Rhoad to the Altar: Dance floor placement
vital to keep party going

Posted on May 17, 2013 by Abby Rhoad
COURTESY OF MARK WALTERS Keep your dance floor and your bar in the same room to keep everyone together and having a good time.

COURTESY OF MARK WALTERS
Keep your dance floor and your bar in the same room to keep everyone together and having a good time.

You’ve chosen your DJ,  talked to him or her about your tastes in music, made your playlists, and you’re ready to rock. Or so you think.

Keeping the right energy during the reception is crucial to keep everyone moving and having fun. You don’t want the music to lag, but you also need to think about the layout of your venue and placement of the dance floor.

DJ Brian Hartman, of Rock and Rhythm DJ Entertainment, said one of the most overlooked things in wedding planning is the ergonomics of the venue and the dance floor.

“Work with the DJ and your banquet manager to find the best arrangement of the DJ’s table and the dance floor,” he said. Keep the DJ near the floor; putting him or her in the corner behind a few dining tables is not a good idea when the party’s in the middle of the room.
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It’s important to let preteens make some bad decisions

Posted on May 17, 2013 by Cathy Hirko

SmartCathycProbably the hardest part of being a parent to a preteen is learning when to take a step back during the times when you really want to take a step in.

The best decision — sometimes — is the one we don’t make.

Middle schoolers don’t need a parent who tries to solve all their problems or prevents them from making bad decisions.

OK, there’s a scale on the bad-decision factor here.

Allowing your kid to spend too many hours watching TV instead of chipping away on a long-term science project is not the same as allowing your kid to get in a car with a drunken driver.

Some bad decisions I will prevent.

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Pinterest inspires generation of frugal brides

Posted on May 17, 2013 by Jenni Autry

Photo courtesy of The Susquehanna Photographic

Pinterest’s explosion in popularity has triggered a DIY revolution that has drastically altered the way brides plan their weddings. According to the 2012 annual study for Brides magazine, 59 percent of couples used Pinterest, a social bookmarking site, to find wedding inspiration.

York area couples are no different. When Cantrell Frey’s husband, Duane, proposed using a fortune cookie, she went straight to Pinterest to plan her big day.

“I’m a graphic designer, and I’ve always had an artsy background,” Frey, 34, of Red Lion said. “I knew I wanted the wedding to be hands-on, and both of us wanted to give everything a personal touch.”

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Pennsylvania State Police offer child safety seat inspections in May

Posted on May 16, 2013 by Sarah Chain
car seat safety

Sonia Butler of Dover Township straps her son, Cohen, then 2, into his car seat in 2007. (DAILY RECORD/SUNDAY NEWS — FILE)

You drive the speed limit. You use turn signals. You brake for squirrels and geese and the occasional distracted driver up ahead — all in the name of keeping your child safe as you run your daily errands.

But how safe is your child’s car seat?

Traffic crashes are the leading cause of death and injury for children 15 years old and younger, according to Pennsylvania State Police commissioner Frank Noonan, and many occur because the child is not properly restrained.

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Reciplease! Asparagus part II, and nobody’s mad about beer batter

Posted on May 16, 2013 by Stacia M. Fleegal

recipleaselogoWho could be mad about the prospect of more yummy local asparagus?

I had some leftovers after my trip to Miller’s farm stand at Market & Penn and my subsequent bout with decadence, a la eggs and asparagus.

And while I continue to preach the delicious simplicity of sauteing and roasting veggies, even I need a change once in a while.

Better Homes and Gardens has an online list of 25 asparagus recipes, so I began browsing that and … wait, what?

Fritters?

Asparagus fritters?

Asparagus fritters! Continue reading →

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Organizers, attendees can be green at summer festivals

Posted on May 16, 2013 by Bethany Fehlinger
Flickr photo by Brian Boulos

Flickr photo by Brian Boulos

Warm weather means barbecues, swimming, more daylight and less clothing. It also means it is festival and concert time!

Festivals and concerts can generate a lot of energy and use a lot of resources. How can festival organizers and attendees lessen their carbon footprint while still enjoying the show?

Here are some ways:

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Behind the scenes: Smart swimsuit fashion shoot

Posted on May 15, 2013 by Ashley May
Model Ciara Friend braces herself for our pool shoot. It was in the 50s Monday and pretty breezy. Photo by Ashley May

Model Ciara Friend braces herself for our pool shoot. It was in the 50s Monday and pretty breezy. Photo by Ashley May

Sometimes Smart fashion shoots get wet and wild — in pretty cold temperatures.

Monday was one of those days.

Smart editor April Trotter and I had to reschedule our swimsuit shoot twice already because of rain, so when predictions of dry skies came out early in the week, we told volunteer model Ciara Friend we were going for it.

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Carmina Cristina offers makeup seminars at Arthur and Daughters

Posted on May 15, 2013 by Ashley May
Carmina Cristina demonstrates how to achieve all-over makeup in five minutes. This photo was taken at the last Arthur and Daughter's event May 10. Photo submitted by Hilary Arthur.

Carmina Cristina demonstrates how to achieve all-over makeup in five minutes. This photo was taken at the last Arthur and Daughter’s event May 10. Photo submitted by Hilary Arthur.

Need a new skincare routine? What about a new shade of lipstick?

Arthur and Daughters‘ upcoming makeup events might be just want you need.

Carmina Cristina will have a skincare seminar from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday, May 16 at Arthur and Daughters that will teach participants how to “purify, protect and perfect.”

The local makeup artist said it is important for women to prepare their skin for makeup and have a daily skincare routine that will keep skin healthy.

“Skin affects how your makeup will sit and feel throughout the day,” Cristinia said. “You must prepare your eye skin, lips and overall skin with scrubbing and exfoliation.”

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Manners Matter: An adventure in eating out

Posted on May 15, 2013 by Heidi Thomas

Photo by Heidi Thomas

Photo by Heidi Thomas

When I was growing up, eating out was a rarity.

Only special occasions — straight As on my report card or a dance recital — merited such a treat. I still remember how elegant and exotic it felt the first time I ate out at a restaurant with cloth napkins.

I wanted my own children to be exposed to a variety of cultures and foods, so we eat out weekly. They are equally confident in both fine- and a casual-dining atmospheres.

As part of my curriculum for the GYManners program at GYDance, I teamed up with Tapenade Bistro to take my young students on a very special field trip.

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Stroller fitness group provides camaraderie for moms

Posted on May 14, 2013 by Lauren Boyer

From the left, Annie Childs, Becca Harne, Meredith Pitts and Sara Day use elastic bands during Stroller Strides class at the Springettsbury Township Park (Photos by Paul Kuehnel)

Eight stroller-wielding moms power walk the perimeter of the York Galleria, whizzing past the early morning mall walkers and circling-up near the entrance to The Bon-Ton.

Just then, one of their babies begins to scream.

Another launches its toy across the circle.

When one cries, they all cry.

“It’s kind of like a chorus,” said Becca Harne, 26, of York.

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