Trends in 2016 ... At Least As We See 'Em

2016 has gotten off to a fast start!  We’ve already had a couple of , “day-off” holidays, gotten used to writing 2016 and struggled through daylights savings time.  And, believe it or not, the retail industry has had enough time to predict what items and ideas will be hot and trendy in 2016.  It’s not always a good idea to follow a trend.  They can be expensive and short-lived.  However, the things we mention below kind of made sense.  Give it a read and leave your opinion in the comments below.

House & Home

Shades of Gray (...and not in that way J) Shades of gray paint are all the rage.  From the lightest whisper of color to near black, shades of gray are appearing on things from interior walls to flooring to exterior house trim.  Gray seems to be the new neutral.

Graphic Throw Pillows are an easy and expensive way to add visual interest and a pop of color to any room.  Use throw pillows on sofas, chairs, beds and floors.

Farmhouse décor is becoming the go-to style, even in urban settings, due to the popularity of the HGTV show “Fixer Upper.” Farmhouse décor is intermingling of antique with contemporary and using weathered and worn architectural pieces (old garden gates, church pews, old corbels, fireplace mantels, and shiplap) to add comfortable and cozy character to a home.  Light paint colors (light blue, light gray, white, etc.) help tie it all together.

Tech Trends

Mobile Payments, also referred to as mobile money and mobile wallet, refer to payments made via a mobile device. Instead of paying with cash, check, or credit cards, a customer can use a mobile phone to pay for a wide range of services and digital or hard goods.  Mobile payments digitizes and replaces the credit or debit card chip and PIN or magnetic stripe transaction at point-of-sale terminals.  A popular example of this is the Starbucks app.  Customers load cash (via a credit/debit card) to the account.  When it’s time to pay for their order, a bar code is scanned from inside the app.  …no need to carry cash or even a wallet.  Have smart phone will purchase!

Biometrics are physiological characteristics related to the shape of the body. Examples include, but are not limited to fingerprint, face recognition, DNA, retina and iris recognition, and palm prints.  Biometrics are currently being used not only as a means of identification but also for access.  Since biometric identifiers are unique to individuals, they are more reliable in verifying identity than knowledge-based methods (like passwords).  If you have an iPhone and are using the finger print scanner to unlock your phone, then you are familiar with biometrics. 

AI, or Artificial Intelligence, is the intelligence exhibited by machines or software.  Although we’re not quite at the Terminator level, we are already interacting with intelligent computers.  Siri, Cortana, Alexa, Google Voice are all examples of AI.  Rumor is, Apple and Facebook are trying to improve their AI systems so they can place orders, make retail purchases, book flights and more.  I still can’t get Siri to pronounce my name correctly.

 Food & Beverage Trends

“Free from” is a hot buzz term right now.  Although, many consumers don't actually need products that are free from gluten, wheat and dairy, they are demanding them anyway, as they consider them to be healthier. Industries have taken notice and saw they had little choice but to respond.  The surge in mainstream gluten-free products has been incredible.  There are now whole aisles (in some grocery stores) completely devoted to “free from” foods.

The "Flexitarian" has been born.  A flexitarian is a part-time vegetarian who has reduced their meat consumption because of health, sustainability and animal welfare concerns.  The new breed of vegetarians is having a major impact on new product activity. This includes the technological development and promotion of better-tasting products more reminiscent of meat, as well as the use of alternative protein sources and more animal-friendly processes.

Vegetables are making a comeback!  People know they need to eat more greens, but shy away because of taste expectations. Children can be encouraged to eat more through hidden vegetable products (like baked beans) while the rise of fusion smoothies and high vegetable pastas indicates that adults also can be encouraged to increase their intake.

To keep up with more technology, decorating, fitness, and other wildly popular trends, visit our Pinterest page.  We have 18 boards filled with the absolute coolest ideas, recipes, and more! Search jbmhhfmwr.

Spring Things “To Do” in Washington DC

Most people in America are waiting with baited breath for spring to, well…spring!  We’re looking forward to warmer weather, fresh garden blossoms, and refreshing, cool drinks.  But, as we know, spring in San Antonio may be very different from spring in Seattle…and there is nothing like spring in DC.

No matter where you’ve lived before living in the Washington DC Metro area, I’m sure you’ve heard of our Cherry Blossom Festival.  Each year, the National Cherry Blossom Festival helps us to remember the 1912 gift of 3,000 cherry trees from Mayor Yukio Ozaki of Tokyo to the city of Washington, DC. The gift and annual celebration honor the lasting friendship between the United States and Japan and the continued close relationship between the two countries.  The festival includes a parade, pageant, music and more!  So, if you dig cherry blossoms, there’s that.

But there’s so much more to do in the Washington DC Metro area during spring!  Here are a few more cool things to do this season:

1.       ROW, ROW, ROW YOUR BOAT

Rent a paddle boat and tour the Tidal Basin and cherry blossoms (yeah, we’re a sucker for the cherry blossoms, too J).  Or rent a kayak or canoe and paddle the Potomac!

2.       SOMETHING TOURISTY

Take a tour of the Washington Monument and then get a cocktail on the roof of the W Hotel. Sipping a fancy cocktail and enjoying the view from the roof is a great way to end an afternoon of sightseeing on the Mall.

3.       KICKBALL

Every spring, the National Mall is filled with kickball/softball players, and it’s easy to see why: it combines the beauty of the monuments in springtime with a mild workout. So join a team, have some fun, and please, don’t be that guy who takes it way too seriously. Nobody likes that guy.

4.       NATS PARK

Nationals Park is one of the best stadiums in America!  The atmosphere inside the park is electric, and if you actually decide to follow the game closely - even better!

5.       ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY

Visiting Arlington Cemetery is one of the most patriotic experiences one can have.  …and the Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is breath-taking.

6.       DC FESTIVALS

Try the DC Jazz Festival or Smithsonian Folklife Festival, which celebrates DC’s multiculturalism unlike anywhere else!

7.       ROLLING THUNDER

It’s just NOT spring without Rolling Thunder! You can hear the motorcycles rolling into town as early as Wednesday.  They’re loud and attention-grabbing.  The motorcycles display American flags, as well as POW and MIA flags.  The intent of the thousands of riders that come to DC on Memorial Day weekend is to educate and bring awareness to the many service members who are still Prisoners of War or Missing in Action.  …and there’s nothing like seeing - literally- hundreds of motorcycles riding across the Memorial Bridge, past the Marine who’s standing at attention, and remembering that although seeing them here is “way cool!”, they are here for a reason.  The display is sad and inspiring at the same time – and not to be missed.  This year, Rolling Thunder is on May 29, 2016.

8.       DOUBLE-DECKER BUSSES

Every big city has them and, admit it, you’ve been on one.  Double-decker sight-seeing busses are the greatest thing since a museum docent.  You get on the bus and get a first class ride to all of the local attractions, plus a tour guide!  Just don’t mind the pointing and stares from the locals. J

9.       DC's MARKETS

DC's oldest operating fresh food market, Eastern Market, attracts visitors on weekends with produce, fresh flowers, baked goods and more!  Another popular DC market is the Georgetown French Market.  This annual, almost pop-up market, is usually is only open on April 25.  The market was designed to emulate an authentic Parisian open-air market. More than 30 local boutiques, galleries, cafes and more will display the best of their spring offerings - many at steep discounts - alongside French musicians and vendors serving croissants and coffee.

10.   PICNICS

It’s an old stand-by but think about it… Lounging and enjoying a picnic on the grounds of the National Mall with the Capitol Building on one side and the Washington Monument on the other side and the Smithsonian all around you.  You may get lucky, President Obama has been known to take strolls along the Mall!  If not, finish your picnic and grab a bike or a Segway and tour the Mall before heading home.

If none of these things speak to your adventurous spirit, visit the Family & MWR Community Activity Center at 228 McNair Road, Bldg. 495, Fort Myer, VA or give them a call at 703.696.3469/70.  The team over there has their finger on the cool happenin’s in the DC Metro area!


~pmjp

Are You Really Using Your Smart Phone?

It’s a good question, isn’t it?  I wonder this sooooo much.  We spend so much money buying the best and latest smart phone.  We are always looking for the best data plans and are always asking people, “Do you like your cell phone carrier?”  But why?  I think, truthfully, most of use our phones for texting, taking pictures, one or two apps, and for actually talking to people.  Man, let me tell you, once you get involved with your phone….it’s amazing!

Let me start by saying, you must first come to grips with the fact that your smart phone is a computer.  Yes, yes it is.  It took me a while to understand that this hand-held computer was also my phone – and I can do the same things on my iPhone as I can on my desktop computer.  Seriously.  …that blows my mind!  But I digress.

The great thing about it all, though, is your smart phone is customizable.  In fact, the “i” in iPhone stands for individual.  No two phones will be set up the same way.  They are customizable based on what each individual user wants to download to the phone (music, apps, wallpaper pictures, etc.).  But the apps…that’s where it gets interesting.

Visit your app store and search for any interest, medical condition, game, newspaper, store…whatever!  Chances are there’s an app for it.  Have a green thumb?  There’s an app to help you decide which plants to grow in YOUR yard and how to best care for those plants.  Have a list of spring “things to do”, download a DIY app or the app from your favorite chain hardware store for tutorials.  Have diabetes and want to keep track of your glucose reading?  There’s an app for that!  Prefer to practice yoga at home? Yep, there’s an app for that, too!  There are literally thousands of apps!

That being said, we wanted to share some of our favorite apps with you.  These are apps that we use on a daily basis and find extremely useful...or just fun!  All of us in Family & MWR Marketing have iPhones so the apps listed below are presented from an iOS (the iPhone operating system) perspective.  However, most (if not all) of these apps will be found in any smart phone app store.

1.  Waze

With real-time help from other drivers who share traffic and road info (like accidents and cop-sightings!), Waze will get you to your final destination in the quickest and least stressful way possible.

2.  OpenTable

Treat yourself to a delicious meal and use OpenTable to make the reservation—it's a million times easier than trying to look up individual restaurants, and if you need to cancel, you can do so with the quick click of a button!

3.  1Password

Passwords require special characters, capital letters, numbers, DNA, biometrics, eye of newt and more and every site has different requirements, making it impossible to remember them all! 1Password saves all your passwords in one place, saving you the time and frustration of trying to remember each one.

 4.  Retail Me Not

Skip the coupon clipping and check for coupons as you shop, saving you time and money!  Or, select your favorite stores and be notified of any deals and discounts when you’re in close proximity to that store.

5.  CamScanner

The app turns your smart phone into a portable scanner.  Scans are saved into your phone as images or PDFs—no bulky machine required.  Scan receipts, notes, invoices, whiteboard discussions, business cards, certificates, etc. then share those files via text, social media, or email attachment.

6.  Pocket

Instead of emailing yourself countless links every time you stumble across an interesting story on the internet, save them to Pocket, which stores all your content in one place so you can view it anytime, anywhere (even without WiFi!).

7.  BuzzFeed

BuzzFeed has it all: the stories and quizzes buzzing on social media, the news you want now, and the recipes and life tips you didn’t know you needed.  It’s a great place to get a little read on everything.  …it’s like a pop-culture news outlet.  It’s awesome.

Smartphone Games for Adults

8.  4 Pics Puzzle

This game displays 4 picture clues and a number of squares below them.  Your job is to figure out what the pictures have in common and enter that word, letter by letter, in the boxes below.  Get them all right and you move on to the next level.

9.  Piano Tiles (Don’t Tap the White Tile)

Watch your step, DON'T TOUCH ANY WHITE TILES! That is the rule of this addictive game. Sounds easy? Give it a try, and see how well you do.  In the meantime, listen to calm - and way cool - piano soundtracks.

10.  Colorfy: Coloring Book for Adults

Adult coloring books are all the rage right now! Put a digital twist on this calming and meditative diversion.  Color images range from flowers to animals to famous works of art.

These are just a couple of the apps we use every day.  We also recommend you try out some of the stock apps that came pre-loaded on your phone.  The Calendar, Reminder, Maps and Notes apps are also very handy.  In other words, if you truly use your smart phone, you will always have a personal assistant right at your fingertips!

We’re sure you have your favorites, too!  Leave a comment down below and let us know which apps we should try!  We’re always looking for cool and useful apps!

~pmjp