LilSugar

Check Out New Retailers on ShopStyle Kids!

LilSugar — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 12:00:00 PST

I use ShopStyle Kids, the Sugar Inc. owned search engine for children's clothes and goods, which allows you to browse and shop without ever loading the kids in the car, more than I'd like to admit so I was thrilled to hear the site has added some of my favorite brands. You can now cruise collections from Children's Place, Japanese Weekend, Tutti Bella, Crazy 8, and Janie and Jack.

The weather across the US makes it hard to tell whether to purchase Winter or Spring clothes right now, which is why I love Tutti Bella's tee shirt selection. They are perfect for layering and add a little rocker edge to your lil one's look.

Harajuku Lovers Fatal Attraction to Cuteness Tee - Sold Out	Harajuku Lovers Gwen Snowbunny Tee - Sold Out
Small Paul by Paul Frank Bubblegum Julius Tee - Sold Out	Harley Davidson by Trunk Dark Angel Tee - Sold Out
City Threads Midnight Acoustic Guitar Tee - Sold Out	Me Too Berry Tee - Sold Out
Nano Monkey Tee - Sold Out	Nano Truck Tee - Sold Out

Baby Bump: Japanese Weekend Maternity and Nursing PJs

LilSugar — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 12:00:21 PST

One of the things to expect when you're expecting is to invest in new threads for your expanding belly. If you're trying to watch your budget during these hard economic times then try to look for gear that will be versatile during your pregnancy and after your bundle of joy arrives. The D & A Nursing Pajama Set ($64) will keep you cozy as your stomach stretches and then provide a comfortable and functional set of jammies to wear while nursing once you pop. Most bellies don't go back to their pre-baby state immediately so you'll welcome the extra room in the beginning, but also love the easy access the top provides for breastfeeding.

The Secrets of the World's Healthiest Women

Health — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 04:45:10 PST

We are pumped to share one of our favorite stories from Health.com here on our site.

From pouring on the olive oil like the Greeks to slashing stress like the Scandinavians, what we
can learn from the happiest, slimmest, longest-living cultures around the globe.

The secret to a long, healthy life in America? According to longevity researchers, it may be to act like you live somewhere else.

It seems like every year another country's lifestyle is touted as the new magic bullet to cure us of obesity, heart disease, and premature death: for an unclogged heart, herd goats and down olive oil like a Mediterranean. Avoid breast cancer and live to 100 by dining on tofu, Japanese-style. Stay as happy as Norwegians by hunting elk and foraging for cowberries.

Health.com: Weight-Loss Secrets From Around the World

The places we're usually told to emulate are known as Blue Zones or Cold Spots. Blue Zones were pinpointed by explorer Dan Buettner and a team of longevity researchers and are described in his book The Blue Zones: Lessons For Living Longer From the People Who've Lived the Longest. They're areas in Italy, Japan, Greece, California, and Costa Rica where the people have traditionally stayed healthy and active to age 100 or older.

Keep on reading for more great tips from around the globe.

Momofuku-Style Cherry Tomato Salad With Soft Tofu and Shiso

OnSugar Blog — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 13:30:27 PST

Even in the dark, Yoo Eatz's recipe for a cherry tomato, soft tofu, and shiso salad looks pretty incredible.

When I was about 2 years old, my best friend in the whole world was Jon. He was 6 months younger, but a whole head taller than me, and while I was very quiet and shy, he could wail loud enough for the both of us (or so my mom says). Where I would scamper, he would lumber. One of the only things we seemed to agree upon was that pigeons were meant for chasing (we're city kids), but despite our differences, we were practically inseparable: JonJon and SaSa. Then his family moved down the Peninsula, and our paths wouldn't again cross until much later.

My apologies for the blurry, dark photo. It was late, and I was hungry.

In college, my Jon was my buddy Kevin. Again, he was the outgoing one, and quiet little me always seemed to be tagging along to his parties. His social sphere was only slightly smaller than the campus population, whereas I tended to stick to a very small circle of friends. So it was a strange twist of fate when I found out that Kevin and Jon were close friends, having met through the university's crew team.

Fast-forward about 15 years to last weekend when we hosted Jon, Kevin, and their awesome wives for a little dinner party conceived through my Momofuku cookbook. We enjoyed an upscale ssam dinner (Korean barbecue served as make-your-own lettuce wraps) with kalbi-style New York strip and grilled pork belly and an insalata Caprese-inspired cherry tomato salad that I was dying to try. Rather than nesting the tomatoes on soft disks of mozzarella, Chang substitutes silken tofu and replaces zesty strips of basil with equally pungent Japanese shiso.

Keep reading for a wintry take on the Caprese salad.

Pilates Moves For Your Arms and Core From Kim Kardashian's Trainer

Self — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 04:18:48 PST

We are pumped to share one of our fave stories from Self here on FitSugar!

If you're a novice like me, you might not realize that there are many different kinds of Pilates. And those incarnations are not defined as "hard, very hard, and nearly impossible."

Celebrity trainer Sara Kapuchinski just opened her new LA studio i heart fitness xo, where she teaches West Coast-style Pilates to a revolving A-list clientele including Khloe and Kim Kardashian, Christina Ricci, Modern Family's Sofia Vergara and Glee's Romy Rosemont.

Kapuchinski started out as a weekend trainer, whose day job was as an A & R executive in the music industry. Soon, she realized that teaching fitness felt more personally satisfying. "Music was fun, but I was more gratified training people," she recalls. "After sitting at a desk from 9 to 5 and staying up 'til all hours, I was experiencing a lot of neck and back pain. And, like most people, I was amazed that classic Pilates did the things that it was supposed to do: my posture improved, I lost inches in my waist and my neck and back pain basically disappeared."

After a bit of investigation, the trainer found that Pilates on the West Coast, which is heavier on cardio, was more her speed: "Pilates is so great for your body, for your core (that mysterious thing), but a lot of times you leave a class feeling like you need to sweat. I wanted something that was a bit more cardio-driven without having to go take a Boot Camp."

Read on for three of Kapuchinski's heart-pounding Pilates moves!

Decorating Tip: Remember the Importance of Scale, but Also Remember to Decorate With What You Love

Elka Karl — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 05:00:25 PDT

In this weekend's episode of Secrets From a Stylist, Emily Henderson assisted her client Michael in redecorating his open living space. Michael had recently moved into a gorgeous, two-level, Mediterranean style home, and although his furniture was quite nice, many of his larger pieces weren't scaled for the new, larger space. Emily came to the rescue, filling the space with dramatic drapery, larger sofas, and appropriately sized tables, accents, and lighting. However, she also integrated many of his pieces back into the design, including his collection of Japanese baskets and many art pieces.

When I recently interviewed Emily about her project on HGTV'd, I asked her about scaling furniture for the space. She offered some sage advice, noting that you should balance scale with your personal love of a piece.

Emily said, "Scale is obviously important and this room in particular is big. But, I don't think that you need to be bogged down by scale too much. If you have an amazing piece that you've loved forever and it’s slightly too small or too big, it can work. When buying new things for a new space, yes, make sure that things are balanced and proportioned to the space, but don't get rid of things you love because you think they look 'off'. Sometimes a little bit of 'off' is what you need in a home to make it unique."

How do you decorate with scale in your home? Are there any pieces that you love that are a little "off"? Where do they reside in your home?

Photo by Mark Champion

Picture It: All Dolled Up

Tara Sharp — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 04:00:27 PDT

Cosplay ("costume play") enthusiasts dressed up like Japanese anime and manga art characters gathered at the North East Manga and Anime Convention in England over the weekend. Many of the participants were Lolitas, which is a subculture of Japanese fashion that includes doll-like, Victorian-inspired dresses, petticoats, and accessories. See more pics from NemaCon now.

Taste Test: Blue Diamond Baked Nut Chips

Susannah Chen — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 13:15:05 PDT

We've been confident that potato chip alternatives are soon to be a huge snack food trend, and sure enough, nearby grocery stores are have finally jumped on the black bean, lentil, and kale chip bandwagon. This weekend I spotted something new that I'd never seen before: Baked Nut Chips, by Blue Diamond Growers, the makers of those tasty smokehouse- and wasabi-flavored almonds.

Just looking at the bag made me feel healthy: "Irresistible snacking! Smart eating!" it declared. "Contains 20 grams of whole grain from brown rice, and 81 percent less saturated fat than potato chips." These crisps, made from almonds and brown rice, are also a suitable alternative to anyone allergic to wheat or gluten. Curious to try a chip made of nuts, I picked up two bags. They sounded full of promise, but were the puffy chip bags full of goodness - or disappointment? The moment of truth, when you read on.

Sophisticated Mama: Steal Carla Bruni's Buttoned-Up Maternity Style

Rebecca M Gruber — Fri, 27 May 2011 03:21:59 PDT

It's probably as strong of a confirmation as we'll ever get from Carla Bruni. The first lady of France attended yesterday's G8 Summit in a loose white shift that simply graced her burgeoning belly - a sharp contrast from the more tailored look she usually wears. The sophisticated style is reminiscent of the more conservative looks other pregnant first ladies have worn through the years, as opposed to the sheer look many celeb mamas are now wearing. With Memorial Day upon us, get set to bring out your own whites. I've rounded up five white frocks to get you started!

Clockwise from top left: Jules and Jim Sophia Maternity Dress ($132), Japanese Weekend White Dress ($74), Strapless Maternity Dress ($129), Rosie Pope Grace Dress ($295), More of Me Oh Baby Bib Dress ($130).

Gwyneth Paltrow Shows Gwen Stefani Her Favorite London Spots

Allie Merriam — Wed, 11 May 2011 13:42:00 PDT

Gwyneth Paltrow grabbed her neon clutch and joined pal Gwen Stefani for a dinner out in London last night. Gwen and her family have been in the UK for the last week, though her days are usually filled with park outings alongside Gavin, Kingston, and Zuma Rossdale. The ladies stopped first at Gwen's place near Primrose Hill, then made their way to a Japanese restaurant closer to the city's center. Gwen and her family were also spotted paying a visit to Gwyneth and her husband Chris Martin's home in the Hampstead neighborhood on Saturday. It's a good time for the ladies to catch up and trade secrets, since Gwyneth is mulling over offers to create an album or even record a track with the British band JLS. Gwen's an expert when it comes to that area and recently logged long hours in the studio with No Doubt finishing its next record. Gwyneth, though, still has her big screen career to focus on and recently hinted during an interview with the BBC's Sunday morning news show Something For the Weekend that she may reprise her role as Pepper Potts in The Avengers and even make a cameo on the upcoming Glee tour.