Book of Randomness

I’m sure many of you have heard the story about Elena Desserich, the 6 year old girl who lost her battle to Brain Cancer. Her incredible story centers around the 135 notes that she left behind for her parents to find around the house. Please read the story from From MSNBC.com/Today Show, and consider purchasing the book that her parents have released including all of the notes. The profits from the book will be going to research.

Such a great story!

It really makes you question how we can all be so selfish sometimes, and a 6 year who knew she was dying could spend the end of her life trying to help her parents cope? We could all learn a little something…

One of 135 Notes:

The Book:

You can also read more about Notes Left Behind and Elena Desserich from their website NotesLeftBehind.com

Rekindling your relationships are important… and I’m not talking with a human being.

You can rekindle your relationship with just about anything. For me, this year has brought me a new appreciation for some odd things…The Public Library, Old Navy and Cash, all three of which I used to love and use (at some point). Since these may all get a little long, I am going to do it in three parts, so here is #1!

The Public Library

Back in the day (we are talking elementary school) my mother used to take me to the library for their summer reading program. While I do not remember a dang thing about the program, I do remember that I got prizes for reading some fun/classic books. They still have the program, so it must have been a success! Since that time, I am sure I have had the occasional trip to the library for high school projects… but come on I was in high school with the internet EASILY accessible.

During my college years, I was a little more familiar with the library BUT it was a private college library and I am quite sure I would not have been able to find many “just for fun” or life related books.

In the past, I have typically just headed over to Half.com and bought the books that I was interested in reading/using. While I still do this on occasion… I cannot afford to keep buying random books. I have a GREAT public library less than ten minutes from my house, so it only makes sense that I start to take advantage of it.

It started with simply running into the library to check out books, but now I have found the benefits of locking oneself in the library for a couple hours to get work done (business and personal). There are very few distractions in the library so you will get a lot accomplished and you have an endless set of books to reference. There is also the little added bonus for me that I feel a little bit like I am back in college studying.

New features of modern libraries… online book renewal, online catalog that you can check, call in to hold a book and comfortable seating! Overall, a much quicker experience than it used to be! Also, my library sends me e-mail reminders when my books are about to be due.

Cheap alternative to buying books… even if you forget to turn them in on time!

~~For you wannabe winos!~~

Who says good wine has to be expensive??

Whoever they are, I am definitely NOT one of them. I drink Two-Buck-Chuck! There I said it!
(for those of you unaware, I am referring to Trader Joe’s $2 Charles Shaw wine)

Photo from Making Memories.org (more info at the bottom!)

I do not seek out two-buck-chuck, but it is a great thing to have around the house for the last minute wine needs or to add to a dish. It is never GREAT but it is also never AWFUL. It usually is decent tasting wine and you can stock up on it at the $2 price (although I hear it is $3 in NY… bummer). Apparently, Trader Joe’s can afford the cheap price since the wines are left over from different wineries… which is why some are better than others. That could be a rumor though….

So on to the moderately priced wines that everyone should give a shot.

Sidenote: I am not a wine connoisseur (and in fact, I didn’t even know how to spell that), I am just a girl who is trying to learn more about wines by experiencing, tasting and listening to people who think they know what they are talking about. Also, I typically lean towards white wines, but I am open to just about any… red, white, pink, sparkly, bubbly and you name it. Just keep that dessert wine away from me. Especially one flavored like a peach.

Back to the wines…

When I need to bring wine for a special occasion or I just do not want to be thoroughly embarrassed by my poor wine picking skills, I try to be loyal to these brands.

• Beringer-Smooth tasting wines. My favorite is their Chardonnay
• Barefoot-Love the wine AND the bubbly (champagne peeps)
• Yellowglen Sparkling Wines- Pink is one of my favorite wines/champagnes. Smooth tasting with lots of bubbles. The bottle is adorable and who can fault the pink color of the liquid!
• Kendall-Jackson-Always a decent taste!
• Francis Ford Coppola Winery-What can I say? They are a talented family!

The gadgets!!

Opener! – Plus this one comes with a foil cutter and a sweet box!

Keep track of your glass for crying out loud!

The helper – Clinton’s book helps explain wine pairings in a simple manner!

Other books:

The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Starting and Running a Winery

Wine All-in-One For Dummies (For Dummies (Cooking))

California Wine For Dummies (For Dummies (Cooking))

Yellowglen Pink and Yellow are supporting National Breast Cancer Awareness Month (October) by giving $1 for every bottle sold during the month! Check in out on Making Memories.org and support them in their quest.

That means drink people!

Also, BevMo! has great deals on wine and champagne, especially during their 5 Cent sale. I can usually find Pink! I believe the sale is about to start again!!

My FAVORITE book EVER! Ok maybe it is my favorite possession….? I guess that could be stretching it, but this book is definitely WAY up there.

So what is it you may ask?

Freakin’ Fabulous by Clinton Kelly. I feel hesitant to share this with everyone because, well if I share, then you may become more fabulous than I am… oh well. The more fabulous people the better!

Everyone has seen the TLC show What Not to Wear on at least one occasion (and if you haven’t, you must be living under a rock). Clinton is half of the hosting duo, Clinton and Stacy. Clinton is also touring the country’s Macy’s stores for Make Over America (sadly I was not chosen ) He is undoubtedly funny on the show, and it translates perfectly into his book. He had me laughing cover to cover.

Freakin’ Fabulous is like my new life bible. I have only had the chance to read it all the way through once, but I frequently refer back to it. I actually began to annoy my friends and family by saying… “Clinton says….” or “According to Clinton…” I even had my DAD quoting the book!! Weird.

By the first few pages of the book you will wish Clinton was your best friend!

Freakin’ Fabulous is the book that you need if you want to know “How to Dress, Speak, Behave, Eat, Drink, Entertain, Decorate, and Generally Be Better than Everyone Else” according to its sub-title!

Highlights of the book… according to moi!

• Dress: Includes everything you need to know from accessories, to tailoring, dressing for certain occasions and a page of very ugly shoes (clearly the DON’T page)
• Speak: Definitely the section I need to read again… and AGAIN. The proper use for words. My greatest accomplishment so far has been taking the “s” off of the end of anyway! The pretty pictures and doodles help my learning… what can I say, I’m a visual person!
• Behave: Don’t butter the entire roll!! Holding wine glasses, eating oysters, texting with company and even a section on “bodily functions.” This section is definitely a must read. Did you know you should never bring your own food item to a party unless requested? I did not know that one, but you can ruin the theme/atmosphere.
• Eat: Four recipes you should MEMORIZE, cutting onions and other great recipes.
• Drink: I was laughing from the first page of this section as Clinton says, “Gin has made me do a lot of stupid things, but I forgive it.” Obviously there are drink recipes in the section, but my part is the section on wine; descriptions, how to serve, how to order and which wine pairs best with your food.
• Entertain: Plan for 1 bottle of wine per person!! Now that sounds like a party! Covers food to serve, music, booting people at the end of the night and making the potty smell nice! The “Mac and Cheese with Bacon” looks and sounds delicious… although it reminds me of the overeating experience I had at Yardhouse.
• Decorate: I cannot wait until I have my own house to be able to do all of this!! Room by room tricks, organization (“Kill the Clutter”), and fresh flowers. Never include baby’s breath or ferns IN an arrangement! Clinton suggests using Flowerbud.com for flowers.

  The book is full of color and information. Clinton has done an amazing job with this book balancing entertainment and information. I suggest it to EVERYONE. Give it to your girlfriends for their birthday or as a bachelorette party gift.

  You don’t NEED a reason, just get the book for crying out loud!! You will thank me later!

My FAVORITE book EVER! Ok maybe it is my favorite possession….? I guess that could be stretching it, but this book is definitely WAY up there.

So what is it you may ask?

Freakin’ Fabulous by Clinton Kelly. I feel hesitant to share this with everyone because, well if I share, then you may become more fabulous than I am… oh well. The more fabulous people the better!

Everyone has seen the TLC show What Not to Wear on at least one occasion (and if you haven’t, you must be living under a rock). Clinton is half of the hosting duo, Clinton and Stacy. Clinton is also touring the country’s Macy’s stores for Make Over America (sadly I was not chosen ) He is undoubtedly funny on the show, and it translates perfectly into his book. He had me laughing cover to cover.

Freakin’ Fabulous is like my new life bible. I have only had the chance to read it all the way through once, but I frequently refer back to it. I actually began to annoy my friends and family by saying… “Clinton says….” or “According to Clinton…” I even had my DAD quoting the book!! Weird.

By the first few pages of the book you will wish Clinton was your best friend!

Freakin’ Fabulous is the book that you need if you want to know “How to Dress, Speak, Behave, Eat, Drink, Entertain, Decorate, and Generally Be Better than Everyone Else” according to its sub-title!

Highlights of the book… according to moi!

• Dress: Includes everything you need to know from accessories, to tailoring, dressing for certain occasions and a page of very ugly shoes (clearly the DON’T page)
• Speak: Definitely the section I need to read again… and AGAIN. The proper use for words. My greatest accomplishment so far has been taking the “s” off of the end of anyway! The pretty pictures and doodles help my learning… what can I say, I’m a visual person!
• Behave: Don’t butter the entire roll!! Holding wine glasses, eating oysters, texting with company and even a section on “bodily functions.” This section is definitely a must read. Did you know you should never bring your own food item to a party unless requested? I did not know that one, but you can ruin the theme/atmosphere.
• Eat: Four recipes you should MEMORIZE, cutting onions and other great recipes.
• Drink: I was laughing from the first page of this section as Clinton says, “Gin has made me do a lot of stupid things, but I forgive it.” Obviously there are drink recipes in the section, but my part is the section on wine; descriptions, how to serve, how to order and which wine pairs best with your food.
• Entertain: Plan for 1 bottle of wine per person!! Now that sounds like a party! Covers food to serve, music, booting people at the end of the night and making the potty smell nice! The “Mac and Cheese with Bacon” looks and sounds delicious… although it reminds me of the overeating experience I had at Yardhouse.
• Decorate: I cannot wait until I have my own house to be able to do all of this!! Room by room tricks, organization (“Kill the Clutter”), and fresh flowers. Never include baby’s breath or ferns IN an arrangement! Clinton suggests using Flowerbud.com for flowers.

  The book is full of color and information. Clinton has done an amazing job with this book balancing entertainment and information. I suggest it to EVERYONE. Give it to your girlfriends for their birthday or as a bachelorette party gift.

  You don’t NEED a reason, just get the book for crying out loud!! You will thank me later!

Second Fave Find Friday!! YAY!

Have you ever struggled with diets? Tried everyone in the book and yet somehow you are still yo-yoing? Well, here is your life saver!!!

I have mentioned it in the past, but Hungry Girl has been my lifesaver for about a year now. When my family started on our fitness kick last year, our trainer told us we weren’t allowed to eat: dairy, grains, sugary fruits, etc. Now those things right there, are my life!! Needless to say, I was a little bummed. We tried it for a couple months, but no one can eat like that forever. ( I literally craved McDonald’s for a month after, weird right?)

Sooo…. HUNGRY GIRL!!! The greatest way to continue eating the foods you love without adding the inches to your waist. Better yet, LOSE some of those inches!!

Lisa Lillen, the creator, is NOT a nutritionist, she is a self proclaimed foodologist who has spent the time and research trying to find good tasting and healthy food items. Lisa develops these recipes based on her idea that “food is [her] passion and it has been [her] lifelong obsession.”

Hungry Girl now has two books out, Hungry Girl, and Hungry Girl 200 under 200. Both are great. They are full of more ideas than you can possibly imagine. Comfort foods, cocktails, desserts, breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks and you name it. There is even a section on typical party foods.

The basic concept behind all of the recipes is that you take a regular dish and just exchange a few ingredients for smarter choices… all while maintaining the delicious flavor!!

If you don’t want to jump right into buying the books, you also have the option to sign up for the daily newsletter which gives you some recipes and healthy grocery store finds. The pink links will take you to where you can buy the books!

Hungry Girl: Recipes and Survival Strategies for Guilt-Free Eating in the Real World

The website is also a fountain of information and well designed!

There are sections called top ATE. For example, the top ATE: holiday favorites, long lasting snacks, and summer beverages.

The most useful top ATE is the one on calorie saving swaps. Hungry Girl uses simple substitutes like using the liquid egg substitute rather than a traditional egg. My own swaps that I ALWAYS stick to: turkey instead of ground beef, whole grain pasta (and all breads) instead of white, and olive oil spray instead of olive oil.

It is because of this mentality that you can cut out tons of calories without having to try to hard, or even worse, STARVE!!!

Hungry Girl: 200 Under 200: 200 Recipes Under 200 Calories

My only complaint with the Hungry Girl books is that they suggest using a product called Shirataki Tofu Noodles… I tried them once, and found I’m not such a fan. They are quite slimey and have an odd consistency… but go ahead and try them. If not, just substitute with whole wheat pasta.

Good luck!! Sign up for the newsletter at Hungry Girl, and buy the books!! Trust me, it will be worth it!

I forgot to mention they also have a fun little game called Whack-a-Snack!

This past week, I somehow received all of my magazine subscriptions in a matter of two days… Between that “wake up call” and my lovely budget crunching mode that I’m in, it made me wonder, when did I get all of these magazines?

I like many girls my age went through the various magazine stages. From Highlights as a little kid, to Seventeen when I hit 13, to my current obsessions.

I now receive: Women’s Health, Shape, Glamour, and People Style Watch.

While this may not seem like “a lot,” when you routinely run out of time to look at all of them, and you eventually throw them all out anyway, you realized what a waste. Plus, it is not very “green!”

My Women’s Health and People Style Watch are more expensive than your traditional $12 subscription price. But I suppose they balance out with the great $12 for two years I paid for Shape!! YAY!

But add it up, I’m suddenly spending OVER $50 for some paper!! Information I can easily access online!

I know you are thinking, $12, big deal, you are practically robbing the magazine! Turns out, you are actually making them more money simply by taking them up on their “great offer.” Magazines make their money with advertising. They are making mucho dinero on your “savings” because you add to their circulation numbers. Higher circulation=More expensive Ad buys. Personally, I think Ad buys are a little overrated when you think about the “impression” you get with the readers. I mean I skip the ads. I’m sure you skip the ads. That is why we find ourselves surrounded by “advertorials.” You guessed it, they are trying to trick you. Bummer!

By the way, this holiday season when you are checking out all of those nifty gift guides, make sure they are not paid for. Some publications are so strapped for cash that they are actually offering up their gift guides as paid advertisements. It will guide you alright, right to their customers’ products. Not so trustworthy is it?

SO what is my point? Well my point is that I do not need to spend $50 a year on magazines. I’m not sure which ones I will end up giving the boot, but you can be sure some of them will get it! I can go online and try to do my little part of the environment and my pocket!

By the way, did you know that the website, Perez Hilton makes $110,000 A MONTH!!??!! Man I wish I had all of the latest gossip to share!

In honor of the new Amazon Widget (below), I am going to be explaining my reasoning for choosing those items.  Eventually I will get to them all… eventually.

The first installment of the “Widget Files” is about the author Patricia Cornwell.  The reason she jumped right to the front of the line…?  I am SOOO excited because while selecting the items, I discovered that she not only has one new book coming out this year, but TWO. 

My mother originally got me hooked on the Cornwell books.  My obsession quickly gained momentum as I routinely stayed up until 4a.m. because I just could not put the damn things down.  I always remain up to date with the series of Scarpetta books which is why I am thrilled to see there are more coming out.

 

About Patricia Cornwell:

Cornwell got her start in the murder mystery arena as a computer analyst and technical writer for the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Richmond, Virginia (where no surprise, many of her books are based around).  One would assume that her experiences there would have given her enough information for her novels, but no.  Cornwell immerses herself in the characters, often times learning things or experiencing what they do.  A character is going to scuba dive?  She gets certified.  A character is going to be a helicopter pilot?  Why not? 

It is no wonder Cornwell is known for the detail and accuracy of her books.  And no surprise that she has won pretty much every possible award.  It is funny to think however, that her first book, Postmortem in 1990, was rejected by SEVEN publishers.

In 2006, Scarpetta was asked to write two 15-week series.  They were so popular that they turned into books, and were later optioned for movies.

 

About the Scarpetta Series, aka why I love Patricia Cornwell

The Scarpetta novels are undoubtedly the most popular of the Cornwell books.  I have not read many of the other books (she has also written a few non-fiction books including one on Jack the Ripper), but these are the ones worth reading!!!

Dr. Kay Scarpetta is the main character.  I know, you are saying obviously if it is the Scarpetta series…  Make no mistake, the books would be nothing without her usual partner/friend Lt. Pete Marino, niece Lucy, and friend/lover/etc. Benton Wesley.  Scarpetta is the Chief Medical Examiner of the Commonwealth of Virginia, but seems to be plagued by, murders, terrorists, and just about everyone else. 

Postmortem (Kay Scarpetta)

Postmortem began the series in ’90, and has been followed by at least a dozen since.  The newest book, The Scarpetta Factor comes out on October 20.  It is slightly frustrating though because I prefer not to read hard cover books… why do those always have to be the first release??

The Scarpetta Factor

You HAVE to read the Scarpetta series, and I mean all of it.  You definitely need to start with the first book and work your way through it.  Cornwell has this amazing ability to hook you in the first few paragraphs.  If you go through the books in order, you will see this emotional attachment that will form between you and the characters.  I admit, there are times I have cried because it was as if I felt Scarpetta’s pain. 

All in all, the Patricia Corwell books are easy, entertaining, and action packed reads.  I guarantee you will enjoy them.