Tips

Perhaps you're a regular at the dermatologist and go once or more a year, but maybe you've never made a visit to the skin doctor before. Whatever the case, you can get more out of your visit if you're prepared. Here are a few points to consider so that you can make your next trip to the derm a breeze. To find out what they are, just keep reading.

We're happy to present a post from Stylelist Home!

Without a doubt, one of the most essential furniture pieces for outdoor lounging is a comfortable deck chair. And, over the years, the deck chair has come to include a wider selection of designs, from colorful slingback seats to larger adirondack styles (some even recline). Lounger-like deck chairs make relaxing seats by a pool, while foldable and stackable ones can serve as extra garden chairs in a more traditional backyard.

Although the style of your deck chair depends on your personal preference and your backyard, there are a few very general things you should keep in mind when you're shopping for one. We break down these basics for you here.

Keep reading for tips for finding the best deck chairs for your home.

Photo: Lauren Hendrickson

A couple of years ago I watched the Barefoot Contessa roast bacon in the oven. She was making a BLT and didn't need the bacon fat. I had never thought to bake bacon, and the idea has changed my life! Now, I roast bacon all the time. It's an easy, convenient, and splatter-free way to cook it. Here's what you do:

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Cover a large cookie sheet with parchment paper or foil.
2. Place the raw bacon in a row on the parchment paper.
3. Roast in the oven for 15-20 minutes until bacon is crisp and cooked.
4. Remove bacon to paper towel lined plates, pat dry, and use however you want.

Do you ever cook bacon in the oven?

Before kids, you may have been the restaurant patron that slyly gave the stink eye to the neighboring table full of rowdy kids and parents who seemed oblivious to their lil one's behavior. But now that you're the one looking to dine somewhere that doesn't require mama to serve or clear the food, how do you avoid becoming "that family"?

While it starts with discipline and manners at home, there are some tricks that experienced mamas have up their sleeves:

• Preview the Menu: These days, most restaurants have their menus online. Before heading to the restaurant, preview the menu and have a few options picked out for both you and the kids. This will eliminate any indecision that could delay ordering once the waitstaff arrive at your table.
• Have an Ordering Strategy: For some families, ordering the kids' food as soon they sit down works — it means the lil ones can start eating while the parents review the menu (see above) or have their appetizers. We've found this to backfire in our family, as our tots then finish their meals before we ever start and let's just say they don't enjoy patiently waiting for us to finish up! For us, ordering an appetizer the whole family can enjoy as soon as we sit down is the way to go! Know what works for your family and stick to it!
• Know Your Exit Strategy: If your lil one just won't stay in her chair, or if whining and crying start up, know which parent will be taking her outside until she calms down. Nothing's worse than two parents arguing about who will take their unruly tot out for a spell.

Keep reading for the rest of the tips!

I'm excited to share a post from Stylelist Home. Keep reading to learn everything you need to know for caring for orchids. They're not as hard as you might imagine!

I love the elegance and the exotic feel of an orchid, but every time one winds up in my care, I find myself with a dead orchid after a short while. I do well with my other houseplants and like to think I have a green thumb. Are orchids really just that difficult?

Orchids are a lovely gift (for so many reasons), but they are not just temporary. Orchids have a few tips and tricks. They are a little bit different from other houseplants, but no more difficult.

That's sort of a relief. How can I keep the flowers in my home longer?

Flowering time on any houseplant is limited, and orchids are no different. While their bloom duration can, and often does, exceed consecutive months, they will eventually go off bloom. Losing the flower does not mean that your plant is dead or diminish the beauty of the plant itself. Check out the form of the leaves, the root structure, rhizomes, pseudo bulbs...

Wait, wait, wait...the what?

I got carried away, they're just so mesmerizing ... Many orchids are not terrestrial plants, meaning they are not growing in the ground or in a typical potting mix we often use in the home. Check out the roots when you care for your orchid and you will see that they are often potted in a much looser mix — typically a blend of sphagnum, peat and fir bark (a standard "orchid mix"). While there are different formulas for different types of orchids, an all-purpose orchid mix will get you well on your way to a happy orchid.

If they are planted in special soil doesn't it make them delicate?

Don't freak out — this potting mix readily dries out, meaning these frilly-looking beauties are actually tough as nails. They have developed water-storage means almost like a plant you would find in the desert. Some orchids have thick, knobby roots that will hold on to water (Phalaenopsis orchids or "moth" orchids). Many others feature bulbous growths that support their leaves (Oncidium orchid). The pseudobulbs serve as a water tank for storage. Others still will store water in a rhizome, or a thick root structure that also supports spreading new growth.

I guess I'm not an orchid-killer just because the flowers dropped. And now that I know they have all of these 'features' it might be a little easier for me to care for them.

These features do indicate how we should care for them and paying attention to them will certainly help. Soaking up the ambient humidity of tropical climates -- the most commonly-gifted orchids need a mock-up of this scenario in the home. While they are accustomed to rains soaking their loose, chunky growing medium, they are also used to this material drying out quickly. Be sure your orchids roots do not stay too wet for too long. The water-storage features we discussed each indicate a slightly different watering technique, but generally a thorough soaking once a week is adequate as long as the material dries in a few days.

It came inserted in a decorative sleeve. So, the water that is sitting at the bottom is a bad thing?

Take it out of its sleeve. Ideally your orchid wants a breathable, porous container or one with openings on the side, often called a standard orchid pot. Having the orchid roots be able to breath will expedite the drying time. While the roots appreciate this, the leaves are all but arid. Keep the humidity levels high by misting with water, or setting your plants on a tray of gravel and water, allowing the evaporating water to add humidity to their space. Grouping your plants together will also offer more humidity.

I'm confident on watering now but what about sun? I always thought that the more sun the more bloom when it comes to plants.

Most orchids can only handle mild sunlight. Keeping them in a sunny room, but with no sun rays reaching their leaves is absolutely perfect. While some orchid species can handle more than others, generally ensure that you shield them from direct sun rays in the middle and latter half of the day, as these are the most intense rays.

Wow — they're pretty much ideal houseplants!

Absolutely, and we've only scratched the surface, with tens of thousands of orchids species out there and more to be discovered! Then there are also all of the cultivated hybrids, as well as hybrids between different genera that we call "intergeneric orchids." Many of the terrestrial orchids are ideal houseplants because they are a little more typical and appreciate consistent soil moisture.

Photo sources: Flickr User daveyll, Flickr User BarbaraWilli, Flickr User gssavage

If it's really true that 70 percent of women and men expect to get hot and heavy tonight, then dinner should have one mission: to make the two of you swoon. We've offered the lowdown on healthy foods that'll stimulate sex drives — but what foods do chefs put on the menu to help you get in the mood?

To find out, we turned to David Bazirgan, who's no stranger to sexy meals. As the executive chef at San Francisco's Fifth Floor Restaurant, he helps to set the standard for the city's relaxed fine dining atmosphere. To check out some of the ingredients that he elects to use on his Valentine's Day menus — and to hear what he calls the most "underrated" aphrodisiac, read more.