BuzzSugar

Song of the Day: Annie, "I Know Ur Girlfriend Hates Me"

BuzzSugar — Sun, 04 May 2008 14:00:01 PDT

While everyone is buzzing about the fun new Madonna album, there's another artist who's also creating some infectious pop songs that you can't help but want to dance to right now. Her name is Annie, she's Norwegian, and I first fell for her upbeat, techno sound a couple of years ago when I heard a song called "Heartbeat."

Her newest song, "I Know Ur Girlfriend Hates Me," is from her upcoming album, Don't Stop, which hits stores in July. The song is adorable and super addicting, and if it's any indication, I think I'll be liking the rest of the album. Stereogum reports that she might cover Stacey Q's "Two Of Hearts" as well as collaborate with Girls Aloud, Franz Ferdinand, and Datarock.

If you haven't heard of Annie before now, I would recommend giving her a spot on your list of artists to keep an eye on. You can listen to the new song here or on Annie's MySpace page, where you can also listen to "Heartbeat."

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Watch Will Smith and Jimmy Fallon Make Old-Timey Music Magic

Maggie Pehanick — Fri, 25 May 2012 08:35:46 PDT

Will Smith stopped by Late Night With Jimmy Fallon last night to promote his new flick Men in Black 3 and ended up making some sweet, sweet music with the talk show host. Or, at least, their "great grandfathers" did. Turns out Smith and Fallon's relatives played together on a radio show and their tunes may have inspired some of Smith's hit songs, like "Parents Just Don't Understand." Though Smith remains adamant that he came up with the tunes on his own, the resemblance is remarkable . . .

Photo courtesy of NBC

8 Unexpected Foodie Towns in the US

Lizzie Fuhr — Fri, 25 May 2012 04:29:34 PDT

While big cities like New York, San Francisco, and Chicago get loads of press for their high-end cuisine, there are plenty of other cities all over the US that cultivate their own foodie communities. If you're looking to plan a Summer road trip with quality food to boot, then here are eight sweet cities with renowned restaurants and flavors that pack a punch. Don't see your favorite stop in the list? Chime in with your city in the comments!

Hysteria Director Tanya Wexler Talks Vibrators, Faking It, and Duck Sex

Tara Block — Fri, 25 May 2012 04:00:15 PDT

Don't be shy . . . It's time to talk sex toys! And Hysteria director Tanya Wexler is writing us a prescription for pleasure. Tanya's film - what she calls "the vibrator movie you can bring your mom to" - is in limited release and stars Hugh Dancy, Maggie Gyllenhaal, and Rupert Everett. When working on a romantic comedy that centers around the invention of the vibrator, you end up with some entertaining and embarrassing situations along the way, and lucky for us, Tanya spilled all the hilariously dirty details. From teaming up with the film's partner Jimmyjane for a drive-by vibrator drop-off to a certain female Oscar-winner to trying unsuccessfully to get ducks to shag on command, Tanya was bursting with great stories from working on this very unconventional film. And while Tanya isn't ashamed to discuss the sexy subject matter of her latest film with us, the mother of four and her partner of 21 years did have a tricky challenge telling her preteen kids what her movie was about. (She eventually gave them the script and let them figure it out themselves!) Check out our interview with the fun-loving director now, and we dare you not to have a girl crush on her by the end!

TrèsSugar: What were some of the challenges to getting a movie made about vibrators?
Tanya Wexler: Getting the script right was tricky because if you just make a movie about the invention of the vibrator, it's actually a really short movie: you go "bzz" and it's done. And we had a kind of light romantic comedy. I say I made the vibrator movie you can bring your mom to. But some people wanted it to be raunchy or some people wanted it to be more serious and about feminism. People project a lot onto this movie of what they want, because there isn't a lot out there about vibrators and women's pleasure, and we still don't really deal with that topic very well, or we're overly antsy around it. And as a result, people have a lot of ideas of what the movie could and should be, and you can't please everyone. [laughs]

TS: Ha, good one.
TW: It's nonstop!

TS: Do you find sex toys inherently funny or something to be seriously celebrated?
TW: Yes!

TS: Both?
TW: Yes! Yes. I think they make me laugh, and I think that the inner kind of Beavis and Butt-head in all of us goes "[laugh]." You know, that inner 13-year-old, like, "Hahaha vibrator . . . " and yet they're awesome and fun.

TS: What shocked you the most when researching the movie?
TW: That ducks are the rapists of the bird world, and you'll see when you see the movie, because there's a little bit of questionable duck behavior - or awesome duck behavior - in the movie. It's totally a sidebar, but you cannot make ducks shag on command. I'm just saying.

TS: What about the whole history of hysteria being a medical condition?
TW: When I first heard the idea, I was like, "What do you mean it was invented in Victorian times?" I knew about hysteria, but the idea that the treatment was manual [British accent] massage deparaxism - which is what they called it - and, of course, the denial. The most shocking thing is the denial, that they didn't think it was sexual.

TS: Do you think they were really in denial?
TW: No, I don't think that some people were. My college roommate was with her high school boyfriend for two years and she had never had an orgasm. I think there's all kinds of denial, especially with women's sexuality. So the fact that there are young women today who haven't had an orgasm, whether self-induced - which is insane - or with a partner, then why wouldn't we think back then that women wouldn't know what orgasms were?

They would get a massage, and the doctor's saying, "Without a penis, this isn't sex, because sex is about procreation," so what is this? The best physical therapy you've ever had. So once you don't think of it as something other than what the doctor's supposed to do to cure your uncontrollable crying or uncontrollable laughter or whatever, then it's just an awesome muscle spasm. If you don't think women have their own inherent sexuality, then you're not thinking about it like that.

Keep reading for Tanya's thoughts on Fifty Shades and more!

Shop Minted's Amazing Custom Kids' Prints For a Cause!

Kate Stahl — Thu, 24 May 2012 09:27:02 PDT

Minted has been one of our favorite stops for party invitations and holiday cards for some time, but the company's new collection of limited-edition and customizable kids' art has us really flipping out. Minted sources the prints from artists around the world, and all are available in multiple colorways and sizes. Not only are they totally incredible and affordable (most start at $15 to $20), but also, if buy one before the end of May, then 50 percent of your purchase price will go to support for Every Mother Counts, Christy Turlington's advocacy group that promotes global maternal health. Keep clicking to see 10 of our favorite Minted prints, but if they don't inspire you, then there are literally more than a hundred other options to choose from!

Mad Men's 5 Maddest Moments: "Christmas Waltz"

Shannon Vestal — Mon, 21 May 2012 11:38:08 PDT

This week's Mad Men brings back a character we haven't seen in a while, Paul Kinsey, and gives us a look at a relationship between two characters - Joan and Don - who we don't often see interact (but wow, when they do, is it entertaining). Financial problems also start to make Lane Pryce sweat in a subplot that's obviously leading to something far more serious.

The Paul story line kind of feels like a filler-y diversion, but I still liked seeing the old character and getting to see a side of Harry Crane, who's been relegated to being made fun of by Don lately. There are big moments this week I want to discuss, though, so to get to it, just read more.

Brides and Bacne: What to Do

Jenny Sugar — Fri, 18 May 2012 10:30:19 PDT

Everything is going dreamily. You found the perfect wedding gown for the big day. You've been exercising regularly to make sure it fits just right. The problem is, all that sweating you've been doing makes you break out, and not just on your face - on your back and shoulders too.

For starters, do not stop working out. All that exercise is great for relieving stress, and there are many things you can do to prevent bacne from ruining your special day.

Always wear clean workout clothes.
Make sure to wear a sports bra and top that are made of wicking fabric to pull moisture away from your skin. Avoid clothes that don't let your skin breathe.
Take a shower immediately after exercising to wash off sweat and bacteria.
When you shower, use Cetaphil or some other antibacterial cleanser on your back since exfoliating helps unclog blocked pores and get rid of dead skin cells. Use either an exfoliating scrub or bath gloves once a week.
After showering, allow your skin to dry completely and then apply a topical cream that contains either salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide to treat and prevent blemishes. Be careful of bleaching your clothes if you go the benzoyl peroxide route.
If your problem persists or you have severe body acne, make an appointment with a dermatologist.

Easy Ways to Get More From Your Food Budget

LearnVest — Fri, 18 May 2012 05:15:48 PDT

Go the extra mile with your food budget with these tips from LearnVest.

For years, many people - my husband, mom, sister and even my son - told me to stop wasting so much food.

Throwing away half a piece of chicken here or a handful of grapes there never seemed like such a big deal to me. If I was full or no longer in the mood for that particular food, then I had no problem tossing it.

That is, until I experienced a bad case of sticker shock during a recent trip to the supermarket. The cost of bread, eggs, fish - basically everything I was purchasing - had increased. And, according to the USDA, we can expect prices to rise even higher this year.

As I forked over my money and left with only a handful of bags, I realized just how important it is for me to pay more attention to what I spend on food . . . and to confront how much of it I shove down the garbage disposal.

Unfortunately, I'm not the only one with wasteful ways. In 2010, 33 million tons of food was thrown away, according to the US Environmental Protection Agency. Obviously, wasted food means wasted money, but figuring out how to make your grocery budget go further can be a challenge.

To keep more food in your fridge (and more money in your pocket), try these expert tips.

1. Ward Against Freezer Burn

Those large bags or packages of frozen veggies or meat come in handy when you have a large family, but "each time you open a bag of frozen food, air gets in and will cause freezer burn within two to three weeks," says consumer saving expert Andrea Woroch. Freezer burn will dry out the meat and make it less tasty. Woroch suggests going small.

Read on for more.

Marion Cotillard Greets Cannes For Rust and Bone

Molly Goodson — Thu, 17 May 2012 08:53:52 PDT

Marion Cotillard stood beside her handsome costar Matthias Schoenaerts at the press conference and photocall for De Rouille et d'Os (Rust and Bone) at the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France, today. Marion actually filmed the movie, which has her playing a whale trainer, nearby in France. We saw Marion stripped down for intense water scenes for the movie back when they shot it last Fall. Cannes is just the first stop on a crazy Summer ahead for Marion as she promotes The Dark Knight Rises. That promotional tour will kick into high gear soon, but for now she's focusing on this project in the glamorous location. Don't miss our updates from the festival, starting with all the pictures from day one of Cannes!

6 Tips For Dealing With Debt Collectors

Emily Co — Thu, 17 May 2012 03:05:48 PDT

If your bill is long past its due date, then expect the debt collectors to come a-knockin'. Hiding from them and pretending they don't exist is not a good solution; it will only aggravate the problem and make things worse. Dealing with the issue head-on might help you catch a break. Here are a couple tips for dealing with those dreaded debt collectors:

Know your rights. As consumers, we are protected under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act against harassment from debt collectors. There are certain things they aren't supposed to do, such as calling before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m., using abusive language, and repeatedly bothering you with multiple calls.

Talk to them. Don't avoid them. Pick up the phone, start talking, and address the bills you need to pay. Ignoring them may give them grounds to file a lawsuit.

Dispute it. If you don't owe the money, then it is within your rights to send a letter to the collector up to 30 days after you've received notice. In the letter, you should state that you don't think the debt is yours and that they should stop contacting you.

Document it. Take a lot of notes and ask for their permission to record the conversation (in some states, it's illegal to record someone without asking) and start taping on your end. Whether they consent to recording or not, write down the date and time of the call, the representative you spoke to, and the content of your discussion.

Negotiate. If you do owe the debt but can't afford to pay the full amount, then ask if they would be willing to forgive part of it or to set up some sort of payment plan. Before settling the debt, says Natalie Lohrenz, director of counseling at the Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Orange County, consider "first, that a debt usually must be significantly delinquent before a creditor will even consider settling, after your credit has already been negatively affected" and "second, that a settled debt will appear more negative on your credit report than a paid-in-full debt if special arrangements are not made to the contrary."

Get it in writing. Once you have hammered out terms you're satisfied with, get it in writing, either by "them sending you something on their letterhead or you writing it out and sending it to them for a signature," says Lohrenz. If you pay a settlement before you have it in writing, then "you've lost all your bargaining power." That's because debt collectors can backtrack and claim that they never agreed to settling.