LilSugar

Oprah's Favorite Things: Her Top Tech Picks Through the Years

Kristy Korcz — Wed, 25 May 2011 11:38:34 PDT

It's a sad day for Oprah fans all over the world: her very last episode airs this afternoon. While we've loved following her show (that never failed to provide insight, positivity, and inspiration), we have to admit - we're going to miss her "favorite things" episodes most of all.

For years, Oprah has surprised and delighted her fans to the point of tears with goodies she loves, including trips, cars, beauty products, and of course, tech. Check out how Oprah's tech tastes have evolved, and see which items I'd recommend today.

What Turns Grown Women Into Screaming Teenyboppers?

GiggleSugar — Mon, 19 May 2008 12:30:00 PDT

Have they just sent their youngest kids off to college? Or won the lottery? Or heard that they're the next contestant on The Price Is Right? Nope. These middle-aged teenyboppers are crazy happy cuz, well, they don't exactly know at this point. But Oprah is about to tell them. And whatever makes Oprah happy makes them happy.

A Few of Lil's Favorite Things: December

babysugar — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 07:04:26 PST

Tis' the season to be shopping. Sure you'll get some great gifts later this month, but these are must haves for right now.

The Grinch turned 50-years-old on Saturday, National Grinch Day! Make sure to get your special 50th edition of Dr. Seuss's How The Grinch Stole Christmas ($25) and cozy up with the family for story time. While the pages might get tattered and torn, the story remains relevant and entertaining year after year.
Flaunt your pregnancy curves in an Isabella Oliver outfit. She makes sleek and affordable designs for expectant mothers. So treat yourself to a fab new dress ($155 – $265) and feel divine at all of those holiday festivities.
Lots of families makes it a tradition to buy new pajamas for Christmas Eve. We don't encourage family dressing, but we do love the elfin striped organic cotton pajama ($28) from Hanna Andersson complete with the slipper socks ($18). Your lil munchkins will look delectable in the candy cane stripes.
We've seen the cute socks that Trumpette makes for lil ones, but now they have delved into making track shoes ($28) for baby, too. Your tot's sure to be the most fashion forward in her gang when she's rockin' the silver sneakers.
Who doesn't enjoy a snugly, warm blanket during winter? Baby deserves one, too. Made in Northern California, Robbie Adrian blankets are entirely organic and plush to the touch. The elegant blankets ($44-$116) are available in organic cotton fleece or velour with organic silk trimming in a variety of delicate hues.

Say Hello to Summer: 125 of the Best Dresses, Sandals, Swimsuits, and More to Kick It Off Right

Hannah Weil — Fri, 25 May 2012 04:00:01 PDT

Since Memorial Day plans have everyone seeking party dresses, fresh Summer shades, and sweet seasonal kicks, we're doing the legwork for you. Just in time for the weekend, we've rounded up the best in Summer sandals, totes, swimwear, dresses, and more to kick off the season as stylishly as possible. The bonus? This ultimate shopping guide is also budget-friendly. Nothing in this crew of essentials is over $100, so feel free to stock up. Click on to shop 125 of our favorite things for Summer.

Photo courtesy of Free People

8 Myths About Sex Differences

The Good Men Project — Fri, 25 May 2012 02:00:49 PDT

We're happy to present this story from one of our favorite sites, The Good Men Project. Today, Agustín Fuentes points out that when it comes to men and women, what "everyone knows" isn’t what science shows.

Everyone knows that men and women are really different. We think differently and act differently because we are wired differently. I mean look at our brains and genitals: they are just plain different. Right?

Wrong.

What if many of the things we assume about the biology of difference are not so different at all? What if it is not our “wiring” but the ways in which our bodies and minds develop and play out in society that makes us seem so unalike? Could it be that men and women are more similar than we think?

I Dumped the Love of My Life and Now She Doesn’t Trust Me

Yes, women give birth and lactate and men do not. And yes, men are, on average, slightly larger than women and usually have greater upper body strength. There are these basic biological differences between the sexes and they are important . . . but why always focus on the differences and not the biological, and behavioral, similarities? Ahh, that would be because of gender.

Gender is a powerful reality; it is the perception and expectation of differences between males and females and it shapes both our bodies and our society. Gender differences are real and important, but they are not hard wired or even static. There is no biological or evolutionary mandate that only women really care for babies and show emotions, or that males are the best at economics and politics and prefer beers and skirt-chasing to domestic bliss. These are patterns of gender roles and expectations that shape the ways we look at our biology and behavior. They influence the way we expect the world to be. It is the strength of the societal myths about sex that fool us into thinking that men and women are so different by nature.

So let’s bust some of those myths.

Gender and sex are the same thing.

Sex and gender are interconnected, but not the same thing. Sex is a biological state that is measured via what chromosomes you have (XX or XY, usually) and aspects of your body and physiology. Gender includes the roles, expectations and perceptions that a given society has for the sexes. Most societies have two genders on a masculinity-femininity continuum. Some have more. We are born with a biological sex, but acquire gender. There is a ton of individual diversity within societies and sexes in regards to how sex and gender play out in behavior and personality.

There is an extensive body of data demonstrating this, but people interested only in specific differences between men and women choose to ignore it.

Male and female genitals are totally different.

Most people think that male and female genitals are about as different as can be: penis=male and vagina=female. But even this basic dichotomy is not quite correct: the genitals emerge from the same mass of embryonic tissue. For the first six weeks of life the tissue masses develop identically. At about 6-7 weeks, depending on whether the fetus has XX or XY chromosomes (usually), the tissues to start to differentiate. One part of the tissues begins to form the clitoris or penis and another forms the labia or scrotum. Another area begins to form into either the testes or the ovaries. This means that physiologically, male and female genitals are made of the same stuff and work in similar ways.

Male and female brains are different.

If there were really deep seated differences between male and female human behavior and biology they should show up in the brain. The genitals start in the same place and end up looking different, the brain does not. Our brains are pretty much the same. Male brains are a bit bigger than females’ (like their bodies) and females’ brains stop growing earlier than males (as with their bodies). However, whatever one may believe about other organs, in the case of healthy brains, size really does NOT matter one iota. There also might be a few differences in a small part of the brain called the straight gyrus (need more testing in this one). Other than these minor aspects there are no consistent and replicated reliable differences in male and female brains; it is a human brain . . . but how we use it is another matter.

Hormones make the difference.

Everyone thinks that males and females have different hormones . . . testosterone for men and estrogen for women. Nope, all the actual hormones in males and females are the same: there are no male-only or female-only hormones. Both men and women can get a flood of testosterone when they get into a fight or take part in an exhilarating sports match. Both men and women can get a flood of oxytocin and prolactin when they pick up a newborn baby. There can be differences in the levels, patterns, and impacts of some of these hormones in male and female bodies, but individual variation is often more important than the variation between the sexes.

Keep reading for the rest.

Oprah's Favorite Things: Her Top Beauty Picks Over the Years

Jaime Richards — Wed, 25 May 2011 06:00:18 PDT

The "Oprah's Favorite Things" episodes featured on The Oprah Winfrey Show started back in 2002, when audience members were showered with goods and services. So popular the segments were, in fact, that the giftees were practically orgasmic when informed of the contents of their more-than-generous goodie bags.

Oprah's last show airs today, and since we've already taken a look back at some of her most memorable beauty moments, let's now take a gander at some of the beauty products she counted amongst her favorites over the years.

Getty

Inspiring Words From the Women of The Conversation

Tara Block — Thu, 24 May 2012 14:45:35 PDT

If you're not watching The Conversation With Amanda de Cadenet, you're missing out! What other TV show would have Jane Fonda and Miley Cyrus talking openly about sex? On the Lifetime show - which airs tonight - British TV personality and photographer Amanda de Cadenet sits down with a variety of celebrity women in all walks of life to discuss the things we all care and talk about: sex, relationships, motherhood, body image, and depression, to name a few. Each week, ladies like Gwyneth Paltrow and Diane von Furstenberg inspire with their words of wisdom, and you can't help but feel the girl power love by the end of the episode. We've gathered some of our favorite quotes from the women so far; check them out now and read our interview with Amanda for a behind-the-scenes look at the show.

100 DIY Projects That Will Make You Proud!

Angela Swinderman Elias — Thu, 24 May 2012 10:27:33 PDT

There are few things that are as satisfying as pulling off a successful DIY project, especially when a guest asks where you purchased it. We've rounded up 90 of our favorite tutorials, and these crafty ideas will show you how to organize, entertain, and decorate with style, without spending a fortune. So, roll up your sleeves and set some time aside to tackle one of these inspiring decor DIYs!

What Foods Did You Despise as a Child but Grow to Love as an Adult?

Lauren Hendrickson — Thu, 24 May 2012 10:15:24 PDT

Every child has a food that's an absolute no. It varies by kid; my niece loves everything from asparagus to calamari to brussels sprouts, but she'll turn her nose up at mushrooms every time, no matter how they're prepared.

When I was growing up, I was a pretty adventurous eater, but I despised frozen peas - so much that I made up an elaborate story about them being my doll's favorite thing on the entire planet and got away with passing along my helping to her whenever the vegetable was served at dinner. For most of my life, I continued my disdain of peas of all kinds: frozen, canned, and fresh. Then one Spring, I popped open one of those English pea pods at the farmers market and fell in love. Now, whenever this time of year rolls around, I can't wait to shell fresh peas.

I'm curious to know your stories: what foods did you hate as a kid that you've since learned to love?

Photo: Lauren Hendrickson

Jane Krakowski Says Jenna Would Play Anastasia in Fifty Shades of Grey

Annie Scudder — Wed, 23 May 2012 12:10:25 PDT

30 Rock's season finale aired last week, and it's official that the next season will be its last. We caught up with Jane Krakowski, who plays Jenna Maroney, the narcissistic actress engaged to her male impersonator. In addition to her work on 30 Rock, Jane's using her comedic talent for Best Night Ever, an upcoming vignette series for NBC. She'll star alongside Andy Cohen and Giuliana Rancic. We had a chance to talk to Jane, and she reflected on what she's learned from 30 Rock and even took a guess at what Jenna would make of the Fifty Shades of Grey phenomenon. Read on.

TrèsSugar: The S&M erotic novel Fifty Shades of Grey is a bestseller and being made into a movie. Do you think Jenna would find it tame?
Jane Krakowski: I'm sure Jenna is buying the rights already to play the role. Everybody's reading that book. I haven't read it yet, but I see it in everyone's hands.

TS: Have you learned anything from your 30 Rock character over the years?
JK: I think my big lesson is to probably not do anything that Jenna does. So whatever she does, do the opposite. You might be better off. But that's the fun part about playing someone like her. You can be as outrageous as possible and get away with it within our structure that is TGS and 30 Rock, so there are so many things that the character has done over the seasons where I'm like, "Really? Are you sure we're going to be able to do this and get away with this?" And in that world and the blanket that is Tina Fey's genius it always seems to be alright. I will trust her wherever she sends me.

TS: Who is your favorite couple on the show?
JK: Well of course I'm thrilled Jenna has taken one step toward being humane by getting engaged. Although, Paul being a wonderful man it's (still) the most narcissistic wedding that could possibly happen, because she's marrying a male impersonator of her. I've always enjoyed Liz Lemon's relationships. I loved when Michael Sheen was on the show. I really adored him. I think her current relationship with the character of Criss is really a great one.

TS: In your latest role in NBC's TV vignettes series titled Best Night Ever, you play a tarot card reader. What would you hope the cards hold for Jenna?
JK: Wow. I sort of wish the tarot card reader would tell me that 30 Rock is not ending after 13 episodes next season. We found out that it's official that we're only going to be doing 13 more. It's been the greatest experience.

You can watch our interview with Jane below and also find out why she's excited about her new role in Best Night Ever.