Holidays

Gift Guide Giveaway: Win These Tech Gifts

November 15, 2010 at 6:00 am , by Ladies' Lounge

These presents are just the thing to make a smart lady lose her cool. If you’ve got someone on your list who loves her gadgets and toys, you’ll find something perfect here. One lucky reader will score all of them. Want to know more about each item? Check out our Geeky Gift Guide.

Enter to win by posting a brief comment below telling us why you’d like to win one of the holiday gift packages. Comments must be posted by 11:59 ET on Monday, December 20. We will randomly select one winner. Read the full rules here. Good luck!

---

Gift Guide Giveaway: Win These Pet Presents

November 15, 2010 at 6:00 am , by Ladies' Lounge

We wouldn’t dream of leaving Man’s Best Friend out in the cold this holiday season. Find the purr-fect present for your four-legged friends, or for the most devoted pet lover on your list. One lucky reader will score all of them. Want to know more about each item? Check out our Pet Lovers’ Gift Guide.

Enter to win by posting a brief comment below telling us why you’d like to win one of the holiday gift packages. Comments must be posted by 11:59 ET on Monday, December 20. We will randomly select one winner. Read the full rules here. Good luck!

---

Sara’s Tech Tips: How To Connect (For Free!) Via Sykpe

September 30, 2010 at 3:54 pm , by Ladies' Lounge

The holidays are about being with family, but sometimes the miles between loved ones makes it impossible to be together in person. Whether you have a son or daughter studying abroad or a family member who moved across the country, Skype makes it possible to bridge the gap. Skype is a free video conference service that allows you to talk—and see each other—when meeting up in person isn’t an option. And it’s easy too! All you need is a computer, internet connection and web cam (many computers made within the past few years have built in cameras). Follow the steps below and you will be chatting in no time.

1. Download Skype from their official website. Select “get skype” at the top of the screen and follow the prompts. When you get to the “download now” screen, you will see options on the right side of the screen to pick the version for your operating system.

2. Once you have the program, when you open it for the first time it will prompt you to create an account or sign in. It’s a super-quick process to create an account, so go ahead and do that and then continue.

3. Now that you’re set up, you need to find someone to Skype with! If family members or friends already have accounts, search for them by going to the “contact” tab and clicking the button to add new contacts. Search by either email address or phone number and then once you’ve found your friend or family member, add them. If the person you want to call doesn’t have an account, have them complete the first two steps too.

4. You’re all set to make a call! The person on the other end needs to be there with their computer on, so it’s often a good idea to set a time you’ll be Skyping so you make sure to catch them. When you’re ready to go, just select the person in your contact list and hit “call!” Happy (video) chatting!

---

Festive Florals: A Quick How-To

December 17, 2009 at 4:08 pm , by cdewet

I absolutely love the holidays! I try to have friends and family over every chance I get. Last weekend I invited my dearest friend Maya and her husband Nick over for a last-minute meal. Just because I made a quick salad and ordered in pizza didn’t mean I couldn’t throw together a quick flower arrangement and light some candles, right? Holiday tunes, some soft candlelight and this arrangement made the impromptu meal feel festive and special. Don’t let the details of a party or dinner stress you out to the point that you avoid it all together. All you really need are a few nice touches, and great people to share them with!

How to Make this Festive Floral Arrangement:

1. First get your flowers. Select a simple white flower—roses or small white carnations are affordable and work well. Then choose a green filler like plain leaves or pine branches. And of course you need a pop of red. I like these berries that I found at our local flower stall. You don’t need very many—just a couple of sprigs.

2. Then fill a wide-necked clear glass vase with lukewarm water. Take all of your flowers out of their wrapping and remove the rubber bands.

3. Place the white flowers in first, and make sure to remove any leaves that fall at or below the water level. Cut the stems* at an angle, and place one stem of flowers in at a time. This way you can vary the heights of the flowers as you build the arrangement. Next add the greenery. Again, remove the leaves that fall below the water level. Lastly add the sprigs of berries in, and you have a fun and festive arrangement!

*Tip: Just cut a bit off the stems to start, and then adjust the height as necessary. You can always make the stalks shorter, but you will find it pretty hard to make them taller again!

---

In The News: Loneliness Is Contagious!

December 16, 2009 at 5:12 pm , by Cherise Bathersfield

It’s not just the flu going around this winter. Loneliness is spreading like a virus—minus the bodily fluid—according to a recent study.  Apparently one lonely person’s isolation from their network of friends has a ripple effect causing the connections between other group members to unravel, infecting them with loneliness.

So, during this holiday season while you’re busy setting and confirming travel and dinner plans, don’t assume that everyone has some place to go or people to see. Maybe inviting a non-family member to the annual family get-together would add some extra holiday cheer to this year’s event. And if you’re the one with an empty to-do list, the holidays are a great excuse to email long lost friends. Send them an e-card to let them know that your New Year’s resolution is to keep in touch. Write a comment on your friend’s newest post on Facebook. Or you could try to meet new friends by volunteering or cultivating a hobby. Websites like Meetup give you access to thousands of groups across the country that host events for practically any activity you can imagine. There really is no reason to be lonely this Christmas!

(Charlie Brown Christmas Tree from Amazon.)

---

Go Ask Gab: Be Merry… Be Festive… Be Fabulous!

December 8, 2009 at 2:00 pm , by Gabrielle Porcaro

With the holidays approaching, do you have any suggestions for some festive pieces I can wear to parties? – Lucy

I love the holidays… it’s a good excuse for me to go overboard with my festiveness. That’s me 2 years ago at our holiday party. Too festive? I think not!

You might be tempted to pull out your silly Christmas sweater but don’t give in! Instead opt for a more fun and sophisticated look. Now is the time to search your closet for any glitzy, fancy pieces. If you don’t own any, here are some ideas:

Sequins are a big trend. This navy sequin skirt from Victoria’s Secret is so great! Pair it with a navy or black crewneck sweater or t-shirt, some heels or flat boots and you are set!

I love the idea of an embellished tank layered over a long sleeve tee. Our Beauty Director Erica pulled off this look last week with a sequin tank she bought from Loft to wear to a special beauty event. She looked fabulous!

How about a top with a cute detail? Banana Republic has this pearl necklace shell that is a unique change on a classic look.

Why not embrace the color of the season? This red tank is only $18 at JC Penney!

If you are looking for a dress, possibly for a New Years Eve Party, American Eagle has a great strapless black dress (currently on sale). Target has a bunch of fun dresses as well. Love this purple dress for $30 and this sequin halter dress for $40. Forever 21 is also a good place to check out for affordable trendy dresses.

Ruffles are always elegant and can dress up a pair of black pants or a black skirt. Ann Taylor has a some great options… this silk top is my favorite.

Again– you can always grab your LBD and add the festiveness to it -check out my holiday dressing story (sorry for the shameless plug!)

Curious what I’m wearing? For our holiday work party I will be rocking this French Connection dress I bought to wear for a fancy party a few months back- with a blazer or cardigan over itt. For New Years Eve… the Victoria’s Secret mini sequin skirt for sure!

---

Pestos with Panache

December 1, 2009 at 5:39 pm , by Arpita Joshi

As delicious as traditional pesto is on just about everything from appetizers, sandwiches, pastas, and pizzas – sometimes experimenting with flavors will make you appreciate it in a whole new way. Pestos with Panache by Lauren does just this – Lauren’s creations come in 6 different flavors: Fabulous Fig & Gorgonzola , Decadent Dark Chocolate & Ancho Chile, Pumpkin Chipotle, Proscuitto and Smoked Almond, Succulent Strawberry, and Bangin’ Blueberry. My favorites would have to be either the Fig & Gorgonzola or Blueberry, but they all have their own unique appeal. Now that the holiday season is in full swing and you’re sure to be thinking about party appetizers and snacks, try a couple of these flavors in place of traditional pesto for a fun alternative that will throw your guests off a bit. Just last weekend, I made appetizer tartlets by baking flaky dough in mini muffin cups and filling them with tomatoes mixed with the blueberry pesto, and topped with goat cheese. While it would’ve been a hit snack anyway, I think the blueberry pesto added an unexpected hint of sweetness that everyone loved – the entire tray disappeared in minutes! Get your own Pestos with Panache here.

---