LilSugar

Lil Find: Personalized Placemats

babysugar — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 12:00:58 PDT

I'm always looking for a cute birthday present that can be my standard gift for the year. When someone recently gifted my friend's son a few personalized placemats from Olive Kids ($10 each), I knew I found a winner.

With more than 40 designs, including popular holidays and traditional boy and girl themes, each heavy-duty laminated placemat is personalized with a child's name. The themes have helped to direct our dinner conversation, and allow us to practice our letter recognition.

The Hunger Games and Bridesmaids Lead the Pack For the 2012 MTV Movie Awards Nominees

Becky Kirsch — Tue, 01 May 2012 07:25:46 PDT

Is The Hunger Games the new Twilight? If the new crop of nominees for the MTV Movie Awards are any indication, we might be in for a regime change. Along with Bridesmaids, The Hunger Games is leading the pack, including nods for male and female performance and movie of the year. Of course the real question will be whether or not Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson can take down Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart for best kiss, a category the Twilight couple has dominated for the past three years.

As for the rest of the nominees, big comedies from the year like Crazy, Stupid, Love and 21 Jump Street got a lot of love, as did the final installment in the Harry Potter series. There are also a handful of new categories, like best music and the oh-so-prestigious best on-screen dirt bag. Check out the full list of nominees before the show airs on June 3.

To see the nominees, just

MOVIE OF THE YEAR
Bridesmaids
The Hunger Games
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2
The Help
Breaking Dawn Part 1

BEST MALE PERFORMANCE
Daniel Radcliffe, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2
Ryan Gosling, Drive
Joseph Gordon-Levitt, 50/50
Josh Hutcherson, The Hunger Games
Channing Tatum, The Vow

BEST FEMALE PERFORMANCE
Jennifer Lawrence, The Hunger Games
Kristen Wiig, Bridesmaids
Emma Stone, Crazy, Stupid, Love
Emma Watson, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2
Rooney Mara, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo

BEST COMEDIC PERFORMANCE
Melissa McCarthy, Bridesmaids
Kristen Wiig, Bridesmaids
Zach Galifianakis, The Hangover Part II
Jonah Hill, 21 Jump Street
Oliver Cooper, Project X

BREAKTHROUGH PERFORMANCE
Melissa McCarthy, Bridesmaids
Rooney Mara, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
Liam Hemsworth, The Hunger Games
Elle Fanning, Super 8
Shailene Woodley, The Descendants

BEST CAST
Bridesmaids
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2
The Hunger Games
21 Jump Street
The Help

BEST ON-SCREEN TRANSFORMATION
Elizabeth Banks, The Hunger Games
Rooney Mara, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
Johnny Depp, 21 Jump Street
Michelle Williams, My Week With Marilyn
Colin Farrell, Horrible Bosses

BEST FIGHT
Daniel Radcliffe vs. Ralph Fiennes, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2
Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson vs. Alexander Ludwig, The Hunger Games
Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill vs. Kid Gang, 21 Jump Street
Tom Hardy vs. Joel Edgerton, Warrior
Tom Cruise vs. Michael Nyqvist, Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol

BEST KISS
Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone, Crazy, Stupid, Love
Rupert Grint and Emma Watson, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2
Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson, The Hunger Games
Rachel McAdams and Channing Tatum, The Vow
Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart, Breaking Dawn Part 1

BEST GUT-WRENCHING PERFORMANCE
Bridesmaids (Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Rose Byrne, Melissa McCarthy, Wendi McLendon-Covey and Ellie Kemper)
The Help (Bryce Dallas Howard)
21 Jump Street Jonah Hill and Rob Riggle)
Drive (Ryan Gosling)
Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol (Tom Cruise)

BEST ON-SCREEN DIRT BAG
Bryce Dallas Howard, The Help
Jon Hamm, Bridesmaids
Jennifer Aniston, Horrible Bosses
Colin Farrell, Horrible Bosses
Oliver Cooper, Project X

BEST MUSIC
"Party Rock Anthem," LMFAO (21 Jump Street)
"A Real Hero," College with Electric Youth (Drive)
"The Devil Is in the Details," Chemical Brothers (Hanna)
"Impossible," Figurine (Like Crazy)
"Pursuit of Happiness," Kid Cudi (Steve Aoki remix) (Project X)

Photo courtesy of Lionsgate

Link Time: The World's Coolest Starbucks Stores

Camilla Salem — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 10:15:34 PDT

The world's coolest Starbucks stores - The Daily Meal
Cocktails for Cinco de Mayo - Delish
Maple-cardamom-glazed salmon . . . yum! - Food52
The truth about Costco's food and booze - HuffPost Food
10 gourmet kids meals from across the country - Zagat
Food pilgrimages you must make this Summer - Grub Street NY
The many ways to cook with chicken thighs - Saveur
Is Jamie Oliver the richest chef in the world? - Eater

Natalie Coughlin: An Olympian Who Loves Food as Much as We Do

Camilla Salem — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 06:30:37 PDT

What do backyard chickens and 11 Olympic medals have in common? Natalie Coughlin, that's what. The gold medalist and world champion is gearing up for the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, while cultivating a healthy interest in all things food-related. From growing vegetables in her own backyard in Lafayette, CA to her highly effective method of kitchen organization, Natalie gives us the scoop on her experiences with food.

YumSugar: You raise chickens in your backyard and you consider yourself an urban farmer. What do you grow or produce yourself that you're most proud of?

Find out her answer and so much more when you keep reading.

Gwen Stefani and Her Boys Join Other Famous Families For a Kid-Friendly Bash

PopSugar — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 12:34:15 PDT

Yesterday morning, stars and their families came out to support the third annual Milk and Bookies event at the Skirball Cultural Center in LA. Chris Pine, Gwen Stefani, Julie Bowen, and Eric Stonestreet were among the celebrities who lent their voices to the cause by sharing some of their favorite children's stories with the kids. The nonprofit, which focuses on promoting philanthropy at a young age through book donations, got going bright and early and offered a fun-filled day with no shortage of milk, cookies, and - of course - tons of reading.

Gwen's son Kingston walked the carpet with her, while Zuma was a little camera shy. Julie Bowen balanced her sons John and Gus while her third boy, Oliver, wasted no time heading into the action. New Girl's Max Greenfield also brought his 3-year-old daughter out and told us he'd have to hold her back from her crush Chris Pine. Stay tuned for today's PopSugar Rush to catch our interviews from the event!

Classic Literature Baby Books: Kid-Friendly or Are You Kidding?

Kate Stahl — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 04:25:18 PDT

If you're a bibliophile, chances are you're eager to move on from Goodnight Moon and Pat the Bunny to meatier fare. I love Eric Carle's books, but we recently added Have You Seen My Cat? to my daughter's collection, a book in which every single page says, "Have you seen my cat?" and "This is not my cat!" Absolute torture after three readings.

You can entertain your baby and be reminded of your days reading books with actual chapters if you pick up BabyLit's new collection of literary classics-turned-board books ($10 each). Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland, Charlotte Brontë's Jane Eyre, Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, and William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet have all been gorgeously reimagined for lil ones with clever, simple text by Jennifer Adams and stylish illustrations by Alison Oliver. Pride and Prejudice and Romeo and Juliet are also available as eBooks for your iPad ($4 each).

While I'm seriously digging these interpretations of some of my favorite classic books, I'm not sure the stories of star-crossed lovers and tortured orphans are quite baby-appropriate. What do you think? Are these BabyLit board books kid-friendly or will you stick to Karen Katz and Sandra Boynton?

3 Reasons to Love Leafy Greens

Leta Shy — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 13:31:29 PDT

You've probably been told since you were a kid to eat your veggies, and perhaps none are as important as those leafy greens. And for good reason. Here are three important reasons to get more leafy greens in your diet.

They're packed with nutrition: Leafy greens pack a lot of nutrients in just one serving. For example, a cup of raw spinach gives you more than your daily recommended daily intake of vitamin A, which is crucial for healthy skin, eyes, and teeth (if you think that's impressive, check out the rest of this chart - a cup of romaine lettuce gives you twice the amount of vitamin A!). Other important nutrients you can find in greens include magnesium (an essential mineral that helps keep your body and mind feeling alert, relaxed, and functioning properly), iron, vitamin C, and cancer-preventing phytonutrients. Not only that but greens like spinach, kale, and bok choy give your body a healthy dose of calcium.

They're versatile: You don't have to chow down on a salad every day; leafy greens can be added to any number of meals. Sauté leafy greens in a bit of olive oil and seasoning for a healthy warm side, or steam the leaves for a few minutes to maintain even more of the nutrients. You can even sneak raw leaves into a juice or smoothie to get much-needed nutrients without having to go the salad route. For an indulgent way to sneak leafy greens into your diet, try making these vegan brownies with spinach baked right in!

They help you detox: The nutritious benefits of leafy greens don't stop at disease-fighting vitamins and minerals. Leafy greens like kale, spinach, and chicory contain high levels of chlorophyll, which help your body detox and alkalize. Cabbage and other cruciferous veggies like broccoli, kale, and turnips help detox your body by promoting better liver function.

Have we convinced you? Try these five fast and easy ways to sneak veggies into your diet.

Here's Why "Shopping the Perimeter" at the Grocery Store Doesn't Work

Business Insider — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 10:53:12 PDT

When you're shopping at the grocery store, Business Insider recommends skipping the "shopping the U" strategy. Find out why.

Considering most grocery stores have fresh meat, dairy products and produce lining their perimeter, "shopping the U" sounds like a smart rule of thumb, and one that might help you save. Reduced health bills means more savings, right?
Your Money tapped The Grocery Game's Teri Gault for her take on this advice.
"I hear it all the time, you should go 'U-shaped shopping,' but seriously, who does that?" she says. Here, she offers three reasons you might not be getting the best deal by "shopping the perimeter":

1. The real savings are in the middle. There, we said it. "You save all your money on the inside of the store," says Gault because every single one of those items goes on sale once every 12 weeks. "That's just a general rule," she adds, and as we've written before, it's smarter to shop by sales rather than replenish whatever you've run out of. For example, the frozen food aisle is half-off on sale, and often cheaper than fresh produce. "You can make smoothies, put them in soups or casseroles," says Gault, "you don't have to pay full price for variety."

2. You can't avoid what you eat. Let's face it: "Everyone buys rice, honey, granola and oatmeal," says Gault, before adding that there's more to the middle aisles than unhealthy grub. For example, you'll find olive oil, herbs and spices, canned tuna and salmon and good old-fashioned beans. The canned goods may be high in sodium, but rinsing them under water can cut their content dramatically and make for some tasty, low-cost meals.

3. Not all foods are healthy along the perimeter. Whipped cream and hummus dip? Salami? Booze? Your health might take a nosedive if you make a habit of skipping the middle aisles, writes dietitian Shelly Rael in the Albuquerque Journal. "The meat section has many healthy options," she says, but "there are also not-so-healthy options such as the highly marbled meats (high saturated fat), sausages, and sometimes various parts of the cow and pig that I would prefer not to see, let alone mention."

Check out these smart Business Insider stories:

The Rise of Food Pouches Is Great For Consumers

Wasting Leftovers Spoils Up To $2,000 Per Year For Average US Families

Marketers Have Tricked Women Into Paying Way Too Much at the Drug Store

10 Tips to Get Your Kids to Eat Healthy Without Breaking the Bank

Drew Barrymore Gets Her Luxury Fashion Fix in Paris

Katie Henry — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 02:41:00 PDT

Drew Barrymore left her Paris hotel arm in arm with a friend yesterday and ventured out to shop. The pair stopped in Chanel for a bit of retail therapy before heading on their way. Drew was without the company of her traveling companion, and fiancé, Will Kopelman who skipped out on the ladies only afternoon adventure.

Drew and Will are prepping for their upcoming nuptials, though it seems like a trip to France was a more pressing order of business. While making the morning show rounds for her last film, Big Miracle, Drew admitted she's been "day dreaming" about the big day. She also revealed she's hoping for kids someday, but right now they've got their hands full with their recently adopted rescue puppy, Oliver and of course, international travel.

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.