Happy New Year!

All I want to do is pop bottles! In celebration of champagne, 2010, and all the possibilities that lie ahead I wish you and yours a Happy New Year! Down with the last horrid decade and onto the next. I'll be back to blogging on Monday - remember to party in style, and for my automobile wielding friends that means don't drink & drive!

Monkey See, Monkey Do

There's something off about seeing one of nature's creatures, curiously poking at one of man's most unnatural creations: Jell-O. But squirrel monkeys are just so darn cute, that you can't help but watch them as they try to decipher just what the heck they are looking at. The Bronx Zoo claims that this is a special holiday treat "Jell-O enrichment" for the monkeys, that helps them "stimulate their foraging instincts." If only I was allowed to "stimulate my foraging instincts" like that when I was a kid. Now that's what I call a blueberry surprise!

Friend Of A Feline

From Thundercats to Catwoman, the Pink Panther and the epic that is Avatar, cats have been popping up in pop culture for decades. Somehow their fictional presence has always been marred by the stigma that surrounds them in the real world. Still seen as mysterious, nasty, dark creatures, cats always play second fiddle to their canine rivals. Man's best friend, the pack hunter, the loyal side kick, is often matched against the rogue, aloof, independent feline, so its no wonder that those who care for them often get a bad rap too. But no longer! With the help of the feline-like Na'vi of Avatar and the legendary Garfield, hopefully we'll all soften our hearts to the lesser loved species. Helping to break the myth of the "crazy cat lady" is Nathan Davis, a specialist in the U.S. Army who recently won Tidy Cats Campaign to End Cattiness with his cats Frank Sinatra and Sergeant Snog. I'm digging his honesty and passion, so check out his winning essay and webisode to see how he's helping bring the feline love this holiday season.

Xmas, Festivus, Etceterus!

Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays! I wish I could meet this reindeer and tell him how cute he is. I'll be yucking it up at the 92Y Tribeca tonight for their "The Twelfth Night of Chanukah" comedy showcase featuring Janeane Garofalo, Todd Barry, and a bunch of other Jews and Atheists who have no where else to go! But not to worry, I'll be back to blogging on Monday. Season's Eatings!

Enjoy The Hannukah Cookie, Man!

I'm not sure who created the Arrested Development ode at left, but they're spot on. The comparison makes perfect sense: Michael is the hero, Lindsay is the beauty, Lucille is the villain, Gob is "a magician," Buster is the idiot, and Tobias is... well just a "never-nude" I suppose. In celebration of the genius that was Arrested Development and tomorrow's first day of Hannukah, check out Ben Stiller's cameo as magician Tony Wonder below:

For The Love of Food

We’re deep in the trenches of the holiday season, and you know what that means – total decadence. Whether your favorites are sweet or savory, family gatherings, office parties, and end of the year celebrations all involve the consumption (and sometimes over consumption) of treats. We’re just a few days past “pie season,” and headed towards “cake season” with increasing speed. So when you’re racking your mind trying to come up with the perfect dessert to bring to that holiday party, why not take a queue from Rachel Zoe and bring something as fashionable as your ensemble? I look forward to The Zoe Report daily, and today Zoe served up an unexpected twist for readers: food! Cake Monkey Bakery makes individually sized layer cakes, as well as cookies, pastries and a handful of other adorable confections. I don’t even know if I could eat one of their adorable cakes, for fear of destroying such a perfect example of pint size beauty. The best thing about Cake Monkey is that you can order what you need for others, and tack on a couple extra for yourself. Two cravings satisfied with one very convenient solution, who could ask for more?

Happy Thanksgiving!

Time to eat eat eat! I can't wait! Enjoy the holiday fun. I'll be back to blogging (and healthy living) on Monday.

For The Love of Food: Halloween Edition

When you’re a kid, the best part about Halloween is the candy. As much as a costume can bring joy and excitement, the candy amassed over the course of a night becomes sacred like pirate booty. We fiercely protect our treasure against those who linger too closely, knowing all to well that some items are valued more than others. Personally chocolate bars ranked in as number one, followed closely by caramels, mini bags of chips, and random wrapped taffy goodies. Now that I’m older the thought of eating a whole bag of candy is slightly nauseating, but deep inside the inner child in me still screams with delight every time I see a jumbo bag of Halloween candy. The best part about 'trick or treating' in Canada is our unique candies, and salty snacks. Every Halloween no matter how far from home I am, I think about those chaotic nights - sweating through layers of make up, maneuvering my way to a stranger's door front, and lastly dumping my bag of candy on the basement coffee table, and going to town. Ketchup chips, Coffee Crisps, Aero Bars, Caramilks, Smarties!!! Thankfully I discovered the Lower East Side's candy haven (aka Economy Candy), but if you’re not in NYC and have a hankering for some Northern treats, Canadian Favourites can definitely satiate all your desires. Happy Halloween!

All Hail The Queen

From a chocolate factory to a winery, Lucille Ball took viewers on thousands of adventures throughout the course of her hit show I Love Lucy. The legendary redhead's comedic chops are still unmatched to this day. We've seen some pretty amazing female comediennes grace the stage since Ball, (Gilda Radner, Tina Fey, Janeane Garofalo, Lily Tomlin, and Margaret Cho come to mind) but Lucille's style and attitude are wholly unique. She was doing bits in 1951 that still resonate to this day. You can't help but laugh when you watch Lucy do her thing. This year I'm dressing up like Lucille for Halloween and I can't wait to try out my Vitameatavegamin routine!

One Step At A Time

For most Jews, Yom Kippur is a day of reflection and solitude. It's a day when we deny ourselves the comforts and pleasures of daily life, in exchange for the reflections that come with fasting. After attending synagogue this morning, at the strangest of locations (a church that my friend was quick to point out had been featured on Sex & The City), I found myself back in the confines of my apartment. All dressed up with no place to go, except the hunger laden recesses of my mind.

So as I sit here, dry mouthed with not a drop of water having gone down my throat since late last night, I start to think about all the people who face this reality on a daily basis. Water is such an integral part of our lives, that the thought of being without it is unimaginable... but what about those one billion people that don't have access to clean drinking water? An integral part of Judaism is Tzedakah, the religious obligation to perform charity, and on this holiest of days a little charity can be a great start to the new year. By donating a mere $20 to Charity:Water, one person will have clean, safe drinking water for 20 years. Learn more about Charity:Water here.