Holiday Honey

Nicole Richie and Harlow On Larry King

We caught a recap of Nicole Richie on Larry King with her dad, Lionel and daughter, Harlow. Did I mention that we're DIE-HARD Nicole Richie Fans? Nicole Richie, present day, is perfection. What better accessories then a rock star vegan boyfriend and a cherubic little girl could an impeccably dressed socialite ask for? Well, if there were better accessories, Nicole would have them. When Nicole had her first child, I was literally chomping at the bit to find out what she'd name her. Never one to disappoint, Nicole chose the name Harlow Winter Kate Madden. Unreal. Hands down, the coolest name ever. Holiday Honey absolutely cannot wait to hear the  name of Nicole's next baby! You can check out Nicole's interview here.

Fage Greek Yogurt

I don't normally eat yogurt. I think it's a waste of calories and sugar and a rather unfulfilling snack. I don't care for the flavored yogurts from Dannon or Yoplait at all. However I've been hearing more and more about Greek Yogurt as an alternative. According to Health Magazine, Greek Yogurt was named as one of the world's healthiest foods. My curiosity grew, as I continue to strive to eat a Meditteranean Style Diet. While I do try avoiding dairy for the most part, I do have some occassionally. I purchased the 2% fat Fage Greek yogurt in the Classic Flavor, which has only 6 grams of sugar. This yogurt is not like the consistency of what you're probably used to. It's super thick and creamy, and if held upside down, it wont fall out of the container. It stays put. This yogurt is made with cow's milk, so if you're lactose intolerant (as most of us are, at least a little bit!), you should avoid it. All in all, the Fage was really tasty, and if I was craving something super creamy, I might go for it. However, it probably wont ever convert me to a life long yogurt fan.

NBA Star: LeBron James

Are you a witness? Dumb question, we're all witnesses. Okay, okay, maybe we're biased. Holiday Honey is based in Cleveland, you know. But it is hard for anyone to deny the energy this man brings to the court.  If you watched Tuesday night's playoff game against The Orlando Magic, you know that LeBron can make things happen. (Maybe as a result of the yoga that he practices!) And let's not even get into his three-point buzzer shot that won the game on Friday night. The Cavaliers play tonight, and if they don't win, it's over for us for the season, and the Orlando Magic will advance to the NBA National Championships to play either the Los Angeles Lakers or the Denver Nuggets. I'd much rather see the Cavs kicking some butt in the Champs. Who are you rooting for?

Yoga: The Fountain Of Youth?

The yogis say that age should be determined not by your  number of years on the earth, but but the flexibility of your spine. Yoga almost inevitably increases spinal flexibility in the backs of practitioners, so therefore, the fountain of youth may be only a few OMs away! In addition, yoga may keep skin more youthful. You've all seen a stressed out person whose overworked, overwhelmed, or just overanxious.  Stress takes a major toll on skin, particularly on the forehead. Yoga eases your mind and therefore eases the largest organ of your body: the skin. This is done by reducing "oxidative stress," which is a major cause of aging and disease. Hop on your mat for a little sip of the fountain :)

Mastering Your Finances: Using Money Jars

I have a slight spending problem. I love shopping, going out for cocktails, fashion magazines, soy lattes, and tons of other luxuries that I probably shouldn't spend so freely on. So out of frustration of living paycheck to paycheck, I began listening to an audio tape called Secrets of the Millionaire Mind by T. Harv Eker. In this audio program, Harv makes many suggestions on how to get your finances in order, earn passive income, raise your net worth, and beyond. One tip he gave that I put into effect right away was to immediately divide your income upon receiving it, after taxes. He claims 50% of your income should go to necessities, 10% to a Long Term Savings Account, 10% to a Fun Account, 10% to a Give Account and, 10% to an Educational Account. Harv also says to create jars for your fun account and your long term account, to get into the habit of focusing on saving money each and every day. I personally love the idea of a play account. It takes the stress out of saving, as it must be spent in full EVERY month. You're supposed to blow this money in a way that makes you "feel rich." Harv claims, "the only way most of us will ever continue to follow our savings play is by offsetting it with a playing plan that will reward us for our efforts...It also makes managing money a heck of a lot more fun."

If you got it, flaunt it.

I just can't come across a jewelry box that keeps all of my decals organized, accessible, or takes up less than half of my dresser. So, fed up with detangling necklaces and forgetting I own that little bracelet, I found an alternative. Get a cork board (any size, depending on how much bling you have... super cheap at Wal Mart), and mount it to the wall near the place you primp. Buy some push pins that are cute or match your color scheme and put them all over the cork board. Then, hang your jewelry and viola! You can flaunt it. See what mine looks like below, and please, excuse the extensive collection of hoop-like earings.

 

Sign of the Times: Peace Signs Make A Comeback

Is the current peace sign trend a sign of the times? I believe that it most certainly is. In this post September 11th/crappy economic/war filled world, I think we're individually seeking a more peaceful way of life. And our desires and personal expressions often come out in the form of fashion. What a delightfully pure way to express one's self! The peace sign invokes an attitude of free love and equality for all, something that I think we all hope for deep down. Peace sign accessories (i.e. pashminas, earrings, and etc...) make for sweet presents for girlfriends, as they're not only stylish, but pretty groovy too. Free love for all. Peace out.

Fave Product: Burt's Bees Beeswax Lip Balm

Okay, you probably already know this lip balm rocks, but I just had to post about my obsession. I'm quite the balm connoisseur as a result of my quest for perpetually soft lips. If you're a sufferer of chapped lips (or not) and have not tried this, I strongly suggest you head to a drug store and pick up a tube. It truly heals dry or chapped lips and lasts longer than any other similar products. In addition, it's cooling and gives a slight shine on your lips. Pucker up. Hey, a girls gotta look her best!

Going Green On The Inside: Wheatgrass Benefits

You know how we love all things green . That being said, the benefits of wheatgrass are endless, when it is freshly juiced and consumed within in an hour of juicing. Wheatgrass is a truly medicinal food that can be considered somewhat of a cure-all. One ounce of wheatgrass contains as many nutrients and vitamins as 3 pounds of vegetables.

Wheatgrass has been known to purify the body, reduce toxins, cleanse the liver, aid in constipation,
cure acne & halitosis (bad breath), alkalize the body, provide instant and enduring energy, keep hair pigment from graying if consumed very regularly, aid digestion, improve memory, give luster to hair and nails, and aid weight loss. Getting used to the taste may take time, but when done as a shot, it's really quite tolerable, and completely benefical. Bottoms up!

Have Your Cake & Eat it Too: Vegan Chocolate Cake

Oh how we adore pure and natural chocolate . And, speaking of which, this delicious little recipe was introduced to me by my mother, who took it upon her self to support my attempt at limiting dairy and eggs. I made it again over Memorial Day Weekend, and it was met with rave reviews by my family (including my meat & potatoes brother). This is a Vegan Chocolate Cake (show with dairy free "Good Karma Vanilla Rice Cream") with a bit of peppermint flavor, the perfect blend of sweet and palate cleansing for an after dinner treat. All ingredients can be found at your local health food store.Mangia!

Ingredients:

Cake-
2 and 1/4 cups Whole Wheat Flour
4 and 1/5 teas. Carob Powder (a good substitute for cocoa powder)
1 and 1/2 cups Raw Turbinado Sugar
1/2 cups vegetable oil
1 and 1/2 teas. baking soda
1 and 1/2 teas. white vinegar
1 and 1/2 teas. vanilla extract
1 and 1/2 cups cold water
Frosting-
1 12 oz. bag of Vegan Chocolate Chips
1/4 cups almond or rice milk
1 tablespoon peppermint extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 X 13 non stick pan or glass baking dish. Combine and mix dry ingredients until well blended. Add wet ingredients and stir quickly. Once smooth, pour batter into pan and bake for 25-30 minutes. While cake cools (approx. 20 minutes), combine vegan chips, almond milk, and peppermint extract into a pan and heat until a smooth icing-like consistency forms. Pour on the cake and allow several hours to harden before eating.