It's a special time of year, one that only comes around once in a blue moon, and I think it's high time we celebrate appropriately.
Forget the holidays, forget any kind of Christmas cheer, forget feeling rosy and warm with the wintry spirit. Things are about to frosty and spicy, but not in the way that you were expecting. No, what I'm talking about is the special time of year where we not only get to herald the impending return of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, but we also get to bask in the glory of the RHOBH Season 8 taglines. It's a Housewives miracle, I tell you!
It's been a long, long time since we've had any kind of RHOBH goodness in our lives. With Season 7 ending earlier in 2017, it's been a drag all this time as we wait for Season 8 — well, for diehard fans of the show like yours truly, it has.
But now, Entertainment Tonight is finally able to dish up a smashing sneak preview of the new and improved taglines for each of the housewives, including recent addition Teddy Mellencamp Arroyave, who is sending a soft but strong message with her tagline: "Having the best isn’t important to me, but being my best is." It sounds like we might have a new RHOBH good girl on our hands, but we shouldn't hold our breath that she won't get sucked into the drama.
Some of the other taglines feel extra decadent and very, very Beverly Hills. Take Lisa Vanderpump's new tagline, "The queen of diamonds always has an ace up her sleeve," or even Erika Girardi's, which also goes ultra-decadent with the diamonds imagery: "Some people call me cold, but that’s not ice. It’s diamonds."
Lisa Rinna's new one-liner, "I don’t have to buy it, ‘cause I already own it," is not only a hint at her lifestyle but also a recall to her infamous confrontation with Kyle Richards and owning her drama-inciting tendencies.
Oh, and speaking of Richards, her new tagline fits her like a glove and hits on her quality as a consistently loyal friend: "In this town, fame and money come and go, but friends should not."
Finally, Dorit Kemsley's new tagline is perhaps the most decadent and extra of them all — buckle up. "I believe in an excess of everything… except moderation," she says in the promo (which you can view within Entertainment Tonight's report). Oh boy, the RHOBH Season 8 premiere is this evening, December 19th, and yet it still feels like such a long wait!
I’ve been thinking about my beauty goals for 2018 (more deep conditioning, less sleeping in makeup) and realized there’s one thing I’m thoroughly sick of seeing and doing: “taming” my hair. When did we become so obsessed with anything labeled “anti-frizz"? I’m amazed at how much we’re willing to do for the sake of smooth-looking hair, even if we preach all that “I love myself unapologetically” stuff.
As a beauty editor, I’m bombarded with frizz-taming products on a weekly basis. But even outside of my work, I’ve started to realize the whole anti-frizz mentality has plagued me since I was a kid — and if it affected me, it must have affected plenty of other girls and women.
My earliest hair memories involve three very specific products: a soft-bristle brush, Luster’s Pink Lotion and L.A. Looks Gel (extreme hold), probably because that’s all I ever used. My mother, who grew up in a traditional Italian household, was hardly a natural hair expert. But with limited skills and the help of black women in our neighborhood, she mastered the braid and bangs combo my sisters and I wore until we could manage on our own.
"I’m amazed at how much we’re willing to do for the sake of smooth-looking hair."
Every day, my sisters and I lined up in front of our bedroom vanity and stood there as one by one, our mom slicked our hair back and brushed the front over and over and over until it was straight and shiny. Outside school picture days and Easter, this was our tried-and-true routine. It worked, and I never complained because my mother prided herself on making sure we were well-groomed for school every day. It’s something I’ll always be thankful for, especially when I remember the childhood friends who came from homes where their most basic needs went unmet.
Now, in hindsight, I realize this idea of my hair “needing” to be tamed every day is sort of messed up and hard to escape. It’s common knowledge that advertising and other product-driven images can have a major effect on how we see ourselves, especially as it pertains to appearance, so this is not me saying my mother is to blame for the sometimes unhealthy relationship I have with my hair, but I do believe she absorbed some not-so-healthy hair beliefs and habits that trickled down to me.
On one hand, my mom was influenced by the Eurocentric beauty standards she grew up adhering to — ones that told her straight, smooth hair and lighter skin were best. On the other hand, she was exposed to a whole other set of ideals — black beauty standards — that were different in terms of day-to-day care but still overshadowed and shaped by the idea that long, straight hair was better than the big and curly kind. Back in the ’90s, it seemed all the little girls on my block had a Just For Me relaxer or a fresh doobie (straightened hair) from the salon.
It’s no wonder it took me most of my 20s to be OK with something as simple and natural as frizz; I rejected it in every way possible for most of my life. And it certainly doesn’t help that a large chunk of the hair industry is dedicated to getting rid of it too.
Search for the term “frizz” on Sephora’s website, and over 250 products pop up, all promising to tame, get rid of or prevent your hair from doing its own thing. Google “anti-frizz,” and you’ll find countless expert articles about how to fight it or why it’s the absolute worst beauty disaster a woman could ever face. Oh, the drama! Perhaps this is easy for someone with naturally straight hair to accept, but what about women like me whose strands have texture and a lot more volume?
“Search for ‘frizz’ on Sephora and over 250 products pop up, all promising to prevent it."
According to celebrity hairstylist and brand founder Vernon François, this widely accepted assumption that frizz is bad goes completely against the natural biology of our strands, but for some reason, we’ve done everything to assimilate.
“The reality is so many people for so long have been told that their hair’s true texture isn’t good enough and that they need to suppress or get rid of frizz to have a better relationship with it,” he says. “‘Frizz’ is often used as a negative word, but it’s the makeup of most hair textures; it can give your hair personality, movement, body and volume.”
There’s really nothing else to say. The truth is simple — frizz is OK, but how exactly do we go against the flow and learn to see it as a natural part of our hair? Besides a little correction and a lot of patience, there are three things you can do to feel more confident about letting your flyaways flourish in the new year.
"Frizz is hardly a barrier to great hairstyles — in fact, it may just enhance them."
Find inspiration
I don’t know about you, but when I’m feeling insecure about anything, I tend to isolate and trick myself into thinking I’m the only person going through the feels. I can recall plenty of times when I’d literally go through an entire jar of Ampro gel trying to slick my hair into a “perfect style” and even cancel plans if I didn’t feel presentable enough. Yes, it’s as sad as it sounds.
What’s really made a difference in my personal hair journey is seeking out images of women who have my texture instead of putting unnecessary pressure on myself to “fix” my hair. I’m constantly scrolling through the Instagram feeds of frizz-friendly stylists like @vernonfrancois and others like the @thecutlife and @protectivestyles for inspiration. Spend a few minutes perusing their photos, and you’ll see that frizz is hardly a barrier to great hairstyles. In fact, it may just enhance them.
How to embrace frizzy hair 2
How to embrace frizzy hair 2
In the context of societal beauty standards, there’s nothing normal about “liking” frizzy hair, so it may take time for you (and me) to see it as beautiful or no big deal. But the truth is it really isn’t a big deal! We’ve been leaning in the opposite direction for too long, and according to François, “The idea of a clean, finished look is not everyone’s reality.”
“All hair types can create beautiful movement, textures and shapes. It’s part of your true identity. I think having the power to recognize your hair’s versatility and your identity is a much better goal for humans, versus suppressing it to fit an ideal or someone else’s validation.”
I couldn’t agree more. This resolution may seem small, but learning to value our frizz and all that comes with it might make your 2018 a little less stressful and a lot more authentically beautiful. Give it a try.
Going out with friends after work for a Friday night drink is a great way to end the week, right? That is until you wake up the next morning with a pounding headache that won’t stop.
But the good news is a night out doesn’t have to land you on the wrong side of the bed in the morning. With just a few preventive steps, you can minimize the effects of alcohol and hopefully reduce the fierce headaches that come with a hangover.
What is a hangover headache?
So what exactly happens in your body the morning after to cause such excruciating pain?
A hangover is caused primarily by acute alcohol withdrawal and dehydration. And the next-day headache is most often a result of the dilated blood vessels in your brain, a lowered glucose level and substances in alcohol called congeners, which give drinks their flavor.
According to Dr. Alex Roher, preventing and treating a hangover — and the resulting headaches — is all about hydration.
“Drinking alcohol can lead to dehydration, as alcohol has a diuretic effect. Alcohol increases the production of urine, leading to a loss of fluids and electrolytes that are needed,” Roher explains.
He goes on to say that excessive amounts of alcohol can cause vomiting — resulting in additional loss of fluids and electrolytes. Dehydration can also cause fatigue, headache and dizziness — or what we think of as the typical hangover.
How much alcohol causes a hangover headache?
Whether you have one drink or end up shutting the bar down, the amount of alcohol you drink doesn’t always correlate with the severity of your headaches.
So, just how much do you need to drink to experience one of these head pounders? Well, like most things health- and medicine-related, the answer depends. The severity of your next-day symptoms depends on factors like your age, gender and body weight.
But generally speaking, five to eight drinks for the average man and three to five drinks for the average woman are enough to cause some degree of hangover.
According to John Hopkins Medicine, certain ethnic groups have a genetically reduced ability to break down acetaldehyde, the main by-product of alcohol as it is first processed in the liver.
There are also many medications that interfere with the breakdown of alcohol and acetaldehyde, worsening the consequences of drinking. And if you’re prone to migraines, then you’ll likely endure more next-day misery. In fact, a 2016 study published in the Journal of Neurosciences in Rural Practice found that alcoholic drinks are a migraine trigger in about one-third of migraine patients.
What you eat matters
The food you eat during the day has a huge impact on how your body responds to alcohol. Dr. Elizabeth Trattner says a good strategy to begin with is eating a healthy meal prior to going out.
“Make sure this meal has both healthy fat and fiber to delay transit time in the digestive system,” she explains. “By having both fiber and fat, like avocado and nuts, it will stay in the stomach longer and will keep you from getting completely smashed, which can happen on an empty stomach.”
Top drinking tips
When enjoying alcohol, Trattner suggests downing a huge glass of water between each drink. She explains that this will often slow people down and keep at bay the dehydrating effects of alcohol.
She also says to avoid dark-colored alcohol like whiskey and red wine. “Instead, stick with light-colored alcohols like vodka, white wine and gin because they contain fewer chemicals called congeners, which can leave you with a splitting headache,” says Trattner.
Avoid add-ins like sour mix, which pack in preservatives that can make a hangover even worse and sugars that spike your blood glucose then send it crashing, leading you to crave more alcohol. Be wary of mixing diet drinks and alcohol.
If you have overindulged, when you return home, try to drink some coconut water or Gatorade that will replace electrolytes depleted by alcohol. Drink at least eight ounces because alcohol dehydrates the system. Try to do this the minute you arrive home.
Lastly, Trattner says that if you were too drunk to take precautions the night before and wake up the next morning with your head splitting open, try the coconut water or the Gatorade before breakfast. It’s also a good idea to include eggs, bananas and fruit in your morning menu. These foods can help replenish electrolytes and other substances your alcohol-ravaged body needs.
So, go ahead and enjoy yourself, but remember that hydration is the key to avoiding (or getting rid of) that nasty hangover headache.
When Titanic came out in 1997, I was only 11 years old. I remember the buzz surrounding the film, especially how everyone just had to go watch a then-23-year-old Leonardo DiCaprio shine as Jack Dawson (including my older sister, who had a strong Leo obsession).
I never saw it in theaters, but as soon as it was released on video, I had to watch it. I needed to understand why most everyone was in love with this film. As soon as my sister got the movie on VHS (yes, VHS, and because Titanic is three hours and 14 minutes long, it was twotapes), I popped it in and started watching.
Seeing as I was still in elementary school, I was not allowed to watch the part where Jack painted Rose like one of his French girls or the two having heated sex in the jalopy. Minus those parts, I don't really remember how I felt about the movie, but I know wasn't head over heels in love with it. To me, it was just a movie. Plus, I was only 11, so I didn't really understand everything that was happening on-screen or fully grasp every adult moment, including Jack and Rose's romance.
But as I got older, I obviously watched it again and, well, I didn't fall in love with it. One of the many thoughts that went through my mind was, "Why is this movie considered so great?" I really didn't understand it then — and I still don't.
Titanic seems to be one of those movies that everyone adores except me. I am not afraid to admit that I hate it. I don't care that it starred DiCaprio as Jack Dawson and Kate Winslet as Rose Dewitt Bukater (what a mouthful!). They are not enough to get me to rave about it; Titanic is a terrible movie.
Let me preface my hate for the movie by saying that I understand this story takes place in 1912 and things were different over 100 years ago, including the fact that it was apparently totally normal to be engaged as a teenager (look at Rose and Cal), but that doesn't mean the romance plot doesn't have major issues.
First of all, let's start with Jack. Why would I root for a male love interest who is a liar, a cheat, a schemer and a mansplainer (Jack, Rose knows what ice fishing is!) and who insults the supposed love of his life but expects her to take those insults as compliments?
For example, Jack says, “Rose, you’re no picnic, all right? You’re a spoiled little brat, even. But, under that, you’re the most amazingly, astounding, wonderful girl, woman, that I’ve ever known." Really? He totally bashes her, and that's supposed to be romantic? I don't think so. Secondly, after Rose jumps off the lifeboat as the ship is sinking because she just can't live without Jack (even though she knows they might very well die), he to her: "You’re so stupid. Why’d you do that? You’re so stupid, Rose." Excuse me? Again with the insults, Jack? This has to be the worst line in the entire movie.
Oh, and he's also kind of sleazy. As Rose flips through his art book, Jack says, "That's the good thing about Paris: a lot of girls are willing to take their clothes off." Ew, Jack. Ew.
On the other hand, I will say that Jack does have a positive effect on Rose. He helped her feel her actual age, have fun, be carefree and recognize what happiness is. When a guy makes you smile, not cry, well, that's the kind of guy you want in your life. Although Jack certainly wasn't without his flaws.
Then there is Rose. She's a 17-year-old girl who has serious issues. You might find it hard to relate to this privileged white girl, but how can you not feel bad for her? It would be terrible to feel so trapped that you think the only way out is suicide. Speaking of just that, how is it that Rose killing herself is just kind of pushed to the side? This moment is played off as something romantic because Jack rushes in to save the day. This is their meet-cute — and it's an awful one.
Rose is so unhappy that she's willing to take her own life. She even described herself as screaming inside. So, I'm supposed to ignore that and be like, "Aw, Jack is such a hero saving her, and she's 100 percent fine now"? Meeting a cute boy is the cure? Even Jack asks Rose, "What could've happened to this girl that made her think she had no way out?"
Let's take a moment to take in these two quotes from Old Rose. First, she says at the very beginning, "It was the ship of dreams to everyone else. To me it was a slave ship, taking me back to America in chains. Outwardly, I was everything a well-brought-up girl should be. Inside, I was screaming." Hello! This is very concerning. Also, calling the Titanic a "slave ship" is way too much. Really? It's not even close.
Then, Old Rose continues, "I saw my whole life as if I'd already lived it. An endless parade of parties and cotillions, yachts and polo matches. Always the same narrow people, the same mindless chatter. I felt like I was standing at a great precipice, with no one to pull me back, no one who cared... or even noticed..." Yeah, she had some major problems as a young girl, and they get pushed to the back burner.
I know there are people who can come into your life to help you and show you that life is worth living. As Old Rose says, "But now you know there was a man named Jack Dawson and that he saved me... in every way that a person can be saved." Of course Jack helped Rose, but I don't like how it was portrayed.
Back then, mental health wasn't as widely discussed it is today, so maybe that's why what Rose was dealing with was hardly touched upon. However, this could've served as a teaching moment. It's dangerous to present this idea that the way to feel better or to be happy is by having a man swoop in and get you to fall in love with him. And it almost seems like what Rose is feeling inside is there one moment and then gone the instant she meets Jack. That's not how real life works. Granted, Titanic is a love story, but there are some heavy issues involving Rose that are used as a plot device to push the romance storyline further — and that's not OK.
For me, after recognizing just how unhappy Rose is, well, it's hard to enjoy the love story. They dance. They laugh. Jack draws Rose naked while she's wearing the "Heart of the Ocean" necklace. The run around the ship. They have sex in a car. They end up in the water and Jack basically doesn't even try to survive. Rose lets go and gets rescued. Then, 84 years later, she finally tells her story and throws the diamond necklace into the ocean (really?!). She apparently dies, and her soul makes it way back to the Titanic, where she reunites with Jack and everyone else who perished claps as they kiss.
That's pretty much the storyline in a nutshell. Overall, Jack and Rose's love story isn't as epic as it's typically described. What does this love story teach us? That you can fall in love in 20 minutes. That when a man insults you and mansplains things to you, that is true love. And if you're unhappy and you have suicidal thoughts, just ignore them because romance is right around the corner and you'll feel totally fine in a matter of seconds.
I can't handle this ridiculousness. I am the embodiment of Rose giving Cal's valet the middle finger.
Maybe I'm a bit of a cynic and reading way too into all of this because it's only a movie, but what I've mentioned is hard to ignore. When a film as big as the Titanic has the power to captivate audiences across the world, then maybe it should take its storytelling a bit more seriously.
As a little girl first watching Titanic, I definitely didn't pick up on any of the above subject matter. So, to learn as I got older that this is what's being presented throughout the film is disappointing, to say the least.
As a lesbian, I didn’t have the convenience of personally knowing the other genetic half of my child. Except on paper — or rather, the internet. I wish my wife and I could have created a child with just our own DNA, but until science catches up, we had to rely on sperm from an outside source.
We picked out a sperm donor online, which is not entirely unlike picking out new linens on Amazon. Only more expensive. And a whole lot more important.
We had access to a plethora of information about the donor, including his genetic makeup, pictures of him as a baby and an adult, his family history, a panel with the findings of tests on about a hundred different genetic disorders and an essay that he wrote. I found the essay part the most informative. What? I believe I can tell a lot from someone’s syntax, including how intelligent they are, how cohesive their thoughts are, whether they think in non sequiturs — and much more.
We were looking for someone who had a mixed background — a mutt, if you will — since we understood someone with many different ethnicities to be genetically sturdier. Yes, it was kind of like choosing a dog; purebreds tend to have more health issues. We also wanted someone with as healthy a background as possible — someone who didn’t have cancer or heart disease or any rare genetic disorders in their ancestry.
I admit that somewhere in there, after checking off the above really important things — as well as a negative CMV or viral status, blood types that matched and whether the donor had reported a successful pregnancy before (hence, I hate to say it, "proving their worth" as a sperm donor with a high price tag), we did also take physical features into consideration. Is that a crime?
Of course, as we sifted through the laundry list of donor qualities, looks were pretty far down that list. But it's true that we did rule out some donors who looked nothing like us — and some who were just plain funny-looking.
And then our top pick (actually our top two picks) didn't stick. So there you go. The cutest of the donors didn’t result in a positive pregnancy. We turned to choice three. The donor that proved ultimately successful was, yes, good-looking — but again, was our third pick after weeding out many others, plenty of whom may have been considered better looking, but who hadn’t met our criteria for health.
I know most moms are completely biased and think their own babies are the cutest little things in the whole wide world. But my baby? He is legitimately really, really ridiculously good-looking.
He has perfect, tiny, symmetrical features — and has since the day he was born. He has a little button nose and little full lips. He has long eyelashes that stop people on the street and a chiseled chin with a dimple that people always comment on.
My son is seriously one of the best-looking babies I have ever seen. And it's not just me, his biased parent, who thinks he's objectively cuter than many of the babies in ads or commercials. I swear other people agree; in fact, they tell us all the time. People stop us on the street, in stores, just about everywhere we go on a near-daily basis to comment on our son's truly uncommon levels of cuteness. And yes, a talent agent has told us he should model.
It's hard not to feel proud about having such a beautiful kid, but mostly, it’s something I worry about. I’m no model — I don't know, I'd call myself average to slightly cute at best — and I worry that people see my son and think, "There's a designer baby created by the dollars and cents of two moms who hand-selected sperm based on looks alone."
I can feel strangers judging me as they meet him. First, they stop to unabashedly admire his good looks; then they glance confusedly back and forth between me and my wife. I can almost smell the wood burning as they put two and two together. "Oh, they’re gay. Oh, the baby must look like the dad — the sperm donor, that is. Oh, they must have chosen someone good-looking just so they could have a gorgeous baby."
No one has flat-out said this to me, but I can sense their criticism. Actually, I almost wish someone would say something so I could tell them about the donor's profile and explain that what matters is the genetic screening. How all I wanted was a healthy kid. And how, more than anything else, I really wish my son looked like my wife, even if it meant giving up his Gerber baby face.
Dystopian novels and mediocre sci-fi movies have already toyed with plots involving selective genetics and designer babies. The topic is one that sits dormant in many of our minds as something that could — one day sooner rather than later — happen. But these days, the closest most of us get to that sci-fi plot is the use of common fertility treatments like IVF and donor sperm. And while some may wrongly assume we hand-picked our baby based on the good looks of our donor, the ironic truth is that I absolutely would have created a totally genetically designed sci-fi baby — if only I could have mixed my wife’s DNA with mine. But science isn't quite there yet.
NBC is hard at work on its next live musical, and as usual, it's landed a big name to draw in viewers. For the network's production of Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert!, it's just been announced that John Legend will play Jesus.
Legend, who has released five studio albums, including the award-winning Get Lifted, and netted 10 Grammy wins out of dozens of nominations, said he was thrilled to be joining the production, which is set to air on Easter Sunday.
"It’s such a powerful, meaningful musical and I’m humbled to be part of this performance," Legend told Deadline. "We’ve already formed an incredible team, and, as we finish casting, I’m certain we will put together some of the greatest talents around to do this work justice."
He's right — Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert! has some other big names behind it already, including Andrew Lloyd Webber, possible the most famous name in musical theater, as an executive producer. Other executive producers include Tim Rice, Marc Platt, Craig Zadan and Neil Meron. Alice Cooper is already attached to play King Herod.
"We’re all overjoyed to have world-class musical artist and producer John Legend starring as Jesus," NBC chairman Robert Greenblatt said in a statement. "This score demands a singer with an amazing range and an actor with great depth, and there isn’t anyone better to bring this story to a new audience. His casting is also ground-breaking as the traditional image of Christ will be seen in a new way."
Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert! follows other successful live TV musicals produced and aired by NBC, including The Sound of Music Live and Peter Pan Live!.
We all know we're supposed to get a flu shot every year, but for people with egg allergies, it hasn't been that easy. Rather than just walking into pretty much any pharmacy or doctor's office and getting one, those allergic to eggs had to make an appointment with an allergist and get a specialized version of the vaccine. But according to new research and guidelines from the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, that is no longer the case.
In a paper published on Dec. 19 in the Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, the authors said the flu shot is safe for those with egg allergies and recommended that they receive the vaccination.
“When someone gets a flu shot, health care providers often ask if they are allergic to eggs,” says allergist Dr. Matthew Greenhawt, chair of the association's food allergy committee and lead author of the new guidelines in a statement. “We want health care providers and people with egg allergy to know there is no need to ask this question anymore, and no need to take any special precautions. The overwhelming evidence since 2011 has shown that a flu shot poses no greater risk to those with egg allergy than those without.”
To reach this conclusion, the association reviewed dozens of studies involving thousands of patients with egg allergies who have received a flu shot and did not have allergic reactions — including hundreds with life-threatening egg allergy. Their findings and new guidelines are consistent with those from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Academy of Pediatrics, all of which emphasize the safety and importance of everyone — including those with egg allergies — receiving their annual flu shots.
Specifically, the health organizations all found that potential harms of the flu — which for some can be life-threatening — outweighed any potential risks, especially since there is no proven record of people with egg allergies having bad reactions to the flu shot.
“There are hundreds of thousands of hospitalizations, and tens of thousands of deaths in the United States every year because of the flu, most of which could be prevented with a flu shot,” allergist Dr. John Kelso, a member of the allergy association and coauthor of the new guidelines says in a statement. “Egg allergy primarily affects young children, who are also particularly vulnerable to the flu. It’s very important that we encourage everyone, including children with egg allergy, to get a flu shot.”
So why was the recommendation that people with egg allergies skip the flu shot made in the first place? Turns out, most viral strains used to create influenza vaccines come predominately from birds, Dr. Randy Bergen, a pediatrician, infectious disease specialist at Kaiser Permanente Walnut Creek Medical Center and the clinical lead for the Kaiser Permanente flu vaccine program in Northern California, tells Healthline.
Image: SuperStock/Getty Images
Eggs are used in the vaccine-manufacturing process to incubate the viral strains, Bergen explains, which leaves trace amounts of egg in the resulting flu shot. But, he points out, the amount of egg proteins in the vaccine each year has been decreasing. The new guidelines reinforce the fact that the flu vaccine is safe and effective for everyone — even those with egg allergies.
And just as a reminder: The flu is no joke. It's not some 24-hour stomach bug or common cold and can totally knock you out for weeks — even if you've had a flu shot. Since 2010, the CDC estimates that influenza has resulted in between 9.2 million and 35.6 million illnesses, between 140,000 and 710,000 hospitalizations and between 12,000 and 56,000 deaths annually.
Although flu season is well underway (it starts in October and can last until May), it's still not too late to get your vaccination. And if you've been putting it off because you have an egg allergy and had to go to a specialist, you have no more excuses.
Image: Getty Images/Design: Ashley Britton/SheKnowsStains are awful, and they make buying new clothes — which we love and wear and inevitably get covered in something nasty — almost seem pointless. Why bother having nice things if they always end up ruined? But that doesn't have to be the case. With a little know-how, even the worst stains can be taken care of and your clothing will look like new.
You've probably heard your fair share of stain-removal old wives' tales, and they may have let you down. That's why we're getting into the nitty-gritty details about the timing, substance and science of stain removal.
There are a few things to remember. First of all, the earlier you catch a stain, the better. If you're out and about (and the item isn't dry-clean only), pretreat the affected area with something like Spray 'n Wash's Stain Stick, Shout wipes or a Tide pen. (If none of these are available, you can at least wet the stain to keep it from setting as completely. An ice cube from your drink is the perfect way to wet the spot. Careful to just dab — don't rub the stain into the fibers of your clothes.) Then wash the item as soon as you get home.
Secondly, after washing an item with a stain, check your wet laundry before drying it to make sure the stain is gone (the heat from the drying process will often make the stain permanent). If the mark is still visible, pretreat as before or try another stain treatment process and wash again.
Fresh dye stains are the easiest to remove but very hard to get out once they've set in. If possible, right when the stain happens, run it under cold water and then wash it in the hottest possible setting for the fabric. Dye stains are naturally occurring vegetable dyes found in many plants and acidic foods. If you can't get the stain out yourself, try the dry cleaner. These same cleaning methods should work for coffee, tea and ink stains — which are also dye stains.
2. Protein stains
Organic in nature, protein stains include things like vomit, sweat and blood. Treat them with alkaline stain removal solutions, which will digest the proteins. Enzyme presoak products can break down protein and help dissolve fats. Most detergents contain enzymes and can be used to clean protein stains.
3. Combination stains
Combination stains are stains from things like sauces (barbecue sauce, ketchup, hot sauce), makeup (lipstick, foundation, eye shadow) and crayons. They are a combination of the other types of stains. First, rinse off any excess from the stain with cold water. Gently rub a detergent into the stain. Rinse out the detergent, apply a stain stick and launder.
4. Ice cream and other dairy product stains
Dairy stains are protein stains because they are organic in nature (i.e., from an animal). Fresh stains should be soaked and agitated in cold water before washing. If the stain has dried, scrape or brush off any crusted matter. Soak for up to several hours in cold water with a detergent or an enzyme presoak (which breaks down protein-based stains like egg, grass and blood so your detergent can work more effectively). Launder in warm water. If the stain remains, soak an additional 30 minutes and rewash. If a colored stain remains, launder with a bleach safe for the fabric.
5. Fruit and fruit juice stains
Fruit stains are a dye stain. Launder with detergent in the hottest water safe for the fabric. Do not use soap (bar, flake or detergents containing natural soap) since soap-based products could make the stain permanent. Soak tough stains for 30 minutes in 1 quart of warm water and 1 teaspoon of enzyme presoak product. Removal of old or set stains may require washing with bleach that is safe for that particular fabric. If all the sugars are not removed, a brown stain will appear when the cloth is heated in the dryer or is ironed as the sugar is caramelized. This effect is great for crème brûlée... not so wonderful for your favorite white blouse.
6. Grass stains
Grass stains are also a dye stain — a combination of protein and other organic matter mixed with chlorophyll, xanthophylls and carotenoids. For stubborn stains like grass, soak in a solution of cool water and a laundry product containing enzymes, like Shout Advanced Ultra Gel Brush, for at least 30 minutes (or several hours for aged stains). Don't use hot water, as it will coagulate the protein and make the stain more difficult to remove. If stains remain, soak an additional 30 minutes, then rewash. (Follow product instructions, and note that some laundry detergents already contain enzymes.) After soaking, launder in warm water as usual.
7. Mud stains: Mud stains are a protein stain. Let mud stains dry. Brush to remove the soil. Soak in a solution of 1 quart of warm water, 1 teaspoon of liquid dish detergent and 1 tablespoon of white vinegar for 15 minutes. Rinse with water. Let stand for several minutes. If the stain persists, sponge it with rubbing alcohol, then rinse with clear water and wash. You may also soak the stain for 30 minutes in an enzyme presoak, and you can add chlorine bleach to the load of laundry if the label says it's safe for the fabric.
8. Barbecue sauce stains and other tomato-based sauce stains
Barbecue sauce is a combination stain. Soak in cool water, 1/2 teaspoon of liquid hand dishwashing detergent and 1 tablespoon of vinegar for 30 minutes. Rinse. If the stain remains, pretreat the area with a prewash stain remover, liquid laundry detergent or a paste of powdered detergent and water. Then wash in warm water. Air-dry. If the stain remains, soak it in an enzyme product for at least an hour up to overnight. Some detergents contain enzymes. Launder in warm water. Do not use hot water or hot air-drying or iron the garment until the stain is gone, as heat will set it.
9. Coffee stains
A coffee stain is a dye stain, but the cream or milk in the coffee is a protein. Therefore, you will want to treat the stain as both if you like a little cream in your morning cup of joe. If the stain is fresh, immediately rinse with cold water. If you are at home (or once at home), remove the clothing and add laundry detergent directly to the stain and rub the cloth together with cold water. Soak in the water for 30 minutes, rubbing the cloth together every five to 10 minutes. Next, wash clothing on the hottest setting. Ensure the stain is out of the clothing prior to placing in the dryer. If the stain has not been removed, try repeating the steps. For older stains, apply white vinegar directly to the stain and mix with cold water. Rub stain with a sponge until removed. You may also use baking soda as an alternative solution, applying with a wet cloth to scrub away the stain.
A version of this article was originally published in May 2008.
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10. Removing stains from whites
The key to removing stains from white clothing is to attempt to remove the stain immediately. Scoop up or scrape food items off while blotting up liquid spills from the outside in. Apply a liquid dishwashing soap directly to the stain and rub gently with a light-colored cloth or your fingernail. Do not use a darker colored cloth or terry towel as this may darken the stain. Soak garment in cold water for 10 to 15 minutes prior to washing.
New and older stains may also be removed with the use of cornstarch or baking soda, gently scrubbing the powder into the stain with a cold, wet cloth. White vinegar and hydrogen peroxide are also great pre-treatment solutions. With any white clothing, it is recommended that you wash separately and pre-soak in 1/2 cup of bleach and cold water.
11. Removing stains from darks
Like white clothing, it is important that you attempt to remove a fresh stain immediately. Scoop up any food residue while blotting away liquids. Avoid using bar soaps or terry cloth towels on stains. Soak in 1/2 cup of white vinegar and cold water prior to washing the clothing on a regular cycle. If it is a tough or set stain, soak garment directly in 1/4 cup of vinegar and 1/4 cup of water for 30 minutes prior to washing. Rinse item out prior to washing on a warm cycle to sterilize clothing.
To remove stains from jeans, apply hydrogen peroxide directly onto stain and allow to soak for 30 minutes prior to washing on a regular cycle. Grass stains can be removed by applying petroleum jelly directly to the stain and spreading with your finger. Wash on a regular cycle after five minutes.
Remove set and new stains from delicates using a solution of salt and lemon juice. Gently rub with soft cloth (like microfiber) or your finger and rinse with very hot water. Never rub the garment harshly or with a rough cloth. Allow it to dry in the sun. If the stain has not been removed, attempt to soak the item in 2 parts warm water, 1 part detergent and 1 part oxygen bleaching agent. Wash it as recommended per the garment instructions.
Another method of removing delicate clothing stains is by hand-washing the garment with borax, baking soda and regular detergent. Lightly scrub the cloth together. Rinse with cool water and air-dry to prevent the stain from setting in.
It should get easier, right? After visiting more than 70 countries, you’d think globetrotting would be a breeze after racking up so much experience. As a plus-size traveler, it seems to be getting tougher.
There’s anxiety aplenty about flying — beyond just hoping your flights are on time and you can get from point A to B without too much strife. For the obese and overweight, hopping on a plane is anxiety-inducing, largely because of ever-shrinking plane seats. They’ve gone from 18.5 inches wide in 2000 to shriveling down to as low as 16.7 inches on new aircraft. The last available data from 2002 put the average American hip width at 20.6 inches. That means there’s going to be spillage — an inch or two or three stolen from your neighbor or hanging in the aisle as much as possible or wedged against the window.
I’ve been in the middle seat on long-haul flights (once famously from New Zealand to LAX) and felt the hatred and judgment simmering from my fellow row mates. I respond by clutching my arms across my chest for the duration of the flight and trying not to budge. Instead of blaming overweight passengers for tight seating, how about we call out the airlines for putting profits ahead of passenger comfort and health?
No one is keen to be seated next to an overweight passenger in such a cramped setting. You feel it as soon as you walk up the aisle to your row. That’s why I constantly jockey for a better seat — two empty ones together. I check for them online. I ask at the person at the check-in counter at the airport and again at the gate. On board, I keep looking for opportunities to move. When I hear the aircraft door close, I move my size 22 body at the speed of a gazelle to those empty seats.
Overweight passengers may have to ask for a seatbelt extension. That can be an ordeal. Flight attendants forget or they’re busy. Some flight staff is great at doing a quick, discreet handover of the belt. Others come with the extension dangling at full length. I’ve also seen screaming bright red or yellow ones. It seems to be an invite for some passengers to point, stare and giggle. If I could crawl into the back of the seat pocket and die, I would gladly do so at those times.
Tray tables cause angst too. My heart sinks when I flip one down on a flight, a bus or a train and find that my belly won’t allow it to lie completely flat. When eating a meal with a glass of wine, this requires some deft management.
Transportation issues are just one aspect of travel that sucks as a plus-size person. Restaurants and bars are rife with potentially humiliating experiences, from flimsy chairs to ones designed only for wee butts. Whenever I go somewhere unfamiliar, I scan the venue to assess what chair hazards might await.
Plastic lawn chairs are the work of Satan in my book. They are liable to break and bend. if I have no choice but to use one, I lower myself gingerly like a robin perching on a nest of eggs and dare not move. Chairs with armrests can be uncomfortable. Those with solid sides all around are more problematic. I detested the bar stools, like the tiny U-shaped ones at a hip bar in Vancouver that cut off the circulation in my legs quickly. I ended up part standing and part leaning on them.
When I travel and there’s a need to wear anything that isn’t my own article of clothing, I get heart palpitations. Wet suits, thermal onesies for whale watching excursions, period costumes at historic attractions and even so called “one-size-fits-all” spa robes just don’t fit some plus-size travelers. I nearly froze to death doing a King crab fishing experience in northern Norway near the Arctic Circle — whipping along in a Zodiac in just a pair of jeans and a supplied ski jacket that didn’t zip up properly. “You’ll be fine,” said the boat driver. I wasn’t.
When it comes to particular destinations, trips to Asia are always interesting for larger travelers. A recent vacation to Myanmar was bizarre. I had an old woman come up to me and run her hands over my belly while in a market in Yangon. Perplexed, I asked the local guide about it. She said the woman was likely hoping some of my wealth and prosperity (evident because of my ample weight) would come her way because of my resemblance to Buddha.
There are some places where plus-size women are goddesses. In Jamaica, the men there say, “Bone is for the dog; meat is for the man.” They swarm to well-padded ladies like bees to honey. In Paris, Algerian and Moroccan immigrants, many of whom prefer zaftig women, chased me all over the city. In Kenya, a Maasai chief asked me to be wife No. 3. A wife of size was viewed as proof of his wealth.
In other places, too many to list, I am a convenient conduit for laughter. Being pointed at, accompanied by giggling, rips open every wound I’ve received since I was 6 years old because of my weight. I put on a brave face and pretend it doesn’t hurt me. I may try to disarm such judgment with a cheery, “Hello! How are you today?” Just a small reminder that I’m human too. Inside, I die a bit each time and wonder if traveling is worth it.
The year 2017 may very well be remembered as the year the women working in Hollywood took the reins and controlled their narrative. And if the first full trailer for Ocean's 8 is any indication, men are going to stay in the backseat well into the new year — and that's mighty fine with us.
The trailer for Ocean's 8 has been eagerly awaited for months now, and with a little bit of news here and there, the majority of the setup has remained fairly mysterious. Sure, we know Sandra Bullock is playing Debbie Ocean (which means she's somehow related to dear old Danny Ocean from the original Ocean's films) and we also know Debbie is bringing together seven solid female compatriots to help steal a highly valued necklace at the Met Gala. But the trailer? Well, the trailer does quite a lot in the way of tantalizing prospective audiences.
Check it out.
First full trailer for Ocean's 8
First full trailer for Ocean's 8
The trailer mirrors the original Ocean's 11, opening on Debbie, who, much like her relative Danny, is at her parole hearing and ready to plead for mercy. "If I were to be released, I would, um, I would just want the simple life," she says. "I would just want to hold down a job, make some friends, you know, pay my bills."
Cut to scenes of her and Cate Blanchett at the luxe New York City eatery Veselka discussing the heist they're clearly planning together. Their target is the annual Met Gala, or more specifically, a $1.5 million necklace on the body of a certain attendee of the Met Gala, Daphne Kluger (played by Anne Hathaway). They start to gather their team, which includes Mindy Kaling, Helena Bonham Carter, Sarah Paulson, Rihanna and Awkwafina, and we couldn't have put together a more badass team of ladies if we tried.
The lady power in this film is already a little overwhelming, but in the best possible way. The Oceans movies have always been a ton of fun, but we honestly can't believe it took until 2018 to make one starring all women. The trailer shows the cast has a ton of chemistry and the women are just as capable of planning a million-dollar operation as the men were — if not more so. Move over, George Clooney. It's our turn now.
When we travel, comfort reigns supreme — but beware: What we see as great airplane clothes may get us thrown out of the lounge!
qantas
qantas
Last week, musician Joanne Catherall of the band The Human League happened to be flying out of Melbourne when she was thrown out of the Qantas airline’s business-class lounge for wearing Uggs,The Independentreports. The woman was encouraged by lounge staff to go buy another pair of shoes and return to the lounge, but the woman, incensed, took to Twitter.
We can understand not being allowed to wear ripped jeans or anything too revealing, but what is wrong with Uggs? In short, to Qantas, they qualify as sleepwear.
Qantas posts the dress-code requirements in its lounges, and that includes restrictions such as, “Thongs and bare feet, head-to-toe gym wear, beachwear (including board shorts), sleepwear (including UGG Boots and slippers), clothing featuring offensive images or slogans, revealing, unclean or torn clothing.”
qantas 2
qantas 2
Considering Uggs come from Australia, one would think they would be more appreciated down under, but apparently not so much. Catherall did tweet at the airline complaining about what happened, but they stood firm.
Intense. Uggs have always been pretty polarizing — basically, the cilantro of comfortable footwear. We love them, personally — but ultimately, rules are rules and brands do get to decide what is acceptable in their own private lounges.
The news that NBC is eyeing a revival of The Office has many fans a little skeptical, and for good reason. It's already been widely reported that the revival, if it moves forward, will happen without Steve Carell, whom many consider the lifeblood of the show in his fan-favorite role as hapless boss Michael Scott.
But Seasons 8 and 9 of the show's original run happened without Carell, and while there are definitely mixed feelings about the show after his exit, plenty of fans feel like the series finished strong thanks to a strong cast of other characters. If enough of them got on board, an Office revival could totally work, right? Here's what some of the other major cast members have said about returning to the show.
The Office was Wilson's breakout role. He's a necessary character; the show simply cannot exist without his Dwight Schrute. Luckily, Wilson is fully on board.
"Yeah, I'd be up for that," he told Cinema Blend earlier this year. "A reunion episode or kind of like…continue on with a couple little movies here or a little limited series there."
The Office without Jim and Pam is simply not The Office. Next to Wilson, Krasinski and Fischer are definitely the most important stars to have on board. And they're both open to the idea as well.
"I have no problem doing something like a reunion movie or a reunion show," Kraskinski told Harper's Bazaar in 2016. "I thought that our experience was so perfect, so just let me know what the story is that's good enough that would bring us all together and I'm there."
Fischer wasn't quite as gung ho about it, saying it would be "logistically difficult" to get the whole cast in one place again, but she's not ruling it out just yet.
"I mean, listen, big wigs make things happen all the time, so I'm not going to stand in the way of anything, but I'm not sure," she told Metro in September. "But, like I said, people have ways of making things happen if they want to make them happen. Studios talk and make deals and negotiate things, so I don't know, but I would love to work with that group of people again in any capacity. We could all get together and do something not called The Office, or I'd do an Office movie, or I'd do an Office miniseries! Whatever it is, I'm always up for it, so if somebody can figure out how to get everybody back in the same room, then let's do it."
Kaling has long been open to the idea of reprising her role as Kelly Kapoor. She's a little busy these days, with movies in postproduction, a new series coming to NBC and a baby on the way, but considering Kaling has always been a champion at juggling multiple engagements, we can't see anything getting in the way.
"I loved working on the show and I was there for eight years," she said on The Talk in September. "I think that if Greg Daniels, who did the American version of the show, he's such a genius, and if he were to be in charge of it, I can't imagine that I wouldn't want to help out in some way, or write, and I feel like probably the rest of the cast feels the same."
With just these four on board, I'm willing to bet fans would love an Office revival. But, of course, the more the merrier. Some other stars of the original series who have spoken in the past about being willing to come back are Phyllis Smith (Phyllis), Ed Helms (Andy), Craig Robinson (Darryl) and Angela Kinsey (Angela). Those who haven't said anything include Zach Woods (Gabe), Oscar Nuñez (Oscar), Brian Baumgartner (Kevin), Leslie David Baker (Stanley), Ellie Kemper (Erin) and Creed Bratton (Creed Bratton).
It's a bittersweet occasion for producer Mandy Teefey, aka Selena Gomez's mom. Teefey recently posted on Instagram to celebrate the wrap of 13 Reasons Why's second season — and she also included a heartbreaking message about miscarriage.
In a series of photos, Teefey included throwback snapshots of Gomez cradling her pregnant belly and a second image of Teefey holding her daughter.
"Thank you to all the fans who honored our Scarlett yesterday," Teefey wrote alongside the photos. “Dec. 17th will never be the same, but we decide to celebrate her by writing her letters on red balloons and releasing them."
Back when the producer announced the news of her pregnancy with Scarlett in 2011, Gomez also posted about the momentous occasion. However, later that same year, the singer and actor rushed to her mother's side after Teefey revealed she had lost the pregnancy.
Teefey added that she and her husband, Brian, and 4-year-old daughter, Grace, commemorate unborn Scarlett in their own ways. She also noted that fans had contacted her to let her know they were also honoring her loss.
"I came home to Brian and Gracie to send our love to Scarlett," she added. "Fans, I want you to know you are family because I have a huge family and you are the only ones who remember!"
Teefey has used Instagram to make some major announcements in the past. In addition to celebrating the 13 Reasons Why team, she used Insta to announce Gomez's recent kidney transplant — and to thank Francia Raisa, who donated her kidney to Gomez.
"Selena gained a kidney, I was able to keep my little girl, but I also gained another daughter," she wrote at the time. "Thank you to everyone who was there for Sel, Francia and our families."
And now that another season of the show has wrapped, Teefey is ready to welcome even more fans and expand her growing #13family — who will be sure to remember Scarlett every year.
For Mariah Carey, Christmas seems like it just came early. The singer has had a really great week, between her classic holiday song "All I Want for Christmas Is You" hitting the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 and winning an award for her work to help shelter animals.
PETA just announced Monday that Carey will receive this year's Angel for Animals Award after her work on an animated film about animal adoption. The film, which is about a little girl who gets her Christmas wish in a puppy named Jack who she finds at an animal shelter, is named after Carey's song, "All I Want for Christmas Is You," and its goal is to encourage families to consider adopting from local shelters if they're adding pets to their households this holiday season. Carey also produced and narrated the movie and provided the music for it.
"Her holiday film reminds us all that caring for an animal is a responsibility, not just a fantasy," PETA senior vice president Lisa Lange said in a statement. "The one sweet day when you meet the dog who will always be your baby, you know that you belong together."
Carey hasn't publicly commented on the award yet, but she did have something to say to Billboard after her song, which is 23 years old, hit the top 10 for the first time since its 1994 release.
"This is such an amazing Christmas gift! As a songwriter, I feel so honored to have this song reach Billboard’s [Hot 100] top 10 for the first time," she said. "I honestly never thought we’d be talking about this happening, but I’m so thankful to everyone who embraces this song as part of their holiday tradition. It truly warms my heart, and I am proud of this song that I wrote basically as a kid on my little Casio keyboard."
On the surface, it might seem strange to even put the words "lesbians" and "lube" in the same sentence. In the past, I thought it was pretty strange when I was hanging out with cis lesbian friends of mine and the conversation turned toward everyone’s favorite brands of lube. I remember scratching my head and asking, “Isn’t lube only used for penetrative sex involving a penis?”
My friends quickly schooled me, informing me that while that is what lube is typically used for, it isn’t all it’s used for by any means. Later, I did some research on my own and was surprised about all the ways lube can not only make sex better, but is also good for your health.
Lube can help prevent infections
Anyone who has ever had a urinary tract infection knows just how miserable they are. The good news is that using lube can actually help prevent them. Friction against the opening of the urethra during sex contributes to an increased likelihood of getting a UTI. Using a bit of lube takes care of this.
You do have to pay attention to the ingredients in your choice of lube. Anything with glycerin, which is used as a natural sweetener in food, should be avoided. Believe it or not, sugar and honey are also found in certain types, such as flavored lubes. Skip them too unless you want to increase your risk of getting a yeast infection.
A common myth is that cis women either don’t or can’t give each other STIs. This myth is just that, a myth. While some studies, such as one done by the Centers for Disease Control, have found that cis women who exclusively have sex with cis women are less likely to get or spread an STI, it doesn’t mean there isn’t risk of it happening.
So how does lube help decrease this risk? With any kind of vaginal or anal penetration comes the danger of tearing of the mucus membrane. Mucus membranes are particularly delicate and permeable, and if torn can compromise the membrane. The body doesn’t have any way to rid itself of STIs, and so a person can become infected. Using lube for any sort of penetrative sex, whether it is with a toy or fingers, decreases the chance of tearing and thus STIs.
Lube decreases chance of injury
Injury occurs when not enough lubricant is used during sex, particularly during rougher or prolonged sex. As mentioned before, not using lube can increase the chance of injury when having any sort of penetrative sex. Any time a sex toy is used, so should lube. (Just don’t use silicone-based lube while using a silicone toy!) Even if you believe you or your partner is wet enough for a toy, there is still a risk during initial penetration. During long sessions, someone’s personal lubricant might not withstand the entire session and it could end up hurting. Using a little lube will keep things nice and wet and will even prevent chafing during fingering.
Using lube during sex can make the entire act feel different. It can change the way stimulation feels and actually makes it feel better for many people that use lube. According to Dr. Sari Locker of Columbia University, lube actually helps people enjoy new sensations during sex. The Kinsey Institute at Indiana University conducted a study that found most women experienced increased pleasure if lube was used during sex. Obviously, not everyone is going to enjoy the same sensations or intensity, so it’s important to experiment to find what each person finds most pleasurable.
It’s hard enough to find a hot second to plop into a seat during the holiday season — what with all those holiday to-do lists we have to check far more than twice. So when you're mid-holiday-meltdown and/or arguing politics with Grandma and a kid complains about their meal? Ain't nobody got time for that. One way to ward off the whining: Transform your traditional holiday recipes into kid-friendly versions.
"Aren't most holiday staples appropriate for kids?" you ask. Well, sure. But picky eaters might turn up their noses at the sight of a yam, Brussels sprout or even a (*gasp!*) squash-based pie — you know, one that’s not covered in sprinkles.
Mom and registered dietitian Diana K. Rice has witnessed firsthand the difficulty of enticing toddlers to eat what everyone else is eating. “Toddlers might just want to eat what they generally have at home; many of the dishes at the holiday meal are new to them," she explains. "My own daughter refused to eat sweet potato casserole simply because she’d never seen it before, although I’m sure she would have loved the flavor."
So what can parents and other cooks do when faced with a potential tantrum? "It’s important to offer the food, but not pressure the child to try it," Rice points out. Because chances are "pressure will actually make the child more averse to the food."
Here, some healthy, nonintimidating holiday meal makeovers and tweaks to try — so you can eat in (whole-grain) peace.
While you may be a master at slicing the ideal hunk of roast beef for adult-size silverware, a 5-year-old might not know where to begin with his or her serving. Rice explains that when you specifically chop the roast beef into bite-size nibbles, you have a better chance of getting kids on board and munching. “Beef is an excellent source of iron, which is an important nutrient for toddlers," Rice says. "It’s also good practice for self-feeding children to participate in the family meal and consume the same foods." One thing to keep in mind, though, is that "because their immune systems are still developing, children under age 5 should not consume rare meat,” Rice adds.
Got mashed potatoes? Add sour cream or yogurt
Sure, it might be easy to get a toddler chowing on mashed potatoes that are overloaded with butter and salt, but that doesn’t mean that's a healthy solution for their diet. As Rice explains, the trouble with fatty taters is that kids might be tempted to make that the entire meal, which isn’t a balanced solution for their growing bellies — or the rest of their bodies either. Also, because some children aren’t great with lactose, too much butter might wreak havoc on their digestive system. That’s why using sour cream or yogurt as a mix-in is smarter: “Fermented foods such as cheese, yogurt and sour cream are fine... the fermentation process removes most of the lactose,” Rice explains.
Got turkey? Offer a wing or a drumstick
As long as the kid is old enough to chew off of a bone, nutrition expert and professor at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine Dr. Keith-Thomas Ayoob says swapping the white meat for a drumstick or wing might entice your curious kids. Not only are these parts easier — and more fun — to pick up, they make it more likely that a kid will finish their bites. “Kids like finger food, and you can skip the gravy and cranberry sauce that they might not like. [A wing or drumstick] is loaded with protein, relatively lean and healthy for them,” he explains. “They can take longer to eat since the meat doesn’t dry out...[and they can even] eat with their hands.”
A spoonful of sugar may make the medicine go down, but a spoonful of sweet potato and melted marshmallows doesn't quite count as, you know, food. Luckily, you can bank on preserving the nutritional value of those sweet potatoes — which are packed with antioxidants — without added sugar or even much fat. How? Make oven fries, Ayoob says. “Cut them into steak fries, toss with a little olive oil and roast them. Because they’re easy to eat and naturally sweet, kids won’t even know they’re good for them."
Want fiber? Stick to hummus & raw veggies
While you might adore your grandmother’s classic Brussels sprouts or creamed pea and onions casserole, for kiddos who haven’t yet been introduced to these complex concoctions, the smell alone might be enough to send them screaming in the other direction. (And, ahem, poisoning their cousins' minds with their newfound anti-Brussels sprout agenda too.) That’s why Ayoob says to make the kids' table a fiber-filled cornucopia of hummus and raw vegetables — instead of coercing kids into downing a multilayered creation they’ll likely dislike. “Thankfully, hummus isn’t a strange food anymore because it’s on so many school lunch menus all over the country. Because it’s mostly garbanzo beans and sesame seeds, it essentially features veggies in every bite. Let them eat with their fingers so they stay in their comfort zone, and all will be well for the family dinner.”
Because they’re ripe with spices that aren’t familiar to kiddos (who may or may not stick to ketchup as their preferred flavor for everything), pies can be surprisingly contentious foods for tots. If you're trying to include kids in enjoying your dad's classic recipe for pumpkin, sweet potato, mincemeat or really any non-chocolate pie, you might find yourself faced with quite the opposition.
That’s why Ayoob says to make smaller kid-size parfaits that feature some of the same ingredients, but with a slower introduction. You can even make the parfait process interactive by allowing kids to add dried fruits, pecans, pomegranate arils, apple or pear chunks and honey on top. “Holiday ingredients are the perfect accompaniment for Greek yogurt," Ayoob explains, "because the high protein content of the yogurt will help make up for a kid who doesn’t eat much of that holiday meat. Plus, yogurt is always a great vehicle for fruit."
So, you’ve been bitten by the travel bug and two weeks vacation just isn’t enough. You want to see the whole country. No, the world! The problem with travel is you have to find a way to fund it and, you know, the rest of your life. That means a roof over your head and food in your stomach.
Luckily, the opportunity to work while traveling or find jobs that travel only seems to have increased. There are now quite a few jobs — even careers — that allow you to indulge your nomadic desires without being completely broke. If we were going to spend the next several years of our lives traveling the world, here's what we'd consider.
1. Become a remote customer service representative
Companies like U-Haul, Amazon and LiveOps pay work-from-home customer service agents. You’ll need a reliable phone and internet connection, and you’ll likely be on a U.S. business schedule, so make sure your destinations account for these requirements.
Get paid to fly all over the country? That’s the reality for flight attendants. Plus, you’ll get free or insanely discounted flights through the airline. The downsides are new flight attendants don’t get much say in where they fly, jet lag can be a real issue and the pay is arguably not great.
3. Work on a cruise ship
In addition to visiting different parts of the world, the cruise crew often get food and on-ship accommodations. The downsides are you often have to share a room, there’s not much in the way of days off while you’re on board and cruise jobs are hard to acquire. But once you’re in, you’ll likely be called back for more.
You’re probably already aware that jobs in software development, engineering and project management in the tech world are high-paying gigs. An added perk is that many of them have remote opportunities, which means you can do the work from anywhere and still get paid.
5. Traveling nurse
If you’re considering or have already gone to nursing school, this can be a great gig. The pay is awesome (up to $70,000 a year), you can find yourself placed all around the country, and you often have the ability to stay in one place for a series of months before moving to a new one. It can come with some uncertainty, though, as you’re always at the mercy of the next contract.
6. Teach English
Places like Japan, South Korea and United Arab Emirates all pay relatively well for English-speaking teachers to live in their country and teach students. Most only require a certificate for teaching English is a foreign country and some experience, such as tutoring. These can be great opportunities if you want to “live like a local” for a year or more.
Several companies — such as Chegg, K12 and Tutor.com — hire college graduates (or students!) as tutors for as much as $25/hour. As with other remote positions, you’ll need a reliable internet connection, so make sure your hut in Thailand has that before you check in.
8. Work for yourself
Consider your skill set and look for your own gigs online or through jobs board websites like Upwork, FlexJobs and Fiverr. Whether it’s writing, graphic design, social media or being a virtual assistant, with enough time and persistence, you can make a decent living — that likely provides the most flexibility — working for yourself while traveling.
It still feels like it was just yesterday that Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie made the bombshell announcement their marriage was over. In reality, it's been more than a year, and apparently, that's long enough for Pitt to heal and move on.
According to People magazine, while many of us fans are still grappling and processing, Pitt is "casually dating."
A source revealed to the magazine that Pitt is really looking on the bright side of all this and that he actually thinks Jolie's decision to dump divorce papers on him out of nowhere might have been for the best.
"In a sense, this split was good for Brad because he sized himself up and realized there had to be changes," the insider dished. "Brad and Angie are doing OK, working out time for him to be with the kids which he treasures."
As for his decision to start dipping a toe back into the dating pool, "He has been going out but there is nothing serious in the dating area at all, nothing to speak of at this point," the source said.
That's all well and good for Pitt, but ugh, remember that heartbreaking interview Jolie gave right after their split about being single? We can't help but think of that in light of this news.
"I don't enjoy being single. It's not something I wanted," she told The Telegraph in September. "There's nothing nice about it. It's just hard. Sometimes maybe it appears I am pulling it all together, but really I am just trying to get through my days."
Since it was invented in 1963, the Easy-Bake Oven has become a classic childhood staple. It's fun, semi-practical (they are learning a little about cooking, right?) and keeps kids busy so you can catch a break. The one bummer is that the mixes kids need to make their cake masterpieces tend to have a hefty price tag. The good news? You can actually make those suckers yourself for a fraction of the cost.
Here are several recipes your kids can use to get cooking.
Stir together cake flour, baking powder, salt, red sugar, vanilla, oil and milk until the batter is smooth and pink. Pour 3 tablespoons of batter into a greased and floured cake pan. Bake 15 minutes. Repeat for the second layer. Allow the cakes to cool completely.
Put a small dollop of frosting on a small platter or other base for your cake. Put one of your cakes on the dollop and gently press down (this will keep your creation from sliding around while you decorate). Spread a layer of frosting on top of the first cake. Top the first cake with the second cake. Frost the entire cake, including the top of the second cake and the sizes of both.
Preheat the oven for 15 minutes and grease a toy pan.
Combine the flour, baking powder and salt, then cut in the oil while kneading. Continue kneading, adding the milk slowly as you do (you may not need it all or you may need a bit more — you want a play doughlike consistency).
Roll out the dough and put in on the greased pan. Make sure to cover bottom and up the sides of the pan, like you're making a deep-dish pizza.
Spread a thin layer of sauce over the bottom (only) of the pizza crust. Sprinkle the cheese on that. If desired, add additional toppings. Don't go overboard. You'll probably only need two or three pieces of each topping. Bake 15 to 20 minutes. Sprinkle with Parmesan if desired.
Easy-Bake Oven brownies recipe
Yields 1
Ingredients:
2-1/2 tablespoons sugar
2-1/2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon oil
1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 teaspoons chocolate syrup
Directions:
Preheat the oven for 15 minutes and grease and flour a toy pan.
Blend the sugar, flour, oil, vanilla and chocolate syrup until the batter is smooth.
Pour the batter into the pan. Bake it for 15 minutes.
Let it cool, and then cut it into pie-shape wedges or squares.
For a vanilla (yellow) cake, omit the cocoa and add a drop or two of vanilla with the milk.
Ingredients:
6 teaspoons flour
4 teaspoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa
3/4 teaspoon shortening
1 pinch salt
6 teaspoons milk
Directions:
Preheat the oven for 15 minutes. Grease a toy baking pan.
Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, cocoa, shortening and salt. Add milk. Pour into the greased baking pan.
Bake for 12 to 15 minutes.
Easy-Bake Oven peanut butter fudge recipe
Courtesy of Amanda Formaro of The Family Corner
Yields 1
Ingredients:
1 cup powdered sugar
5 teaspoons milk
1 teaspoon butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
4 teaspoons cocoa
6 teaspoons peanut butter
Directions:
Mix sugar, milk, butter, vanilla and cocoa until smooth.
Grease 2 toy baking pans with butter. Spoon the mixture into pans about 1/4-inch deep. Spread 3 teaspoons peanut butter over the mix. Spoon another layer 1/4-inch thick over the peanut butter.
Bake each pan about 5 minutes. Let it cool. (For quicker cooling, place in the refrigerator 5 minutes).
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa (optional, for chocolate frosting only)
6 tablespoons vegetable shortening
Vanilla extract (optional, do not use if you made chocolate frosting)
Directions:
In a medium bowl, combine powdered sugar and milk powder. If you want to make chocolate frosting, also add the unsweetened cocoa. Stir with a wire whisk to blend.
With a pastry blender cut in the shortening.
Spoon about 1/3 cup of mixture into each of 8 small bags. Seal tightly.
To use the mix: Combine 1 package of the mix plus 3/4 teaspoon water in a small bowl. If desired, add a drop or 2 of vanilla extract (or another flavor). Stir well with a spoon until smooth and creamy.
A few more notes
Just like their costly commercial counterparts, these mixes don't include one of the most typical leavening ingredients: egg. While that's great for kids — because the batter is then safe to eat — the end result isn't usually as tasty as a full-size (read: normal) cake would be. But since when has making cakes in a toy oven been about taste?
A version of this article was originally published in September 2007.
Every year we're #blessed with hundreds of new tech releases. But even the best products can get lost in the shuffle. That's why we decided to take a closer look at what was released in 2017. There are products that will make your life easier and some that are just plain fun. So, buckle in and get ready to go on a ride through this year's most underrated tech releases.
An updated version of the original Ring video doorbell, this model solves earlier problems like poor WiFi connectivity and dark videos. Featuring motion-activated alerts, 1080 HD video and two-way talk, this video doorbell works with your phone, tablet or computer to show you who's at the door. It also comes with a lifetime replacement guarantee and an external battery pack that you can use to charge the doorbell without having to remove your device.
This sleek, compact air purifier is an ideal solution for those living in polluted urban areas or suffering from allergies. It doesn't have the bulk of more traditional machines, and it's quieter, too. But most importantly, you can control it from your smartphone or Amazon's Alexa. It gives you real-time air-quality monitoring and has an easy-to-check filter life indicator so you know when to change it.
Airmega 400s Smarter App-Enabled Air Purifier, $749 at Amazon
Tired of flipping back and forth between apps on your phone? With the new ZTE Axon M, that'll never be a problem again. It features two screens to let you watch a movie while checking email or scrolling through social media and more, with four different screen modes to optimize viewing. There's a quick TV launch button so you can effortlessly pull up your entertainment, dual speakers and Dolby Atmos audio, and a 20-megapixel camera that captures 4k video. It's the perfect multitasker for people who want to do everything on their phone.
If you're tired of the hassle of cleaning your reusable water bottle, the Quartz will get you excited. A UV light is activated every four hours not just to clean the bottle but to purify the water inside it, too, removing 99.9% of odor-causing germs. It's double insulated to keep your drink hot for 12 hours or cold for 24.
Wireless earbuds for sports enthusiasts and people on the go, hGroov earbuds come with a Qi charging base and secure case. Charge the case on the Qi, then place your earbuds inside when you leave the house. They'll charge while they're in the case, so you never have to worry about running out of power halfway through your workout. You can also charge them with a Micro USB cable.
hGroov Smart Wireless Charging Earbuds, $79 at Kickstarter
Part phone case, part autonomous hovering 12-megapixel camera, the Selfly is controlled from your phone so you can take selfies, videos and more. Direct the Selfly using your phone, adjusting the angle with simple hand movements to stabilize the device. When you're done, snap the camera back into the phone case. The device is only 9 millimeters thick and fits easily in your pocket, so you can bring it with you anywhere.
Amazon's Alexa and Echo got a lot of press this year, but the Echo Show is probably the coolest entry to its smart home line. The Echo Show has all the capabilities of the original Alexa, but it can also be used to play videos, connect to you to phone and video calls, listen to audiobooks, watch Amazon Video content and stream music — all hands-free. It also works with compatible smart home devices like Philips Hue lightbulbs and front door or baby monitor cameras.
The new Nespresso Expert machine further streamlines the process of making Espresso, Lungo, Ristretto and Nespresso Americano drinks. You can connect to the machine through Bluetooth, then use the Nespresso App on your smart device to change your coffee settings, save recipes, schedule your brew, have your machine brew on demand and keep track of your stock of Nespresso capsules.
Finally, make those viral cooking videos at home thanks to the Paragon induction cooking stove. Connect your smart device via Bluetooth the to Paragon's cooktop, mat and probe so you can expertly cook your food — you can even try out trendy sous vide. Just select the perfect temperature with your phone, and the mat or probe will adjust accordingly.
Keep your teeth healthy as can be with this smart toothbrush. Connect it to the Kolibree app on your phone and track the duration, frequency and surface area brushed every time you clean your teeth. It helps you pinpoint areas of your mouth that need more attention and is a great tool for kids who are just learning how to brush.
