Day: May 1, 2017

Beauty & Health, First Blush

Product of the Month: Skinerals Californium Sunless Bronzer

Skinerals Californium Sunless Bronzer $27.99   What they Say:   Most people have little time to spend outside lying around tanning, and many others live in regions that don’t provide such luxuries. This leads to pale, dull-looking skin. There’s something about a tan that rejuvenates your tone, giving you a nice gorgeous glow. With the Californium Sunless Bronzer, you can maintain your tan while on the go. The great thing about this product is that it’s made with many organic and natural ingredients, making it a better alternative to those that are made up of potentially harmful chemicals.   WHO SHOULD USE IT? Skineral’s Organic Californium Sunless Bronzer is designed for all skin types and ideal for bronze healthy skin, without without exposing it to harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays. After each use, your skin will be left smoother, fresher and toned. We only use premium natural plant-based oils, essential oil blends, fruit and plant extracts.   BENEFITS: Tanning your skin isn’t always quick or easy, especially when you’re constantly on the go. Some even use it for touch ups in between professional salon visits. A lot of the bronzers on the market today leave you with an unnatural orange tint and tanning beds have been tied to radiation and cancer development, especially when used religiously.   Self-tanning products like Californium Sunless Bronzer offer a safer solution. Our foam formula is light as a cloud and dries quickly. You’ll never have to worry about streaks, funky odors or unevenness. Skinerals Californium Sunless Bronzer is an organic and natural blend of the following ingredients: Organic Aloe Barbadensis DHA (skin colorant) Erythrulose (skin colorant) Organic Indian Gooseberry Organic Acai Berry Glycerin Organic Fig Extract Organic Goji Berry Extract Vitamins A,C,E Green and White Tea   Available wherever Skinerals products are sold and online…

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Dining Out, Wining & Dining

Del Ray’s Los Tios Grill

By The Old Town Crier Del Ray’s Los Tios Grill With Cinco de Mayo being celebrated in May, we thought it would be appropriate to feature one of our local Mexican themed eateries. While Los Tios isn’t a traditional Mexican restaurant, it features some of the most popular Tex-Mex and Salvadorean food in the area. Los Tios has long been one of our favorite places for good margaritas and some of the freshest corn chips and salsa around. On top of that, the wait staff are some of the best so the service is spot on. We usually sit at the bar since you can be seated and served right away – the place normally has a line out the door for a table during the dinner hour and on weekends. This is a good sign that the place is worth the visit since it is a huge restaurant. There are two large dining rooms in addition to the bar that has high top seating as well as bar seating and sidewalk dining that takes up almost half of the block. We love the décor. The color scheme and the multiple paintings on the walls and the various wall hangings all with a Mexican theme make you feel like you are actually in Mexico and points beyond. One of the best pieces of “décor” in the bar area is something that I call the “Tequila Tree”. I believe that it really is a replica of an Agave plant turned in to a tequila holder. Anyway, we think they are cool. If you are a big fan of the margarita, this is the place for you. Margaritas come in two sizes and are offered both on the rocks and frozen. We named them “Grande” and “Rio Grande” and opt for the…

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Notes from the Publisher

Publisher’s Notes

By Bob Tagert             April Showers Bring May Flowers! Even though the cherry blossoms took a beating this year, it appears that the much needed rain we got in the last days of April did indeed bring out the spring foliage in full force. Take a drive anywhere and check out the beautiful landscapes. Speaking of which, this months’ Road Trip took us up to Frederick, Maryland and the Frederick Craft Spirits Festival. There are some good brews cooking in our neighboring state. While there we decided to explore the little towns and the countryside. We discovered the Thurmont Bar & Grill and the beautiful Springfield Manor…what a beautiful drive…check it out. Doug Coleman’s Civil Discourse column reminds us that the remains of the Civil War are all around us waiting to go off and Sarah Becker’s A Bit of History keeps us steeped in history in her column. We celebrate Cinco de Mayo by featuring Los Tios in Del Ray in Dining Out and pay tribute to Mother’s Day and Memorial Day with pages dedicated to both. Flanders Fields is one of my favorite poems and holds a special place in my heart. We hope you enjoy both tributes. Lori Welch waxes poetic about some of the trials and tribulations of getting “older” in Open Space. This and much more await inside…..read on. Here is hoping you celebrate the month of May in a big way….treat yourself to a Margarita, give your Mom a hug and pay tribute to our Veterans!

Business Profile

Silver Parrot – Uniquely Sterling….Silver and Stones!

By Lani Gering Silver Parrot – Uniquely Sterling….Silver and Stones! The Silver Parrot Jewelry Boutique, located in the coveted 100 block of King Street, has been a fixture in Alexandria since it was established in 1977. This unique business came from humble beginnings, with the founder starting out as a street vendor in Washington, D.C. Now forty years later, the Silver Parrot is not only well established, but also well-known as a shopping destination for locals and visitors alike. I had the pleasure of meeting the current owner of the Silver Parrot, Patrick Dunn. Before buying this jewelry boutique in 2006, Patrick worked in software development. He and his wife, Holly, had always planned to be business owners, and were inspired when they learned that the Silver Parrot was on the market. While they found this was the perfect opportunity to be in business for themselves, Holly has kept her position in the corporate world and Pat has taken on the role of proprietor. They are looking forward to the boost in the economy that the waterfront rehabilitation will bring in the very near future and to the day when they can both spend their time at the store. Their unique pieces and personalized service are what set the Silver Parrot apart from other boutique jewelry stores. Patrick ensures that the shelves at the Silver Parrot are stocked to satisfy every style and budget. The wide selection of jewelry is handcrafted by over 100 different designers, and comes from a variety of 20 or so countries including Indonesia, Nepal, Mexico, Turkey, China, India, the Native American Nations, and the United States. The variety of gem stone pieces here is very impressive as well. I am a big fan of turquoise and pieces with a Southwestern flair and this store has…

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Events, Pets, Places, & Things

King Street Cats Adoption Calendar for May 2017

King Street Cats Adoption Calendar for May 2017   For details please see our Website: http://www.kingstreetcats.org Or contact us via email at: contact@kingstreetcats.org   King Street Cats 25 Dove Street, Alexandria, VA 22314 Every Saturday and Sunday from 1.30pm-4.30pm   Petvalu Bradlee Shopping Center, 3652 King St, Alexandria, VA 22302 Saturday May 6 and Sunday 7, and Saturday May 20 and Sunday May 21 from 1pm-4pm   Petco Unleashed 1101 S Joyce St, Arlington, VA 22202 Saturday May 6 and Saturday May 20 and Sunday May 21 from 1pm-4pm   Petco Unleashed 1855 Wisconsin Avenue, Washington, DC 20007 Saturday May 27 and Sunday May 28 from 12pm-3pm   The Dog Park 705 King Street, Alexandria, VA22314 Saturday May 13 from 1pm-4pm   Natures Nibbles 2601 Mt Vernon Ave, Alexandria, VA 22301 Saturday May 13 and Saturday May 27 from 1pm-4pm   Are you or someone you know free during weekday mornings? King Street Cats is looking for weekday morning caregivers and vet taxis to transport our cats to the vet. Please email: contact@kingstreetcats.org for details.   King Street Cats is looking for foster homes! You provide the spare room and TLC and we can provide food, litter and all vetting. Please email: contact@kingstreetcats.org for details.

Pets, Places, & Things, Road Trip

North to Frederick Maryland and Beyond

By Bob Tagert   North to Frederick Maryland and Beyond   For our road trip this month we decided to visit Frederick, Maryland since we were already going there to attend the Frederick Craft Spirit Festival, which was organized by the Maryland Distillers Guild. Although it was a cool day with intermittent drizzle for the outdoor event, we decided to make the 60-mile drive anyway and it turned out to be a great decision.     The drive to Frederick is pretty straight- forward…G.W. Parkway to the Beltway to I-270 and you are there. Although the road spray was a constant battle there was less traffic than on a nice spring day and the farther north we went the rain began to diminish, as did the traffic. The festival itself was well run with samplings and the ability to purchase some very good local whiskeys and rums as well as gin, vodka and a variety of creative products. The event also included six seminars over two sessions that were very informative about the history and recent resurgence of the spirit industry in Maryland. The biggest reason we decided to attend this festival was because our new friends who own Tobacco Barn Distillery in St. Mary’s County were there and I wanted to try some of their products. Look for an article about this distillery in a future issue. Frederick is the gateway to the Blue Ridge Mountains heading west. Located where the Catoctin Mountain meets the rolling hills of the Piedmont region, the Frederick area became a crossroads even before European explorers and traders arrived. Native American hunters followed the Monocacy River from the Susquehanna River watershed in Pennsylvania to the Potomac River watershed.    Founded before 1730, Fredrick has survived revolutions and wars and today is a beautiful revitalized town….

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