Me, Cesar Milan, Dennis Tran aka Love Guru for DMV engineers

 A few weekends ago, I went to see if what I heard was true. That, Cesar Milan, infamous Dog Whisperer from his internationally acclaimed TV show was making a pit stop at Charm City. Lucky for me, this rumor was fact. Cesar Milan gave away free photo opps, autographs and merch to throngs of animal lovers, who were at the store front since 6:30 a.m.

I wish I can crochet that nicely.. sigh

 It’s 2012, and the world is ending tomorrow. Though an early demise is non-negotiable, would you be able to say that you lived your life fully–thus far?

So many people today waste their time watching  t.v, not mending fences and not taking any chances.  Your life is a gift and if you are able to live in the United States then you have more then most people across the globe.  I know the whole Mayan prophecy is a bunch of crock but the hindsight behind it is worth thinking about.

I baked a seven layer bar from scratch. I think I have a good chance at baking things right

What if the world ends, and it it concludes before you reached for the stars. Before you went bungee jumping in Costa Rica,  baked a seven-layer cake or even told that special person in your life how much you truly care about them.

Time is precious and I know this.  So, I am using everyday to not only look for a long-term job in this insidious economy but am also trying to grow mentally, physically, intellectually and spiritually.

I’ve been putting of so many things for years, thinking that I can always fall back next year. Procrastination like this has kept me from growing and I dont want to waste anymore years, just stalling for tomorrow. What if today is all I have?

I'm no Michelle Kwon, but I think I am getting better at it. Some how?

Keeping all this in mind, I am trying out new hobbies. I am pretty good at some and pretty awful at the rest. But even though i’m less than par at some hobbies doesn’t mean I will quit. Quitting is never in my vocabulary since I believe hardwork is key in mastering any skill. 

Anyone who is immensely bad at an endeavor, initially, and who works arduosly at mastering something is someone I have the utmost respect for. In the 90′s “Forrest Gump” came out and yes, it sparked a wave of people poorly doing a southern accent but the movie also exemplified that you don’t need to be smart to go after your goals. Forrest had a below average IQ but lived life like a genuis.

With that in mind, I am going to venture into the following this year:

1.) Crocheting: I recently bought a  beginners kit at Michaels and have, surprisingly, progressed. I started with making a row of tangled knots into four rows of tangled knots. It’s progress, I swear! I’ve wanted to do this for years but have been putting this hobby off for several years due to insipid reasons that lack a proper backing.  I want to know that before the world ends, that I can atleast crochet a scarf.

2.) Ice Skating: Ever since I was 9 years old, I wanted to do arabesques, pirouettes and twirls on the ice. I was too chicken to ask for lessons and would just timidly glide around the ice. Now, I am taking lessons in Silver Spring and am starting to do more than just glide along the rink.

3.) Reading the classics:  In 2010 I was more adament with reading the classics and knocked off works from Albert Camus, Malcolm Gladwell and even some Franz Kafka. This year, I found a list of 30 classics I must read before I turn 30. I get that I have years away but I better start now if I want to make any tracks on this.

4.) Sketching: I bought a sketch kit and I drew a picture of Jigglypuff ( POKEMON). I’ve always been pretty good at capturing the shape of an object but was often remedial at  shading. I practiced this kit a few times and have made marginal success. This one portrait I drew of this little boy from a German chocolate bar is starting to look real and not stick-like. Yay!

5.) Swimming better: I’ve taken lessons on and off for several years. I’m still pretty bad but always better than before. I figure that the more I practice, the better I will be in the future.

6.) Baking: I used to bake in high school but took a long-term hiatus from it, due to laziness. I wanted to learn how to bake goodies from scratch versus being highly dependent on those easy-to-bake packs. Well, during Christmas time I did make sugar cookies from scratch and for my blog party, I made 7 layer bars the same way. Both cookies turned out fine and everyone who has tried them, liked them and didn’t croak. I hope to bake more harder and intricate recipes.

7.) Listening to the greats: I love my Indie and Hip-Hop music but I think it’s time for me to grow up. I’m going to start listening to albums from Pink Floyd, Beethoven and anyone else deemed respectful in the music world.

8.) Vocabulary: My vocabulary is pretty decent but I feel like I can always improve. I play dictionary.com’s, Shephard Software’s and Free Rice’s vocab games whenever I have free time. I often dont do well at first, but after multiple practice sessions tend to start acing these games. It’s also kind of fun and has helped me in my Boggle gaming from time to time.

9.) Travel: I get that traveling is not necessarily a skill but it is to me. I want to be able to travel alone better and be able to figure my own way, all by myself. I hope to do that this year and not be so insecure about being lost in new surroundings.

10.) Write Non-Fiction: I will always be everyone’s go-to blogger, and that will never change. Yet, before blogging, I was all about my creative non-fiction stories. I would write them up in my dorm room and share them with close buds. I miss those brainstorming sessions and I miss putting my life into words. Into funny words, so to speak. I hope to be able to do this more this year and not just say I will do it more.

11.) Hip-Hop Dance: Amina Vohra’s Hip Hop dance sessions are widely acclaimed in the DMV area. She’s one of the bestest dance instructers i’ve ever met and it totally sucks that all my school classes are on Hip Hop dance nights. I hope around summer time, I will be able to learn how to bust a move properly versus in my dreams.

12.) Dance: I am hoping to learn how to do basic swing, fox trot and waltz. I am taking a few lessons at Arthur Murrays in Columbia and still remember how to dance without tripping on feet. Miracle, yes!

13.) Extreme Sports: Okay, I am terrified of extreme sports. Bungee jumping, sky diving and anything water related. Yuck! However, the best way to combat fear is to confront it, head on. So, before the year ends I want to have been able to do one extreme sport or atleast do something I am terrified of doing. Why live life in fear? Take a chance, right…

14.) Math:  I am more terrified of math than sky diving. And that says alot. I am going to work on this fear and try to come out strong. Seriously, what if the world ends? I want to know that I gave my all in living life to the fullest and with combating all and any fears I have.

15.) Snakes: I am more scared of math than I am of snakes. But I am scared of snakes, fyi. Before the year ends, I will have a snake on my hand or some how befriend one of those evil looking creatures. Did you know snakes made Matt Damon cry in the making of his last zoo-related movie? Yeah, I hope I don’t end up like Matt Damon..

So, before the year ends, I hope to be a warrior versus a snively little creature encumbered with wild and feral fears. I’m still that creature but am taking baby steps for a better tomorrow. If there is even one, it is 2012 after all.

2012 Vietnamese Luna New Year held in Montgomery Blair High School.

    Okay, I am exaggerating. It was an awesome blog party but I doubt it was the greatest one that ever existed in the blogsphere. Nonetheless, you’re still reading this entry? Right?

Eh… Read on regardless.  Anyways, Last Saturday was Sherryn Daniel’s Blog’s 100K party. Before celebrating, I went over to Pet Valu to meet Cesar Milan aka the Dog Whisperer ( blog entry about that encounter will be blogged about in a latter date). I swear, there were people there from 6:30 a.m, with their obedient dogs in well ordered cues.

I slacked and came over around 12:00 p.m and had to like park a street away from the festivities ( parking lot was clogged worse than an ancient toilet).  I brought my bestie ( Dennis Tran, Love guru to Engineers in the DMV area) and after surveying our surroundings, decided to head back to MoCo to catch the Vietnamese New Years event held in Montgomery Blair High School.

No, I did not eat Pho. It's a soup-based dish full of duck organs and sausages. To the right of my delish' soup is a tapiocoa dessert that has chunks of yam and a slight coconut taste to it

  At the festival: I ate new dishes, conversed with people I knew, watched a miss Vietnam Competition and got alot of free pens. I love free pens!  Aftwards, I dropped bestie off and prepared for my blogstravaganza!  I baked seven layer bars a week prior, and created these nifty gift bags for people.

Anyone who came to my 100K blog party this year walked away with home baked seven layer bars, Milkita (Korean milk candy), chocolate with bacon in it, Korean Lychee flavored candy, thin raspberry mints, and German chocolate cookies.

For this special event, I wore a special green shirt reminiscent of a Japanese Kimono and had my makeup done by Boots Cosmetics Specialist Rachel Shelton ( Visit her at the Target in Rockville for a FREE makeover, 5700 Bou Ave, Rockville, MD 20852).

Rachel Rocks! I once saw this barely mineral cosmetics commercial with this gorgeous South Indian girl with shiney green makeup that brings out her killer complexion.  Rachel was nice enough to do something similiar to my face.

At Honeypig in Ellicott City, MD. ( L-R Sherryn, Jill and Rachel).

    Reservations had to be pushed back do to everyone slacking on time. I was  happy that I wasn’t late.

 We all ate at HoneyPig, located in Ellicott City, MD.  The group may have been smaller than my 50K party but sometimes the best parties come from intimate circles.  We all toasted to the best coffee in Ellicott City ( since its sweet and free), ate bulgogi, pig belly and all sorts of Korean-based side dishes.

Charity work strenghthens human morality, gives purpose and helps communities. It’s better than giving someone a brand name sweater since what you really give back is time, patience and effort into doing good.

With that said, next year marks the 100th anniversary of the Junior League of Baltimore organization and for the past 99 years ( its still 2011, fyi), this wonderful non-profit has been rebuilding lives, giving children purpose and has been creating solidarity amongst women of different classes, races and beliefs.

Instead of buying a loved one something that will be probably used once, why not get someone you love a membership and an opportunity to do good in their community?  Click here to learn more about membership to this great organization and about special events happening for Jr. Leaguers..

Interested? Want to meet the ladies who make this great organization possible? Well come to their Open House December 17th from 10 a.m to 12 p.m and click here to RSVP!!   

Being a member of the Junior League of Baltimore is the gift that keeps on giving—all year long!!

I just perused the blog and totally enjoyed reading stories from Graeters fans in the Midwest ( and hopefully from the East coast, Maryland to be precise). My favorite story on the blog came from Dale K, from Grand Rapids, MI.  His daughter Kelsey and her husband Jay replaced their wedding cake with an array of Graeters flavors.

Here is an excerpt:

Graeter’s wonderfully replaced wedding cake at our daughter Kelsey’s wedding! Her groom, Jay, grew up loving Graeter’s Black Raspberry Chocolate Chip as a favorite Cincinnati Food and they had their hearts set on serving Graeter’s – instead of wedding cake – at their wedding in Grand Rapids, Michigan.  Read the rest here.
Aside from interesting entries, this blog is a great way for fans to  get Graeter’s News straight from the source about grocery store expansion, seasonal ice cream flavors, bakery and candy items as well as other Graeter’s news you won’t find anywhere else on the website.

 Graeters will also feature “Ice Cream Stories” that come straight from fans who complete a form on their website.

I’ve been a Graeters fan since December of 2010 and have proudly swayed close to 30 people in my hometown in Silver Spring Maryland to choose Graeters as their ice cream of choice.  I’ve written a few entries about my love of Graeters and have also hosted a rather succesful Ice cream party at a good friend’s house. If you want to read more of my past entries, read and click below.

1.) Ohio: Decadent treats in an unexpected place

If you drive two hours away from Cleveland Ohio, you reach Columbus. And my oh my, you hit a region jam-packed with Graeters ice cream. I am not much of fan of ice cream, more like a hardcore enemy ..Read the rest here.

2.) We need Graeters in Maryland, Pronto!

Alcoholics, smokers and other addicts tend to suffer from withdrawal effects if they aren’t able to satisfy their inner desires. Withdrawal symptoms stem from shaking, sweating and anxiety. Addiction and withdrawel symptoms don’t  always have to spring from drug usage but it’s also found in not feeding an inherent infatuation for–Read the rest here.

3.) Gourmet Ice Cream Social Featuring Graeters Icecream

Anyways, I presented my friends and their guests 12 flavors ranging from peanut butter, coconut, butter pecan, vanilla with chocolate chunks all the way down to Graeter’s creme of the crop, their black raspberry chip.

I was quite shocked that my guests…Read the rest here.

What’s not to love about Graeters? They not only make delicious ice cream that gourmet foodies, celebs and every-day average people love but are also social media saavy! Kudos to a great brand

Around mid-November, I decided to pay a visit to Boordy Vineyards so I could sample some of their best reds, whites, and dessert wines. It was a special treat for me since Boordy is my favorite Maryland-based wine. I looked forward to this visit for three or so months and even bothered close friends about how amazing, spectacular and perfect this place was going to be.

When I first visited the location, I was in awe over the spread of land, long lines for wine tasting and with the overall structure of their immediate building designed for guests. Interior doors were constructed to slide open, wooden floors were glossy enough to shine, and there was a spiraling staircase that led guests into this palacial area where they can dine and wine on a wide arrangement of goodies.

Everything was arranged in such a cordial way that I wished I brought my camera that day. There’s not enough words in the English dictionary for me to paint this robust, wonderful and memorable experience I had at this vineyard.

However, I will try my best to recreate it on this blog.  Before I get into my wonderful experience, here’s a bit of their backstory that can be found in fuller detail on their website:

The winery is housed in a 19th century stone barn whose massive walls provide an ideal environment for the production and aging of wine. Rob Deford, who received training in enology at the University of California, Davis manages Boordy with his wife Julie Colhoun Deford.  Boordy currently produces 97,000 gallons of wine annually and cultivates forty acres of grapes in the Long Green Valley (Central Piedmont region) and in the Blue Ridge Mountains of western Maryland.

Anyways, I was able to partake in a wonderful selection of wines from their Landmark, Icons of Maryland and Just for Fun series.  For 65 years, Boordy has been crafting the finest regional wines in the east coast and just by sampling their 2010 Chardonnay, I can taste the quality. 

Landmark series

“These handcrafted wines are the finest representations of vintage year, varietal character, the soil of our region and the soul of our winemaker.  Beginning with the 2010 vintage, our Landmark wines are sourced from 100% Maryland grown grapes, principally from Boordy’s estate vineyards.”

Icons of Maryland

“The wines in this series are crafted with food in mind but are friendly enough to enjoy on the porch with friends. Their labels feature original engravings of iconic Maryland wildlife such as the Baltimore Oriole and the Rockfish, and symbolize Boordy’s iconic stature in the history of Maryland winemaking. The grapes from our Icon wines are sourced from within Maryland and from other states.”

Just for Fun

“We offer five wines in a series that express our belief there is always a time & occasion for wine.  As their name suggests, these are sweet party styled wines that may be served over ice, chilled, or warmed for chilly night sipping.”

As was previously aforementioned on this entry, I was humbled to have sampled a little bit of everything from each of Boordy Winery’s series. My taste buds are highly selective and I did have personal favorites that I highly recommend to all Wine-o’s out there. And here they are:

Landmark  Series

Eisling 2009: This was my favorite of this particular series.  It’s a beautifully balanced sweet reisling reserve that compliments several high-end creme brulees, custards, fruit pasteries and soft cheeses. Boordy was able to balance a soft but subtle aroma of orange, honeysuckle and melon into this addictive concotion. It’s so good that there’s only a limited production of 524 cases left. Check out Boordy’s website for more information on this and other wines.

Icons of Maryland

Chambourcin Merlot:  This wine has a medium body, supple residual sweetness and a lovely dark red hue.  It’s aromas of raspberry and cherry accompany the wine’s smooth but tender sweetness. It goes great swedish meatballs, dishes with spicey red sauces, and creamy soft cheeses. Check out Boordy’s website for more information on this and other wines

Just for Fun

Tango Peach: It’s a celebration in your mouth. A kick to the right direction. A great way to commemorate a fun occassion. Which is why Tango Peach is Sherryn Daniel’s Blogs choice wine.  It’s honeyed aromas of melon, peach and citrus can allure anyone to its tart yet sweet flavor.  If you can’t vacation in  a hot, and summery place this winter. Then crack open this bottle with close girlfriends and have a ball. This website highly recommends it.Check out Boordy’s website for more information on this and other wines

Here you have it, www.SherrynDaniel.com’s choice wine and choice vineyard for 2011. Contact Boordy Vineyards if you ever want to visit their lovely vineyards or if you want to order the best riesling this side of the East coast.

Not every party is the same.

 It is crucial that you realize not every holiday party is the same. Some holiday parties are casual while other holiday parties are tremendously formal. Make sure you ask the host what type of attire you should wear. A formal holiday party, you should wear a figure fitting dress with a hint of glam.

 Do not let it be too tight and short. Do not let it be too baggy or long. Wear a dress that compliments your figure but maintains a little mystery, especially if you are looking to attract a gentleman. 

Less is more. 

For casual parties, tone down the attire a bit. You can wear a casual dress. You can wear jeans and a spunky holiday top. You can wear kaki pants and a stunning sweater. Speaking of sweaters, wear a sweater dress. You can not go wrong with a sweater dress!

Be comfortable 

No matter the party, make sure you are comfortable from head to toe.  Cute flats or low-heel shoes will keep you chic and comfortable for the party and the after-party. Dance the night away. You do not want to be the girl known for going home with sore and injured feet. Do not be that chick. 

For more lifestyle enrichment tips (including jewelry accessories and makeup) check us out Fromgirltogirl.com and stay tune to our guest blogs on Sherryn Daniel’s Blog . Let us know how your holiday party fashion goes!

By Briana Booker

Briana Booker is the creator of Fromgirltogirl www.fromgirltogirl.com which is a refreshing lifestyles enrichment magazine & public relation company that promotes healthy community development and empowers girls. Check out her website as well as well as www.sherryndaniel.com for more guest entries by her.

Tis the season to splurge on hundreds ( if not thousands) of dollars on gifts, spend time with family and friends, and endure painful hours of  listening tosugary-pop Christmas songs blasting in most radio stations in your poor car.

The Christmas craze starts right before Thanksgiving and ends the day after X-mas; However, most people simply celebrate it December 24th and 25th.

What gives?

Really.

Why not celebrate the Christmas holiday break from December 1 til the 25th?

What I mean by celebrating is not like taking vacation time from work and staying in the Bahamas all month long but by filling your days with tiny but eventful holiday-oriented activities that gears everyone up for that special day.

When Santa Clause falls on his fat ass down your unclean chimney and stuff yours stockings with dollar store candy and quarter machine gadgets. Lest not forget how he selfishly eats all of your cookies you laid down for yourself the next day without giving you a thank you note for spending 2 hours of your live baking for them.

FYI, this entry is geared towards people who love the holidays and not to any grinches who barely stand it, as is.

1.) Go Skiing:  You don’t need to be an expert skiier to try this sport out. I’m still a beginner skiier but I  try to hit the slopes once a year as a way to fully engage in the holiday season. If you live in the DMV area, check out Liberty, Roundtop or Whitetail.  They have wonderful beginner classes and nice slopes.

2.) Go Ice Skating:  Ice skating is a fun and relaxing activity to do during this holiday season. Garden’s Ice House by Laurel has great deals and an arcade adjacent to the location, in case you want to take a break from falling down on the ice… multiple times.

3.) Gingerbread house baking:  This a fun thing you can do with small kids or even besties. You can either google up how to make a Gingerbread house from scratch or cut corners and cheat this way: Buy graham crackers, milk carton, frosting, holiday themed candies, M&m’s. Drink that milk carton dry and lather frosting all over it. Stick graham crackers on it and start using your creative juices to construct a fitting gingerbread house.

4.) Christmas Cookies: It’s a given. The great thing about having a globalized economy is that you can make unique holiday cookies. Other thank making usual sugar cookies, why not try a German cookie recipe? Why not make desserts from Mexico that people usually eat during the holday season. The skies the limit and it’s a relaxing way to fight of stress and to celebrate the holiday season.

5.) Holiday 5k:  The DMV area is saturated with marathons, 5k’s and all sorts of charity runs. Take advantage of this and do it. Running is a great exercise and it’s good to know that your running for a great cause.

6.) Brookside Garden Holiday Light Show.  This is the only place I know that lets you walk around a christmas-lit area, with 3-d glasses that also services yummy home baked treats, cider and live entertainment.

7.) Christmas Party with friends. If you have friends, why not throw a small get-together with them. Be creative, and have holiday themed drinks, appetizers and games. If you don’t have friends, then check out www.meetup.com and join their groups to make friends.

8.) Christmas show at the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra.  Every year they throw one of the most extravagant shows and the tickets range from $30-100 given the night.

9.) Write Letters to loved ones. My favorite part of the holiday season is writing cards to loved ones since this is a rare endeavor. Most people like to send E-cards and not take the time to write one up. If you visit your local Target, you can get around 1

10.) Charity Work: The best person I know who can give you charity work to do is my friend Barbara Henderson. If you follow her on Twitter @yogichi or e-mail her at Yogichi@gmail.com, she will personally let you know of great ways to give back.

11.) Tree Trimming party:  My  friend Nicole ( who is an AWESOME blogger, fyi) is throwing one. She had this great idea of getting all of her friends to decorate her tree and to treat it as a party. Kudos!

12.) Decorate your house: Go ahead and whore up your home with lights, fake santas and nativity scenes, galore!

13.) Local Tree lighting events.  Check out Washington Post or Baltimore Sun about these events. They are frequent and so many DMV towns have them.

14.) Holiday Sundae party.  Buy ice cream, candy canes, whipped cream and friends.

15.) Christmas crafts.  If you go to Martha Stewart’s website you will find so many great crafts to make.

16.) Make homemade ornaments. Unsure if there is a difference between Christmas or homemade but repitition is key into remembering

17.) Breakfast with Santa.  You don’t have to be a kid to join in, just bring a small cousin, sibling or a friend’s kid and join in. Baltimore Sun’s website is the best place to find one near you.

18.) Holiday Brunch at Gertrudes.  Gertrude’s is a widely acclaimed brunch place in the Baltimore area. If you don’t get a table there, than make your own holiday brunch at home. Have holiday themed mimosas, desserts and brunch-y dishes. If you add Christmas movies in the background, it’ll add a cheesy spice to the whole event.

19.) Holiday shopping at a local, weekend festival. Screw Walmart. Support small businesses by visiting weekend festivals and by buying home made gifts. There are so many around the DMV area that it’s hard not to stop by.

20.) Christmas Parades.  The area is rife with these parades and my goodness, they are so much fun. Check them out

21.) Go to Mass. Inspite of popular opinion, you do not need to be catholic to do this. You can go with loved ones and have a nice light meal afterwards.

22.) See the nutcracker.  It’s the holiday show of the year and Baltimore is the place to see it, live!

23.) Holiday events at a local church. Most churches hold holiday parties and are great ways to meet new people. It’s also super cute seeing young kids act out in nativity themed plays, eat lunch and mingle as well.

24.) Watch Harold and Kumar do Christmas. Best movie of 2011. Please dont bring kids though, fyi.

25.) Masquerade Ball. Check out Washington Post’s website for more details.

There you have it. Twenty-five things to do before Christmas and after Christmas starts.  After perusing this list, there’s no reason to be bored prior to December 24/25th. Happy Holidays!

Her song “Jar of Hearts” is www.SherrynDaniel.com’s song of the year. If this website held web 2.0 awards every year like the Baltimore Sun, Baltimore Business Journal or any other news medium– hmm, I think i’m getting a bright idea–than Christina Perri’s song, which garnered mass attention from the show So you think you can dance, would win a Sherryn Daniel’s Blog award.

 I’m not sure it would carry much merit against a 2011 Baltimore Sun Mobbies win but it’s kind of cute, in a fan-obsessed sorta way?

Anyways, i’m clearly a strong fan of hers. Her album lovestrong is definitely at the top of my Christmas wishlist this year and I am also totally digging her swag. She dresses up like an adult Avril Lavign sans the pseudo-punk/fake bad-ass vibe that Lavign is well known for.

Speaking of swag, what I love most about her is her lovely locks. She has thick, bouncy hair cut in a cute yet fun way. It’s trendsetting since bleached part of her hair and that’s not something you see everyday. Morever, her haircut is alot more eye-opening and perkier than the Alice Cullen haircut of 2010 ( which I did, fyi).

Because I am a Christina Perri fan and am known for copying celebrity hairstyles, I decided to find a location near where I lived to get a Christina Perri haircut for under $20 bucks. As difficult as it sounds to get a trend-setting hairdo for that price, it’s not as  hard as you think.

I found this Barbershop that did both men and female hairstyles. If you go to the barbershop in Burtonsville ( 15512 Old Columbia Pike  Burtonsville, MD 20866) and ask for Nick, he’s more than adept at copying any actor/actress or pop star hairstyle. He only charges $16 and personally ensures you get the perfect haircut. Whereas, your local Hair Cuttery (Burtonsville location) will botch up your hair and treat you with umbrage and disdain for even asking for a haircut to begin with.

Typically, high-end salons charge between $80- 250 for hairstyles typical to what women would want, e.g., a Christina Perri, Jennifer Anistan, Reese Witherspoon, or even Halle Berry. Nonetheless, there are skilled hairstylists in locations that people won’t expect.

Other than stylish celebrity haircuts, you can get wonderful star treatment ( eyebrows, nails, pedicures) at Nail Art by Kim (15502 Old Columbia Pike, Burtonsville, MD 20866-1634 ). All the other nail locations surrounding the area don’t compare in price, treatment, and personable manners. This is the only location, from my experience, that not only treats you like a popstar but ensures you DONT have to pay a pop star price. I typically go there to get my eyebrows done and only pay a fraction of the cost in comparison to other nail boutiques.

The reason I bring up Nail Art by Kim is because they put so much effort into making sure you get exactly what you want for a minimal price. I wanted my eyebrows to have a specific slant and look as professionally done as possible and they did it, perfectly. A great haircut ( Christina Perri) pairs well with an amazing eyebrow wax job.

For both services combined, you only need to pay $24 ( excluding tip) and you get $150 worth of  high-end services. For a few hours today, I felt like Christina Perri and lavished in her supposed pop-star treatment she gets in Los Angelas, New York or even Madrid.

My haircut

Boots Cosmetics is a world-reknowned company that had its humbling start in the U.K. It’s array of powders, lipsticks and moistrurizers have not only transformed women’s faces into something scintillating but has abetted in providing that extra confidence a woman needs during the day.

Albeit, confidence is truly innate and can be found in loving oneself, hobbies and finding a great social group who nurtures each other but by taking pride in your external features, your innate confidence emanates unto anyone you meet, touch or connect with.

Though I do pride myself in taking care of myself ( working out, eating healthy and dressing appropriately given the situation) I was never adept at applying eyeshadow, lining my eyelids with eyeliner and with picking out the right foundating for my mocha skin tone.

Thank God I am very good friends with Rachel Shelton, who gives free makeovers at the Target by Rockville (5700 Bou Avenue, Rockville, MD). In my tight circle of girlfriends, we’ve all proclaimed Rachel as the stylish one who knows how to apply her makeup.

As a person who is barely astute in applying any kind of makeup on, it’s good to have friends with special gifts like that.  I recently visited Rachel this week, and she was nice enough to give me a full makeover on my face. She knows I am a complete novice when it comes to makeup so she gave me step-by-step pointers so I wouldn’t feel claustrophic in her quiant makeup corner.

Before:

What you see in this picture are dark undereye circles, dry skin and an uneven skintone. Rachel saw all of that immediately and gracefully applied Number 7 products to enhance my best features and to smooth out rough patches here and there.

For starters: Rachel  applied  Moisture Quench Daycream to smooth my skin, Stay Perfect Cocoa foundation to even my uneven tones,  Quick Cover ( Dark) concealor to hide my undereye circles and Honey Blush to give my cheeks an apple bottom glow.

There after, Rachel worked 4-5 different eye brushes to accentuate my eyes. She used Boots Cosmetic’s Emerald, Khaki and Fudge, and she was able to blend, shape and highlight areas around my eyes that I didn’t know could be enhanced. Go Rachel!

Eyes

Lastly, she selected a limited edition Poppy Thing ” Seduction” lip stick and High Shine Brilliance in Berry gloss on my dry, tired lips.

After

Voila! Rachel Shelton is a miracle worker! If you want a free makeover like mine, come visit her at Target (5700 Bou Avenue, Rockville, MD) Wednesday through Sunday.