Award season has officially begun and last night I watched the Golden Globes! While I was excited to see who would win, of course, I was more excited about the red carpet. I was kind of playing fashion police! Anyway, here are my faves of the night…

I have to start with the stunning Sofia Vergara. She showed off her fabulous and famous curves with a beautiful midnight blue (my favorite color, by the way!) mermaid style dress from Vera Wang.

Credit: Getty

The Young Adult, Charlize Theron always seems to get it right, I love, love the headband! Very 1920s. Elegant yet sexy. A++

Credit: Getty Images/Celebbuzz

Named best actress for the TV drama Homeland, Claire Danes rocked the red carpet with this black and white chic and retro dress. A design that in her own words “was all about the back.”

Credit: Getty

Angelina Jolie wore a draped ivory Atelier Versace gown (one-shoulder, natch!) with contrasting bloodred accents, including a Christian Louboutin clutch. She looked AMAZING!  It’s edgy, but classic.

Credit: Frazer Harrison/Getty

Here are some more of the Best Dressed ladies… Enjoy!

Rooney Mara. Credit: Jeff Vespa/WireImage

Reese Witherspoon. Credit: Frazer Harrison/Getty

Kate Beckinsale. Credit: Getty Images/Celebuzz

Overall, the trend as far as color was this dark blue or as my Pantone color says Sodalite Blue (also called midnight blue) and the very chic and feminine Blush. Who was your favorite? Share in the comments!

For over 50 years, I have struggled with weight loss. I honestly think I tried every diet out there and bought almost every cream, pill and devise for the hope of getting rid of any of my excess pounds! I had plenty of excuses, too. I was going through menopause, my thyroid was probably slow and the camera always adds tons of weight, so I am really not that heavy. My clothes were limited since I refused to wear a size 14, but the stretchy size 12 worked for me! Struggling with weight loss became a frustrated hobby. It didn’t seem fair that there were people around me, eating lots of food and looking great while I was constantly dieting. I would exercise each day, eat lots of salads, skip dessert as much as possible, and still I hit 180 lbs on the scale! I had no idea what I looked like in photographs and I would just avoid looking in the mirror. THIS STORY HAS A HAPPY ENDING! At the age of 50, I did lose 45lbs in less than seven months. I actually didn’t even feel like I was dieting, but the scale and my clothes confirmed that I was on my way to a thinner me! I believe I stumbled upon a miracle diet!! Dr. Steven Rosenberg experimented with me using a device called a calorimeter. This is a scientific method of determining the best burn within a body. The results confirmed that if you want to lose weight, you need to limit your fats to no more than 15 grams per day, and your carbohydrates to no more than 150 grams per day (That’s more than toast with your omelet, a turkey sandwich for lunch, wine with dinner and ice cream for dessert!) That’s it! No counting calories, eating packaged foods or going to meetings. Just this little knowledge. It’s really easy once you understand how to read labels. But there are other benefits to this diet that is great for anyone! It is an antiinflammatory diet and has anti-free radical effects on the body. What does this mean for you besides losing weight? Goodbye bloating and a younger you in the mirror! If you don’t need to lose weight but just want to maintain your status quo, then just limit your fats to no more than 20 grams per day and your carbohydrates to no more than 200 grams carbs per day. Once you are at this point, you have some flexibility. If you are eating a big steak that day, just cut down on the carbs a little and vice versa. This diet was developed for real people. During my weight loss, I continued to have evening cocktails, eat ice cream, muffins, cheesecakes, etc. You can diet and eat your cake too, but you must tweak the way you cook, order out and shop for food. It really is very simple once you learn to read labels and buy the lower fat and lower carb versions of the foods you love. We all need support during a diet, so feel free to visit our website at www.15-150Diet.com for recipes and dieting ideas. The book, 15-150 Secret to Simple Dieting helps with mental exercises to keep you on track, a great shopping list, and a detailed list of your favorite foods with their carb and fat values. It will teach you how to order your foods at restaurants to get rid of those sneaky fat and carbs that you may not even be aware you are consuming! Even when they list the calories at restaurants, they sometimes don’t include the sauces or garnishes. When you go to the store the first few times, treat it as a treasure hunt. You have to read labels to find the items that fit your taste, but once you get these down, they will become staples on your shopping list. This is a very easy lifestyle for everyone in the family. Congratulations on your weight loss journey, now it’s just a matter of time! The book, 15-150 Secret to Simple Dieting, is available at www.amazon. com and barnesandnobles.com or visit the website, www.15-150diet.com.The book is written by Dr. Steven M. Rosenberg, psychotherapist and inventor of diet, and Bobbie Freiberg, married, mother of two kids, and no longer a frustrated dieter! H&F

The holidays are quickly approaching and so are those social events. You want to look your best and you want to make sure that the products you are applying have not expired. The last thing you want during this busy season is a reaction to a bad/expired product.

Do a quick check in your bathroom and I am sure you will find face cream you never use, the remnants of your favorite powder blush and that tube of lip stick you need to dig out with a lip brush to get anything out of.

Products that are unused or down to the last drop are just taking up shelf space and cluttering your make-up bag which you could be using for the fresh products you want to keep and have readily available.

Unopened products can remain stable for a couple of years at room temperature. But once you bring home a product and open it, the clock starts running. Every time you touch the product, you are transferring germs to them and to your face. Heat and humidity play a roll in promoting the growth of mold and yeast as well.

Believe it or not, bathrooms are not the ideal spot to store cosmetics, although it tends to be the most convenient. A cool, dry linen closet is best.

Since labeling regulations in the United States do not require an expiration date on most cosmetics, here are some Quick Tips in deciding what to keep and what to toss:

Face Makeup – six months for liquids; two years for powders.

Mascara – three months.

Eyeliner and Eye Shadow – three months for liquid eyeliners; six months for cream eye shadows; two years for pencil eyeliners and powder eye shadows.

Lipstick and Lipliner – two years for lipstick and gloss; two years or more for lipliner.

Nail Polish – one to two years depending on when the consistency turns gooey or stringy. Avoid storing them in the bathroom as they are especially sensitive to temperature extremes.

Skin Care Products include moisterizers, eye creams, cleansers, serums, peels, etc. Acne creams and other over-the-counter products that contain drugs are FDA regulated and usually carry expiration dates. However, cosmeceuticals (products claiming to have anti-aging and skin-changing benefits) are not regulated. Once they are opened, they should not be kept longer than 6 months. If in a pump bottle, they can last a year.

Sun Screen – six months.

Hair Products – one year.

Fragrance – two years or more. You will know because it tends to turn dark and has a stronger smell than when it’s fresh.

In summary, you should toss your mascara and liquid liner every season, toss your skin-care regimen, sunscreens and liquid foundations every six months, toss your hair products (except hair spray) once a year and toss your powder-based cosmetic (pressed powder and shadows), lipsticks and nail polishes every two years.

Your best bet is to date your products with a small sticker when you purchase and open them so you will not have to guess as to when they were purchased, guaranteeing they will always be safe to use.

Enjoy this wonderful holiday season!

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Audrey Cupo is a full-time Professional Organizer and sole proprietor of A BETTER SPACE based in Bucks County, PA. She specializes in residential organizing and focuses her business on helping busy moms and women entrepreneurs get organized with her in-home services and her U Can Do It product line. To get your FREE “U Can Do It Room By Room Organizing Checklist”, go to www.4abetterspace.com.

We are all getting ready for the upcoming holidays, whether it’s Christmas, Chanukah or Kwanza and don’t forget New Years! More than likely you will be having company over, whether it friends or family or both. Perhaps, you will want to prepare a fabulous holiday party or have guests stay with you during this festive season. Here’s some Quick Tips to start the holidays off organized and eight simple things you can do to help plan that gathering without a headache:

1. MAKE A LIST, CHECK IT TWICE: Making a simple list can help you unclutter your mind so that you can concentrate on the task at hand. Make a detailed list of everything you need to get done. If you will be delegating tasks to family members (as you should), mark down who’s doing what. Likewise, if you absolutely must tackle one task before a certain date, write down that date, too. Make sure you list any supplies you might need to accomplish each task. If you are in charge of a meal, you can even list your recipes right on your list for the next time you go to the grocery store.

2. COOK EARLY: Make your side dishes and desserts the day before your big meal. Most side dishes and virtually all desserts will keep just fine overnight in the fridge or freezer. This way, on the day of your party, you can concentrate on your main dish and simply warm up the side dishes before dinner. If you’ll be spending the day baking, take the time between cookie batches to wrap last minute gifts! If you’re all caught up on your wrapping (good for you!), take that time to put your feet up for a much deserved rest.

3. GIVE SIMPLY: Avoid long lines and crowds at the malls and department stores by giving gift certificates. (A great gift idea is a gift certificate from A BETTER SPACE!) They don’t clutter and they don’t cost much to ship to friends and family out of town. Plus, everyone gets exactly what they want.

4. TRY A POTLUCK: If you’re organizing a large family gathering, ask everyone to bring their favorite dish. This way, everyone can show off their culinary expertise and you’ll be saved from slaving away in the kitchen all day. (I suggest getting a general idea about what everyone is bringing to avoid duplicates.)

5. CREATE A WRAPPING STATION: Save time and energy by designating a corner of your home for gift wrapping. If you have a nice, comfortable space to work and wrap gifts, you’re more likely to get it done before the last minute. Put up a card table in the corner of a spare bedroom or in a space in your basement to keep your gift wrap, bags, tissue paper, tape, scissors, bows, etc. All of it can be right where you can easily get to them. You won’t have to pull your supplies from various places in your home every time you need to wrap a gift. Also, if you wrap gifts as you buy them, you’ll save time too. When the season is over, carefully store any leftover paper and bags in clearly marked containers for next year.

6. SEND AN E-CARD: So, you’ve already mailed out your cards for this year and the holiday is only a couple of days away. You get a card in the mail from someone you forgot to send a card to. It might be too late to mail them your holiday wishes in return, but email is instant. E-cards have come a long way. Most of the popular greeting card companies offer e-cards on their web site and can be personalized with text and photos.

7. PICK UP EXTRAS: When you are out and about and find a great sale, buy a couple extras. Have something on hand just in case someone drops by with a gift for you. You don’t want to be in a situation where you don’t have anything to give them. Holiday treats, candles, restaurant gift cards and ornaments all make great, simple holiday gifts for anyone. These gifts are also something you can use personally if you don’t end up giving them to someone this year. Wrap them up and mark a code on the bottom so you know what’s inside.

8. PREPARE FOR OVERNIGHT GUESTS: It only takes a few simple gestures to make your guests feel welcome and at home. Leave a basket of travel sized toiletries in a basket in the bathroom. Place a few books or magazines on the night stand. Provide space for your guests to store their clothing while they are staying with you. Provide space in some drawers and some hangers in the closet. (See my previous blog from April 30, 2008 for more tips on creating a five-star guest room.)

With some simple planning, you have avoid the stress of preparing that holiday meal, gift giving and providing arrangements for guests to stay overnight.

Enjoy the holidays!

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Audrey Cupo is a full-time Professional Organizer and sole proprietor of A BETTER SPACE based in Bucks County, PA. She specializes in residential organizing and focuses her business on helping busy moms and women entrepreneurs get organized with her in-home services and her U Can Do It product line. To get your FREE “U Can Do It Room By Room Organizing Checklist”, go to www.4abetterspace.com.

Chop. Dice. Mince. Slice. Is there really a difference? Actually, yes! When it comes to cooking and baking, there are several ways to cut up food.

 My good friend, Juliana Gallin, and I have created a list to help even the most aichmophobic folks become pros with the knife, whether they’re mincing herbs for a pot roast dinner or grating a lemon to add some zest to lemonade.

 CHOP: Cut into bite-sized pieces, 1 inch or smaller.

CUBE: Cut into a uniform cube shape, around ½ inch.

DICE: Cut into very small cubes, around 1/8  inch to ¼ inch.

MINCE: Cut into very small pieces, smaller than 1/8 inch.

SLICE: Cut into thin, flat pieces.

SHRED: Cut into small, narrow strips, usually with the large holes of a grater or a food processor fitted with a shredding disc. Cooked meat is also often “shredded” using either your hands or two forks to pull it apart.

GRATE: Reduce to very thin shreds, usually with the small holes of a grater, a Microplane grater, or a food processor fitted with a grating disc.

JULIENNE: Cut into matchstick-sized strips, around 1/8 inch thick by 2 inches long.

CHIFFONADE: This French term (literally, “made from rags”) refers to a preparation of leafy vegetables or herbs by cutting them into fine strips or shreds (for example, “basil chiffonade”). To cut a chiffonade, make a little stack of like-sized leaves, roll them up tightly, and then slice the roll to create little bundles of ribbons.

 Now that we’ve gone through a few of the basics of cutting up food, I think it’s important that you have the proper tools as well. High-quality knives are more expensive, but they’re worth the investment, especially since they’ll last longer, stay sharper, and make cutting food easier (and safer!).

 CHEF’S KNIFE: A 6-inch or 8-inch chef’s knife is a must for any kitchen, as it can cut meat and vegetables.

PARING KNIFE: Great for peeling.

PROPER BREAD KNIFE: Who doesn’t love sliced bread?

SANTOKU KNIFE: A sleek sharp knife that’s more expensive, but is ideal for smooth cuts.

GOOD CARVING KNIFE: Come Thanksgiving or Christmas the family will be glad you have one!

KITCHEN SHEARS: These kitchen scissors are great for snipping herbs, dicing chicken, or even opening packages.

 One last note from one Lazy Gourmet to another: Keep your knives SHARP. It makes prep easier, faster, and safer. Have your knives sharpened about once every year and use your honer (that long, cylindrical piece of steel that comes with many knife sets) to keep your blades in top shape.

 Happy cooking!

ROBIN DONOVAN is the author of Campfire Cuisine: Gourmet Recipes for the Great Outdoors and coauthor of the New York Times bestseller Dr. Gott’s No Flour, No Sugar Diet. Her articles have appeared in popular publications including Cooking Light, Fitness, The San Jose Mercury News, Seattle Post-Intelligencer, and The San Francisco Chronicle. She met her good friend, JULIANA GALLIN when they were both college housemates in Santa Cruz, CA. Together, they wrote The Lazy Gourmet: Magnificent Meals Made Easy (Viva Editions). They continue to cook and eat together regularly, sharing recipes, ideas, successes, and still the occasional culinary disaster. Read their food blog at www.twolazygourmets.com.  

Shopping is not, or should not be, a group endeavor.  It’s almost a rite of passage that every teenager takes her six

best friends with her when shopping.  It’s assumed that by the time a woman reaches the legal drinking age she has

enough confidence in her own taste that she no longer needs a posse with her.  Sadly, this is not usually the case.

She still shops with friends who each weigh in on every garment.

When I reached the age of 12, my mother told me never to shop with my friends because my friends all had ulterior

motives.  I might consider buying a dress that is too expensive for my friend and if she can’t have it, she tries to steer

me away from it, too.  Or the dress looks so terrific on me that she’s jealous.  You get the idea.

Ideally, shopping is a solitary occupation unless you care to bring along one trusted advisor whose taste you greatly

admire.  I always shopped with my parents who were both very stylish and whose taste I shared and admired.  I knew

they would never steer me wrong, having my best interests at heart.  Today, since they’re both gone, I shop alone.

    So often I see a group of young girls shopping together, each giving her opinion,running in and out of the dressing

room, bringing in clothes for others to try on.  Usually the group talks one into buying something she shouldn’t.

Either they do it deliberately or their collective taste is no better than hers.  Or the poor girl is so confused by all the

things her friends talked her into trying on that she ends up buying nothing.

The only time I sometimes shop with a friend is if I go to Chinatown for my beloved Chinese shoes.  Almost all the

Chinese cotton shoes look alike so it’s just a matter of finding my size.  If I do see somethng unusual that I like, I
never ask my friend’s opinion:  if I like it, I buy it!  Conversely, if my friend swears that a particular thing would look

“amazing” on me and I don’t like it, I just smile and keep walking.

I advise you to do the same.

Miriam Silverberg is a freelance journalist and the owner of Miriam Silverberg Associates, a boutique publicity agency

in Manhattan.  She may be reached at silverbergm@mindspring.com.