What's Hot & What's Not!

For information about summer wardrobe and the dreaded swimsuit, read the full articles written by ON THE GO 4 U for the Ezine Articles site.

Hot Products

Candles - Use them outside during the summer months. According to NYMetro.com's research, some of the best scents are candles by Diptyque, Tocca, Er'go, Pacifica and yes, even Glade 3-in-1.

Cupcake Holder - Yes you read that correctly. Cupcakes are still the rage instead of a whole cake. Give a friend a cupcake for a special occasion or as a pick-me-up, but put it in a cup-a-cake holder. It holds the cupcake in place while transporting. Available at cupacake.com

Natural Citronella Spray - Unless you are with the BusyB herself and she is getting all of the bug bite attention, you will need to take precautions. This spray which is a gel like substance can be sprayed all around low lying mosquito areas such as the legs of chairs. It covers more area than a traditional candle. The last time we checked, it was available at your local discount or lawn/garden center.

Woolite Heavy Traffic - Ok some would say this is a not a cool (or hot) product for the BusyB Herself to review, but if you have struggled with the spring debris (i.e. mud) being tracked into your house, you are ready for a little spruce up for your carpet. Follow the directions on the package. It really does work.

String & Bead "Draperies" - Can you believe they are back? While not the love beads of the 70s, strings and beads to replace heavy draperies are the latest window treatment craze. We advise you use good taste and judgment when choosing a design. Afterall, we don't really want orange shag carpet to come back too do we?

Hot Spots for a Picnic

Inside watching TV is not the place to be in summer. I know it is hot and I will be the first one to give thanks to the inventor of the air conditioner. However, here are a few "hot spots" to visit this summer to enjoy the outdoors without a lot of planning and very little money. We do suggest that if you do not own a picnic backpack that you go buy one immediately. Spontaneity is a great thing!

1. Parks and gardens are great little picnic spots.
2. Find some water - a lake, pond, stream. Wade, rent a boat, swim.
3. Check out local outdoor concerts - there are a lot in the DC metro area.
4. Go hiking on a nature trail - it is cooler in the shade of the trees.
5. Wine tasting events - go taste wine and stop for a picnic on the way home.

Hot Colors for Cool Decorating:
By ON THE GO 4 U Design Consultant Suzanne Copenhaver

Here’s a decorating challenge just for fun in this hot humid mid-summer month. What colors are hot this summer? Turquoise? Coral? Candy striped colors? They seem to be all of the colors we want around us for the hot weather. White is always good for the hot months, but the trendy colors can be a bit difficult to add to our existing rooms. If you want to have a little decorating fun pick just one of the hot new colors-let’s say turquoise-and find a way to add it to every room in your house.

Keep in mind that this is just for fun, so you can use accessories-vases, pottery, paper fans, picture frames, ribbons, pillows and colored stones and marbles, even children's beach toys. In short, any inexpensive temporary item to jazz up your room. Keep in mind whether the color you’ve chosen is going to complement or contrast with your existing colors. These bright colors tend to look contemporary so use care when incorporating them into a more traditional setting. If you have a more formal or traditional environment you can find them in Asian or Mexican pottery as well as inexpensive glassware and shantung pillows or silk throws. If you really want a challenge, put a dollar amount on what you can spend for each room to do this; perhaps no more than twenty dollars per room. I have a perfectly lovely small frosted apple green bowl which I picked up in a dollar store several years ago. It holds roses beautifully and adds a lovely accent tucked into the corner of a shelf on a window sill or on an end table.

Now hit the flea markets, yard sales and import stores. At the end of the summer you can throw these items away, but you may find you’ve become quite attached to them and you want to keep them for another summer.

Find out if you need a design consultant or a personal shopper in our article published on Ezine Articles.

Reviews

Books:
In the summer, I tend to wax nostalgic and think of things I did as a kid. So for our book review this month, we are going to go back in time as well to the classics. Why not read Cat on a Hot Tin Roof by Tennessee Williams this summer? Or start planning your fall vacation by picking up a copy of Jayson Loam's Hot Springs & Hot Pools of the Northwest.

Music:
Well since we told you to get out into the community and have picnics, we thought it only fair that we review local music this month as well. Esoterica (an eclectic but super cool new age shop in downtown Leesburg) has a weekly After Hours Coffe House (AHCH) and they have a different local talent each week. Check out their site for a complete listing. We heard Revel Moon a few weeks ago and will definitely go back for more.

Food:
Instead of reviewing a restaurant this month, we are strongly encouraging you to think out of the box (or the picnic basket) and come up with some nutritious but fun picnic items to pack for your outings. Most of your local groceries and delis have prepared salads, fruit, chicken etc. Don't pack the bag of chips and sandwiches, try something different. Just remember that some items are perishable and use caution when packing.

Have you read a book or been to a restaurant that you think ON THE GO 4 U readers would enjoy? Send us an email. No time to read a book? Call us now!