2008 Tips
When it comes to 2008, we've been there, done that, now serving 22 tips in 7 categories ranging from Beauty/Fashion to Travel.
The Oscar For Best Party Goes To...
You've made it through the first few months of 2007 and spring is right around the corner. But before we can call this winter season officially over, there is just one more award show to get through. It's time to critique the designer duds, check out the bling, spot the botched Botox, and ask the age-old question, “Who is Oscar?” While it's not likely you're attending the Academy Awards, you can still partake in all the Oscar fun before the last red carpet of the season is rolled out.
Go Glam. Treat yourself to a little luxury on Oscar day. Grab your girlfriends for manicures and pedicures at your local nail salon. Don't forget that many celebs turn their luxuries into charity. After your nails are buffed and polished, head over to the M•A•C cosmetics counter for the new Viva Glam lipstick. Every cent of the $14 lipstick goes to the M•A•C AIDS Fund to support people living with HIV/AIDS.
Time To Party. The best part of any Hollywood award show is the after-party! Amy Palanjian, assistant editor of Hallmark magazine, says space is essential for your party pals. “Pull the cushions off the couches and chairs from other rooms,” to make the floor as comfortable as the couch in the TV room, said Palanjian. Consider movie food like popcorn, Raisenettes and Milk Duds to keep the fans happy.
Make a Toast. No award show is complete without champagne toasts. While your budget probably doesn't allow for Dom Perignon or Cristal champagne, pop open the Prosecco or go bubbly with Asti Spumante. Every time a winner thanks their publicist, pour another round for your friends.
The Gift Bag. The most coveted part of the Oscars is the gift bags. Unless your last name is Hilton or Kardashian, you probably can't afford Harry Winston jewels and Prada shades for your party guests. Instead, fill your gift bags will some gag gifts including double-sided tape for added cleavage for the girls, and shoe lifts (ala Tom Cruise or Jeremy Piven) for the guys. Grab some chocolate Oscar statues and DVDs of an Oscar-nominated movie as parting gifts. Bonus gift: Hand off the coveted DVD of “The Departed” to the party guest who does the best Jack Nicholson impression.
Super Bowl Party Food
Getting the gang together for a Superbowl soirée? Before you move the furniture out of the way to make way for the upcoming raucous, make sure you're properly prepared with the appropriate game time munchies. Forget about the foi gros and caviar; your guests will be expecting hearty food that goes against every low-carb and calorie counting diet out there. Here are some tips for the hearty eaters on your party list:
- Keep it simple and have foods that are easy to eat, like pizza or wings.
- Be sure to put out plenty of chips and dips for your guests. Try to vary the dip flavors and the chip textures.
- Put out bowls of potato chips, tortilla chips and even pita chips! How about some onion dip, salsa and hummus?
Of course, you might have some health nuts in the house for the Super Bowl and you want to make sure you have a healthy Super Bowl menu.
- Make a vegetarian chili by using extra beans, instead of meat.
- Make potato skins, but offer salsa as a low-fat topper.
- Instead of just chips with those delicious dips, serve fresh cut-up veggies, like carrots and celery.
-Let your guests make their own sandwiches. You just provide lean meats and reduced-fat cheeses with a lot of healthy toppings, like lettuce, tomato and onion.
Apartment Seeking: What To Do, When To Do It
Looking for an apartment can an exciting experience, and a stressful one. Assuming that, like most people, money plays a factor in what you can and cannot afford, you'll have to do what most of us do: start searching. Start with online sites and the newspaper listings to see what's available. If necessary, call a realtor, but remember that realtor fees do apply. Here are some other things to keep in mind as you look for your next place to live:
-Don't wait until the last minute. Start your apartment search early. You might find the place of your dreams after one or two showings, or it could take you a month to find the place you're looking for.
-When you start searching, make sure you have some money in reserve. Most landlords will ask for first and last months' rent up front, and sometimes even a security deposit.
-Make a list of things you want in your apartment. Is having laundry in the building crucial? Don't waste your time looking at apartments that don't offer it. Don't want to live in the basement? Be clear with realtors when you tell them what you're looking for.
-If you find an apartment you like, make sure you've checked out the neighborhood. Take a look at the local businesses and restaurants. Ask about crime. If things seem to be up to par, then sign the lease!
After you've signed, start working on finding a moving company!
Martha Says...Tips For Keeping Your Veggies Fresh
We can't all shop like the fashionable French ladies who stroll by the market every night on their way home. Between the kids calling, traffic jams and the significant other held up at a meeting, the majority of us find time to go grocery shopping once a week before the family wakes up.
In many cases, you end buying more than you need and spending more than you can afford. What's worse, you don't end up using all your perishable food and it goes bad - and brown - in the fridge. Here are some tips straight from Martha Stewart's daily television show on ABC for keeping your vegetables fresh for days:
Lettuce: To keep a head of lettuce crisp for days, Martha suggests taking the lettuce apart, washing it, and spinning it very dry. Wrap the lettuce in a paper towel and a place the bulk in a plastic bag in your refrigerator. If you're feeling ambitious and want to try to hang on to that head of lettuce a few extra days, Martha says to follow the above steps, but keep the head in tact.
Mushrooms: Mushrooms are water-base vegetables, so to ensure they go don't soggy and moldy in your fridge, Martha says to plae them on a plate with a paper towel on top of the plate. Never put the put mushrooms in plastic bags.
Potatoes: If you're potato starts to sprout, it's time for a new potato. But there are ways to keep your potatoes lasting longer. Martha says to keep potatoes in a dark, cool place to ensure some extra days. In fact, the same rule applies to onions, garlic and shallots. And of course, Miss Martha has a decorating tip to boot: placing the potatoes, onions, shallots and other out-of-the-fridge vegetables in a bowl in the kitchen not only reminds you cook the food, but it makes for a nice decoration.
good in the kitchen, too!
Get Out Of Town (Sort of)
One of your New Year's resolutions was to travel more. It's a lofty idea, and certainly one we can all rally behind, but then reality hits your checkbook and you realize that your "resolution" to travel more is confined to your city limits. No worries - we've got some tips that will help feed your travel urges, while controlling your travel dollars.
Igniting the City of Lights...and Love You can't afford to fly to Paris and stroll Les Champs-Elysees, take in some high-fashion shopping, and sip champagne in the Tuelleries, but you can bring a little bit of Paris to your home town.
- Plan a Paris-day with your girlfriends by booking aromatic massages at a swanky spa, and ask your masseuse to scent the room with lavender oil. Afterwards, try on those $400 stiletto shoes that you would never buy in America. And book reservations at a fabulous French restaurant in your city. For a real Paris-themed evening, try speaking French to your waiter.
- Take her on a romantic getaway, without having to cross state lines. For your Parisian night out with your special someone, start at an art museum and make a point to view all the French artists on display. Have cocktails at a classy hotel bar. The Parisian drink of choice: a Bellini. Make late-night dinner reservations at a French restaurant, and don't forget to order dessert!
Getting Inked
If you're a commitment-phobe, you should probably stop reading. After all, being “inked” is a permanent condition. But if you're itching for something eternal, take these tips to heart when you go get a tattoo.
Before you step into the ink room, think very carefully about what you want … and where you want it. The Tazmanian Devil or Hello Kitty might be cute in college, but do you really want your grandkids asking why there's a slobbering mammal holding a basketball on your shoulder?
We could all use a little balance in our lives. But if you want the Chinese symbol for “luck” or “love," it's a good idea to make sure that what you have actually isthe Chinese symbol for luck or love.
Talk to someone who knows and ask a fluent writer of the language to write it for you. The last thing you want is the sign of misfortune tattooed on your ankle.
Private property On the day you get your tattoo, plan your outfit and undergarments accordingly, especially if you're getting tattooed in a not-for-public-viewing place. You'll be showing a lot of yourself to the tattoo artist. Wear something comfortable, and make sure it's clean. Your mother asked us to remind you.
