News

McCain campaigns with Tom Ridge, a possible Vice-Presidential candidate

Is McCain auditioning Ridge for the big job? Tom Ridge, who is Catholic as well as pro-choice, campaigned with McCain in Pennsylvania today. Read the article on CNN.

Fashion

sundance: independent style, crafted by artisans, unique finds

How have I gone this long without knowing about sundance? No, I don’t mean the film festival (though they are related). A friend brought me a sundance catalog a month or so ago and I totally fell in love. The clothes are amazing, the jewelry is so unique, and I love all of the other fun items too. The coolest part is that artists are the creators of it all. Check out the website, order a catalog, and/or learn more about Robert Redford’s very cool dynasty.

Beauty

Best Polish Between Manicures

Sally Hansen? Really? Yeah, I know… But seriously, this stuff works! As soon as my mani starts peeling or chipping, I take off my old polish and put some of this on (in “Princess Pink”). It dries quickly and keeps my nails strong. The best part? I don’t have to do anything else from mani to mani.

Recipe

Homemade Black Bean Burgers

Ingredients: 1 onion, 3 minced garlic cloves, 1 t italian seasoning, 1/2 bell pepper, 1 T olive oil, 1 (14oz) can black beans (mashed), 1/2 can corn, 1/2 cup bread crumbs, 1/2 cup flour, 1/2 t cumin, 1 T chili powder, 1/2 t salt

Directions: Saute onion, garlic, and bell pepper. Season with italian seasoning. Mix black beans, sauteed vegetables, corn, bread crumbs, and seasonings in large bowl. Shape mixture into patties. Coat each patty in flour. Grill on a frying pan for about 5 minutes on each side. Makes about 6 patties.

Super easy and very yummy!!

Fitness

Reverse Crunch

So, I consider myself to be pretty fit, but this exercise kicks my butt every time! Once you get the mechanics of it down, it’s a really intense workout for your abs. I notice results pretty quickly.

At Home: Lying flat on your back, raise your legs up towards the ceiling until your body is making an ‘L’ shape. Lower your legs back down to the floor slowly. If you have to bend your knees, that’s okay, but try to get to the point where you can keep your legs straight. Begin with 4 sets of 10 reps and add from there.

At The Gym: Try this on the incline bench. Reaching your hands above your head, grab the bench handle. Use the same instructions from above for the same amount of reps.

Here’s a YouTube video demonstrating.

Health

Just Say No to Aspartame

If you haven’t already, stop drinking diet soda! It’s sooo bad for you! If you really want to lose weight, stop drinking soda completely. If you absolutely have to drink soda, the regular stuff is much better. Read about the ‘aspartame controversy’ here. It’s been linked to all kinds of scary side effects and the methyl alcohol in it converts into formaldehyde when ingested. An interesting book that goes into great detail about the adverse effects of aspartame and other sugar substitutes is Skinny Bitch by Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin.

Shopping

Ralph Lauren’s End of Summer Sale

Check out Ralph Lauren’s website to find deals up to 70% off! Don’t you LOVE that top?!

Celebrity

Martha Stewart’s Daughter to Host Show Making Fun of Her Mom

You heard right. Martha Stewart’s latest project is a show called “Whatever, Martha!” where her daughter and co-host will take segments from old Martha shows and mock them. Should be entertaining! Read more here.