Guilt- Free Holiday Treats

It comes as no surprise that the holidays are about treating yourself to your guilty pleasures. Whether you find yourself indulging in holiday comfort food or Christmas cookies, these seasonal delicacies may leave you kicking yourself in the morning. Instead of feeling remorseful over those cookies you ate, MSN recently published an article of 10 Guilt- Free Holiday Treats.

Try these 10 Guilt- Free Holiday Treats:

1. Pear Gingersnap Crisp

2. Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

3. Chocolate Almond Biscotti

4. Rice Krispies Treats with Sprinkles

5. Spiced Oatmeal Cookies

6. Parmesan Popcorn

7. Healthy Hot Chocolate

8. Chocolate Dipped Apricots

9. Mixed Nuts

10. Candy Cane Coffee

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Adele: Rolling in the Grammys

The Grammy nominees have just been announced, and while this shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone who has heard “Rolling in the Deep” (and who hasn’t at this point?), Adele is in the mix for the big awards, including, Album, Record, and Song of the Year. And she deserves it. 21 is a crazy good album and “Rolling in the Deep” could go down as a Top 10 Song of the Decade when it’s over. With any luck her throat will heal quickly so she can get busy on her next record. At this point I’d listen to her reading a coffee-maker manual, as long as she put a little rasp in it.

Other big nominees include Kanye West, Bruno Mars, and Foo Fighters. Unfortunately we’ll have to wait until February 12th to see the mashup performances, which is the best part of the show. That, and the possibility of someone crashing the stage and somehow not getting tackled by security cause the performer is weird enough to have planned a shirtless dancer in their song. (Soybomb anyone?)

Check out the full list here. Who’s got your vote?

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What’s the sport for you? Your DNA can help…

Poor Rudy. If his short, slightly athletic frame could’ve matched his heart and dedication to the game of football, who knows how far he could’ve gone. For the record, making the Notre Dame team was pretty impressive, but if a doctor or research lab could’ve miraculously told him what sport he should’ve been playing, maybe he could’ve gone pro in something else. Not possible, you say? Atlas Sports Genetics in Boulder, Colorado is hoping to change that.

At a charge of $160 per child, parents can send a DNA swab to their genetics lab and results are sent back a few weeks later. So how do the scientists know what separates the Rudy’s of the world from the Lebrons? They’re looking for the ACTN 3 Gene, which is believed to be responsible for fast-twitch explosive muscles. If a child is lacking the gene, they’ll recommend endurance sports like running and swimming, and if a child has an abundance of ACTN 3 instead, they’re better suited for football, wrestling, boxing. Of course, genes don’t always determine a child’s athletic outcome, and $160 per test is no joke.

So what do you think? Science or scam?

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New month, new workout…

With the weather heading steadily from Fall to Winter, you may feel the familiar temptations of warm, filling, comfort food (maybe even a too much of it) and skipping the gym cause it’s dark outside and going home does sound like a much better idea. But there may be another reason you’re dreading that daily exercise: you might be totally bored. If your routine has gone stagnant, it’s not providing you with any new challenges, thus you’re probably seeing less results. So, looking for something new?

Men’s Health published an article today outlining the best cardio workouts you’ve probably never tried, like the “55″ routine. Give it a shot and give your body a boost of new moves.

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What NOT to say in an interview…

Most of us spend so much time during an interview trying to think of exactly the right things to say. How can I seem confident, yet modest? How can I prove I’m best for the job? How can I make a lasting impression so they’ll remember me out of a dozen?

But sometimes, we can blow our chances with a possible employer by saying too much. Once they’ve seen your resume and called you in, this meeting is quintessential to your odds of progressing to the next round and hopefully landing the position. So, as a general rule, let THEM ask the questions and when you answer, keep it brief and to the point. This proves your communication skills, as you have the ability to express yourself efficiently.

To read more about this technique, and 9 other interview tips, check the article here and read the list below. Good luck!

TOP 10 THINGS NEVER TO SAY IN A JOB INTERVIEW:

1) How much does the job pay?
2) What does your company make (or do)?
3) Do not use SLANG words or phrases.
4) What can you do for me; what are the benefits like vacations, promotions and bonuses?
5) Profanity or cursing of any kind.
6) Stereotypical language.
7) Criticize any former employer.
8) If you are asked if you have any questions, saying “No.”
9) I don’t have any weaknesses.
10) Tell them your life story. Keep it brief and to the point.

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So many movies, so little time…

With DRIVE, CONTAGION, THE HELP, and WARRIOR currently in theaters, and new buzz-worthy titles releasing every weekend, it’s safe to say we have entered the glory months for quality movies. The run of summer blockbusters is officially over (today does mark the first day of Fall) and that leaves the field wide open for Oscar hopefuls from now until February.

MONEYBALL is next on my list, opening today. How about you?

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The End of an Era…

Last Sunday’s series finale of ENTOURAGE closed the door (kind of) on the story of Vince, E, Drama, Turtle, and the show’s real hero, Ari Gold. Say what you will about the quality of the show, particularly in its later life, but it’s hard to deny the cultural impact is has made on pop culture. For the first time, the general public had a constant inside look at the entertainment industry; a chance to see how the town runs from the people who run it. For those of us in LA, we also had the chance to point out the various hot-spots highlighted each week and laugh cause we’d been there just two days earlier.

Deadline posted an astute article following the finale, not just pointing out the show’s creative ups and downs, but illustrating how the protagonists’ eternal optimism and determination speak to the heartbeat of the city’s biggest industry. Since we do a lot of work with Entertainment companies in L.A., this bit connected with us. As the show ends, hopefully its viewers can carry on the same hopefulness in their own careers. As Nikki Finke points out, the town depends on it.

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The Dude DOES Abide. Eventually.

Good things come to those who wait, right? Turns out, not always. In the world of major motion pictures, there are way more misses than hits. Just ask Gigli. However, sometimes an apparent box office bomb just takes time to find its niche market in order to catch the pay dirt. The Coen Brothers had such luck with The Big Lebowski and in honor of the classic dark comedy’s recent Blue Ray release, click here to see a list of other slow burners. So the next time you make something that seems to flop, remember to wait it out a bit and you may not be so out of your element.

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Catch a movie deal, if you can…

Remember “CATCH ME IF YOU CAN”? Of course you do. Charming Spielberg movie with Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks based on the real life of Frank Abignale Jr., a teenage con-artist on an incredible crime spree and the cop assigned to catch him. Once caught, it took Frank 17 years to write an autobiography about his fascinating travels and get it published. In 2011, it only takes about 1 year, and is worth $1.3 million. Just ask Colton Harris-Moore, aka the Barefoot Bandit.

Just yesterday, news broke that the infamous Harris-Moore had sold his life rights to 20th Century Fox for the staggering sum. On the plus side, he has contractually guaranteed to give all of the money to his victims as reimbursement, and cheers for that.

P.S. Is it bad that this story kind of makes me want to steal a helicopter?

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You only get one 1st impression. Hint: it’s your RESUME.

If you, like many other very employable Americans without a job, are confused why you’re not getting the call-backs you think you should, take a minute and go back to square one: your RESUME. Actually, take 30 minutes, at least.

Is everything, I mean everything, correct? The smallest typo or grammatical error may not seem like a big deal, but trust us, it is. Do you have a second page on your resume that’s blank? Are the responsibilities of a previous job written in present tense? A more glaring example (that I have actually seen) was a Copy Editor with the following objective at the top of the page: “Detail oriented copywriter seeking a editor position.” Needless to say, they did not land the gig.

For some tips on how to structure and format your resume, check here. The important thing to remember is to keep it clean, simple, and easy on the eyes. You don’t want to over-clutter with too much information. Make sure there are some common key words (like “call-rolling” and “scheduling” for an Executive Assistant) and it demonstrates some of your major assets.

Remember, getting past the resume round is the hard part, so make sure you put the right foot forward and give yourself the best chance possible.

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