Marilyn Monroe’s seductive version of the “Happy Birthday” song sure gave a new meaning to the phrase, “Happy Birthday, Mr. President.” But on Monday, February 16th, we’ll be celebrating President’s Day to recognize the birthday of the first President of the United States: George Washington. It may be a good excuse to stay home from work/school or take advantage of President’s Day shopping sales…yet there are also many interesting ways to commemorate the man who has been repeatedly ranked by scholars as one of the greatest presidents in U.S. history.

Celebrate President’s Day with a walk back in time to the founding of our nation. The Revolutionary War Walking Tour will take you through the streets of lower Manhattan to discover what New York City was like during the revolutionary era. Walk to the steps of Federal Hall, rally at the liberty pole and learn about the pivotal conflict in U.S. history.

Or, join fellow New Englanders at the Old Sturbridge Village in Massachusetts, to honor the life and achievements of George Washington. You’ll toast the president, learn a 19th century dance, and help make a Washington cake!

Visit Mount Vernon Estate and Gardens near Alexandria, Virginia, which is the location of President Washington’s plantation home on the banks of the Potomac River. George Washington resided at Mount Vernon from the time of his marriage to Martha Washington to his death. Visitors can also visit their burial ground where wreathlaying ceremonies are held daily.

Mount Vernon is open seven days a week, 365 days of the year. You’re invited to discover Washington’s life and history, as you explore the mansion house and buildings, including the slave quarters, kitchen, stables, greenhouse, and gardens.

Photo credit (Portrait): Flickr User s0crates82

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The holidays are here and it’s almost impossible to escape the inevitable shopping frenzy.

If you’d like to avoid the suffocation of hectic malls and prevent parking headaches…here are some very interesting shopping alternatives!

Did you know that during the holidays, the amount of trash Americans throw away goes up by 1 million tons a week? This year, you can create your very own special one-of-a-kind gift (which makes the present even more meaningful!) from recycled materials at The Crissy Field Center in San Francisco, CA. You can make something for everyone on your list: container gardens, sno-globes, digital greeting cards, and much more at the Do-It-Yourself Gift Making Extravaganza.

For those who prefer to purchase something classic, you might want to check out a place like historic Georgetown, CO. The town’s Christmas Market is a charming outdoor European marketplace with handcrafted gifts with beautiful and unique shops with intricate ornaments and decorations, Victorian items for the home, art, wine, rare books, jewelry, clothing, antiques, gifts, and award-winning food vendors (for those intense shoppers who work up an appetite while running around). The Heart of Downtown Washington DC also offers an open air Downtown Holiday Market with local artisans selling arts, crafts, textiles, photography, pottery, clothing, and high quality gift items. They’ve got live entertainment and Christmas carolers too!

The holidays are always a great time to help those in need. If you’re able to share your generosity, you can contribute to gift drives for organizations like The Home for Little Wanderers, Knight Children’s Center in Boston, MA or even adopt a pet to give orphaned critters a happy home for the holidays!

Good luck holiday shoppers!

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Once the season changes, you can tell almost immediately. Though the weather may not seem drastically different at first, there’s just something in the air that tells you – it’s fall. The air becomes dry and crisp…the wind swirls the autumn leaves.

It’s also time to dust off those sweaters and boots that are sitting at the back of your closet. But really, dusting off the old stuff isn’t appealing at all. In fact, it’s the perfect excuse to revamp your wardrobe! INSTYLE Magazine outlines Fall 2007’s fashion trends, some of which are fun and tempting. Yet, the prices are bafflingly outrageous! Sure, splurging here and there isn’t a bad thing, but how many of us are really going to spend $300 on a shirt?

If you’re looking for some serious bargains, scouring the sale racks at department stores may be required. Otherwise, you can just look for similar styles from other more affordable brands, which is something that most people do. But for those super upscale designs, sample sales are where they’re at. Although it may be challenging finding items in your size (and sometimes overwhelming – with all the other avid shoppers plunging for the same thing you want), it’s the best way to score some unique designs at reasonable prices. Sample sales may be hard to find because they can be rather exclusive – often invite only. Others are held at a designer’s showroom or warehouse. But if you can locate them, you’ll likely get designer clothes directly from the hoity toity designer at wholesale (or even below wholesale) prices! Typically, the prices are even better than those found at an outlet store.

So, for those hardcore fashionistas – happy hunting!

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