so we're outside playing this afternoon and this bird falls out of the sky. stranger things have happened, i'm sure. but this is a pretty big bird. almost looks like a duck, but no webbed feet. crazy.

anyone else have birds falling out of the sky in their neighborhood?

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® presents Fully Charged
to Bring a Surge of Excitement to Washington, DC Area

CLICK HERE TO ENTER TO WIN TICKETS TO THE FAIRFAX & BALTIMORE SHOWS!

The Greatest Show On Earth arrives at the Verizon Center, March 15 – 18 and the Patriot Center, April 4 – 15

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey presents Fully Charged isan all-new surge of circus entertainment where megawatts of thrills explode off of the arena floor with breathtaking dare-devilry, superhuman stunts and never-before-seen performances that energize Children Of All Ages! Fully Charged invites families to disconnect from the digital world and plug into a circus experience like no other. The 141st Edition of The Greatest Show On Earth is themost electrifying edition of Ringling Bros. ever to come to DC!

Fully Charged performs at two arenas in the Washington, DC area – the Verizon Center in the District from March 15 – 18 and the Patriot Center in Fairfax, Va. from April 4 – 15. Fully Charged will also perform at the 1st Mariner Arena in Baltimore, Md. from March 21 – April 1.

Fully Charged is lead by dynamo newcomer, Brian Crawford Scott, only the 36th Ringmaster in the 141-year history of Ringling Bros. The amazing acts of Fully Charged include Tabayara, a dynamic animal trainer whose rare ability to communicate with animals allows him to ride rearing stallions at a fully-charged gallop, orchestrate majestic four-ton Asian elephants in a symphony of dance, and stand eye to eye in a cage with 12 ferocious tigers.

Audiences will feel the earth shake when the strongman duo of Dmitry and Ruslan, who are as wide as they are tall, enter the arena. The fearless Fernandez Brothers dial up the thrills as they perform daring feats of athleticism on the Twin Turbines of Steel, including extreme jumps and twists inside the moving wheels! Ever wonder how many clowns it takes to change a light bulb? The hilarious hoopla continues to flow as the clowns from the world-famous Ringling Bros. Clown Alley, charge up the audiences’ funny bones with hysterical silly antics and clownish comedy. You can only experience this current of excitement at Ringling Bros. Fully Charged!

The All Access Power Up Pre-show Party is hosted one hour before show time and is free to ticket holders. The Pre-show allows audience members to meet and take photos with performers, try on circus costumes, learn circus skills and have the chance to win a painting created by Asia, a true pachyderm Picasso.

WASHINGTON, DC SHOW

The Verizon Center | March 15 - 18, 2012

Show times:

·         Thursday, March 15 – 10:30 am, 7:30 pm

·         Friday, March 16 – 7:30 pm

·         Saturday, March 17 – 11:30 am, 3:30 pm, 7:30 pm

·         Sunday, March 18 - 11:30 am, 3:30 pm, 7:30 pm

 

DC Ticket Prices: $35.00/$30.00/$18.00/$14.00 (Circus Celebrity, Front Row and VIP available)

Ticket Information: Tickets can be purchased at all Ticketmaster outlets, by phone at 800-551-SEAT, via www.ticketmaster.com, and the Verizon Center box office.

BALTIMORE, MD SHOW

1st Mariner Arena | March 21 – April 1, 2012

Show Times:

·         Wednesday, March 21 – 7:30 pm

·         Thursday, March 22 – 7:30 pm

·         Friday, March 23 – 10:30 am, 7:30 pm

·         Saturday, March 24 – 11:30 am, 3:30 pm, 7:30 pm

·         Sunday, March 25 – 1:00 pm, 5:00 pm

·         Tuesday, March 27 – 7:30 pm

·         Wednesday, March 28 – 7:30 pm

·         Thursday, March 29 – 10:30; 7:30

·         Friday, March 30 – 7:30 pm

·         Saturday, March 31 – 11:30 am, 3:30 pm, 7:30 pm

·         Sunday, April 1 – 1:00 pm, 5:00 pm

Baltimore Ticket Prices: $26.00/$18.00/$14.00 (Circus Celebrity, Front Row and VIP available)

Ticket Information: Tickets can be purchased at all Ticketmaster outlets, by phone at 800-551-SEAT, via www.ticketmaster.com, and the 1st Mariner Arena box office.

FAIRFAX, VA SHOW

The Patriot Center | April 4 – April 15, 2012

Show times:

·         Wednesday, April 4 – 7:00 pm

·         Thursday, April 5 – 7:00 pm

·         Friday, April 6 – 1:00 pm, 7:30 pm

·         Saturday, April 7 – 11:30 am, 3:30 pm, 7:30 pm

·         Sunday, April 8 – 1:00 pm, 5:00 pm

·         Thursday, April 12 – 7:00 pm

·         Friday, April 13 – 10:30 am; 7:00 pm

·         Saturday, April 14 – 11:30 am, 3:30 pm; 7:30 pm

·         Sunday, April 15 – 1:00 pm, 5:00 pm

Fairfax Ticket Prices: $30.00/$18.00/$14.00 (Circus Celebrity, Front Row and VIP available)

Ticket Information: Tickets can be purchased at all Ticketmaster outlets, by phone at 800-551-SEAT, via www.ticketmaster.com, and the Patriot Center box office.

For additional information about Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey, please visit www.ringling.com.

CLICK HERE TO WIN TWO TICKETS TO SEE PETRUSHKA!

The Shakespeare Theatre Company is pleased to welcome puppeteer Basil Twist’s extraordinary re-imagining of the Ballet Russes production of Petrushka. The Shakespeare Theatre Company will join three local leading arts organizations in presenting a festival celebrating world-renowned puppeteer Basil Twist. STC, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company and the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center at the University of Maryland will host several original productions by the puppeteer who has been described as "one of the most ambitious and imaginative...in contemporary puppetry."

First commissioned for the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, Petrushka premiered in 2001 and tells the tragic love story of three puppets at a Russian carnival. Petrushka, the clown, falls in love with the winsome Ballerina at first sight. The conniving and rich Moor loves the Ballerina as well, and seduces her with beautiful things. She rejects the earnest advances of Petrushka, who, upset and lonely, confronts the Moor. Have these puppets come to life, or are they merely playing out a story being told?

Reality and magic are woven together by the deft hand of Basil Twist, against the backdrop of a specially created two-piano version of Stravinsky’s original ballet score. Nine hidden puppeteers use a combination of Czech and Japanese techniques to bring the puppets and Basil Twist’s vision to life. The performance opens with an abstract fantasia of puppetry, set to Stravinsky’s Sonata for Two Pianos.


Exclusive Restaurant Partner for Petrushka: Ella's Wood Fired Pizza


Recommended for children in 3rd grade and above.

A Magic Carpet Ride from Arlington to Arabia
Encore Stage & Studio proudly presents The Magical Lamp of Aladdin

CLICK HERE TO ENTER TO WIN!

Production Runs March 9-18, 2012

Arlington, VA – Encore Stage & Studio brings the warm deserts and pristine palaces of Arabia
to Arlington with its production of The Magical Lamp of Aladdin. Join us for an exciting
adventure this March!

The production runs March 9 through 18 at Kenmore Middle School (200 S. Carlin Springs
Road Arlington, Virginia 22204). Recommended for ages 4 and up. Adults $12; Children,
Students, and Seniors $10. Tickets are on sale now and may be purchased at
www.encorestage.org. Group discounts are available.

In this thrilling ride, the adventurous Aladdin crosses paths with the evil magician Jammal and
his wicked sister Halima. Aladdin must team up with his clever monkey, the beautiful Princess
Jasmine, and three comical genies to prevent his magic lamp from falling into the wrong
hands. There will be special pre-performance music by Prelude Youth Orchestra on March 10
and 11 at the 3 p.m. performances.

Encore Stage & Studio is excited to announce Chuck Leonard as director of this spring
production. Mr. Leonard describes the venue, “The space here at Kenmore is beautiful; the
auditorium is gorgeous; the backstage space is great… we’re ready to put on a great show.”

Mr. Leonard currently teaches for the Honors College at George Mason University. Since
2006, Mr. Leonard has worked as Director of Education for the Chesapeake Shakespeare
Company in Maryland, where he has also acted and designed for the company as well. His
credits also include directing numerous musicals for the Silver Bay YMCA of the Adirondacks
and as a teaching artist at Wolf Trap Institute.

Encore Stage & Studio’s expert design team for this production includes: Susan Keady
(Artistic Director), Debra Leonard (Costume Design & Build, Makeup Design), Marji
Jepperson (Props, Set Dressing), and Michael Null (Set Design & Build, Lights).

Performance Dates and Showtimes for The Magical Lamp of Aladdin:
Friday, March 9 at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, March 10 at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.

Sunday, March 11 at 3 p.m.
Saturday, March 17 at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.
Sunday, March 18 at 3 p.m.

Encore Stage & Studio’s 2011/2012 season is sponsored in part through generous support
from BB&T.

Encore Stage & Studio is supported in part by the Virginia Commission for the Arts, the
National Endowment for the Arts, and by the Arlington County Cultural Affairs Division and
the Arlington Commission for the Arts.

Encore Stage & Studio thanks Arlington Public Schools and the staff and administration of
Kenmore Middle School for the use of the auditorium for this production.

About Encore Stage & Studio: “Theatre by kids, for kids of all ages!” Founded in 1967, as the
Children’s Theatre of Arlington, our mission is to build a lifelong appreciation for live theater
by involving young people in all aspects of theater arts --onstage, backstage, in the classroom,
and in the audience.

Encore strives to educate and entertain by offering five productions each season that are by
and for young people, and through enriching classes and workshops with qualified,
enthusiastic teaching artists. Participating in live theatre builds problem-solving skills,
teamwork, creativity, literacy, and self-confidence. We are cultivating the next generation of
active and engaged art lovers.

Visit Encore’s website at http://www.encorestage.org/, on Facebook at
http://www.facebook.com/EncoreArlington, or on Twitter at
http://www.twitter.com/EncoreArlington .

special guest blog post by my single, attractive, financially stable, foodie neighbor, Justin aka Bacon, Egg and Deez. 

I'm trying to imagine how this dinner conversation will go:

Hey, what do you want for dinner?
I don't know. 
Let's order in.
Pizza?
We just had pizza.
Chinese?
Ugh.
Burger King?
What?
I SAID BURGER KING, GRANDPA.
Oh right.  Burger King.  Let's do that.

Yeah you heard right.  Burger King has been testing out its delivery service in the DC area and it has finally made it to our neighborhood.  We received a flyer in the mail and decided to try it out.  Never mind the ginormous Chipotle burrito I just ate, we HAVE to test this out.  For science.

Ordering is simple through their website, http://bkdelivers.com/ or you can do it the old fashioned way by calling 855-OrderBK (855-573-3725).  Delivery hours are currently from 11 am to 10 pm and there is a minimum $8 order with a $2 delivery charge.  Besides the standard fare, there are delivery specials where you can order Whoppers and chicken sammiches in bulk.  Living up to its slogan, you can customize all the sammiches in your order so hold the pickles, hold the lettuce.

Here's what we ordered (this came out to around $20):
Whopper, no onions
Whopper Junior
Bacon and Cheddar BK topper, no ketchup
Mozzarella Sticks
French Fries
1 Hershey Sundae Pie
Diet Coke (bottle drinks are delivered instead of fountain drinks)

Now comes the wait...and we're still waiting...and waiting.  Note to self:  wait at least a week before trying out a new service.  A lot of things can happen an hour:  the Knicks can lose to the Heat, you say a lot of things about Burger King that you may or may not regret later, and you place 2 calls to Burger King asking about your Whopper and Hershey Sundae Pie. 

After an endless eternity (or about an hour), an apologetic Asian guy shows up (driving a Honda Civic, but that's not important).  Apparently their marketing worked because everyone wanted a Hershey Sundae Pie at the same time as you but to BK's credit, they did make attempts to call to inform us about the long wait.  2nd note to self:  keep your phone charged and turned on.  The manager threw in 3 extra pies for good measure so not all is lost. Food came out pretty good. 

The Whopper came in a special package that separated the top bun, lettuce, and tomato from the bottom bun and burger patty.  The french fries and mozzarella sticks came in boxes with holes to prevent sogginess and the Hershey Sundae Pies haven't completely melted.  The burgers were the same old flame-broiled goodness that you expect and the french fries and mozzarella sticks were still hot and tasty earning B's seal of approval.  The pies were regretfully delicious but we can worry about those tomorrow.  Whatever happens, happens is what I say.

How did it rate? 3/5 because of the wait.  We'll do an updated review later.
$$$:  The prices are comparable to going to BK yourself but there is the $2 convenience tax.  You can save money by ordering the delivery deals since you can get any sammich (3rd note to self).
Repeat customer:  Probably, but we'll wait another few weeks so they can work out the kinks.  Then it's lazy city from there on out.  God bless America.
Good for kids:  If they can wait 25 minutes to an hour.  There is a lack of a kids meal option on the delivery menu, so you'll have to get a free toy elsewhere.
Date night:  I don't recommend this for a date night if you just met the person.  Seriously, don't do it. 
Otherwise, it's a welcome change from pizza and Chinese for movie/game night. 

Bonus:  Sarah Michelle Gellar in a 1983 Burger King Commercial

_ Nichol and Shelly are two fabulous sisters behind the infamous Alice and Louise Catering and Cooking School. In addition to catering, Alice and Louise specializes in hands-on learning in the kitchen. A & L offers classes about cooking with herbs, crock-potting, and even a fun themed cupcake wars class! We sat down and interviewed Nichol, half of A & L!

Describe yourself in three words:
Both my sister and I are positive, passionate and supportive.

What do you consider your greatest professional achievement?
Our greatest achievement thus far is opening the doors to Alice and Louise Catering and Cooking School-achieving the first part of our dream together...however it ties in first place with 20 years of motherhood thus far for both of us.  She has three children and I have four.  That alone is a great and on going achievement.  It took us well over a year to open the doors, sometimes I did not go home until 3 am and Shelly would be up late nights working on the computer.  We both worked ungodly hours.  We struggled most spending the time away from our kids and allowing others to help with them, because we were used to being at home with them 24/7.  We always had a positive outlook because we had each other, when one was down or tired, the other became the cheerleader, the reminder of how blessed we are and how successful we were going to be.  We decided in the beginning that failure or negativity was not a part of our vocabulary.  We imagined, dreamed and committed to making it happen and we are still working towards it.

What are your professional goals for the next six months?
Our professional goals are to share our passion for food, a healthy lifestyle, a positive outlook in everything we do, resulting in giving back to our community and helping to support our families and grow our business.  For it all to come together in 6 months would be fabulous, but we will take it day by day, striving for the best for ourselves and for our customers.  Our goal is always to take the adversities of life, be it cooking better for our families under scheduling demands, or helping those with a health condition needing attention, or anything that we can do to better a life around us by sharing our passion with them.  
Shelly has brides, brides, brides and more brides on her brain!  This is definitely something she enjoys and is out of bounds good at!! I myself, am having a blast learning the business side and social media marketing.  I can't spit out (no pun intended) everything my brain wants to do in sales and marketing fast enough!  Everyday I have a new idea and I want to share it!

How does your company stay connected through social media?
We learn new things daily through social media!  We connect with so many different walks of life through social media.  We absorb all we can to see what the needs are out there and how we can apply our business, our knowledge...food bloggers, fitness bloggers, recipe and  cooking sites...we are always searching and spreading our new information or experiences to make our business applicable to today's families and individuals of this generation . 

Some of our favorite links are:
www.applesandonions.com
www.novahousewives.com
www.modernmom.com
www.bonappetit.com
www.facebook.com
www.momastery.com
www.owningpink.com
www.weswendesign.com
www.craigslist.org

What profession other than yours would you like to attempt? 
We both have other professions that we have taken on and continue to do:  Shelly, aka Louise, is and excellent event planner and has run a Reunion Company for many years.  Myself, aka Alice, have been a long time Fitness Professional. I still thoroughly enjoy teaching classes at Sport and Health.  WE BOTH WANT TO BE the next Madonna..Dancer, Rock Star :)....hahahaha...we love all that stuff!  We pretended to be all that when we were younger, dancing around the house and singing in to hairbrushes for microphones.

How do you maintain a work/life balance?
No other than inch by inch lifes a since, yard by yard makes it hard.  The two of us, as sisters, are always supportive of each other.  We know our family always comes first.  If one needs to go to be there for their children or our parents, or a dear friend, the other is always there to pick up the slack and keep the business rolling.  There is never a question or a doubt that one will be there for the other.  We don't even really think about it, it just happens.  We equally care about the business and our families and the importance of giving back what we receive.  

What website do you visit every day?
The Real Housewives of Northern Virginia of course!  :) Facebook is a constant.  We try to stay in contact with all of our clients and future clients that way.  We also visit DailyOM for positive feeds, Day by Day for positive faith and life lessons.  As well as all the ones we frequent listed above.

What is the first thing you think of when you wake up in the morning? 
Truthfully the first thing I think we both think of is how much we are blessed.  We start each morning thanking of all the things we are grateful for, all the things we love.  I know number one is our families, then the list goes on and on.  It then bleeds into our business and how much we are blessed to be doing exactly what we want to and  how good we feel when we throw a successful party, or an amazing corporate lunch, or a wedding we can't stop talking about.  We both get on a mental high every time we complete an event or a class because we get fed from the positive energy of our clients and how much they enjoy what we do!  There is nothing like seeing someones eyes light up in total appreciation and love for what you have done for them.  I don't go home tired...I go home pumped!

What book do you casually put out on your coffee table to impress visitors?
I am sure Shelly has many cookbooks and magazines and definitely wedding magazines on her table.  I have more home decorating, antiques and fitness.  Together we compliment an array of passions having to do with cooking, decorating, spirituality and fitness.

What is your favorite spot to visit in Northern Virginia?
Right now I think my most favorite spot in Northern Virginia is walking my dog around the Reston Towne Center because its close to home. My dog LOVEs all the attention he gets and I love people watching and seeing what they are enjoying...but that is probably only because that is all the time I have right now that I consider FREE time.  I absolutley am in love with The Wine Kitchen food I had a few weeks ago in Leesburg, I can't wait to go back!. Free People's Clothing store, section in the department stores and their web site...Love em!   Shelly's favorites are Alice & Louise Catering and Cooking School (ok, well that is for me too!)  South Moon Under, Anthropology, The Clifton Cafe and Peterson's Ice Cream

What is your goal for retirement?
We both can agree: somewhere sunny and warm 90% of the time!

Do you have any advice for women who would like to start their own company?
My advice is to to ask and ask and ask and ask for advice!  I wish we had asked for more advice and more help in important decisions.  We laugh now and say...it is our LARGE learning curve, we don't view anything as a mistake, but a life lesson on what not to do and how to do it better!  ASKING will save you time and money..just do it!

connect:
Alice and Louise
facebook
4449-A Brookfield Corporate Drive
Chantilly, VA 20151
703.657.0226

Northern Virginia’s Bloggers Come Together In A Quest To Let Mommies Sleep (official press release)

Micaela Williamson and Andrea Khoury have joined forces to support one woman's quest to let mommies sleep.  Local mom, Denise Stern, launched Mission Sleep, a non-profit organization that strives to provide free, overnight newborn care to military moms whose husbands are  deployed or wounded when baby arrives. Mission Sleep will provide an RN, LPN or Medical Technician to come into the home of a new mom and provide overnight care and education to that family, allowing mother to transition from hospital to home.

Andrea Khoury, explains, “I am a mom – and I know how valuable it is to have extra helping hands, especially when there is a newborn in the picture. Mission Sleep is providing women with an incredibly valuable service. When moms are physically or mentally exhausted, helping hands are such a blessing!”

Northern Virginia’s bloggers will come together to support Mission Sleep on Tuesday,  February 21 from 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. at Chic Envy in Fairfax Corner. Bloggers will tweet, link, and blog live from the event to help spread the word about Mission
Sleep and their deserving organization. You can follow the hashtag #NOVAlive on twitter during the event to stay up to date on fundraising efforts. 

Generous donations toward the event have been made by AT&T, Red Door Spa, and Lost Creek Winery.
To make a donation, please visit www.missionsleep.org.


for more information, please contact realhousewivesnova@gmail.com.

_let's just start out by saying... this was probably the BEST "on ice" show that I have been to. ever. usually, I judge kids events based on the happiness of my child. most things i do are FOR him anyways. but 100 Years of Magic was simply incredible. 

100 Years of Magic is more like a musical on ice. there was no story line to follow, which was great for me, my attention span, and my three year old. I was singing along to every song (yes, I still remember all the words from my own childhood).

there were appearances from the cast of Lion King, Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast, Pinocchio, Incredibles, and so much more. Of course, there was a great showing of the Disney Princesses. 

I strongly encourage you to check out this production with your kids. and not only kids, there were lots of childless couples there - date night idea! tickets range from $25-75.

sit back, relax, and enjoy the magic of Disney! your only worry of the night will be making sure not to drop your $12 snow cone on the floor.

lovebun snapped a picture of this and emailed it to me with a big WTF?!
i've never had it before, but I saw it on Top Chef once :)

_ We are giving away 4 two-packs of tickets to the Capital Home & Garden show --  enter your info below to win!

_**winners will be selected on 2/18. winners must pick up tickets!

The 2012 Capital Home & Garden Show will feature 250+ diverse local exhibits this February.  Visitors will find more topics and expert presentations than ever on stage, along with a wide-ranging selection of local businesses that specialize in home and garden related products and services.  Celebrities and experts alike will be on hand offering advice for any home project.  Get ideas, investigate new products, gather the facts and meet the professionals to make your next landscape, re-design, or decorating project a breeze!

Dulles Expo Center
4320 Chantilly Shopping Center
Chantilly, VA 20153
map

Friday, February 24: 10am – 9pm
Saturday, February 25: 9am – 9pm
Sunday, February 26: 10am – 6pm

Purchase Online for Discounted Tickets
Adults: $7 (online); $10 (at the door)
Children 6-12 years: $3
5 and under: FREE

Features             
Kimberly Lacy, project manager on HGTV’s Curb Appeal: The Block; Mike McGrath, garden expert, host of the nationally syndicated Public Radio Show You Bet Your Garden and WTOP’s Garden Editor;
Idea Gardens, fabulous gardens created by the region's top landscaping companies, featuring the newest gardening techniques and designs;  The Orchid, a life-sized orchid weaves her way through her surroundings with exotic grace.       

www.capitalhomeandgardenshow.com