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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No Headphones? 5 Ways to Entertain Yourself on the Treadmill

Leta Shy — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 02:44:44 PST

I love running on the treadmill, but let's be honest: it's not the most entertaining workout. I usually distract myself from counting down the minutes with a good playlist, audiobook, or tuning in to the gym's TVs. When I forget to take my running headphones, however, I have to entertain myself in an entirely different way. Here are some ways to keep yourself entertained (not to mention motivated!) when you can't do your normal headphones-on, tune-everything-out routine.

Change up your intervals: You should be doing this anyway once you've mastered your current workout, but if you're used to going through the motions, now's the time to change your intervals or the speed of your high-intensity runs.
Take a fit test: See how fast you can run in a set period - say, five minutes - without stopping (make sure you don't overdo it, though - stay at a level where you don't feel short of breath, lightheaded, or dizzy). Doing a fit test regularly is a good way to gauge your progress if you've been running regularly and if it's time to pick up the pace. Plus you may be surprised by just how fast you can really go!

Read on for more.

Reese Witherspoon Trades Her Sexy Premiere Night For a Casual Afternoon

Lauren Turner — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 15:52:52 PST

Reese Witherspoon threw on a printed skirt and navy sweater to run errands in Brentwood today. She was out and about following a fun night at the premiere of This Means War yesterday. Reese wore a strapless Miu Miu dress for the occasion and stopped to sign autographs and chat with fans before heading into the screening. Her leading men Tom Hardy and Chris Pine were also on hand as was costar and pal Chelsea Handler. The movie hits select theaters next Tuesday, just in time for Valentine's Day. It'll be Reese's first romantic holiday with her husband, Jim Toth, since the two tied the knot last March. There are plenty of great Valentine's Day gift ideas and recipes across the network so don't miss out!

From the Fit Community: Leave Your Phone at Home When You Work Out

Fit Community — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 02:25:08 PST

FitSugar reader JessicaSmithTV wants you to know: you're hurting your workout when you bring your cell phone into the equation. She shared her three reasons you should stay cell phone-free at the gym in our 10 Pounds Down! community group.

1. It’s hurting your workout (and could cause you to get hurt)

If you can text or talk on the phone during any part of your workout, you aren’t working hard enough. Exercise requires a mind/body connection (yes, even the time you spend on the treadmill) and your cell phone seriously disrupts the communication signals between your mind and your body.

Even if you think you are the most talented texter, or multitasker to ever walk the earth, don’t kid yourself - many studies have shown cell phone distraction as even worse than being drunk – so if you wouldn’t run that mile, take that spin class or do Pilates totally wasted, then your phone shouldn’t be out during your workout. Not paying attention during exercise is dangerous and can cause you to hurt yourself - in a big way. Not to mention, it slows you down! Even if you stop to text in between exercises, you are slowing down your flow - and your heart rate. Not a good way to get results.

Read more reasons for keeping your cell phone at home after the break.

In Defense of the Chronically Late Mom

BabyCenter — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 10:01:11 PST

We're excited to share this post from our partners at BabyCenter! Every week, we will be bringing you the best parenting and lifestyle stories from the experts at BabyCenter, including this post from Betsy Shaw about being late for school.

If I were to wear a scarlet letter it would be T.

T for tardy. T for turd ball. T for totally inept mother.

We are late for school with such alarming regularity it’s embarrassing. The last time we were on time, after a mini snowstorm that excited my children enough to urge them into their snowsuits and outside at 6:30 a.m., we got to school five minutes early to find it dark and empty. Delayed opening. I was apparently the only mother who didn’t get the memo.

Calling Charlie Brown…

Being late for school brings up a vicious brew of conflicting emotion in me. On the one hand I just don’t care. Life is short. Far too short to risk traumatizing your children with a bullwhip and terrorizing morning walkers and squirrels, not to mention my own white-knuckled children, speeding our way to school like Toad on a motorcar bender each weekday morning.

On the other hand I am ashamed, deeply embarrassed, to be “that mom.” All the other moms can do it, even the single ones. Why. Can’t. I? What’s wrong with me?

I complained about this once to a woman from South Carolina who I met on my Guatemala trip and she told me her school started at 7:30. She also made it clear her kids were never late.

Never late.

Keep reading for more of Betsy's reasoning for being late.

Glee-ful Highlights From Episode "The Spanish Teacher"

Shannon Vestal — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 09:01:05 PST

Glee goes Latin this week when guest star Ricky Martin stops by to shake it and teach Mr. Schue a thing about Spanish (which, despite being a Spanish teacher, he does not know). A couple more people find out about Finn and Rachel's engagement, though Mercedes and Sam are still far more unclear about their relationship. Sue also announces a highly frightening desire to be a mother while clawing at the chance to be a tenured teacher.

There are some fun numbers this week, but they couldn't distract from the fact that this episode is all over the place. A couple of the subplots are just plain ridiculous, but it's not totally without its highlights, so let's go over them after the jump.

Adventures in Ingredients: Indian Bitter Melon

Camilla Salem — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 14:10:57 PST

To me, Berkeley Bowl is a sacred place worthy of a weekly pilgrimage. Perhaps the ultimate food-lover's grocery store, this massive Berkeley, CA, food emporium carries a huge selection of goods from around the world, and at great prices. I consider it a must stop for friends visiting the Bay Area, so why not share my adventures?

The most remarkable part of the store is probably the produce, which is clearly labeled to identify where each item comes from. The international and bulk sections offer never-ending inspiration, the meats and seafoods offer countless options and price points, and I always find myself mesmerized by fruits and vegetables from around the world that I've never seen before.

Case in point: Indian bitter melon. I grabbed five or six of these a week ago in an effort to learn about new exotic foods. Knowing nothing at all, I selected these purely based on the fact that they seemed sort of reptilian and would be fun to photograph. As the days went on (and as the bitter melon sat in the crisper drawer of my refrigerator), I became more hesitant, not sure what I was thinking.

Finally, I braved up, opened my computer, and did a little research. As it turns out, Indian bitter melon, or karela, is a commonly cooked vegetable in Indian cuisine. It's described all over the Internet as an "acquired taste," and apparently soaking it in salt water helps to remove some of the bitterness. I found recipes for stuffing and sautéing with various spices. The health benefits of this strange vegetable are plentiful, particularly in managing diabetes, and typically, I can convince myself to like anything if it's good for me.

To find out what I did with these and what I thought of them, keep reading.

Gas Prices Are Up! What You Can Do to Save

Emily Co — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 13:20:33 PST

Unrest in the Middle East and the closing of American refineries have gas prices going up, up, and away for US consumers. Analysts are predicting that the prices may continue to rise.

But don't worry, there are a number of methods to save on refueling your car. Here are some tips:

Spend to Save: Look for deals around you that will help you save on your gas. For example, you can choose to frequent wholesale stores like Costco, which will give you a little bit of cash back on Costco gas. If you're a real gas guzzler, check out this full list of gas rebate cards on CreditCards.com.
Don't Top It Off: Topping off your gas may result in a higher gas bill, because you might be paying for gas that goes back into the station's tanks after your gas tank is full, says the Environmental Protection Agency. You can also ruin your car's vapor recovery system if there is no room for the gas to expand in your tank.
Smooth Trip: Starting and stopping excessively can shorten the life of your engine, transmission, brakes, and tires. Go easy on your braking and accelerating. Remember to also turn off your engine if you know you'll be waiting for a long while. Staying put without moving means you're getting 0 miles per gallon.

For more gas-saving tips, read on.

Eva Mendes on Feeling "Creatively Satisfied" With Ryan Gosling, Her Insecurities, and More in Marie Claire

Lauren Turner — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 09:02:09 PST

Eva Mendes looks glamorous in a jeweled top on the cover of Marie Claire's March issue. The actress has been busy with multiple projects, including Girl in Progress, which hits theaters in April, and Holly Motors, though much of her headline making is due to boyfriend Ryan Gosling. The duo worked together on The Place Beyond the Pines last year and have been spotted sharing romantic dates in Paris, Disneyland, and around LA since. Eva touched on working with Ryan, her own insecurities, and how she gets her glowing skin. Here's more from Eva Mendes in Marie Claire:

On working with Ryan Gosling: "He’s your dream costar. I have never felt so creatively satisfied on a film."
On her diet and workout routine: "I run four to five times a week, mixing it up among distance running, intervals on a track, and running uphill on a treadmill. I don't eat meat and stopped eating chicken - my skin has gotten a lot better."
On her body image: "What I tell girls is what they don’t like about themselves now, they will probably end up loving as an adult, because that’s what happened to me. When I am complimented on things that I didn’t like when I was 13, like my overbite and my mole, that’s when you realize that your imperfections are why people love you."

Rachel Zoe Adds Jewelry and Cozy Accessories to Her Growing Brand

Chi Diem Chau — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 09:37:49 PST

Rachel Zoe is a busy woman, juggling The Rachel Zoe Project (which has not yet been renewed for season five), her signature Rachel Zoe collection, a line for QVC, 10-month-old baby Skyler, and a new television production company called Rachel Zoe Productions - but that's not stopping her from doing more. Zoe has plans to launch two new categories to her signature line: costume jewelry and cold-weather accessories. Highlighting her love for vintage baubles, Zoe's jewelry line is art-deco inspired, highlighting tassel necklaces and earrings along with a "Love Me Knots” category, with knot-embellished hoop earrings, cuff bracelets, and necklaces priced between $195 and $695.

Zoe's cold-weather accessories are set to include real and faux fur hats, hoods, scarves, gloves, and statement-making stoles. "I have this obsession with what women wear in Russia," said Zoe. "The funny thing is that I don't know because I've never been there. But it's what I dream about." The jewelry collection will be exclusively available at Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman in stores and online; availability on the cold-weather accessories is still not determined. Check out the slideshow to see the collection, plus some of our favorite pieces from her latest Spring collection for QVC.