Hanukkah, or Chanukah, is soon upon us, and while kids who celebrate are well aware this means lots of gifts, they may not be familiar with the fascinating story behind how the holiday came to be — and the symbolism that dates back thousands of years.
Check out these crazy facts about Hanukkah that kids may not already know, plus some new and old traditions to fold into your festivities. But fair warning for the littles: It's a beautiful holiday that sprung from some pretty gruesome origins.
The story of Hanukkah dates back to the second century BC. That's when Jews rebelled against the Greek-Syrians — who had denied them the right to freely practice Judaism and had demanded that the Jews instead pray to Greek gods. The king's son, Antiochus IV Epiphanes, descended upon then-Judea, aka today's Israel, and killed the Jews, destroying their temple and rubbing pigs' blood, a most offensive symbol, on its walls.
2. Our Hanukkah hero was the son of a preacher man
Judah Maccabee, the son of a Jewish priest, took up the cause — and in two years’ time, he led an army that defeated the Greeks and took back their temple and city. His army was known as the Maccabees.
3. There were some magic lamps — but sadly, no genies — involved
When it came time to rededicate the temple after winning it back from the Greeks, the Maccabees found only enough oil to light their lamps for one night. In what is widely known as "the miracle of Hanukkah," the oil somehow lasted long enough for the lamp to burn for eight days and eight nights. That’s why we light the menorah with nine candles for eight nights (the ninth is known as a shamash, or "head candle," and you use it to light the others).
4. It's on a different day every year — and you can blame the moon
Hanukkah is celebrated for eight days and nights, starting on the 25th in the month of Kislev on the Hebrew calendar. Since the Hebrew calendar is lunar rather than solar, Hanukkah falls on a different day each year, anywhere from November to early January on the Roman calendar that most of us are familiar with. Sometimes Hanukkah falls closer to Thanksgiving than Christmas, and sometimes it overlaps with Christmas.
5. Today, we eat our "magic oil" instead of lighting it
While not at all a part of the original Hanukkah story or even a very old tradition, somewhere along the way, someone with a penchant for fried foods decided that making yummy stuff steeped in oil was a great way to honor the miraculous oil from the temple of olden days. And why not? The two foods most commonly associated with Hanukkah are latkes, or potato pancakes, and jelly doughnuts. So go ahead and enjoy some carb-on-carb action.
5. Hanukkah is a time for putting your money where your mouth is — literally.
The most common traditional Hanukkah gift can be easily found at your local drugstore: gold-colored foil-wrapped chocolate gelt, or money. It's often given along with or in place of real money. It's said that after the Maccabees were victorious against the Greeks, they started producing their own money for the first time. The tradition of actually giving kids coins on Hanukkah, though, started many centuries later: in Poland in the 1600s, when it was customary for schoolchildren to give their teachers money around Hanukkah. Those capitalistic kids, naturally, started to demand a handout for themselves as well, which led to the beginning of what is now a major tradition of gifting kids gelt (the kind that melts as well as the real stuff).
6. You basically play poker, only without the cards
In addition to the admittedly more dull part of Hanukkah, when you say the Hebrew prayer for the lighting of the candle, there are several traditions that are a lot of fun for the whole family. The dreidel game is one of these, and you can easily play it with as many (or as few) people as you like. All you need is the dreidel, which is a spinning toy similar to a top, and a pile of pennies or candy — or whatever you’d like to put in the pot. The dreidel has four sides, each with one Hebrew letter on it that symbolizes an action. Spin the dreidel, and if it lands on the "nun," you do nothing; on "shin" means you put one in; if you land on "he" you get half of what's in the middle; and the "gimel" facing up means you get the whole pot. Whoever has the most loot when the pot runs dry wins.
There are also easy songs the whole family can sing, including “Dreidel,” “Oh Hanukkah” or everyone’s favorite nontraditional ditty, “The Chanukah Song” by Adam Sandler.
All said, there are plenty of fascinating references and quirky traditions that have emerged from thousands of years of honoring and celebrating Hanukkah — and you can pass them all down to your little ones if you like. So take a cue from the above facts and feel free to mix up contemporary customs with legendary historical drama for a Hanukkah kids will be talking about until, well, the next one.
A version of this article was originally published in December 2008.
I love Christmas. There's no better way to end the year (especially a year that's been as emotionally draining as this one) than filling your days with good food, good music, the comforting presence of friends and family and, of course, some good Christmas movies.
There's plenty of good Christmas movies to choose from, believe you me, but one is truly the bane of my existence. While I could watch A Charlie Brown Christmas, The Polar Express and even A Christmas Story ad nauseam, the Christmas movie that is truly onerous to sit through is A Christmas Carol. It might even be, I would argue, the worst Christmas movie in the entire lineup of Christmas films.
You're probably a bit indignant reading this right now because, chances are, you are one of the many folks out there who has been wooed by the quaint charm of Charles Dickens' most famous (and only) holiday parable year after year. You've likely also become familiar with it through the many film and TV adaptations that have surfaced since damn near the inception of film and TV — there's a version for every generation! But whether Michael Caine or Reginald Owen or Jim Carrey or George C. Scott was your first introduction to the character of Ebenezer Scrooge, whether you first saw A Christmas Carol as an animated film, in black and white, on TV or in a film, with Muppets or (blessedly) sans Muppets, it's hard to deny that many folks know the story of A Christmas Carol and have interacted with it so frequently and so early in their lives that it's a deeply nostalgic piece of culture.
That's my most major bone to pick with A Christmas Carol: Its saccharine, ubiquitous place in our Christmas pop culture is just too much. Rather than picking up on new stories on ideas, it seems that every year, we must be inundated with the same story about this prickly banker whose selfishness borders on psychotic curmudgeonliness and who undergoes a profound change in his character in the span of (I'm guessing) eight hours thanks to three ghosts. OK, I guess that's interesting? But the story's been around since 1843; surely something newer and more relevant to us as a society can be produced? Oh, and don't tell me the rare stab at updating the story (see: Scrooged) for modern audiences does anything to redeem it or any of the classic takes on the film. I mean, have you seen Scrooged? (Don't see Scrooged.)
We continue to turn to A Christmas Carol as if it would produce something new and exciting and profound, as if it were a Shakespearean play. However, unlike the seemingly eternal malleability of Shakespeare's texts, repeated adaptations of A Christmas Carol fail to produce anything new or profound in a way that merits its continued adaptation. In short: stop making this story so damn ubiquitous, people.
And if you think my attitude resembles Scrooge's, you'd be forgiven. But, unlike dear old Ebenezer's frankly horrific attitude toward all men, women and children in mid-1800s London, my annoyance with the story is somewhat justified. Not only is A Christmas Carol the Christmas story that won't die, but Ebenezer is actually the worst.
If there's one thing we've learned about rich white men over age 60 (I'm sure you can think of a few), it's that they don't change their way of thinking. Well, they rarely change their way of thinking (I'll leave some room for those special few). But, like every other rich white man over the age of 60, Scrooge is not as pitiable a character as every movie version of A Christmas Carol would have you believe. He is, actually, just plain bonkers. Our first introduction to the character is him being ridiculously cruel to his assistant, Bob Cratchit, not shedding one ounce of a tear for his dead friend, Jacob Marley, and being the absolute worst to his nephew, Fred, who just wants his uncle to chill with the rest of the family for Christmas. Literally every film version of A Christmas Carol makes Ebenezer irredeemably terrible and yet, like the original story, it somehow redeems him. Call me Scrooge after all, but I have always believed that when a person, real or fictional, shows you their true colors, you should believe them. As such, I say "Humbug" to Scrooge because, frankly, he sucks.
On top of Ebenezer being a dyed-in-the-wool heel, the actual reality of A Christmas Carol is bleak as hell. Basically, we get taken on a tour of Ebenezer's incredibly sad life with the one bright spot being his time working for Fezziwig and being a young man in love. But what we ultimately learn from Ebenezer's ghost tour is that he's made that saddest, cruelest choices — for himself and for others — at nearly every crossroads in his life. It's all just a bleak, bleak reminder that this protagonist is a bad one and this story prefers to trek through the sadness in order to offer up a sliver of redemption. Yeah, that definitely sounds like a fun Christmas story.
Seriously, if you want a Christmas movie with heart and soul and maybe even something remotely cheerful, turn on the Hallmark channel or go browse Netflix or write your own dang Christmas movie. For the love of all that is good in this holiday season, stop giving A Christmas Carol your time and attention, no matter which movie or TV-adapted form it takes. You'll be doing yourself a favor.
For many parents, spanking their kids is no big deal. But a sobering new study from the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston suggests spanking in early childhood may predispose a child to become an adult who perpetrates dating violence.
In plainer terms: Kids who are on the receiving end of spankings may be more likely to lash out and be violent toward future relationship partners — something to think about the next time your toddler has pushed you to the brink for the fifth time in a day.
The study appeared recently in The Journal of Pediatrics and was headed by senior author Dr. Jeff Temple, professor at the Texas university. “We wanted to determine if there is a link between childhood experiences with corporal punishment such as spanking, and later perpetration of dating violence,” Temple explained of the study. “While parents may think this form of physical punishment is a good lesson, substantial research indicates that it does way more harm than good. The current study adds to this knowledge by showing that being physically punished as a child is linked to perpetrating dating violence as a teen and young adult. While we can’t say that spanking causes later violence, it follows that if a kid learns that physical punishment is a way to solve conflict, he/she may carry that over into conflicts with later intimate partners."
Participants of the study — more than 700 young adults from their late teens to early 20s — were interviewed about childhood punishment and physical abuse stemming from parents or caregivers. The participants were also asked to discuss any experiences with dating violence. Nineteen percent of study participants reported having acted violently in a dating situation (and that's just the reported stats). Approximately 69 percent of these respondents were spanked or otherwise physically punished as children.
In fact, global estimates suggest that a whopping 80 percent of children worldwide experience physical punishment — a pretty staggering figure to be sure.
Of course, this new study is limited in that it examined a group of less than 1,000 people, and all participants were from Texas. But when researchers analyzed these study results, they consistently found a strong correlation between corporal punishment and later-in-life dating violence perpetration — even after carefully controlling the study for numerous demographic variables and ongoing childhood abuse.
The takeaway? It's pretty simple, according to Temple: Spanking has serious, long-lasting consequences. “Although mounting evidence shows the many detrimental effects of corporal punishment, many parents, much of the general public, and even some schools continue thinking this is an acceptable means to punish misbehavior,” Temple said.
“Common sense and scientific research both tell us that children learn from their parents,” Temple continued. “Parents are a child’s first look at relationships and how conflicts are handled. Corporal punishment is communicating to children that violence is an acceptable means of changing behavior. Not only is this an ineffective strategy for changing behavior or resolving conflict, our study and other research show that physical punishment negatively impacts the short and long-term health and behavior of children."
Temple and the other study authors point out that there are many other factors that can contribute to violence in dating or domestic partnerships, including cultural and societal attitudes toward women, availability of weapons, substance abuse and mental health issues. Still, Temple warns that spanking and other forms of corporal punishment in early childhood can lead to greater risk of violent patterns within relationships — not something any of us wants for our kids.
He may be loaded, but Donald Trump has no interest in the finer things when it comes to mealtime. Forget the caviar — this POTUS is a glutton for fast food. Trump has never made an effort to conceal his love of greasy calories, either. He celebrated his primary election win with his best buddies, Big Mac and fries, and there was that infamous private jet photo of Trump chowing down on a large bucket of serious pollo action from KFC.
Now there's more evidence that the pres. has an appetite rivaling that of another (former) world leader, Henry the VIII. Former Trump campaign aides Corey Lewandowski and David Bossie collaborated on a new book, Let Trump Be Trump — due out on Dec. 5 if you've got some Trump fans on your Christmas list. In the book, Lewandowski and Bossie spell out Trump's go-to McDonald's order. You might want to pop an Alka-Seltzer before chewing on this lineup if you have a sensitive tummy:
Two Big Macs
Two Filet-O-Fish
Chocolate shake
We're a little awed; we admit it. Care to guess what Trump's fave meal racks up in terms of calories? If you guessed "more than two humans should eat in one 24-hour period," you're close! This tableful of cholesterol heaven adds up to a mighty 2,500 calories (*gulp!*) — definitely waaaay more than the recommended daily caloric intake for a man his age.
One brave Business Insider reporter actually attempted to take on Donald's notorious Mickey D's order — and it wasn't pretty. He fought off nausea with each subsequent sandwich, concluding, "I did it, but at what cost? I find it hard to focus on any task at hand, and I feel rather sweaty. That is a vastly unhealthy order. Such an order is monumental; such an order is folly; such an order is...well, Trumpian."
Hey, let Trump be Trump, all right? We do wonder, though, if Melania tries to make him eat his veggies.
It feels like baby naming is an Olympic sport these days. You need something unique so your child isn't the third Jessica in their class, but you also want something meaningful, modern and not too trendy so you don't end up with baby-naming regret. (Yeah, in case you needed more to worry about: Up to 18 percent of parents regret their children's names.)
We're helping you out by providing a list of unique names that won't cause eye rolls at the birth announcement but also recognize your baby for the unique spark of life they are. And if you need more inspiration, Huffington Post recently released the best of the least popular names for both boys and girls, which is worth a look for inspiration.
Short, unique baby names
There is something about a short baby name that instantly ups its cool factor. Shorter names can help balance out a long last name and are often easy to spell and pronounce — not to mention you won't have to worry about them being turned into some weird nickname.
A version of this article was originally published in November 2012.
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Image: junku/Getty Images
Unique baby names from a surprising source: Soap operas
If you don’t watch daytime soaps, you may not know that many ubiquitous characters have some pretty unique names. You just may fall in love with some of these — even if you can’t quite follow the storyline.
These baby names are not quite popular yet, but when your friends hear them, they will wish they'd thought of them. These names are cool, chic and trendsetting, just like your kid — and they work great for any gender.
Celebrities are the gold standard for finding weird baby names that are totally cool.
Kate Hudson was inspired by old Hollywood when she named her son Bingham. Fergie and Josh Duhamel went a little rock and roll when they named their son Axl. Here are a few more wonderfully weird names for boys:
Drea de Matteo gave her daughter the cool bohemian name Alabama Gypsy Rose, while Eva Mendes and Ryan Gosling chose the name Esmeralda for their baby girl. Here are more unusual baby names we not-so-secretly adore:
We know you have a to-do list a mile long — we do, too! Which is how we know you'd do just about anything to make it a little shorter. Have you ever thought about outsourcing some of those never-ending chores? There's no shame in recruiting someone else to take over the more mundane tasks, leaving you plenty of time to take care of the things you really want to do. Consider outsourcing some of these tasks to add a ton of extra time to your day.
1. Grocery shopping
Most of us probably spend at least a couple hours a week at the grocery store. Imagine what you could do with that extra time! Meal delivery services like Blue Apron, Hello Fresh and Plated all take care of everything from meal planning to prep, sending you recipes and everything you need to quickly prepare them, starting at just over $3 per serving. If you'd rather design your own meal plan, Amazon Fresh lets you shop online, and fresh groceries are delivered to your door at a day and time you set. Many local grocery stores also offer delivery at little to no cost, so check with your favorite grocery spot — they may be willing to do your shopping for you.
That laundry basket is never, ever empty. How great would it be to have someone else take over that time-consuming task? Most dry cleaners offer wash and fold services, meaning they'll wash all your normal laundry and return it to you folded and ready to put away. The cost depends on where you live and whether you opt to drop off your laundry or have the service take care of picking it up and dropping it off. It can get pricey, but one New York City resident says she's found dependable services for less than $1 per pound of laundry. Considering you do still have to pay for the laundry you do at home (that water bill doesn't pay itself, after all), that's really not that large of an expense.
3. Lawn care
Raise your hand if you like to mow the lawn. Nobody? We thought so. Hire a local company to take over your yard work and you'll have extra time on the weekends to do the things you love instead of slaving away over your yard. The cost will vary depending on the services you choose, but simple lawn mowing averages about $20 to $40 per week, and more complete services, including things like weeding and leaf blowing, tend to cost $65 to $90. Check craigslist or your local Facebook pages to find companies near you, or ask neighbors for recommendations. And don't worry about your neighbors shaming you for having someone else mow your lawn — they'll probably be jealous.
How many times have you daydreamed about having a maid? Wouldn't it be fabulous? It's time to bite the bullet and hire one! Most cleaning services won't pick up your clutter (no one's perfect, right?), but they'll dust, vacuum and clean your bathrooms — a major win, if you ask us. National services like Molly Maid and The Cleaning Authority don't post prices online, but they do offer free estimates, so there's no harm in looking into it further.
5. Dog walking
There's nothing like the love of a dog, but those four-legged friends can be demanding of your time — and you don't always have the time to give. Instead of leaving your pup without his daily exercise, hire a dog walker to make sure he gets the activity he needs to stay healthy. Sites like Rover and Fetch can put you in contact with experienced dog walkers in your area who can take your dog out for as little as $10 per walk.
6. Bookkeeping
Keeping track of your household expenses and paying bills is a time-consuming (and sometimes depressing) task. Let someone else take on that headache for you. If you just need a service to help you keep tabs on your spending, sites like YNAB can help you out for less than $5 a month. Or, if you'd like even more help, a daily money manager can help take over paying your bills, balancing your checkbook, dealing with medical billing departments and haggling with creditors. The American Association of Daily Money Managers can help you find a trustworthy DMM in your area.
There are so many random chores that come up from day to day. Appliances need fixed, furniture needs assembled, cars need washed and dry cleaning needs picked up — and that's just a normal week. Those one-off tasks that you can't schedule regularly can still be outsourced using sites like TaskRabbit and Fiverr. If you don't have time to get it done, those sites will help you find someone who'll take on the task.
If you're under the impression erotica novels are cheesy and unsatisfying, you're in for a pleasant surprise. The truth is that erotica is absolutely a form of literature, which means it taps into all kinds of human emotions. It also happens to be super-hot.
If you're still embarrassed by the idea of reading a sexy story, it's time to let it go. These excerpts are an excellent place to start.
"'God, David.' I arched against him when he moved to my other breast. Two fingers worked inside me, a little uncomfortable but nothing I couldn’t handle. Not so long as he kept his mouth on me, lavishing my breasts with attention. His thumb rubbed around a sweet spot and my eyes rolled back into my head. So close. The strength of what was building was staggering. Mind-blowing. My body was going to be blown to dust, atoms, when this hit. If he stopped, I’d cry. Cry, and beg. And maybe kill... I came, groaning, every muscle drawn taut. It was almost too much. Almost." Available on Amazon
"When she saw that he was dissolved with pleasure, she stopped, divining that perhaps if she deprived him now he might make a gesture towards fulfillment. At first he made no motion. His sex was quivering, and he was tormented with desire… Marianne grew desperate. She pushed his hand away, took his sex into her mouth again, and with her two hands she encircled his sexual parts, caressed him and absorbed him until he came. He leaned over with gratitude, tenderness, and murmured, 'You are the first woman, the first woman, the first woman…'" Available on Amazon
"He drove his tongue inside her, setting off another shattering moan that was music to his ears. She was quite an instrument to play, so finely tuned, and if he touched her right, she made the most glorious sounds — raw, intense, absolutely delicious noises of pleasure as he plundered her with his tongue. She grabbed his hair, yanked and pulled him closer as he’d told her to do. He thrust one finger inside her, crooking it and hitting her in the spot that turned her moans into one long, high-pitched orgasm. She shuddered against him, her legs quaking, and when he finally slowed to look up at her, he saw her hair was a wild tumble, and her face was glowing." Available on Amazon
"Then his hands came to life. He went as if to rub his wrists, then he reached for the blindfold, his fingers dancing right in front of it without touching it, and then he reached out for me. I jumped. He caught me by the arms, wrapping his fingers all the way around them and bringing me forward. And then he realized I was naked, and he felt my sides and my breasts, giving a little startled noise. And before I could stop him, he had pulled me to him, forcing me against his chest. His cock was thumping against my sex, and he kissed me in that shocking way and I realized he had lifted me off my feet." Available on Amazon
"Ringo came and took his place on top of me, while the third boy, who was more reserved than the other two, rested on one elbow beside us and ran his hand over my upper body. Ringo’s body was very different from Andre’s, and I liked it better. He was taller, more wiry, and one of those men who isolate the action of the pelvis from the rest of the body, who thrust without smothering, supporting their torso with their arms. But Andre seemed more mature to me, his flesh was not so spare, he already had less hair and I liked going to sleep bundled up next to him with my buttocks against his belly, telling him we were a perfect fit." Available on Amazon
"'You are mine,' he grunts out, pumping into me, the length and level of his arousal brutal. 'Mine,' he swears, as he releases my mouth and turns me around, pushing me forward as he yanks my legs back, one hand hard on my back, the other gripping my ass. He doesn’t slow the movement, giving me full, hard thrusts, my breasts bouncing from the top of my dress, the mirror above the sink giving me a full view of my slutdom. Paul, in worn jeans, a white tee-shirt, light hair mussed, mouth open, intensity over his face. His reflection pulls at my hair, tilting my head back, and I find his eyes on mine in the mirror." Available on Amazon
"I slowly moved up and down, timing my thrusts with the second hands on the clocks. As they began their final rotation of the year, I increased my speed. Ben wrapped his arm around my waist and dug himself further into me, which I didn't think was possible. My breath caught.
"'Five ... four ...' he said in my ear.
"The tram slowed and my heartbeat accelerated.
"'Three ... two ...' his voice taunted me.
"Every point in my body sparked with desire until I hit the golden spot. Then my back arched, my mouth opened and I lost all control of my senses. 'One,' I screamed and collapsed against him.
"He spread her wide and she closed her eyes at the touch, lewd and lascivious and lovely, at once thankful for the darkness and quite desperate for the light. 'Did you touch yourself?'
"She shook her head, her hands searching for him. Finding his soft hair. 'No.' He stopped again and her fingers curled against him. 'It's true. I didn't. But ...'
"He blew softly on the exposed center of her. 'But?'
"She inhaled, the breath ragged and not enough, and though it was he who knelt, it was she who confessed.'But I wanted to.'
"He rewarded her honesty with his mouth, consuming her like fire, his tongue stroking in long, slow licks, curling in a slick promise at the hard center of her pleasure, and she lifted her hips to meet his remarkable mouth, not caring that the action could be called nothing but wanton. She did want. She needed." Available on Amazon
"'Kiss me, Avery,' I whisper. He slips his lips against mine once before opening my mouth with his tongue. I moan and pull his body down tightly against me, skin to skin. No teasing this time, my journalist. I will feel you. All of you. He sucks on my lower lip. He runs his fingers through my hair. Then his hand is on my breast, thumb on my nipple.
"Noelle is at our side, watching, touching herself. Only once does she lean forward and suckle at his shoulder. His mouth leaves mine and finds hers. He earns a delicious purr before I pull on his hair to get him back to me.
"I am dripping, and I can feel Avery, hard against my stomach, bigger than my husband. I wonder if Timothy will like that or turn Avery into a submissive pet, punished for his obscene show of masculinity. Then, he’s pressed to my opening, but he freezes. I look into his curious eyes. 'Yes,' I sigh."
"He kissed her ear, as he said, 'I don't want either of us to ever forget this night.'
"She answered by plastering her mouth on his and kissing him in a way she'd never thought possible, her hips moving against him, knowing there must be more. Ben settled himself between her legs. She cradled his hips with her thighs. And then he was at the portal. The sharp pain she had once endured was a distant memory, and nothing, absolutely nothing in this world, felt as good as the sensation of him slowly sliding into her.
"'Are you all right?' he asked. He sounded as if he was holding himself in check, as if it took all of his will to do so.
"Elin arched and stretched beneath him. Her movements sent him deeper, and she liked that. 'I've never been better,' she practically purred."
"Jonathan sinks to his knees in front of her, while reaching behind him to pull a condom from the pocket of his rumpled jeans. Once he's sheathed, he takes her ankles in both hands. His muscles ripple and tense as he finds the perfect aim against her wet, throbbing pussy. He locks eyes with her as he presses into her.
"The sudden, delicious sense that Jonathan is hers, for now, entirely and completely hers, fills her with as much force and speed as his hard cock. As his thrusts gain a steady tempo, she brings her hands to his pecs, his nipples, down his abs, clamping her legs around his waist, driving him further into her until their sweat-slick bodies are sliding together, and he's whispering in her ear, 'I never knew you were such a dirty girl, Emily Blaine.'"
"When at last I entered his chamber, I was positively quivering with excitement. The Beast was sitting in a chair in a remote corner of the darkened room. Removing my robe, I positioned myself on the edge of the bed in just the way he liked best, as was my habit. Within seconds I was soaking wet and aching for him. That's the way it was for me with the Beast. It was enough just to wait there, trembling and poised on my hands and knees, anticipating what was to come, to bring about that kind of response in me.
"I had not even heard him move when suddenly I felt his crude hands caressing my soft skin. 'Turn around,' he said suddenly in a gruff whisper.
"I paused for a moment, stunned.
"'I want to see your face tonight,' he said simply."
13. Celebrity Sex Tape: In the Making by Farrah Abraham
"My toes brushed his chest and I splayed my hands wider. He sucked on my clit, kneading my ass. He'd surprised me the first time he'd penetrated me in both places, introducing me to a new realm of sexual fantasy. It was easy to imagine this moment happening in a movie. Just thinking about what we were doing and where was so hot I almost came from the mental picture alone. Ilyan put me down and grabbed my hand, tugging me upright.
"'Huh?' I blinked at him, a little lust crazed. He dug in his pocket for his wallet and slapped it on the table before kicking off his pants and underwear. I flipped it open and took out the condom he'd placed there this morning — just in case. So far we'd needed all of his just-in-case condoms. I tore the packet open but he took the bit of latex from me before I could roll it on him and did it himself. He pulled me to the edge of the table and thrust into me. I gasped and gripped the edge as my body stretched to accommodate him. The feel of him was growing more familiar. He leaned over me, forcing me back almost to my elbows and thrust, sinking fully into me."
"He starts to kiss me, softly, sweetly, tugging at my lips with his.
"He cups my breast, brushes the nipple with his thumb.
"I reach down and stroke myself where all the sweat gathers, where the smell of my sex is strongest. I stroke it and then lick my fingers and stroke it some more.
"He gently bites my top lip, sucks it. Tugs at my nipple, rolling it between his thumb and forefinger.
"I feel it harden.
"I feel him harden.
"I feel myself getting wet.
"I wet my finger, run it up the lips of my pussy and imagine it’s his tongue, wetting the wings of my labia, feeling them flutter and spread, circling my clit and flicking it. Blood rushes to my head, to my clit. I feel dizzy."
If you've spent your whole adult life associating sangria with summertime, you're in for a treat.
Although mulled wines and hot ciders are popular in the cold weather, this white Christmas sangria is refreshing and totally festive in its own way. It pairs bright, white wine and fresh cranberries with aromatic rosemary, not to mention a host of other berries and flavors. Even Santa would be happy to get a sip of this.
To begin, chop the apples into slices, discarding the cores. Place into a large pitcher. Slice the oranges, and add them to the pitcher. (I sliced the orange whole so they would be circular slices for a prettier final product.) Add the whole cranberries and raspberries. Using a spoon, carefully stir so as to not break the raspberries.
Pour in the wine, white cranberry juice and sugar, and stir to combine. Let the sangria chill for about 30 minutes. When you're ready to serve, top the pitcher with ginger ale or club soda, and add fresh rosemary to garnish.
A version of this article was originally published in December 2014.
Sex can be challenging when you’re disabled, especially when your body has changed beyond your control.
When I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2013, I developed severe numbness from the waist down and was concerned that my sensation was permanently damaged. An MS relapse had happened, meaning that a lesion had formed on my spinal cord as my body attacked itself. According to the MS Society, “This is because, if the damage to myelin is severe, then some symptoms remain, though they may still improve over the following months.” While my sensation improved over the next few months, it didn’t heal completely. As a result, I experience regular flare-ups associated with that relapse, which affect my sex life.
Sometimes penetration doesn’t work for me. Like, at all. While I always needed clitoral stimulation alongside penetration in order to orgasm, sometimes I can't feel that the same way anymore. As MS is unpredictable, like many chronic illnesses, my symptoms vary day to day, and that includes the degree to which my body’s damage acts up. The numbness that led to my diagnosis can flare up, and it becomes much more difficult to feel what’s happening to my body. Penetration stops having an effect, and although it doesn’t hurt, it’s jarring when your body doesn’t respond in the way you want it to.
That's why sensual touch is an important part of my sex life. The nerve damage I experienced doesn’t zap my sensation altogether. Instead, it sends mixed messages, confusing my body and misdirecting sensation. For instance, sometimes when I can no longer feel enough vaginally during sex, my thighs and butt can suddenly become über-sensitive instead. It’s almost as if the pleasure sensors that would usually be going wild during penetrative sex have been sent to the wrong places.
When this happens, I direct my partner to touch the parts of my body that are unexpectedly stimulated. And when my partner touches or rubs these areas, it can feel as erotic as penetration or masturbation.
For me, instead of focusing on having an orgasm, sex is about connection. Sure, orgasms are awesome, but being turned on, especially when my body is tingling or numb, is pleasure I wouldn’t expect to have when feeling ill. As Cory Silverberg at Live About writes, “It’s called sensual (as opposed to sexual) in part because it doesn’t have to be about a goal, it can just be about exploring.”
Sensual touch isn’t just important for people with disabilities and chronic illnesses. Redbook details 33 places to incorporate sensual touching with your partner purely because it feels good. All too often, sex can become about the endgame, and we forget to appreciate everything our partner has to offer.
When you take having an orgasm out of the equation, it frees you up to enjoy your body and someone else’s. Plus, it allows you to live in the moment for longer with no sense of rush to finish or come or achieve a finite goal. While nerve damage is the reason I have varying sensitivity during sex, a lot of women require clitoral stimulation alongside penetration in order to achieve orgasm, which is why exploring sensual touch can be life-changing. Sex suddenly becomes about so much more than penetration, and that’s incredibly freeing.
If you've ever envied a celebrity's gorgeous full locks, we hope you know by now they're probably extensions. It's not your fault if you don't roll out of bed with amazing beach waves. Extensions do more than add length; they also add volume. If you have hair that's at least 3 inches long, you can get extensions. You can have them braided, glued or woven in, or if you only want them super-temporarily, you can clip them in as well. And they come in all kinds of colors, so you can match your current hair color or add a highlighting or lowlighting effect.
What are the extensions made from? Are they synthetic or 100 percent natural human hair? (Human hair is more expensive than synthetic counterparts.)
How will the extensions be applied and removed?
Can you choose from a variety of weights?
Safieh is a fan of a method of extensions known as Thermo Plastique, which involves a relatively gentle process that can be removed without damage to your hair. (He also adds that the micro bonding points are barely visible.) He says older methods, especially glue, are damaging. "Tracks (sewing) can be too heavy, and metal clips wear out and are hard to brush through."
"[The goal with] extensions is to have the most natural look you can achieve," says Tony Promiscuo, owner of Atlanta's Godiva Salon, who notes that while synthetic types are most plentiful, human hair is superior in its viability. (In addition, synthetic hair cannot typically be heated, so styling options are limited — meaning forget the blow-dryer and curling iron.)
"Individual strands allow a customized, more natural look," says celebrity hairstylist and salon owner Philip Pelusi of New York City's Tela salon. "You can play with the color or length and fill in spots that need it more than others. It's a more accurate way to get the desired look."
What to avoid in hair extensions
"The most important thing is to avoid extensions and pieces that are heavier than your own hair. If extensions are too heavy, they will damage and break off hair — so hair needs to be long and healthy enough to withstand the pressure," Pelusi points out.
Ask about getting a variety of weights, because a single one may not work for everyone. In particular, extensions that do not match your hair are most likely to give you problems. Safieh recommends a type of extensions called Hairdreams, which offer a variety of weights or thicknesses to match your true hair — as well as the ability to preorder highlights and lowlights. Hairdreams last up to seven months and the hair can be reapplied, which also helps to decrease cumulative costs of new hair and removal.
Specialty methods have emerged from certain salons, such as the Goddess Loc, which has a silicon grip and plastic coating in order to avoid damaging your hair.
A version of this article was originally published in July 2009.
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How much are hair extensions?
The bad news: Hair extensions aren't cheap. Depending on how much you get, how you get them attached and the type/grade of hair you use, the cost can range from the hundreds to the thousands of dollars — and that's not including maintenance every six to eight weeks. Cheap clip-ins retail for around $50, whereas celebrities pay upward of $4,500 for extensions. You will also need to make an investment of time, usually four to six hours, for the initial setup.
The specialist who will apply your extensions may be called a hair designer, an extensionist or simply a hairdresser. No matter what title he or she uses, be sure they are experienced and have photos to prove it. Also, make sure you understand how they will be removed and how damage to your natural hair can be minimized. No one wants a bald spot.
Is caring for your extensions going to give you a headache?
Do extensions require a great deal of upkeep and time commitment? Not really, says Pelusi. "People just need to keep an eye on them — almost like you would with color or anything else," he adds, suggesting you allow for an hour at the salon every six weeks.
Caring for your hair extensions
Different types of extensions require different care, so always make sure to follow instructions for your particular kind. Here are some specific tips to help you care for your extensions:
Human hair extensions can be treated as real hair, but more gently.
Use a special brush (often a loop brush) made just for extensions so you don't damage the new hair or the bond.
A gentle shampoo is recommended, and use cool water to help minimize tangles.
A light conditioner will help reduce tangling and keep your new hair supple.
Sleep with your hair in a ponytail or braid to avoid bed-head and knots.
With her career success and a second baby on the way with her husband, John Legend, Chrissy Teigen is doing damn well. And considering that the model is going through one of the biggest years in her life, you would think the Instagram trolls would lay off her for a second. Wrong. Recently, Teigen was body-shamed because of her pregnant belly, which some considered “too big” for how far along she is, Revelist first reported.
The shaming occurred on two recent Instagram posts that showed off Teigen’s pregnant belly. In one picture, Teigen can be seen sitting on a kitchen counter; the other shows her dressed in a black evening gown while holding her stomach. And though Teigen clearly looked like she was in her element with her pregnancy glow in full swing, that didn’t stop internet trolls from criticizing her changing body.
It’s important to note that no one (besides probably Teigen and Legend) knows how far along Teigen's pregnancy is, so these opinions are purely speculative and 100 percent BS. There are a lot of reasons Teigen’s baby bump looks bigger than a few weeks ago (she was hiding it from the tabloids, her show films months in advance, etc.), but one thing we have no explanation for is why internet trolls continually feel compelled to criticize her body — and those of so many moms. Can we let women live and stop the shaming already?
When you're a power couple like Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher, it's reasonable to expect you're a little bit busy. They both have high-powered careers as Hollywood A-listers. Plus, on top of that, they have two kids, 3-year-old daughter Wyatt and 11-month-old son Dimitri. That's a lot to juggle.
So maybe we can forgive the fact that Kunis and Kutcher, despite being married for two years, haven't appeared on a red carpet together since they tied the knot. In fact, they haven't appeared on a red carpet together in almost two decades. Until now, that is.
They finally made their red carpet debut as a couple at the 2018 Breakthrough Prize Ceremony at NASA's Ames Research Center on Sunday, Dec. 3. And jeez, this was a long time coming.
At the event, they showed a little PDA, posing with their arms around each other as they walked by fans and reporters. They were there to present an award to a London geneticist at the show, which is referred to as "the Oscars for science."
Kunis and Kutcher have been married since 2015 and dating since 2012. Yet, their first red carpet appearance together happened in the early 2000s when they starred together on That '70s Show. This was the first time since then they walked a red carpet as a pair. They're notoriously private about their relationship, so it isn't all that surprising. Plus, someone has to stay at home with the kids, right?
Here's hoping this ushers in a new era for Kunis and Kutcher and they get a sitter and make joint public appearances more often. They're so cute and perfect for each other. Humanity needs this.
It's been years now that Katie Holmes and Jamie Foxx have refused to confirm they're definitely together. They know they're together. We know they're together. It's truly the worst-kept secret in Hollywood.
But since nobody has said or done anything "official" yet, it's still news every time this pair of people who are clearly a couple does something couply. Like on Monday night when Holmes quietly showed up at the opening of a store Foxx is involved with.
Privé Revaux is a high-end eyewear brand with a number of celebrities involved, including Foxx. Holmes is not involved with the brand, and she arrived at the event separately from Foxx. They're clearly still trying to throw people off their trail, though it's a complete mystery why. They've been photographed on intimate dinner dates and strolling hand in hand down the beach. They're clearly an item. Why are they still trying to fight this?
Romance rumors started following the pair all the way back in 2013, and while sources have confirmed they're dating, they insist the relationship is nothing serious, even if it is now several years long.
"This is not some intense romance," a source told People magazine a few years ago in 2015. "Jamie and Katie are friends and have been for a long time. They are two adults who are attractive and single, and so apparently conclusions will be drawn … But contrary to those conclusions, they’re not about to run off and make some serious commitment."
Then again, that was two years ago before the public photographs and before the two started taking romantic trips together to places like Paris. Maybe things have changed since then. We just may never know for sure.
It's been the subject of so many endless rumors since they split up last year: What caused Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt's marriage to fail? In a new interview on The Hollywood Reporter's podcast Awards Chatter, Jolie candidly opens up about all the things she and Pitt faced together, the ways their marriage became strained and how they tried to fix it.
"Over the span of that decade, I did lose my mother," she said. "I did have my mastectomy, and I did then have an ovarian cancer scare and have that surgery as well and other things of course that happened in life that you go through."
So basically, things fell apart because of, well, life. It's heartbreaking, but it's very real. Jolie also admitted that working with Pitt on their critically panned 2015 film By the Sea was kind of a last-ditch attempt to fix things.
"We had met working together and we worked together well," she said, referring to when they first met on the set of their 2005 film, Mr. & Mrs. Smith. "I wanted us to do some serious work together. I thought it would be a good way for us to communicate. In some ways, it was; and in some ways, we learned some things. But there was a heaviness probably during that situation that carried on, and it wasn't because of the film."
She continued, "A piece of art can be something that's healing or something that's difficult. I don't know. I'm glad we did that film because we did explore something together. Whatever it was, maybe it didn't solve certain things, but we did communicate something that needed to be communicated to each other."
The holidays are all about gift-giving, but not every gift needs to be expensive or bought from a store. Some of the best gifts are the ones you DIY or that are full of thoughtfulness and care and real understanding of the other person. That's why giving your spouse a love coupon book is a pretty excellent idea.
Before you run away thinking we've got a bunch of coupons here for monogamous lap dances, hear us out. These are the coupons for things you wish you had a real veto power for — things like running to the store, calling the landlord and taking care of the kids for a whole day.
Hopefully, you're in a partnership that does its best to be 50-50, so these coupon ideas will work well for both partners in the relationship.
We tried to make these fun and loving, but also super-realistic. Love can't be all snugglefests and kissing contests. Some days you've got to figure out who is taking out the recycling.
It's the end of the year, and what a hell of a year it's been. Endless political turmoil. Terrible news everywhere you turn. It's hard to tell if 2018 will be the same tumultuous kind of year or if we're in for a better days. (Knock on wood.)
Even if 2017 wasn't a total dumpster fire for you, winter is the perfect time to start dreaming of your next getaway. With so many beautiful places just begging to be visited, it's hard to know where to start. That's why we turned to the same place we always turn for inspiration: Pinterest.
Pinterest? For travel inspiration? Oh, yes, my friends. Because really, before you dive into itineraries or hotel bookings or flights, first you have to want to go somewhere. And because Pinterest is great for collecting everything you've ever wanted to do, from the DIY seat refurbishing project that may or may not happen in this lifetime to the aspirational pasta dinner you swear you're gonna make, it's equally good for dreaming about your next getaway.
From Bora Bora to Rome to New Zealand, here are the most popular fantasy destinations for Pinterest-ers of 2017.
1. Bora Bora, Tahiti
Most Pinned Travel Destinations: Bora Bora
Most Pinned Travel Destinations: Bora Bora
2. Haiku Stairs, Hawaii
Most Pinned Travel Destinations: Haiku Stairs, Hawaii
Most Pinned Travel Destinations: Haiku Stairs, Hawaii
3. Alaska
Most Pinned Travel Destinations: Alaska
Most Pinned Travel Destinations: Alaska
4. The Colosseum, Rome
Most Pinned Travel Destinations: The Colosseum, Rome
Most Pinned Travel Destinations: The Colosseum, Rome
5. Amsterdam, Netherlands
Most Pinned Travel Destinations: Amsterdam, Netherlands
Most Pinned Travel Destinations: Amsterdam, Netherlands
6. Neuschwanstein Castle, Allgäu, Bavaria, Germany
Most Pinned Travel Destinations: Neuschwanstein 2
Most Pinned Travel Destinations: Neuschwanstein 2
7. Oia, Santorini, Greece
Most Pinned Travel Destinations: Oia, Santorini, Greece
Most Pinned Travel Destinations: Oia, Santorini, Greece
8. Kyoto, Japan
Most Pinned Travel Destinations: Kyoto, Japan
Most Pinned Travel Destinations: Kyoto, Japan
9. Blue Lagoon, Iceland
Most Pinned Travel Destinations: Blue Lagoon, Iceland
Most Pinned Travel Destinations: Blue Lagoon, Iceland
10. Budapest, Hungary
Most Pinned Travel Destinations: Budapest, Hungary
Most Pinned Travel Destinations: Budapest, Hungary
11. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Most Pinned Travel Destinations: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Most Pinned Travel Destinations: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
12. Barcelona, Spain
Most Pinned Travel Destinations: Barcelona, Spain
Most Pinned Travel Destinations: Barcelona, Spain
13. Sutherland Falls & Lake Quill, New Zealand
Most Pinned Travel Destinations: Sutherland Falls and L
Most Pinned Travel Destinations: Sutherland Falls and L
In the wake of Matt Lauer's unceremonious ousting from NBC News and most notably the Today show, the public has been agog at developments around who will fill Lauer's spot. Ann Curry's name has been mentioned in passing and, unrelated to Curry but still interesting, the Today show has enjoyed a ratings spike in the days since Lauer has been let go. What this seems to indicate is that people are eager to see a familiar or fresh face come to the table and they are not letting Lauer's departure hinder their enjoyment of the Today show. So, who is a viable contender to replace Lauer?
One of the names currently in the mix (but still unconfirmed as the official choice) is MSNBC's Craig Melvin, a natural fit for replacing Lauer; that's professionally speaking, of course. Melvin might be a bit of an unknown quantity to the non-MSNBC viewership, but as Entertainment Tonight reports, he's incredibly qualified and seems to be a good fit with the rest of the Today show's affable and competent team.
Craig Melvin at Work Instagram
Craig Melvin at Work Instagram
An inside source tells ET that the Today show team are big fans of Melvin's work over at MSNBC and think he could do really well on the Today show. "This would give the network the opportunity to make Melvin into a star at NBC. This would be clean slate," the source claims.
Melvin has been with the MSNBC team since July 2011 and previous to this, he served as a weekend reported for an NBC-owned local station in Washington, D.C. Melvin's MSNBC profile also states that during his time on the network, he has reported on some of the timeliest and most socially-relevant news stories in recent years, including the George Zimmerman trial, the Sandy Hook shooting and both the Republican and Democratic National Conventions in 2016. The mix of pleasant on-air personality with the ability to deliver hard-hitting news is not at all dissimilar to Lauer's role on the Today show team, so again, it feels like Melvin would be a natural fit for the job.
Melvin is not a surefire choice, though. Another strong contender to replace Lauer is Willie Geist, who has been a fill-in anchor on the Today show and thus, has the love of the viewership and the know-how of the Today show that works in his favor. For now, it's still fairly wait-and-see, but there's no doubt that if Melvin were chosen, he'd fit right in with the rest of the Today show anchors.
There's a lot to think about when it comes to This Is Us and truly, it's a show where the devil is in the details. As such, fans of the show (myself included!) have spent darn near every episode poring over the scenes for clues about how Jack Pearson dies. It's been one of the show's biggest and most central mysteries, and yes, it's been driving fans totally bonkers. It's not that we're happy to see him die; it's just that we want to know. We need the closure.
While a variety of fan theories have now sprung up thanks to new clues about the Pearson home going up in flames and Rebecca driving back to Miguel's place with a bag of Jack's personal effects, there's one fan theory about Jack's death we haven't heard before. You may want to take a seat because this theory has nothing to do with a half-burned-down house or a bag of personal effects — and it might wreck you.
A new theory on the This Is Us Reddit group, posted recently as of the time of writing, posits Jack dying by suicide rather than dying in a fire-related incident as the show seems to be leading us to believe. This thought of Jack taking his own life is certainly dark, heartbreaking and seemingly at odds with the man viewers have gotten to know over the course of the show. However, it's not entirely without merit.
Image: Ron Batzdorff/NBC
Reddit user Kellyanna27 explains her feelings on the matter at length, writing, "Does anyone feel like Jack could have committed suicide and that's how he died? The way he spoke to Randall about how he won't always be there? And he's obviously sad about the past because we saw him take Randall to some memorial spot? We know he's still trying to recover and going to AA meetings. There's some family tension with Kevin and Jack. I wouldn't be surprised if he killed himself. He looks like a family man who has everything going for him but on the inside he's battling a lot of demons."
Jack's commitment to recovery has been a focal point of the season, but it was clear in the midseason finale that there's still a lot he has to reckon with. His conversation with Randall at the Vietnam War Memorial made it clear that there is still an entire side to Jack we have never even encountered. There are likely lingering demons from his time in the war and his relationships with his parents. Not to mention the fact that we have yet to account for his brother, Nicky, with whom he served in Vietnam. Did something happen to Nicky that has led to unprocessed guilt for Jack? Could that also be a contributing factor to the idea that Jack dies by suicide?
Image: Ron Batzdorff/NBC
I doubt this theory about Jack possibly committing suicide seeks to negate all the hard work he's done with getting sober for himself and his family, but we do know he is capable of relapse and he's also capable of hiding that relapse from his family. Addiction is a serious illness, and it could lead to mounting anxiety for Jack over getting truly healthy and clean so he can be the man his family needs him to be. That anxiety could contribute to Jack making a fateful and irrevocable decision.
It's also hard to ignore the fact that a massive house fire that can be explained by faulty wiring in the house would provide (in Jack's mind) a decent cover for the possibility of dying by suicide. He could think that if the house went up in flames, his family wouldn't know the truth and they wouldn't feel guilty for his death because they wouldn't spend their lives wondering what they could have done differently to help him.
Of course, this theory is incredibly heartbreaking to read and frankly, heartbreaking to consider. However, it's tough to deny its plausibility. For now, we should probably keep it in mind as a possibility as we prepare for the inevitable gut punch that will be the reveal of Jack's true cause of death on This Is Us.
If you suspect someone might be considering suicide or if you have struggled with those thoughts yourself, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
Fran Drescher has been through a lot in her 60 years, including having her own hit sitcom, battling uterine cancer, writing a New York Times best seller and starting a major health movement. She also had a run-in with a future president and his very specific demands.
Back in 1996, Donald Trump appeared in an episode of Drescher's sitcom The Nanny called "The Rosie Show" (yes, his now-nemesis Rosie O'Donnell was also in it) and was unhappy when he saw that he was referred to as a "millionaire" in a draft of the script.
"We got a note from his people that said, 'Mr. Trump is not a millionaire. He’s a billionaire, and he would like you to change the line,'" Drescher told SheKnows. But she didn't give in to his demand, and instead changed the line to "zillionaire," which is how it appeared in the show.
"My now-gay-ex-husband thought that was such an amazing request that he actually kept that note and framed it, never seeing in the future what was to come," she added, saying that her ex-husband (Nanny cocreator Peter Marc Jacobson) still has it hanging in his office.
Among the other New York-centric guest stars on The Nanny was an up-and-coming stand-up comedian named Jon Stewart, who appeared in a 1997 episode called "Kissing Cousins," in which the pair briefly date before finding out they're cousins. Drescher said she loved working with Stewart and thought he was "really cute," but didn't make a move because he was married.
"You know, I would have gone for him in a New York minute, but I don’t go after anybody’s man — ‘cause you have to narrow the pool somehow," she quipped.
Those who'd like to relive the fun and amazing fashion of the '90s are in luck. The Nanny has been added to Cozi TV's 2018 lineup and will include health tips from Drescher between episodes.
But you don't need to wait until then to hear Drescher's take on health. Following the success of her New York Times best-selling book Cancer Schmancer, she launched an organization and movement of the same name dedicated to shifting the focus from searching for a cure for cancer to one that encourages early detection and prevention. This includes being an active patient during illness as well as making informed decisions regarding what you're putting in, on and around your body in order to prevent exposure to environmental pollutants that can contribute to conditions like cancer.
Now, 17 years post-cancer, Drescher talked about her experience with the illness — including how it took two years and eight doctors for her to get an accurate diagnosis — as part of Healthline's recent launch of their State of Cancer report. Focusing on the impact of digital information and patient support networks in cancer treatment and care, the report highlights the differences between the generations regarding how people with cancer and caregivers use online resources.
Accessing accurate, digestible information is only one aspect of Drescher's vision. Much of it also has to do with challenging people to rethink traditional medicine and health care.
"My mission is to enlighten people to a whole other way of thinking and approaching our health, which isn’t necessarily driven by big business profit or a brainwashing that these doctors have had since medical school of how you’re supposed to act with no radical thinking of asking other questions or considering that there’s another way to solve a problem," Drescher said. "For me, this word 'idiopathic' means that the idiots aren’t asking themselves the right questions of what is the cause."
As a proponent of focusing on the root causes of illnesses like cancer — rather than simply attempting to stop and treat a condition when it arises — Drescher wants people to start asking themselves what they are doing to contribute to their own health and well-being.
"Let's stop talking about what the next chemo is and start thinking about all the woes in the world making us sick," she added.
Finally, the most magical time of year is here! And no, we're not talking about the holidays; we're talking about the premiere of Top Chef. In its 15th season, the gang of judges we love — consisting of Padma Lakshmi and chefs Tom Colicchio, Gail Simmons and Graham Elliot — all head to majestic Colorado to judge a new group of chefs, learn about the local cuisine and probably get overly critical of a risotto or two.
Ahead of the premiere episode, which airs on Thursday, Dec. 7, Lakshmi took some time out of her day to chat with SheKnows, covering everything from sexism in the kitchen to her own stretch marks to her very favorite part of filming Top Chef Season 15.
We first had to ask Lakshmi what her response has been to news related to gender-specific issues like sexism, the wage gap and feminism. Specifically, we wanted to know how those issues were being handled in the food industry and restaurant culture.
While breaking into her signature warm laugh (that we hope is trademarked), she replied, "How long do we have to talk about it?"
Reassured that she could talk at will, Lakshmi launched into her complicated feelings about gender inequality in the chef's kitchen. "Some of the reasons are because of manual labor," she explained. "You can go to school all you want, but at the end of the day, being a chef means being on your feet, being in your kitchen, working with your hands elbow-to-elbow with your kitchen staff. Whether you’re a lowly commis [apprentice] that’s chopping the vegetables, the saucier [cooks sauces], the poissonnier [cooks fish dishes], whomever. You are on your feet, the hours are terrible, and to be pregnant and breaking down a side of beef is tough. It’s a professional lifestyle that’s not conducive to a lot of aspects of womanhood. But that being said, there are some great female chefs, like Barbara Lynch, Suzanne Goin, April Bloomfield, Dominique Crenn and a bunch of others that do do it, and incredibly well. But the industry does not make it easy for them to do it well.
Still, Lakshmi wanted to make clear that gender inequality was not an issue specific to the food industry. It's a worldwide issue that affects everyone.
"It’s the culture of the society," she said. "Most of the food made on this planet is made by women. We certainly know how to do it. So, why on the professional level are the restaurants dominated by men? It has to do with the nature of commerce more than the nature of the specific profession. It also has to with ownership. It’s so deep and subtle and devious, these preconceptions and prejudices we have about women owning businesses and women being able to have agency. It has more to do with societal factors rather than the kitchen specifically. Because let’s be clear: In every kitchen and in every home around the world, it’s mostly the women who are doing the cooking."
We also had to ask Lakshmi about an Instagram story the model/author/TV personality posted in November. In the fun, sexy picture, she's wearing a white shirt with nipples visible underneath and a pair of white underwear that show some zigzagging stretch marks on her thigh. She added some playful hearts and a few playful words: "Hey stretch."
According to Lakshmi, this type of social post is important. "You know, they retouch a lot of stuff on pictures of my body," she said. "They don’t retouch my scar because I’m clear about that. But I‘ve gotta tell you, it’s funny. We’re afraid of women’s nipples. We want to erase all of the cellulite and all of the stretch marks. But that is what a real body looks like."
She continued, "I work hard at my body. I have to because I eat so much and I had a baby at age 40, and it’s not easy," she said. "But I’m happy with the lot I have. I just think we are so afraid of everything that’s not exactly fitting a very narrow parameter of what we think is attractive and acceptable. The sexual politics of that are very complicated. I feel good about what I look like, and I don’t care if people judge me or anything else."
While we love her fierce feminism, we certainly couldn't let Lakshmi go without asking about this season's Top Chef location, and now we're jealous.
"I have been to Colorado, but I’ve never spent quite so much time there," she told us. "The natural beauty is so stunning. Everywhere you look is like an Ansel Adams photo. It’s so lovely. I’m a city girl, so to be in nature and in the mountains like that is quite gothic in a way. You’re really bowled over by Mother Nature. It sounds corny, but that was the thing that stood out looking back on my time filming this season."
We can't wait to watch Top Chef Season 15 and see for ourselves.
