The Glee star looked so glam at the gala May 7—here’s how you can copy her look!

Lea Michele was the picture of sophisticated elegance when she stepped onto the 2012 Met Ball red carpet. Lea, 25, look so beautiful thanks to Celebrity Makeup Artist, Melanie Inglessis, who created the  glamorous beauty look.

Melanie put the focus on Lea’s eyes by lining them with a deep plum liner and then layered copper toned eye shadows on the actress’s lids. Using a soft crease brush, she blended the edges of the liner with the shadow to create definition and give a smokey eye effect. Melanie then upped the drama by swiping a dark eye shadow over the liner and added two coats of Avon ExtraLasting in Extreme Black for a finishing touch.

To offset the intensity of Lea’s eyes, Melanie kept the rest of Lea’s face simple: she added a rosy flush of color with  Avon Be Blushed in Icy Petal on her cheekbones and opted for a natural lip, using a lipstick  to enhance Lea’s own lip color.

By Jennifer Tzeses | http://HollywoodLife.com

Even the most experienced cook can feel a little inadequate when faced with pairing food with wine.

It used to be red with meat, white with fish or chicken and I’m sure many of you still look at it that way but which red wine with red meat? – Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Barbarossa, Shiraz?

The same goes for white wine. There are hundreds of white grape varieties including the more well know Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon plus all those you probably never heard of like Azal, Inzolia, Juhfark. So which grape goes best with what you are serving?

With some wines going for literally thousands of dollars a bottle and flowery reviews that seem to be written in another language (nose? finish? terroir?), it’s no wonder that many of us just close our eyes and grab a bottle.  Either that, or we serve whatever our guests have brought over and hope for the best.

I think with a little guidance and a few rules for pairing, anyone can choose a bottle of wine to go with a specific dish.  So, take a deep breath and let’s look at food and wine pairing, knowing that at the heart of it all, it’s really no more difficult than “Drink what you like.”

Drum Roll Please – A Little History

First up, people have been making and enjoying wine with food for thousands of years.  I doubt that that Roman centurion ever complained that the red wine he was served didn’t go with his salt cod and he’d rather have a white, thank-you-very-much.  Please don’t go fact checking – I have no idea whether the Romans ate salt cod, but my point is simple:  people have been drinking wine with their food for eons, and if we try to over-think that relationship, we might miss out.

There is no doubt that food and wine go together.  Before global or even intra-continental shipping, wines were made and drunk locally, and that old adage “What grows together goes together” certainly held true.  Now, when we are able to get great wines made literally all over the world, the basic rule still applies:  Grapes grow.  Vegetables grow.  Meat grows.  Fish grows.

It’s All About Terroir

You may have noticed that I mentioned “terroir.”  Terroir is a French term that really doesn’t have a one-word translation into English.  Terroir is the character a wine gets from the place it was grown – soil composition, amount of sunlight, what is growing near the grapes, microclimate—every environmental factor you can think of plays a role in shaping the final terroir of a particular wine.

I think that this is where Old World (European) wines differ from New World wines – most Old World winemakers showcase terroir while many New World wineries play down terroir in favor of a more consistent, mass market appeal.  Regardless, wines of northern Italy go well with the food of northern Italy just like the wines of Alsace go well with Alsatian foods.  It’s all about the terroir.

The great thing about pairing wine and food is that not only does the wine enhance the food, but the food enhances the wine.  Wine and food are a happy example of the whole being greater than the sum of its parts.  For example, I often find that if I have a wine that’s a bit tannic – one that makes my mouth feel really dry and like it’s turning inside out – serving it with meat really balances it out nicely.

Like I said earlier, up until fairly recently, the rule of thumb for pairing wine and food was “Red wine with red meat, white wine with white meat and fish.”  This isn’t necessarily a bad rule to follow, but I think it has more to do with matching body and complexity than it has to do with matching colors.

For example, if I stew or braise a chicken in wine and stock, it will have a pretty complex and deep flavor that I might prefer to pair with a complex wine.  If I poach a chicken breast, I’ll most likely end up with a more simply-flavored, much lighter dish that I might want to pair with a light wine.

While I find that, in general, red wines are more complex than white wines, the rule doesn’t always hold.  Often, it is a subjective comparison, and you have to decide for yourself what you think works best.  And this brings us back to “Drink what you like.”

Go Taste Wines

If you don’t know what you like, I suggest going to a wine tasting.  In most states, many local wine shops offer free tastings on weekend afternoons, and if you live near a Trader Joe’s, I know that they offer wine tastings as well.  Check with your local stores.

Not true in Pennsylvania where I now live, but some “big box” wine stores, such as Total Wine, BevMo or even your local ABC Store have tasting and their own experts you can talk to and ask questions.  If you tell them that you think you might prefer a light, fruity wine to a warm, spicy wine, they can suggest wines for you to try so you’ll know if you are right!

How Sweet It Is

Sweetness is a big consideration when pairing foods and wine.  Wines range in sweetness from very dry (not sweet at all) to syrupy dessert sweetness.  The general rule is NOT to have your wine be any sweeter than what you are serving.  Therefore, you’ll want to serve a very savory meal with a very dry wine.

Many dishes that have been seared either in the final cooking or as a step along the way (braises and stews) and those that contain sweeter vegetables, such as carrots and parsnips, can be paired with a sweeter wine.  Again, make sure the wine isn’t sweeter than the dish.

Sweet desserts go very nicely with a dessert wine.  An exception to this rule, as there are exceptions to every rule, is with sparkling wine.  There is something about the bubbles that sets these wines apart from others, making them appropriate to serve with almost any course.  This is a nice thing, because while many people think of Champagne and other sparkling wines strictly for toasting, they are lovely paired with “regular food,” too.  Give it a try sometime.

There is one rule of wine pairing doesn’t have any exceptions, in my opinion.  And that rule is that wine just doesn’t go well with vinaigrette.  The acid in a vinaigrette somehow deadens the palate and makes the wine taste almost metallic and just all around unpleasant.

If you want to serve wine with a salad course, use a creamy dressing, such as creamy blue cheese or even Green Goddess.  This brings me to another wine pairing point – just as you can sour milk by adding some vinegar to it, you can also sour a cream sauce by serving an acidic wine with it.  A buttery wine, such as an oaked Chardonnay, will pair much more effectively with cream sauce than will a lemony/acidic wine.

Of course, if you have in mind the flavor profile of the wine you are going to serve before you start cooking, you can add to the dish to enhance the food and wine pairing.  For example, if the back of your bottle or the wine tasting notes indicate that the wine has a lot of herbal components, you might consider adding fresh herbs to your dish to complement the wine.

If the wine contains notes of apple, think about making a pork dish, since apple and pork is such a nice pairing.  Knowing what your wine tastes like gives you a better chance of cooking something that is complementary.  That’s why it’s okay to accept a bottle of wine as host/hostess gift and then put it away for later.  The wine they brought you as a thoughtful gift might not go with what you’ve cooked, so it’s best to serve a “known” wine with your meal.

Conclusions

With everything I just said, I have probably touched on 1% of what there is to know about pairing food and wine. There are books written on this subject and web sites and blogs devoted to talking about wine and which ones should be served with what foods. I’ll try to talk more about this subject in upcoming posts and even get a few experts to help with the discussion.

It still comes down to serving what you enjoy and can afford with your meals. Just because a big, earthy Cabernet may go well with a juicy Porterhouse steak – if you don’t like Cabernet Sauvignon, don’t serve it.

As always, I would love to hear what you have to say about some of your favorite food and wine pairings. We can all learn from sharing ideas especially with a topic like this one.

Courtesy: http://www.reluctantgourmet.com

HADABLOG

http://www.hadaball.com

Watershed, Robert Redford’s newest movie, examines the Colorado River in the American West.

Once a mighty river, Redford’s documentary claims that it is “the most dammed, dibbed and diverted river in the world. Struggling to support thirty million people, it already runs dry before it reaches its natural end at the Gulf of California.”

Its future appears ominous due to global warming and booming populations of the seven American and two Mexican states that tap the river’s water not only to drink it, but also to support agriculture, sanitation and energy generation.

The documentary’s message, however, is not only one of warning. Through interviews with people that set good examples of how to use the Colorado for sport, ranching, conservation and tourism, it aims to inspire new ways of thinking about water and better ways in which to use it: “a new water ethic for the new west”.

Narrated by Redford, he says, “Watershed is a central tool in a larger grassroots effort focused on saving the Colorado River and supporting the communities throughout the river basin.”

by: Elizabeth Willoughby

http://www.looktothestars.org

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http://www.hadaball.com

More than 20 unique presenters from around the world will take centre stage to promote volunteerism and community involvement among youth at the first annual Count Me In Conference, taking place May 1, 2012 at The Living Arts Centre.

Charity gala balls uncovered:

You shall go to the ball, but of course only if you buy a ticket. Charity balls are held to raise funds for all manner of different charities and they vary in level of grandeur on display at each event.
Some charity balls can be stunning gala events, often held at splendid venues, and this is often the appeal of them, giving guests the opportunity to go to grand hotels that they otherwise might never get the opportunity to visit. Others can be less ambitious and perhaps less daunting and may be more akin to sportsman’s dinner style event.

At some of the larger charity events you can often expect to find a celebrity or two, often the charity patron, who has added their backing to the charity by attending. These celebs may play an active role in the gala evening, often getting involved with the proceedings such as a charity auction.

Expect the event, on most occasions, to be a black tie affair. There will usually be dinner, dancing, and a charity auction. Group tables, usually for corporate groups are available, though individual tickets are often available although you’ll have to be prepared to sit with unknown guests.

Some balls may be themed, so can be anything from a Masked Ball to a James Bond themed event, or a sports/Olympic-themed ball to a Moulin Rouge evening, so a little effort on your part may be required to fit in with the theme.

There is often a wide variety of entertainment including live music, casinos, and charity auctions usually form part of the evening’s entertainment.

One thing that is certain is that you will have fun and get the chance to experience an evening with a high level of service to make your evening great value for money. And to make the cost of your evening’s entertainment go down well, it’s worth remembering that the proceeds from the event go to charity. Go on and have a ball.

Courtesy:  http://www.realbuzz.com

Find other items related to How to use cutlery in a formal dinner in Family and society
You will learn that using cutlery and glasses properly in a formal or important dinner is really simple and it’s not a matter of “guessing” which one to use and where to place them.
The first and important thing to know is that in the table cutlery has a specific order. The ones that are away, that is, away from the plate, are the ones that we have to use first. And then we will continue with the rest following the same order.

The forks are located to the left and the knifes to the right. The spoons are also located to the right (to the right of the last knife therefore the spoon will be used first, because the entrance will probably be a soup)

If we find a knife in the bread basket, it isn’t because someone left it there; we are going to use it to butter the bread. We must not use the knife to cut the bread, do it with your fingers, and then take a smaller piece to eat.

It’s important not to put your elbows or forearms on the table when we use cutlery. Another important tip, cutlery must go to your mouth and not the other way around. We must not make noise or sip our food while we eat.

To help you swallow the food, eat a small piece of bread.

If you have to give cutlery to someone at the table, take the cutlery by the middle, the other person should take it by the handle.

Do not cut all the meat at once. Do it in this way: Cut a piece, grab it with the fork, put it in your mouth and then, enjoy.

When it comes to the glasses, there are three types in general. They are located from left to right in the following order: water, white wine, red wine. According to the occasion, we could find a champagne glass that will be the fourth and last glass.

Dessert cutlery is located in front of the plate, between the plate and the glasses. If we don’t find any cutlery, it will probably come with the dessert.

When you finish eating, you must place the cutlery over the plate in a parallel way and the knife with the edge inward.

Now that you know how to behave at the table, just relax and enjoy the evening.

Using fat from the patient, a new and natural filler may be used to restore volume and youth to the face.

You many lead the healthiest lifestyle possible: eating a balanced diet and exercising regularly but unfortunately, time takes its toll on everyone and the first visible place to show it is in the face. Being the first thing people see and focus on, the face begins to loose volume in key places, making people appear older than they really are.

Another aspect of aging is weight gain regardless of how hard you work on keeping in shape. These insidious pounds typically creep up in the hips, waist and thigh area and they are some of the most stubborn and difficult areas to address. New technology has made it possible to move fat from these unwanted areas to the face, resulting in a double-benefit for the patient: body contouring by removing that excess fat and a more youthful visage.

Recently seen on The Doctors, a fat transfer may offer patients who are relatively healthy but are beginning to see signs of aging on their face and body have an option other than synthetic facial fillers. There are many synthetic fillers available to add volume to the face and while effective, require several sessions to maintain as results are only temporary. The option of using the patient’s own fat may allow for the regenerative stem cells in the transferred fat to offer longer lasting results.

Bay Area board certified plastic surgeon Dr. Daryl Hoffman, who offers fat transfer in San Jose says, “The advantage of using your own fat is that it actually picks up a blood supply and lives, so some of it is going to be long lasting as opposed to the off-the-shelf fillers that are going to maybe only last six months or a year. Fat can last potentially forever.”

The fat transfer procedure is fairly simple – fat is removed from a donor site on the patient, usually an undesired area such as the waist, hips, thighs or buttocks and harvested to capture intact fat cells, which are laden with regenerative stem cells. While this procedure has been around for many years, it has only been recently that new technology has increased retrieval of more intact fat cells along with increasing the survival rate of transferred fat cells.

fat transfer to face before and after
Actual Fat Transfer To Face Before and After Results of Dr. Grant Stevens

Typically, a large amount of fat is removed to ensure a sufficient amount of intact fat cells are extracted. As seen on the The Doctors, Dr. Michael Niccole, who performed the fat transfer on the patient, says, “We removed the fat from the waist and buttocks and she’ll probably lose about an inch to an inch and a half. We removed a liter of fat which is equivalent to a bottle of wine.” This fat is then filtered to remove any impurities, blood or broken fat cells to leave only the intact fat that may be injected back into the body.

Once the fat is ready, it is placed into syringes which can then be injected into other places on the body that the patient wants more volume. In the face, the first places to lose fat include under the eyes, around the temples resulting in hollow temples, over the cheeks, and the lips. These places benefit the most from filling as they replicate the image of youth by adding the lost volume due to aging.

At Dr. Grant Steven’s Marina Del Rey practice, Marina Plastic Surgery Associates, where he offers fat transfer in Los Angeles, he says “Since 1983, when I performed my first liposuction case, women have been asking me, ‘Can’t you just take it from here, and put it here?’ after their procedure,” says Dr. Stevens. “And now, 27 years later, we’ve done thousands of cases where we take fat and reposition it on the body.”

An added benefit of using the patient’s fat as a facial filler is the results are often more natural appearing than with a facelift or with other synthetic facial fillers. The use of these fillers, while adding volume, may augment the natural shape of the face, making the patient’s face look less sunken but less like herself. By using fat, results may appear more natural and best of all, there is no further maintainance required.

The best way to reach your weight loss goals or even to just improve your health is debatable, but we can tell you some surefire methods to hinder your progress. These 10 un-awesome habits may keep you exactly where you are forever.

The Blame Game Blaming society for your problems is so counterproductive. As long as you put the problem outside yourself you relinquish your ability to change.

Busy Mom Cooking Dinner
Hectic Schedules are Often Blamed

”Loving Your Curves” You don’t have to be a size 2 to be beautiful. However, if you have to pay extra for bigger clothes and can barely make it up the stairs, it’s time for a change. Telling yourself you’re just “curvy” is dishonest and you can’t convince yourself an unhealthy weight is okay.

Going to Extremes There is a reason there are so many different types of foods and only they can provide what you need from them. You need these different foods. More importantly, you can’t stick to something that makes you uncomfortable.

Frantic Deadlines It took you time to get where you are and it will take at least equal time to get back. There’s no deadline. You need to make it to the finish line and set up camp there.

”The Diet” Dieting doesn’t work. You need to change your habits for the long term or you will not make it out alive. You may be able to lose weight, but you won’t keep it off and you could forever distort your view of food.

Competing With Others You can never ever have that body you stare at longingly in the magazine. Don’t make life harder than it is by setting impossible goals. The only impossible goal is to be someone else.

Putting Up Walls Don’t separate the “you” from the world and make everyone else “them.” Adopting the “me against the world” mentality will only cause you pain. Your family and friends can help you, and they will once they see your serious.

Going Against Your Body Type There is no such thing as big boned. Anatomically we all look mostly the same. If you’re 5’4, it is ridiculous to aim to look like a fashion model.

Lack of Structure Possibly the most detrimental aspect of not planning is that it makes you feel like a failure, when you’re not. In reality, without a plan you never had a chance. Write down your goals, do your research, get professional help, and see your dreams come to fruition.

Defining Your True Beauty by How You Look If you want to lose weight, let it be so you can be comfortable and have a higher quality of life. Know that you’re only enhancing the beauty you already possess. How you look is not who you are. We just want you to be healthy and feel good. So set yourself up for success by avoiding these negative habits.

American Health and Beauty
Friday, March 23, 2012 10:21 AM

Stepping on the scale for scheduled weigh ins can keep you in touch with your goals and guide you toward them. However, obsessively weighing yourself everyday desperate for change that won’t come easy can be detrimental to your morale.

Fat Burns Slow

The leading reason most people give up on their weight loss endeavors before they make any progress is that they don’t see progress soon enough. We are positive you will never see substantial changes in one day, nor will you see them in two days, three days, or four. There is no predetermined time at which you will see results. Believe in your program and stick with it until you see results. You will know when you’ve lost weight.

Woman on a scale
Don’t be a slave to your scale

Weight Does Not Give an Accurate Measurement of Fitness

You could weigh 120 pounds and be out of shape and unattractively proportioned just as a ripped athlete could weigh 150 pounds at the same height. Muscle is denser per cubic centimeter than fat and if you gain an athletic, trim body your weight will likely go up.

Fat Takes Up a Lot of Space

A pound of fat is equal to about 2.14 cups. That’s an entire love handle. This means you could be uncomfortable with a miniscule 15 pounds of extra fat. You will only know how much weight you want to lose when you see a mirror image you can live with. Two pounds may be enough or ten pounds might need to go, but the scale will not help you determine this.

“Skinny” is Not What We’re Going For

When was the last time you looked at an emaciated child from a third world country and thought, “Man, I’d kill to look like that”? Right. Skinny is not attractive. It’s a relative term to start with, but in general a frame with little meat is not desirable to most people. Starving yourself will cause the scale to drop drastically and if you let this be your motivator, you’re going to end up looking and feeling gross.

Strive to Look and Feel Desirable

Why do we strive for a fit, lean physique when obviously we can survive as blobs and still get by? Freedom. We want to be able to fit into the clothes we like to wear. We want to be able to shed layers with the seasons without being embarrassed. We want to feel feminine and beautiful and see the best version of ourselves in the mirror. You will never see your true self in a scale. All you can see is a number. If you weighed more than your “ideal weight” but were 100% confident and comfortable, that would be just fine. Neither your health nor your peace of mind can be determined by the scale so give your bathroom a makeover and throw that old scale out.
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