It’s our favorite time of year! The beginning of a season that gives us an excuse to show a little more love, give a little more thanks, and cuddle up a little closer to our beaus. Leaves turning crisp shades of yellow and orange, hot drink in hand, and cold fresh air on our faces. What better than snuggling up in this season’s most fashionable sweaters?

This season, body hugging sweaters can take a little break, it’s time for oversized to take center stage. However, keep proportions in mind, these chunky larger sweaters should be paired with slimmer more subdued pants and skirts otherwise it can easily swallow you whole. Here’s a look at our favorite sweater street styles for her and him and where to shop it!

The Ladies:

Photo: stylecaster-hardpin

Photo: Polienne1

Photo: Modern Legacy.Blogspot1.com

Photo: Bungalowclassic.tumblr.com

Photo: Harpers Bazaar

Photo: Feedly.com

Photo: Circolare.terra.com.br1

Photo: Lovely-Pepa.com

Photo: WhoWhatWear.com

Photo: Teenvogue.com

Get the look!

For the Gentlemen:

Photo: Bloglovin.com

Photo: Victoriarudenko.com

Photo: Shop.fizzm.com

Photo: Lookbook.nu.com

Photo:londoncollection via Pinterest user Kate33

Photo: Sevenpoints.com

Photo: Soletopiablog.com

Photo: Justify-sexy.tumblr.com

Get the look:

Image: Jørgen Schyberg. CC NC, ND 2.0. Accessed November 13, 2014.

As the holiday season approaches, so do thoughts of holiday food. While calorie-rich comfort dishes such as turkey stuffing, mac’n’cheese, truffle oil mashed potatoes and in my household, Ina Garten’s Beef Bourguignon have their place at the table, there is room for healthier sides, especially veggie sides that are easy to throw together for holiday gatherings.

Enter, the festive red cabbage, the second star in our Perricone Diet Series. As previously discussed, eating a wide variety of colorful foods is a central part of the Perricone Diet, which its creator, Dr. Perricone, claims can help fight the signs of aging and improve overall health. Red cabbage fits right into the colorful array of recommended foods.

A member of the cruciferous family of vegetables, red cabbage is a health aficionado’s dream: low in fat, high in protein and fiber. One cup of red cabbage contains 56 percent of the recommended daily intake of vitamin C and 32 percent of the recommended intake of vitamin A for adults. The benefits continue.

Flavonoids, which give red cabbage its distinctive dark color, also aid in protecting cells from free radical damage AKA aging. No wonder this amazing vegetable is a staple of the Perricone Diet. Studies have also shown that the consumption of red cabbage can prevent the growth of tumors of certain types of cancer, read more about that here.

Cabbage rolls aside, there are countless ways to prepare red cabbage. Read on for our holiday favorites!

Image: Kale Slaw, by Tracy Benjamin. CC NC, ND 2.0. Accessed November 13, 2014.

Braised Red Cabbage: slice into chunks and cook in your favorite fat of choice: butter, avocado oil, sunflower oil, bacon. Cook until shiny and then braise with your choice of liquid (apple cider, vinegar, chicken broth) until soft. If you prefer a fancier braise, check out Jaime Oliver’s recipe for red cabbage with apple, bacon and balsamic vinegar.

Red Cabbage Salad: red cabbage make an excellent companion to kale, apple, carrot and a host of other vegetables; it’s also a star on its own as well. Try this   red cabbage salad with blue cheese and maple-glazed walnuts or this festive red cabbage salad with apples and beets.

Our absolute favorite, it this recipe for mulled red cabbage with clementine. With only 15 mins of active prep time required, you will have lots of time left to stud a lemon slice with cloves for a hot toddy.

Still thinking of salmon? Read the first installment of the Perricone Diet Series here.

Whether you prefer to hover over a smart device or pour over flyers, the days leading up to #BlackFriday are all about recon and research.

Personally, I’m glad that e-tailers such as Amazon run Black Friday specials because I would rather shop from the comfort of my own home and avoid the hysterical crowds. In fact, my recon and research phase has already started and here are a few gems that I have uncovered from Amazon.com this year.

Disclaimer: this links are part of the Amazon Associates Program. If you plan to purchase an item, please support us by using the links below.

23% off!  Braun 3Series 380S-4 Wet and Dry Shaver – 69.99USD (94.49)

Efficient and affordable, the Braun 3Series 380S-4 is waterproof, durable and versatile. Watch a review here.

37% off! Oral-B Precision Black 7000 Rechargeable Electric Toothbrush 1 Count – 138.99 USD (219.00).

The head of the toothbrush moves in 3 different directions to clean more thoroughly than manual brushing. Can your $5 toothbrush from CVS do that?

57% off! SanDisk Extreme 64GB UHS-I/U3 Micro SDXC Memory Card  – 34.99USD (79.99)

Because we all need more memory cards to store photos.

40% off! Oakley A-Frame Snow Goggle, Matte Carbon Fiber with Dark Grey Lens – 59.76 USD (100.00)

A snow goggle that covers all bases: anti-fog lens and a moisture-wicking frame. Polarized, shatterproof lens as well. What more do you want?

Korres Travel Value Set – 12.95 USD

 While this item is not on sale, it’s great for short holiday trips. The set contains 40ML containers of shampoo, conditioner, body wash and lotion.

Are you planning to shop this Thanksgiving? Tell us what you have your sights set on in the comments!

-H.

With Thanksgiving dinner still sitting heartily in our bellies, half of the population is out shopping Cyber Monday deals and the other half is contemplating the biggest decision of the year…what to wear to all of those Christmas holiday parties? Sure, we can always pull out our little black cocktail dresses but when we want to spice up our busy holiday month, why not try something a little less predictable? Here are 5 looks to liven up any Christmas holiday event!

Look 1: Pink + Red = Totally holiday without looking like a Christmas tree!

Top: Dorthey Sleeveless zip

Skirt: Jill Sanders

Heels: Saint Laurent Classic Tribute

Earrings: MeDusa MeDusa

Look 2: Pull out the sequins this holiday season and pair with an unpredictable pink clutch!

Top: Uniqlo Sweater

Skirt: Gap Sequin Skirt

Clutch: Ted Baker

Watch: Citizen’s

Shoes: Nicholas Kirkwood

Look 3: Metallic full skirt with a black sweater to channel 1940’s class and sophistication!

Top: Moncler Belted Sweater

Skirt: Tibi Metallic skirt

Bag: Chanel

Gloves: Dents

Shoes: Paris ankle boots

Look 4: Teal sequins dress with a moto jacket for our inner bad ass!

Jacket: Kookai leather jacket

Dress: Needle and Thread

Necklace: Tilly’shttp://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing?id=123433718

Clutch: Loeffler Vintage

Shoes: Nicholas Kirkwood

Image: Neil Fowler. NC, ND 2.0. Accessed Dec 8, 2014.

We’ve received some feedback about an eye-opening article we recently shared on our Facebook page. The article, ‘Women are catching up to men in their drinking, and that’s bad’ shed light on some alarming findings. What’s good for the gander is not good for the goose: drinking a mere 2 1/2 glasses of wine a day, an amount at which most men may laugh at, will have serious health implications for a small-medium build woman in her 30s. These ‘hidden’ risks of drinking, which no longer only affect the middle-aged, are starting to plague women in their 20s and 30s, ranging from embarrassing and inconvenient to downright deadly:

• liver cirrhosis (failure) resulting in death;
• heart disease;
• increased rates of breast cancer;
• gastritis (stomach irritation: think chronic bloating, nausea, gas, burning and indigestion);
• pancreatitus (gastritis in the pancreas, except the pain and the runs are “not fixable” according to this doctor;
• depression;
• sleeping problems, and so on.

It’s not fair but it is what it is. The author of the article, Canadian newspaper columnist Leah McLaren, explains that the seemingly “sexist double standard” is just cruel reality. On average, women are generally smaller than men, yet carry more body fat and less fluid (cruel, cruel reality). As a result, alcohol travels through womens’ bodies in a more concentrated form, owing to the reduced amount of fluid. Muscle also has a higher fluid content than fat, so naturally fat absorbs more alcohol than muscle.

The end result? The same amount of alcohol will result in a higher blood alcohol concentration in a woman than a man. This last sobering fact is one to keep in mind, especially for designated drivers this holiday season.

Drinks are usually flowing around this time of year during the Christmas party season. Keeping track of the number of drinks consumed can be difficult between mingling and having your glass refilled by attentive hosts. Additionally, sometimes the non-alcoholic options, a bowl of mystery non-aocholic Christmas punch or a stack of soda cans at the kids’ table, are frankly not as appealing as a glass of wine or a mixed drink to hold and to sip.

‘Ingredients for mulled wine’, rpavich. CC 2.0. Accessed Dec 8, 2014.

So, I’ve put together a list of DIY nonalcoholic Christmas drinks that can be made in batches or in single servings. Sip on some of these in-between cocktails or wine to give your liver a breather. These fun recipes will have people asking you what you are drinking, as opposed to why you aren’t drinking!

1) Lemonade With Honey and Cinnamon. Bring 2 cups of water to boil; add 1/4 cup of coconut sugar and 4 cloves; let cool and add 1/4 cup of raw honey and 3/4 cup of fresh lemon juice and stir. Serve with cinnamon stick.  Original recipe from Country Living.

2) Winter Grapefruitade With Clemintine Cubes, by Micheline from the Miniature Moose. A really tasty way to get a dose of vitamin C.

3) Mulled Juices, by the Gourmet Mom. A nonalcoholic alternative to mulled wine.

4) Ginger Eggnog Fizz. Simply combine ginger ale or ginger beer with nonalcoholic eggnog. An indulgent interpretation of Christmas drinks with ginger ale.

5) Iced Chai Tea Latte, this recipe from Gimme Some Oven for chai tea concentrate keeps up to one week and can be diluted with water or milk.

-H.

It sounds cliche but Christmas is literally around the corner. In a little over 2 weeks, we need to see our loved ones unwrap our thoughtful gifts with wide-eyed orgasmic excitement. I’m writing this as I’m panicking over a Christmas list that’s about 80% unfinished and I’ll be darned if I’ll let myself resort to an Amex gift card like I’ve had to do in previous years. Personally, I’d rather spend the 2 weeks before Christmas watching reruns of Love Actually and White Christmas while sipping on a hot mug of eggnog instead of dashing from store to store and squeezing through crowds of equally mad shoppers. While I’m shopping, I’ve browsed through an entire internet worth of gift ideas so why not put that to good use and share our own NoFilter list with our dear readers.

Disclaimer: some of the links below contain affiliate links to Amazon.com via the Amazon Associates.

1. Yours, Mine, and Ours Decanter: Um yes, I don’t drink whiskey but this is so stylish I would even use it for mouth wash.

2. Wool Stones: Nope, not stones at all. These are pillows that look like stones, which ever genius came up with this deserves a giant hug.

3. Ipad brush: For the artist in your life, this brush controls each stroke and produces a real brush-like texture.

4. Tracking Tile: Ever forget your keys? Or your purse? Or your husband? These will help.

5. Phillips Wake-up light: Apparently the least annoying alarm clock that combines ambient lighting with birds chirping. It may be the closest thing to waking up in paradise.

6. Dubs: They’re chic flush cool hip ear plugs that filter out bad sounds and let in the good. And they look way cooler than those orange foam ear plugs.

7. Rocki: This little gadget streams music to practically any speaker you have in the house or car and its only 49$. Sweet.

8. Gramovox: Staying on the topic of speaker, throw back Thursdays has nothing on this throw back 1920’s looking gadget.

9. Birdie Yarn Bowl: Not that I knit but if I did or knew anyone who did, this would be the cutest gift.

10. Soda Stream: When water just isn’t exciting enough but you can’t spare anymore calories.

11. National Portrait Gallery Lomography Camera: In case your wondering, Lomography has nothing to do with Mamography. It’s just a super cool old fashion camera that takes Instagram-like old school photos and it looks gorgeous.

12. Macaroon Maker: Give this one to the baker in your life and offer your services as a taste tester.

13. Insta-Toilet Paper: Completely useless but hilarious gift for a friend or your next white elephant gift exchange.

14. Inking and Dreaming Duvet cover: Everyone needs a quirky duvet cover.

15. Jewelry box  in Oak: This is one thing that people don’t realize they need until they get one.

16. Steampunk Coffee Mill: To grind up coffee the old fashion way.

17. Yama Hunter Cold Brew Coffee Maker: Once you have a cold brew, you’re never going back. No really. Try it.

18. Golden Beats by Dr. Dre: One word. Sexy.

19. Fountain Aerating Wine Glass: Aerators can make a 10 dollar bottle of wine taste like a 20 dollar bottle, this built in aerator just made life that much easier.

Happy Shopping!

-TS

While most people know what LOL and OMG mean, what about HAND or MCM/WCW? Curious parents of teens may feel especially baffled when they catch glimpses of seemingly misspelled words and random capitalized letters.

So, for your amusement, we have put together a list of commonly used internet acronyms and text slang words. Our list doesn’t even begin to scratch the surface, new and obscure acronyms are invented every day. If you come across something that’s not on the list, consider asking. Your curiosity may be awkward at first but it will spark important conversation with your children about online behavior.

Use this guide to decode or communicate, the choice is yours!

• PIR- Parent In Room
• TDTM – Talk Dirty To Me
• 99 – Parent No Longer Watching
• KOTL – Kiss On The Lips
• CU46 – See You For Sex
• GNOC – Get Naked On Cam
• DOC – Drug Of Choice
• IWSN – I Want Sex Now
• CID – LSD or “Acid”
• 53X – Sex
• POS – Parent Over Shoulder
• HAND – Have A Nice Day
• FYEO – For Your Eyes Only
• HAK – Hugs And Kisses
• NSFL – Not Safe For Life. Walk away, just walk away.
• NSFW – Not Safe For Work. Refrain from opening any attachments labeled NSFW in the workplace
• QQ – crying
• SMH – Shaking My Head
• WTPA – Where’s The Party At?

NoFiltermag

Image: Matt Karp. Nc, ND 2.0. Accessed Jan 6, 2015.

Happy New Year!

The first month of the year is a great time to review our goals and set new ones for the months ahead, hence the tradition of New Year’s Resolutions. For some of us, New Year’s Resolutions usually bring on a sense of dread. Regardless of how lofty or realistic a goal is, envisioning the end result always seems much easier than planning the steps to get there. This year, we shared some of our  New Year’s Resolutions with each other and came up with a list of fitness & health hacks to help us stay on track for the year.

Thou Shall Eat Breakfast

Weekday mornings are chaos in our separate households and it’s easy to fall into a breakfast rut: eating the same thing over and over again or worse, skipping breakfast altogether. For kids and adults alike, breakfast is an opportunity to load up on nutrients that will power us through the day. According to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, skipping breakfast is directly tied to more volatile blood sugar levels. Spikes and dips in blood sugar (especially dramatic ones) affect everything from appetite to mood swings. Overloading on sugar with, say, donuts for breakfast, is also harmful. Large doses of sugar, particularly after several hours of not consuming any food, causes blood sugar levels to spike, and then drop, all the more drastically. Picture a roller coaster in your bloodstream.

So, keeping blood sugar levels balanced is key to starting the day off on the right foot. This is where a balanced breakfast comes in: eating within 2 hours of waking can help the body maintain balanced blood sugar levels, resulting in less mood swings and a reduced tendency to binge eat at lunch (for me, inhaling a bag of chips whilst waiting in line for my sandwich comes to mind.) Besides, aren’t we all less grumpy when we’ve been fed?

Image: nineminutes. NC, ND 2.0. Accessed Jan 7, 2015

Time-saving Breakfast Hack #1: Blend It

Smoothies are a great way to whip up breakfast in a jiffy. For the extra time-pressed, these wonderful concoctions can be enjoyed in a travel cup on-the-go. Smoothies can be made with as few as three ingredients. For some inspiration, check out this impressive list of three ingredient smoothies from BuzzFeed.

We shared our favorite smoothie recipe, the Green Giant Juice, a while back. Loaded with fruits and vegetables, the Green Giant Juice is great for detox or with other breakfast food. If a smoothie is all you have time for, a mixture of grains (for protein and fiber), almond milk, fruit and vegetables would be more filling.

Try these combinations on for size:

• 1/4 cup rolled oats, 1/2 cup almond milk, 1 banana, 1 stick celery, 1 one inch slice of ginger
• 5 tbsp chia seeds, 1 green apple, handful of spinach, handful of grapes, 1 one inch slice of ginger, water to blend
• 1 tbsp almond butter, 1/2 cup almond milk, 1/4 cup rolled oats, 1 tbsp flaxseeds, 2 bananas, 1 tsp of cocoa powder
• 6 frozen strawberries, 1 small orange, 1/4 cup rolled oats, 1 one inch slice of ginger, 4-5 baby carrots, water to blend

Image: Wendy Copley. CC by NC SA 2.0. Accessed Jan 8, 2015.

Time-saving Breakfast Hack #2: Toast It

For a sit down meal, toast makes a solid base for a sweet or savory breakfast. Out of a list of 21 energy-boosting toast recipes from BuzzFeed, these ones appealed to us most:

• chia seeds, banana and almond butter
• cream cheese, berries and basil
• refried beans, salsa, cilantro and a fried egg
• avocado, edamame, sprouts and lemon juice
• kimchi, hard-boiled egg and sesame seeds (umm YUM!!!)

Inspired? Go forth and spice up your breakfasts! Now that food is covered, we will move on to fitness resolutions next week, so stay tuned.

There’s a new pandemic going around and it’s called K-Drama Fever. Korean Soap Operas, if you will, filled with rich guy loves poor girl cliches that admittedly somehow never get old. Many victims have been reported to hole themselves up at home, risking dark eye bags the next day, just to stay up to watch the next episode of their favorite drama. Investigating into the nature of K-Drama fever, it seems that no nationality, no ethnicity, and no country is immune. There are forums and fans from all around the world, speaking all types of languages, and virtually every ethnicity and age you can think of.

As I immersed myself into this world, what struck me as most remarkable in these dramas, aside from somehow being  manipulated to cry and laugh at the same time, was their impeccable sense of men’s styling. It was unexpectedly fresh, transcended the boundaries of just suit and tie, and brought a sense of creativity traditionally only left for women’s fashion. In a fashion show’esque manner, the men parade around in their flawless complexions (thanks to men’s makeup) and constant changes of outfits, sometimes two or three times within the same scene. Think men’s fashion is boring? Think again. The Korean fashion scene may just well be the next frontier.