BuzzSugar

What to Download: New Music on iTunes

BuzzSugar — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 15:34:20 PDT

Tuesdays are big in entertainmentville: Not only do all the new DVD releases hit Netflix, but new music also pours into stores, including iTunes. So I take a spin through each week's iTunes music releases and pick out some albums and tracks worthy of a download. Here are today's selections:

My heroes: The Gym Class Heroes' new album is a little less edgy than previous LPs (sounds like they've started to enter Black Eyed Peas territory) but I'm still digging it. Probably not worth downloading the whole thing but their duet with Estelle, "Guilty as Charged" is great and I love that Busta Rhymes shows up on "Peace Sign/Index Down"!

Just a little bit country: Well, J Simp's first country album has arrived and the reviews are lukewarm. Idolator has a helpful round-up of reviews but even the Houston Chronicle described it as "mostly generic Nashville flavor." From what I've heard so far I wouldn't say it's bad, just not great. The song "Remember That" contains some powerful vocals and it's clear her heart and soul are in it when she belts the lyrics to "Might As Well Be Making Love." It's mostly when she has some Dixie Chick-like girl power oomph behind her lyrics that she's at her best, and has me (more or less) sold on her country transformation.

Two more good ones up next so

read more. Reflections on being in a band: The new Okervill River album is pretty great. So I downloaded the whole thing. I adore the gritty, crooning vocals of Will Sheff and am enjoying the diversity of these new songs. For example, "Singer Songwriter" sounds like a great traditional rock song, whereas "Pop Lie" sounds very new wave complete with claps. I've talked about "Lost Coastlines" before, but it's worth a reminder to download it because it's so good (it's one of my jogging songs!).
Cocktail party: I read that this new Calexico album was meant as a "travelogue about a Los Angeles scribe on a road trip during the recent Writers Guild strike" which is neato, but it's so pretty and atmospheric I keep thinking this is exactly what I'd put on in the background of a dinner party. The Latin flavor in "Inspiracion" is quirky and fun and "House of Valparaiso" is gorgeous.

BuzzSugar's Must Haves for September

BuzzSugar — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 05:45:53 PDT

All right, September is here! Let the good times roll! I know that sounds awfully cheery given the end of Summer, but from an entertainment perspective, this time of year is exciting. For my must haves this month I chose a book that intrigues me, several albums coming out from some of my favorite artists, a bunch of TV shows that will be out on DVD, and one of the most anticipated movies of the year that's soon to be yours to own! Ready for Fall? Just hit "Start."

Source

Ask Whitney's Chris D'Elia Your Dating and Valentine's Day Questions!

Annie Scudder — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 10:30:40 PST

If you watch Whitney, you know Chris D'Elia as Whit's shaggy-haired, live-in boyfriend Alex, a web entrepreneur who's either driving Whit crazy or making her laugh (and sometimes both). And if you follow Chris on Twitter, you know the stand-up comedian can be quite entertaining in 140 characters or less. Just in time for Valentine's Day, Chris is going to answer our readers' dating and relationship questions. You can ask Chris for his take on Valentine's Day gifts men will actually like, creative ways to enjoy the day if you're single, or for advice on dating, love, and everything else awkward and amusing about male and female relationships. We'll be taking your questions today and sending them to Chris. Just ask away in the comments and stay tuned for the answers next week!

Photos courtesy of NBC

Love Your Lower Half: Your Go-To Wardrobe and Workout

Fitness Magazine — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 04:15:16 PST

We are excited to share one of our fave stories from Fitness Magazine here on FitSugar!

We've been thinking a lot about our backsides the past few months here at Fitness, as our team put together part one of our "Body Lab" to help you get a butt that defies gravity (see the February issue for more!).

While we work hard in the gym to sculpt a better behind, we don't complain when we get a little help from a particularly flattering pair of pants. The minute we slipped on the GapFit gFast Color Binding Leggings ($60, gap.com), we fell in love with their comfy fit and cute colors. And after testing them out in a strength class at David Barton Gym to celebrate GapFit's new line, we knew they would be mainstays in our workout wardrobes. The fabric is just thick enough for cool morning runs, but doesn't feel too heavy for the gym.

If you're feeling a bit timid about rocking these leggings, add these three moves from David Barton Gym trainer Meka to your workout three times each week, and soon you'll be loving your rear view! Get the details on these booty-toning exercises after the break.

Can You Cash in on Facebook's $5 Billion IPO?

Emily Co — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 00:15:10 PST

Everyone's buzzing about the Facebook IPO, and after hearing about how many billionaires and millionaires the IPO will create, you might think that it's your chance to make money off this cash cow. But first, you need to educate yourself.

What's the deal about IPOs?

Facebook used to be a private company, which means its shares were not sold to the public. Once a firm goes public, it's on the stock market and it sells a part of itself to outside investors who can afford it. The term for going public is also known as an IPO or initial public offering.

Why would a company go public?

A company that sells shares to outside investors can stand to raise a lot of money. Current estimates of the Facebook IPO are at $5 billion. Companies can do a lot with the capital raised - they can use it to pay down long-term obligations, fund new opportunities, and even acquire competitors. Further, initial private investors who wish to exit can now sell their shares to public investors.

Read to find out about buying Facebook shares.

11 Rules to Dramatically Increase Your Productivity

Wise Bread — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 15:35:04 PST

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

There's a problem with a lot of productivity advice out there, and it's this - your "rules" for personal productivity are often going to be different than mine. Sure, sometimes there's overlap. Sure, you can always learn from others.

But if you want to see a dramatic increase in your productivity, spend less time reading and memorizing other people's rules, and more time figuring out what your own rules are. You'll be more productive and in a way that works with who you are.

So I'm sharing a few of my personal productivity rules. Maybe some of them will work for you or inspire you to think of your own.

1. Small Daily Movements Become Big Accomplishments

I tend to think that I must have big blocks of time in order to get any forward movement. So I hesitate and procrastinate, waiting for that "open time" when I can really push and get a lot done on whatever the current project is.

Turns out, that's a waste of time. Small daily movements add up. It's just that the movements or steps themselves are so small, I think they don't count. They do.

I have to constantly remind myself that I don't need a whole day or a whole week to devote to some project. I just need to take the 10 or 20 minutes I have here and there and use them. I need to achieve a little bit of forward movement every day. That adds up, and it builds momentum, and pretty soon there's been quite a lot accomplished.

For more rules, read after the jump.

Pretty Pink Pieces For Your Valentine's Day Table

Elka Karl — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 04:00:15 PST

It's the perfect time of the year to go pastel pink. Don't let your Valentine's Day party decorations or front door have all the fun - embellish your tabletop with some inspired pink pieces as well.

For a subtle blush of pink, start with the Rosanna Classique Glass in Pink ($55 for a set of 4, top row, left). Created from vintage molds from the early 20th century, they'd be perfect for showcasing a Valentine's Day punch for a stay-at-home romantic dinner.

Add a soft glow to your table with the Floral Hurricane Candleholder ($5, middle row, left). Don't have time to grab a bouquet for your table? The frosted floral detailing on this candleholder can serve as a stand-in for fresh blooms.

For a romantic country touch, set the table with these Azalea Spring Toile Napkins ($5 each, bottom row, left). Perfectly pretty, these floral toile napkins are machine washable, so you can use them for everyday as well as special occasions.

To shop the rest of these pink pieces, just click on each image!

15 Ways to Annoy Your Boss

SavvySugar — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 11:11:08 PST

Whether you're hoping to get ahead at work or just trying to build healthy relationships, it's important to understand how your boss works - what she appreciates, what she respects, and what she can't stand. Create a strong connection with your manager and avoid irritating her by steering clear of these 15 ways to annoy your boss:

Arrive late, coffee in hand. If you waltz into the office 20 minutes late, clutching a Starbucks cup, chances are it's not going to be well-received. If you're running short on time, skip the coffee shop and head to the office coffeemaker instead.
Dress inappropriately. Your boss doesn't want to feel like your parent, so she won't be thrilled if she has to regularly address your workwear. Keep things professional and remember to err on the conservative side.
Regularly bring up your accomplishments. Patting your own back is fine every once in a while, but high-fiving yourself for every little victory is sure to frustrate both your co-workers and your boss. Save the boasting for your year-end review and always note your successes with a purpose - as in, say, while negotiating salary.
Say you'll "try" instead of you "will." When you're asked to finish something, that means you're expected to finish it. Form your responses carefully, as even small tweaks can have a huge effect. Instead of saying, "I'll try to get to that," nod and assure your boss by saying, "No problem, I will get to that as soon as I've finished this."
Ask personal questions. Your boss will offer personal information as she sees fit, so refrain from asking anything too intimate. Small talk is fine, of course, but remember to maintain professional boundaries during conversation.
Tattle on other employees. Most information finds its way through the grapevine, so chances are your boss will find out about any significant scandals from someone else. Nobody likes the office tattler - and telling your boss someone else's secrets would say more about your character than theirs, anyway.
Reply to all her tweets. You may be Facebook friends, but that doesn't mean you need to "like" every status or comment on every one of her pictures. Keep the interactions minimal so that you don't aggravate her with hourly notifications that say you've commented on five more of her Instagram photos.

Keep reading for more ways to annoy your boss.

From the Community: the Best Exercise You Aren't Doing

Fit Community — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 01:10:46 PST

FitSugar community member (and fitness instructor) livinginthin has shared a how-to on an overlooked exercise that everyone should be doing.

Running, cycling, squatting, jumping, curling, crunches, and lunging - you do it all, right? Well, the one move you aren’t doing is probably the one that can keep you doing all those things (and more), pain and injury-free for a lifetime.

What is it? Dorsiflexion. In layperson’s terms, dorsiflexion is the action of the foot that occurs when you pull your toes back toward your shin, engaging the foot and ankle muscles (the tibialis anterior, extensor hallucis longus, and extensor digitorum longus).

Weak muscles in this part of the leg can cause everything from muscular imbalances to an impaired gait and even tripping and falling (as we age, we lose even more strength in this area, which makes it harder to step properly), says Dr. Yoav Suprun, PT, Dip. MDT, a certified personal trainer, physical therapist, and owner of SOBE Spine in Miami Beach, FL.

Learn what exercises you should be doing to combat these muscle strains, after the break!

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.