November 27, 2011
November 21, 2011
Make My Monday: Care Packages for Troops Overseas
Happy Monday, friends! We had the best weekend catching up with friends and enjoying a few fun adventures along the way. One of our big tasks this weekend was compiling a massive care package for a friend's brother's unit in Afghanistan. It's hard to believe, but some of our troops overseas are in such remote areas that things like hot showers are a luxury. These guys had requested the basics (think baby wipes and cold meds) and we were more than happy to oblige. Thanks to the suggestion of lady friends T & L (Deacon takes no credit for this idea!!), we made a trip to Costco and assembled massive care packages and personalized holiday cards for each of the guys in this Marine unit. We'll ship them this week so that they have plenty of time to arrive for the holidays.
If you're interested in giving to those in need this season, this is a great and super easy way to do a little something for those who serve our country every day. Shipping, the part we thought would be the most expensive, is actually very economical - just pick up flat rate boxes from USPS (they'll even mail them to you) and send them out - a 12" x 12" x 5" box ships for just $12.95 to APO / FPO addresses, which is even less than it costs to send domestically!
If you want to adopt your own troop this holiday, a list of organizations for email, donations and more is below:
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| LB, T, and L Recording a video message for our friends overseas |
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| T, L, LR and Moi, writing cards |
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| Making cookies and brownies to package up |
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| LB's very patriotic card to a friend |
If you're interested in giving to those in need this season, this is a great and super easy way to do a little something for those who serve our country every day. Shipping, the part we thought would be the most expensive, is actually very economical - just pick up flat rate boxes from USPS (they'll even mail them to you) and send them out - a 12" x 12" x 5" box ships for just $12.95 to APO / FPO addresses, which is even less than it costs to send domestically!
If you want to adopt your own troop this holiday, a list of organizations for email, donations and more is below:
- Adopt a US Soldier
- Friends of Our Troops
- Skincando
- Soldier's Angels
- Friend's of Our Troops
- Email our Military
November 18, 2011
Friday's Fancies: High Heels & Pearls
We can't wait to see your Friday's Fancies looks too!
November 17, 2011
To Do Thursday: Warm Winter Cocktails, Secret Passwords, Quidam and More!
What does your weekend look like, friends? We've had a busy week of events and are looking forward to getting a few things done before heading back to Annapolis for the holiday, but it's hard with so many fun activities going on around town. In this week's "To Do Thursday," we share a few of our favorite happenings - if you've got a fun event or activity that we should take note of, drop us a line!
Warm Winter Drinks - POV at the W Hotel
We had the exclusive chance to preview the W Hotel's new winter drinks menu at POV Tuesday evening, where we also got to take in the fun "apres ski" party from Gilt City. We sampled the new warm drink menu and determined our faves- a mulled rum cider and a tea-like scotch and lemon concoction that truly felt like it soothed our soul - or at least the memory of our long, long day at work!
Secret Passwords for Freebies at Urbana
What's the password? Say the secret word "nutmeg" and "bubbly" and score a free app and free glass of sparkling wine on your next visit for dinner at one of our favorite restaurants in Dupont's Hotel Palomar.
Quidam
We got the chance to preview this great limited-engagement Cirque du Soliel show at Verizon Center last night and let us tell you ... it's pretty magical. Quidam tells the story of a young girl who retreats into her imagination after feeling abandoned by her parents. Basically, it's a trippy romp through storyland, complete with awesome aerial silks shows, tumblers, audience participation and more. The intimate setup makes the massive Verizon Center feel cozy, so there's really no bad seat in the house, and it's the first Cirque show we've seen where a live band plays and helps set the tone of the show. We're not a huge fan of clowns, and there are clowns aplenty in this show, but it was still awe-inspiring. Don't miss the best part - a man and woman strength display that is sure to rock your socks off.
Sugarloaf Crafts Festival
Want to get a head start on your holiday shopping? We're giving away six tickets (three pairs) to this weekend's Sugarloaf Crafts Fest at the MoCo fairgrounds. It's a great way to explore local artisans ... gratis!
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| Apple Buttered Rum at the W Hotel DC |
Warm Winter Drinks - POV at the W Hotel
We had the exclusive chance to preview the W Hotel's new winter drinks menu at POV Tuesday evening, where we also got to take in the fun "apres ski" party from Gilt City. We sampled the new warm drink menu and determined our faves- a mulled rum cider and a tea-like scotch and lemon concoction that truly felt like it soothed our soul - or at least the memory of our long, long day at work!
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| Image via The Washington Lobbyist |
Secret Passwords for Freebies at Urbana
What's the password? Say the secret word "nutmeg" and "bubbly" and score a free app and free glass of sparkling wine on your next visit for dinner at one of our favorite restaurants in Dupont's Hotel Palomar.
Quidam
We got the chance to preview this great limited-engagement Cirque du Soliel show at Verizon Center last night and let us tell you ... it's pretty magical. Quidam tells the story of a young girl who retreats into her imagination after feeling abandoned by her parents. Basically, it's a trippy romp through storyland, complete with awesome aerial silks shows, tumblers, audience participation and more. The intimate setup makes the massive Verizon Center feel cozy, so there's really no bad seat in the house, and it's the first Cirque show we've seen where a live band plays and helps set the tone of the show. We're not a huge fan of clowns, and there are clowns aplenty in this show, but it was still awe-inspiring. Don't miss the best part - a man and woman strength display that is sure to rock your socks off.
Sugarloaf Crafts Festival
Want to get a head start on your holiday shopping? We're giving away six tickets (three pairs) to this weekend's Sugarloaf Crafts Fest at the MoCo fairgrounds. It's a great way to explore local artisans ... gratis!
November 16, 2011
Guest Post: Meredith of The FFJD
One of Deacon's favorite guilty pleasures? Reading The FFJD (formerly 50 First (J)Dates). We are neither Jewish nor have we ever been on JDate, but it doesn't matter. We'd read it even if it sucked because we love Meredith, but ... it doesn't. It's hilarious, informative, and, quite often, just what you're thinking but afraid to say.
Blogger-writer-consultant-fashionista Meredith Fineman's journey started as a quest to find her perfect NJB (nice Jewish boy) and has evolved into a lifestyle site chronicling everything from her favorite fro-yo toppings (mochi) to her quest to find the perfect Skinny Arm pose, and most things in between. Lucky for her, she found the NJB rather soon in the process, but she still gives great relationship advice. We chatted with the voice behind the blog to learn a bit more about her advice for dating in DC, life, ect.Why did you start blogging?
I started blogging as a way to chronicle my adventures when I lived in South America. It was called Soy, Therefore I am (a play on words in Spanish and a nod to my lactose intolerance). TheFFJD (originally Fifty First JDates), however, was supposed to be a private joke among my friends to chronicle my hilaroipus return to the American male known as JDate in Washington. It went viral, and now it's become an amazing outlet for me, my friends, and other 20-somethings. And yes, I am writing a book.
What is your advice for dating?
Leave no stone unturned. I think you should give everyone a fair chance. I was most surprised/pleased with guys I never thought I'd like, and the ones I really wanted to go out with often were duds. Even if you don't like the person, be nice - you never know if he or she might have a friend for you.
Here's a pet peeve of ours. Why are men in DC so SHORT?
I don't know. I'm 5'7 and I wear nothing shorter than 5 inch heels, so I'm essentially the Jolly Green Giant. If you really like a guy, don't discount him for his height. There's nothing he can do about it, except wear platforms, which you definitely don't want. Cue this:
How do you avoid awkward questions from grandma and your parents when you're home for Thanksgiving and single, yet again, at 26? We're, um, asking for a friend.
Just tell then you're on the Bachelorette and you can't disclose because of your contract who you chose for your final rose. There's lots of weird and difficult pressure surrounding family and whom you choose to date. Really, those questions are incredibly inappropriate. But say something like, "I'm auditioning a few contenders" or really just ignore it. You would never ask the same of the state of someone else's marriage or relationship! (Ie, why aren't you married to your bf yet?)
You're quite the fashionista. What's your favorite trend of the moment?
Oooh thank you! That is quite the compliment. I love colored denim. (I just love color in general.)
Anything else you want to share?
TheFFJD is a somewhat humorous blog for the 20-something struggling with post-graduate life and dating. More than anything, it's a space to make fun of ourselves and share in the upps and downs of young adulthood. Buy my book when it comes out, as a gift, doorstop, or sneezeguard. Be a fan on Facebook and Twitter. I am also starting events and jappy/happy hours, so stay tuned and send me your email for exclusives!
Never one to let an opportunity pass us by, we also guest posted on her site today about how to snag the best deals on travel using our favorite sample sale sites and internet search tips. Check. It. Out. (Please.)
Giveaway: Sugarloaf Crafts Festival
This year marks the 36th anniversary of the Sugarloaf Crafts Festival with a fun "New This Season" theme. This weekend, plan on heading to Montgomery County to get some of the most unique holiday gifts around.
The Annual Sugarloaf Craft Festival will be held in Gaithersburg, Maryland, November 18th through November 20th, and we're giving away tickets just for with a contest though our partner site, GalTime!
The festival will feature creative artists who have been personally selected to showcase thier talents. The crafts at the Festival will include pottery, sculptures, jewelry, glass, fashion, wood, metal, furniture, home accessories, photography, food and fine art. One-of-a-kind crafts can make great gifts to get jump-started on your holiday shopping.
The Sugarloaf Crafts Festival will be held at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds, 16 Chestnut Street in Gaithersburg, Maryland, 20877. Admission is $7.00 when purchased online and $9.00 when purchased at the door (good for all three days). The hours are Friday and Saturday from 10:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m., and Sunday from 10:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. Free parking is available on site. For more information, please visit www.sugarloafcrafts.com.
We're giving away three pairs of tickets to the show! Entering is super simple - just follow the instructions below!
The Annual Sugarloaf Craft Festival will be held in Gaithersburg, Maryland, November 18th through November 20th, and we're giving away tickets just for with a contest though our partner site, GalTime!
The festival will feature creative artists who have been personally selected to showcase thier talents. The crafts at the Festival will include pottery, sculptures, jewelry, glass, fashion, wood, metal, furniture, home accessories, photography, food and fine art. One-of-a-kind crafts can make great gifts to get jump-started on your holiday shopping.
The Sugarloaf Crafts Festival will be held at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds, 16 Chestnut Street in Gaithersburg, Maryland, 20877. Admission is $7.00 when purchased online and $9.00 when purchased at the door (good for all three days). The hours are Friday and Saturday from 10:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m., and Sunday from 10:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. Free parking is available on site. For more information, please visit www.sugarloafcrafts.com.
We're giving away three pairs of tickets to the show! Entering is super simple - just follow the instructions below!
Wellness Wednesday: Preventing a Holiday Meltdown
The food. The parties. Finding and wrapping the perfect presents. AHHHH! Studies show that up to 80% of people find the time between Thanksgiving and New Year’s to be “somewhat” or “very stressful”, which, as About.com reports, ranks the holidays alongside asking for a raise on the stress scale.
So we went for the opposite of stressed - talking to the leaders at Destination Spa Group - and found out how to keep your cool over the holidays as part of today's Wellness Wednesday.
Rancho La Puerta’s Barry Shingle suggests, “Practice deep breathing. It has been proven over and over again that taking a time out to do some deep, cleansing breaths counteracts many of the physical symptoms of stress. It could be as simple as breathing deeply in for five counts and then exhaling just as slowly five to 10 times.”
We think we'd be less stressed if we could just GO to Rancho La Puerta, but okay.
While you are breathing deeply, Harold Lebovic of The Heartland Spa in Illinois suggests two more simple things:
1. Make a list. When the holidays seem to become overwhelming, make a list so you know exactly what needs to be done and when. (Exactly what our little Virgo hearts need )
2. Learn to say no. Realize that it's okay to set boundaries and say no when necessary. Too many "yesses" can lead to unnecessary stress. (Thank you, our therapist says the same thing.)
Stressed over visiting relatives? Golden Door Fitness Director Trish Martin suggests, “Instead of the usual get-together that primarily involves eating, suggest an outing that involves physical activity such as hiking, walking, biking, snow shoeing, skating, skiing or sledding.” Or, as Marsha Hudnall of Green Mountain in Vermont says, give yourself a time out. “We often give children a time out, when it is really the adults that could use the break. Take a few minutes for yourself, create some space, take a short walk, step outside for fresh air, or even just sit in a room by yourself.”
What about working out? You may be tempted to skip it; not a good idea says Rancho La Puerta’s Shingle, “Exercise releases endorphins that help us to cope better with stress. Even if it means doing modified workouts or getting up a little earlier to fit one in; maintaining our physical activities helps us to maintain a sense of control and self.” Nancy Byrd Radding of The Oaks at Ojai concurs, “Get a winter membership at a club. Change up your workout time to use the daylight available to you. Invest in DVDs, there’s some great stuff out there to help you pick up a new skill.”
After working out, don’t eat the entire box of chocolate covered cherries. Koerner suggests increasing energy by drinking one fresh, raw, green smoothie every day. To make: throw in a blender a handful of spinach with some frozen bananas, blueberries and water. “The immediate boost of vitamins and minerals will help deter sugar cravings and provide the energy to jump back into the beautiful chaos of the holidays,” adds Destination Spa Group Executive Director Debra Koerner.
Do these tips help? What are your tips for staying less stressed over the holidays? We're personally booking a massage for next week, and planning a mini-weekend away for sometime in December.
November 15, 2011
Travel Tuesday: Deacon's Travel Essentials
Happy Travel Tuesday! As the holidays approach, we're often asked about our favorite travel finds that accompany us on our many jaunts. Sadly, our list of favorites changes all.the.time. and we're rarely using the same thing twice. It's been a long dream to have a go-to line of matching travel accessories, but the fact of the matter is ... we simply have a compilation of our favorite things. Whether you're looking for new travel makeup adds or simply wanting to get the traveler in your life something they'll love, here are a few of our favorite picks:
1 - The Bag:
We start all of our trips with a great bag - our current carry-on is this quilted Marc by Marc Jacobs number, which holds all of our essentials AND doubles as both a beach bag, a ski bag an overnight bag if we run off for a day trip in the middle of our adventure.
1 - The Bag:
We start all of our trips with a great bag - our current carry-on is this quilted Marc by Marc Jacobs number, which holds all of our essentials AND doubles as both a beach bag, a ski bag an overnight bag if we run off for a day trip in the middle of our adventure.
2- The Wrap:
A cashmere travel set is always a must on long flights. We love the White + Warren ones, which come with slippers to keep our feet warm, an eye mask so we can sleep, and a wrap/scarf combo that we'll wear the entire trip. Plus, it's way better than blankets on a plane!
A cashmere travel set is always a must on long flights. We love the White + Warren ones, which come with slippers to keep our feet warm, an eye mask so we can sleep, and a wrap/scarf combo that we'll wear the entire trip. Plus, it's way better than blankets on a plane!
3 - The Tech:
Our tech accessories are a must. We have been loving our 3.2 pound Sony Vaio, which has 6 hours of battery live, perfect for working while on-the-go. We'd love a great camera and have asked for a D-90 from Santa, but for now, our iPhone is our must-have accessory (with this great leopard case from Kate Spade). It takes great shots AND allows us to share our moments with the touch of a button through apps like Instagram (Follow us!). Our Kindle 3G is also on our must-bring list, and we are obsessed with this cover, which has a built-in book light.
4 - Handbag Organizer:
Inouis' Core is our go-to travel holder. It has tons of pockets, perfect for storing our pills, makeup essentials and more. Plus, we can grab the mini and credit card holder right out of it and use them as a wristlet or smaller makeup case when we reach our destination.
5- The Travel Accessories:
We've got to be stylish too, so we love our silver passport holder. Sure, we know Deacon is a German Shepherd, but we love this ode to our Dachshund, Marty, with the whimsical luggage tag that looks ... just like him. Oh, and it's VERY easy to spot our bag if we check it!
6- The Makeup:
Our tech accessories are a must. We have been loving our 3.2 pound Sony Vaio, which has 6 hours of battery live, perfect for working while on-the-go. We'd love a great camera and have asked for a D-90 from Santa, but for now, our iPhone is our must-have accessory (with this great leopard case from Kate Spade). It takes great shots AND allows us to share our moments with the touch of a button through apps like Instagram (Follow us!). Our Kindle 3G is also on our must-bring list, and we are obsessed with this cover, which has a built-in book light.
4 - Handbag Organizer:
Inouis' Core is our go-to travel holder. It has tons of pockets, perfect for storing our pills, makeup essentials and more. Plus, we can grab the mini and credit card holder right out of it and use them as a wristlet or smaller makeup case when we reach our destination.
5- The Travel Accessories:
We've got to be stylish too, so we love our silver passport holder. Sure, we know Deacon is a German Shepherd, but we love this ode to our Dachshund, Marty, with the whimsical luggage tag that looks ... just like him. Oh, and it's VERY easy to spot our bag if we check it!
6- The Makeup:
We hate to check a bag, which means we're always on the hunt for new travel-sized products. (See the Travalo perfume atomizer, that holds our favorite scents in travel size?) While we're normally loyal to Skin Authority at home, we sometimes use our road trips to sample new products, and use 3floz.com as our go-to site for testing. We've been loving this Ole Henricksen set, which has all the creams and potions we need. Le Metier's Peau Verge is our go-to for just about everything, and thankfully the full size is travel approved. We also don't ever travel without DC-based Skincado's Combat Balm, which soothes all ills from travel-chapped skin to sunburns and bug bites in an all-natural formula.
*We own and love all of the items listed above. We were given the Sony Vaio and Travalo for press reviews some time ago, but all of our opinions about the products are our own.*
What's in your travel bag? Do you have a new fave we have to add? Leave a comment, below!
*We own and love all of the items listed above. We were given the Sony Vaio and Travalo for press reviews some time ago, but all of our opinions about the products are our own.*
What's in your travel bag? Do you have a new fave we have to add? Leave a comment, below!
November 14, 2011
Make My Monday: Game Day Greats
It's football season! Whether we're cheering on our favorite Demon Deacons or our pro love, the Jets, we can't help but be inspired to cook a feast for our friends to celebrate the big games. We've whipped up a few great new Game Day recipes over the past few weeks and thought it would be fun to share as part of our new "Make My Monday" cooking and DIY series. Serve these favorites at a party or just for a Sunday supper in front of the TV - they're guaranteed to be a hit!
Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches
Literally, one of our favorite easy recipes, shared from our sis. Easy, spicy and low-cal, this is a perfect recipe for a crowd and re-heats beautifully. Cook on the lowest longest cycle in the crock pot and serve on mini slider rolls for an easy DIY treat. Put a bowl of blue cheese crumbles (dressing works too) and tomato slices out so people can make their own sandwiches.
Mom's Chili
We've had this chili ever since we were little, and it's still our favorite recipe, one of the easiest we make. Start by browning a pound to pound and a half of lean (we use 80-20) ground beef with salt and pepper. It's your choice how to proceed next - you can add in powdered chili mix or combine your own blend of chili powder, salt, pepper, nutmeg and cumin to taste... the result is usually about the same. We like extra chili powder. Add in half a finely chopped Vidalia onion for flavor. Then, add in a can each of chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, kidney beans, black beans and pinto beans and one can full of water. Let simmer about 20 minutes, or until thickened.
Jalapeno Bloody Marias
Our new favorite twist on Bloody Mary's? Bloody Marias, made with tequila. They give the cocktail the extra "kick" it needs and work at any time of the day. To make, infuse a reposado tequila (Cuervo works just fine) with sliced Jalapenos for a week or two. Combine with your favorite house-made or store-bought bloody mary mix (we like the V-8 bold and spicy if we buy it) and serve with a lime wedge. Ah-maz-ing. Thanks to Town Hall in DC for the inspiration - and to Smith Commons in DC for making the best house mix we've tried in months.
Hamburger Cookies
Easy and fun to make, these cookies are a perfect addition to any party - plus, who doesn't love Grasshoppers and Nila Wafers? If you want to skip the colored flaked coconut, that's fine - we usually just use green, yellow and red icing. The cookies are even better a day later, after they've softened a bit.
Want more recipe ideas? We've been saving our favorites on Pinterest - feel free to follow and / or share your suggestions!
Do you have a favorite Game Day recipe? Leave it in the comments, below.
Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches
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| Image via allrecipes.com |
Mom's Chili
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| Image via pinterest |
Jalapeno Bloody Marias
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| Our own image from today's brunch at Smith Commons |
Hamburger Cookies
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| Image via Taste of Home |
Want more recipe ideas? We've been saving our favorites on Pinterest - feel free to follow and / or share your suggestions!
Do you have a favorite Game Day recipe? Leave it in the comments, below.
November 11, 2011
Friday's Fancies: Gold Standard
Happy 50th Friday's Fancies to Long Distance Loving - we're celebrating the "Golden" Anniversary this week by hopping on the "Gold Standard" bandwagon and creating a shimmering outfit perfect for a glam night on the town. We love, love, love this gold frock, and paired it with simple yet elegant accessories to let the look stand on its own. What do you think?
November 10, 2011
To Do Thursday: Blog Hop! Visiting with Kate from Daffodils
We're so excited to have a blog hop today - our very first. Today, we're chatting with Kate of Daffodils - she's one of our new favorite new lifestyle reads. We hope you'll enjoy learning all about her and then pop on over to her site to check out our answers too!
Tell me about yourself- why did you start blogging, and how did you decide what you wanted to write about?
Hi Deacon Does Dc Readers! My name is Kate and you can find me blogging over at Daffodils. I began blogging about a year and a half ago, thinking I would start a refurbished furniture business. My original posts were mostly about design inspirations and projects of my own. However, as time went by, I ran out of time for projects and found more joy in sharing snippets of my life with my husbands and two boys. I enjoy posting recipes, some small projects, fashion and design inspiration amongst my daily musing about life California with my family.
Do you have any regular series on your blog? What is your favorite?
For a long time, I always posted "C-Mondays" which were cute weekly pictures of my little guy, Cullen. But then I had another little guy and that title jump seemed wrong. So now I just post cute pictures of both of them throughout the week. :) I am also a loyal Friday Fancies Follower!
What is your favorite place in DC to take out-of-towners, and why?
Even though we are now west coasters, I still have a very special place in my heart for DC. When I have friends visit DC, I have to take them back to my {claimed} hometown of Alexandria, VA and we'll have a night out in Old Town. We'd start with dinner at Landini's, then drinks and signing Irish songs at Murphy's and if we are feeling really crazy, let's end the night with some karaoke at Rock It Grill . Trust me, we will have a great time!
When you aren't blogging, what can you be found doing?
When I'm not blogging, you can find me exploring our new California home (we just moved from Winston-Salem, NC in July), raising the two sweetest boys in the world and hanging out with my handsome husband. I also love to cook, read, sew, organize, decorate, take pictures and watch Auburn football!
What about the holidays gets you most excited?
Some years, I kind of dread the holidays since they always seem to be so stressful, but this year I am super excited. I can't wait to play some Christmas music, host west coast friends for Thanksgiving and go home {back to the east coast} for the holidays. I also can't wait to experience the season with my sons because as a mother of two, I feel like we are more of our own family, plus Cullen (my 2.5 year old) understands what is happening and it is so special to experience the hope and wonder of Christmas through a child's eyes.
I hope you will pop over to Daffodils to say hello! Thanks for having me McLean!
Want to share your blogging fun? We'd love to host a blog hop with you too - just email us!
xoxo,
Deacon
Tell me about yourself- why did you start blogging, and how did you decide what you wanted to write about?
Hi Deacon Does Dc Readers! My name is Kate and you can find me blogging over at Daffodils
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| Me, Cullen (age 2), Kev (the husband) and under the blanket is my 5 month old baby Bennett. We live right on the water in Monterey, CA! |
For a long time, I always posted "C-Mondays" which were cute weekly pictures of my little guy, Cullen. But then I had another little guy and that title jump seemed wrong. So now I just post cute pictures of both of them throughout the week. :) I am also a loyal Friday
What is your favorite place in DC to take out-of-towners, and why?
Even though we are now west coasters, I still have a very special place in my heart for DC. When I have friends visit DC, I have to take them back to my {claimed} hometown of Alexandria, VA and we'll have a night out in Old Town. We'd start with dinner at Landini's
When you aren't blogging, what can you be found doing?
When I'm not blogging, you can find me exploring our new California home (we just moved from Winston-Salem, NC in July), raising the two sweetest boys in the world and hanging out with my handsome husband. I also love to cook, read, sew, organize, decorate, take pictures and watch Auburn football!
What about the holidays gets you most excited?
Some years, I kind of dread the holidays since they always seem to be so stressful, but this year I am super excited. I can't wait to play some Christmas music, host west coast friends for Thanksgiving and go home {back to the east coast} for the holidays. I also can't wait to experience the season with my sons because as a mother of two, I feel like we are more of our own family, plus Cullen (my 2.5 year old) understands what is happening and it is so special to experience the hope and wonder of Christmas through a child's eyes.
I hope you will pop over to Daffodils
Favorite Things: Romance Novels (and a Publishing Contract)
Do you think you can write? We're pretty sure you can. In honor of National Novel Writing Month, Harlequin, the famed romance publisher, is hosting their second annual "So You Think You Can Write" online conference this week, offering a week of useful sessions for new and experienced writers of all genres. A budding novelist ourselves, we couldn't help but be intrigued - sessions range from podcasts to Twitter chats to blog posts and are easy to follow along with at your own pace. Did we mention our novel is in the romance genre? Yes, Deacon has been an avid romance reader ever since The Flame and The Flower found its way into our hot little hands.
There are assignments to submit each day and keep yourself on track, and even a prize - submit your own manuscript by December 15 and one lucky winner is guaranteed to get a publishing contract.
Of course, not all of us are quite ready to turn in our first book. So we spoke with Birgit Davis-Todd (at right, below), Senior Executive Editor at Harlequin, to get some tips for writers considering their first novel - and some insight into fiction's most popular genre, romance.
Why did you decide to hold an online conference?
We anted to go out and find fresh new voices, younger voices. We thought we’d go online to try to find writers who may not have thought about writing for Harlequin or who haven’t heard of us. We publish 16 romance series at Harlequin and are looking for writers for all of our lines [ranging] from passion to historical .... to paranormal.
An online conference is a game-changer for us. [We're excited about] finding new readers; newer, younger authors. Will we one day be all just e-reading? [We want to] stay in touch with our readers. We do a lot of research as a company – what do they want, what do they see.
How tough do you expect the So You Think You Can Write competition to be?
My guess is that we’ll get 1,000 manuscripts at minimum. From that, I’d say that we could easily work with 25 potential writers.
Any ways to get a leg up on the competition?
Attending the conference all week will help! We have a theme each day. There’s a lot of good of advice all week. But also all of this material is archived. In general terms, for someone who is interested in writing for Harlequin, start by reading the series, target the one that you’d like to write – and [learning] what makes a good romance.
What does make a good romance novel?
[Having a ] strong hero and a strong heroine. They can have flaws [and the] the relationship could be rocky at times. We definitely want the happy ending in our books. [It's also important to have a] good solid plot, could have a sub plot and secondary characters.
What has the e-book done for the genre and industry as a whole?
Publishing is an interesting industry these days, we’ve seen the movie and music industry go through changes over the years. We were one of the first publishers to put our front list out in ebook as well. We’re still obviously printing in all formats. We find that our readers like print but they also like ebooks. They are volume readers; [they're] not reading one book a month but 10.
What about people that haven't read romance novels before? How do you get them hooked?
We try to offer something for everyone. We have a whole group of titles under the “Love Inspired" name that are more inspirational in tone, aimed at our inspirational, Christian readers. We have books like Blaze and Desire and Presents that are certainly hotter, spicier, contemporary. Paranomal is still big; our Nocturne line is all about vampires, shape-shirfters and other paranormal characters. [New romance readers might want to] try a line like Super Romance – a longer book. It’s very “middle of the road” – lots of story, lots of characters. A series like Blaze is a lot of fun, it’s sexier, but it’s very contemporary.
Another part of our business is a single title program, but Harlequin Teen is a program that is aimed at teens and women in their 20s, Julie Kagawa is one of our authors that is taking off (she wrote bestseller The Iron King) – we’re branching out in that direction, a series within a bigger program aimed at teens and 20 year olds.
A line like Blaze is aimed at younger readers as well. [We think a lot about questions like] Who is our new reader coming up? Can we shape those stories towards our newer, younger reader?
Do you like romance novels too? We'd totally love to meet some fellow romance novel lovers and discuss our favorites :)
There are assignments to submit each day and keep yourself on track, and even a prize - submit your own manuscript by December 15 and one lucky winner is guaranteed to get a publishing contract.
Of course, not all of us are quite ready to turn in our first book. So we spoke with Birgit Davis-Todd (at right, below), Senior Executive Editor at Harlequin, to get some tips for writers considering their first novel - and some insight into fiction's most popular genre, romance.
Why did you decide to hold an online conference? We anted to go out and find fresh new voices, younger voices. We thought we’d go online to try to find writers who may not have thought about writing for Harlequin or who haven’t heard of us. We publish 16 romance series at Harlequin and are looking for writers for all of our lines [ranging] from passion to historical .... to paranormal.
An online conference is a game-changer for us. [We're excited about] finding new readers; newer, younger authors. Will we one day be all just e-reading? [We want to] stay in touch with our readers. We do a lot of research as a company – what do they want, what do they see.
How tough do you expect the So You Think You Can Write competition to be?
My guess is that we’ll get 1,000 manuscripts at minimum. From that, I’d say that we could easily work with 25 potential writers.
Any ways to get a leg up on the competition?
Attending the conference all week will help! We have a theme each day. There’s a lot of good of advice all week. But also all of this material is archived. In general terms, for someone who is interested in writing for Harlequin, start by reading the series, target the one that you’d like to write – and [learning] what makes a good romance.
What does make a good romance novel?
[Having a ] strong hero and a strong heroine. They can have flaws [and the] the relationship could be rocky at times. We definitely want the happy ending in our books. [It's also important to have a] good solid plot, could have a sub plot and secondary characters.
What has the e-book done for the genre and industry as a whole?
Publishing is an interesting industry these days, we’ve seen the movie and music industry go through changes over the years. We were one of the first publishers to put our front list out in ebook as well. We’re still obviously printing in all formats. We find that our readers like print but they also like ebooks. They are volume readers; [they're] not reading one book a month but 10.
What about people that haven't read romance novels before? How do you get them hooked?
We try to offer something for everyone. We have a whole group of titles under the “Love Inspired" name that are more inspirational in tone, aimed at our inspirational, Christian readers. We have books like Blaze and Desire and Presents that are certainly hotter, spicier, contemporary. Paranomal is still big; our Nocturne line is all about vampires, shape-shirfters and other paranormal characters. [New romance readers might want to] try a line like Super Romance – a longer book. It’s very “middle of the road” – lots of story, lots of characters. A series like Blaze is a lot of fun, it’s sexier, but it’s very contemporary.Another part of our business is a single title program, but Harlequin Teen is a program that is aimed at teens and women in their 20s, Julie Kagawa is one of our authors that is taking off (she wrote bestseller The Iron King) – we’re branching out in that direction, a series within a bigger program aimed at teens and 20 year olds.
A line like Blaze is aimed at younger readers as well. [We think a lot about questions like] Who is our new reader coming up? Can we shape those stories towards our newer, younger reader?
Do you like romance novels too? We'd totally love to meet some fellow romance novel lovers and discuss our favorites :)
November 9, 2011
Wellness Wednesday: Spa & Beauty Roundup #1
If you haven't noticed, there have been a few new series popping up on the blog of late - the weekly Friday's Fancies linkup with Long Distance Loving, a new Travel Tuesday series, and today's newest - Wellness Wednesdays.
One of Deacon's passions? Spas and Beauty. We're always trying new treatments, techniques and tools of the trade, and we want to share those passions with you.
For our first post, we thought we'd share a roundup of a few of our favorite recent beauty & spa discoveries.
Pumpkin Spa Treatments
We're in love with our pumpkin spice lattes and spiced treat recipe creations (hellooo, did you see the muffins we made last week) but sometimes we crave the holidays in calorie-free form. One of our fave affordable treats is the seasonal treatment at Sports Club\LA downtown, where you can choose between a facial and body wrap in a seasonal "scent" for just $99 (50 minutes). We sampled the decadent spice scrub, which included a deep cleaning scrub in soothing pumpkin, apple and spice scents followed by a sensational vanilla lotion application. We left smelling better than a cupcake and way more relaxed too.
Ultra Deep Cleansing Facials
We're absolutely in love with tiny spa PureSkin in Bethesda. The second floor spa is just one room and owner/esthetician Amy Boyce is nice as can be. You may have heard us rave about the infrared sauna the SlimDome before, which is perfect for a pre-cleanse or quick pound shedder. We recently tried her new deep cleansing facial, which uses an awesome machine to push water into pores and clean out stuck-in dirt and grime. It sounds gross (I suppose it kind of is, if you think about it) but the results were fabulous - clean, smooth and dewy looking skin that wasn't irritated or red. Look for a deal in the January issue of The Washingtonian.
New Guerlain Makeup
It's not every day you get your makeup applied by a celebrity artist. We were so excited to meet Markus Monson at Neiman Marcus, Guerlain's media maven. While we don't always love getting our make up done - product pushing is so not our thing, we love this line's great eyeshadows and dual-sided mascara. We got the inside scoop on a new product coming out in January that will mimic LashDip (can you say AMAZING) and loved how he showed us how to use a new quad featuring smoky grey and deep blues to line our eyes for a day or night look.
Haughty Cosmetics
I never expected to fall in love with a DC-based makeup line, but Haughty Cosmetics' lip glosses are my new go-to. Sheer enough to look like a pretty gloss yet colored enough to make lips "pop," they're long lasting and not a bit sticky. Our favorite? The pretty pink "Be Yourself," $21.
Have a product you want us to review or a treatment you're dying to know more about? Submit your ideas for the next Wellness Wednesday to DeaconDoesDC@gmail.com.
One of Deacon's passions? Spas and Beauty. We're always trying new treatments, techniques and tools of the trade, and we want to share those passions with you.
For our first post, we thought we'd share a roundup of a few of our favorite recent beauty & spa discoveries.
Pumpkin Spa Treatments
We're in love with our pumpkin spice lattes and spiced treat recipe creations (hellooo, did you see the muffins we made last week) but sometimes we crave the holidays in calorie-free form. One of our fave affordable treats is the seasonal treatment at Sports Club\LA downtown, where you can choose between a facial and body wrap in a seasonal "scent" for just $99 (50 minutes). We sampled the decadent spice scrub, which included a deep cleaning scrub in soothing pumpkin, apple and spice scents followed by a sensational vanilla lotion application. We left smelling better than a cupcake and way more relaxed too.
Ultra Deep Cleansing Facials
We're absolutely in love with tiny spa PureSkin in Bethesda. The second floor spa is just one room and owner/esthetician Amy Boyce is nice as can be. You may have heard us rave about the infrared sauna the SlimDome before, which is perfect for a pre-cleanse or quick pound shedder. We recently tried her new deep cleansing facial, which uses an awesome machine to push water into pores and clean out stuck-in dirt and grime. It sounds gross (I suppose it kind of is, if you think about it) but the results were fabulous - clean, smooth and dewy looking skin that wasn't irritated or red. Look for a deal in the January issue of The Washingtonian.
New Guerlain Makeup
It's not every day you get your makeup applied by a celebrity artist. We were so excited to meet Markus Monson at Neiman Marcus, Guerlain's media maven. While we don't always love getting our make up done - product pushing is so not our thing, we love this line's great eyeshadows and dual-sided mascara. We got the inside scoop on a new product coming out in January that will mimic LashDip (can you say AMAZING) and loved how he showed us how to use a new quad featuring smoky grey and deep blues to line our eyes for a day or night look.
Haughty Cosmetics
I never expected to fall in love with a DC-based makeup line, but Haughty Cosmetics' lip glosses are my new go-to. Sheer enough to look like a pretty gloss yet colored enough to make lips "pop," they're long lasting and not a bit sticky. Our favorite? The pretty pink "Be Yourself," $21.
Have a product you want us to review or a treatment you're dying to know more about? Submit your ideas for the next Wellness Wednesday to DeaconDoesDC@gmail.com.
November 8, 2011
Travel Tuesday: A Very Victoria Adventure
A few weeks ago, Deacon was lucky enough to make his first jaunt ever to our great neighbor to the north - Canada! We were on vacation in Seattle visiting a friend and decided to spend a few days exploring. Victoria, the capital of British Columbia, was only a few hours away by "clipper," a fast-moving boat, so we decided that it sounded like quite the jaunt.
The Clipper was surprisingly full, despite the 8 AM Saturday departure, and the ride remarkably smooth. I wish I'd taken pictures, but I took a Dramamine and fell asleep. I can vouch that the duty free deals were good and that the ship itself was clean and spacious. A quick passport check later, and we were on our way!
It was a quick and easy walk to our hotel, the historic and grand
Fairmont Empress.
It's hard to stress how beautiful this hotel is from the exterior. Opened in 1908, the hotel has served as the city's premier luxury
destination since its opening, and today still draws loyal guests for its daily high tea service. Sadly, we didn't have time to sample, but
the dishes I spied while walking by the tea lounge made it seem well
worth the $50 price tag. Still, we had a town to explore. Wanting to maximize our day, we sadly skipped a few destinations I would have loved to explore - the Royal BC Museum, Craigdarroch Castle, a grand manor house from the early 1900s and the famed Butchart Gardens.
We opted for a walking tour of town, attempting to maximize our time spent in and around the city. The first stop? Lunch! We couldn't resist Red Fish Blue Fish, housed on the waterfront in tiny shipping container, dishing out some of the city's freshest sustainably-caught fish in an eco-friendly setting. Never mind the rain, we hunkered under a tiny awning and enjoyed some of the best fish and chips we've ever had - sorry to say, we stayed away from the many varieties of Poutine offered. Yum!
Then it was off to explore a few neighborhoods, including Government Street – the city's main strip, filled with pretty buildings.
One of our favorite stops? The Silk Road Tea Company, a tea house and spa specializing in hand-crafted and organic merchandise. We sadly weren't able to try a spa treatment (we'd definitely do this on our next trip!!), but we spent a long while browsing the great selection of bath salts and scrubs, as well as sampling a variety of teas. We loved that all of the sales staff was incredibly knowledgeable about the properties of each tea, explaining their different uses, suggesting varieties we might like to sample, and even showing us how to fill our own tins (the entire store is DIY) of loose tea. We have since fallen in love with a red Chai, an enticing mix of spices and black tea, as well as a mint variety that we've learned how to make mint "tea" hot chocolate with. If you're in the area, the shop has a tea bar, open daily, where you can enjoy a pot of your own favorite blend, as well as a complimentary tea class from 2-3 PM each Saturday, where you can learn about new varieties as well as things like how to make Tea Cocktails. How fun!
That afternoon, we headed back to check in and enjoy the spa. The hotel's rooms themselves were on the smaller side and could do with a renovation, but they were clean and comfortably equipped with flat-screens and WiFi (which, sadly, did come at an extra charge). A highlight of the hotel was their Willow Stream Spa, voted one of Canada's top resort spas by Condé Nast. I've seen quite a lot of spas in my day, and this one was quite lovely - an entire basement level of the hotel, with a steam, sauna, mineral bath, indoor pool and hot tub, it was the perfect place to while away a rainy and cold afternoon. The treatments? Top notch. I actually fell asleep during my hot stone massage, something I've never done before. If you're looking for a Vegas-esque massive spa experience, this isn't it - it's intimate and more old-fashioned, matching the vibe of the hotel.
That evening, we spent time at Vista 18, a lovely rooftop restaurant and bar atop the Chateau Victoria hotel. Known as one of the city's premier special occasion restaurants, we enjoyed fabulous views of the entire city as well as great small plates and cocktails.
Sadly, it was an early morning flight back to Seattle, but we loved the beautiful sights from the tiny plane - a few of our favorite snaps below. We'll definitely be back for a visit and would suggest anyone with a few days to spare near the area do the same.
Tourism Victoria sponsored our airfare and hotel accommodations, but our opinions about the trip are solely our own.
The Clipper was surprisingly full, despite the 8 AM Saturday departure, and the ride remarkably smooth. I wish I'd taken pictures, but I took a Dramamine and fell asleep. I can vouch that the duty free deals were good and that the ship itself was clean and spacious. A quick passport check later, and we were on our way!
 |
| Image via Tourism Victoria, courtesy Deddeda Stemler |
 |
| Image via Tourism Victoria, courtesy Deddeda Stemler. Craigdarroch Castle. |
We opted for a walking tour of town, attempting to maximize our time spent in and around the city. The first stop? Lunch! We couldn't resist Red Fish Blue Fish, housed on the waterfront in tiny shipping container, dishing out some of the city's freshest sustainably-caught fish in an eco-friendly setting. Never mind the rain, we hunkered under a tiny awning and enjoyed some of the best fish and chips we've ever had - sorry to say, we stayed away from the many varieties of Poutine offered. Yum!
 |
| Fish & Chips - amazing. |
Then it was off to explore a few neighborhoods, including Government Street – the city's main strip, filled with pretty buildings.
 |
| Image via Tourism Victoria, courtesy Deddeda Stemler. Fan Tan Alley. |
 |
| I'm really glad we didn't take a sea plane. |
 |
| While walking around, I saw a sign for the "Robbins" parking lot. I might have found relatives in Canada! |
 |
| LoJo Shopping- very fun! Image via Tourism Victoria, courtesy Deddeda Stemler |
 |
| The buildings were all so colorful, and everyone was very friendly - despite the freezing rain! |
One of our favorite stops? The Silk Road Tea Company, a tea house and spa specializing in hand-crafted and organic merchandise. We sadly weren't able to try a spa treatment (we'd definitely do this on our next trip!!), but we spent a long while browsing the great selection of bath salts and scrubs, as well as sampling a variety of teas. We loved that all of the sales staff was incredibly knowledgeable about the properties of each tea, explaining their different uses, suggesting varieties we might like to sample, and even showing us how to fill our own tins (the entire store is DIY) of loose tea. We have since fallen in love with a red Chai, an enticing mix of spices and black tea, as well as a mint variety that we've learned how to make mint "tea" hot chocolate with. If you're in the area, the shop has a tea bar, open daily, where you can enjoy a pot of your own favorite blend, as well as a complimentary tea class from 2-3 PM each Saturday, where you can learn about new varieties as well as things like how to make Tea Cocktails. How fun!
 |
| The Red Bush Chai was great- sadly, I lack photos of the shop itself! |
That afternoon, we headed back to check in and enjoy the spa. The hotel's rooms themselves were on the smaller side and could do with a renovation, but they were clean and comfortably equipped with flat-screens and WiFi (which, sadly, did come at an extra charge). A highlight of the hotel was their Willow Stream Spa, voted one of Canada's top resort spas by Condé Nast. I've seen quite a lot of spas in my day, and this one was quite lovely - an entire basement level of the hotel, with a steam, sauna, mineral bath, indoor pool and hot tub, it was the perfect place to while away a rainy and cold afternoon. The treatments? Top notch. I actually fell asleep during my hot stone massage, something I've never done before. If you're looking for a Vegas-esque massive spa experience, this isn't it - it's intimate and more old-fashioned, matching the vibe of the hotel.
 |
| We missed tea, but if these in-room treats are nay indication, it would be pretty darn awesome. |
 |
| The hotel elevator bank - even this is pretty. |
That evening, we spent time at Vista 18, a lovely rooftop restaurant and bar atop the Chateau Victoria hotel. Known as one of the city's premier special occasion restaurants, we enjoyed fabulous views of the entire city as well as great small plates and cocktails.
 |
| A few night snaps. |
 |
| A night shot. |
Sadly, it was an early morning flight back to Seattle, but we loved the beautiful sights from the tiny plane - a few of our favorite snaps below. We'll definitely be back for a visit and would suggest anyone with a few days to spare near the area do the same.
Tourism Victoria sponsored our airfare and hotel accommodations, but our opinions about the trip are solely our own.
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