As a hobby esthetician I LOVE trying out tons of new skincare, bodycare and makeup, but I always find myself going back to my tried and true products. Although everyone’s skin is different, and everyone’s makeup preferences are different, I have this nagging need to share my favorite products so that someone else with dry, sensitive skin and zero free time might stubble upon this and fall in love with “my” products too. So, without further ado, here it is:

• Fresh Soy Face Wash – so gentle, but gets everything off!
• Kate Somerville ExfoliKate Gentle – fruit enzymes and a scrub in one step…
• Kinerase Intensive Eye Cream (the ONLY one that keeps my eyes smooth)
• Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer
• Guerlain Terra Cotta bronzer
• Bobby Brown Shimmer Brick highlighter
• Bare Minerals eye shadows – the widest array of colors, can be used dry or wet, last forever and are all natural…
• Dior Diorshow Blackout mascara
• Aveda Hand Relief – smells amazing, stays on through hand washing, but doesn’t feel greasy!
• Korres Guava Body Cream
• Fresh Sugar Lip Balm (keeps chapped lips at bay)

There are a couple of items I’m still up in the air about, as far as claiming them as my all-time favorites. Serums and Moisturizers tend to be a big problem for me. Currently I’m digging Caudalie Vinoperfect Radiance Serum and Aveda Green Science Firming Face Cream. What are your favorite products? Any suggestions??

So I have lived in Salem for 5 years and have eaten at Finz many times……Well the other day I came across the most fabulous appetizer ever! It is the “Far East” shrimp! Paired with one of their signature martinis like the “Seafoam” makes it even better. You have to try this restaurant and their scrumptious appetizers.

You can visit their website at www.hipfinz.com

I recently participated in my first Duathlon in Central Park, New York City. What is a Duathlon? It is a competition that is composed of running and biking. The usual format for a duathlon is run-bike-run, meaning you start with a run, then transition to the bike, then transition back to running again. My race was: 2 mile run – 12 mile bike – 2 mile run. Duathlon ‘s are suited to anyone who enjoys biking and running and, much like a triathlon, caters for all age groups. It is the perfect endurance sport for those who are less inclined to swim, as a form of cross training. I decided to challenge myself to this task in hopes of “getting in shape” but I took away much more than just fitness. It was both a physical and mental challenge. I’m sharing my experience in hopes of encouraging you to set your own challenges!

When starting to train, consider your strengths and weaknesses in running and biking. Then focus on your needs. For me, I was not a runner so I spend most of my training time focused on the run. Just a few short month’s ago I could not run 1 mile without taking a break, now I am able to run 2 miles without issue. Remember to not train at a high intensity all the time; it’s equally important to have adequate recovery time build into your schedule. Your body will tell you how much you should train and how much you must rest. Listen to it. There are many duathlons in our area, check out the <a href=”http://www.trifind.com/gs_duathlon/DuathlonRaces.html?state=ma”>Trifind website</a> for more info!

<strong>24-hour countdown to race day (If your race begins at noon, this is what the preceding 24 hours should look like):</strong>
<em>24 hours to go</em>
If you can, travel to the race venue the day before to avoid any surprises. Make sure your bike is in good working order.
<em>18 hours to go</em>
Dinner the night before the race. There’s no need to try to eat your body weight in carbohydrates.
If you already eat a healthy, well-balanced diet, stick to what you are comfortable with. Try to avoid food that may take a long time to digest, such as large portions of red meat or too much fiber. Be sure you drink plenty of fluids (not beer) to stay hydrated.
<em>3 hours to go</em>
Time for breakfast, a nutritious carbohydrate breakfast is a prerequisite, (i.e. bagel, granola bar, muesli, toast and peanut butter, bananas.) Avoid fatty foods or lots of fiber.
<em>1 hour to go</em>
Arrive at transition, find your spot and sort out your kit. Check your bike is in an appropriate gear for leaving transition and starting the ride. Check that the tires are properly inflated and make sure you stay hydrated. You can also have an energy bar or similar to take in those last few preferred calories. Now is also a good time to go for a 10-min jog to warm up.
<em>20 mins to go</em>
Avoid further carbohydrates, as you will not be able to digest them prior to the run start.
<em>1 min to go</em>
Get ready, get steady… and you’re off! This is the moment you’ve trained for. Enjoy it! I certainly did.

If you’ve avoided flea markets, it’s time to take another look. As evidence, check out these tips from Casey at Princeton Green Apartments, who also writes the interior design blog <a href=”http://loftandcottage.blogspot.com/”>Loft & Cottage</a>.

If budgets are tight and you don’t mind a little hands-on work to freshen up your discoveries, there are some great finds to be had at salvage shops, flea markets, antique stores, and thrift shops.

Find Furniture
There are not many problems that paint cannot solve. Give an old piece of furniture a fresh look and feel with a few coats. Try wallpapering the drawer fronts and adding new hardware too.

Find Lighting
Look twice at thrift store lighting. Spray paint and a new shade may be all it needs.

Find Art
Old postcards in new store-bought frames make for interesting, inexpensive art. Think wide mats and skinny frames for an updated look. Rene from <a href=”http://cottageandvine.blogspot.com/”>Cottage & Vine </a> created a gorgeous art wall with Goodwill plates and some spray paint. Check her out and for more Tuesday Tips, check out Casey’s blog <a href=”http://loftandcottage.blogspot.com/”>Loft & Cottage</a>.

<img src=”{filedir_1}allergy-medication.jpg” alt=”allergy” height=”261″ width=”385″ />
Tis the season for allergies to begin for most of us. According to reports, because we had a mild Winter (not that we are complaining) it wasn’t cold enough to completely kill all of the mold. Scientist say that this may be one of the worst seasons for allergies.

Check out this link for some great tips to help alleviate common allergy symptoms!
http://tlc.howstuffworks.com/family/10-home-remedies-for-allergies.htm

<img src=”{filedir_1}Cake_Balls.jpg” alt=”Shamrock Cake Balls” height=”217″ width=”420″ />The first time I attempted this recipe it was a disaster and I was swearing at Paula Deen for making it sound so easy. I was eager to hop on this new food trend, and red velvet cake balls coated in white chocolate seemed like such a good idea for the teachers for Valentine’s Day. It was an absolute mess. It took me a year to consider trying again, and this time with a few changes the results were fantastic! With the addition of some mint extract and green food coloring, my shamrock cake balls were a big hit for St.Patrick’s Day at my son’s school.

Here’s how to achieve the just about perfect cake ball and impress your friends the next time you need to bring a dessert to a party.

CAKE BALLS
1 cake mix, and ingredients required for preparation
4 ½ cups powdered sugar
4 tablespoons shortening
4 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons milk
½ teaspoon vanilla extract, or other flavoring
2 bags candy coating wafers <em>DO NOT substitute chocolate chips. Trust me on this.</em>
Optional: sprinkles, colored sugar, chopped nuts for topping

Prepare the cake according to the package directions, reducing the oil by half. When baked, <em>and it’s better to over-bake a bit,</em> allow the cake to cool completely.

Make frosting by combining the powdered sugar, shortening, butter, milk, and vanilla extract in a large bowl, beating with an electric mixer until smooth. <em>You may see recipes that call for canned frosting. DON’T do it! That stuff tastes like the container it comes in and makes the dough difficult to work with.</em>

Shred the cake into the frosting, and beat until it becomes a smooth mixture. Refrigerate the dough for an hour or longer.

Form the dough into balls approximately the size of a walnut, then refrigerate for another hour.

For best results, melt the candy coating in a double boiler. It can also be melted in the microwave, though this often results in it getting too hot and clumping, or burning. <em>Yes, I had that problem the first time too!</em>

Using a toothpick, spear the cake balls and dip them in the melted candy coating. Place them on a waxed paper lined cookie sheet. There will be a small hole from the toothpick. Take a bit of coating on the back of a spoon and swirl on the top to cover it. Sprinkle with topping before the coating sets, and cool in the refrigerator.

These unexpected stain fighters are items that nearly everyone already has in their home. Read on to learn about double-duty household items and how to use them!

1) For sweat stains, use a dash of White Vinegar and a sprinkle of Meat Tenderizer. Soak stains in white vinegar and then wash in hot water. If the stain remains sprinkle it with a little meat tenderizer, let it sit for 30 minutes and then wash again.

2) Got deodorant on your shirt? Baby Wipes are an easy fix to lift those hard to remove marks!

3) Lipstick and Ink Stains are tough, but a little Hair Spray can change that! If the fabric is machine washable, saturate the stain with hair spray, let it sit for 10 minutes, then dab with a damp cloth or sponge. Clean as usual to wash away any residual stain and spray.

4) Not just for fingernails anymore, use an Emory Board to remove small stains on suede items! Gently rub an Emory board across the stain a few times to get rid of the blemish and refresh the nap of the suede.

5) Spill red wine on your new blouse? Shake some Salt on it! On washable fabric, immediately blot and then pour cold water over the stain. Next, cover the stain with salt, then stretch the fabric over a bowl and carefully pour boiling water over it, from a height of 6 – 8 inches. If the stain doesn’t come out after following the steps above, soak the item in a solution of one part vinegar to two parts water. Once the stain lightens, launder the item as usual.

6) To keep your kicks lookin’ fresh, spray Starch on sneakers to help repel dirt and grime!

7) WD-40 has yet another use, removing crayon marks! Place the garment stain-side down on a stack of paper towels. Spray with WD-40 and let sit for 5 minutes. Flip garment over and spray again. Rinse well. Rub liquid dish soap into the stain and rinse again. If any stain remains, apply a stick or spray stain remover and machine wash as usual.

Sixteen years ago, Tim Dugan and Gavan James, formerly of Oakwood Corporate Housing, now CEO of Nomad, had a crazy idea. Why not start a professional trade association to support corporate housing providers. With a handful of furnished housing providers (I am proud to say Princeton was one of the early members), they founded the Association of Temporary Housing Providers (ATHP) and several years later renamed it to the Corporate Housing Providers Association (CHPA).

Two weeks ago in Miami, CHPA had its largest conference in history with over 480 attendees from around the world. The mood was upbeat and very positive. With increasing corporate relocations and special consulting projects, the need for short term furnished apartments is growing. The common theme from every session was that demand for corporate housing will be strong for the foreseeable future.

Perhaps, the increase in furnished housing is a harbinger of an overall national economic recovery.

For more information on CHPA click on www.chpaonline.org.

I am sure many have experienced losing a cell phone or, as in my case, having a cell phone stolen. While away on a business trip, I left my phone to charge in a room being used by the organization. I did leave the phone unattended, which brings me to rule #1 – DO NOT leave phone unattended! Yes, by the time I returned… someone had decided they needed my phone more than I did.

My life was gone. My contacts, my emails, my Facebook, my photos – gone. Panic set in, and the thought of some stranger accessing all my information bring me to rule #2 – create a password for your phone so strangers can’t access it! But another thought crossed my mind: It’s a smart phone, so couldn’t I just use the GPS to find out if it’s still in the hotel? No! According to my service provider, apparently they can’t risk you being the crazy ex trying to track down the one that wronged you.

In my state of shock, I kept asking, “Of what use is my phone to anyone other than me?” I would get answers like, “Well, it’s an easy way for them to make long-distance calls on your dime,” “The SD cards are worth $40-$50,” “Some carriers will activate your phone – because they don’t care where it came from – and they’re just happy to have a new service contract.” Interesting. So, if I lock my phone and remove the SD card, I may be able to eliminate two situations… but I’m still without a phone! I guess having the SD card may be a benefit.

Is there anything to deter a “would-be” phone thief? I suppose the answer is no, but with a few quick changes, you may prevent one from wreaking havoc on your phone, your email, Facebook, etc.

I started looking to the internet for answers on how to prevent this from happening and, if it should happen, steps you should take immediately. There were some helpful tips, but nothing available all at one location. So this is my gift to you.

I hope you find this of no use… because I hope you never have your phone stolen.

Prevention tips:
Never leave your phone unattended.
Create a secure code to lock the phone when not in use.
Activate a Gmail account.
Remove SD card while charging.
Register your phone with your network operator

If your phone is stolen:
Contact the local authorities to file a report (this is helpful should there be excessive charges to the phone during the time it was still active).
Contact your provider to have the phone disabled, not the account.

There are also many anti-theft programs to look into, so one may be right for you.
Some of the many I found were Gadget Trak, Theft Aware, Mobile Me, and Phone Guardian. I have no experience with any of these, so I would recommend researching further. Good luck!

This year’s mild winter comes with the price of ticks making an early arrival. The winter weather usually brings the benefit of keeping ticks away. But the relatively warm winter we have enjoyed this year means the Lyme disease-carrying pests could be arriving earlier than usual this year.

Ticks bring with them the risk of Lyme disease for both pets and humans. Symptoms of Lyme disease include fever, headache, fatigue, skin rash, and muscle and/or joint pain that can last for weeks.

According to the state Department of Health and Human Services, younger ticks are active in the spring and summer months while the older ticks are more active in the fall. The younger ones are more likely to bring the threat of infecting a person with Lyme disease. It is important to wear protective clothing and use insect repellents containing DEET to help prevent the ticks from biting and spreading the disease.

It is also important for pet owners to protect their pets with the proper medications to ward of these pests. It is best to consult a Veterinarian and start a monthly treatment plan. Most over the counter remedies have been around so long that ticks have become resistant to them.

(Information taken from an article published in the Union Leader on March 9, 2012.