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Classic Dining near The Courts at Historic Manassas at City Tavern

August 7, 2014 by

City Tavern evokes, well, city taverns—but ones that existed long ago. Like the earliest incarnations of its namesake eatery, City Tavern welcomes everyone with its casual, laid-back atmosphere and comfort food in a spot near The Courts at Historic Manassas.

Customers give high marks to the prime rib (it comes in four cuts, ranging in size from 8 ounces to 12 ounces) and the trout served with shrimp and mushrooms. However, the menu showcases a wide array of more casual American eats in addition to its lists of steaks and seafood: burgers, chicken, pork chops and baby back ribs, sandwiches, and salad. Kick off your meal with a cup of French onion soup or some chicken tenders, and end it with the eatery's deep dish apple pie, served a la mode.

If you visit for Sunday brunch, many patrons say you won't be disappointed. The brunch buffet is loaded with hearty breakfast and lunch fare.

City Tavern
9405 Main Street
Manassas, VA 20110
www.citytaverngrille.com/city_tavern/index.htm
www.yelp.com/biz/city-tavern-grill-manassas

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Enjoy First Friday Tonight near The Courts at Historic Manassas

August 1, 2014 by

The very best that Historic Downtown Manassas, Virginia, has to offer will be on full display tonight during the shopping corridor's First Friday event. During this recurring event, which is held the first Friday of every month, Historic Downtown Manassas shops, art galleries, and the Manassas Museum offer extended hours; some even dole out special discounts and complimentary refreshments!

Adding the bustling vibe of this already-festive event near The Courts at Historic Manassas, tonight's First Friday will have a Surf, Sun & Sand theme. Event-goers are invited to "break out their beach gear" for a fun-filled evening of music, games, caricature drawings, and family-friendly activities. R&R Records will host a dance party on Main Street, while over on Center Street, Ramps & Rails will set up a skateboarding demo. Competitive types should consider signing up for the corn hole tournament that kicks off at 6 p.m. on Main Street. Entry to the tournament costs just $1, and the winning team will score all of the teams' entry fees as a grand prize! Be sure to also stop by the Manassas Museum for a game of Frisbee Golf on the lawn.

Taking place 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. tonight, Friday, Aug. 1, First Friday in Historic Downtown Manassas is free to attend.

First Friday in Historic Downtown Manassas
5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Friday, Aug. 2
Center Street
Manassas, VA 20110
visitmanassas.org/event/first-friday/?instance_id=2892

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4 Cookie Recipes That Make the Perfect Little Treats

July 24, 2014 by

From chocolate chip to oatmeal raisin, there truly is no bad type of cookie. Cookies are fun to make and make great treats for special occasions, and just about everyone loves them. Here are just a few of the sweet, creative cookie recipes available online.

Raspberry and Almond Shortbread Thumbprints
These little, buttery cookies are full of flavor, and they look classy enough to serve at fancy dinner parties or celebrations. An almond drizzle adds a little something extra to the traditional shortbread, and the tart raspberry center is the perfect finish.

Best Chocolate Chip Cookies
The name says these are the best, and who are we to argue? Everyone’s favorite cookie is fast and easy to make, and the ooey, gooey chocolate chips taste even better when they’re warm out of the oven.

Chocolate Peanut Butter No Bake Cookies
With no baking involved, these cookies are perfect to make with your small children. Simply blend cocoa, peanut butter, oatmeal and a few other simple ingredients and you’ll have deliciously chewy cookies in a matter of minutes.

Lemon Ricotta Cookies with Lemon Glaze
For those who prefer a more savory cookie, this lemon ricotta recipe is a perfect choice. The sweet lemon flavor offsets the rich ricotta to create a unique flavor that’s just as good as gourmet.

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Find Field Hockey Coverage on These Websites

June 19, 2014 by

Some people play field hockey in their free time, while others follow the exciting sport from the bleachers. No matter if you’re a player or a fan, these two field hockey websites will give you all of the coverage you want — even when it’s not a game day.

Field Hockey America
The website for the Field Hockey America organization aims to support the growth of field hockey in communities all over the country. It offers information about both youth and adult field hockey leagues in areas all over the U.S., as well as coverage of the national championships. Field Hockey America even provides resources for coaches and ways to give back to the community through this sport.

Team USA
The Team USA websites provides information about the Team USA field hockey teams, including men’s, women’s, and indoor leagues. This is one of the best online resources for field hockey news, Olympic field hockey coverage, and programs for players of all ages, from youth to college.

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6 Tips for Creating a Fabulous At-Home Bar Cart

May 14, 2014 by

Entertaining guests in your home is sometimes more fun than going out. Every gathering needs a well-stocked bar with delicious drinks for folks to enjoy. If your house is where the party is, check out these six great tips for putting together a swanky bar cart that will be the center of attention.

1. Get a great cart.
Depending on your personal style, select a cart that fits your aesthetic, whether it be modern, industrial, or vintage. Make sure the cart has a few different shelves or drawers for holding various accouterments.

2. Select a stylin’ tray.
Find a tray that can be set on top of the cart, so you can prepare a few drinks to walk around and distribute throughout the party. Mirrored trays look swanky, while colorful plastic trays give off fun vibes.

3. Sport a cool decanter.
Bottles of booze are fine, but pouring your liquor into a cool decanter ups your level of commitment to style. Bonus: Label snobs won’t judge your selection; that bargain booze will appear fit for a king being poured from a crystal bottle!

4. It's in the mix.
Make sure you have the basics covered: gin, vodka, and whiskey. If your party craves one liquor over another, make sure it has a place on your cart, along with the appropriate mixers and garnishes.

5. Stock your toolkit.
You have got to have the right drink mixing tools on hand, like shot glasses, stirrers, shakers, and drinkware.

6. Cool it off.
This is important to keep the drinks tasting fresh. Get a bucket or put the ice in a festive bowl with a pair of tongs.

Assembling the Perfect Bar Cart [The Intentional Apartment]
Create and Stylize the Perfect Bar Cart [Guest of a Guest]
How to Style a Bar Cart [DIY Playbook]
How to Style a Bar Cart [Style Within Reach]
How to Style a Bar Cart [HGTV]

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Play It Safe: 5 Steps for Handling Eggs

April 17, 2014 by

You parents have probably warned you about food-borne illness since you were just a child, but how much do you really know about handling raw eggs? These simple steps will teach you how to safely prepare and serve eggs.

  1. Purchase eggs in good quality. Only buy eggs from a refrigerated case, and open the carton to make sure that none of the eggs are cracked. Refrigerate them as soon as you get home.
  2. Know their expiration date. As a general rule, eggs are only good for about three weeks. After that, you should throw them out and buy a new carton.
  3. Cook thoroughly. When cooking eggs, make sure that there are no runny parts before serving. Things like casseroles and baked goods should be cooked to at least 160° Fahrenheit to ensure that the eggs inside are safe to eat.
  4. Serve properly. All foods containing eggs should be eaten immediately after cooking. To serve a large party buffet-style, keep hot dishes hot by using a slow cooker or heated serving pan.
  5. Store safely. If you must refrigerate a dish with eggs, be sure to use it within three to four days and reheat to at least 160° before serving.

Playing It Safe with Eggs [FDA]
Eggs & Food Safety [Incredible!]
Tips to Reduce Your Risk of Salmonella from Eggs [CDC]

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Learn More About Vegetables From These Facts

March 20, 2014 by

You know that vegetables are important for your health and well being, but there are a number of facts that many people don’t know about getting your daily greens. These helpful facts from the USDA will give you some insight into the world of vegetables.

Vegetables are organized into five subgroups.
Based on their nutritional content, vegetables are categorized as either dark green vegetables, starchy vegetables, red and orange vegetables, beans and peas, and other vegetables.

You can get your daily veggies from a variety of sources.
Fresh vegetables are the most obvious choice, but cooked, frozen, canned, dried/dehydrated, and 100% vegetable juices are also valid sources.

Eating the proper amount of vegetables can prevent certain diseases.
Getting enough vegetables can help to prevent heart disease, stroke, certain cancers, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and may decrease kidney stones and bone loss.

Half of your plate should be made up of veggies.
While the exact recommended daily intake varies from person to person, filling half of your plate with vegetables is a good general rule.

Vegetables that are easy to prepare will help you eat them more often.
Things like microwavable frozen veggies or bags of pre-made salad greens are good examples.

Tips to Help You Eat Vegetables [USDA]

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Baking Tutorials From These Websites Have Delicious Results

March 6, 2014 by

If you’re the type of person whose idea of baking includes placing store-bought cookie dough on a cookie sheet, read on: Though it may seem intimidating, learning to bake is much easier than it seems. Learn the basics of baking with these helpful websites!

Baker’s Corner
This accessible website provides just about every resource a beginning baker will need to make something warm and fluffy or gooey and sweet. The Learn to Bake page includes detailed descriptions of the necessary utensils, lists of staple ingredients, and a toolkit of weights and mass that will help you get the proportions straight. Once you become familiar with the ins and outs of baking, you can even browse the recipes to test out your new skills.

Become a Better Baker
Designed for bakers of all skill levels, Become a Better Baker aims to improve everyone’s baking skills and understanding. It offers tutorials for techniques like kneading with a dough hook, properly rolling cinnamon rolls, and even greasing a pan to perfection. If you prefer to learn from example, this is the site for you. 

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Eat Healthy With These Smart Pasta Recipes

February 20, 2014 by

Though some pastas are packed full of bad carbohydrates, there are many healthy alternatives to fattening pasta dishes. These simple to prepare recipes can be quite healthful, too!

Classic Macaroni and Cheese
Macaroni and cheese is probably one of the last things you would expect to eat while dieting, but this simple recipe demonstrates how to turn the childhood favorite into a healthy adult meal. Using fat-free milk and low-fat cheese, this delicious comfort food contains only 200 calories and 4 grams of fat.

Mushroom Penne
A mushroom-lover’s dish straight out of a gourmet restaurant, this healthy pasta will impress even the pickiest dinner guests. It contains only a few household ingredients as well, using chicken broth, red wine and, of course, mushrooms to give it its warm and savory flavor.

Turkey Bolognese With Shell Pasta
This unique pasta dish uses turkey in place of the usual beef Bolognese. The anise gives the turkey a taste similar to that of sausage, without the saturated fat, while the red wine and garlic add hearty Italian flavor without adding excess calories.

For more heart-healthy pasta recipes, visit the NIH website here.

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Healthy Recipes for Vegetarian Diets

February 6, 2014 by

Cutting meat out of your diet is an admirably healthy choice, but it can be difficult to find meatless recipes. If you’re growing bored of standard tofu, these exciting vegetarian recipes will help you mix things up.

Caribbean Casserole
Full of spicy, tropical flavors, this Caribbean Casserole is a unique alternative to regular vegetarian dishes. Though many Caribbean recipes include meats like jerk chicken, this one contains no meat and gets its protein from flavorful black beans.

Lentils With Brown Rice and Kale
Kale is a superfood beloved for its numerous health benefits, and it has become a staple in many vegetarians’ diets. This hearty recipe combines kale with protein-rich lentils and flavorful onions, and then places them over brown rice to create a nutritious and filling meal. With 21 grams of protein and only 9 grams of fat, this dish provides vegetarians with everything they’re missing from not eating meat in a much leaner way.

Three-Bean Chili With Chunky Tomatoes
It may seem impossible to eat chili as a vegetarian, but this completely meatless recipe is an almost indistinguishable alternative. The protein-packed blend of three different types of beans makes a sturdy base, while the variety of spices gives this dish the zesty flavor that you love from a good chili.

To browse even more healthy vegetarian recipes, check out the NIH website here.

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