i'm (not so) ashamed to say that we have eaten out every night this week. monday: chickfila. tuesday: chipotle before little ninja class, thai food after. weds: happy hour beverages with renee from @ novamag and then dinner/drinks with supernovamommy and belwaybargainmom. tonight we finally slowed down and pulled out the pannini machine. o. m. g. i swear that thing could make pickled beets taste delish! i think that i have finally mastered the art of making a turkey and cheese pannini. but tonight, i was a little adventurous and added some smashed avocado! i can't claim that it was healthy. i mean, i served kettle cooked bbq chips as a side. at least B had orange juice ... isn't that a serving of fruit? --- ps, i did buy a bag of lentils at the grocery store this week. my next door neighbor's peruvian madre makes a killer dish with lentils, onions, ground beef, and garlic that is served over rice. i've never cooked them before and i can't find a recipe that i like... so i'm just going to wing it tomorrow for dinner. if anyone has a recipe that they'd like to share, i'm all ears! :)
Fotos by Nadine is offering one of our readers a sexy photo session on Saturday, January 28! This would be a great Valentine's Day gift for your hubby/bf/babydaddy. Nadine has rented two luxury suites in a gorgeous hotel in Old Town Alexandria. Professional make up will be done in one suite and the photo session in the other. The winner will be completely pampered - drinking champagne and eating strawberries while getting ready for the shoot! The rooms are beautiful and will be an amazing backdrop for the pictures (french doors, blue satin wallpapers....just awesome). *The session will last 1.5 hours and has a value of $290!! (winner may apply giveaway value towards a larger package if desired)
 We took some time last night and had a BLAST making our own chocolate candies and simply eating the chocolate out of the bowl. My three year old absolutely loves being in the kitchen with me. This was a simple project for him to put together and it only took about 30 minutes! We added peanut butter, marshmallow, and nuts to create our own masterpieces :) Enter to win your own kit!
Verve, Inc. (The manufacturers of Glee Gum.) is an independent, family-owned business that is dedicated to linking world communities and creating environmentally and socially responsible products and activities. Verve also has a Make Your Own Chewing Gum and Make Your Own Gummies Kits.
announcing new events exclusive for novahousewives.com readers! bring out your bffs and enjoy a ladies night sponsored by some awesome local businesses! i am SO excited about this! (and finally getting to meet all of you!) check out the events page and sign up today. enjoy free services, raffles, giveaways, exclusive event discounts, swag bags and FUN - all while getting to mix and mingle with other local ladies. we are lining up a few more events and will let you know more details as i get them. please email me your feeback/questions/comments. i would love to hear from you all! (also would love to hear your suggestions for future events/locations) xoxo
Alicia Russman, owner of Undeniable Boutique at Fairfax Corner, has traveled the globe for the last eight years observing trends in boutique fashion and taking note of eye-catching labels and products. As a result, she has brought global flair to her Fairfax Corner boutique. Alicia carries a lot of "not-so-conservative" lines from the West Coast as well as Europe and Australia. This spring, she'll be adding more international labels. "I've really tried to bring something different to the area so women who like a unique look have a place to shop. 'Dress for the occasion, but not like everyone else' - is one of my taglines." Describe yourself in three words: Always inviting change What do you consider your greatest professional achievement? While I'd like to think my greatest achievement is yet to come, my most notable accomplishment to date is planning and opening Undeniable Boutique. What are your professional goals for the next six months? Most of my professional goals are related to the growth of my boutique and marketing consulting businesses, but more importantly, I want to expand my network of women business owners and professionals. I wouldn't have gotten anywhere professionally without the mentoring and support I've received from so many strong women business leaders. How does your company stay connected through social media? I've spent the last eight years of my career preaching the importance of social media to professional services companies. I'm thankful to have been with a technology company during the social media boom or I'm afraid I still wouldn't get it! I use social media outlets daily, but know that I need to be doing more (add that to my list of professional goals for the next six months!). Here are some of my daily outlets: www.linkedin.com/in/aliciarussman, www.linkedin.com/company/undeniable-boutique-llc, twitter.com/arrussman, www.facebook.com/undeniableboutique, www.fashionlista.com, www.lipstickrocks.com, to name a few! What profession other than yours would you like to attempt? I wouldn't quite attempt it, but I'd love to be a back-up singer for a professional, touring band or a dancer. Sadly, I wasn't blessed with any musical talent but a good ear! How do you maintain a work/life balance?Who says I do? :) What website do you visit every day?Admittedly, Facebook, especially now that it's the only active site for my boutique's online presence. What is the first thing you think of when you wake up in the morning? My to-do list and how I'm going to accomplish everything I set out to do that day (which rarely happens). What book do you casually put out on your coffee table to impress visitors? Typically the only publications that end up on my coffee table include health/fitness and gossip magazines -- so not impressive, but entertaining! What is your favorite spot to visit in Northern Virginia?This is a tough one; there are so many! My favorite clear-your-head spot is Burke Lake. I love being outdoors and running/walking the 5-mile trail around the lake with my dog. I'm from upstate NY and being near a lake makes me feel at home. What is your goal for retirement? As odd as it may sound, running my boutique is my retirement plan. I don't think I'll ever be able to stop working entirely. I'll be happy when the business is profitable and able to run more smoothly - that will feel like retirement to me! Also, having more time to travel is a long-term, semi-retirement goal. Do you have any advice for women who would like to start their own company? My advice is terribly clichéd but worth repeating - don't let anyone tell you it can't be done! I had a major career change when I opened Undeniable Boutique. I had no previous retail or business ownership experience - the two things potential business partners, lenders, real estate management companies and vendors wanted to see on my resume before entering into business with me. I spent close to two years pitching these entities and trying to prove my concept. I knew I had the experience, passion and drive to build a successful business. Each and every day will be spent proving those who didn't give me a chance, wrong! My other advice is to talk to people who have been there before you. I reached out to many strangers who I now consider close friends. The first-hand experiences and insights they shared taught me more about business ownership than any book or MBA course ever could! Stay connected with Alicia: Twitter: @arrussmanFacebook: facebook.com/undeniableboutique www.undeniableboutique.comWIN A VIP SHOPPING PARTY AT UNDENIABLE BOUTIQUE
one of my sorority sisters is the asst editor at the mag and she's looking to highlight women who go on "girlfriend getaways" with their friends and Is looking for some groups of friends (or it could be just two best friends) to feature in the story. Are you - or do you know of any women in their 30s, 40s or 50s that would be interested? Do you know a woman that you know goes on little weekend trips with her friends a lot; you, a coworker, your mom. Any interested parties should email Sonia! sonia.harmon@meredith.com. make sure you tell her that you heard about the feature from her "rose sister"! :)
 this is a great charity event and a great cause! take a look at the details from First Impression Salon: Please join us on Saturday, February 11, 2012 to help stop violence against women. The proceeds from this event will be donated to Vday. Vday is a global movement with grassroots activists dedicated to generating broader attention and funds to stop the violence against women and girls including rape, battery, incest, female gentile mutulation (FGM) and sex slavery. We will honor women in our community who have overcome major adversities throughout life. These women are major contributors to our communities and are making a difference with their message and are changing the lives for many in and around this area. We will be showcasing the latest trends in cocktail and evening gowns, jewelery, hair and makeup during an exclusive fashion show sponsored by Curvy Girls Bridal Boutique. All of our models have overcome adversities and challenges and have earned their place on our stage. Come show your support and raise awareness for this empowering cause! Drinks, hors d'oeuvres, giveaways and a silent auction with donated items provided by our sponsors will all be part of our wonderful evening! event registration and more information
_ The newly opened Undeniable Boutique at Fairfax Corner will treat you and up to 10 of your closest friends to a private shopping party, including a 15% discount on all purchases! Enjoy light snacks and cocktails while getting personalized style advice and access to contemporary brands from around the globe at discounted prices. Undeniable Boutique is for women who like to dress for the occasion - but not like everyone else. Their styles strike a balance between timeless and fashion-forward, appealing to women who value a comfortable fit, innovative design and distinct expression. Undeniable is ageless style retrofitted with contemporary spirit. When you need the perfect outfit, visit Undeniable Boutique. Check out their facebook page. To Enter:
- "Like" our page Facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/realhousewivesnova
- Contribute through posts, comments and likes. Share us with your friends.
- Receive points for the quality of your participation.
Contest ends January 31st at 11:59 EST. Winners will be announced by February 1, 2012.
Check out Real Housewives of Northern Virginia Scoreboard. Points are updated by the system at the end of each day.
_so excited to announce that I am officially a part of the Washington Family Magazine team! I will be helping out as an ambassador at local events and you can now find a link to my blog on their site. woo hoo!
 _We got opening night tickets to check out a local production of Darius the Dragon and Rap-Punzel by Encore Stage and Studio. We were so excited to go. My three year old son had been talking about "going to see the dragon" all week! I was quite impressed by the cast and the talent in the play. All characters were played by children, and they didn't miss a beat! There were several points during Darius the Dragon where my son was laughing out loud. He loved Darius, the Mayor (a petite little fifth grader whose smile was contagious), and the Police Chief. During Rap-Punzel, we watched and listened as the Witch tended to her live, talking garden and kept Rapunzel locked up in the tower. At one point, the witch said a line with the same exact tone as the witch in Tangled... she was doing such a great job, I was just waiting for her to start singing "Mother Knows Best"! After the show we went in the lobby to meet the cast, but of course my son was too shy to ge t any autographs or pictures. I don't blame him. The first character we walked up to was the witch with glowing green make up and black lips. I should have started with the prince! order your tickets online!Performance Dates: Fri. Jan. 6 at 7:30 pm Sat. Jan. 7 at 11:00 am and 3:00 pm Sun. Jan. 8 at 3:00 pm Fri. Jan. 13 at 7:30 pm Sat. Jan. 14 at 11:00 am and 3:00 pm Sun. Jan. 15 at 3:00 pm Performed at: The Artisphere's Spectrum Theatre 1611 North Kent Street Arlington, Virginia 22209
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