Must Watch Holiday Movies

Even though the turkey leftovers are long gone ... holiday season is in full effect. Malls are packed (I braved the masses yesterday and snagged some adorable chocolate brown Uggs), twinkling lights are up, and Christmas movie marathons have begun. Even if you've seen them 100 times, they're as much a part of your family traditions as keeping grandma away from the eggnog. Check out these must-watch flicks.

The Holiday

Couch, hot chocolate, Jude Law. What combo could be better? This sweet tale of house swapping over the holidays between two total strangers in LA and London leads to romantic rendezvous on two continents. Add it to your Netflix queue ASAP!

Home Alone

“Kevin!!!!“ Today, it would take about 2 seconds to track down a kid you left at home by accident. But this story about a family that leaves their 8 year old son all alone during a frantic rush to the airport is a must-watch Christmas movie. Clumsy burglars, dancing mannequins and sleigh rides down the stairs are funny no matter how many times you’ve seen it!

The Family Stone

True, it’s hard to see Sarah Jessica Parker play a rigid, polar-opposite-of-Carrie-Bradshaw kind of character, but the rest of the cast makes up for it.  Luke Wilson, Diane Keaton, Craig T. Nelson, Rachel McAdams, Claire Danes and Dermott Mulroney come together to tell the tale of a dysfunctional, loving family celebrating a Christmas filled with complications. Keep the tissue box close by.


Click here to read the rest of my article for WETv.com on must-see holiday flicks.

15 Reasons to be Thankful

1. Thanksgiving is a holiday that doesn't require matzo meal or atonement.
2. Today is one of the few days it's socially acceptable to unbutton your pants at the table. 
3. Your family. Even if they're crazy ... they're yours.
4. Airport pat downs. (Get groped or go home.)
5. The option to hide people on Facebook. 
6. Taylor Swift. Just kidding.
7. Season 11 of Dancing with the Stars is over! Finally!
8. US Troops.
9. Centerpieces of tiny pilgrims and/or elaborate squash arrangements. 
10. Being seated at the kids table even if you're pushing 30.
11. Pumpkin pies, lattes, cookies, muffins, breads, etc.
12. Getting to make fun of people that go to stores at 3:00am on Black Friday.
13. Justin Bieber haircuts.
14. Your mom finally understands how to text message.
15. Any awkward t-day family incident can be overcome with booze.

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! What are you thankful for? 

Addendum: #16: Cheese.

Is Bristol Palin That Bad?

After a particularly cringe-worthy performance by Florence Henderson early on this season, I stopped watching Dancing with the Stars regularly. But since I don't live under a rock, I've heard that Bristol Palin has paso dobled her way into the finals with a little help from The Tea Party.

And to make the "conspiracy" around her even crazier, just this morning I saw on the news that a man in Wisconsin shot his TV during her performance. 

Ok, what is going on here? 

Aside from the fact that this dude needs anger management courses and a new TV ...  the spawn of Sarah Palin in sequins shouldn't make someone resort to armed weapons. I feel bad for his wife. Sounds like she'll be missing the finals.

No matter how people feel about Sarah P. -- I think we need to remember that Bristol is just an 18 year old single mom, trying to shimmy her way a trophy in the shape of a disco ball. So what if every single conservative in the country has DWTS phones ringing off the hook to keep her on? I'm sure when Sasha Obama is old enough to be on this show, she'll be topping the leader board too. (That will probably be Dancing with the Stars 400th season.)

Let's just give Bristol a break. Her mom is one of the most worshiped/hated/polarizing people in our country who probably made her fish for her own dinner as a child. And thanks to her baby, Bristol will be forever tied to a total d-bag. Let her have the freaking disco ball.

Savvy Style: Holiday Sparkle Under $100

Thanksgiving is right around the corner ... and you know what that means:

• All I Want for Christmas will now be playing everywhere you go, all the time, even in your head when it's not actually playing.
• A super shy co-worker will get wasted and either ride a mechanical bull or make out with their cube mate at your office holiday party.
• It's officially shopping season for cute, sparkly attire to wear to said holiday party (and the many other social occasions that will soon pack your calendar). 

So, where to begin? Accessories! Simply adding a fabulous belt or shimmery pair of earrings will add that extra something to a basic black dress. The belt's from Banana Republic and the earrings are from shopbop -- on sale too!

Click here for my WEtv.com photo gallery -- 10 style essentials to get you through holiday party hopping season, all for $100 or less. 

10 Tips to Shop Smarter

Penny pinching takes the fun out of every gal’s favorite pastime. Luckily, shopping for all the things you need, want and have to have can be budget friendly if you know how to do it right.  From the supermarket to your Saturday night wardrobe, it’s simple to shop and save. Just follow these tips. 

Be a Frugal Fashionista
A true trendsetter knows how to find the best for less. Thanks to stores like Target and H&M, you can drool over your favorite Zac Posen dress and buy it too! Click here to check out more of their designer collections. Also, sign up to receive newsletters and daily emails from your favorite shops and brands. You’ll be surprised by how many great deals pop up in your inbox, especially at the end of the season. 

Accessorize on the Cheap
And speaking of style steals … never splurge on trendy accessories.  (The headband with feathers you’re obsessed with now will definitely wind up in the “what was I thinking?” pile.) Forever 21 and Fred Flare (great sunglasses, FYI) all sell must-haves of the moment for fabulous prices.

Stay Connected
Is your wine rack in need of a little restocking? Follow your favorite local wine shops on Twitter and/or Facebook to get the inside scoop on up-to-the-minute specials, seasonal sales and tastings. This way you can go in with a game plan and walk out with a good bottle of vino that didn’t break the bank.  This tip applies to all of your favorite stores (even big national brands).  Everyone’s sharing secrets to saving in 140 characters or less.

Click here for 7 more money saving tips from my article on WEtv.com.

Work BFFs: The Dos and Don'ts

A day at the office is so much more enjoyable when you have a work BFF to share your ups, downs, and blueberry muffin with. You can count on them to come to the rescue when your skirt is tucked into your stockings, or to be a sounding board for your latest big idea before you take it to the boss. They keep you sane when you’re stressed and lend a sympathetic ear when you need it. But sometimes, even the best of office friendships can hurt your career if you don’t handle them the right way...

Click here to read the rest of the article I wrote for Nicole Williams (a fabulous website for young professional women -- covering career, style, money, beauty and more!).

Happy Birthday Adam

As if I haven't embarrassed my brother enough on this blog (click here to see more) ...

Happy birthday to the best brother in the world! To quote our mom's mortifying facebook post to him:

"I still see that precious face of a 2 year old who sometimes was mistaken for a girl because you were so gorgeous!"

 

Comfort Food Favorites

While I'm usually more inclined to spend a Sunday afternoon drinking mimosas and eating delicious things other people make ... I decided to roll up my sleeves and put the pots, pans and mixing bowls from my registry to good use.

Today's kitchen mission: Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies and Chili (not to be eaten together, obvs.). After a few flour explosions and some onion-induced tears ... the house smells amazing, no one caught on fire, and we have a lovely home cooked dinner and dessert, perfect for a cozy Sunday night.

If you're feeling Martha Stewart-ish, here are the recipes:

The cookies are from YumSugar -- click here for the AMAZING recipe.

The chili is a recipe my grandma gave me from Cooking Light -- I found it online here.

A few chili tips: When you're slicing the jalapeno pepper, don't touch the seeds. Take it from one who knows, a burning  "jalapeno hand" is sort of a buzzkill. This recipe calls for spicy turkey sausage, but I use spicy chicken sausage instead because my grandma told me to. No other reason. Also -- measure out all the spices/dry ingredients and combine in a bowl. This way, when it's time to dump them in, it's all ready to go. This chili is the shiz. And it's even better the 2nd day. I'd take a picture, but honestly, chili is not very photogenic.

Bon appetit!