Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Status Updates I Didn't Make

Sometimes I want to post on Facebook all day long. But that would be super annoying to anyone on my friend list. So, here's what I found today that I thought was worth sharing -- all in one place, and not clogging your newsfeed.

1. Tim Riggins should not have short hair or wear a peacoat. Strike 1 and 2. (Okay, this I did share on the FB. Had to.)


Monday, January 10, 2011

The Savvy Source: Food Blogger Dishes on Career and Cooking

The life of a freelance writer has it's perks - no boss, the freedom to work in pajamas and to spend some quality time with Oprah... But on the flip side, it's totally up to you to stay focused, pitch creative story ideas and land assignments. When I wrote for NicoleWilliams.com, I met Michelle Hainer -- a fabulous writer (for InStyle, Country Living, The Nest, RootSpeak.com and more), editor and food blogger. Thanks to her blog, Made by Michelle, I did the unthinkable - baked a pumpkin pie, from scratch. This is a huge culinary milestone in my humble opinion. So I figured, we could all benefit from some career and cooking advice from Michelle.

Sunday, January 9, 2011

Perspective

Like most of you, I've spent much of the weekend glued to the news, heartbroken about the tragic mass shooting of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and 19 other innocent people - 14 wounded, 6 dead including a staffer, a federal judge, and a 9-year old girl. It's tragedies like these that really shake us to the core, and make us have very little faith in the world we live in. Because we tell ourselves that these kinds of things just aren't supposed to happen, and won't. And when they do, it feels impossible to get our heads around why. A beautiful little girl who just wanted to learn about politics shouldn't have lost her life - her future - because of a deranged lunatic.

This story hits close to home for me and many of my friends that live and work here in DC. My husband, along with his co-workers, spent the last 5 years accompanying his former boss, Patrick Murphy, to local events just like the one held at the Safeway supermarket yesterday. I never worried about their safety. And I admired the dedication. A huge part of the job for Members of Congress and their devoted staffers is being accessible to their communities 24/7, and meeting one-on-one with the people they serve to make a difference in their lives. It was in that spirit that Gabe Zimmerman, Giffords' Director of Community Outreach, was working the event yesterday. He was only 30 years old, engaged and had everything to live for.

Thursday, January 6, 2011

Skinny Sips

Over the holidays, I wrote an article for SheKnows.com, featuring 5 drinks under 150 calories. First and foremost, steer clear of eggnog. Aside from the obvious issues that could arise from guzzling down a raw egg/heavy cream based drink … each cup is nearly 20 whopping grams of fat. But I learned that not all festive cocktails are diet disasters. Even though holiday party hopping season is over, these low-cal drinks will help you ease your way back into that LBD and into the New Year.

Champagne: At only 90 calories a glass … you can sip sweet bubbly without the guilt. Plus, bartenders will thank you for not making them muddle, mix, shake or blend.

Mojito Light: This drink takes a little more effort, but adds a refreshing vibe to any partaaay. 
Ingredients
1.5 ounces Bacardi Superior Rum
2 Tbsp. simple syrup (some brands make Sugar Free versions) or 1 Tbsp. sugar
½ lime
12 mint leaves
Club soda

How-to: Muddle 12 fresh mint leaves and 1/2 a lime. Cover with 2 Tbsp. of simple syrup or 1 Tbsp. of sugar and top with ice. Add 1-1/2 oz of BACARDI Superior Rum and top with club soda. Stir well and garnish with a lime wedge and sprig of mint.

Snow White Cosmo: A festive twist on the typical cosmo.
Ingredients
3 oz of Figenza Mediterranean Fig Vodka
1 oz of white cranberry juice
.5 oz of Triple Sec
Splash of Cointreau

How-to: Shake. Toss a fresh fig slice in martini glass.

Don't drink and drive. Also, don't drink and text the guy you only went on one date with. K?

Click here for 2 more diet-friendly drinks.

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

10 Bad Man Habits

Men are all over the map on the cleanliness scale. Some are total slobs, while others are neat freaks. But, don't let impeccable grooming and a squeaky clean apartment fool you: Under that perfectly coiffed cut and woodsy scent may lurk a nose-picker, or worse... a rogue toenail clipper. Here are 10 totally disgusting man habits and tips to help him nip them in the bud.

Sidenote: This article was originally written for SheKnows.com. When I write stories about men, my husband thinks people will assume it's based on him. So, I would like to clear his name and make it known that he's only guilty of a few of these (not the really gross ones). Luckily, I've actually never lived with serious offenders. My dad has been known to hand-wash the floor while wearing knee pads. My brother wouldn't share the same tube of toothpaste because I didn't squeeze it properly from the bottom.

1. Clipping toenails in the living room
Umm, newsflash, dude: When you clip your toenails, they don't just disappear into some mystical toenail land. Those suckers post-clip are sharp as knives and could easily harm your lady friend, guests and pets. Don't leave them in a pile on the coffee table, either. Organization does not make this less foul. Here's a genius idea: Try a bathroom and a garbage can.

2. The pick-and-flick

Speaking of nasty things being flung around at full speed and "disappearing" -- ugh! Tissues: Please get a box!

3. Drooling
No one is drool-proof, especially during cold and flu season. But some guys are just out of control. Learn to use your nose when you breathe -- and stay away from the pretty pillows!

4. Leaving beard shavings all over the sink

We know you see those tiny trimmings all over the sides of the sink. It's time to take some responsibility, man!

Monday, January 3, 2011

What's the Best Advice...

Hey gals ... I'm working on another article for WEtv.com that's going to feature real women sharing the best advice they've learned from their moms. So please (pretty please?) leave a comment below and share some words of wisdom your mama passed down to you. Or, if you have kids of your own ... what do you tell them? It can be about anything -- life, love, school, jobs, cooking, reality TV, not talking to strangers ... or strange men at bars...

My mother has been offering up amazing advice to me my whole life ... so it's hard to think of the BEST guidance she's ever given me. But I'll never forget when I studied abroad in London she advised/begged, "Please don't get drunk and eat cheeseburgers and get that mad cow disease."