Shia, Taylor, Miley, Tom- Celebrities I Like But Wish I Didn’t

1) Taylor Swift- My preconceived notion about Taylor was that she pretty much fell under the “tweenie bopping guitar thumping” label… or even under the Disney crew. Neither of which I came to realize was the case. I also originally didn’t like her merely because she has the same name as myself and is wildly more popular. After getting over the grudges, I began hearing hype about this wholesome, work crazed musician so I decided to read up and listen in… and what a mistake I had made. She’s SO anti- LiLo in her lack of interest dating women, wearing belly tops, and crashing into cars drunkenly. She pretty much put her entire tour together from lighting to music to ensemble …. and her songs are great too. Overall, I would love to say I still hated Taylor Swift but she’s currently background music on my ITunes, so that’s clearly not the case.

2) Miley Cyrus- OK, don’t judge me for this one buttttt…. I have posted derogatory Miley posts, I’m aware. However, she has her shit together- I have to admit. Some of her music is wildly catchy and fun to “bop” to– literally and metaphorically. I don’t think she’s classy nor would I ever take a ticket for her concert if given to me but I don’t think she’s half bad. I think she should PROBABLY invest in tooth reconstruction work, but that’s me being bitchy. She seems to do well with the teen girls/ Disney scene — personally I am still confused about who she plays on TV and who she is in her music. Miley or Hannah Montana? I don’t get it. Regardless, I think she’s growing on me slowly but surely.

3) Tom Brady- I don’t like people who are fawned after– ever. And seeing as that I live in Boston, he’s practically a messiah. I think he’s extremely attractive and sporty. Sure if a conversation were to ever come about involving economics, politics, or anything scholarly? I’m sure he would have to excuse himself to go to the bathroom, but who cares. He’s talented and very…. very… nice to look at.

4) Shia LaBeouf- I’ve had an obsession with Shia ever since Even Stevens ENDED. Why should I not like him you ask? Well..

a) He’s fractured most of his body parts due to risky business– I will say though that the arm braces and bandages are somewhat sexy

b) He is an inner nerd, and while I am too? He isn’t embracing his old Disney roots- weak sauce.

c) I hear from various sources he’s somewhat crazy…. like psychologically. Oh well, I can deal.

Things Always In My Fridge

So, I guess I have a few food products that I’m addicted to…. You will never NOT find them my fridge. I do admit I have certain food tendencies. I don’t like to eat dinner prior to 7, I like to sit and have large breakfasts, and I refuse to make lunches. Another part of my tendencies plays out in my purchases as well. I think everyone can attest to the fact that they enjoy certain products, and will buy them over and over again right?

Here are my few staples always present in my kitchen:

1) Feta Cheese- I’d like to say I’m adventurous when it comes to my cheese selections, but I’m not… I stick to what I know and what I’m not allergic to… with that in mind you will always find crumbled Feta and Goat Cheeses in my fridge.

 

2) Whipped Cream- Again I say, it’s a rather embarrasing product to always have in my fridge, but since conception pretty  much I’ve been a fan of the treat. I put it on all of my fruit, waffles, and desserts. It never gets old in my book.

3) Cinnamon Raisin Bread- I grew up toasting a few slices of this bread, slathering on a few cubes of butter on top and then finishing it off with a sprinkle or two of cinnamon and sugar. Not much else compares, really.

 

4) Soy Vay Teryaki Sauce- You can’t really go wrong with making dinner when you have this teryaki sauce in your disposal. It’s less sodium-esque and more syrupy. OK that didn’t sound all too professional but really it’s delicious and a wonderful marinade for things such as chicken breats and flank steak.

 

Pop Singers- Where Are They Now?

So I’ve decided after hearing Radar by Britney on the radio day after day to write a blog about what’s unfolded with the pop singers of yesteryears. I’m going to run through my take on the top 3, from their prime to now… see whose progressed with their life and see whose flopped, majorly.

1) I have to start with Britney, while she should be the final “WHABAM” I thin it’s of utmost importance I start with the one who did the biggest 180… then another 180…. and perhaps a final 180 within the past 10 years.

This was Britney, literally …. as perfection. The snake, the body, the hair… I really couldn’t find a flaw even if I tried. Her moves were right on point– granted at this time in her life she was dating Mr. Timberlake, so who WOULDN’T be in a positively great state of mind? But my did the tables turn..

…. See Exhibit B, Britney, post buzzed head, two babies, a divorce from a gold digging hillbilly, and one hell of an embarrasing MTV “comeback” performance.

2) Mandy- See, I’m a big fan of Mandy. I don’t truly understand her and I don’t think she truly understands herself just yet however, she’s a very attractive and talented woman. Did I envy her when she was singing about Candy and dating Andy Roddick? Yes, a bit.

The big issue with Ms. Moore, however, is her inability to be herself. Everytime she dates someone new, she begins to look like that person — i.e., her new hipster/indie/non showering husband Ryan Adams. Is that even his name? I’m sorry if I butchered it.

3) Christina- Ok she MAY have won biggest turnaround out of them all… She went from being an INSANE sex-crazy wet bikini contestant to a happy mother and wife. Who woulda thought that the girl soaking wet in a wrestling bath would be content staying in and breast feeding her baby boy? NOT ME to say the least.

If you’re wondering why I didn’t include Jessica on the list, the rationale is very very simple… Not much has changed. She’s still making mistakes in her love life, wearing Daisy Dukes, and singing mediocre music.

Drake… Aubrey… Jimmy- The Many Sides of Aubrey Graham

So, I love when there’s hype surrounding certain people and relationships…. celebrity related that is. I thouroughly enjoy putting myself in celebrities shoes, even if it is just in my dreams. Like, for instance, I pretend at times that me and Shia are exclusive… a girl can dream right?

Anyways, while I just veered off track, I did have a point… I promise. I am in love with the current celebrity talk of the town: Drake. Why you may ask? Well there are a few main reasons:

1) I loved him as Jimmy on Degrassi… yes, I watch Degrassi. While I used to be embarrased, I’m am not a shamed anymore. I have been watching the show, thanks to my good friend Julia Gall, since freshman year of high school. He was one of my favorite characters — perhaps it was foreshadowing but he did if you don’t recall have a “Rap career” on the show as well

                     

2) I love his newly acquired fame as a rapper, AND as a major Trending Topic on Twitter as well! Granted, things such as #WeLoveJoeJonas are also on the top list, but hey, I am still happy he’s getting recognition for his music now. I think the only thing he has to worry about is the pressure riding on his first album…. a lot of people in the industry including my personal fave Lil Wayne are backing him and giving him the hype so now it’s up to him to prove he has what it takes.

3) Him and Rihanna — even if it’s JUST speculation… I dig. I dig it, big time. Why you may ask? Because clearly she won’t be with CB anytime soon but now that she has a new beau I can have Shia LaBeouf all to myself! No, but really, I think they are quite the power couple… and I like the intruige around whether or not they’re actually dating too. Maybe he will write love lyrics about her in his album? WHO KNOWS.

All I know is that regardless of what he wants to be called…. Jimmy? Drake? Aubrey? Rihanna’s boo? I most definitely think, “he’s the, he’s the best”. (Tacky, I know.)

Entourage Commentary: Week 3

I have a few comments…. and I have a few questions regarding last nights episode of Entourage.

Here are my comments:

1) Ashley and E- I don’t understand why he’s wasting a cup of French Roast Coffee over this little 12 year old. She looks as though she was just taken out of the Russian Ballet or smuggled into the US as an underage housewife.  In addition to the fact that I despise her, I want him with Sloane…. like, who doesn’t really? The whole E situation is making me very sad. Things better change soon- how many more coffee makers can one girl ruin per season before she’s given the boot? Come on now.

2) Turtle’s Big Moves- While I didn’t see this whole “back to school” concept formulating, I think it could be very interesting if all of a sudden he somehow comes up with an innovative business plan and hits it big. Then, Vince, whose used to all of the spotlight may be a bit intimidating/overwhelmed. Jamie Lynn I must add is a horrible actress on this show, I can’t figure out if this is part of her character or her…. just sucking.

3) Lloyd and Ari- I have faith that Lloyd will get the promotion he deserves. While some of the things Ari has been making him do are outlandish (i.e. call everyone including Turtle by their formal name and remember each and every line of new scripts) I think Ari’s making a point. One of the best lines of the episode was definitely when he told Turtle that it takes the drive and determination that someone like Lloyd has, to get ahead. It can’t be handed over to you when the stroke of a pen.

Trader Joe’s- Products I Can’t Stop Eating

I’ve always had an adoration for Trader Joe’s… when living in SF I would frequent the grocery store at least once or twice a week. Until I had a car here in Boston, I didn’t really have the energy to lug my lazy ass all the way to Coolidge Corner. That would entail public transportation and lugging of bags, no thank you. Since having my car, however, I’m back to my old ways. I can’t get enough.

While I love most of their products there are a few stand outs I thought I’d share with all of you:

1) Greek Honey Yogurt- So unfortunately dairy products and I don’t ever really see eye-to-eye, however, I’ve always been OK with Greek yogurt, for whatever the reason may be. LUCKY for me, because I am in love with all variations of this type of yogurt, specifically Honey. TJ does a great job with this product.

2) Salsa- all of sorts- I’m a sucker for Salsa, mainly because I incorporate it in part of my daily routine. I think that they offer the generic types such as Authentic Regular Salsa as well as Salsa Verde. But they also offer innovative, inexpensive new types such as the Corn & Chile Salsa which is delicious.

3) Uncured Turkey Bacon- Ok, so maybe I wish I could eat a BLT every now and again, but whatever I’m over it. I NEVER buy Turkey Bacon, primarily because I think of it as the Merit Roller as opposed to the Honor’s List of bacon’s. I think regular crispy bacon is incomparable. This type however blew me away, it takes two minutes to microwave and is surprisingly low in fat and high in flavor.

4) Frozen Vegetable Pizzas- I never succumb to buying Wolfgang’s Frozen Pizza’s no matter how good they look- I don’t know.. there’s something oddly unnatural about freezer pizzas in my book. Maybe it stems from my days as a child of popping Ellio’s in the oven for my mid-day snacks. Regardless, this pizza tastes like it came right out of the oven. I loved this pizza when I was in SF 3 years ago and still love it.

5) THE WINNER: Soy Creamy Vanilla Organic Ice Cream- Have I ever bought anything with soy and or organic on the label? Absolutely not. This was actually an accident I didn’t realize what I had picked up but let me tell you this much… I swear on my life this is THE best ice cream I’ve ever had. I can’t explain why…. it’s creamy, filling, and unbelievably rich. Inexpensive to boot. If you EVER make your way to Trader Joes, I beg of you to buy one carton, if you don’t like it… come after me with flamed torches.

My Pet Peeves

1) PANTY LINES-

I’m sorry I’m an asshole I know but please… I beg of you… when wearing leggings and or shorts, either don’t wear any undies or wear ones that aren’t visible. No one wants to see your granny panties. I can promise you this. Also, it seems to be that the people who are the most frequent victims of this panty disaster are people you REALLY don’t want to be seeing in tight clothing to begin with.

2) THE HOURS OF 4-6

Think about it. No one wants to STILL be at work at 4 through 6, no one is socially allowed to be getting drunk between those hours, and unless you’re in a retirement home.. you don’t eat dinner between those hours. Therefore, THEY SUCK.

3) TATTOOS WITH NO RELEVANCE- I’m from The Dirty Jersey so I can say with confidence I’ve seen my fair share of tattooes. I think if there’s some purpose for getting one i.e. your way of showing appreciation for your Veteran Grandfather, OK, I will take that. You writing your name in various languages on my behind? No. I’m not down. I think there’s a large array of tacky tatts that should be abolished all together. Here are a few of my faves:

- Chinese symbols for “strength” “power” “balance” –> you’re most likely not able to read Chinese other than when you Googled how to translate “power” into Chinese. AKA you’re not entitled to get these tattooes

- Your initials. No offense, but if you don’t know your own initials by 18 that’s a big big issue.

- BOYFRIEND/GIRLFRIEND names... need I say more? If you’re dumb enough to tattoo their name of your body permanently, stay faithful. That’s all I have to say about the matter

- Stupid ass butterflies — in reality, none of us can relate to butterflies because we don’t know what they’re thinking and no one is clearly related to these creatures so there’s no reason why it should stamped on your ass.

5) WHISPERING- I don’t like libraries, secrets, or dirty talk hence why I don’t like anything having to do with whispering. I think perhaps it’s because I’m a loud creature, or perhaps because I don’t like the actual sound of people whispering near me. Whenever I’m on a plane with my mom and she wants to be mindful of others, she’ll start whispering. I will then lash out on her and say in a high pitch tone, ‘LISTEN WE’RE PAYING TOO FOR THE FLIGHT SO SPEAK UP SISTER!’

Entourage- My Predictions for the Season

So, I have a sick obsession with Entourage. I can’t really relate to any of the characters, nor do I know anyone really who I can pin point acts like them either. But something around the show sucks me in every time. Do I wish at times it were longer than 27 minutes? Absolutely, but I do thing that it’s part of the appeal. If it were longer & perhaps more dragged out, people wouldn’t be as wildly anticipating the next episode to come.

I like what I’ve seen so far on the new season and with that in mind, I’ve come up with my few predictions for I expect to happen.

1) Ari & Mrs. Ari-  This is my concern — I really don’t think Mrs. Ari will stand for much more of Ari’s behavior. As humorous as their relationship is, I don’t think she enjoys being cast as second fiddle to him anymore. While she turned away from yet another career of her own, I just think there’s a large possibility something drastic will change in regards to the dymanic of their relationship this season.

2) Sloane and E- I can’t decide what I think will happen between these two. I WANT for them to get back together, but only when E realizes just how much of a catch she really is. He sucked as a boyfriend the 1st time around, but now that she sees her independence and “cool factor” I’m hoping he’ll do what it takes to get her back. Oh and end relationships with the little gold diggers.

3) Jamie Lynn and Turtle- L.O.V.E this relationship most. It may be the fact that the “literal/metaphorical turtle” is winning the race? Or maybe the AWESOMENESS that it is their actual off-screen relationship. While I don’t think JLS is the best actress, they are so adorable together and for once Turtle is stealing the spotlight and getting the attention he deserves.

4) Lloyd and Ari- He is at his wits end with Ari, and while he’s doing what it takes to get the big promotion of his dreams I think something is going to change with that situation as well. Perhaps, his rival firm is going to offer him more money per year or maybe he will marry a rich and wealthy man and won’t need to work? The possibilites of where this could go are endless– all I do know is that Lloyd won’t be putting up with this for much longer. If you haven’t seen his blog yet, I suggest you do so immediately. It’s hillarious: http://www.hbo.com/entourage/lloyd/

Here are a few smaller, less important things I see happening as well:

A) Vince won’t be settling down any time soon, nor will his real life acting abilities improve… but who really watches the show for him anyway?

B) Drama won’t be finding a steady job or romance in the near future. I think his ability to protect his little brother and bang random girls are his fortes. He should, however, ditch the muscle tees and pedophile mustache– they just aren’t doing it for me.

Power Bar- One Name, So Many Options

I usually despise the thought of missing a meal and grabbing a “bar on the go“, but sometimes, you just really don’t have the actual time in the day to sit your ass down! With that in mind, every so often I buy a power bar on my morning run to the convenience store. I grudgingly pick up the first one that sounds appealing– sometimes I’m oddly impressed, other times I want to feed it to my pugs. I’m here to help all of you decide which bar to grab while you’re in a hurry…

Power Bar- The original, the father of all “power bars”. I would say 90% of people I know despise this specific bar– they think it looks and tastes like mush. I don’t care for the consistency of the sticky gooey bar either, however, it’s low in fat and rather tasty (depending on the flavor you choose –> I suggest the Cookies n’ Cream, Vanilla Crisp, and Peanut Butter) B

Luna- See, I’m really not a fan of fruit flavored bars so most of the bars that Luna prides itself on i.e. Lemon Zest, I won’t even bother to try out. I don’t MIND the S’mores and Nuts Over Chocolate, but they really weren’t doing it for me. C+

Go Lean- Yeah, no. These bars taste like Gerbil food…. ew god. I had Peanut Butter and Chocolate yesterday and spit it out. Like… let’s be serious here for a minute. How can you mess up CHOCOLATE AND PEANUT BUTTER? Unless you try really really hard. I don’t suggest these bars. C-

Balance- Balance bars have been a staple of my diet for over 10 years now. Why you may ask? I ran and danced throughout my childhood/teenage years. AKA Balance bars were my carb loading bar of choice prior to a big race — or dance rehearsal. I think Carmel Nut Blast is one of my favorites. I don’t think they’re large enough but hey, if you’re not satisfied after one- have another! It’s a power bar — it’s “nutritious” right? B+

South Beach Diet- So I refused to eat any “diet” bars prior to SB Bars, and I’m telling you honestly? It’s my favorite power bar if you will, hands down. It’s a large bar, extremely satisfying, and full of flavor and texture. I was so surprised only because bars that are “weight watchers” i.e. Pria Bars for instance and VERY small and not flavorful. So it was a huge surprise that this bar was not only tasty but lower in fat and full of crunch! I suggest the Peanut Butter Chocolate bar. A

Odwalla- No no no no. I don’t like Odwalla to begin with. Ok, come after me with flamed torches I know but I just do not like their products. My mother was one of the founders of Naked Juice in LA back in the day so maybe I’m a bit bias but I just don’t like their products. I thought however I’d give their bars a shot– bad bad idea. I don’t like any of the flavors I’ve tried thus far. Maybe at some point I’ll change my mind, but at the moment I’m still on Team Naked Juice. C-

… The BEST Salad Recipe Ever

Closet Cooking Blog is my current bible. I love each and every dish he concocts– finally I told myself to try some of his dishes. I picked his Warm Mushroom and Teryaki Salad as an appetizer and then a Shrimp Feta Tomato Bake. I LOVED the salad and really disliked the Shrimp Bake– eh, you win some you lose some.

What You’ll Need:

- Salad mix (I suggest Spinach but Romaine and Mesculin work fine)

- 1 cucumber sliced

- 1 Roma tomato sliced

- 1 Tbl of butter/margarine

- Teryaki sauce (I suggest Soy Vay)

- 10-15 sliced mushrooms- i.e. Crimini, Shittake

- 3 tbl of crumbled fresh goat cheese

I first cut up some tomatoes, cucumbers, and tossed it together with spring mix salad in a large bowl. In a small frying pan I sauteed the mushrooms in a tablespoon of butter. I let the butter, salt, and pepper soak in and then added about half a cup of Soy Vay Teryaki sauce into the pan. I stirred it around occasionally and allowed the sauce to thicken.

Finally, after about 5 minutes, I topped the warm mushrooms with the Teryaki sauce over the salad and then garnished the salad with warm goat cheese. It’s a 5 minute recipe but literally one of the most amazing salads ever. Try it for yourself!