Amazon New HQ2--Good or Bad?

Hello readers!

Unless you live in a very closed off bubble, everyone has heard of Amazon, and many are Prime Subscribers. Over the past year, Amazon has been on a massive search around the country to expand their headquarters. Amazon announced that the two lucky winning cities to host are Arlington, VA and Queens, NY, meanwhile, Nashville, Tennessee will host a smaller campus.

There has been a range of feedback of enthusiasm to criticism from both the public arena as well as private citizens. During my studies in marketing, one of the largest factors in business success is location, location, location. Did I mention location?

I live right outside of DC, specifically Tysons Corner, aka NOVA (Northern Virginia) so I can only credibly speak of the new Arlington location. NOVA is known for great, but very competitive employment opportunities, real estate (albeit resulting in a hugely expensive area to reside) and of course all of the tourist and historical attractions that come in correlation to our nations capitol. All of the benefits of living in the area, along with travelers enjoying the attractions, however, brings one major inconvenience and headache: traffic.

Now that Amazon is coming to Arlington, the increase in traffic congestion is at least one of the front runners of concerns. My personal reaction: what is a little more traffic when we are all used to it? Our very own Governor, Ralph Northam is enthusiastic about the business opportunities Amazon's empire can bring: jobs, education and more. Watch his reaction here.

Aside from traffic, other concerns brought forth is the cost to tax payers; remember how I mentioned the enormous cost it is to live in NOVA? Well this business deal can bring a high cost in operating expenses, resulting in potential hikes to tax payers.

I'm personally cautiously optimistic about the location being in my neck of the woods; I don't want a hike in money taken out of my paycheck to pay for this, but the benefits outweigh the traffic that I'm already used to.

I'd love to hear your thoughts.

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Stormy Daniels: My take on "Full Disclosure"

Hello Readers!

I recently finished Stormy Daniels' newly published book Full Disclosure. I admit, I was very interested in reading her publication to hear about all the juicy details on her encounter and alleged affair with Donald Trump. Her critics will say that she published this book simply for the publicity and sales, however, she seems genuine and very detailed in her recollection of events. There are two things Stormy made very clear: she loathes being called a liar, and her approach to handling this scandal was to protect her daughter and husband.

Michael Avenatti opened the book with a ringing endorsement of his client. We have similar viewpoints of Stormy; regardless of her chosen career path, she seems to be a genuine career professional and woman.

Daniels opened her book with details of her childhood and life. She had a very complicated and abused childhood; both her parents didn't provide a stable upbringing; which you can say prepared her to be the tough cookie she is today. No spoilers will be included, but as a child, she endured abuse and situations no little girl should ever be exposed to.

One stable force in her life is her love of horses. Through her own work ethic and work schedule, she was able to buy/adopt her favorite and loyal horse, Jade. Though Jade is no longer with her, she feels at home and happy whenever she is able to bond and ride horses.

Stormy got her start in the stripper/porn industry by working at a club called "Cinnamons." She proved herself to be a professional as she learned the tactics of the industry, offering variations of services (writer, director, actress, etc.) When her superiors doubted her talents,  she only proved them wrong with completed project samples.

Her career is what got her introduced to Donald Trump. She was making a work appearance at Mr. Trumps golf properties and then one thing lead to another, by his persistent initiation...you can read the book to find out the details ;)

All of the events resulting from their encounter and Mr. Trump declaring his candidacy, covering it up, and more, created a living hell for her.

I personally believe her, but to each their own. I wish nothing but the best for Stormy Daniels and hope she has a happy and successful life and continues killing it with her career.

I recommend this book to anyone curious about the whole controversy; its a good, read, and funny!

Get your copy here!

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Custom Made T-Shirts--Bonfire

Hello everyone!

I recently came across a website for making custom made attire, www.bonfire.com. The website provides everything you need, they do take a base cost as they provide you with all the material you need.

The first shirt I have had in mind for a long time, I just didn't know how to design it. Its based on a baby and a daddy both drinking their own versions of their bottle. The front shows a baby with his/her bottle and a dad with a beer bottle, and says "Bottoms Up." The back says how they both love their bottles.

Click here to order!

The second shirt is about channeling your inner strength and spreading your wings like a butterfly. Comes in 3 different colors, red, blue, black. 

Click here to order!

The third design I've completed thus is all about choosing kindness. This design is available in t-shirt or sweatshirt.

Order here!

I would immensely appreciate your support! I would love to make custom designs for anyone interested, or if you'd like to design your own shirts, please visit this link here.

Kylie Jenner--Social Media Self Made Billionaire.

Hello!

On the cover of the upcoming issue of "Forbes" magazine, Kylie Jenner is the youngest to date self-made billionaire. For anyone who watches ABC's "The View" there were differing viewpoints on how much work Kylie Jenner put into making her business successful vs her success handed to her. Meghan Mccain talked about how she definitely benefited from her father's political career, however, in order to prove that she deserves her career success, she had to work 12 times harder.

My thoughts.

Whatever your viewpoint, everyone knows who the Kardashian family is; they have their own family brand business, along with individual businesses the Kardashian "kids" own and run. Kylie Jenner, I'm confident, is a very hard working business owner, however,  her customers/fans are mostly from her social media. It wasn't hard for her to gain a very large social media following; in her interview with "Forbes", Kylie talked about how social media is her selling tool. She gained her following being a Kardashian daughter, and there is nothing wrong with that, but it has been an easy tool to reach her customers, resulting in instant sales.

Marketing your brand is hands down one of the hardest aspects to making a business successful and strong. I am a very active social media user, as social media has expanded from simply being a personal networking tool, it is now the brilliant and convenient  digital marketing venue most, if not all businesses utilize to drive sales and promote products and services. This is how Kylie Jenner has been successful, her social media gives direct marketing of all her products. If an unknown like myself were to sell similar cosmetics that to what Kylie Jenner is producing, who would have more success, me or Kylie Jenner? The answer is obvious. Unless I became a worldwide known name, Kylie Jenner of course is going to be much more successful. This isn't a bad thing, just the predicted and most logical outcome.

As an aspiring entrepreneur, I look up to any and all self made successful business owners; receiving aide is great, keeping the success is where the true hard work comes into. You need to have a product that people want and will purchase, with client loyalty. Some people have a lot of ease with creating their brand, starting with an established and known name, while others really do start from the ground up.

I would love thoughts on this; are Kylie Jenner, and any other individual with an established name have an easier time and success in making a brand work vs people who start out with nothing?

Check out the article from "Forbes" here.

Thanks for reading, and I would LOVE for you to subscribe, its free!

Xo,

Amanda

Caretaker: It's not Just a Job, Its Love

Hello everyone,

This post is a very personal one, but one that I feel many will be able to relate to. I debated about writing about this for a while, was it too personal, should I stick to more career, and upbeat topics? No. Every now and then I like to reflect about personal things in my life, and this one has been going on for about three years.

I am one of the primary caretakers for an aging parent. I'm not going to sugar coat it, it sucks. By this, I don't mean they are a burden, I mean it sucks to see a family member you love so dearly, struggling with their health, especially aging problems.

About three years ago, my parent said to me and my family "you don't know what's coming." I sure as hell didn't. I thought they meant something in society, politically, anything but what actually has come about. Although not officially diagnosed, my parent is resembling symptoms very similar to Dementia/Alzheimer's disease, along with other health problems from pre-existing conditions. Let me say its hard. There are some days where I can not do a damn thing right, everything is wrong. Even small tasks such as vacuuming the carpet upsets them, because it's too loud. Small things, large things, it doesn't matter, I am wrong.

I really have to keep my patience in line, because to me, what I am doing is perfectly normal and an every day activity, but to them, its not. That's one of the problems with these diseases, not thinking clearly. It is very scary, the patient once had total control of everything, and now their mind is slipping, its very very hard. All I want to do is help, but yet, I feel like a failure when my efforts aren't enough.

My situation is a bit unique. I am a young adult, who lives at home with both mom and dad. I live in a very expensive real estate area. For some, they would say, "why haven't you moved out of your parent's house, and have your own life and career."

Well for those people, I all I have to say is this; assisted living and nursing homes are damn expensive.  I know what my parent needs at this time, and although some days I want to crack, I have the patience to deal with them. Some nursing home and assisted living places I'm sure are wonderful, others aren't. I could never live with myself if I didn't do everything humanly possible to make their life as easy as possible, even if it takes some sacrifice right now, so be it. I am called names, I am told how I am crazy, one moment, I get an immense thank you for my efforts, and then a moment later, its the exact opposite.

This message is for all the caretakers out there; you can do it. I am, and even though I don't feel that I get much appreciation in return, I know the reward is there; I get that much more time with my parent. It's worth the frustration and tears.

Thanks for reading,

Xo,

Amanda

Employment Websites

Hello everyone!

So I’ve been pondering about what to talk, what is of interest, informative and worth the read? Well one topic that I’ve been doing a lot of research on is employment websites.

Back in the day, most people looked for jobs in newspapers, and other print materials vs the now multitude of websites available. The hard part is knowing which sites are credible, have legit employment opportunities, all of that fun stuff. Another major difficulty in finding the perfect job is the accuracy in the job description made available.

Let me clarify.

I have viewed hundreds of jobs, and two of which I was employed by weren’t 100% honest in their job descriptions. To protect identity, I’m not going to identify the employers but I will say what happened. One employer is a small family owned business. The job description and interview process described working part time hours, an estimated 20-25 hours per week, with a few weekends involved. I had no problem with that. I also had a set schedule of working early afternoon until closings. Within the first month, I realized that wasn’t the case. Over the total time working working for this small business, I had a total of 4 weekends off. Additionally, I was never informed that I would be working opening to close on Saturday’s (closed for business on Sundays.) During the interview process, they mentioned that certain times of the year would be more demanding than others, as does happen with most places of employment. What did they didn’t mention was for those weeks where it’s incredibly busy, you have no set schedule. They could change your schedule around at anytime, and you must adhere to it, unless a previous arrangement was made.

Before I get anyone saying how I was lucky to be employed, that is not my reason for explaining this. I was never informed of this information until AFTER signing my employment agreement papers. Employers need to be upfront with all of their expectations in the job description and interview process. To back this statement, I attended a job hiring seminar, teaching the tips and techniques of landing that perfect job; one of the key concepts was about how job descriptions are only maybe 80% truthful. Additionally, many times, a candidate might be perfectly qualified for the position, however, if another candidate is personally recommended through networking connections, their resume is bumped to the very top of the bundle, giving that particular person a much higher advantage of obtaining the position. Fair right?

This isn’t meant to be a complaining post, but rather constructive criticism for employers. As employees, we want to know exactly what is expected of us at the beginning of the initial application, transitioning into interview process, if granted, to know it will be a good match for both employee and employer. Communication is key, and the only way to ensure that business relationship is professional.

I would love to hear any thoughts you readers have.

Thanks for reading!

Xo,

Amanda

Starting an Online Business

Hello readers!

I want to bring about a topic or a rather large topic that is near and dear to my heart.....

Starting an online business....ahem....!

I have had a passion for being an entrepreneur; I have always loved the idea of being my own boss. I completed an internet marketing class my senior year of high school; it really opened my eyes to what the internet was capable of. Keep in mind, when I took this class, the internet had definitely been around for quite some time, but the concept of actually conducting business online through different marketing strategies was a growing concept that has developed into our digital world.

When people say they have an online business, there are several facets to that statement, as the sky is the limit. There are many different online businesses: major companies like Amazon not only is the massive empire that it is, but adding on to its revenue with individuals who make side income or more from selling as an individual or professional seller.

There are pros and cons to selling on Amazon: the pro as a professional seller is that you have access to many different resources, however, there is a $39.99 fee each month. That fee isn’t a lot if you are consistently selling which in return brings you a ROI. One of the cons that I do not like about selling on Amazon is the very specific product information you need for data input. I have very gently used items that are still in excellent "like new" condition, but because I don’t have exact information needed (UPC); so the chances of selling that item becomes much more cumbersome. Don’t let me take away motivation from becoming a seller, I’m always striving to learn information and have success with selling on Amazon, currently though, as an individual seller which does not require any high monthly fees.

Another aspect of Amazon which I really do love is its affiliate marketing program. For those who aren’t familiar, affiliate marketing is when a user advertises a product or service and when a customer purchases from the associated link provided, the individual providing the link receives a small commission percentage from the sale.

So.... I’m going to plug my own affiliate link. My family LOVES these Nugo Slim protein bars, they are vegan and gluten free for people with dietary sensitivities. They are low in sugar, high in protein and fiber and come in differing flavors. Get them, they’re good! And to make them sound even better, they are dipped in dark chocolate, so what’s not to love about them? Yum!

Everyone knows about Ebay. I'll be honest, I really thought Ebay wasn't going to stick around after Amazon became what it is today. Upon further research, Ebay appears to be much more user friendly for sellers like me who are getting started and are selling personal items as an individual seller vs an established business. There aren't as many restrictions and listing inventory is a lot easier. Check out my listings page here!

Moving on to another aspect of online businesses; rebate selling apps with an accompanying website. There are a variety of selling apps you can download to your phone/use the website to sell your own personal items. I have used the Poshmark app and website to sell my own gently used, like new items. Poshmark allows you to sell clothes, shoes, accessories and more. They do take a commission around 30%, which covers your shipping label. Visit my personal Poshmark account here!

Facebook, is always updating their software and user interaction capabilities; they added a new feature last year called the marketplace which allows for users to sell items as well. The inventory categories are endless, and it appears thus far there are no selling fees, which is great! My personal Facebook selling place is here, check it out!

As you can see, there are a variety of different ways to sell exclusively online from your own personal inventory of items taking up space in your house that will be a treasure to someone else. Thanks for reading and hope you find some treasures from my various sites.

Xo,

Amanda

Rebate Apps are the new Savings Account Interest

Hello readers!

Over the last few years, I’ve really developed an interest in saving as much money as possible, through any moral or legal means, after all I don’t want to do anything that is immoral, illegal or fatning 😜.

I began searching online for different ways to save money, especially through coupons; with this research I learned about rebate apps such as Ibotta, Saving Star, Checkout 51, Ebates, etc. I was very happy and surprised to learn that you can use all rebate apps together to gain the most savings, in addition to using coupons on the same products for the same shopping trip. As my mother said, rebate apps are a new form of interest on your shopping trips. Let me explain.

I was shopping at CVS and took advantage of a promotion on L'oreal hair products. I not only had manufacturer coupons to use, but there was a promotion in store wherein if you purchased three L'oreal hair dye products, you received $8 in extra care rewards (store credit toward future purchases). I was able to combine these savings methods, in addition to redeeming an Ibotta credit for $3; $2 rebate for one box of hair dye and $1 for root cover up (shameless plug for my YouTube channel, but I explain this exact shopping trip here. I highly recommend downloading the Ibotta app to your smart phone, it really does add up over time. I have earned over $160 in cash, just simply from taking a few minutes from each shopping trip and redeeming qualifying purchases. Use my referral code to get started on your earnings: gaotcgw!

I really like Saving Star because if you link up your grocery cards from Giant, CVS and Harris Teeter, and each week you look at the offers available for rebate redemption, all you have to do is select the product and then the linked accounts will do the work for you. There are a few retailers where you have to manually scan your receipt into the app to redeem for your purchases, don't worry though, its very specific instructions in the app of what to do! I've only been using this app for a couple of months and have already earned back almost $20!

Checkout 51 is very similar to Ibotta, you do need to manually scan your receipts and select the items you want to redeem. It's well worth it, I've already redeemed $25 since using this app.

Ebates you can use both in app for actual in store purchases but also on the website for your online purchases. Ebates is a very simple concept; if you are going to purchase an item, simply search for the retailer to see if they are offering a sale/cash back. I have used Ebates in store a few times now at Bed Bath and Beyond, the percentages are often small, but every little bit adds up! Simply link a credit card and each time you pay, you will be eligible for cash back and sales when promotions are available. Use my referral code to get started: https://www.ebates.com/r/AMANDA67032?eeid=28187.

If you are a skeptic, trust me, these apps really are great. Yes, like anything, it does take some work, but I'd rather be earning back a much as possible on purchases I'm going to be making anyways. Rebate apps won't make you rich overnight, but every little bit will add up much faster than you'll realize. Seriously, I had hit a slump when I was only able to redeem $0.25 here and there for items I was going to get, and the next thing I knew, I had $12 in my account...it adds up fast!


I hope this helps to anyone interested, might as well take advantage of cash back opportunities in this crazy digital age we live in.

If you haven't already, please subscribe so you get awesome info right to your inbox :)

Thanks for reading!

xo, Amanda

March for Our Lives

Hello readers!

Over the weekend, close to a million if not more attended the March for Our Lives rally in DC, (not evening counting the marches around the country) demanding for  more sensible gun laws. Over the years, the amount of mass shootings has reached a horrific number; yet politicians have only done so much to stop these mass shootings from happening, if not blocking important steps to enable more safety from these deadly weapons. 

Let me make one thing perfectly clear, I am all for the Second Amendment, I have friends who own guns, I have shot a gun. I am not for taking guns away, I am in full support of keeping the Second Amendment in tact. What I am not in favor of, however, is how easily it for people who shouldn't have access to firearms, and how these semi assault and automatic rifles are available for non military purposes. 

Back to the rally, I was so moved by all of the speeches, and musicians who came out showing all of their support. All of the speeches were very well done, but I must say I am biased and was most looking forward to hearing what Emma Gonzalez had to say. If you don't know who I'm talking about, you need to. I loved her speech, for anyone who didn't see it, click here. Not only were her words and presence captivating, but the symbolism of the length of her entire stage time is what sent the chill down my spine; six minutes and 20 seconds of time on stage is how long it took for the deranged shooter to do his evil. Some frozen microwavable  dinners take longer to cook than the time it took to take 17 beautiful lives with a gun. 

What are some solutions that we need to enact to actually make a change? In no particular order, stop taking contributions from the NRA, yes Marco Rubio, you're one the Politian's I'm looking at. Vote for people who are going to take a stronger stance on gun laws, and background checks, don't block them. Most importantly, stop having access for these high kill weapons available for standard civilian use. No one, except for people in combat, or highly trained and skilled security people like police or FBI, need access to these weapons. 

I'm only one person, but if we all take action and put our heads together, maybe one day, very much sooner than later, these mass shootings, and overall gun violence will become so seldom, we won't be hearing about any gun tragedies again. Wishful thinking, but it can happen. 

Thanks for reading, please subscribe (button to your left)

xo

Hillary Clinton--What Happened--My Review

Hello!

We are nearly one year into the new administration, and I'm wondering how the hell we got here. I'm not going to go into much of my personal feelings of what I think of the policies and behaviors coming out of the White House, but I can definitely say I don't see how we are setting a good example for our children when the President exhibits the behaviors he does.

I was/am a Hillary Clinton supporter, and I volunteered very hard for her campaign. I'm not saying she is perfect by any means, Mrs. Clinton has stated her faults in her book, What Happened in regards to her campaign; it is a very interesting and well written piece of literature.

Hillary Clinton goes into specifics about her lifelong career as a lawyer and of course her various political titles and experiences. Two of the major components that are covered in her book are those damn emails and of course Russia and its interference.

The different media outlets covered the emails on multiple occasion, even after investigations and hearings revealed no new major information came to surface. Hillary Clinton writes how she never really got a  chance to get her message out to the American voters because the focus was typically on this scandal.

There is another very detailed chapter about Russia and Donald Trump's relationship with Vladimr Putin. She describes it as dangerous.

Overall, my feelings of the book would give it a solid B+. I feel that it is a little bit long; you don't really get into the meat of what happened during the campaign until the middle; the first half is a mixture of her overall life career, as opposed to simply sticking to the campaign. Those points are of course important to give a person the complete picture of who she is as a person and politician, but I felt there was too much added fluff.

I definitely would recommend this book to interested parties, just giving them the heads up that it does have those added tidbits, for the first half (still very interesting information to read!). Her experiences really show that when you want something so bad, and you may not get the accomplishment you are striving for so hard, not to give up. It was pretty painful to read the chapter on her losing, but, she kept everything as positive as possible. You have to give her credit for not ever giving up, no matter what is thrown at her.

I hope that if ever given the opportunity to meet Hillary Clinton, I will be among the many others who gets a hug and a selfie from her!

Get your copy today here!

Xo, Amanda

As always please subscribe!

DIY Pampering

Hello!

Ladies (and gents), when was the last time you pampered yourself?  Everyone has their own different versions of TLC; maybe its retail therapy, or a night out dancing, heck, it could just be a night in, with a good glass of wine, a book, and a nice fuzzy blanket. Some of my personal favorites are DIY, saving my bank account. 

For Christmas, I was given an Amazon gift card, and trust me, it wasn't hard to spend. One gift that I've been wanting to treat myself to for a long time is an at home gel manicure and pedicure set. I went on to Amazon and got one that was pretty budget friendly only ($23.99!), this UV light dries the gel polish so quickly and effectively. The gel polishes that I got came in a pack of 6, with different colors, you can choose varying packs with color options, these are the ones I chose, and they came out great! 

Another fun DIY pamper is for your hair. Ladies, do you want super soft and healthy hair? Try my secret, I got this recipe online and it works. A tip for this, put the mask on dirty hair, it absorbs better, and then shampoo and condition as you would normally.

I don't measure anything, I just eyeball the amount. Put in a sauce pan on low heat, (this is very important because the mixture heats up very quickly) raw honey and coconut oil. Let both melt and then lather your entire head in the mixture. Keep on for 30 minutes to an hour, either in a pony tail, or a head piece you don't mind washing. Rinse out the mixture first in the shower and then wash. Your hair will look very shiny and soft, I've gotten many compliments on how healthy my hair looks. This method is very budget friendly, and they are ingredients you can eat, so you aren't putting any harsh chemicals on your hair. 

Happy TLC!

Thanks for reading.

Xo, Amanda

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#MeToo

Hello!

I was hesitant to blog about this topic, but I figured, if people don't talk about it, that is part of the problem.

The ending of 2017, a social media hashtag movement began, #metoo. When I first saw my friends posting theirs, I was wondering what the hashtag was all about. I quickly learned that it was about sexual Harassment and assault. I was saddened to see so many of my peers posting these simple yet hurtful words, giving an illustration that unwanted advancements, both verbally and physically, happen all too often. I too shared my own #metoo, however, I was very lucky that mine wasn't a severe moment that put my life in a danger I couldn't handle.

As the Golden Globes aired, I watched the opening monologue, hosted by Seth Meyers, and laughed at his jokes, but also realized many of them were not in reality funny as it was very much related to this whole #metoo movement and the men who came forward or were accused of unwanted behaviors. They are all horrible, but the one that truly broke my heart was hearing about Matt Lauer, though he specifically wasn't brought up during the monologue. I grew up watching Matt on "Today" and truly was blindsided that a man I thought was a genuine respectable human being, had this other side to him.

I try to keep content politically neutral, but I can't keep silent on this particular post. I find it so incredibly sad and pathetic that ever since Mr. Trump came into office, all these behaviors came to the surface from multiple sources. I still cannot believe that after the Access Hollywood Tape was brought to everyone's attention, we still elected this man. It boggles me every single day, that a man who openly bragged about his sexual assault and harrasment tendencies because of his star power. How are we supposed to set an example for future generations, when the leader of the free world gets away with dialogue and sickening behaviors like this?

I guess I can say thank you in actuality to Mr. Trump for doing this. Not because his behavior is wonderful, but because this has now become a nationwide if not world wide discussion. Behavior and language like this will not be tolerated, afterall #timesup. Time is up because now women will be fighting harder for equality in all aspects, its 2018!!!!! Equal pay, no more #metoo because everyone should feel safe in both professional and personal environments. A side note to this, Hoda Kotb, who is now the official replacement of Matt Lauer has even said that even though she is doing the same work that Matt was doing previously, her salary isn't anywhere close to his. Why isn't she making equal pay for equal work?

I truly hope that all of these social movements will actually bring about change to our country and world, where we can respect one another, and the only thing that makes us different, is biology.

Thanks for reading.

Xo, Amanda

Tysons Corner--America's Next Great City

Hello readers!

I live right outside of our Nation's Capitol, in the heart of Tyson's Corner, which actually has been named America's next great city! My family actually owns the domain name, www.tysonscityusa.com. We would love to talk to anyone interested in creating a great website for it!

I have been a resident of Vienna/Tysons Corner for nearly 20 years and have had a first hand witness to of the all of the real estate developments. Tysons Corner mall  has been one of the major changes in local attractions in the area. About ten years ago, one of the first huge developments that changed the mall was the addition of the movie theater and additional food court. Developers built it so that patrons could enjoy the convenience of the theatre directly adjacent to the food court offering a variety of different dining options, as well as TGI Fridays restaurant for a more formal restaurant experience.

Other additions to the mall are the constantly changing retail stores, and most recently, the plaza which was developed Summer of 2014. The plaza during the winter months has the ice skating rink available, as well as the annual Christmas tree lighting in addition to fire pits to cozy up to. During Spring and Summer, the plaza offers free events such as the Summer concert series, as well as outdoor family friendly games and activities. The Shake Shack is in one corner of the plaza offering delicious burger and of course milk shake options. Other dining options on the plaza are the Barrel and Bushel with both indoor and outdoor seating for drinks and dining, Earls Kitchen and Bar, and Eddie V's.  

The other really great attraction, or in this case, lodging/living arrangements are the Hyatt Regency Hotel, and the Vita Tysons apartments. The hotel is connected to the Barrel and Bushel restaurant and the mall, while the apartments are connected to the silver metro line, which was added just a few years ago. The metro is a great transportation addition for not only bus lines into DC, but also transportation around the area.

Tysons City truly is a great area to live, as its not only family friendly, but also provides a sense of community. The Vienna Community Center has various community events, there are thrift stores, library, several schools to accommodate the various zip codes, etc.  

Progresso Stew

Hello!

Brrrrr, it's been freezing outside, literally. Today it went up to maybe 20° outside.

Everyone loves a good hot meal on a cold winter day like today. Sometimes, though, you don't have the time, or desire to cook, yet crave a delicious meal in a flash. One thing my family does is buy Progresso soup and then bulk them up! It's like a crock pot stew, without all of the time and preparation!

We purchase a few different variations and then dress them up: Chicken Cheese Enchilada, Chicken Corn Chowder are two of our favorites soup/stews to make. Simply open the cans, and pour them in your soup pan. We add rotisserie chicken, steamed vegetables, Uncle Ben's Instant Rice, and croutons. It certainly adds a lot of flavor and bulk to the soup base. We also spice up the flavor with Garlic powder, Onion powder,  Old Bay seasoning, and Worchestire sauce.

You can of course add any variation that you fancy, these are ones they we have enjoyed thus far. And it only takes 15 minutes to prepare. Easy!

Enjoy

Xoxo, Amanda

"Alexa"

Hello everyone!

Happy New year to you all!

Now that the holidays are winding down, people are getting back into their routines, kids going back to school, and the start of the New Year is here. One of my resolutions that I have made to myself is to blog more and talk about interesting content. I was sitting here at my desk thinking, what do people want to read about? How will I keep other's attention?

Well....one thing that I think we can all agree on is that we love our tech toys and gadgets. A gift that my family received for Christmas was a wonderful Amazon Echo that many refer to as "Alexa." "Alexa" is awesome, she gives you a lot of useful information when asked. All you have to do is set her up to the Wi-Fi and then download the app to your phone or device and then program the settings based on your preferences. I personally have my location set up so that we can have up to the minute weather reporting, as well as any question that is geographically impacted can be answered as accurately as possible. Other settings include setting up your favorite music stations, whether it be through Spotify, Pandora, Amazon Music, etc.

The possibilities are endless as to what you can ask of "Alexa." She will give you facts based on availability  (I asked how old the Queen of England is, 91 for her Royal Majesty!) Want to hear a joke, "Alexa, tell me a joke"....and she will deliver. Want to set a timer for cooking "Alexa, set cooking time for 15 minutes." Want a soft alarm clock, "Alexa wake me up at 6am to soft music." You can also link her to your Amazon Prime Account and ask her to order you something and receive updates as to the status of your order.

Need more suggestions, there is a "Skills" email you can subscribe to and you will receive a weekly email as to new suggestions you can try with "Alexa." Go ahead and discover the power and convenience behind this new gadget, you'll love it as much as we do. Click here to get yours today!

Thanks for reading, please go ahead and Subscribe your email so that you get automatic updates as to when I post next. I'm going to be adding great content on a weekly basis! Have a suggestion, please leave a comment, I'd love to hear your suggestions.

xo, Amanda