British fashion designer Alexander McQueen was found dead at his London home on Thursday morning, People.com has reported. Police confirmed that the deceased was indeed the 40 year old designer. His family released this statement surrounding the unexpected death, “Alexander McQueen today announces the tragic news that Lee McQueen, the founder and designer of the Alexander McQueen brand has been found dead at his home. At this stage it is inappropriate to comment on this tragic news beyond saying that we are devastated and are sharing a sense of shock and grief with Lee's family. Lee's family has asked for privacy in order to come to terms with this terrible news and we hope the media will respect this.” One of McQueen's contemporary lines, McQ, was scheduled to be shown at New York Fashion Week on Thursday afternoon
Lara is having a problem: she is being haunted by her 105 year old great-aunt’s ghost. Sadie, who was a daring flapper back in her time of the Roaring 20’s, keeps appearing alongside Lara, but as a younger version of her deceased self. She has some unfinished business and needs Lara to help her find her necklace before she can pass on. At first Lara is frustrated and fed up with trying to help Sadie, who is making her wear ridiculous flapper clothes and makeup and go on dates with boring men just so Sadie can feel “alive” again through the only person that can see her. But as time goes on, Lara realizes how much she and Sadie have in common, and strangely, how Sadie can help with her floundering love life and equally dismal career as a headhunter. Twenties Girl from Sophie Kinsella was a favorite of mine- which shocked me. Though I am a huge fan of Kinsella I was thinking this novel sounded too out there for me. A ghost haunting her great-niece? But I was proved wrong, and could not put it down! The novel was engaging, humorous, inspirational, and even had a few fun twists thrown in as well. I honestly think Kinsella is one of the few authors that could have pulled this plot off, and she did it with a comedic twist and a bit of mystery throw in. A must read!
Jen Lancaster keeps her humorous bit alive with her third novel, Pretty In Plaid. Lancaster takes readers on the ultimate flashback in time, traveling back through the ‘80s and ‘90s and revealing her journey to show just how she got to where she is now. I enjoyed reading about the disastrous birthday dinner when Lancaster was eight and realized how to eat a lobster, her Greek years in college and how she struggled to fit in, and how she came to meet her future husband, Fletch. Pretty in Plaid was a fun read, mainly because I was learning even more about one of my favorite authors. I like how Lancaster lets readers into her life, and her humor and honesty through each saga keeps me laughing throughout the novel. I do have to be honest and say this wasn’t my favorite novel from Jen Lancaster; it just didn’t give me the same pull as the others I have read. I think maybe because there was not really a “true” plot, it was just basically story-telling and I wasn’t sure where the story would stop. Still an entertaining read and I would recommend to all chick lit fans, just not a personal favorite of mine.
All this dry weather does nothing good for my hair, which is naturally uncontrollable. My hairdresser is always suggesting using a deep conditioning treatment about once a week to help breathe some life and moisture into my locks, so I finally decided to see what it’s all about. I browsed online looking for some at home treatments because a friend had told me she makes her own recipe instead of buying expensive bottles at the salon. So I figured I could do the same, save myself some money and get better looking hair. The recipe I settled on was from RecipeZaar.com and seemed pretty straightforward. Ingredients: 1 cup of mayonnaise (preferably room temperature), ½ cup of olive oil, and three eggs. Blend all ingredients together, then apply thoroughly to hair, adding more on the ends. Use a shower cap or old towel to wrap around your head, keeping the heat on your strands. Leave on for 10-20 minutes depending on the length of your hair, then wash out thoroughly. Don’t shampoo after you use this treatment! The next day when you shower, shampoo and condition as usual. My hair did feel better after using this treatment, though for that first day it did feel a little oily, so I would suggest making sure you do it when you are not going out! But after the next shampoo, I could tell that there was more shine, and it felt better to touch. If you are suffering from dry hair as well try out this or another deep conditioning treatment to get some results!
Q: What is your favorite part of the writing process? About 1/3 of the way through a novel, I finally hit my stride and the writing begins to really flow. Up until then, I tend to go back and rewrite the early chapters over and over again, filling in the blanks, moving text, fleshing out characters, etc. Once it starts flowing, the writing takes on a life of its own and I can’t wait to get to my keyboard every morning! Q: Did you always know you wanted to write? Yes, I’ve known since third grade that I wanted to become an author one day. I was fortunate to have been encouraged by my teacher and my parents, who believed in me and supported me every step of the way. Q: Where do you find the inspiration for your novels? The spark of an idea for quite a few of my chick lit plot elements and characters come from my own life. I also write suspense novels (under my own name, Wendy Corsi Staub), but usually turn to other sources of inspiration for those—newspapers, true crime stories, Dateline and 48 Hours. But no matter what I’m writing, my novels all start with a musing “what if…?” Q: You write for more than one genre, do you find anything difficult about that? Not at all, probably because I only work on one book at a time. I tend to live in my fictional world while I’m on a deadline, and I think it would be difficult to jump back and forth from happy-shoe-shopping-land to corpse-in-the-woods-land. Writing in different genres keeps things fresh and interesting for me. Q: You worked for bookstores while you were in college, what kind of knowledge did you take away from those jobs? I learned how the publishing business works behind the scenes—about relationships between booksellers and their customers, between booksellers and sales reps, booksellers and authors…really, the most important person in an author’s life is the person responsible for getting the book into a reader’s hands. As an author, I have tremendous respect for booksellers, and try to let them know as often as possible how much I appreciate their efforts on my behalf. Q: I absolutely love the ‘Slightly’ series! How did you come up with the characters and their scenarios? Thank you! Tracey is very loosely based on me, and the people in her life are based—again, very loosely—on people I knew when I was a young, single woman in New York City. Certain characters—Raphael, for example—are composites of people I knew. Others are purely fictional—her parents are nothing like my parents, her mother-in-law, Wilma, came out of left field. But others—Jack, Yvonne, and Will come to mind—are rooted in real people I encountered along the way to being married and settled down. Q: Did you have a favorite writer while you were growing up? I I was—and still am—obsessed with Laura Ingalls Wilder. In fact, this past summer, I dragged my family out to the Prairie. We visited “Little House” sites in Kansas, Missouri, and South Dakota, and this coming summer, I’m going to be a featured speaker at “Laurapalooza,” the first-ever conference for Laura fans. Q: You are always keeping busy, but when do get free time how do you spend it? With my family! I’m a happily married mom with two boys who are growing up too fast, and we live our lives surrounded by hundreds of family members, friends, and neighbors. I like nothing better than to have a crowd around my dining room table eating homemade food. That, or traveling! I’ve embarked on a fifty-state book tour with my husband and sons in tow, and we complete a new leg every summer when school is out. Q: What advice would you give to aspiring writers? Do your homework! If you want to become a published author, remember that this is a business as well as an art. Learn how the industry works, network with other writers online and at conferences and chapter meetins, and read as much as you can about how to prepare and submit a manuscript. It’s a slippery uphill slope to publication for most writers, so be prepared to work hard. I promise there is nothing more rewarding than reaching the top! Q: What would be or is your favorite place to travel? Travel is my passion, and I’ve been to 47 states, all over Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean. I cherish our yearly trips to the Caribbean most of all, because it’s a week spent just with my family—I belong only to them, and I don’t bring makeup or bookmarks or shoes other than flip flops. Pure heaven!
Women’s Health Magazine has a great article on tips for a healthier heart. At my work (a hospital) we recently celebrated ‘Wear Red for Women’s Health’ this past Friday, so I thought this article would be good to print out and hang up in my office, and share with all of you! Here are the five tips you can do to avoid heart problems: 1. Eat More Plants and Fish. Colorful foods (think berries and spinach) are filled with heart healthy antioxidants that can reduce the risk of heart disease. The antioxidants work to keep plaque from building up on the arteries, keeping the vessels clear and healthy. Fruits and vegetables also give the body plenty of potassium, helping to regulate the blood pressure. Fatty fish such as salmon or sardines is a great way to get the omega-3 fatty acids, which also reduce the risk of heart disease by decreasing your blood pressure and triglycerides. 2. Cut the Fat. Butter, meat, and whole dairy products often contain high levels of saturated fats, which is bad for the heart. You want to keep your saturated fat level to about 7 percent of your daily calories and try to eliminate trans fats from your diet. Trans fats can do a double whammy- increasing the level of bad cholesterol and lowering the level of good cholesterol. WHM recommends keeping trans fats in your diet down to 1 percent of your daily calories- and the common foods that these are found in is margarine, oils, fried foods, and pastries. 3. Know Your Risk. We all know that prevention is key, and this relates to all aspects of your health. Don’t be afraid to ask your doctor to run some tests on you to check out your levels of cholesterol, blood sugar, and other tests that could reveal potential health problems. Be especially aware if there is history of health problems in your family, such as diabetes or heart attacks. 4. Move Your Feet. Working out and utilizing cardio routines is a great way to protect your heart. Even just walking 30 minutes a day can improve heart strength and lower bad cholesterol levels. 5. Stop Smoking. We are all aware that smoking can introduce many health problems in the system, so it’s time to quit! WHM reports that smokers are up to four times more likely to develop coronary heart disease than those who don’t smoke. Tobacco can narrow arteries, raise blood pressure, and thicken blood- all which can lead to clogged arteries and heart attacks. And- it reeks! All these tips can be life-savers, so be sure to start implementing them into your daily routine. Be sure to check out Women’s Health Magazine online for the full article and other great heart healthy ideas!
As I was browsing on Shape.com today I found an article titled ‘Speedy Sculpting Secrets.’ Since I work out to look more sculpted, I headed to the page to see just what secrets I needed to learn. Most of them were what I expected, but there were a few surprises that were thrown in there, and a few new moves I am going to try at the gym. Here were some of my favorite secrets: 1. Hit the Hills. The treadmill can be your friend when trying to vary your workouts. Remember, if you continually do the same routine, your body and muscles will eventually get used to your moves and you won’t be helping yourself. Try these three treadmill programs to keep mixing it up. FLAT SPRINTS Set the treadmill at a constant 1 percent grade and run of walk fast (you should be completely out of breath) for 30 seconds. Recover at an easy intensity for 60 seconds. Repeat 9 times. HILL DRILLS Run or walk for 30 seconds at an 8 percent grade followed by 60 seconds at a 1 percent grade. Repeat 9 times. CONSTANT CLIMB Set the treadmill at an 8 percent grade and walk or run for 30 seconds at a moderate pace (you should be out of breath) followed by 60 seconds at a slower pace, still on the 8 percent incline. Repeat 9 times. 2. Don’t Procrastinate. Try not putting off the moves you dread (for me that would be push-ups!) because you are less likely to complete them if you keep them until the end. Get them out of the way first thing, that way you won’t be as tired when trying to complete them near the end of your routine. 3. Water is Your Friend. Pools can be a workout gold mine if you have access to one. Swimming laps is a great way to sculpt the body, but there are other ways you can utilize the pool as well. Shape suggest getting a kickboard and doing flutter kicks across the length of the pool, then getting gout and doing either lunges or squats and repeating the exercise. By alternating between water and land, the body is getting a cardio-sculpting workout. 4. Hold Your Tongue. This tip I found very interesting. When doing moves such as crunches, you should rest your tongue behind the top row of your teeth. This will help prevent neck strain, keeping you in better form and working the abs harder. Check out the full article at Shape.com for all 31 sculpting secrets!
Charlie Sheen was charged on Monday with a felony menacing charge and two misdemeanors after a domestic dispute with wife Brooke Mueller that happened on Christmas Day in Colorado. The judge did ease the restrictions on the restraining order according to People.com, so now the married couple can see each other. Sheen is reportedly returning home to see Mueller and their two young sons. Both the Two in a Half Men actor and Mueller appeared in an Aspen, Colorado court room for the hearing. In order for Sheen to be around Mueller, he needs to refrain from drinking alcohol, possessing guns or harassing his wife. The actor was formally charged with felony menacing and two misdemeanors: third-degree assault and criminal mischief, stemming from the assault, for which he was sent to jail for on Christmas Day.
Carrie Prejean is engaged! The controversial beauty queen- who lost her crown in last year’s Miss USA pageant, became engaged to NFL quarterback Kyle Boller over the weekend. Usmagazine reports that Prejean, 22, and Boller, 28, began dating last July and have not yet set a wedding date.
