Winter has always been a time of reflection and bonding for me. When the clouds roll in and the temperature steadily drops, I find that the most enjoyable thing to do is to get cozy with my husband in front of a fire and talk about life’s many beauties, hardships and divergent paths. Since beginning I AM Modern Magazine over four years ago, so much has changed in my life. I have so much to be grateful for and know that I still have so much yet to accomplish. Winter is a wonderful time to contemplate, make plans and steady your course towards better, more fulfilling days ahead. Speaking of which, we are featuring some women who have taken the bull by the horns and made the changes they needed to realize their true potential in life. Th uy Casey decided in her 40s that she would not only get into shape, but that she would sculpt her body, perfect it, and bring it to its absolute optimum. Tosca Reno is a national fitness celebrity who not only changed her life by getting into the best shape of her life, she shares her secrets in her Eat Clean series of books with the rest of us. We also bring to you the stories of women who have taken adversity and life’s most difficult challenges and learned to not simply deal with it but to shine in the process. Life is a complex, beautiful thing. We should use this time to think about the good in our lives, and find the courage, perseverance and dedication to alter those aspects that are not as perfect as the others.

Hulya Aksu

PROFILES:

BLOGS:
A Multicultural Wedding Guide by Rosanna Akhavan
Coupon Schmoupon: Not Every Woman is Cut Out to be a Supermom by Adina Kalish Neufeld
What Joe Paterno is Really Leaving Behind by Kirsten clodfelter
What to Say When ... You Suspect Domestic Abuse
by Chris Croll
The Stroller Liberation by Matthew Kaiser

GURU:
Wedding Venues in Nova by Ashleigh Dorfman, CSEP
Obesity & Oral Health by Mary Gharagozloo

PARENTING:
Name Brand Kids by Molly Fuller
Compassionate Kid by Molly Fuller
What If I Forget to Breath? by Angie Mazakis
Let Your Kids Enjoy Their Youth by Angie Mazakis
Your Daughter's a Lesbian! by A.E Checkley
A New Era: The age of the Tween by Rosanna Akhavan

HEALTH & BEAUTY:
A Year of Happiness by John Cassidy
Facing My Weight Issue by Kendra Allanson
Growing up Fat by C.E Checkley

It's that time of the year again! I AM Modern Magazine brings to you its second Annual Best of The Suburbs survey.

How it works: 
Being the region’s best Reader-Generated lifestyle magazine, it’s only natural the we put that power of choice in your hands. The first step is to nominate the best businesses in each category. The nomination process will be on-line from Feb 1st to March 1st. Once the finalists are in, we will open up voting to our readers on March 2nd to May 1st.

Don’t wait! Have your voices heard now! 

 

Brides like bling. From the sparkling solitaire on their left ring finger to the heirloom gems found on their bridal bouquets and hair pieces, brides want to shine on their wedding day. But there are more gems found in weddings–the cadre of people who assist the bride, her groom and often their parents to ensure a successful special day. Northern Virginia is blessed with many of these gems–stationers, caterers, florists and musicians, as well as weddingBriar Patch’s Fox Den planners and more. I asked a few of my favorite gems to suggest their favorite wedding gems, specifically venues for your consideration:

Planning a wedding can stir up many emotions like excitement and stress. But imagine trying to plan a multicultural wedding. A wedding is primarily about the bride and groom, but it is also about the two families coming together. Of course, let’s not forget that you want to make your families feel special and enjoy your wedding day, too. It can be very tricky planning a wedding that unites two different cultures. The key is discussing how to incorporate the cultures into the big day. It’s all about planning ahead and determining which cultural rituals or traditions you want to include. Multicultural weddings have been going on for ages now, and they make sense when you think about the melting pot that we live in.