Trip Idea: Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

Need a vacation? You can enjoy more than 60 miles of sand, sun, and fun in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

Family Kingdom
Take a break from the beach and check out this great, family friendly amusement park. More than 30 thrilling rides fill this amusement park like wooden coasters, steel coasters, log flumes, and a whole water park. 

Ripley's Aquarium
Don't go looking for sharks in the water, instead you'll find them at Ripley's Aquarium. When you need a break from the sun, or the weather has become rainy, spend an afternoon exploring the 85,000 square foot aquarium with a marine life petting zoo. 

The Beach
Don't forget the reason most people come: the beach! The beaches in South Carolina are free so all you need is a beach towel and a cool drink. Some areas have lifeguards on duty and beach chairs to rent. When you need something to eat just take a short walk to the boardwalk.

Thai Luang: Herndon Thai Cuisine

At Thai Luang Restaurant, you’re instantly greeted with a smile and a staff that's eager to help. Start with one of its two imported bottled beers or a Thai iced tea, which are all refreshing while you’re enjoying some spicy food. Its signature dish is the crispy duck with sweet basil stir fried with garlic and chili sauce. For $20, it’s a large portion, so it’s best to share with a friend. Be wary of the level of spiciness though — the heat is increased here, so ‘Thai hot’ means very hot! Lunchtime is a busy time for Thai Luang, so you might encounter a short wait. Lunch comes with a traditional spicy lemongrass soup and a spring roll and along with your entrée, that is plenty of food to enjoy.

Thai Luang
171 Elden Street
Herndon, VA 20170
(703) 478-2233

Zinga: Fabulous Frozen Yogurt

What’s not to love about a guilt-free frozen confection that has a lot less calories than ice cream? Zinga welcomes your adoration with a flavorful selection of frozen yogurt along with more than 50 tasty toppings. The list of rotating flavors at the store might include taste tempters like Café Au Lait, Cookies & Cream, Bayou Praline, Birthday Cake, Peaches & Cream, German Chocolate Cake, Mango Tango, Ooey Gooey Cinnamon Bun, Valencia Orange, Island Coconut and New York Cheesecake. Order the Peanut Butter Chocolate Bath Sundae and you’ve got a sinfully delicious layering of brownie, peanut butter yogurt and your choice of toppings. Choose from cookie dough, berries, nuts, chocolate chips, granola, peanut butter cups, granola and sprinkles. Yum! Open every day.

Zinga
43330 Junction Plaza, Suite 100
Ashburn, VA 20147
(571) 291-2475
http://www.yelp.com/biz/zinga-ashburn-2

Carpool: Cold Beers & Pink Cadillacs

If you miss the days of 99 cent gasoline, check out Carpool. It's full of antique gas station pumps, evoking the romance of the open road. You can enjoy your choice of many draft beers outside on the patio or inside, as Carpool always has plenty of space for you and your friends. It understands that you work late, so Happy Hour runs until 8 p.m., offering half-price appetizers. The staff knows its wide selection of beers, which average $4. If you’re looking for more than just food and drinks, Carpool also offers several fun games like pool, skeeball, darts, and shuffleboard and even features a live band every now and then. Young, unpretentious, and lively, the Carpool crowd knows how to have a good time.

Carpool
208 Elden Street
Suite 100
Herndon, VA 20170
(571) 203-7995

Benjara Indian Cuisine: Delicious Classics

Benjara Indian Cuisine offers an array of delicious classic. Stop in for the daily lunch buffet and sample a vast array of flavors with dishes like Paneer Tikka with cheese, spices & yogurt, and Tandoori Chicken with ginger, garlic & spices. Stop in at dinnertime and order up an appetizer like Vegetable Samosas stuffed with potatoes & peas, Papadum – crisp lentil crackers, Masala Dosa – rice & lentil crepes stuffed with potatoes & onions, or Aloo Tikki – grilled mashed potatoes with spices. Entree options include Fish Tikka, Tandoori Shrimp, Chicken Curry, Lamb Vindaloo, Butter Chicken, and Lamb Biryani. Beer, wine and cocktails are available. Open every day for lunch and dinner.

Benjara Indian Cuisine
44050 Ashburn Shopping Plaza, Suite 191
Ashburn, VA 20147
(703) 723-0040
http://www.yelp.com/biz/banjara-indian-cuisine-ashburn

Casanel Vineyards: Quaint Winery with Gorgeous Scenery

With a tasting room created from a restored stone barn, Casanel Vineyards reminds guests of the early tradition of wine-making with its rustic feel and high-quality vino. Family-owned and operated by parents and their five daughters, Casanel has extremely knowledgeable pourers who will go to great lengths to educate. Each tasting offers great wines like their Chardonnay Mas Que Nada and guest favorite Don Lorenzo White, which is a blend with a Pinot Grigio. After the tasting, you can head downstairs to the cellar, where there is often live music, or outside to a more intimate spot on the vineyard. There are over 40 acres of land to explore, so you’re sure to find a relaxing place to picnic with their wine and a selection of gourmet snacks. The tasting fee is $5 each for groups up to nine. Groups of 10 or more pay $10 each and also receive a Casanel Vineyards souvenir glass!

Casanel Vineyards
17952 Canby Road
Leesburg, VA 20175
(540) 751-1776     

Rubino’s Pizzeria: New York Classics

Head to Rubino’s Pizzeria when a big slice of cheesy Italian pie is calling your name. Take your choice of New York thin-crust or Sicilian thick-crust styles. Specialty pies include a Veggie Supreme with mushroom, onion, green pepper & olives, and a Meat Supreme with pepperoni, sausage, ham & bacon. Pasta is also an option, just pick your noodle type and decorate it with one of their tasty sauces. Pita sandwiches, hot hero sandwiches, hoagies, calzones and stromboli are also on the menu, as are cold deli sandwiches like a Classic Reuben, New York Hot Pastrami, and the Goomba with roasted turkey, roast beef, swiss cheese, coleslaw and Russian dressing. The ‘bambino’ menu gives the little tykes some tasty options, too.

Rubino's Pizzeria
20035 Ashbrook Commons Plaza, Suite 147
Ashburn, VA 20147
(703) 729-9292
http://www.yelp.com/biz/rubinos-pizzeria-ashburn

Want Better Gas Mileage? Follow These Car Maintenance Tips

Sure, it may seem like gas prices only go up. But you don't have to invest in an expensive hybrid car to reduce your costs at the pump. With some simple regular maintenance, you can get better gas mileage from your existing vehicle, and also extend its life! The Department of Energy's fueleconomy.gov site offers some useful car maintenance tips, such as:

  • Keep your engine tuned. Proper tuning can improve gas mileage by 4%!
  • Maintain proper tire pressure. Keeping tires properly inflated can improve your car's gas mileage by up to 3.3%.
  • Use the right motor oil. The wrong grade of motor oil can reduce your car's performance, along with its fuel economy.

The Department of Energy's site even helps calculate how much money you could save per gallon of gas. 4% may not seem like a big deal, but accrued over time, proper car maintenance can lead to big savings!

Amvrosia: Mediterranean Cuisine

A huge array of specialties from Greece and Italy await you at Ashburn's Amvrosia. Start your meal with a tasty antipasti like Dolmades – stuffed grape leaves, Buffalo Wings with bleu cheese dressing, or Hummus with pita bread. A Gyro Sandwich might do the trick, with chicken souvlaki, feta cheese, tomatoes, onions and Greek dressing served on pita bread. Submarine sandwiches and burgers are also an option. Italian entrees include Eggplant Parmesan, Linguini Alfredo, Spaghetti with Meatballs, Shrimp Scampi and Spinach Ravioli. Chicken Souvlaki, Mousakka, Beef Shish Kabob and Chicken Shish Kabob are among the Greek entrée options. A nice selection on the kid’s menu makes this a great choice for a family meal. Beer and wine are served. Open every day.

Amvrosia
43670 Greenway Corporate Drive, Suite 112
Ashburn, VA 20147
(703) 858-2200
http://www.yelp.com/biz/amvrosia-ashburn

Favorite Ways to Brew a Delicious Cup of Coffee

Even if you can't make it to Starbucks, you can always brew great coffee at home. You're probably familiar with automatic drip coffeemakers, but there are a whole host of other ways to make an excellent cup of coffee.

Automatic drip coffeemakers offer one great advantage: consistency. Their easy drip and heat settings create a reliably decent cup of coffee each time. The drawback's that their common warming plates can burn coffee if the pot's left on for too long.

Single serve coffee pods like K-Cups help brew only as much coffee as you want and can make a cup very quickly. They're also a bit more expensive than other options and create more waste.

French presses have become very popular over the last few years. A simple machine, the French press is a glass vessel in which hot water is poured over roughly ground coffee. After steeping the grounds for a few moments, you'll push down a wire mesh screen, strain the grounds, and have a robust, dark coffee. Time it quite carefully or the coffee will be too light or dark!

Cold-brewed coffee has also become popular recently. This method involves steeping grounds in cold water for 12 to 24 hours, straining the grounds, and mixing small quantities of the coffee concentrate with hot water, cold water, or even milk for a very smooth coffee.

Pin It on Pinterest