shopping

Tysons Corner–America’s Next Great City

/ Amanda Hodson / Leave a comment

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, http://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.  

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Name Brand vs Comfort

/ Amanda Hodson / Leave a comment

I was shopping today again for work attire, and decided to stop by my favorite place, handbags! I was browsing through various different name brands and more low key designs. I noticed that the name brands were obviously much more expensive, but also, didn’t seem as practical as the lower priced ones. The top name brands seemed to be not as functional and everyday life usability. I wish I could afford name brands and they were more everyday life like. What I mean by this is that it is easier to tote around the lower priced ones more easily, and they seem to be softer in material and more range in zipper space. Now before I get name brand fans opposed to this writing, I own a Calvin Klein purse, that not only is a snap shut one, but I wouldn’t call it suitable for all activities or heavy traveling. I like ones that can store may things, like a “Marry Poppins” bag, if you will, but one that won’t lug me down. I hope that this makes sense. I would love to hear feedback on this topic.

Bargain or Bust?

/ Amanda Hodson / Leave a comment

A component that I take into consideration while shopping is if my purchase will be a bargain or a bust. I don’t *always* hugely considering my purchase, especially if it is a fun item that won’t break my wallet. 

 

I remember seven years ago I was shopping with my mom at Macys and we found this very cute little black strapless cocktail like dress that not only was very cute, but was only $70. Now before you go saying only $70, it was a dress that I could use many times for many different occasions. Every lady needs a cute little black dress, and when you can wear it for many different occasions, how could we pass it up. I feel guilty if I spend over $25-$30 on one piece of everyday clothing (or the few special attire occasions), I’m always on a budget, but if I can see it as an investment purchase, where I’ll be able to wear it many times, and the price is reasonable, then I (we) will purchase. Don’t always let the price tag be the deciding factor–not saying to go and blow all of your money, but if you can see many uses for an item that might cost a little bit more than you normally would spend, in actuality, you’re not spending much more than you would on smaller more frequent purchases. Just a little food for thought.