Have you been watching VH1'S Tough Love?

At first I thought- OK, another one of VH1's lame reality shows with half naked catfights, 90s rockers on tour buses, and mud wrestling. But then, I decided to give Tough Love a chance. I'm officially addicted. First of all, Steve Ward is as cute as a button and I can accept his advice without thinking of him as pompous and/or arrogant. Dare I say, I see a few of my flaws some of these girls (minus the ex-stripper and the one from Scottsdale who is just nuts) and I am totally heeding Steve's advice. I almost want to run out on a date as we speak and see if it works. I like how the matchmaker is man. I mean, doesn't that make most sense - to hear what a guy has to say?


I even went as far as to tasking Steve if he was single on Twitter. Does that make me a little Miss Fatal Attraction? Maybe, but it was worth it. I wonder how much he charges?

Symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder

I won't deny it. I'm a hypochondriac. I once thought my kidney was failing, that I had a brain tumor, and a slight case of narcolepsy. But most of the time it's just a sinus infection. Lately though, I have been feeling extra down in the dumps, and by lately I mean this week. I couldn't put my finger on the problem but noticed the fact that I was 10 times happier yesterday when the sun came out for about 45 minutes. Thus, I concluded, I must be suffering Seasonal Affective Disorder. I mean seriously, it's officially Spring - so why is the sky consistently gray and the wind so chilly?

I did a little research (aka googled) and found I am indeed suffering the symptoms:

• Depression (check!)
  
• Hopelessness ("he's never going to call. i'm going to be a cat lady, it's hopeless")
  
• Anxiety (yup!)
  
• Loss of energy (absolutely. another round of caffeine, anyone?)
  
• Social withdrawal ("kiss, want to go out tonight?" -cake "no!" -kiss)
  
• Oversleeping (if only i could)
  
• Loss of interest in activities you once enjoyed (boo eff drinking, dancing, and laughing)
  
• Appetite changes, especially a craving for foods high in carbohydrates (would explain my tortilla chip, waffle, and pretzel binges)
  
• Weight gain (see above)
  
• Difficulty concentrating and processing information (my boss: "erika, have you done xyz?" me: what, i'm sorry i wasn't paying attention.")
  

So there you have it. Turns out the only cures on nice weather and light box therapy. Although tequila might help. Sigh.

Earth-Happy Condoms

In case you were worried that all the sex you were having was causing a problem for the Earth, French Letter Condoms are here to save the day. These newest sexy protectors come in red and yellow, studded for stimulation, scented (vanilla or passion fruit), or with a ring for performance enhancement.

The condoms are made from entirely fair trade and FSC certified rubber from Fair Deal Trading, meaning the workers on the rubber plantation receive proper wages and benefits. Even better, the condoms are vegan.

Check out the pretty website here for more info. Want more ways to get it on while making Mother Nature proud? Check out GreenDaily's tips for greener sex.

-Kiss

My First Time! (and Now it Might Soon Be Illegal)

On Friday, I got my very first Brazilian bikini wax. I've been wanting to do it for a long time but could never justify a reason to. Well, once I found my reason and an amazing deal courtesy of Lifebooker, I decided to go for it. For those of you who have never had one - be prepared to drop your pants and feel the pain. I'm not typically shy about my body when it comes to things like doctors and spas - they see naked people all the time- but something was different about this. You feel very vulnerable when you realize your laying butt-ass naked on the table at the mercy of a woman with a hot stick of wax.

At first it was painful and I yelled a few times. The woman kept reminding me to breathe and relax. By the end, the pain wasn't so bad but I was started to feel a bit of regret. The next morning, regret had subsided. Everything was pain-free and baby smooth. I could get used to this! With bikini season right around the corner (or so I hope) I have a feeling I might be tempted to make a few more stops to the waxer. When explaining to Cake how I popped my Brazilian bikini wax cherry, she mentioned to me she heard our great state of Jersey was thinking about banning brazilian waxing. Apparently, it already isn't allowed as the “The genital area is not part of the abdomen or legs as some might assume."

At risk of giving TMI, I originally wasn't going to post about this topic, but Cake was right. They are considering doing away with the whole two women in NJ reported having wax injuries. um, Yikes. Check out the full story on MSNBC.

This is a joke, right?

Happy First Day of Spring!!

Mother Nature is such a tease!! On the first day of Spring it is snowing in NY! I checked the weather last night and this morning - there was no mention of any little white flakes. I'm convinced she is getting back at us for our lack of care for the Earth. It's all about Karma.

Although its snowy and grey outside today, here are a few spring-like images to celebrate today:

(via watchthisspace)


(via headfullofsky)

(via foundshit.com)

My Favorite Hangover Preventer

The devil in me got the best of me yesterday. After I swore I would not go out for St. Patrick's Day, I found myself doing a little barhopping and stumbling home around 12:30. Knowing that I had to get up early this morning for work, I thought about what I could do to prevent a massive hangover. My new go-to recipe? Coconut water and Advil.

The "science" behind a hangover is essentially this: you're body is dehydrated and going through a mini-withdrawal of alcohol and sugar. Coconut water is not only delcious, but it's one of nature's best re-hydrators. It's full of potassium, good-for-you sugars, and electrolytes that replenish the body. Have you ever heard of drinking Gatorade to help a hangover? Well this has a similar effect without the altered sugars and processed chemicals. Although Newsweek claims hangovers can't be cured, I'm telling you- this stuff works. There's a few brands currently on the market and they range in flavors from regular to pineapple to mango.

Bonus: It kind of makes you feel like your on a beach in the tropics while drinking.

This Gives a New Meaning to Kegs & Eggs

Breakfast time is way over by now, but it is still St. Patrick's Day, so if you're feeling adventurous you might want to try out this recipe from Tasting Table:

Bushmills in the Afternoon
Adapted from Jackson Cannon, Eastern Standard
Makes 1 drink
1/2 slice (about ¾-inch thick) of artisanal wheat bread
2 ounces Bushmills Irish whiskey
1 egg
1/2 ounce honey syrup (1 part honey dissolved in 1 part warm water)
1/2 ounce fresh orange juice
Dash of Reagan's Orange Bitters No. 6 (or other orange bitters)
Freshly grated cinnamon, for garnish
In a glass, muddle the bread with the whiskey for 1 minute, then pass the mixture through a tea strainer into a cocktail shaker, pressing on the bread to extract all of the whiskey (you should get about 1 1/2 ounces). Add the egg, honey syrup, orange juice and bitters and shake vigorously for 30 seconds. Fill the shaker with ice and shake vigorously for 30 seconds to 1 minute longer, until the drink is frothy and well-chilled. Strain into a cocktail glass and garnish with a small pinch of freshly grated cinnamon.

I'm not so sure how I feel about cinnamon, whiskey, eggs, orange juice and bread in my cocktail, but it was created by mixologist Jackson Cannon at Boston's Eastern Standard so he must know what's he doing, right? 

Happy St. Patrick's. Go Green & Get Lucky.

This morning I woke up a little confused. Being part Irish, and proud of it, normally St. Patrick's Day is a day I fully celebrate with joy. I wear green, whip out my four leaf clover jewelry, have a green bagel for breakfast, and wish everyone good luck on finding their pot of gold. 

But this morning felt just like any other day. This is because two Saturdays ago my friends and I spent the whole day decked out in green, drinking beer at the Hoboken St. Patty's Parade. Even though I got all Irish-ed out a few weekends ago, I realize I have to sack -up and get into the spirit. So here it is, my suggestions for how to get into the St. Patty's Day spirit (in no particular order):

1. Have a green bagel for breakfast. Or better yet, some Lucky Charms.

2. Make green beer. Drink green beer. According to DIY Life.com, to achieve a true green color it's best to mix blue food coloring with yellow beer. Green food coloring will work just as well too. Visit the site for more detailed instructions. 

3. Have Corned Beef and Cabbage. My mom used to make this every year for St. Pat's Day. I am a vegetarian so here is my version: Vegan Corned Beef and Cabbage (it tastes just as good and is better for you!)

4. Tell everyone to Kiss You because "You're Irish." Hey, kissing to lead to other lucky things. 

5. Go to an Irish Pub. If you're in New York City, the St. Patrick's Day parade is today, so any pub with an O', Mc', or St. is probably a good choice. Two I would recommend? Stout NYC on 33rd and Molly's Pub and Restaurant on 3rd Avenue. But the choices are endless. In Jersey, try Dubliner in Hoboken or McDonaugh's in Keyport. While you're there, test out an Irish Car Bomb or the Black Velvet. 

Really though - any pub with Guinness or Bailey's will do just fine. Cheers!

Holy Goodness Get me to a Newsstand!

I think Cake would agree with me on this one - I would love, lay, and never leave Zac Efron. In fact, I have often secretly wished he would leave Vanessa and we would accidentally run into each other somewhere, starting a crazy love affair. Well my favorite Disney hottie got down and dirty this month for an Interview magazine shoot. I mean- sweaty, muddy, and rolling around with a naked girl. 

Scroll through. You're welcome.

Natalie Portman's Yellow Nail Polish: Do or Don't?

Another girl crush of mine (I promise I'm not a lesbian) is Natalie Portman. She's smart, talented, really pretty, and a vegetarian. Always on the cutting edge with her bright and pretty fashion choices, she was recently spotted sporting bright yellow nail polish at an event.

I have been cutting back on getting manicures to save money and because within an hour I usually have at least one chipped nail, but I've been in the mood for one lately and have been searching for that perfect "spring is coming" color. I really like the neon color and think it looks great on Natalie but I was wondering how it would translate on my nails. Is it too neon? Could I pull it off? What do you think?

IT'S BRITNEY, BITCH!

Britney killed it last night at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ. The show was phenomenal from start to finish. It's so great to see her back on stage doing what she loves. I loved all of it but some of my favorite parts were the "Bollywood" section, the remix of Hit Me Baby One More Time, and Perez "opening" the show in an over-the-top video. To my delight, Britney got very naughty in the middle with a "fetish-esque" video, which made me worry a little for the Dad and his children sitting three rows ahead of us. (Although the Dad seemed pretty into it). I got a little sad towards the end when they remixed a bunch of Britney's past videos. It's crazy to see where she was to where she is now.


The crowd was quite a mix that included little girls, little girls in skanky outfits, lots of fedoras, groups of gay men, sequin-wearing cougars, grandparents, and of course, 18-25 year old women. My only negative comment is that Britney rarely spoke. In her previous concerts she would stop many times and say things to the audience, but in Circus she addressed us about two times. Still, it was amazing and now I have a few new dance moves to try out. Props to the PussyCat Dolls too who got the crowd very, very excited and made me want to join the group.

And the secret special guest? Fergie. But we never saw her. Damn.

Is Coffee Good For You?

I've been seriously limiting my coffee intake for the last three years. Why? Because caffeine makes me stay awake for days. If I drink coffee after 11am, I have trouble sleeping that night. Plus, research done five or six years ago showed some pretty serious health risks associated with drinking coffee (like fibrocystic breast disease).

Now that's all changed. It's after 11am as I type this.. and I'm enjoying a lovely cup of coffee! And, I plan to drink some more later. New findings have linked drinking coffe to a lowered risk of Parkinson's disease and Type 2 diabetes! It can even help with symptoms of depression!! I read in Prevention magazine that moderate coffee drinkers (2-3 cups a day) have a lowered risk of Alzheimer's Disease (and other types of dementia) compared to those that are heavy coffee drinkers or don't drink it at all. Prevention also told me that drinking coffee can help your memory and attention processes.

I'm not sure if these new findings hold true for decaf coffee, but my quick Google search said if you want to drink decaf, make sure the decaffeination process was done without any harsh chemicals. For now, I'll be drinking coffee in moderation. One (or two) cups a day is good for me!

-Cake

What I'm Thinking About at 5 A.M. - Yummy Little Things

For some reason, I couldn't sleep last night (I'm probably too excited about Britney), which is awesome since I took the day off to sleep in. Now it's 5 A.M. and I'm wide awake. It's a good thing too, because I found the next thing I want to buy that I don't need: Cupcake Shaped Speakers.

I'm such a sucker for anything cute and kitchy like this - especially if it's in the shape of food. Turns out, these cupcake speakers are manufactured by foreign company, Semk, and they do not ship to the U.S. (Semk is such a tease!). I did some research and found that they were selling on Ebay as well as at Tesco, but now they're sold out. So I'm realllly SOL.

Speaking of food related cute items, what do you think about this french toast necklace?





The pink pearls are a little much for me, but there is something so unique and fun about it.

CATS. IS THIS SERIOUS???

....wow.

-Cake

Lay, Love, or Leave? The Mens from I Love You, Man

I Love You, Man is released on Friday, March 20th and stars some pretty hot fellas.

Paul Rudd is Peter Klaven, an engaged guy that doesn't have any friends to be his Best Man. I don't know about everyone else, but I only remember Paul Rudd as Phoebe's boyfriend on Friends. Because my memory is currently failing me (as it often does), I cannot picture him in Forgetting Sarah Marshall or The 40 Year Old Virgin. The only reason I know he was in these movies is because I am stalking his IMDb page. And, perhaps the best piece of information I found is that Paul Rudd was born in NEW JERSEY. HELL YES! REPRESENT. Just for that single fact I would definitely LAY him.

Jason Segel. He has me laughing every time I see the trailers for I Love You, Man...but I'm not sure he's loving material. He plays Sydney Fife... who looks like a crazy, yet awesome, new best friend for Peter Klaven. I'm LEAVING him (unless he decides to reprise his role in Freaks and Geeks).









Andy Samberg. He's hilarious and adorable. I am in LOVE. I'll be seeing this movie just for him.








On a girl-loving note, I believe Kiss enjoys Rashida Jones...but as for me, I'd LEAVE her. I hold grudges against women that stand in the way of Jim and Pam.

-Cake

p.s. A quick Google image search will get you almost naked pictures of all these men...just sayin.

Guess Who's Seeing Britney Tomorrow? Me & Cake!!

IT'S GOING TO BE AMAZING!!

Wait. WTF is a Slanket?

For the past couple days now, my friend J and I have been bantering back and forth about the Snuggie. We've all seen the commercial that promises this blanket with sleeves will keep you warm and your hands free. The commercial is a bit creepy or silly - whichever way you look at it- but it was kind of a joke. That was until I thought about it and realized I had to have a Snuggie. To top it off I got a tip about the NYC Snuggie Pub Crawl (date still TBD). A pub crawl of all Snuggie wearing drunkards?! This can't be true!

J, who is never one to rush into purchases, started doing a little research on the Snuggie and came back with disappointing reviews. Her boyfriend claimed it was quite thin and flimsy and many Costco employees agreed. As we contemplated whether or not it was worth the $19.95, I came across this posting from the lovely ladies at LA Pretty. The Snuggie is not the only one of its kind!

According to their post the Slanket and the Nuddle also exist. While prices and materials vary, they are all essentially the same thing. So which one is the best?

The Cutest Date I Would Love to Go On

I'm pretty Smitten with all of the blogs over at Glamour.com and today's post for a "Perfect Cheap Date" idea just affirmed my love. Smitten blogger Jo sourced out this tip from Melanie of the blog, you are my fave. Her tip? Take a morning bike ride to a diner and have breakfast. Sounds simple enough, right? Breakfast happens to be my favorite meal of the day and doesn't it seem like most dates are always lunch or later? 

Speaking of dates, I have one on Saturday! (Yikes). This will be my first "real" date in a while. Crap, what am I going to wear?

-Kiss

Honest to Blog I think I have a Girl Crush on Olivia Thirlby

Today at work I had to do a little investigating on Paper Magazine website. I'll be honest- out of the trillion magazines I read I haven't picked up a single issue of Paper. I'm not really sure why -- the covers are usually so fun and eye-catching. I just never thought to purchase an issue.

Well this month's cover lady is none other than Juno's BFF Olivia Thirlby.

Doesn't she look great? That picture of her almost makes me want to draw stars on my face. Luckily, her whole interview is on the website. This is the second one I've read about her and she seems so genuine and funny - like the kind of girl who you'd want on your beer pong team but then also would call for dating advice. I've only seen her in Juno but the movie would not have been the same without her. So I'm declaring her my girl crush of the day.

-Kiss

Happy Birthday Barbie!

Barbie turns 50 today and damn she still looks good! 

The doll, or should I say icon, has been tearing it up all over NYC in the past month with a display at Bloomingdales, a collaboration with Stila cosmetics, and a full-fledged fashion show in Bryant Park- all leading up to this very special day. 

To celebrate, take a look at this slideshow of Barbie's looks from the present and past. If you're really feeling festive, you can purchase this limited edition "Ultimate Barbie Collection" book from Assouline. I'm warning you now - it's $500, but it does come with a free tote and a piece of pop art history. Catch up with everything Barbie is doing on her official blog. Yes, Barbie has a blog. 

-Kiss

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Get Girl Scout Cookies in NYC

"Lucky" for me, my cousin is a girl scout. As I stumbled home last night from the drunken debauchery of Hoboken's St. Patrick's Day parade, I immediately noticed the very nice pile of Girl Scout Cookies laid out on the kitchen table. Since I just ate my weight in pizza, beer, cookies, and a nasty sandwich from the Original Soup Man, I slowly backed away from the pretty little boxes of goodness. This morning, however, was a different story. (Who knew Do-si-dos and Tagalongs were excellent hangover remedies?).

Girl Scout season has officially ended, but if you aren't fortunate to have a Girl Scout in your family or neighborhood and you live in NYC - fear not - you can still get your Girl Scout fix. According to Blondie and Brownie, the Girl Scouts have a secret little place on 43 W 23rd St. called the "Cookie Cupboard" where they store extra boxes of Girl Scout Cookies.



Cookies will be available on the 7th floor of the Girl Scouts Council next Friday, March 13th from 2:00-5:00pm.

Starting Tuesday March 17th through May 8th the cookies will be available on the 6th floor on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. Hours are as follows:

Tuesdays: 12:30-4:30
Wednesdays: 2:30-6:30
Thursdays: 12:30-4:30

No appointment is necessary so stock up now. Throw them in your freezer if you have to. Eat repeatedly.

Lay, Love, or Leave?

Here at Kiss and Cake we like to play a game called "Lay, Love, or Leave?" Similar to Do, Dump, or Marry, (or the more provacative Fuck, Marry, Kill) this game asks if you would like to Lay, Love, or Leave the person in question.

Our first contestant is.... Jason Mesnick, ABC's latest Bachelor.

If you watch The Bachelor, you know that Jason has been stirring up quite the controversy. In the final episode, he chose dark haired, playful Melissa, over the more career-oriented Molly. Six weeks after the final episode was taped, he dumped Melissa and broke her heart on national television. A few minutes later he asked Molly to "give him a shot." She accepted, and they have been happily together ever since. Personally, I think following your heart is always the right thing to do, but a lot of Bachelor fans are angry about the way Jason handled the situation. Melissa got screwed... but I still LOVE Jason. What do you think?

Lay, Love, or Leave Jason Mesnick?

... did I mention he's a single father?


-Cake

All the single ladies, all the single ladies - NY chooses best "pick up" spot

One of my favorite things that happens around this time of year is NY Magazine's annual "Best Of New York" list.  It's like the superlatives of the city as decided by some of the most popular kids in school. As soon as I caught a glimpse of it in Penn Station I ran over to take a peek. (Ok, so I didn't run but I checked it out while waiting for my train.) 

Among the categories of "Best Dance Party" (Sullivan Room), "Best Speakeasy" (B. East), and "Best Happy Hours," I came across the mag's pick for "Best Pickup Bar" - Wilfie & Nell on W. 4th Street. The mag says:

   "...shortly after opening in November, Wilfie & Nell was abuzz with gaggles of spicy-Margarita- swishing twentysomethings and older bohemians stooped over pints at the bar. The small,candlelit room is so permeated with Irish bonhomie that you can't help but strike up a conversation with the cutie seated next to you."

Hmm sounds a little bit like an adventure to me. Another place I'd love to try to catch a hottie? Their pick for 'Best Dog Run for the Singles Scene:" McCarren Park. Now I just have to get a dog...

-Kiss. 

The Mad Hatter in Sea Bright, NJ

Although I was perfectly content laying in my bed in my pajamas last night watching re-runs of the Housewives of Orange County, Cake quickly persuaded me to come out with her to do a little fun "prowling."

(What is prowling? According to Urban Dictionary, prowling is "An activity whereby one goes out to bars and hot spots looking for "prey" aka playmates, dates, hook-ups, etc.

ie. Cake called Kiss on Saturday night and asked, "Hey, since we have no dates tonight, wanna go out prowling later?")

Instead of going to our regular spots, we decided to follow one of our new dating guidelines (more on that later) and explore outside of our town. Out of random, I picked The Mad Hatter in Sea Bright. I knew it was a sports-ish bar near the beach which in my mind sounded like "boys. maybe even surfing boys."


For the most part, I was wrong. The bar was a mix of drunk moms, hippie dads, a cowboy, and a select few boys that potentially could have been our age. And by select few I mean 5. And one of these 5 boys decided it would be fun to toss popcorn at us. Lame.

In the defense of the Mad Hatter - we were at a shore bar in the dead of winter and there was an Allman Brothers/Bruce Springsteen cover tribute band playing, but it's not likely we'll be back anytime soon. Not for prowling anyways.

I did get to try out my shooting skills playing the 'Safari Hunt' game and there were unlimited supplies of free popcorn. Even after scarfing our faces down with that, we ordered a bar pie at the end of the night. I'm a big fan of thin crust pizza and Mad Hatter's could be easily called a pizza cracker as opposed to pie. They claim it's the "Best Pizza in Monmouth County," but all of us quickly agreed there was way too much cheese and not enough sauce. We may have to re-visit again closer to the summer, but for now it's on to the next place.

Link Love: The reason for the rise in obesity

This is Why You're Fat

Just when you thought McDonald's and Doritos were bad, in comes This is Why You're Fat, an entertaining and borderline disgusting site dedicated to the most "deliciously gross food" you can ever imagine. While I applaud the creativity of the submitters, (chicken nuggets dunked in a McDonald's milkshake martini?) I also kind of fear for their lives. Check it out, but please don't try it at home.

-Kiss