For Asian cuisine with a healthy spin, consider Yen's Cafe. Located within the Ryan Park Center, this health-conscious eatery uses absolutely no MSG in any of its Chinese or Taiwanese fare dishes, and it even hosts a juice bar that serves freshly squeezed beverages, like banana strawberry juice and avocado milk.

All of the lunch and dinner options are made from scratch using real ingredients, and some of the most popular dishes include chicken with black bean sauce, vegetable lo mein, and crispy sesame beef. You’ll find a number of different fried rice dishes, noodle bowls, and Asian soups, as well as shareable appetizers like hot dumplings and fried shrimp. Those watching their waistlines can request their vegetables steamed and with sauces on the side.

The restaurant’s interior is clean and casual, and it is often decorated for Asian holidays. If you can’t make it in, Yen’s Cafe also offers takeout, delivery, and even online ordering on any item.

Yen’s Cafe
43490 Yukon Drive
Ashburn, VA 20147
(703) 723-8811
www.yenscafe.com
www.yelp.com/biz/yens-cafe-ashburn

CC-BY-SA-2.0/Flickr/stu_spivack

You love to draw, but taking an art class might be too time-consuming. Just like with most things, you can find everything you need to improve your art skills right on the Internet! Pinterest boasts a number of drawing tutorials, painting tips, and other ways to connect with experienced artists without leaving the comforts of your own laptop.

Drawing Tutorials
If you’re a visual learner looking for a bit of assistance improving your sketches, the Drawing Tutorials board on Pinterest can help. This board is filled with links to videos that will show you the mechanics of drawing landscapes, sketching the details of a person’s lips, and even creating beautiful drawings on a chalkboard.

Draw
You don’t particularly need to watch instructional videos, but you could use a bit of guidance when it comes to drawing. This board contains endless sources of drawing inspiration, as well as diagrams and daily assignments to help you improve your drawing skills. You can also use the additional tabs at the top to browse the Draw board by doodles, anime, sketches, or whichever type of drawing that you’re most interested in.

CC-BY-2.0/Flickr/supernico26

So you didn’t go to school for interior design? No big deal; you can still transform your home into a designer-worthy space using just a few simple tips. These handy tricks will show you how to inject a stylish, inspiring look into any room in your home.

1. Use symmetry. If you’re unsure of how to arrange the furniture in a room or hang frames on a wall, simply keep the idea of symmetry in mind. Symmetrical rooms are more pleasing to the eye, so try adding two sofas facing one another to help balance your living room.
2. Consider the scale. Be sure to choose furniture in a size that fits your specific room. Choose large, overstuffed items for more open rooms and compact, apartment-sized furniture in smaller spaces.
3. Choose a focal point. If the majority of your furniture is fairly plain, invest in one statement piece as an accent. Try a colorful chair, a large, framed painting, or an ornate rug.
4. Use color to your advantage. Choose the color scheme of a room based on what type of emotion you want the room to convey. For example, use soft, soothing tones to encourage relaxation in a bedroom.
5. Mix new and vintage pieces. While a room full of thrift store furnishings may look mismatched, using all brand new furniture looks impersonal. Combine the two styles for a designer look.

Top Interior Design Tips for Beginners [Bliss at Home]
Interior Design 101 [Visual.ly]
What are Some Interior Design Tips for Beginners? [Wise Geek]

CC-BY-2.0/Flickr winestyr