Grammy red carpet fashion in five words or less

You guys know how grumpy I get on Sundays, so the most I'm able to muster up about the Grammy fashion tonight will be written in five words or less—straight off tha dome. And please know that I am not trying to be funny—I'm just lazy and uninspired.

Skinny, sparkly, swan

Chin Boobs

Hair, I want it

No. Why? No.

Peacock

Blueberry tranny

Grandma's sofa

See Britney

Unoriginally original

Pretty, kinda cool, eh

Predictable, but hottt

Tell me: How would you describe each look in five words or less? What were your biggest hits and misses of the night? Am I am the only one that thought the fashion was a total snooze?!

Welcome to Chinatown

Even though my boyfriend's apartment is just a few blocks from Chinatown, it's not somewhere I venture to often. Yesterday though, we met up with another couple for some Dim Sum and it was yummm.

It was kinda cool being in a new 'hood for a change. Sure, it's smelly and crowded (don't ever walk through Chinatown if you're in a hurry), but you just gotta embrace it.

We actually were in a bit of a hurry because we didn't want to be late for lunch, so I quickly snapped this pic. Mmm, fish heads anyone?

Right, so I was so absorbed with taking it all in (the interior decorating was quite distracting), that I didn't even notice the name of the restaurant, gosh darn it! It's on Mott street between Canal and Hester. Even my best Google Map research didn't lead me to an answer, but I'll find out somehow and report back! Anyway, it was like a buffet on wheels--my kind of place! The servers were serious salesmen, er, women:"You want pork, you want pork, you WANT pork?!" They can be quite agressive, so you just have to be firm. If it sounds a bit shady, it probably is.

We kept it pretty basic with pork, vegetable and shrimp dumplings with crispy fish sticks.

I have no idea what this is, and I wasn't feeling adventurous enough to find out--even my friends who tried it weren't sure. Apparently it tasted like a noodle with "some mashed up stuff" inside. Hmm, not sure about that one.

When in doubt, go for Singapore noodles! Never fails.

We drank lots of tea, so I was feeling too full for dessert, but these lemon tarts got good reviews.

I recommend going here for a "New York experience" whether you're a local or just visiting. It was cheap as hell, too--less than $50 for four people, and we ate quite a bit. Anyone out there Dim Sum experts and have suggestions on more things I should try next time? What's your favorite Chinese dish?

Shake your man maker

In an effort to switch up my workouts and push myself harder, I turned to my new blogger pal, Tracy, for some fresh ideas. She is a hardcore gym rat with a whole lotta spunk—I love her! She gave me three different workouts, and I tried the first one this morning. I knew it would kick my ass, so my expectations weren't too high—I just wanted to get through it the best I could. And I did, with a few adjustments. Here's what went down:

The workout:

Warmup: 5 minutes of cardio of your choice

What I did: The rowing machine because I haven't done it in forever, plus I'm always looking for ways to tone my arms and back.

Round 1: 30 seconds squat jumps, 30 seconds rest in between/6x

What I did: All six rounds! The first round was fairly effortless, and I thought to myself, "Is this the best Tracy's got?!" Umm yeah, mid-way through round number two my legs felt like tree trunks and my thighs started turning to jello. I really wanted to quit, but I pushed through like a soldier. 

*Rest for a couple minutes

Round 2: FOR TIME (insert panic here)

-With at least 8-lb weights: shoulder press, man makers, butterfly situps/3x

-First time through: 21 reps of each Second: 15 reps of each Third: 9 reps of each

What I did: Don't know what a man maker is? Yeah, I didn't either. See vid below. I knew this would be tough for me, so I didn't worry too much about going super-fast, I just did it without breaks at a steady pace. With 5-pound weights, I completed the first round, then the second round I did 10 reps and the third round I did six reps. I probably could have completed all three rounds, but my form started getting sloppy, and I knew quality was probably better than quantity in this case. I finished in 12 minutes. Not exactly speedy, but oh well!

*Rest a couple minutes

                                 

                              

Here are different versions of the man maker. I did the second one and added a lunge with each leg at the end. Talk about a full-body workout—oh yeah, baby!

Round 3: Planks on fists for a minute/3x with 10-seconds rest in between

What I did: So I always thought I was good at planks, but I've never done them with so little rest in between—it was TOUGH! I did the first one for a minute/rest 15 sec; next 45 sec/rest 15 sec; then 30 sec.

Round 4: STRETCH!!! My favorite part :)

After I cooled down a bit, I clocked in 40 minutes on the elliptical. I didn't push it too hard, I just wanted to get a little more cardio in since I think I'm going to take tomorrow to rest. I'm also going to lunch in Chinatown with my bf and a couple friends for Dim Sum, so I wanted to be able to enjoy that. I know this might sound crazy, but I've actually never had Dim Sum. What is it? Dumplings? I know, I'm a total disgrace to New Yorkers everywhere. 

Thanks Tracy for the kick-ass workout! If you ever need ideas on how to shake things up at the gym, check out her blog here. And if you have questions, just ask in the comments section—she's SO good about answering right away. So tell me: How have you guys been pushing yourself at the gym lately? Are you sticking to those resolutions?!

Are beggars ever allowed to be choosers?

I sure as heck hope so because I made a decision today that I might end up regretting. I applied for a job on Craigslist for an assistant position at an entertainment PR company, and when they called me in for an interview, I turned it down. It actually sounded like a glorified internship—it pays by the hour, which means no benefits and it sounded like a lot of bitch work. AND the office is in New Jersey. Umm, no thanks. I don't have time for hour-long commutes! You know I have no qualms about doing bitch work, especially if it's for a really good job that could help enhance my skills and network, but I just didn't get the feeling that this was one of those jobs. I always say that if you listen to your gut, you really can't go wrong. And while I desperately do need more consistent work, I have been getting a lot more quality work since I was fired, and I really don't want that to change.  

Plus, one thing that's working in my favor at the moment is  the fact that I am what I call the YES girl. People come to me because they know I'm always up for anything. Ellen, are you free to do a reporting assignment tomorrow morning? YES. What about Friday night? YES. Can you assist me on a styling job next week? YES. And visit the set of my new TV show at 1pm tomorrow? YES. You get the point. 

I am trying to find part-time work (in addition to all that fun photo scanning I've been doing!), but until something bigger and better comes along, I just don't know if it's smart for me to settle on a full-time job that won't benefit my future. Plus, although Craigslist is not beneath me, I do think it can be a bit sketch. 

So what do you guys think: Did I make a smart move or am I a total idiot? Right, I know who's not getting any sympathy the next time she cries about her depressing checking account.

Photo Shoot Friday: When worlds collide—sorority chicks and downtown peeps

Despite what I said about my sorority experience in this post, on Tuesday night I went to a Tri-Delta alum happy hour to get my drink on meet new people, and I'm so glad I did. I met a lot of fun girls (Hi Becky, Laura and Marcie!), and have already made plans to get together with them again soon. Sorry I don't have any pics. I'm sure the guys would love to see cute sorority girls on the blog, but I had just met them for the first time and didn't want to shove my camera in their faces and scare them off. I have to at least wait until the second meeting!

The happy hour took place at the Blue Owl in the East Village, but I managed to go to the WRONG bar at first. I saw a blue owl painted on the side of a bar, so I went there assuming it was it. Ok, so there were like six people inside, three of which were dudes. You'd think that would have tipped me off that I was in the wrong place, but I sat down and ordered a drink! My vodka-water was only $2.50—I can't tell you how happy that made me. I got to talking to the girl next to me and together we figured out we were in the wrong place! After I slurped down my drink, we moseyed over to the Blue Owl which was next door. It had a cool lounge-y vibe, but the drink prices were crazy—$9 for a beer! I'll go back to 12th Street Ale House (where I was originally) any day of the week—it was chill and cheap, a perfect combo. 

Jenn met me at my sorority happy hour for a drink, which was kidna funny because she is not a sorority type girl. She mixed and mingled with several girls, and we joked that she could be an honorary member! Then we headed downtown (hence the graffiti) for a Dolce Vita party. 

Needless to say the crowd was a lot different—everyone was hip and artsy, and I didn't really feel like I fit in. I rarely do at fashion parties, but I always try to just forget about the fact that I'm wearing boots with a broken heel or the same outfit for the second night in a row, and just be happy I'm there. 

Cowboy sandals—too cute! Giddyup!

Buckles and a wedge heel make a perfect shoe—this was one of my faves.

Sandals! Oh how I wish I didn't have to wait four months to wear them!

I had no idea Dolce Vita designed clothes, too. I loved the style and bold print of this dress.

I thought this girl's shirt/blanket, whatever it is, was really cool. 

I saw this liquor bottle randomly slide out from somewhere—I guess someone was having a good time!

Liza hadn't eaten dinner, so we stopped in a pizza place so she could grab a slice. I was desperate to use the bathroom before our 30-minute journey home even though it was a bit sketchy. But look, I used the opportunity to slap an FnF sticker on the mirror!

Ohh and I forgot to mention the FREE goodies that we got. And by we I mean Liza, but obviously I borrow everything of hers anyway. I took a pic of her going to work the next day because she looked so cute in her new Dolce Vita top. You can't see it here, but it has a cool zipper pocket in the front—I just loved it. She also got hooked up with a killer pair of studded black caged heels. I tried them on and they look absolutely perfect on my feet ;)

So tell me: Are you more of a sorority/fraternity person or a downtown, hipster person? I think I'm more the former—with an edge. And what is everyone up to this weekend? For the most part I'm taking it easy, but on Saturday I'm going apartment scouting in Brooklyn! 

I had a love affair with Dolce and Gabbana today

It was hot, sexy and entirely too short-lived. Today my friend Nancy invited me to come on set  for a taping of NYCTV's new show, Job Hunt (premieres Feb. 2!). The show is about helping unemployed people get back on their feet and find work—why how fitting for FnF! Today's taping was at Loehmann's where I watched a lovely woman named Elisa get a wardrobe makeover. It was so cool to see the behind-the-scenes action, but I have to admit I was quite distracted by the fabulous clothes! I always have an excuse not to shop at Loehmann's—the lines are too long, I don't feel like scouring the racks, blah blah, but my attitude has now changed—they have some awesome pieces! And apparently even celebrity stylist Robert Verdi shops for his clients, like Miz Eva Longoria, there. Looks like I'll have to put in the work if I want to look like a star!

Stylist of the stars, Felix Mercado, was kind enough to give me some pointers in between takes. He insisted I try on this killer Dolce and Gabbana sequin bomber jacket and showed me how to rock it. According to him, scrunching up the sleeves is a MUST!

He also gave me a quick tutorial on how to pose—ugh, you should have seen the first few pics before I finally got it right. So here's what you do: hand goes on hip; push the tush out a bit to make an S-shape; chin goes up, then down, then slightly up—STOP! You've got it! Umm yeah, I'm going to have to practic this in the mirror. 

Yeah so I had the jacket on for all of 60 seconds before I had to take it off. Tear. It was a really fun afternoon though, and I met a lot of awesome people. Stay tuned for fun vids and more info about Job Hunt on Monday! Is anyone out there a pro discount shopper? What are your tips for finding those fab pieces?!

How do you keep up with the news?

So one of my New Year's resolutions is to be better about keeping up with the news. How have I done so far? Eh, not bad. I read a couple articles from NYTimes.com about three times a week (my brain can handle only so much health care and economy talk), and I turn on the news more often while I'm on the treadmill at the gym instead of watching the rap station—depending on the speed I'm running, that is. (Sometimes 50 Cent and Jay-Z are the only ones that can get me through a sweat sesh). 

When Scott Brown won the Senate seat for Massachusetts, I turned to The Economist to find out what all the hubbub was about, and learned about the whole supermajority thingy. Right. I'm sure I should have known about that years ago, but at least I know now. 

If news anchors like Ron Burgundy existed, you betcha I'd be watching the news 24/7! It's hilarious when he's like, "I love scotch. Scotchy, scotch, scotch. Here it goes down into my belly." There are whispers of Anchorman 2 coming out (but ugh, not until 2012)—I can't wait! 

An.y.way. So admittedly, I have to make a big effort to follow the news because I certainly don't do it out of enjoyment. I just want to know the basic jist of what's going on in the world and not look like a deer in headlights during any sort of political conversation. I made a reference about the economy to a girl I met last week at a party, and she looked at me like she had no idea what the heck I was talking about. I do not want to be that girl. 

So tell me: How do you keep up with the news? Anyone have tips for me to make it easier or more enjoyable to follow? 

Bachelor Blog 3: How many times do you go out with someone before you cut them loose?

Who watched The Bachelor on Monday? I just watched it this am on Hulu. So to catch everyone up to speed, Jake was supposed to say adios to just two ladies, but ended up giving the boot to FOUR. Talk about some muy chicas tristes up in that casa! (Who's jealous of my Spanish skillz? I can't say for sure why I'm randomly busting them out?) Who knows. An.y.way...

Jake isn't messing around. Literally. He basically told Kathryn that he wanted to bone, yes bone, her (well, I think he actually said something about "being lost in her eyes" barf), and then he kicks her off the show! Jake was worried that there was nothing beyond physical attraction. Umm, is that such a bad thing? And, she was from KENTUCKY gosh dang'it! And then there was Ella from Tennessee (good call), then the chick with the whacked out green eyeshadow and then Ashleigh. I thought Ash was totally gorge—she has awesome, I mean awesome wavy blonde hair and bangin' curves—what else do you need, dude? And, he gave Vienna a rose! WTF?! Homegirl needs to buy some better extensions with all that money she's got. I digress.

I do understand where Jake is coming from—I've never been one to "waste" my time. I just don't think it's fun spending time with someone (even for a FREE meal) that I'm not really into. With that being said, I was a little unsure about my boyfriend when I first met him. Sure, he was super-cute, charming and had a British accent, but I didn't know right away that I'd end up feeling bananas for him—it took a little time. So that brings me to my question.

How many times do you go out with someone before cutting them loose? Do you think Jake made a smart move? Ohh maybe he kicked someone off that he knows he wants to bring back later so he's the one that has the "most dramatic season yet!" 

Breakfast for lunch...and dinner

My mom made breakfast for dinner on Sundays when I was a kid, and I thought it was the best thing ever. Well, yesterday I was so busy I felt like my fingers couldn't type fast enough, and I didn't get around to having lunch until 4pm, so I decided it would just be my dinner, too! (I munched on carrot sticks and Laughing Cow cheese earlier in the day). 

I saw on the Dr. Oz show the other day that any food with a really vibrant orange color helps keep skin looking youthful, so I bought a sweet potato at the grocery store. I chopped it up into tiny pieces to give it a hash brown effect and cooked it in a tsp of extra virgin olive oil. 

Then I scrambled two eggs (one whole, one just the whites) and added peppers, onion and a sprinkle of cheddar cheese. I warmed up a whole wheat pita pocket in the oven and stuffed the eggs inside. Yum!

I zoned out in front of the TV for ten minutes (I know, I know you're not supposed to watch TV while you eat) and flipped through this month's issue of Details. I rarely buy men's magazines, but when Channing Tatum is on the cover I do ;)

This morning I decided to take advantage of the $1 oatmeal deal Jamba Juice is doing on Wednesdays. (I think the promo is over in a couple weeks!) I got the banana and apple crumble steel cut oatmeal and added my own shaved almonds on top. It set me back 290 calories, which isn't bad—especially because I'm getting ready to sweat.it.OUT at the gym in a few minutes. I have a feeling the sugar count is a bit high—if I get it again, I'll probably just stick with the fruit. That's the thing I do like about the oatmeal at Starbucks—the toppings come in little packages so you can control how much you want. All in all, I give it two thumbs up. The texture was thick and it really filled me up! 

Who else likes eating breakfast foods for lunch or dinner? And does anyone know about other awesome deals going on like Jamba Juice's $1 oatmeal? Please share!

Guys, you are the ones that make us crazy. Yes, YOU.

Holy smokes, Batman! No wonder I had such a hard time uploading this vid yesterday—look how freakin' BIG it is. Well I hope you find me at least mildly attractive, or else this could be pretty painful to watch. It's kind of bananas how close the camera is to my face—there's no escaping my wonky left eyebrow and Joker smile (geeze, is that what I really look like?!) 

Regardless, check out the vid. Oh, and count how many times I say, "That is just not cool." Umm yeah, my video skillz need a little work—in more ways than one!

              

So you know the Cheap Trick song, "I Want You to Want Me?" Well, that's what I'm talking about here. And if any of my guy friends read this and think, Holy shit, she's talking about me, don't worry, it's not just you. 

So guys, please enlighten me: Why do you throw the word "crazy" around so loosely? Do you really think you're never responsible for a girl's actions? Is my theory at all accurate? And girls: Have you ever had a guy who was allll about you, and then dropped you like last season's Louboutins? Do share!

Do you believe in the The Notebook kind of love?

The other day I told my boyfriend that I felt like the only topic of conversation between us lately has been work-related things (ironically, it's hard not to talk work about when you don't have a job), and I was just bummed about it. To make matters worse,  The Notebook was on TV later that night, and I started wondering if love like that really existed?

I love when Noah is like, "I want all of you forever, you and me, every day." That part never gets old. But then he also says, "It's not going to be easy. It's going to be really hard. We're going to have to work at this every day, but I want to do that because I want you." Ugh, I die. At least there is some reality mixed into this fairy tale romance. 

Don't get me wrong, the spark in my relationship is still very much a burnin' after almost four years, but I'm realizing more and more that yes, it does take work. Some things aren't as effortless as they used to be, but other things have gotten better through time and being truly comfortable with one another. 

Now, will my boyfriend and I ever make out in the rain? Probably not—I fucking hate the rain. But that doesn't mean that what we have isn't really special, and that's something I need to remember. 

So tell me: Do you believe in The Notebook kind of love? I believe in parts of it—you know, soulmates and all that jazz. And WHO is going to see Dear John next weekend?! Channing, it's been so long since we've talked! Call me. XOXO

Would you want to be skinny-fat?

So most of you probably know what this means, but for those of you who don't, it's basically a fat person trapped in a skinny person's body. Someone who eats four pieces of pizza instead of one, gets a double scoop of ice cream without hesitating, eats chips that aren't baked and drinks regular soda—and is a size four, or less. Ugh, bitches! When I was younger, ok, maybe like just six months ago, I thought it would awesome to have a 10 year-old's metabolism so that I'd be able to eat whatever I wanted. Actually, I couldn't even get away with eating Oreos and Cheetos when I was that age (I'm not saying I didn't, but I had the tummy to show for it), but you know what I mean. 

But now that I'm focusing more on being healthy instead of just trying to lose weight for vanity reasons (make no mistake, that is still a driving force), I think it would be gross if my insides looked like the junk food in aisle nine at the grocery store. I never even walk down that aisle. 

This topic came to my mind last night when I was at Subway ordering my 6-inch turkey/lettuce/onion/peppers/cucumbers sandwich. The teenage girl in front of me ordered a footlong chicken and swiss cheese sub with a pool of chipotle sauce squeezed on top. It was seriously sickening how much sauce she had on that thing—it was soupy looking and pouring off the edges of the bread. Gross. I wish I had brought my camera so I could have snapped a pic! She probably would have taken it as a compliment—I think in some weird way she was trying to show off to her friends. Subway sandwiches are the easiest way to incorporate veggies into your meal, but she didn't even want lettuce. Oh, and she got a large Mountain Dew to drink. Ew. And then, she called her mom to tell her that she was at Subway with her friends, but wasn't eating, so she'd be home for dinner. So what, is she eating two dinners? (P.S. She is all of 90 pounds soaking wet). Oh boy, those Upper East Side kiddos! Well at least there was no talk of finding clean prostitutes and planning a chaperone-free trip around Europe—not that I heard of, that is.

The thing that skinny-fat people need to realize is that one day their metabolism will slow down, and then what? Going to the gym and eating healthfully for the first time will be so much harder at 35. What about you: Would you want to be skinny-fat?

Photo Shoot Sunday: Too much vodka, not enough boyz

Hey guys, so finally I have our Friday night recap! The other week I entered to win a FREE happy hour at Turtle Bay in Midtown, and I won! My friends got half off on drinks and appetizers—don't say I never hook you up, girls :) The bar is a bit of a combination of fratastic and guido (I heard Ronnie from Jersey Shore was there on Wednesday!), but I'm never selective when FREE drinks are involved. 

Me and Liza!

My drink of choice was vodka-waters with lemon and lime. It's an acquired taste, but the low calorie count is so worth it. And ok, I'm pretty sure my outfit is totally guy-repellent. My bf doesn't love boyfriend jeans, and paired with a plaid flannel, it's even less feminine. I liked it though, and I guess that's all that matters. What do you think guys—would you approach a girl in this getup? 

Here's the crew! I realized about two hours in that none of us had talked to even one boy. The problem is, we always have so much fun with each other, we don't really go scouting for men unless it just kinda happens. I know, I know, I always talk a big game about helping my friends meet guys and I never deliver. It's hard!

I forgot why Mary Allen gave me a thumbs down sign. Maybe she wanted me to get out of her face—everyone eventually got really annoyed with my constant picture taking!

Of course I came prepared with FnF stickers—everyone wore one on their sleeve. We even got the DJ to make an announcement about the blog! I don't think anyone was really listening, but it was still cool! 

I have no idea why, but I told the bartenders it was my birthday so they'd let me back there to take a pic with them! And actually, they were quite attentive—I'd go back!

We had so much fun dancing—it's been a while since I've really busted out my moves. Tiff had the best gangster face of the group!

We were finally approached by guys towards the end of the night. That part is a bit fuzzy, but at least I have this pic as proof. Well, it's only one guy, but I know there were more!

Jenn, work it mama!

Jenn's little sis, Stacy, rocked an FnF sticker on her face Nelly style. That's a good look for you, girrrl.

Question: How old is too old to thug it out in pics?

Everyone our group is in this pic, so I'm a bit confused (and worried) about who I let walk all the way upstairs to take it. Hrm...

So yeah, that was our night. Even though there weren't many boys on the scene, we had fun just dancing and acting silly. 

The weekend went by so fast—I'm sad it's over! My jobless situation is always in my thoughts, but it weighs even heavier on my mind when Sunday night rolls around. Just feel lucky if you are going to work tomorrow. Seriously. So, how was your weekend and has anyone found a "cure" for the Sunday night blues?! Blah!

I got felt up by my yoga instructor today

Ok, so I know that you're probably wondering how last night went, but I'm going to make you wait one more day for the recap. I have tons of fun pics to upload tonight! 

Even though I sucked down several vodka-waters last night, I woke up this morning without a hangover. It must have been all that water I was drinking! I'm pretty proud of myself actually. I had a bowl of oatmeal and a handful of Tostitos for a late night snack instead of pizza and ice cream, and for breakfast today I had big bowl of Cheerios with a banana instead of a 500-calorie sausage and egg sandwich—I'm making progress! And I made it to yoga. I was so sore from my workout yesterday—yoga class, 50 minutes on the elliptical, 10 minutes on the Stair Master, sit-ups, pushups and lots of lunges—but I needed to do something active, and I just wasn't motivated to do any cardio.  

Anyway, I got some extra special treatment at yoga today. The instructor told us to raise our hands if we didn't want to be touched when she corrected our form—no one did, but I think I might next time! When I was in triangle pose, she ran her hand from my ribcage to my fingertip to help lengthen my arm, and grazed my boob. She moved my hip positioning in reverse triangle pose (it is so hard to keep them squared off!), and pushed my bum down forcefully when I was in child's pose. It was a bit much to say the least. Focus is important in yoga, but it's hard to maintain when the instructor is groping you in class! She's kind of a hippie and says things like "spread your wings like you're going to fly off into eternity" and "it's all about the journey, not the destination," so I suppose it's natural for her be touchy-feely, but I was not feeling it. Ahh well, I hate when instructors don't take the time to correct me at all, so I guess it's good that she was so attentive.

After yoga, I met my boyfriend for lunch at Supper in the East Village. It's one of my favorite restaurants!

The white bean/olive oil dip and bread is FREE and it is so delicious! I just had one small piece, but I could have easily eaten it all.  

Look how cute my latte is! Whoever made it has serious skillz. 

I got the vegetable platter—it is sooo yummy. I'm sure the olive oil the veggies are cooked with add a decent amount of calories, but veggies are veggies, man! Plus, I only ate half— I'll have the rest for lunch tomorrow!

I feel good about breaking my usual "I'm going to eat anything I want because I got drunk last night" habit. I hope I can keep it up! 

Has anyone else broke any bad eating habits recently? And how do you guys feel about super touchy-feely yoga instructors? I'd love to hear some stories!