Having a full-time job is very stressful. The drain of “adulting” all day can be a bit much at times. Finding a way let loose and forget about your problems is vital when trying to avoid having too much stress in your life. Who doesn’t love hitting the bar after work? Getting a few adult beverages and hanging out with friends or co-workers is a great way to let the issues of your day melt away. Here are some of the best happy hours around you.

Going All Out in Alexandria, VA

If you are looking for a place to let loose in Alexandria, VA, then be sure to stop by The Alley Cat. They have happy hour from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Monday-Friday and from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the weekend. This establishment has great drink specials and a DJ spinning the hits of today and yesterday.

Have a Ball in Burke, VA

The Hopsfrog Grille is a fantastic place to get your happy hour started. Their happy hour lasts from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Monday-Friday. Not only do they have great drinks, but they have some of the best food in the area as well.

Call Your Friends to Join You in Centreville, VA

Alto Plaza Restaurant is a wonderful place to go have a few drinks any day of the week. From 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday-Friday, you can enjoy their happy hour specials. They offer specials like half priced appetizers and $2.50 draft beer during their happy hour.

Get the Party Started in Clifton, VA

The Main Street Pub has great food and some of the best mixed drinks in the area. Visiting this establishment with friends will allow you to get the party started without having to spend too much money in the process.

Having Some Drinks in Herndon, VA

Jimmy’s Old Time Tavern is one of the best places to enjoy a drink or two in Herndon, VA. They have happy hour Monday through Friday from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. You will be able to get $2.50 domestic beers and $3.25 during their happy hour.

Let the Good Times Roll in Reston, VA

Clyde’s of Reston has some of the best happy hour deals you will find. From 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. Monday-Friday, you can enjoy happy hour at Clyde’s. They have deals like $2.50 house wines and drafts.

Sipping Suds in Springfield, VA

Looking for a great happy hour in Springfield, VA? Then Houlihan’s is a great option. From 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Monday-Friday, you can enjoy $5 signature martinis, as well as $2.50 short draft beers.

Great Drinks in Gaithersburg, MD

The Dogfish Head Alehouse in Gaithersburg, MD has some great happy hour specials. Happy hour is from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Monday-Friday and features specials like $1 off of appetizers and pizzas and $1 off of all draft beers.

Painting the Town Red in Germantown, MD

The Copper Canyon Grill has happy hour from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Monday-Friday. They offer specials like $2 appetizers and $1 off of all of their drinks.

Rocking Out in Rockville, MD

Letting loose in Rockville, MD is easy when taking advantage of the happy hour at Gordon Biersch. From 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Monday-Friday you can enjoy $5 appetizers, $1 off of beers and $2 off of wine glasses.

If you spill something on your shirt during your happy hour adventure, don’t worry because the professionals at Crest Cleaners can get it clean for you.

The election season is in full swing and one thing you can’t deny is just how entertaining this year in politics has been. There are a countless number of men and women all over the country who take their fashion cues from the presidential candidates of the day. Both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump have a very unique style that has captivated the country. Below are a few things to consider when trying to make your style more presidential.

Taking a look at The Donald

While you probably want to avoid taking hair styles cues from Donald Trump, you can learn a thing or two about how to dress from this real estate mogul. There are a few key things that define Donald Trump’s sense of style and they are as follows:

  • Tailored Suits-

    The first thing that you will notice when taking a look at the way Donald Trump dresses is the immaculate suits he wears. Most of the suits that The Donald puts on are tailor made. There is never a speck of dirt or dust on the suite, which helps to enhance the appeal they have.

  • Colorful Ties-

    Having a great looking and colorful tie is a great way to add a bit of pizazz to a suit. Most of the ties that you see Donald Trump wear are from his own personal collection. The ties are usually colorful, but not too overwhelming for the eyes.

  • Matching Handkerchiefs-

    Keeping a continuity in regards to the accessories you put with a suit is important. If you will notice, Donald Trump always has a handkerchief to match the tie that he is wearing. If you wear a tie with a colorful design, you may want to pick out one dominant color to match your handkerchief with.

Hillary Clinton: A Beacon for Women’s Fashion

Since the Clintons burst on the scene in the early 90’s, Hillary Clinton has been among the most fashionable people in all of politics. Her look seems to transcend fashion trends, especially this election series. Here are some of the things that define the Hillary Clinton look.

  • Stylish Pantsuits-

    A trademark of the Hillary Clinton look is the pantsuit. Hillary was one of the first public figures to prominently feature the pantsuit in her wardrobe. Most of the pantsuits that she wears are solid colored and understated.

  • The Accessories-

    In order to offset the understated pant suits that she wears during the election, Hillary Clinton usually wears a variety of eye catching accessories. Whether it is gold earrings or a beautiful necklace, Mrs. Clinton is known for the jewelry she wears on the campaign trail.

  • Comfortable Shoes-

    Another trademark of the Clinton look are comfortable flat shoes. Very rarely will you see Hillary Clinton wear high heels while campaigning. While the shoes she wears are comfortable, they are usually adorned with flashy designs that match her outfits perfectly.

Regardless of what type of presidential style you are going for, you need to make sure that the clothes you wear are clean. The team at Crest Cleaners will be able to help you keep your clothes looking their best.

As a manager or office administrator you realize the value in a full eight hour work day and the harm leaving 20 minutes early can have on overall productivity in the workplace. All reasons seem valid; pay rent, pick up kids from school/sports, pick up dry cleaning, getting a car serviced, doctor appointment, hair appointment, etc. But what if you could eliminate one by promoting dry cleaning delivery to the office? With Crest Advanced Dry Cleaners we offer a Crest At Work Program that offers a deliver service to employees of an organization at the employee’s cost.

How to Persuade Your Employees Dry Cleaning Delivery to the Office is Worthwhile:

  1. One less item checked off your “To-Do-List” – Your personal and work schedules are hectic enough. Why not put a bit of the organizing and arranging into someone else’s hands? This service would ask of you to bring your clothes to the office and leave it in the hands of your office administrator/coordinator/manager whom then would take care of the rest. The best part? You will have clean clothes delivered to you at the convenience of your workplace. No hassle trying to rush through traffic to make it to the laundromat before it closes.
  2. No Stress – Your manager or office administrator/coordinator will be in charge of scheduling the service and reminding employees to bring in their dry cleaning. No more losing a personal calendar notification, instead it will be an organized reminder through your business.
  3. It’s a Benefit, Why Not Use It? – Sure, you could still drive to the dry cleaner on Tuesday before work – rushing through traffic to make it by nine – and then come to work early on Wednesday to be able to leave early to pick up your dry cleaning through rush hour traffic. But why? The convenience is given to you, take it!

Once employees are convinced of the convenience of dry cleaning deliver to the office, try implementing other ways to save staff time: plan your day before you start, do your hardest task first, create timelines (even if they are not true), and remember to take your 15 minute breaks to freshen the mind.

Many woman today try to maintain a regimen that involves staying physically and emotionally fit, managing work life, managing kids’ busy school and sports schedules, attending special events, and making sure the house stays functioning. It is no question if you fall within this organization of individuals that you struggle to maximize your time. The key to this is ensuring that you focus on your time, not your work time or your children’s time, but specifically your individual and limited time for yourself. After some searching we have found a few influential tips from women in the same boat on best practices for maximizing one’s time.

One can easily follow a step-by-step guide on how to manage their time better, but this will do no good until you are able to view time as something you own rather than something that owns you. No matter how busy your life may seem, it is important to remember that you are in control. Designer and entrepreneur, Lauren Conrad, stresses the importance of making time for yourself. This involves setting measurable goals, and keeping a to-do list by your bed to maintain the most efficient and happy you.

After feeling in control of your time and maximizing the easiest way to manage it, then you can find ways to tend to yourself. Creating routines that are self fulfilling may be the best way to ensure that you actually take the time to do this. Designate time right before bed to look after your health and beauty. This can include a relaxing bath with candles and your favorite book to wind down accompanied with a face mask and moisturizing cycle. Do not worry if your day gets a bit crazy and you see this designated time for yourself shrinking. Always make sure, at the very least, to wash your face thoroughly before bed to end the day right. This small treat will send you off to bed well.

The last, and maybe most important tip, is to give into what makes you happy. Maybe this is going to Starbucks every morning for a latte instead of drinking your own homemade brew. This could also be cutting your workout 5 minutes short to go enjoy some time in the sauna. Whatever it may be, actress and mother, Blake Lively, swears to starting and ending her day with the same treat: chocolate. She states that it is good for her morale and is the extra step she takes to love and live her life to the fullest.

No matter how organized and self loving you may be, it can still feel as if you are being pulled in a million different directions. Waking everyone up, getting breakfast on the table, getting yourself ready, dropping everyone off at school and work, getting through your own work day, going to the gym, picking up everyone from school and work, getting supper ready, tidying the house, and making time for yourself before bed is a lot to deal with. Why make it harder by adding your weekly dry cleaner trip to the mix? Sign up for our home delivery program and Crest Advanced Dry Cleaners will be in your neighborhood at your convenience on Mondays and Thursdays or Tuesdays and Fridays between 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM. We want your to make the most of your time by letting us take one more item off your to-do list.

When you’re running around all day, walking through your front door should be a sigh of relief. However, it can just add more stress to your day when you come home to another list of chores. At Crest Cleaners, we want to make sure your dry cleaning is waiting for you at home, checking one more thing off your list.

On a beautiful weekend it is easy to get caught up in the hustle-bustle of tending the lawn, washing the cars and managing the slip and slide for the kids. Every time you find yourself running inside quickly to get a towel, sunscreen, soap or bandages you add to your pile of laundry. Then you throw in all the Virginia and Maryland summer events into the mix…and your family calendar is officially full. With your busy weekend activities and upcoming work week it is impossible to find the time to tend to the build up. Here, at Crest, we know the longer stains and sweat sit and soak into your clothes the more difficult they are to remove. We are happy to take the time to give your garments the attention it takes to refresh and revive their colors, smell, and feel without effecting your valuable relaxing time with friends and family.

This is the exact reason why we offer doorside pickup and delivery dry cleaning service between the hours of 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM. Choose which days work best for your busy calendar; Monday & Thursday or Tuesday & Friday and we pick them up and then promptly deliver them back to you clean, pressed and ready to wear clothing the next scheduled delivery day. We can assure that you will have a remarkably pristine wardrobe without having to spend your valuable time scheduling driving to and from the dry cleaners.

At Crest, we believe your time is priceless!

Outdoor Living: Summer Cleaning

Summer is the time for entertaining. You’ve worked hard on designing your patio, now make sure that it is spotless for your guests. Here are some of the ways you can tidy up your patio space for the ultimate summer gathering:

Wood Furniture – Wood furniture is lovely to look at and creates a homey/rustic feel. Unfortunately, after hours of scrubbing on your hands and knees it seems the stains and wear and tear are still left. With just 2 tbsp. of powdered oxygen bleach and one gallon of water to scrub on the wood using a brush. Make sure to scrub only in the direction of the wood grain – especially when working on soft woods. Allow the wood to dry completely in the sun before using the furniture. If the wood seems rough you can use a medium-grit sandpaper either by hand or a palm sander. Again, make sure you sand in the direction of the grain. After sanding you will need to seal your furniture – using either resin-based pigmented sealer (to maintain the original wood color) or a clear sealer (to obtain a rustic grey faded color).

Patio Cushions – *Most patio fabrics have been treated with special coating to protect from UV rays and water – please check tags before using any techniques listed below.* If cleaning instructions are not listed you can usually get by using a solution of 1 tsp. Mild dish soap, 1 tsp Borax and 1 quart of warm water. You can then put the solution in a spray bottle and saturate both sides of the cushions making sure to get into all crevices. Let the solution sit for some time but not dry completely. Take the cushions to the yard and spray them down with a garden hose and allow to air dry before use.

Grill – The BBQ cannot happen without a good cleaning first! Here is a list of materials to use to get the grease and grit off before you put the chicken on the grill:

  • Stiff-bristle Wire Brush
  • Toothbrush
  • Scour Pad (scratch pad)
  • PROXI dish soap concentrate
  • PROXI multi-purpose disinfectant cleaner
  • Baking Soda
  • Microfiber Cloth
  • Spray Bottle of Water

Heat the grill up by closing the lid and turning the gas on for about 5 min. This will soften the build-up. Use the wire brush and scrape away as much as possible. Wait for the grill to cool down and move on to soaking your grates and flame guards in a sink full of PROXI dish soap, using the hottest water possible. Scrub the grates as they soak using the metal brush and scour pad. When it comes to the grease build up, make a paste with baking soda, water and a small amount of PROXI dish soap. Rub this on the inside of the grill lid and allow it to dry and then wipe it clean. Happy Grilling!

If you have no luck with your cushions or outdoor patio pillows and blankets make sure to Contact Us for the ultimate cleaning! Enjoy your summer days on the patio as much as possible.

Men’s fashion has expanded in the past couple years to allow men to explore different styles, cuts and colors in their formalwear. Men have the opportunity to put more of their personality into their suits. Take a look at what your preferred formalwear says about you!

The Primary Suit Colors and Accents:

Blue: Darker shades of blue, especially navy, convey a person who is in control. Blue produces feeling of calmness, stability, trust, truth, confidence and security.

Grey: This color is not distracting which allows people you interact with to be more focused on what you have to say. Grey symbolizes sophistication.

Black: Black is stark, commanding and represents authority. If you are looking to feel above all and on top of the party, black is the way to go.

Red: This is all about power. Red is thought alongside energy, passion, desire and power. To show you have intense passion for something, wear red.

White: The color white sends the message of simplicity, cleanliness, precision and goodness. White is a safe option for a day to day option.

Studying Suit Styles:

The Precious Metal: If you are wanting to feel like James Bond, then the precious metal style is the way to go. Super-luxurious fabric, white-gold stitching and the rarest fibers in the world should ensure you feel like the only man in the room.

The Godfather: Ermenegildo Zegna’s suit brand has built a global reputation as one of the most innovative menswear companies around the world. With heat and cold resistant suiting, stain-resistant materials and crease-repelling fabrics, this suit is able to withstand the true man’s man.

The Sexiest Suit Alive: This suit defines modern day gentleman’s attire. If the goal is to feel captivating, provocative, stylish and intelligent at the same time, Tom Ford nailed it with the sexiest suit alive.

The Cool Italian: With impeccable cuts and three-dimensional structures, these elements give the garments purposeful movement. Honestly, nothing screams cool like this style.

The Romantic Suit: The Romantic style is supportive yet lightweight and radiates function and beauty as well as the importance of a garment feeling like your second skin.

It’s not a science, but it is a practice to harness the right suite for you!

The ways which dry cleaning delivery can make your life easier are innumerable. Just think of all the things you would rather be doing than driving to your dry cleaner to drop off and pick up your clothing. Here are just a few ways our home delivery service helps you:

  1. Gas Saver

Thinking of ways you can reduce the miles you drive every day is important in saving you money and time, as well as reducing your carbon footprint. When you are thinking of the list of things you need to get done, driving to the dry cleaner and then having to schedule a completely separate time to pick up your dry cleaning is quite intrusive to your daily life. Do you even need to take this trip at all? If the service is free of charge, you are saving gas and helping reduce your carbon footprint because we are already out and about!

  1.   Time Saver

Getting back to how you can save time, taking advantage of a dry cleaning delivery service could be just that! No one has enough time in the day to do all the things they have set out to do. On a busy day it is important to wake up early, get a good workout in, and then visualize your day to best plan for success. If you are wanting to save time in your day and in your planning process, cutting out that trip to the dry cleaners is key.

  1.   Sanity Saver

It is no doubt that saving gas, time and money will keep one sane. The most important aspect to our services is to relieve stress from your life. By reducing stressful aspects your life you are able to maintain/improve your health, improve your mood, boost immune function and allow you to be more productive. Choose a service to relieve some stress in that part of your life and be able to focus that new productive mentality towards more important things in your life like; family, friends, and self nourishment.

Delegating the stress and time to us so you can focus it on important attributes in your life is what our dry cleaning service can do for you.

We know how easy it can be to just run to the cheapest dry cleaner on the corner and call it a day. But how many times can you dismiss a missing button, left-behind stain, or shrunken garment? Before risking it and taking your favorite shirt to the corner dry-cleaner, consider this:

  1. Is the price worth it? Sure that corner shop may be a few dollars cheaper but the damage done to your clothes in the long run may end up costing more than you thought you saved. Every stain and lost button adds up over time. In the end, a better quality clean from trained professionals will keep your bottom line in the black.
  1. What’s in a name? Even though a company may have the words dry cleaner in their name, you can still run the risk of having untrained employees working on your garments. Take the time to read a few reviews on the company and take a look at their website. If what you see doesn’t appear to be professional, stay away from the company. You need to come to work looking professional, why trust your clothes to a company that falls flat?
  1. Ask Around- Check in with your coworkers. Chance are, they send their clothing in to a cleaner and they have an opinion on the quality and service of the business. Take a look into their referrals and see if any fit your needs. And if they’re unhappy with their current service, let them know when you find a service that you’re satisfied with.
  1. Is it guaranteed? Most every major purchase comes with a guarantee of good service and a quality product. We believe that your laundry should come with that same guarantee. If your current dry cleaner doesn’t offer a satisfaction guarantee when it comes to your garments, it may be time to find a new laundry service.
  1. Technology Matters- What methods does your current laundry service use to clean your garments? If they don’t provide a clear outline of their process along with the materials and equipment used, be wary. Just like you want to see an ingredients label on your food, you want to know how your clothing is cleaned and treated. You can take a look at our advanced and experienced process here.

When it comes to the items you wear every day into the office, you want to rely on a guaranteed and professional cleaning service. Why settle for anything less than the best? At Crest, we guarantee that you’ll be more than satisfied with our service and Ecotech cleaning system. Not only do we provide a professional product, we make sure it’s convenient for your schedule with our home pick up and delivery service. Don’t settle for a less than professional dry cleaning service. If you’re looking for a few more at home laundry tips take a look here.

We know life is busy so it can be helpful to take advantage of each shortcut and hack that we can. Working all day makes your free-time that much more valuable. Here are some tips to saving time on the little things in order to enjoy a few more precious minutes of down-time.

  1. Prioritize Your Schedule- Begin your morning by separate your to-do list into things that need to be done, things that should be done, and things that you could work on if you have some spare time. Try to accomplish a few from each category each day and watch that to-do list shrink while your free time grows.
  1. Online Saves Time- You can purchase just about everything online. Save yourself valuable time shopping and waiting at the store and purchase the items you need from the comfort of your couch.
  1. Stay on Task- Staying on schedule can be out of our control at times especially when meetings go a bit longer than expected and projects pop up. Combat those factors by staying on task for the projects at hand.
  1. Prep Time- Take a few minutes the night before work to set aside the things you’ll need the next day, whether it be breakfast, lunch, or important documents. Your prepped items will provide you with a few extra free moments in the morning to sleep or catch up on email.
  1. Be an Early Bird- Boost your productivity in the office by arriving 10 minutes earlier than normal. You’ll have a jump on your coworkers and have a few minutes to get organized and prepared for the day before the morning rush.
  1. Be Choosy- Is there a project or task that you can say no to? Remember to put your schedule first and be sure that the things on your to-do list don’t outnumber the time you have to do them.
  1. Forget the Laundry- Leave the laundry to us! Don’t spend your time sorting and ironing; instead use our helpful delivery and pick up service to take out the time and worry spent on laundry. You’ll enjoy a professional and quick clean every time, delivered to your door. https://crestcleaners.com/home-is-where-the-clean-is/
  1. Call Ahead- No one wants to spend time waiting for a table at a restaurant. Calling ahead to your favorite restaurant saves you valuable time waiting for a table.
  1. Make a System- How often do you find yourself checking email or logging in and out of Facebook? Set a schedule of time to check your email throughout the day. A great option is a three-hour check.
  1. Schedule Free Time- Your entire day follows a schedule, why not set aside time for yourself too? Set aside a certain amount of time each day to unwind, whether you’re working out or just taking time to relax.

In your busy day to day, you don’t always have time to yourself. With these tips you’ll free up some necessary down-time in your busy schedule. You can find some more time saving tips here.