BuzzSugar

Buzz Gift Guide: Best of 2008 For Gals

BuzzSugar — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 08:30:45 PST

Welcome back to my Buzz Gift Guide series for all the entertainment lovers in your life. Yesterday I sifted through the stacks (er, Web pages) of music, DVDs, and books to find some of the best 2008 has to offer dudes. Today I will share with you some 2008 entertainment gift ideas for the ladies.

It's no secret how much I love Jenny Lewis and I will be spreading the gospel this year by handing out her newest album Acid Tongue to my girlfriends (or at least including her songs on the mix CDs I'll make this holiday season). I'll also be giving out Aimee Mann's newest album, as I think it's pretty awesome.

It was a good year for books: I read both The Opposite of Love by Julie Buxbaum and Certain Girls by Jennifer Weiner and would definitely recommend them. In the movies department, might I suggest the hilarious Baby Mama or Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day on DVD?

Since I watch more TV than most people I know, I use the holidays to not-so-subtly suggest to friends what I know they would love, like 30 Rock or Greek. And many of my friends have grown to love Lipstick Jungle, so it would be a treat for them to receive the show's first season on DVD.

A couple more ideas below, so have fun scrolling on through.

Check out HolidaySugar for all of our holiday coverage and gift guides.

Movie News: Vampires, Legends, Oprah, Tonto, and More

BuzzSugar — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 14:30:01 PDT

It's a busy time for Tinseltown:

Another 20-something city girl: Anne Hathaway will play the lead role in the film version of a book I really enjoyed: The Opposite of Love. The movie is about "a commitment-phobic attorney who finds her well-constructed life coming apart at the seams when she rebuffs her ready-for-marriage boyfriend."
Before I was legend: Well, it's official - Will Smith will reprise his role as Dr. Robert Neville in an I Am Legend prequel. This movie "will cover the final days of humanity in New York City before a man-made virus creates a plague that wipes out the population, leaving Neville alone with the mutated inhabitants."
What's the latest in vampire news, Buzz?: Funny you should ask! Cloverfield director Matt Reeves's next project is a "vampire tale" titled Let the Right One In, a remake of a Swedish film about "a young boy who befriends a female neighbor who moves to town." I bet she's not your ordinary neighbor.
More vampires, not so much movie related: Mostly I'm just excited about this news because it's about Guillermo del Toro (yay!!) who "is collaborating with crime author Chuck Hogan on a trilogy of vampire novels, starting next Summer with The Strain. I love that guy (del Toro, not Chuck Hogan).

Depp, Oprah, and Jonathan Rhys Meyers news if you

Book Review: The Opposite of Love

BuzzSugar — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 14:35:00 PDT

Here at Sugar HQ we were sent a copy of Julie Buxbaum's novel The Opposite of Love kinda out of nowhere, which was fine by me because I ultimately found it to be a refreshing take on the "young professional Manhattanite struggles with her job, family and love life!" story that seems to be churned out by the thousands. And now it looks like some folks at Twentieth Century Fox were perhaps on the same mailing list, as they just optioned the rights to make The Opposite of Love into a movie.

The story is told from the viewpoint of Emily Haxby, a 29-year-old lawyer living in New York who experiences a paralyzing fear of commitment and breaks up with her longtime boyfriend Andrew just before he proposes to her.

At first glance, I had to roll my eyes, thinking this might be yet another whitewashed version of "living the high life in New York City" in which everyone's job is glamorous and fun, the friendships are always easy and all the protagonist's troubles spin out of her romantic misadventures which she obsesses over ad nauseum. That fluffy stuff can be fun, but these days I just crave something a little more interesting. Thankfully, The Opposite of Love surprised me in how, well, opposite it is. To find out what I mean,

read more. Emily's job is far from glamorous; it's soul-crushing on a day-to-day basis and rife with sexual harassment. In fact, she makes some bold decisions about her career that not everyone would make (and certainly not the money-hungry protagonists of many NYC-set novels) and that make me want to cheer. Her inner life is a jumbled knot of conflicting emotions. Having lost her mother to cancer as a teenager, she's wary of love and commitment. Her relationship with her father is distant at best, often leaving her feeling alone. Her closest relative is her grandfather who is slowly succumbing to Alzheimer's, which only intensifies her sense of loneliness. She deeply craves advice and support from her elders (especially an older ex-judge named Ruth who lives next door to Emily's grandfather), and sometimes receives it. After all this, her romantic situation is like a tragic casualty of her inner turmoil, which is just plain sad - but at the same time relateable and wonderfully realistic. The best part: it's funny. Not fall-down-guffawing funny, but wry and self-aware and silly and sarcastic. I really came to care about Emily Haxby and wished we could be friends in real life. It's not the most powerful piece of literature ever, and I think your enjoyment of it will depend on your feelings toward Emily, but because I liked her so much, The Opposite of Love was a great read. It's light enough for the beach, but interesting and "real" enough to keep you invested. It'll make a good movie, but it's worth reading before you see Emily on the big screen.

13 Geekiest Pickup Lines

Kristy Korcz — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 05:05:16 PST

Geeks are generally stereotyped as socially awkward with an inability to strike up a conversation with the opposite sex. These 13 geekiest pickup lines, compiled from McSweeney's Ineffective Pickup Lines For the Modern Internet Persona and our GeekSugar community, might just prove that fact. Pro tip: you might not want to use these when trying to score a Valentine's Day date.

Have you ever heard a totally geeky pickup line at a tech conference, geek convention, or meet-up? Share them with us in the comments!

"Do you come here often? I do. I’m the Foursquare mayor, actually, which means I come here more than anyone else. That reminds me, I need to check in . . . "
"My Klout score is an 83, which makes me a Thought Leader. There’s a lot of pressure to stay relevant and forward thinking, when you’re that influential. A few subpar tweets and I could be downgraded to Specialist. I mean, not that there’s anything wrong with being a Specialist . . . You’re not a Specialist, are you?"
"My US Alexa ranking is 22K, which is fairly impressive for a blog about soft cheeses. It’s not always smooth sailing, though. It can be difficult coming up with compelling content. Brie sort of loses its luster after a few years, you know?"

Check out the GeekSugar Community's favorite science-loving pickup lines after the break.

Why Does Coffee Make You Have to "Go"?

FitSugar — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 21:49:32 PST

Sipping on a hot cup of coffee in the morning is one of my simple pleasures. Not only does it offer some "me time," but I love the rich flavor, and the fact that it gives me an extra pep in my step. Millions of people drink coffee for the exact same reasons, but what they may not know is that drinking joe helps relieve muscle pain as well as improves memory and that it may help prevent skin cancer while also decreasing the risk of liver cancer.

These are all great reasons to enjoy a daily cup of java, but many people also love coffee because it makes them "go," and by that I mean more than an energy rush. Keep reading to see why a java jolt helps the final stages of the digestion process.

Hilary Duff's High-Energy Prenatal Piloxing Workout

Self — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 04:39:32 PST

We are pumped to share one of our favorite stories from Self here on FitSugar!

Some women may take it easy during their last trimester, but Hilary Duff isn't the type to let her workouts slide just because she's eating for two. The singer-actress may be seven months pregnant, but according to her trainer of eight years, Vivica Jensen, she's still staying fit with biweekly Piloxing sessions. "Piloxing is the first fitness program that blends the best of Pilates, boxing, and dance into a high-energy, hour-long interval workout," says Jensen, who created the hybrid class. "I put a lot of focus into balance and alignment, which can be thrown off when you're pregnant. You also get a great cardio workout, and the boxing element tones your arms and legs."

Although Jensen has tweaked Duff's workouts to accommodate her pregnancy, she's quick to point out that the mom-to-be is no slouch in the gym. "Since Hilary was already in good shape, she's able to do everything but at her own pace with a few modifications like taking more breaks to drink water and catch her breath when her heart rate goes up and not doing advanced ab exercises," says Jensen.

As her due date draws near, the former Lizzie McGuire star is also preparing her body for the hardships of labor. That means plenty of arm, leg, chest, and core exercises. "For now, I'm focusing on her core muscles because I want those muscles intact so she has an easier delivery," says Jensen. Just don't expect Mrs. Comrie to stay bedridden for very long since "Hilary loves being healthy and has always been very active. Once she gets the OK from her doctor, we're really going to kick it up a notch," says Jensen. "She's tough with amazing form, so I'm able to work her hard and really kick her butt!"

Want to stay fit throughout all nine months of your pregnancy (or even if you're not eating for two!)? Incorporate four moves into your regular workout routine to get buff like Duff. Read on for the moves.

Suits Star Patrick Adams Talks Love, Lawyers, and His Stroke of Luck

Lindsay Miller — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 13:28:39 PST

Patrick Adams has much to celebrate. Not only did the star of Suits just earn a SAG Award nomination for his role as the smart-but-calculating Mike Ross, but his new series Luck makes its official premiere this Sunday! The actor stopped by PopSugar's LA studio recently to talk about what's ahead for Mike's messy love life and increasingly precarious career on season two of his USA series, and to give us a preview of his role on Luck, in which he acts opposite Hollywood heavyweights like Dustin Hoffman. He also divulged a story about a part he took in an effort to romance his now girlfriend, Pretty Little Liars star Troian Bellisario. Be sure to catch Patrick on upcoming episodes of Luck, which premieres Sunday on HBO at 9 p.m., and on Suits when it makes its return to the airwaves in mid March!

How to Get Rihanna's Rock-Hard Abs

Shape — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 04:32:58 PST

We are excited to share one of our fave stories from Shape here on FitSugar.

Rihanna is one hot singing sensation. Having recently been named the best-selling digital artist of all time - thanks to a whopping 47.5 million downloads of her hits - the sexy songstress is also a top contender for album of the year at this year’s Grammy Awards.

But not only does the Barbadian beauty know how to rock a stage, she also rocks a bikini, too! No stranger to showin’ off some skin, getting that taut and tight tummy definitely takes work.

The Top 10 Best-Dressed Stars at the Golden Globes

That’s where inspirational fitness expert extraordinaire Ary Nuñez comes in; she’s been training the artist hard for almost four years. “We focus on the core muscles and we do a ton of repetitions,” Nuñez says.

See Rihanna's ab workout after the break.

Golden Globes Afterparty: Jamie Chung

FabSugar — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 22:26:54 PST

Jamie Chung channeled the California girl vibe at tonight's afterparty, opting for an easy-breezy shift dress and cool-girl accoutrements. We love how she plays opposites against her nude-hued party frock with rainbow-bright platform heels, a bold red lip, and gorgeous long waves to dress it up. What do you think?

Vote on all of our Golden Globe Awards polls here!

Ruth Reichl: "American Food Is the Best in the World Right Now"

Susannah Chen — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 11:23:06 PST

This weekend, food artisans from around the country are being honored in the second annual Good Food Awards, which celebrate American food producers who enhance the country's agricultural landscape and help to build community. While the awards are relatively new to the gastronomic landscape, they're already backed by some of the country's biggest food influencers, such as Whole Foods, and seminal culinary figures, like Ruth Reichl.
Ruth is currently the editorial adviser at Gilt Taste, another cosponsor of this weekend's Good Food Awards. The author, former New York Times food critic, and final Gourmet editor sat down with me over dinner at Mission Chinese Food to talk more about good food and future projects.

YumSugar: Tell me about the partnership between Gilt Taste and the Good Food Awards. How did it come about?
Ruth Reichl: I've known Sarah [Weiner, the director] for a long time, and we've been talking about this for a long time. When I went to Gilt Taste, it just seemed like a seamless, natural partnership, finding and supporting food artisans in America.

YS: You're the keynote speaker at this year's Good Food Awards. What kind of a legacy do these awards create?
RR: It's hard for younger people to understand how bad things were in America, a time when all food was essentially industrial. There were no farmers markets. I have an interview with Wolfgang Puck that I did in 1982 where he goes, "Six years ago, there was no decent food in America." Now, there's this explosion of farmers markets, and while so much of the world is abandoning their food heritage, Americans are reclaiming theirs before it gets lost . . . We have these two completely parallel, simultaneous, and opposite tracks: on the one hand, people with money who eat organic, sustainable, handmade food. But if you're a poor person, you're stuck eating stuff that's cheaper than food and that will kill you. Food safety in this country becomes a worse and worse issue; we import more and more food; 80 percent of the antibiotics in this country go to perfectly healthy animals. We have a real crisis on the one hand - and on the other hand, we have, for the first time, an awareness of it. Which is quite stunning.

I really do think American food is the best in the world right now, because of the people making the kind of food that goes to the Good Food Awards. We have to nurture it, and make sure that it doesn't just stay with us in this little enclave.

YS: There's movement toward eating a plant-based diet. What do you think of that?

To find out her answer, keep reading.

The Opposite of Love: Julie Buxbaum ($16.50)	Break Up the Concrete: The Pretenders ($11.99)
Acid Tongue: Jenny Lewis ($12.49)	Certain Girls: A Novel: Jennifer Weiner ($17.79)
@#%&*! Smilers: Aimee Mann ($13.99)	Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day ($12.99)
Baby Mama ($17.99)	Greek - Chapter One ($19.99)
30 Rock: Season 2 ($25.99)	Lipstick Jungle - Season One ($24.99)