Saturday, January 16, 2010

Lemon Zest Chicken Breasts



4 tsp olive oil
2 large chicken breasts
juice and zest of 1 lemon
1/3 C fresh parsley
1/3 C fresh mint
1/3 C fresh basil
Salt and pepper
1/3 C white wine

Directions
1. Heat 2 Tbsp olive oil in an oven-proof skillet on high heat. Place the chicken in the skillet and sear for 2 minutes per side. While the chicken cooks, put the remaining 4 tsp oil, along with the lemon juice, zest, and herbs, into a blender or food processor and pulse until well mixed. Place the skillet with the chicken in a 400°F oven to roast for 8 minutes. Remove the skillet from the oven and place the chicken on a plate. Season with salt and pepper, then pour the wine into the skillet, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the herb sauce to the skillet and cook on the stove top for 1 minute, stirring frequently. Pour the sauce over the chicken.

Breakfast Casserole


Ingredients
6-10 eggs
2-3 cups grated cheddar cheese
6 slices bread, cut into cubes
2 cups milk
Salt
Pepper

Additions
1 cup corn (cooked or frozen)
1/2 cup chopped broccoli
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
1/4 cup sliced green onions
1 cup cubed ham and/or cooked Italian sausage
A few slices cooked bacon, chopped
1 teaspoon herbes de provence, or other dried herbs, or a Tbsp of fresh chopped herbs such as basil, rosemary, or thyme
13 x 9 inch casserole dish

1 Preheat oven to 350°F. Beat the eggs in a large bowl. Mix in the milk and cheese. Add the bread and carefully stir until all pieces of bread are moistened (don't over mix or the bread may disintegrate). Add additions. Add salt and pepper to taste (if using Italian sausage, you won't need either.) Butter a 13 x 9 inch casserole dish. Pour mix into casserole dish.

2 Bake in oven for 50 minutes to an hour, until the top is browned and the center springs back when touched. Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Armani's Latest Underwear

Armani Underwear's latest ad campaign featuring Megan Fox.Watch out for them at the store near you.




Monday, January 11, 2010

How To Spot A Fake Scent


TAKE A CLOSER LOOK. If the liquid looks too pale, it could be an alcohol-heavy phony. If it's too dark, it could consist of impure or faux ingredients.

BE A LABEL CONNOISSEUR. If the label is off-kilter, smudged, poorly printed, or misspelled, it's not legit. If the bar code or an identifying mark looks sketchy, it could be a phony.

BUY RIGHT. Top-quality perfumes are sold at department stores, beauty specialty stores such as Sephora, and sometimes high-end boutique pharmacies and apothecaries.

DON'T BE FOOLED. Real fragrances are not sold on tables in tourist hot spots or at flea markets, supermarkets, discount stores, or out of the back of a truck.

BEWARE THE BAIT AND SWITCH. Some unsavory vendors will display the genuine fragrance up front when you're shopping but substitute a fake when handing over your purchase.

Fashion Must-Haves

Build your wardrobe around these striped, polka-dot, and solid black and white basics and accessories — and remember to throw in a dash of color here and there to keep it lively.
Elizabeth and James Blazer

Chanel Sunglasses

Be & D Clutch

Michael Kors Sandal

Alexis Bittar Earrings

iPod Nano

Shipley Halmos Shirt

Chanel Earrings

Ippolita Rings

Tory Burch Sandal

Tom Binns Necklace

Ralph Lauren Blue Label Shirt

Coach Bag

Mizrahi Cuffs

Missoni Sunglasses

Marc by Marc Jacobs Bag

Love Moschino Bag

Kate Spade New York Necklace

Kate Spade New York Flat

Bensoni Skirt

Ben-Amun by Isaac Manevitz Bangle

R. J. Graziano Necklace

Sunday, January 10, 2010

$106,794 For a Cupcake?


In honor of Since1910.com’s 100 year anniversary, Since1910 is offering a $106,794 cupcake.

The diamond cupcake is available in vanilla or chocolate and features a 5.48 ct Round Diamond on top of the cupcake. The diamond advertised is a GIA certified 5.48 ct round diamond – F color – Si2 clarity – Good Cut. There are many diamond options for the cupcake, which will affect the total price of the cupcake.

“We are thrilled to offer this amazing proposal dessert for those discerning patrons who want to create a once in a lifetime memory.” – says Eric Peerless, Vice President of Since1910.com

Peerless states that they will ship the cupcake and diamond via Free Fedex overnight anywhere in the world.

After hearing a surprising amount of engagement stories from men who proposed using dessert as the proposal vehicle, Peerless decided to offer this incredible dessert via their website.

For more information contact http://www.since1910.com at customerservice@since1910.com or 1-800-979-1910

Latest Craze in Singapore

Dermatologists have told us that some beauty drinks on the market, like Glowelle (with antioxidants, green tea extract, and beta carotene), will indeed help give you healthier, younger-looking skin. But we were curious to know how the docs would react to a more extreme version of this trend that's happening in Singapore: a coffee by Nescafe that's spiked with a shot of collagen to perk you up in the morning. Dermatologist Jeannette Graf doesn't believe the drink could be harmful, but explains, "It hasn't been proven and has not been studied, so there is no evidence yet. Still, I wouldn't dismiss it." Graf recommends taking omega-3, omega-6, and vitamin D supplements and eating antioxidant-rich foods like berries to really treat your body—and skin—right.

Outdated Trend


Neon Nails
Fluorescent lights don't flatter our complexion—and neon shades on our nails don't help, either. For 2010, it's a softer, gentler nail color we crave. The spring colors from Yves Saint Laurent, Maybelline New York, and Essie (to name a few) include gorgeous pastel pink, blue, and lilac polishes. But beware: Matching pastel shades on hands and feet can be "a little nauseating," says Ji Baek, owner of the Rescue Beauty Lounge nail salons in New York City. The experts recommend keeping nails short, and wearing a light shade on the hands and a richer version on toes. Until the new spring colors hit shelves in February, try the periwinkle Revlon Nail Enamel in Not So Blue-Berry, the pale purple OPI Nail Lacquer in Do You Lilac It?, and the aptly named Rescue Beauty Lounge polish in Pepto Pink.

Winged-Out Liquid Liner
Leave the long, black wings to the birds this season. While a tiny uptick of liner at the eyes' outer corners is flattering (it makes eyes look lifted), extreme elongation (à la Amy Winehouse) looks dated. What feels right now: a thin, wing-free strip of black cream liner paired with bright shadow colors. At the spring Carolina Herrera show, makeup artist Diane Kendal drew the black cream just along the upper lashes, dusting sparkly gold shadow over the lids. At Michael Kors, makeup artist Dick Page chose amethyst shadow, and applied black liner along the inner rims of the eyes and the lash lines.

Overdone '80s Makeup
Major color on the eyes and lips is over, but focusing all the brightness just on the lips looks fresher than ever. So, that's big color, lips only. Need proof? Check out the brilliant orangey-red kissers at Prada and Giambattista Valli. Apply vivid lipstick shades to just the center of the mouth, then spread the color around with your finger so the edges don?t look severe.When your lips are this bold, you don't need much more than mascara and a bit of soft blush.

Matte Nail Polish
As quickly as this trend appeared , it's now on the way out. And good riddance, because matte manicures aren't nearly as flattering as shiny ones. Instead, we're celebrating shine in 2010—particularly in the form of a glossy shade of taupe. Brownish grays reigned at the spring shows this season, appearing at Marc Jacobs, Proenza Schouler, Hervé Léger, and Chanel.

Black Lipstick
It started on our nails, then our lips—but it's time to deep-six the goth-chick look for good. This season, it's all about pretty, glittery gloss. "Coral is gorgeous with olive skin," says makeup artist Chrisanne Davis.Baby pink glosses are pretty on pale skin , while rosy pinks look great on medium to darker complexions.

Intensely Dark Brows
It's time to lighten up and embrace natural-looking brows. If you're a blonde or a redhead, use a powder one shade darker than your brows. If you're brunette, go a shade lighter. Makeup artist Diane Kendal likes to apply the powder with an angled eyebrow brush, starting at the inner corners and feathering it out in short strokes. Set the color with clear brow gel or clear mascara.

Brown-Based Blush
Get ready for something more flushed this spring.Loves the bold pinks and oranges (check out Louis Vuitton's spring show for an extreme version of this look). To keep strong colors from looking fake, the pros suggest topping them with highlighter (we recommend Benefit High Beam Luminescent Complexion Enhancer), then blending like crazy. "You should see no distinct edges," says makeup artist Dick Page. "I cringe when I see these colors turn into racing stripes." Bluish pink is amazing on fair complexions, while intense red blush looks robust on medium skin. Peaches are prettiest on olive coloring,and deep, rosy pinks flatter darker tones.

Renounce Your Skin Sins

Skipping Broad-Spectrum Sunscreen
The best way to keep your skin from getting wrinkled, saggy, and speckled is sunscreen, SPF 30 at the minimum. Broad-spectrum formulas (meaning they shield against both UVA and UVB rays) with Mexoryl or Helioplex offer the longest-lasting protection.Apply a whole tablespoon to your face, and the equivalent of a shot glass on your body. For workdays, reapply before your commute home if the sun is still out—even if you'll be in a car. And for days when you'll be outside for an extended period of time, reapply every two hours.



Smoking
Like you need another reason to quit? Seriously—it's time. Because if you keep smoking, you'll not only damage your health, but you'll develop more and more deep wrinkles and blotchier skin tone. In fact, every decade of smoking results in a perceived extra 2.5 years of age, according to research published in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.




Drinking Too Much
Now, we're not taking away all your fun—you can still have a glass of something. But drink more than one cocktail a day, and your skin suffers. Alcohol increases the level inflammatory agents in the bloodstream—"which can hasten skin sagging over time," says Fredric Brandt, a dermatologist in New York City and Coral Gables, Florida.

Picking the Wrong Products
Using stuff that's wrong for your skin type is a hugely common mistake.Here's what you should know:

OILY SKIN: Choose a cleanser with salicylic acid. Fight shine with an oil-free lotion,followed by a mattifying serum that contains aluminum silica. Rub on a chemical exfoliant such as glycolic acid once a week.

SENSITIVE SKIN: Wash with a milky cleanser .Use a fragrance-free, nonirritating sunscreen . Look for anti-aging creams with added hydrators such as hyaluronic acid and shea butter.

COMBINATION SKIN: Choose a foaming cleanser for oily skin. Use a lightweight moisturizer but dab a thicker one on dry spots.

DRY SKIN: Nonsoap creamy cleansers, don't strip away protective oils. A moisturizer with trehalose, will prevent tightness. Apply an anti-aging treatment with retinol every other day (daily use could aggravate dryness). Or switch to a cream with kinetin or the Matrixyl—they're less drying than retinoids.

Ignoring Your Neck and Chest
Skin care doesn't stop at your jawline.These areas are almost always exposed, and yet they rarely receive same level of hydration and sun protection as the face. But the skin there is more delicate and just as vulnerable to photoaging. The fix is simple: The next time you apply serum, face cream, or sunscreen or give yourself an exfoliating treatment, extend everything down to your décolletage.

Overlooking Moles
A study conducted by the National Cancer Institute showed that fifty percent more melanoma cases occurred in women ages 15 to 39 in 2004 than in 1980. The lesson here? Everyone needs to get a mole screening with a dermatologist once a year—and you should also check yourself every month, remembering to examine less-obvious places such as your scalp, the soles of your feet, and under your nails. Look at the American Academy of Dermatology's guidelines here. Even if your moles pass the test, don't underestimate the power of gut instinct: "If you look at something twice," says Philadelphia dermatologist Eric Bernstein, "show it to a dermatologist."

Using Dirty Makeup Brushes
Skip washing your brushes and you could wind up with muddied colors, clogged pores, and bacterial infections. Once every three weeks, lather brushes with a gentle shampoo such as Neutrogena Anti-Residue Shampoo, rinse well, and let them dry overnight or use wipes. Another option: Clinique Antibacterial Brush collection—they're treated with a microbial solution that destroys germs. (You still have to wash them, but only about once a month.)

Constant Phone Chatter
Resting your chin or cheek against a phone—cell or old-school—can lead to breakouts, whether or not the phone is clean and bacteria-free.Just leaning your face against it can cause friction, occlusion, and heat, all of which can make you break out. If your chatting habit is too ingrained to shake, consider a headset.

Overexfoliating
Squeaky clean pores may harsh cleansing or too much exfoliating can actually exacerbate oil production and worsen breakouts by spreading bacteria. A gentle alternative: Use a glycolic peel three times a week.


Staying Up Late
Sleep deprivation causes stress, which can aggravate all skin conditions, including acne, eczema, and psoriasis.Sleep is also the time when your body repairs the damage from the day, and interrupting that process will slow down cell turnover. In the short term, this can mess with the way blood flows to the skin, which can make your complexion sallow.

Not Washing Your Face at Night
Letting skin marinate in makeup—not to mention a day's worth of oil buildup—can lead to clogged pores and zits, especially if you're prone to acne.Your body temperature increases slightly when you sleep, which can enhance absorption of whatever's on the surface.So you really want only beneficial ingredients on your face when you sleep.

Eating Junk Food
Conventional wisdom used to be that diet didn't affect your complexion. But sorry—no more. A study in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology found that people who replaced processed carbs with high-protein foods and whole grains broke out less. The reason? "High-glycemic foods cause your blood sugar to rise, triggering a surge of insulin. The insulin stimulates oil-producing hormones called androgens, leaving you with pimples," says Baumann. Cut the junk, and you could see an improvement in acne in about six weeks. Instead, reach for snacks like peanut butter, nuts, and avocado—these healthy fats provide nutrients for the hair, skin, nails, and basic metabolism.

Neglecting Your Eyes
Not only is the skin around your eyes thinner than practically anywhere else on the body, it's also the victim of a lot of abuse. First, resolve to stop rubbing.Every time you do, you risk breaking delicate blood vessels, which leads to darkening, dulling, and thickening of the surrounding skin. Then make sure you always apply an anti-aging eye cream. If retinol is too strong, consider peptides or the current favorite ingredient for the eye area, zinc It's been shown to increase elastin production, which can reduce crepiness.

Popping Zits
It's tempting. But the reality is that squeezing a pimple just pushes bacteria deeper into the pores, causing inflammation, infection, and scarring—and almost doubling the zit's life span (from about one week to two). Napalming it with the harshest chemicals in the bathroom won't help, either.Treating any breakout with too much benzoyl peroxide damages the skin around the spot and can cause more irritation. Here's what you should do: Use a spot treatment with no more than 2.5 percent benzoyl peroxide at night, and reapply it to major zits in the morning. For persistent acne, a prescription retinoid, such as Retin-A, helps prevent blocked pores—but doctors warn it can exacerbate the redness of existing pimples, so avoid slathering it over full-blown ones.

Skipping the Gym
Along with lifting your mood, exercise increases blood flow to the skin, causing a healthy-looking flush. Both immediately and over time, it has been shown to decrease tension, which can result in better skin.When you're stressed, cortisol levels rise, and that leads to acne and other skin aggravations.Lessen your cortisol spikes, and your skin will become smoother and clearer.

Tanning
Bronzer? Fine. Self-tanner? Fine. The real thing? So not fine.In trying to protect itself from continued exposure to the sun, skin thickens and produces melanin, the pigment that darkens cells.Any pigment change from UVA or UVB light can cause premature aging and increase the likelihood of skin cancer. And tanning beds can be even worse, since they emit concentrated UVA light, which penetrates deeper than the combination of UVA and UVB rays found in sunlight.Be sure to protect yourself by applying a broad-spectrum sunscreen with a minimum of SPF 30 every day, and if you're in the sun, reslather it every two hours. And never, ever use a tanning bed. Instead, try a self-tanner.

Overloading on Products
"I ask patients to walk me through their routine, and they bring in shopping bags full of products," says New York City dermatologist Patricia Wexler. "They add things without checking to see whether they're duplicating ingredients or realizing that some aren't compatible." Sometimes, active ingredients cancel one another out—Other times, they double up and cause irritation or skin damage. "Negative interactions are most likely to happen if someone is treating different problems at the same time, such as sun-damaged skin and adult acne, and the ingredients are either too harsh together or incompatible," says Baumann. The biggest culprits: retinol, glycolic acid (aka AHA's), vitamin C, and benzoyl peroxide—avoid layering them, or at least try to use them at different times of day.

Remedies for Stretch Marks

While stretch marks don’t vanish, they do fade with time. The use of over the counter creams and ointments helps the scars fade. One such effective ointment is cocoa butter cream. It is widely available and will help moisturize skin and is effective in smoothing out scars. In extreme cases patients seek laser therapy and surgery to correct the scars left on the body. These are painful and invasive treatments that serves no great cause. So instead of taking such a drastic step, it would be better to opt for simple and effective home remedies for stretch marks. Though the marks won’t vanish over night, they will fade away with proper treatment and dieting. Try some the following home remedies and observe the progress:



• Lavender Oil – Lavender oil is a highly recommended home remedy for stretch marks. Rubbing a few drops of lavender oil on the affected area twice a day ensures the scars fade quickly. Applying olive oil is also very effective.



• Sandalwood – A great preventive measure for stretch marks is applying sandalwood on the skin daily. It keeps the skin moisturized and prevents it from stretching.

Flatter Belly

You've probably heard that you need about eight glasses of water a day for adequate hydration. Drinking water and even eating "watery" foods like melon, greens, and other fruits and vegetables has enormous health benefits, including warding off fatigue. But perhaps the most important belly benefit of proper hydration is how it helps maintain your body's proper fluid balance and guard against water retention. It also helps prevent constipation, which can cause bloating.

The Water Recipe


2 liters water (about 8 ½ cups)
1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
1 medium cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced
1 medium lemon, thinly sliced
12 small spearmint leaves.



Combine all ingredients in a large pitcher and let flavors blend overnight.



Drink the entire pitcher by the end of each day.

Lipostabil

Known by different names such as Lipostabil, Lipolysis, Lipotherapy, Flab Jab and even ThinJection.The major elements present in the fat dissolving medical injection administered into the fat cell comprise Phosphatidylcholine (PPC) and L-Carnitine. PPC present in Lipostabil is a soy lecithin substance that is said to be effective in reducing the fatty pads in the treated areas. It appears that PPC is able to enhance cholesterol solubility, change the arrangement of fat deposits, and slow down plaque accumulation in the body. It is believed that the fat injections infiltrate the fat cells, acting as a softening agent making the stored lipids water soluble and disposal through excrement.

Benefits

The results of the Lipo dissolve procedure also vary depending on the dimension of the area being treated. In most cases, people taking the fat dissolving injections experience fat loss of at least 1-5 cm per treatment. Normally, the utmost fat loss owing to the fat injections takes place in the waist or belly region, while the smallest amount of fat loss is noticed in the legs. These weight loss injections are administered over one to three healing sessions each of which are spread over four to six weeks. The results of using the fat dissolving injections are gradually noticeable taking one to three weeks to experience the benefits.

In addition, the L-Carnitine contained in Lipostabil is made in the body from the amino acids lysine and methionine. It enhances the use of fat as an energy source by transporting fatty acids into the mitochondria, where they are ‘burned’ to release energy for body functions. L-Carnitine, a major element in the fat dissolving injections, has also been found to avert ischemia-induced heart malfunctioning and delays the progression of Alzheimer’s disease owing to its capability to enhance metabolism. According to the findings of some recent studies, phosphatidylcholine, present in Lipostabil may be used to treat AIDS cases, particularly in the reduction of lipodystrophy – buffalo hump – without the need for surgery.

Side Effects

The Lipo dissolve treatment is accompanied by some rare risks and potential complications such as headaches, nausea, diarrhea as well as blisters, necrosis and scarring at the injection site. The other aftereffects of using the fat dissolving injections include redness, bruising, moderate to severe edema, localized heat, slight to moderate itching. The side effects of using Lipostabil usually occur two to five after administering the fat injections and gradually disappear after three to seven. Edema or swellings caused by taking the fat injections can be reduced by compression of treated area by modeling belt or compressive clothing.

Lipo dissolve treatment may cost anything between $1,000 and $1,500 per treatment with three to six treatments required.

L-carnitine

L-carnitine is an amino acid synthesized from essential amino acids, tysine and methionline in the kidneys and livers.It’s main function is to transport ‘long chain fatty acids’ such as glucose, fats, carbohydrates and proteins, especially from the inter membrane space of the carbohydrates and fats storage areas essentially accumulated from the food we eat and converts it into energy.

In the mitochondria is where fats and carbohydrates is being converted into energy via a process called ‘beta oxidation’ with the help of L-Carnitine which is also responsible for improving oxygen utilization and energy production by the heart muscle.


Thus, L-Carnitine the transporter of fat is needed as well for the removal of products waste or toxins produced from the mitochondria during energy production, enables them to be eliminated from the body
INDICATIONS

1.Weight and Fat Control
L-Carnitine increases our body metabolic rate and is able to convert fats and carbohydrates from our body into energy, a form of protein cocarboxylase and if unused will be exereted via the urine.

For atheletes and sportman, the protein will help to convert fats into muscles mass during activities, therefore L-Carnitine is an essential amino acid for the bodybuilders who wish to have a well built physique naturally.


2.Anti Aging Properties
L-Carnitine have also shown to have anti-aging properties and regular supplement increases the body immune systems by eliminating toxins from the body, for the production of Phophyrin which is needed to produce red blood cells.

In breaking down fats for the production of energy which is also required for the building, repairing and renewal of cell membrane and cellular structures for efficient function of major organs such as heart, lungs, muscles, kidney and liver.

3.Lipids and CHDs (Congestive Heart Diseases)

L-Carnitine helps to maintain normal level of lipids such as cholesterol and especially triglyserides, dissolves fatty acids accumulated in the coronary arteries therefore reducing risks of Congestive Heart Diseases.

Side effects are generally mild. High doses (5 or more grams per day) may cause diarrhea. Other rare side effects include increased appetite, body odor, and rash.

People with the following conditions should talk to their doctor before taking carnitine:

Peripheral vascular disease
Hypertension (high blood pressure)
Alcohol-induced liver disease (cirrhosis)
Diabetes
Kidney disease

Simple Food for Slimming


Pumpkin Pudding: This creamy pudding is less than 150 calories--and it helps you lose weight! Just combine a 6-ounce container of nonfat vanilla yogurt with ½ cup canned 100% pure pumpkin puree and a dash of cinnamon. The pumpkin bulks up the yogurt--already a protein-rich, nutrient-packed food--and adds a hefty dose of fiber. This winning combo of protein and fiber expands in your stomach, keeping you full long after you finish.

Vegetable Soup: Studies have shown that just by starting a meal with a fiber-rich bowl of broth-based veggie soup, you can reduce your total calorie intake by 20 percent. That's because this "veggie first course" helps to fill you up, so you wind up eating less at the main meal.

Cucumber Tomato Salad: Thanks to their high percentage of water (95%!), cucumbers are low-calorie, high volume, and top-notch for weight loss! Slice up one whole cucumber plus a medium tomato, then toss with light vinaigrette or unlimited vinegar (balsamic or red wine is delish) plus 1 teaspoon olive oil. The entire salad has only 125 calories!

Ginger Green Tea: Nursing a warm mug of tea is a calorie-free way to de-stress after a long day without falling prey to emotional eating. As an added bonus, research suggests that regularly drinking green tea may give you a slight calorie-burning advantage. Steep your tea with a thin slice of ginger root for an extra punch of flavor.

Fiery Chicken Salad: Adding a few dashes of fiery hot sauce to your food slows down your eating big time so you're less likely to eat past the point of fullness. For a simple lunch, whip up a chicken salad with diced chicken breast, 1 tablespoon reduced-fat mayo, hot sauce to taste, and any diced veggies on hand. Serve over a bed of lettuce (and have a glass of water handy!).

Shrimp Cocktail: At around 8 calories a piece, shrimp are a fabulous source of lean protein, which helps rev your metabolism and keeps you feeling full for hours. Next time you dine out, start your meal with a shrimp cocktail appetizer. When you're eating at home, dunk your shrimp in this could-not-be-easier cocktail sauce recipe: simply combine 1 tablespoon ketchup with 1 teaspoon bottled horseradish.
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