Tag Archives: featured

Looking for a creative date night idea? Perhaps a unique corporate bonding activity? Or maybe you have a girlfriend who’s stressing about choreographing her first dance for her wedding? It’s a good thing that “Dancing with the Stars” professionals Maksim Chmerkovskiy, Valentin Chmerkovskiy, Tony Dovolani and partners just opened their newest dance school, Dance With Me Boca Raton (DWM), in their chain of studios. Because they offer answers to all of those questions!

Housed in the former Lilly Pulitzer storefront, DWM’s Town Center Terrace location is their FIRST in Florida (and 12^th overall). And in true Boca Raton fashion, Dance With Me hosted a celebrity-studded Grand Opening with Maks, Val and Tony and tons of local VIP’s. When interviewing Maks, of course I had to play the mom card and find out the scoop on his adorable 17 month-old son, Shai. Apparently his little boy has more stamps on his passport than most adults! I also had to rib him about his brother Val’s recent engagement. I guess we’ll have to wait and see if Shai gets to play the part of ring bearer soon enough… 😉

We also got the scoop on what Dance With Me Boca Raton will be offering local ‘movers and shakers’ (pun intended)!

The DWM studio, designed to provide a warm, friendly, and elegant atmosphere for all types of dance lessons is staffed by instructors hand-selected by Val, Maksim, and Tony. They are trained to bring out the best in students, who learn at their own pace and comfort level. Dance With Me Boca Raton aims to provide a confidence-building, socially rewarding experience, while fueling creative, self-expression, and personal growth. “It’s more than just dance,” said Maks Chmerkovskiy, “It’s about living a healthier, happier life, surrounded by inspiring people.” We can’t think of a better place than Boca!

Val Chmerkovskiy, champion of season 23 of ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars”, is personally excited about coming to South Florida. “Since we used to dance here every year at the U.S. Open and also hosted our show SWAY here in 2016, we feel right at home and are honored to be part of such great community. Now we have yet another reason to be here more often.”

“We all love Florida and have been coming here for many different reasons, but we’re really proud to call it home to one of our own studios,” Tony Dovolani continued. “This will be the first of many to come in the state, but shhh that’s a secret.”

Dance With Me Boca Raton will provide an array of services including:

Private Dance Lessons
Group Dance Classes
Dance Fitness
Wedding Dance Choreography
Employee Wellness / Team Building
Shows & Entertainment
Social Parties
Dancesport Competitions
Wheelchair Dance Lessons

The various dance styles include:

Ballroom/Smooth
Latin/Rhythm
Hip Hop
Contemporary
Functional and correctional movement
Dance Aerobics

Dance With Me Dance Studio hours at Town Center at Boca Raton are Mondays-Fridays from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sundays by appointment only. For further information about Dance With Me Dance Studios, visitwww.dancewithmeusa.com or call the Boca Raton studio at (561) 500-0601.

HEALTH & BEAUTY

Best Microblading in Boca Raton | My Personal Eyebrow Experience

June 20, 2018 Modern Boca Mom

I’ve had thin brows and oily skin for as long as I can remember. I’m not complaining…per se (oily skin ends up keeping you looking younger in the long run, as it turns out). But what I wouldn’t give to the beauty gods for naturally thick brows and a matte complexion! Luckily, I met Wafa of Wafa’s Brow Art here in Boca Raton and she has been attempting to solve my brow problem. They offer extensive brow services and the best microblading in Boca!

I know this from personal experience even though my oily skin has been giving me some grief throughout the microblading process. Let me walk you through what I’ve been up to in my quest for bold Boca brows!

Bold Boca brows indeed.

When you decide to get the best microblading in Boca (because why wouldn’t you choose the best?), the first thing that happens is your brow professional will draw an outline– a design that you must approve. Wafa is an oil painting artist and she is able to combine her artistic eye with the science and symmetry of permanent makeup.

Once she (and you) finalizes the design, she will thread or wax them into an ideal shape. Let’s just say one of my brows was okay, but the other…got quite the haircut.

Then Wafa’s daughter Luna handles the microblading process. She is an amazing technician and the experience was virtually pain-free! I know- hard to believe, but I didn’t even use the numbing cream. At worst, it felt like tiny cat scratches on your brow area.

Here was my first round of microblading:

I thought it ended up looking great, but if I was going to go through this process, I wanted to go thicker! So, that’s exactly what I did at my first touch-up. I loved it, but it was a big change and my oily skin liked to reject the semi-permanent pigment.

Microblading typically lasts for a year- FYI.

Here was my second round of microblading:

Even though I was religious about the aftercare and stayed out of the sun (necessary if you get the best microblading in Boca), I still lost a few strokes and had some fading. As someone who has wanted bold brows for so long, it was extremely frustrating. :/

But, Wafa stuck with me and even scheduled a second touch-up to make sure I was happy with the final product. Now my results are exactly what I wanted! Are you ready for all the brow selfies?

I still use a tiny bit of brow powder on my right eyebrow because that one has less hair, but I really love it. Just beware that if you have oily skin, it might take a few touch ups. If you have any questions about the process, just comment below! I’m happy to answer anything. 🙂

For a full list of brow services in Boca at Wafa’s Brow Art, click here. Or call to book your appointment! 561-501-1068. Mention Modern Boca Mom for $50 off your own microblading service!

Appointment: Tue. – Sat. 10AM – 5PM
Email: wafa@wafabrowart.com

Follow Wafa’s Brow Art on Instagram and Facebook to see more examples of the best microblading in Boca Raton.

Sponsored: This post was hosted by Wafa’s Brow Art & Skincare. All opinions expressed in this blog post are my own and not influenced in any way by the sponsor. Any statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with provider and please refer to this site’s Disclosure for more information. I was offered complimentary microblading services for review consideration, but that does not impact my views or opinions.

HEALTH & BEAUTY, KIDS

Handy Dental Hacks Parents Should Teach Their Kids

June 18, 2018 Modern Boca Mom

Who couldn’t use a good #momhack when it comes to their kids’ teeth? It turns out that the parents that Dr. Popper of Junior Smiles meets in his dental practice are a living database of wisdom and practical advice. They’ve been there, done that when it comes to handy dental hacks. Here’s some of what they’ve taught him about raising kids with excellent oral hygiene habits!

handy dental hacks — Junior Smiles’ Dr. Drew Popper

First, while it’s important that kids learn why we need to care for our teeth and gums, it’s not enough. Children have short time horizons. The risks of future harm don’t motivate them effectively. The key to handy dental hacks is making oral hygiene a part of who your child is, like eating, sleeping, drinking, and talking are.

The best way to make this happen is by personal example. Kids are wired to learn by imitation. Even before they have teeth, kids should come along for the ride when parents brush and floss.

I mean, they’re in the bathroom with you anyways, right?

Play is the natural gateway for reinforcing children’s dental hygiene behaviors. Brushing the teeth of their dolls or action figures, for example. As they get older, play can evolve to refine proper brushing and flossing technique. One mom sewed a set of “chattering teeth” into the mouth of a stuffed dinosaur toy. Her kids loved practicing on this surprisingly realistic model!

Let your kids choose their own toothbrushes from the colors and designs at the store. Toothpaste, too! If chocolate-flavored toothpaste is what works for your child, let it work. Lots of children are fascinated by electric toothbrushes so consider getting one into the game if it stimulates your child’s engagement.

MBMom Tip: Dr. Popper wants parents to note that kids’ gag reflexes are more sensitive than ours are. Mouth breathers face an additional challenge. Be aware, be patient.

Once the routine and the basic techniques are established, focus on timing. Most dentists agree that effective tooth brushing takes at least two minutes. Many adults don’t manage to get this right! And kids’ undeveloped sense of time means they need extra support to acquire this discipline.

Toddlers need direct supervision. As far as handy dental hacks for them, try singing your child’s favorite song for two minutes as they brush.
For older kids, many parents recommend recorded music to time the brushing process. YouTube is a rich source for two-minute brushing songs. And, naturally, there’s an app for that! An hourglass is another popular option.

Finally, tune your family’s lifestyle to promote oral hygiene.

Transition kids from the bottle to the cup as soon as you can.
Live a life free of sugary and carbonated beverages.
Enjoy healthy snacks and foods and teach your kids to slosh with water after eating when brushing isn’t an option.

In his experience, these handy dental hacks Dr. Popper has outlined here has most kids independently practicing great dental hygiene habits by around age 7!

That’s a #momwin!

This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase a product through these links, I may be compensated.

If you don’t have a local Boca Raton Pediatric dentist yet, head in for a visit! Contact Junior Smiles today:

Email: info@juniorsmiles.com

Phone: 561-210-7788

9930 Clint Moore Rd

Boca Raton, FL 33496

Sponsored: This blog post was sponsored by Junior Smiles. All opinions expressed in this blog post are my own and not influenced in any way by the sponsor. Any statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with provider and please refer to this site’s Disclosure for more information. I have been compensated, but that does not impact my views or opinions.

TRAVEL

Happy 30th Shark Week! Princess Cruises Celebrates with ‘Summer of Shark’ Activities

June 13, 2018 Modern Boca Mom 2 Comments

Want to know a great way to spend a Saturday? Get invited as a media guest to celebrate all of the Princess Cruises Shark Week activities onboard a big cruise ship! Want to know a not-so-great way to end that Saturday? That moment you have to get off the ship before it sails off to its first port, LOL. I was totally Googling Princess Cruises prices on the car ride home that day. Sad. Anyways…the reason I’m writing this post is to let you know that Shark Week is turning 30. YES 30! Can you believe? And there are major celebrations in the works!

If you’re not familiar, each year Shark Week takes viewers on a week-long journey to the depths of the sea to uncover the secrets of the ocean’s top creature. Airing around the globe, Shark Week is a pop culture phenomenon that thrills fans of all ages with dynamic programming around these often-misunderstood sea creatures.

In celebration of the 30th anniversary of Discovery Channel’s Shark Week, Princess Cruises has transformed Shark Week into a full season, with its first-ever “Summer of Shark” onboard the Caribbean Princess for its summer sailings in the Caribbean.

This past weekend, Princess Cruises, in partnership with Discovery, Inc., invited us to the official launch of its “Summer of Shark” activities plus the unveiling of artist Phillip Colbert-designed shark decal on the starboard surface of the Caribbean Princess. It is a cool design!

As part of the Discovery at SEA program, Caribbean Princess will be the one ship in the fleet that will be celebrating sharks all summer. She will have specialty themed designed public spaces including elevators, restaurants and casino tables. Additionally, select sailings in Alaska and the United Kingdom will have Shark Week rolling out starting July 7. Guests onboard all ships will also get to view programming from Shark Week 2018 including ”Great White Abyss,” available exclusively on Princess Cruises in June, in advance of it airing on the Discovery Channel during Shark Week, which begins July 22.

Princess Cruises Shark Week Activities for Families

As for the family activities, kids and teens aboard these sailings will have shark-themed fun in the newly redesigned Camp Discovery teen and youth centers. Children ages 3 – 17 can turn into their favorite type of shark with glitter tattoos and shark face painting (check out Avery’s art below!). Or, they can create arts and crafts to take home, including shark teeth jewelry and shark clay models. Avery loves the ones she made onboard!

Adults can get into the spirit with specialty cocktails that have been carefully curated onboard including a Shark Attack Margarita and the tropical Great Blue Shark. I might have indulged in one or two at lunch. 😉

Beyond the Princess Cruises Shark Week theme, those looking to have their very own Shark Week experiences can book the ultimate adrenaline rush with Animal Planet Exclusive and Recommended excursions such as the Princess Exclusive Great White Shark Diving Encounter in Honolulu or Whale Shark Encounter in La Paz, Mexico. No big deal.

Additional information about Princess Cruises is available through a professional travel agent, by calling 1-800-PRINCESS (1-800-774-6237), or by visiting the company’s website at princess.com.

I also urge you to check out some of the other fun Shark Week partnerships they’ve arranged for their 30th like Build-A-Bear Workshop, Swedish Fish and Vineyard Vines!

Modern Boca Mom