Are you daring enough to rock this new trend? While popping red lipstick is continually showing up, Cosmopolitan magazine is reporting on the new must-have lip color, er colors. Yes that’s right, the hot trend is swiping two different color lipsticks- one shade on the bottom lip, the other on the top lip. Cosmo suggests using lipsticks in the same shade family, and sticking the bright shade on the bottom lip. Will you try to this contrasting trend?
Over this past weekend, I stepped outside of my food comfort zone and tried… shrimp. And it was actually pretty decent. I am one picky eater, and have never been a fan of any sort of seafood, but I thought I’d give this just one try. The texture threw me off slightly, but overall I enjoyed it. I think to begin with I’d have to eat shrimp with something (my dish for example had rice in with the shrimp) and Fitnessmag.com have posted a yummy Shrimp Cesar Salad. I enjoy Cesar salad’s and by throwing some shrimp along with it, gives the salad an extra boost- and a healthy boost at that. Read below for the ingredients and directions:
Ingredients
Nonstick cooking spray
4 slices whole-grain bread
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 pound raw shrimp, shelled and cleaned, tails removed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons lemon juice
4 tablespoons light mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
4 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
8 cups torn romaine lettuce
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
4 tablespoons shaved Parmesan
Directions
1. Preheat the broiler. Mist a shallow baking sheet with cooking spray. Brush the bread lightly on both sides with the canola oil; cut into 3/4-inch cubes. Place in a single layer on the sheet and broil until lightly browned, about 1 minute per side. Transfer croutons to a plate and let cool.
2. Toss the shrimp with salt and black pepper and place in a single layer on the same baking sheet. Broil 2 minutes per side or until just cooked through.
3. In a bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, mayonnaise, Worcestershire, grated Parmesan, garlic powder, and 2 tablespoons water.
4. Toss the lettuce, onion, and croutons in a bowl; drizzle dressing over the top and toss to combine. Spoon shrimp on top; garnish with shaved Parmesan.
Makes: 4 servings
Prep time: 7 minutes
Cook time: 6 minutes
Nutrition facts per serving: 327 calories, 32g protein, 26g carbohydrate, 12g fat (2.4g saturated), 5g fiber
Source: Marge Perry/Fitness Magazine
In My Mailbox: Week of June 13, 2010
Title: Crossed Wires
Author: Rosy Thornton
Received: From Rosy Thornton
Synopsis: This is the story of Mina, a girl at a Sheffield call centre, whose next customer in the queue is Peter, and Cambridge geography don, who has crashed his car into a tree stump. Despite their differences, they’ve got a lot in common-both single, both parents, both looking for love. Could it be that they’ve just found it? This is a story about the small joys and tribulations of parenthood, about one-ness and two-ness, about symmetry and coincidence, about the things that separate us and the things that bring us together.
Title: Diary of a Beverly Hills Matchmaker
Author: Marla Martenson
Received: From Marla Martenson
Synopsis: In Diary of a Beverly Hills Matchmaker, Marla takes her readers for a hilarious romp through her days as an L.A. matchmaker and her daily struggles to keep her self-esteem from imploding in a town where looks are everything and money talks. From juggling the demands her out-of-touch clients to trying her best to meet the capricious demands of an insensitive boss to the ups and downs of her own marriage to a Latin husband who doesnt think that she is domestic enough, Marla writes with charm and self-effacement about the universal struggles that all women face in their lives. Readers will laugh, cringe, and cry as they journey with her through outrageous stories about the indignities of dating in Los Angeles, dealing with overblown egos, vicariously hobnobbing with celebrities, and navigating the wannabe-land of Beverly Hills. In a city where perfection is almost a prerequisite, even Marla cant help but run for the Botox every once in a while.
Q: How did you get into writing? I wanted to be a writer since I was in grade school. I used to write letters to my favorite authors telling them how I wanted to do what they did when I grew up. I used to write a lot of poetry and short stories. Then my interest switched to acting and I did that for twenty years, but writing was always in the back of my mind. I didn’t have the confidence to write and get my stories out there. Once I started working as a matchmaker, I realized that I had a lot to say about what men and women are looking for in a partner and a lot of tips to ensure a successful date, so I went for it and starting writing my first book, Excuse Me, Your Soul Mate Is Waiting in 2006. It was published in 2008.
Q: How did you realize you were good at matchmaking? I realized it on the job. I am a people person and found that I am very patient and a good listener and also my positive sunny nature helps a lot as well since clients demands can be outrageous on occasion.
Q: How do you pair up potential couples? I meet with both parties and make a detailed profile on them. After that I look to see which of my clients will match up well based on their criteria and lifestyle. I contact the woman first and tell her all about the man I have in mind for her. If she agrees, then I contact the man and give him her info and number, he calls and asks her for a date. After the date I get feedback from both parties and pass it along if asked.
Q: What is your favorite part of a wedding? The cake!
Q: How did you meet your husband? A mutual friend introduced us on May 21st 2001. My husband is an entertainer and was playing the piano and singing at a piano bar in Playa Del Rey, Los Angeles. My friend took me there one evening, I walked right up to the piano and introduced myself, and we have been together ever since.
Q: What are your top 3 dating tips? 1. Don’t talk about your ex. Your date does not want to hear about your bad break up or your drama. 2. Keep your phone in your purse, answering calls or texting at the dinner table is just plain rude. Give your date your full attention. 3. Listen more than you talk. Be truly interested in your date. I have heard so many times from both parties, “All my date did all night was talk about themselves.”
Q: Your latest book, Diary of a Beverley Hills Matchmaker, looks to be hilarious. How much fun did you have writing this? I had a blast writing this book. It is a true story and people keep telling me that they can’t believe it is all true! I have a lot of fun reading it as well since my friends and family are the stars!
Q: Do you have any new projects in the works? Yes, I am writing the sequel to Diary of a Beverly Hills Matchmaker now, it will be published in the fall of 2011.
Q: What is some love advice you can give to readers? I would say not to give up on love, there is a top for every pot. But the most important thing is to work on yourself before you look for someone to get into a relationship with. Make sure you have worked through your issues, are open and ready for a relationship. If you need to get healthy, or lose a few pounds to feel great and raise your confidence, do that so that you are your best you and bring something great to the table.
Q; How about your best advice for aspiring writers? Just go for it. Write and enjoy the process. The publishing industry is a tough one to crack, so make sure that you are writing because you love it. It is not a way to get rich quick. Writers are also readers, so read everything you can get your hands on, all genres. Reading opens your mind and gets your creative juices flowing.
Q: Where is your favorite place to travel? I love Europe, I have been about 12 times. I speak fluent French, Spanish and get by in Italian. Paris is my all time favorite, and Prague was a dream. I also go to Mexico every year. My husband is from Mexico City so we go visit family. We recently went to Guanajuato which was a 5 hour bus ride from Mexico City. It was so amazing. I felt like I was in Spain. It was one of the most beautiful places I have ever been. I would love to spend a few months living there writing a new masterpiece.
I’ve discussed earlier about how I usually watch TV while working out, but how I was going to try to quit that. So far, I’ve been doing a pretty good job, and I feel like my workouts are benefiting from my concentration being solely on my moves. I enjoyed all the feedback from that blog post, so now I am asking another question: who listens to music while they work out? I generally don’t, but I do have an Ipod and was thinking of downloading some fun tunes that I can enjoy while on the treadmill or elliptical. Fitness Magazine posted their picks for a 2010 Summer Playlist, and here is what they suggested:
“Break Your Heart” Taio Cruz ft. Ludacris
“Carry Out” Timbaland ft. Justin Timberlake
“California Girls” Katy Perry ft. Snoop Dogg
“Better Than Her” Matisse
“Rude Boy” Rihanna
“Nothing on You” B.o.B ft. Bruno Mars
“Summerboy” Lady Gaga
“Rockin’ That Thang” The Dream
“Imma Bee” Black Eyed Peas
“Need You Now” Lady Antebellum
What are your thoughts on this playlist? Do you think listening to music helps pump you up and keep you going? I’m curious to know!
Shape.com posted a super informative article on the best and worst drinks for your health. I commend myself on drinking plenty of water throughout the day while at work, but when I go home I sip on kool-aide and soda. I did make the switch from kool-aide to lemonade, but then learned that lemonade was just as bad for you! So what’s the best and what’s the worst? Shape is clearing up any confusion on this matter…
THE WORST
Lemonade! Store bought lemonade can contain 100 calories per cup, and the equivalent of 6 teaspoons of sugar and zero nutrients.
THE BEST
Infused water. Good ole’ H20 is going to be the best choice, but there are ways to fancy up your plain water to make it more desirable. There are plenty of flavor-enhanced versions of water (Fuze, SmartWater, VitaminWater, etc.) but make sure you are reaching for ones that do not contain artificial sweeteners.
THE WORST COCKTAIL
Do you enjoy pina coladas? You might want to rethink those tasty treats. A 16-ounce pina colada contains 880 calories!
THE BEST BEER
Light beer will be the drink of choice. A 12 ounce bottle of light beer will only up you 100 calories and studies have shown the natural ingredients in light beer help deposit calcium and other minerals into bone. The alcohol in beer also provides protection against heart disease and stroke.
To read more about the best and worst drinks for your health from Shape, click here!
Source: Shape.com/Cynthia Sass
I have seen a beauty trend popping up in all the magazines for this month: turquoise is in. This is great for me, because I love blues, especially turquoise and aquamarine, which is my birthstone. Cosmopolitan magazine had some beauty tips for wearing this Caribbean hue, such as painting your toenails or just the tips of your fingernails. Also try out some liquid eye shadow or enhance your eyes even further with CoverGirl’s Eye Enhancers with the shade Turquoise Tempest, only $3.47.
Q: Why did you start writing?
I managed to make it to the age of forty before it ever occurred to me to write a word of fiction. Then, in 2004, I watched a BBC television adaptation of Elizabeth Gaskell’s classic novel, ‘North and South’, and fell in love with the wonderful Richard Armitage in the lead role. I went on the internet to read more about him and about the programme – and discovered a world of North and South fanfic. That was how I began – having a go at my own fanfic, while still in a Richard Armitage-induced romantic haze.
Q: Did you ever think you would be a published author?
In my day job, I am a lecturer at Cambridge University, where I teach law, so I had already published a fair bit, but all of it a far cry from chick lit. My last book had been the sexily titled ‘Property Disrepair and
Dilapidations: A Guide to the Law’. It never occurred to me in a million years I could write a novel!
Q: Where did you find the courage to submit your writing after never attempting it before?
There were several of us writing North and South fanfic who branched out to try our hand at our own original fiction, and we encouraged one another to have a go at pitching for publication. Of the original band of us, five are now published novelists! Without that support and camaraderie, I’m not sure I’d have dared to make the attempt.
Q: Your contemporary fiction novels are tinged with romance and comedy. Why did you choose this genre, or did it more “choose you?”
I think romantic fiction was a natural choice after starting out the way I did. Blame Richard Armitage! But the contemporary settings and humorous voice just seemed to come from nowhere.
Q: You have your fourth novel coming out in July, The Tapestry of Love.
What can you tell us about this story?
The new novel is set in France, in a remote mountain hamlet in the Cevennes, where Englishwoman Catherine Parkstone moves to begin a new life.
Divorced, with grown children, she has decided to set up in business as a seamstress – and also makes tapestries of the scenes around her. It’s not quite the rural idyll she’d imagined, though: there is mountain weather to contend with, and French bureaucracy, and the reserve of her new neighbours. Among them is the intriguing Patrick Castagnol, who seems to be
a man of secrets And that’s before the arrival of Catherine’s forthright
sister, Bryony, who throws everything into confusion.
Q: Where do you find the inspiration for your characters and plots?
That’s a very difficult question to answer. The characters, I suppose, have traits of people I’ve met, people I know – but then on the page they take on a life of their own. And as for plots, these just appear from nowhere. I am not a planner: I begin with some characters and an initial situation of conflict, and the story then just goes where the characters take it.
Q: Who are some of your favorite authors?
As you might guess from the source of my original inspiration, I love the
classics: Jane Austen, Elizabeth Gaskell, George Eliot. Among contemporary writers I love Anne Tyler, Anita Shreve, Barbara Trapido, Kate Atkinson, E Annie Proulx, Jane Smiley. My favourite chick lit author is Phillipa Ashley.
Q: How do you enjoy your free time?
What free time? I have a full-time job, daughters of 13 and 11, and am moonlighting as a novelist. If I do have any time, I like to spend it with my girls, my partner and our two spaniels, at the beach or walking in the countryside.
Q: Are you more of an indoors or outdoors person?
Too often indoors, working or writing – not often enough outdoors with the kids and the dogs!
Q: What is your best advice for aspiring writers?
Read as much as you can, and read books you know are better than you could ever write yourself. Then just write. Write every day, if possible, even if it’s only a couple of sentences – but write!
Q: What would be your dream vacation?
Since writing ‘The Tapestry of Love’ I have had a hankering to spend a holiday in the Cevennes, in Catherine’s mountains. I set the novel there because of two wonderful holidays we had there before we had the girls – and now I am longing to go back.
In My Mailbox: Week of June 6, 2010
Title: EyeLeash: A Blog Novel
Author: Jess C Scott
Received: From Jess C Scott
Synopsis: Jade Ashton is a sassy virgin. In her blog, she vents about “fitting in” a superficial world. Suddenly all logic flies out the window when she meets Novan: the former geek, who’s morphed into a delicious songwriter-musician. EyeLeash captures self-discovery in the 2000s, and showcases the intricate drama in two youths’ relentless search for themselves–and what’s really in their hearts.
Title: The Starlet
Author: Mary McNamara
Received: From Regal Literary
Synopsis: It’s a not-so-well-respected rule in Hollywood that what happens on location stays on location. But when a hot young leading man winds up dead in his Rome hotel room, his costar’s life is about to go off the rails in a very public way—even by celeb standards.
At the tender age of twenty-three, Mercy Talbot has won an Oscar, battled addiction, wrecked more than her share of cars, and burned down her house. Her look-alike mother keeps her on a tight leash (and fueled with an endless supply of OxyContin and cocaine) and her producers demand a grueling schedule. By the time she stumbles across Juliette Greyson, a Hollywood insider on a much-needed vacation, Mercy is surrounded by photographers and about to emerge drunk, high, and naked from a public fountain. Whisking her away to an idyllic Tuscan ‘retreat,’ Juliette is about to discover another rule of Hollywood: wherever the starlet may go, the drama will follow.
