Along with the spring fashion trends, it’s (almost) time to break out the new shoe styles and this spring shoe styles are all about fun, fun, fun. Here’s what to be on the look out for… Read More »

It’s been a long, cold winter and not only have we been forced to bundle up, chances are we’ve all been sporting dark and drab wear, as is typical in the winter months. While we still have a few weeks left of cold before we can start rockin’ those cute spring clothes, we can start adding a little pazazz to our boring winter wardrobes with little pops of color.

As is always the case in the spring, brights will be back this season, and the most popular hues this spring are hot pink/fuschia, yellows & oranges, and bright blues. Here are some great (and affordable) options to brighten up any wardrobe. Read More »

Nothing says summer like sangria. Whether you’re planning in advance for Cinco de Mayo (beware of drunken frat boys in sombreros…) or feel like you should upgrade from Carlo Rossi’s gallon jugs, here’s a simple recipe anyone can follow, courtesy of DrinkoftheWeek.com

You’ll need:

* 2 bottles of red wine (750ml)

* 1/2 cup Triple Sec

* 1/4 cup tequila

* 1/4 cup sweet vermouth

* 1/4 cup fresh lime juice

* Lemons, limes and oranges (sliced)

* Sugar to taste

* 2 cups Sprite or 7up

*And a punch bowl or pitcher to mix them in

Mix your wine, Triple Sec, tequila, sweet vermouth, and lime juice in your container of choice. Add sliced fruit and refrigerate for a few hours, just so your alcohol picks up the fruit flavors and vice-versa.

You don’t want your sangria to be all fruit, but the more you add, the more flavor will be picked up. If you’re feeling creative, you can add slices of apple and grapes to the concoction as well.

After your mixture’s thoroughly chilled, add your Sprite/7up and sugar to taste. Serve over ice and you’re ready for one cool evening… or afternoon. It’s always five o’ clock somewhere, right?

If you want to make this part of a perfect theme party, make some guacamole and bust out the tortilla chips. Or even make it part of a dinner party and keep it light with taco salad.

My mom and I like to live vicariously through each other in terms of food by sending pictures and recipes back and forth. A couple of weeks ago, she sent me an e-mail using the most exclamation points I have ever seen within the space of a few paragraphs.

“This bread is SO GOOD!!!!!” she exclaimed. “If you make it, FREEZE half of it immediately for your own safety, otherwise you will eat the entire thing and become a balloon!!!!!!!!!!”

OK, Mom, I thought. No bread is that good. So I trekked to the grocery store to find some frozen cranberries (turns out that’s more difficult than you might think in the cranberry off-season, but they’re around in a few places) to make the bread.

I must have messed something up somehow, because my bread and muffins didn’t rise very well. Despite the fact that they ended up flat, they tasted GOOD. Mom wasn’t lying. Read More »

I love the Fall in Michigan.

I love the way the leaves go from boring green to bright and beautiful reds, oranges and yellows. I love it when I can start to see my breath outside and I have to wrap one of my grandma’s homemade scarves around my neck. And I am absolutely obsessed with apple cider and donuts at the Cider Mill.

But as I sit here at 5:00 PM on a Monday and look out on a street that is pitch black, cold and dreary, I can’t help but feel the pangs of seasonal depression start to sink in. I don’t want to leave my house. I don’t want to leave my bed. I just want to sit, eat and watch TV.

It’s awful. And it explains why I always gain five pounds every winter. It also explains why there is a large and permanent butt print in my couch cushion. And why the guys at the Thai delivery place up the street know my name already.

So, this year I am trying everything I can to avoid my winter blues. In my quest not to retire to the couch (with a giant bag of Dark M&Ms) this winter I have been doing some research and have found some surefire ways to stay happy this winter:

Bring on the Light: One reason people get a little down in the dumps in the winter is because there is less sunlight during the day. Doctors agree that the best way to lift your sagging spirits is to simply get some more light: open the curtains as soon as you wake up, go for a walk, etc. Even a short amount of natural light (even on a cloudy day!) will put some pep in your step naturally.

Hit the Gym: One of the hardest things for me to do in the winter is get to the gym. Why go out in the cold to work out when I can cover my fat with oversized sweaters and sweatpants? Well, it turns out that getting exercise is one of the best ways to feel better on a dreary winter day. Those endorphins will get your body pumping and feeling great for hours to come. Bonus: a good workout will also warm you up! Read More »