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I've been spending a lot of my time out at events networking within the business community lately - and I always come across the greatest folks at PMSI. Pest Management Services, Inc. (PMSI) is a family owned and operated business that has been running for 28 years in Northern Virginia! When I say family owned and operated, I really mean it: the owners are Pete and Patty Pierleonardi, and their two children, Andrea Zaidi and Zach Pierleonardi also work for the company and are learning all the ins and outs of the business. As a much-admired leader in the business community, I had a chance to interview Patty to find out how she's running her company to make it so successful. What's the most important aspect of running a successful business? PMSI takes great pride in our employees and the relationships we keep with them over the years. Most of our employees have been with the company for several years, with many of them being around for 15 or more! We pride ourselves on employee retention and knowing that our customers will see the same faces at each of their appointments and that they will talk to familiar voices when they call the office. Who are the leaders in your business? At our Ashburn office, we have Mike Bean, our service manager who has been with PMSI for 23 years! Mike came to us as a young man just looking for a job, and ended up being one of the most valued employees in the company. He has built and maintained valued relationships with our customers and has become a customer favorite over the years. Mike is a well-respected manager who works hard to keep the respect of his employees and spends extra time volunteering for the company during weekend events and trade shows. On the other side of things, we have Jeff Houk as the head of the sales team in Ashburn. We have been lucky enough to have Jeff around for the last 17 years and are very fortunate to have him as a leader for the company. Tamika McDougal is the office manager at the Ashburn office and has been with us for almost ten years. Tamika was referred to us by a friend of the family and instantly became a part of the PMSI family. We have watched her two sons grow up and have watched her progress over the years, starting as an administrative assistant and eventually being promoted to management. We are looking forward to another ten years with Tamika on our team! Tim Foley has been the sales manager at our Fairmont branch for 16 years. Tim has developed and maintained strong relationships with the entire Fairmont, WV area and has helped to develop PMSI’s name in that territory. Tim later helped the company by referring his daughter, Shayna as an office assistant, who later was promoted to office manager and has held that position for the last three years. While working at PMSI, Shayna got married and welcomed a beautiful baby girl into her family! Both Tim and Shayna are irreplaceable members of the PMSI staff and the Fairmont branch is lucky to have them. The Fairmont office also has the service manager, Jeff McKenzie who has been with us for 23 years. Why is "family" important? PMSI has a strong focus on family, so much so that we have quite a few family members that work for us. We have brothers Mike and Greg Bean and Mike’s wife Tina, brothers Chris Hill and Adam Sims, father and daughter Tim Foley and Shayna Harman, brothers Chris and Nelson Campbell, Patty’s brother in law Ben Cain and her nephew Rick Owens, brothers Timmie Smith and Steve Meyers and their nephew Justin Hart, and of course the company owners Pete and Patty, and their children, Andrea and Zach- and now Andrea’s two month old daughter, Isabel, who will no doubt be a valuable part of the company in the future! We value our employees’ relationships with their families and are proud to employ so many family members for all these years. Being a family focused company means that we are empathetic to the needs of having a family, and we strive to work with our employees busy schedules, knowing the importance of family time. This is made easy because we are a small company where our employees are valued, and not just a number. We choose to keep PMSI small because this is not a connection we want to lose with our employees- it is something we want to maintain for years to come.
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 by Elaine Keltz, Mrs. DC America 2015 If you haven't been to Burnside Farms yet - NOW is the time to go! Their Festival of Spring is now open daily and there is no better place to appreciate this wonderful spring season than a trip to their beautiful flower farm in Haymarket, Virginia. They call it Holland in Haymarket and I can see why, with over 5 acres of flower fields to frolic in, Burnside Farm is now the largest pick your own flower farm in the country! I took my three children there after school the other day and we had the best time! The Flower Farm itself is pretty simple- no slides or amusements, no actual barn to walk through or tractors for them to climb on… just a field of flowers. Right now, the Daffodils and Tulips are in full bloom. There are rows and rows of colorful flowers to walk through, my kids and had never seen anything like it! They offer baskets to hold the flowers and you pay for each flower you pick, so pick carefully! I let each of my three children pick four each and they had so much fun searching for their four perfect flowers. Afterwards, we snipped and wrapped our flowers into beautiful bouquet to take home to dad. They were so proud! I love fun, outdoor family adventures like this- and you will too! We took a million pictures, had a fun time and I highly recommend it! Ps. Make sure to buy some local raw honey- the owner of the farm is also a beekeeper! by Melissa Ann Norton So this weekend’s weather did not live up to my spring time expectations. It was a little cold, dreary, and no sun. My tulips are on their last leg, the daffodils are gone, and there are cherry blossom petals EVERYWHERE. I needed some color and spring back into my life. I mean it just got warm and then this?? Lucky for me I had an invitation to Potomac Mills #trendpop event on Saturday morning at the Grand Court, Sentara Healthcare Children’s Play Area. I POPped in as the festivities kicked off. This event was full of the POP that it promised! LolliPOPs, CakePOPs, Soda POP and POPs of color on spring fashion for moms and kids. Why not pick a theme and totally go with it?! Host Kelly Collis @CityShopGirl even had fabulous POPs of fluorescent orange on her dress and shoes! I brought my mini with me and she loved every moment. She was treated to a face painter, balloon maker, legos, SUGAR, Kids’ singer Oh Susannah, bean bag chairs, a fashion show, a scavenger hunt and more SUGAR! This was definitely a kid friendly event and catered to the crowd. It was a happy, colorful, hoppin and poppin event (sugar may have been a factor...)! My daughter is still wearing her VIP badge and lanyard as I type this at 9pm! Banana Republic, Chico’s, Crazy 8, Janie and Jack, Max Studio, Neiman Marcus Last Call and Saks Off 5th gave us fantastic ideas for adding that little bit of POP to our spring wardrobe. The best part was that they used employees and family members for models! I saw some simple ways to add that POP to my existing wardrobe and of course all the new things I want to buy at Potomac Mills! A bright handbag, layered necklace, colorful tank top under your button up, fabulous shoes and just great classic pieces that are easily found in these stores. As a stay at home mom I truly need fashion and trend refreshers that get me out of the dreaded #yogapantsthathaveneverbeentoyoga and the harried mom at preschool drop off look. For the moms out there – did you know that Potomac Mills has a Kidgits Club with monthly events? All events are free and open to the public. FREE, the best word ever. Events are the third Thursday of the month at 10am and kids have a great time reading stories, singing songs and playing games. Kidgits Club Members (must register and pay a $5 annual fee) enjoy extra special perks. Check out their site for more information www.simon.com/kidgits Check out my photos from the event and for more look for #trendpop!  GET FREE 3D BREAST IMAGING AND A CHANCE TO WIN COOLSCULPTING AT CENTER FOR PLASTIC SURGERY EVENT4/27/2015  Summer is just around the corner and many women in the Northern Virginia area are thinking about swimsuit season. Whether you’re planning a beach vacation or just the occasional dip in the pool, now is a good time to think about getting your body ready for that tiny bikini or hot tankini.
The Transform Before Summer event The Center for Plastic Surgery, located in the greater D.C. area, is gearing up for a Transform Before Summer event on May 7. It’s a chance to learn all about breast augmentation, get some great special promotions, and maybe even win a body contouring treatment—just in time for summer! One lucky winner will receive a FREE CoolSculpting treatment* Have you heard of CoolSculpting? It’s an incredible non-invasive body contouring treatment that freezes away fat cells for good. CoolSculpting targets stubborn fat around your tummy, thighs, hips, or arms. The treated fat cells are frozen and your body eliminates them over time to reveal a slimmer, sleeker you. One lucky winner will receive one FREE cycle in a CoolSculpting treatment ($750 value. *Recipient must be a candidate for treatment.) You’ll be entered to win just by attending the event! See what breast augmentation would look like on you with free 3D imaging If you have trouble filling out the top half of swimsuits, breast augmentation can be a great way to boost your breast size. You can ask our experts all of your questions and receive a complimentary Crisalix 3D breast imaging at the event so you can envision yourself with fuller, perkier breasts. RSVP to reserve your spot! Join the Center for Plastic Surgery beauty experts on May 7, from 2-4 p.m. and 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the CPS Chevy Chase office: 5550 Friendship Blvd., Suite 130. Seating is limited, so call CPS today at (301) 652-7700 to reserve your spot! *sponsored content provided by CPS. Looking for a great weekend event for kids + the family? Spring is coming to Potomac Mills -- and you can join me at the first-ever “#TrendPop” Lounge! On Saturday, April 25th from 10 – 11:30 AM, Potomac Mills will be transforming the children’s play area, sponsored by Sentara Healthcare, complete with colored fresh poppies, white couches, and bright bean bag chairs.
The Spring event will include activities for all to enjoy, including: -- For Mom: Fashion trends for Moms and kids featuring “Pops” of color. -- For Children: activity stations, Virginia-themed play area, and complimentary spring pail to collect treasures from participating retailers. -- For Everyone: “Selfie” station, store giveaways, and assorted snacks including Cake POPS, LolliPOPS, SodaPOP, and more! Swing by the Grand Court and be sure to tag your #TrendPop selfie so I can follow you on social media! You can stop by and join emcee Kelly Collis, Fresh 94.7 Morning Show Host and City Shop Girl blogger while checking out the 200+ retail outlet stores. You can find more details on the Potomac Mills events page. Event location: Potomac Mills, Grand Court (park at the Neighborhood 2 Entrance between TJ Maxx and Sears), 2700 Potomac Mills Circle, Woodbridge, VA 22192. A great summer tradition will return to the National Harbor Waterfront on the Potomac with the much anticipated 8th Annual National Harbor Wine & Food Festival on Saturday, May 2nd and Sunday, May 3rd from 12:00 pm to 6:00 pm each day.  The event is totally tent-covered in a beautiful outdoor setting on the banks of the Potomac River and surrounded by the National Harbor hotels, restaurants and shops, and continues to be a destination event. More than just a tasting, the Festival brings together award winning celebrity chefs, artisanal craftsmen, culinary pioneers, smooth jazz, as well as wine and spirits from around the world.
This year’s festival will include over 150 International wines, spirits and beers featured along with local and regional favorites. Guests will be able to sample all of the varieties as well as purchase them by the glass and the bottle, on-site at special event only low prices. Beyond the drink tastings there are many other highlights which include: a Cinco De Mayo Pavilion, Special craft beer tasting Bier Garten experience, Whiskey and Bourbon Tasting Experience, three stages of live music and smooth jazz, and so much more. It is the largest award winning wine festival of its kind in the Metro DC market. This year’s organizers have turned up the heat on the Cooking Stage and brought in some award winning super star chef talent. Special appearances on the Cooking Stage include, Saturday: Chef Scott Drewno of The Source by Wolfgang Puck, Chef Mike Isabella of Graffiato, and Chef Victor Albisu of Del Campo. Sunday will feature Chef Marjorie Meek-Bradley of Roofers Union, Chef Bryan Voltaggio of Volt/Range Restaurant, and Chef Rahman “Rock” Harper winner of Fox Reality television series Hell’s Kitchen. All of these local, regional and nationally recognized chefs will offer meet and greets and cooking demonstrations. For tickets and more information, visit www.wineandfoodnh.com, and follow @DrinkEatRelax #NHwineandfood! Sunday night, I swooped into the Hilton McLean in Tysons to hang out with Elite Yelpers and specially chosen guests for the super swanky Yelp Fire and Ice Ball. The event raised money for the SPCA and offered tons of freebies, great bites, and non-stop entertainment. Some of my favorite local spots participated, including Ruth's Chris, Harth, True Food Kitchen at Mosaic District, and Chasin' Tails. Gretchen threw a great event - and you can follow all the fun by checking out #YELPfireiceball on Instagram. {Michael Kors Giveaway!} RSVP + stop by the #RHNOVA Girls Night Out Patio Party at Not Your Average Joe's and have a chance to win this gorgeous Michael Kors bag courtesy of Pest Management Services, Inc.! Here's the event link to join us! https://www.facebook.com/events/755399227906948/  Nordstrom’s Beauty Trend Show presents the hottest beauty trends and most coveted skin care, fragrance and cosmetic products of the season. On Saturday, we sat front row at the trend show at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda, Maryland. Nordstrom’s Regional Beauty Director and host of the show, Laksmi Sam, likened the Nordstrom trend show to a trip to Disneyland. Do you go to Disneyland to ride one roller coaster and try one snack? No way! You ride as many rides as you can and eat churros, hot dogs and ice cream! Do you go to the Nordstrom Trend Show to learn about one trend and try one product? Of course not! You stay to learn about all the latest trends and try as many products as you can. That’s why Laksmi calls it a “day of beauty.” When we arrived, we were greeted by very welcoming Nordstrom staff members who gave each of us a tote bag filled with samples and a program. We also enjoyed coffee and breakfast treats before heading to our seats. The show began with a musical performance and plenty of dancing (and for those seated, “chair dancing”). There was a lot of energy, excitement and arm waving from the audience. The show was presented in three scenes. Laksmi guided us through the top three spring beauty trends: New Neutrals, Sculpting Simplified, and the Right Bright Lip. Industry experts representing the best brands in beauty shared beauty tips and exciting new products. Here’s what we learned:
New Neutrals: A clean palette is essential to your beauty routine. Laksmi pointed out that makeup always looks better on beautiful skin. She said that she found that the #1 product that every makeup artist has in their makeup tool kit and personal makeup bag is Touche Eclat Radiant Touch by Yves Saint Laurent. Other brands that presented: Philosophy, Clarisonic, Kiehl’s, Aveda, Yves Saint Laurent, Giorgio Armani, and Chantecaille. The Right Bright Lip: A neutral outfit is the perfect compliment to a bright lip color. Many brands showcased new lip colors for the spring season. Tom Ford showed us its new matte lip colors. Other brands that presented: Dior, Lancome, Elie Saab, Laura Mercier, Estee Lauder and NARS. Sculpting Simplified: Everyone wants to contour, but not everyone knows how. Clinique shared a trick to sculpting the cheekbone: make a “C” with your hand and place the bottom of the “C” at one end of your smile. Position your “C” diagonal and the top of the “C” lands on your cheekbone showing you where to begin contouring. Other brands that presented: Laila, Clarins, Bobbi Brown, Trish McEvoy, Guerlain and M.A.C.After the show, guests were seated for makeup appointments, took selfies at the selfie booth, and indulged in new product. Believe it or not, there was more than just fragrance, skincare and cosmetics. Aveda was doing hair and Nordstrom was offering a combo deal on Spanx. The best deal of the day was being able to apply the ticket price ($20) as a discount towards any purchase. After visiting counters and trying Trish McEvoy’s “Triangle of Light” collection, we had a makeup appointment at NARS. Lead Trainer Sean Snell gave me a lesson in contouring and introduced me the bright lip I was looking for. My makeover made me look and feel gorgeous. All in all, the Nordstrom Trend Show was amazing and I can’t wait for next season’s show! |
welcome!
Hi! my name is Andrea and I'm a not-so-average Northern Virginia blogger, mom, and transplant from the Midwest. I host Girls Night Out events, meet ups, and write about events and my adventures in the DC area. I love to travel, brunch, and drink wine with my neighbors! I'm known to live on the wild side and order Venti iced double shots at 5pm.
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April 2018
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