BuzzSugar

What Will William Shatner Name His My Little Pony?

BuzzSugar — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 10:32:46 PDT

This AP story first caught my eye because the headline is so funny - especially with the image of a My Little Pony: "Sunshine, rainbows, James Spader?"

Sunshine, rainbows, James Spader, indeed. Apparently, cast members of Boston Legal (does this TV show choice seems random to you, too?) will design My Little Ponies to be auctioned off for the Give Kids The World charity "as part of a celebration of the toy's 25th anniversary." Who else is designing ponies? To find out,

Spader and his costars on the show, Candice Bergen and William Shatner will contribute designs, along with a smattering of others: LeAnn Rimes, Deborah Gibson (another iconic presence from my youth!), actor Danny Aiello, Spanish illustrator Catalina Estrada, "New York graffiti artist-turned-designer Claw Money and Japanese manga artist Junko Mizuno."

The AP goes on to explain My Little Ponies:

The pastel-colored ponies - with names like Rainbow Dash and Daybreak - usually sport decorations on their hind quarters, often of hearts, balloons or stars. The celebrities and artists were given blank, 18-inch versions of the usually 4-inch-tall ponies to decorate, Hasbro spokesman Dan Benkwitt said.

Did you used to play with My Little Ponies? What do you think will end up on Shatner's pony's hind quarters?

And finally, I must note here that, upon reading this news, CitizenSugar (who gets to Sugar HQ way earlier than any of the rest of us) quipped: "I hear the NIH classified ponies as the key to 'whinny-ing' the war on illness!" Ha. Ha ha.

Brad Meltzer Talks About His New Heroes For My Daughter

Rebecca M Gruber — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 03:11:19 PDT

"Where's my book?" In the two years since Brad Meltzer released Heroes For My Son, that's what the New York Times best-selling author has heard over and over from his daughter. Now, just a month before Mother's Day, Brad reaches out to his daughter and mothers everywhere with Heroes For My Daughter.

In his new book, the father of three profiles 56 people who he believes are worthy of the hero title. The collection of biographies and photographs spans Amelia Earhart and Lucille Ball to Mahatma Gandhi and Judy Blume. He's also introducing a line of inspirational clothing pieces featuring caricatures of the heroes. I recently spoke with the author about the new book; here's what he had to say.

LilSugar: Are there any crossovers between the heroes you picked for your son and the ones you have selected for your daughter?
Brad Meltzer: I did 50 brand-new heroes for my daughter. But there were six heroes that I felt were worth repeating from Heroes For My Son - a sort of hall of fame that I felt needed to be there for my daughter: Rosa Parks, Amelia Earhart, Abraham Lincoln, Gandhi, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Lucille Ball. Plus, I again included my mom. C'mon. It's my mom!

LS: What were the criteria you used to make your selections? What did it take for them to "make the cut"?
BM: To pick a hero, it's like the Supreme Court definition of pornography: you know it when you see it. But in the book, there's one thing every hero has in common. They all had to do this: help someone. Some people help thousands of people directly, like Marie Curie or Susan B. Anthony. Others help us by inspiring us, like Amelia Earhart. But you do have to help someone.

It’s the dream that links every single hero I picked for her. As I now often tell my daughter Lila, no matter what stage of life you're in, when you want something - no matter how impossible it seems - you need to fight for it. When you believe in something, fight for it. And when you see injustice, fight harder than you've ever fought before.

Keep reading for more about Brad's picks, including some little-known facts about the heroes.

Holiday Wish Lists: Practical or Tacky?

LearnVest — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 00:15:58 PST

We're thrilled to present this smart LearnVest story here on Savvy!

Ah, the wish list.

It made a lovely debut when we were little, often addressed to a certain Mr. Claus. It had a good run for a few years, but retired itself in adulthood as the stuff of kids and dreams (with the exception of weddings and babies, when they take on the adult guise of “registry”).

And now that we are adults, wish lists (outside of those socially acceptable registries) are at best silly and at worst mercenary, right? That’s what many think.

Are We Becoming More Mercenary?

A recent New York Times story discussed the recent trend of the wish list-it’s back, along with more mercenary attitudes towards gift-giving, like a desire for gift cards instead of actual gifts. (According to the story, for the last five years, gift cards have been the most requested gift, according to National Retail Foundation surveys.) A study released earlier this year showed that people who receive gifts they had requested actually derive more pleasure from them and appreciate them more.

Read on for more on wishlists.

Brain-Boosting Breakfast: Marcus Samuelsson's Power-Packed Morning Smoothie

Rebecca M Gruber — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 08:55:31 PDT

Our mouthwatering Brain-Boosting Breakfast series continues with celebrity chefs and restaurateurs creating healthy, brain-boosting breakfast ideas to help keep kids going throughout the day. Today's quick breakfast for on-the-go families comes from Marcus Samuelsson, one of the most celebrated chefs in America, winner of the second season of Top Chef Masters, and owner of Harlem's acclaimed Red Rooster restaurant.

Marcus Samuelsson knows a few things about taste. Born in Ethiopia and raised in Sweden, he's mastered the art of mixing unusual flavors to create tastes that simply make mouths and stomachs happy. For his award-winning cookbook, New American Table ($27), Chef Samuelsson spent time working his way through local farms and kitchens across America to create new dishes for the entire family. A longtime supporter of charities that help give children a healthy start, such as UNICEF and the World Childhood Foundation, the chef is offering up an avocado-banana smoothie recipe to give kids a quick brain boost before heading off to school.

This is a great healthy breakfast option, as it's filling and nutritious; plus, kids dig the green color of the drink. It's inspired by the Indian drink lassi and is sure to be a family favorite.

Keep reading for Marcus Samuelsson's quick and easy Avocado-Banana Smoothie recipe.

Drew Barrymore Shares Her Special Connection to Kenya With Condé Nast Traveler

Lindsay Miller — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 12:52:10 PDT

Drew Barrymore graces the cover of Condé Nast Traveler's September Visionaries issue in a photograph captured during her recent trip to Kenya. The actress invited the magazine to join her on the journey and opens up about her connection to the country in the pages of the glossy. Drew visited Africa this Summer to follow up on the progress of the Drew Barrymore Education Project, which she cofounded in 2009 with the World Food Program. The residents of Kiltamany village greeted the actress by dressing her in traditional garb, including a cowhide dress and an ornate beaded collar. Drew's efforts have already made a marked difference in their lives - especially for women and girls. The Education Project helped fund the creation of a solar-powered well in town, which means the villagers no longer have to make a dangerous four-hour trek for water. The new water source has even given girls more free time to regularly attend school. Drew reflects on what she has in common with the Kenyans she spent time with and why philanthropy is so important to her in the article. Here are some highlights:

On small efforts making big differences: "It's amazing to me that the kids mention professions which involve helping others, that they are naturally philanthropic. People can feel unconfident about sending money into the void of a charity. But when you find something like this that speaks to your heart, it gives you the courage to look beyond your own problems and take the first small steps to try as an individual to make an impact."
On how much Kenyan kids value school: "I was really moved. I never went to school myself. I was doing a job and didn't have a kids life. I wanted to learn more about why these kids were so passionate, walking so far and overfilling their classrooms."
On her tip for tourists: "Travelers should look at the harsh realities of a place but balance that with seeking its beauty. It's important to acknowledge the reality of how the world functions but also to keep a sense of hope."
On feeling awkward during her early visits to Kenya: "I didn't want to be on a soapbox, this Westerner living in a bubble, so on the first trip I was a little nervous. I asked questions and listened a lot . . ."

Is Child-Free the Way to Be?

LearnVest — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 00:15:15 PDT

We're thrilled to present this smart LearnVest story here on Savvy!

First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes . . . a jet-setting lifestyle, a novel and posh townhouse in London.

For Sonja Lewis, an expat in her 40s, there was never a carriage, stroller or burp cloth. Or childcare. Or school tuition. Instead, Sonja opted out of the idea that all women need children in order to be fulfilled and complete - and now wants to tell the tale.

In her new novel The Barreness, Lewis explores the fraught and emotional territory of going child-free. We called up this Georgia-born journalist and writer in her current home in London - where she happily lives with her husband-and asked her all the questions you’d be too polite to ask.

Why did you write this novel?

I guess you could say I got married late (about 37 or 38) and became obsessed with whether I would have children. And I eventually concluded that being a mother wasn’t the right thing for me.

The previous generation seemed to stereotype non-mothers as selfish, hardcore people, and I wanted to make it clear that women can be fulfilled without becoming mothers. Exploring the subject in the form of a novel gives me free range in how I approach it.

Why did you decide not to have children?

You have to consider the commitment; it’s a lifetime role. As much as I love children, when it really became a viable option for me, the financial commitment, the personal commitment, everything I had to take into consideration . . . It just didn’t make sense.

For more on a child-free lifestyle, read on.