FabSugar

Fab's January Must Haves!

FabSugar — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 10:28:32 PST

It's a new year, it's a new Fab! I already shared my fashion resolutions for 2011, and now I divulge my most current obsessions. As you can see, I'm feeling bright, citrus hues, earthy tones, utilitarian touches, and still a bit ladylike, of course. I have a brand-new bag love - hint: Vanessa Bruno - and I'm planning on wearing lots of ribbed pencil skirts this year. Click through to check out my latest January must haves and feel free to shop!

Four Fursonalized Gift Ideas (Dogs Can't Read, Right?)

PetSugar — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 10:00:00 PST

With all that effort spent agonizing over a pet's name, it's time to shout it from the rooftops! Actually keep your pets inside safe and sound with these four items that proudly post his (or her) name. You see, even though they can't read it themselves, this way no one mistakes their bed for a floor cushion or a toy pot for a crock pot.

Take the Ceramic Dog Toy Crock ($69), for example. Not only does it lay claim to their stuff, but there's a whole kennel full of breed silhouettes for the visual learners, too. However, if a pup only has eyes for the next meal, a Waterhog Pet Place Mat ($33) has his name and proper places for food and water dishes.

After playtime and mealtime indoors, bundle up a pooch in the Taslon Weatherproof Coat ($59) coming in nine sizes and two colors (like pink!). Then after everyone's pooped and pooped out, naptime begins on a lovely Dog Bed Cover ($49 and up) with no added fees for making it a namesake. For heaven's sake, what are you waiting for? Let them make a name for themselves.

Babysugar's Best Bets: Backpacks

babysugar — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 13:00:50 PDT

It's time to get your tots ready for the new school year! No back-to-school ensemble is complete without a backpack. And, of course the satchel isn't just a fashion statement, but useful in carrying those books! Check out the slideshow to see some of the latest hot trends. Click Start Slideshow.

The Perfect Tote For Your Last Hurrah

FabSugar — Sun, 13 Aug 2006 13:12:40 PDT

There are officially 3 weekends left of summer! Boo. Where did the summer go? Hopefully you will get to spend at least one of them either at the beach, the lake, out on a boat, etc. If you do, here are some great totes for your last hurrah.

You can't do a piece on tote bags without paying tribute to the classic "Often Imitated - Never Duplicated" LL Bean Boat and Tote Bag. I have one of these bags and I absolutely love it. I carry it to the office, on the plane, on a weekend getaway, literally everywhere. It's available in a range of colors, which change depending on the season. Prices range from $17 - $30 depending on the size you choose and the monogramming options you pick. Available, here.

A couple more great options, so

This Hervé Chapelier tote is also one of my favorites. The great thing about this bag is that it's nylon, so very washable and durable. It also zips on the top, which make it a great carry-on because you don't have to worry about all of your stuff falling out all over the overhead compartment. This one also comes in a variety of colors that change with the season. It's a little pricier at $87, but so well-made, it's worth it. Available here.

Another great option is this adorable Isaac Mizrahi tote in Ivory. It's $22.99 and available here.

10 Tips to Save on Memorial Day Grocery Shopping

Emily Co — Sat, 26 May 2012 00:15:10 PDT

It's fun to host people for a barbecue, but it can also get quite pricey when everyone isn't chipping in. Consumer expert Andrea Woroch provides suggestions to cut your grocery bill when shopping for your Memorial Day meal:

Prepare most of your meal. Woroch says, "The general rule for prepared foods is that they are more expensive, and it's cheaper to buy the ingredients to prepare yourself." For example, prepared veggie platters and fruit salads "are never a good deal" and aren't exactly the freshest produce. However, prepared potato salad at a regular supermarket is less expensive and will save you time in the kitchen.

Get chicken from the butcher. Buy chicken breasts from the butcher counter instead of the prepared packets. They tend to be cheaper and are generally more fresh.

Consider boxed wine. Save money by skipping the bottled wine and going for the box. "Boxed wine is an affordable option for large parties, and the quality has greatly improved in recent years," she says.

Buy liquor at a superstore. If you're insistent on a specific bottle, then check out warehouse clubs like Costco. There are better deals on wine, liquor, and beer at a superstore, according to Woroch. While you're there, pick the store's generic version of vodka for an even cheaper deal.

Make your own salad dressing and marinade. Check out recipes online - here's a list of over 60 different marinades to make. "Most people will already have the basic ingredients like olive oil, some type of vinegar, and herbs at home," she says. "Other ingredients like lemon or lime, soy sauce, or honey won't cost much extra."

Read on for more.

Back on Track: Map Out the Week's Healthy Dinner Menu

Jenny Sugar — Mon, 21 May 2012 13:45:06 PDT

After getting home from a busy day of work, especially if I hit the gym, the same question always pops into mind - what to make for dinner? Without a plan in mind, it's easy to fall back on boxed mac and cheese or Chinese takeout, which aren't the healthiest options. To prevent scrambling to whip together a not-so-healthy meal, take time to map out your dinner menu for the week. Knowing which dishes you're making will also make you more efficient in the grocery store. Here's a sample menu (complete with a grocery list) that you can follow to ensure your weekdays always end in a nutritious meal.

Monday: Salad With Grilled Chicken and Fresh Strawberries

What you'll need:

Chicken
Fresh spinach
Carrots
Cucumber
Green peppers
Broccoli
Strawberries (feel free to add other fresh or dried fruits)
Avocado
Goat cheese (optional)
Your favorite dressing

Continue reading for the rest of the week's healthy menu and grocery list.

Mad Men's 5 Maddest Moments: "Dark Shadows"

Becky Kirsch — Mon, 14 May 2012 06:44:57 PDT

It feels like just yesterday it was summertime in Mad Men world, but alas, we've already arrived at Thanksgiving. It's not exactly a celebratory episode: Betty's cranky about both her new diet and Don's new wife; Pete's still struggling to figure out his life; and Don and Ginsberg have a showdown at work.

Roger, on the other hand, is still using his money to get everything he wants, which includes using Jane for some help landing a new client and paying off Ginsberg. And Ginsberg's success is Peggy's lack thereof; with him cleaning up, she has less and less to show for her work. Ready to break down the big moments? Just

Carry that weight: Betty's already looking noticeably thinner than the fat suit episode, and it's because she's joined Weight Watchers. Her weekly meetings seem to be helping with her portion control, but despite measuring her sad little grapefruit dinners on the scale each night, she still can't resist sucking down a little whipped cream every now and then. As much as Betty irritates me, my heart went out to her at the end of the episode when she eats her tiny Thanksgiving dinner and seriously savors her one allotted bite of stuffing.
Green-eyed monster: While Betty's picking up the kids, she gets an eyeful of Don's swanky new apartment - and his new wife. Clearly shaken up by the incident, she retaliates by spilling the beans about Anna to Sally while Sally is in the midst of making a family tree. Betty easily manipulates Sally into thinking that Megan is a liar, but the joke's on Betty in the end. After a squabble, Don explains the Anna situation to sassy Sally and Sally reports back to her mother without even mentioning the argument. Betty proceeds to freak out. I've got to hand it to Megan for convincing Don not to call Betty in a rage; not only is Megan spot-on about giving Betty what she wants, but she also diffuses the argument pretty quickly.
Fantasy land: Pete is particularly smug because he's been chatting with a reporter from the New York Times Magazine who's doing a piece about ad agencies. Once he's done bragging about his connection with Roger and Don, he assures them that he'll be the only one contacted for the interview. Pete then proceeds to have gross sexual fantasies about how the article will help him win Beth back, but - surprise - he doesn't even make it into the article! He calls Don enraged, but it's clear that Pete's really just mad at the world since, once again, things are not going his way.
Wine time: Bert asks Roger to court a potential new client, and since it's Manischewitz wine, he suggests that Roger's Jewish wife could be of service. Though Bert is a bit behind on his interoffice gossip, Roger still takes the client and asks Jane for help. In return, she asks for a small favor, and by that I mean a brand-new apartment. Roger agrees, and then proceeds to um, christen the new apartment with Jane after dinner. She's angry that he's tainted her new place, but there's a much bigger concern at play here than Jane's whining: when is all the money that Roger's been throwing around going to catch up with him?
Still got it: While Don's putting in a little overtime at the office, he comes across Ginsberg's folder of sketches, and is inspired to get back to basics. His idea is a little dark (you know, because it's based in hell and all), and he puts it head to head against Ginsberg's childlike pitch for the same product, SnoBall. The rest of the team likes both ideas, and agrees that Ginsberg should be the front-runner. Too bad Don conveniently leaves Ginsberg's pitch in the taxi, and sells his snowball's chance in hell idea to the company. Ginsberg obviously isn't in a celebratory mood, but when he confronts Don about what happened, Don just shuts him down. Now that both Don and Peggy feel threatened by Ginsberg, might we see them teaming up against him?

There's also more death omens in this week's episode, including Megan teaching Sally how to fake cry by focusing on something sad, and of course, the mysterious toxic smog that invades Thanksgiving. How'd you feel about the episode overall?

Photo courtesy of AMC

6 Best Ways to Flatten Your Belly By Summer

Prevention — Mon, 07 May 2012 04:33:32 PDT

We are pumped to share one of our fave stories from Prevention here on FitSugar!

By the Editors of Prevention

A toned, flat tummy is a goal many of us strive to achieve in time for bathing suit season, but endless crunches and ditching all your favorite foods until July 4th isn’t the right-or fun-way to do it. A sculpted core and trim tummy can be attained by incorporating small changes into your day, like holding in your abs while you walk and adding the right healthy fats to your diet. In our lean belly guide, you’ll get diet and exercise tips that will help you eliminate hard-to-reach ab flab and reveal a sculpted, sexy midsection. Here, learn 6 ways to flatten your belly by summer.

Make Time For Cardio
If you want to burn the most belly fat, a Duke University study confirms that aerobic exercise is the most effective in burning that deep, visceral belly fat. In fact, aerobic training burns 67% more calories than resistance training or a combination of the two, according to the study.

Top 10 Reasons Your Abs Exercises Aren’t Working

Fight Fat With Fiber
For every 10 grams of fiber you eat daily, your belly will carry almost 4% less fat. Thankfully, there are more enjoyable ways to increase your fiber than scarfing down a box of bran flakes: Two apples, ½ cup of pinto beans, one artichoke, or two cups of broccoli will all give you 10 grams of belly-flattening fiber.

More flat-belly tips after the break.

How to Splurge This Weekend Without Gaining a Pound

Jenny Sugar — Fri, 04 May 2012 10:49:28 PDT

For many who have stuck to their healthy ways all week long, the weekend is a time to loosen up the reigns a little, ignore weight-loss rules, and indulge in some high-calorie Cinco de Mayo goodness. If you're not careful though, an entire weekend of living it up could make you gain the pounds you've worked so hard to keep off all week. Here are some ways to splurge a little this weekend and not feel guilty on Monday morning.

Sip on this: If you're starting the Cinco de Mayo festivities a little early tonight, pass on the margaritas made with premade sugary mix and go for a glass made with real lime juice and a splash of simple syrup to save calories (opt for no salt on the rim). Or you can skip the margarita altogether and whip up a batch of this low-cal sangria-inspired cocktail made with heart-healthy red wine, unfiltered cranberry juice, and fresh strawberry puree.
Skip this calorie-loaded app: Ordering an enormous plate of nachos topped with sour cream, cheddar cheese, seasoned ground beef, and avocado means devouring a huge amount of calories before your entrée even arrives. Start with a small taco salad instead made with fresh greens, peppers, tomatoes, corn, black beans, a few crushed tortilla chips, and sprinkled with an avocado vinaigrette.

Keep reading for more calorie-saving tips.

3 Ways to Make the Most of Your Leftover Wine

Lizzie Fuhr — Tue, 01 May 2012 13:40:22 PDT

We've all been in this predicament: you opened a fresh bottle of wine, poured yourself a glass, then realized weeks later that you wasted tons of vino. This may have been a bummer in the past, but it's time to rethink this age-old problem. Leftover wine does not need to go to waste down the drain; it can be repurposed for sheer culinary delight. Here are three easy ways to make the most of your old wine.

Make homemade vinegar. Pour your leftover wine into a covered container (make sure it's not airtight!) and set it in a cool, dark location to allow it to ferment. The solution will start off murky, but you'll see it clarify with time. Once you see a white skin at the bottom, a bacterial culture known as the "mother," the homemade vinegar is ready to incorporate into your favorite recipes.
The first time you make wine into vinegar, you'll have to wait several months. But after the initial cultivation, you can whip up new batches of vinegar every few weeks using the original mother.
Deglaze your pan. Deglazing may seem like an intimidating term, but chances are you're deglazing your pan all the time without even knowing it - that is, adding a bit more liquid and cooking off the goodness at the bottom of the pan. If you're typically adding stock in this process, add some wine instead to bring a whole new richness and complexity of flavors to your dish.

Keep reading for the last way to make the most out of leftover wine.