Spring has sprung! What is your favorite thing about Spring?
Grand Nail Spa: Buff, Polish and Pamper
April 7, 2016 by
Not all nail salons are created equal, and regulars insist that Pflugerville’s Grand Nail Spa is one of the best in the Austin area. This stylish nail salon features a friendly staff of technicians who are skilled in all of the latest nail trends, and the salon itself is stylish and comfortable. Teal colored walls and modern furnishings create a relaxing environment, and the spacious waiting area is filled with magazines for customers to page through while waiting to get their nails done. Grand Nail Spa even offers complimentary drinks and a candy bar for guests to munch on, and the high-tech massage chairs are completely customizable.
Once it comes time for the manicure or pedicure, Grand Nail Spa buffs away dead skin, then moisturizes and polishes fingers and toes to your specifications. The salon even offers a much larger assortment of shellac polish colors than most salons for those who want to splurge a bit more on their manicure.
Grand Nail Spa is open 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and noon to 5 p.m. Sundays.
Grand Nail Spa
1700 Grand Ave Parkway
Pflugerville, TX 78660
(512) 990-7300
www.grand-nailspa.com
www.yelp.com/biz/grand-nail-spa-pflugerville
Verde’s Mexican Parrilla: A Spicy Option for Tonight’s Dinner
March 24, 2016 by
A large, lively restaurant in Austin, the family-friendly Verde's Mexican Parrilla has an atmosphere that’s a bit more polished than some Mexican fare eateries. The building’s exterior is designed to look like the buildings found throughout Mexico, complete with arched doorways, an adobe-style facade, and even a spacious outdoor patio with rustic fixtures and a covered roof to shield you from the sun. Inside, there is a spacious dining room, a full bar, and touches of Mexico throughout.
Verde’s menu includes carne asada, beef enchiladas, and fresh-made tortilla soup, as well as a large list of wines, beers, and cocktails. Finish your visit with a piece of chocolate tres leches cake and you’ll likely leave feeling more than satisfied.
Don't skip a discounted margarita or sangria during Verde's happy hour, served 4-6:30p.m. daily!
Verde’s Mexican Parrilla
16018 Hamilton Pool Road
Austin, TX 78738
(512) 263-0500
www.verdesmexican.com
www.yelp.com/biz/verdes-mexican-parrilla-austin
Easy and Effective Ways to Combat Stress
March 17, 2016 by
Everyone gets stressed out from time to time, but if it starts to interfere with your day-to-day life, you could be dealing with something a bit more serious. The next time you start to feel those overwhelming feelings creeping on you, try these simple tips for combating stress naturally.
- Don’t let it go too far. It’s much easier to manage stress when it first begins than when it starts to spiral out of control, so watch out for the warning signs early. If you can tell that it’s going to be a stressful week, prepare in advance so that you can manage your tasks without becoming overwhelmed.
- Address the physical side effects. While stress itself is mental, its side effects are often physical. When you start to get jittery or your feel your heart racing, do some relaxing stretches, practice breathing exercises, or simply close your eyes and count to 10 to counteract those feelings.
- Watch your diet. Before you start stress eating or grabbing unhealthy fast food while rushing to work, stop and plan your meals. What you eat can have a big impact on your mental state, so be sure to try to eat fresh fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins to stay energized. Try to steer clear of caffeine!
- Do something silly. Take a break from life (even if it’s just for five minutes) to laugh at a silly video or dance it out. Sometimes that’s all you need!
Top 10 Instant Stress Busters [Lifehacker]
7 Best Ways to Bust Stress [SheKnows]
15 Easy Ways to Bust Work Stress [Men’s Health]
Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
March 17, 2016 by
May your day be touched with a little bit of the luck of the Irish!
Stop and Smell the Roses at Westbank Flower Market
March 10, 2016 by
Whether you’re looking for a bright, colorful bouquet to send to your sweetheart or a token of appreciation to send to a friend, you’ll find all kinds of flower arrangements at Westbank Flower Market. This Austin florist is located in the Westlake Hills neighborhood, and it's said to be one of the most trusted places in the area for fresh flowers.
Here, you’ll find pre-made arrangements that you can pop in and pick up at the last minute, as well as knowledgeable florists on staff to help you choose a customized arrangement or even order flowers for an upcoming event. Inside, Westbank Flower Market hosts a small gift shop that sells pots, vases, and plants to pair with your arrangement or use on their own.
Westbank Flower Market is open to the public 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. weekdays and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays. To order a custom arrangement, visit the website or call the shop directly.
Westbank Flower Market
5320 Bee Caves Road
Austin, TX 78746
(512) 327-3374
www.westbankflowers.com
www.yelp.com/biz/westbank-flower-market-west-lake-hills
6 Unique Ways to Display Family Photos in Your Home at Paseo at Bee Cave
March 3, 2016 by
If you want to show off photos of your family in your home at Paseo at Bee Cave, you may be looking for ways that are more unique than the traditional frames. Here are a few fun and creative ways to display family photos anywhere in the home.
- Create a Polaroid wall. Display everyone’s favorite retro photos with a wall of Polaroids. Simply line them up in a square, a circle or even a heart shape — no frame required.
- Hang them from wires. Attach thin wires to your wall using small hooks and hang your photos from matching binder clips.
- Use a pants hanger. If you have a few wooden, clamp-style pant hangers hanging in your closet, use them to display larger photos and prints.
- Turn them into coasters. If you’re completely out of wall (and shelf) space, turn your family photos into coasters. Many websites offer personalized coasters and other types of accessories at affordable prices.
- Use clipboards. Visit your local office supply store and purchase a few classic wooden clipboards. Simply clip your photos to the board, hang it from the wall, or prop it up on a shelf.
- Make a chalkboard gallery wall. If you have a large chalkboard in your home, turn it into a gallery wall by drawing your own frames in chalk around your favorite family photos.
27 Unique Photo Display Ideas That Will Bring Your Memories To Life [Buzzfeed]
20 Cleverly Creative Ways to Display Your Cherished Photos [DIY & Crafts]
A Plethora of Creative Ways to Display Your Favorite Photos [Apartment Therapy]
Baguette et Chocolat Is a Cafe With a Certain Je Ne Sais Quoi
February 25, 2016 by
If you think that you have to jet off to the City of Light in order to find an authentic taste of Paris, you’ll be pleasantly surprised when you visit Austin’s Baguette et Chocolate. This traditional French patisserie and boulangerie creates some of the most popular pastries and baked goods from French cuisine entirely from scratch, and it even has the same cozy, intimate feeling as a cafe found on the cobblestone streets of Paris.
Sample colorful macarons and gourmet éclairs au chocolat with a steaming cup of espresso, or pop in for a casual lunch of fresh croque madame sandwiches and pressed paninis around midday. If you’re planning a special occasion, Baguette et Chocolate is also one of the best places in the area to find custom cakes with your choice of decorations.
If you’re looking for an elegant and uniquely cultural lunch option in the Austin area, you’ll find it at this Parisian bakery.
Baguette et Chocolat
12101 Bee Cave Road
Bee Cave, TX 78738
(512) 263-8388
www.baguetteetchocolat.com
www.yelp.com/biz/austin-nature-and-science-center-austin-2
These Two Wedding Registry Sites Can Help You Take the Plunge
February 18, 2016 by
When it comes time to register for gifts for your wedding, it can be difficult to choose the right places to meet your style and your needs. It’s best to keep in mind that you want high quality items that will last a good while, but at prices that your guests can afford. Here are two great wedding registry websites that will make your decision a bit easier.
Pottery Barn
Pottery Barn’s wedding registry is separated into neatly organized sections that help you to create your registry from start to finish. It features a simple registrant information page that allows you to create your couple profile, and it even enables you to decide where you’d like each gift shipped and your preferences on receiving gift cards from guests. Once you fill out your registry, Pottery Barn also makes it easy for friends and family to find your profile and navigate the gifts that you’ve selected.
Williams-Sonoma
The popular kitchenware store offers an impressive wedding registry site that’s packed full of cooking and entertaining items to help you create the kitchen of your dreams. Easily create and manage your registry with just a few fill-in-the-blank questions, then select the items that you love from Williams-Sonoma’s expansive inventory.
Happy Presidents’ Day
February 15, 2016 by
On this day we honor all of the Presidents of our great country. If it weren’t for them, our country would not be what it is today!
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