager

Power Couple, Redefined
It’s about understanding you won’t always be after the same thing but you share an energy across all you do, together or apart. 

Strike A Balance
Work/life balance is huge and sometimes that means clocking each other when those boundaries start to slip. Our work schedules diverge more often than align — you’ll find Stuart on the dance floor when Steve’s work really begins — so finding time when we’re both off the clock is important.

Couple Mantra
Don’t take yourself too seriously. We try to imbue humor or irreverence in most of what we do and are generally hesitant to work with people who don’t.

Lessons Learned
Steve taught Stuart how important kindness and compassion is to everything in life. Stuart taught Steve that you have to be a dick sometimes.

Conflict Resolution Tips
Talk. Don’t let issues or emotions stew because that only makes it worse. Steve is great with this, Stuart not so much. Also, kiss your cat.

Caffeine Dependency
Stuart needs more [caffeine] on [the] basis of having to wake up early during the week and also having so many cute mugs to [use].

Daily Hustle
Patience. The understanding that as much as we love working together, we also have our own things going on that have their own needs. And being aware not everything will work out as planned; it’s great to succeed with your partner but it’s equally (if not more) important to be there for them when it doesn’t.

The Meet Cute
Friends introduced us at Asylum (RIP) almost 13 years ago. Within a month or two, we were living together, which in general is a terrible idea and wow, what were we honestly thinking? But somehow, it worked out for us. Fun fact: After Asylum closed, it became Smoke & Barrel. Ten years later, we had our wedding rehearsal dinner at Smoke & Barrel as a commemoration.

D.C. Date Spot
Kura Sushi. Is it the best restaurant in D.C.? No. Is it the best sushi in D.C.? No. Is it on a conveyor belt? Hell yes.

Celebrity Hall Pass
Hall passes are easy. Try finding someone who the other partner wouldn’t want. The only thing that would break us is finding out the other hooked up with sweet baby Sufjan Stevens without them.

Our Song
Music has always been a huge part of our relationship — it was basically the genesis of it — and we share a lot of the same tastes. So long answer? Too much for this article. But the short answer? Kylie Minogue.

Follow Lemz and Parlier on their personal IGs @djlemz and @stuartsaysstop. Follow Lemz’s businesses here: djlemz.com and sleazeparty.com.

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