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Do You Suffer From Dry Skin? Below Are Some Great Tips

April 5, 2013 by

If you suffer from dry, flaky skin, it can be both uncomfortable and embarrassing. If you're looking for some remedies for your dry skin, try these helpful tips below.

Eat Well
Did you know that hydrating your skin begins with your diet? Antioxidants and essential fatty acids are two essential things your skin needs to stay hydrated. So, to help your skin, fill up with foods such as spinach, broccoli, salmon, beans, and nuts.

Hit the Gym
Exercise promotes circulation and increases blood flow, and that results in healthy, rejuvenated skin. And, believe it or not, all that sweat is a natural moisturizer!

Hydrate
Drink a minimum of six glasses of water daily. If your home's air system contributes to your dry skin, invest in a humidifier to put some moisture back in the air.

Stay Dry
Shower just once a day, or even every other day. Water washes away your skin’s natural oils that keep your skin moisturized.

Prepare
After you shower, dry off well using an absorbent towel. After you're completely dry, use an alcohol-free moisturizer.

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Smartest Magazines For Women

March 29, 2013 by

Print lives! Even in our days of Facebook and iPads, printed magazines offer tactile and visual pleasures all their own. Here are five of the most delightful women's magazines available today. Try one next time you'd like to curl up with a good magazine at home at BLVD l Loudoun Station.

W Magazine
Full of sopisticated takes on style and living, W is a highly sophisticated fashion magazine. Gorgeous photography and great articles fill this elegant, over-sized publication, making it an essential read.

O, The Oprah Magazine
This relatively new magazine by Oprah Winfrey is all about empowering women and encouraging personal growth. Covering a wide range of topics, everything from fitness to career choices, this magazine is a valuable asset for the 21st century woman.

Prevention
With an emphasis on family health, Prevention works off of the basic premise that little changes can yield big results. It offers a friendly voice on issues of health, exercise, and nutrition, and is full of comprehensive and intelligent writing.

Bust
Tapping into women's issues intelligently and with a strong feminist perspective, Bust is a groundbreaking lifestye magazine. Its writing covers pop culture, news, music and book reviews, and a strong editorial voice that a strong, independent woman can read with pride.

Cooking Light
Unlike a lot of other food magazines, Cooking Light matches recipes with smart writing on health and fitness issues. This magazine is very educational and doesn't condescend, making it a good resource for nutritional information.

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Dressing for Career Fairs and Job Interviews

March 22, 2013 by

When preparing for a career fair or job interview, keep in mind the quote “dress for the job you want, not the job you have". Potential employers want to see you dressed as you would be for your first day at the office. This first visual impression is an important one, so make it easy for them to picture you "fitting in" at their office. Since college attire often consists of sweat pants and flip-flops, here are some pointers for entering the business realm:

1. Do some research into the dress code of your desired workplace with the help of your college career center, online research, or possibly through current employees. Then, take it up a notch – you’re aiming to dress the way they would for an important meeting or presentation. This may be an opportunity where you want to ask your parents to go shopping with you, for their advice and (fingers-crossed) financial help.

2. After you get the clothes, take care of them by ironing or dry cleaning, if necessary.  If you nail the style, but have a wrinkled shirt or runs in your stockings, you won't give off a polished, professional first impression.

3. Success can be in the subtle details. Cover up tattoos, remove distracting piercings, and appropriately style your hair. Women should wear minimal make-up and nude stockings with skirts. And, or course, always wear a smile.

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The Fresh Food Benefits of Joining a CSA

March 20, 2013 by

The local, organic food movement is in full swing, and if you’re interested in jumping on the band wagon, think about joining a CSA. What’s a CSA? It’s Community Supported Agriculture. You sign up for a “share” of a local farm’s harvest, and each week you’re graced with hearty veggies and plump fruit. As you would imagine, the food is not only fresh, delicious, and better for you, but you’re also supporting your local community by participating. You can visit Local Harvest to find a CSA near you!

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Tips for Writing a Cover Letter

March 15, 2013 by

Cover letters give you an opportunity to expand upon your resume’s bullet points, so take advantage of the chance to show off your abilities along with displaying your stellar writing skills. A good cover letter can truly set you apart from the competition.

Get specific
Your resume probably catalogues your work experience, but you should use your cover letter to specify and amplify. Without making it overly long, spend some time in your cover letter expanding on the tasks you performed in specific jobs and highlight skills relevant to the posted position. And whenever possible, quantify the specific contributions you made!

Get personal
You should personalize every cover letter you send out. Companies like to feel that you’re interested in working with them and only them. Include specifics about the company and the position; let them know you took the time to thoroughly read the job posting and visit their website. Express why this particular company and job interest you, and what skills and training you have for the listed job that makes you the right fit for the job.

Copy and paste with discretion
Since you’re sending out more than one cover letter, you can save some time and energy by copying certain details such as education background from one to the next.  Also, you can possibly begin with a few templates like “Non-profit Cover Letter” or “Business Cover Letter” and change accordingly for specific companies.

Re-read!
Little mistakes, such as typos, can cost you an interview, so re-read and edit carefully. Get someone else to read over your letter – fresh eyes will often catch errors you overlooked, and they can also offer feedback.

 

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Panna: An Awesome Digital Cooking Magazine

March 8, 2013 by

Panna is an awesome new bi-monthly digital cooking magazine that is delivered directly to your iPad. It's video-based, which makes it easy to enjoy without having to scroll through by hand. That means you can keep it playing while you follow along in your very own kitchen.

To get it, you'll download a free app to your iPad from Apple's online store, then choose a subscription. One issue is just under $6, while an annual subscription with six full issues is $24.95. 

Inside, you'll find recipes with video instructions presented by professional chefs, some of which are cooking in their very own home kitchens. They'll help walk you through each step, so you'll avoid having to spend time deciphering written instructions.

 To learn more about Panna, click here.

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Keep It Clean: Home Maintenance in Just Minutes a Day

February 15, 2013 by

Do you feel that your home falls instantly back into its messy state just a day or so after you clean it? Well, you're not alone. Hectic lives mean that it's not always possible to clean your space thoroughly every day. But paying attention to a few critical spots can help keep things feeling clean, even if you've just got a few minutes to spend each day. What are the most important spots?

Kitchen
Keep your sink clear of dishes — use your dishwasher or do them by hand. Afterward, wipe the sink, the stove, the counters, and the kitchen table.

Bedroom
Sure, we're all in a rush these days. But a few minutes spent making the bed can make everything a little more pleasant. Likewise, keeping your clothes put away in closets, chests, or hampers helps reduce clutter.

Bathroom
Spend some time cleaning the sink, the toilet bowl, and the tub or shower. A shower spray lets you make the last task much more efficient.

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Fun Rainy Day Activities for Children

February 7, 2013 by

When rain is keeping you indoors, it can be a great opportunity for parents to bond with their kids. If rainy days, instead, tend to be one of your worst nightmares with overactive children climbing up the walls, here are some creative indoor projects that will keep both you and your children happy next time there's a rain shower or thunderstorm at BLVD l Loudoun Station.

Board games are a fun, easy go-to idea, but to extend the fun further, challenge your kids to make and build their own board games. Get their wheels turning by talking about the elements of their favorite games. Then supply them with basic art supplies like crayons, paper, and cardboard.  This project lets children be both creative and active, while encouraging cooperation between siblings, and then the whole family can then enjoy the kids' zany new games. 
 
Learn magic tricks.  Purchase a few books, or even do a quick internet search.  Most basic, kid-friendly tricks entail objects you probably already have lying around the house that can take on fun, new meanings.  After your mini-magicians have a few tricks down, put on a show complete with costumes and custom-made stage, and allow them to amaze you with your magic skills.  
 
Make a mural.  Roll out a long piece of butcher paper, and provide your children with an assortment of crayons, markers, and colored pencils.  You can suggest themes, like the jungle or a magical castle, or just let their imaginations run wild.
 
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Fun Party Ideas for Kids

January 31, 2013 by

When it comes to kids’ parties, it’s essential to keep it fun and organized. So, if you’re tasked with planning a party for little ones at BLVD l Loudoun Station, check out these party ideas for some creative inspiration.

Pizza Party
Before you dismiss this idea, there is a way to make the tried-and-true pizza party fresh again. If your kids love to cook, purchase some pizza dough and set out a variety of toppings. Let kids craft their perfect pizza and then pop them in the over for baking. Kids will love munching on their handiwork. To continue with the foodie theme, instead of cake, have all the children frost and decorate their very own cupcakes.

Scavenger Hunt
Kids love a good competition and an old-fashioned scavenger hunt is fun no matter the time of year. In warmer months, send kids outside to collect things from nature, or in the colder weather have them scour the indoors for items like a “small fork," “something red," or a “business card."

Movie Night
For older children who can sit through a film, you can turn your home into a movie theater. Make popcorn and end the movie with a fun trivia game based on the movie – winner gets “movie theater” treats like a box of Sour Patch Kids or a gift card to the local theater.

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Who Are The Greatest Race Car Drivers Of All Time?

January 25, 2013 by

Trying to crown the greatest race car drivers is a tricky task, of course.Taking into account their well-known wins, overall racing times, technique, and general showmanship, here are a few of the race car drivers who definitely cannot be ignored:

Ayrton Senna
Brazillian Ayrton Senna de Silva was named the World Driving Champion three times in four years. During his last four years of racing, Senna never placed lower than fourth place in a race. He was well-known both for his unstoppable driving and his ability to race in rainy conditions. His illustrious career and undeniable talent were tragically cut shot by an accident during the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix.
 
A.J. Foyt
The versatile Texan could race, and win in, any kind of car: champ cars, small cars, cars with varied engine configurations, and more. During his extensive racing career, Foyt took home top honors in the Daytona 500, 24 Hours of Daytona, 24 Hours of Le Mans, and the Indianapolis 500, four times. These wins, among others, have carried Foyt through breaking numerous national and international records.
 
Mario Andretti
For many Americans, Mario Andretti is synonymous with successful race car driver.  He is one of two drivers to win races in Formula One, IndyCar, World Sportscar Championship, and NASCAR. The Italian American’s solid reputation and numerous wins contributed to his being named United States Driver of the year three times.      
 
Dale Earnhardt
Earnhardt's career was cut tragically short. But even shortened, his career featured many classic NASCAR race victories including a record-setting streak of four consecutive wins.
 
 
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