No more UGLY CHRISTMAS SWEATERS

by Brittany Geragotelis

Don't get me wrong...I enjoy a good ugly Christmas sweater as much as the next guy. They make perfect white elephant gift exchange presents, and they're fun to wear ironically. For an hour or two. But lets be honest, you can't really wear them the rest of the year...or in public.

This doesn't mean the holiday sweater should be counted out completely though. In fact, there are some REALLY awesome sweaters out there that you might actually be happy to receive from your Great Aunt Ida. Here's are a round-up of ones that I loved, which will make sweater-wearing both fun and fashionable! No ugliness necessary.

BUY THEM HERE: Trés Cool, $22.80; Holy Chic, $15.99; I'm Trouble, $29.95; Swag, $22.80

BUY THEM HERE: Heart, $24.80; Love, $34.90; Je T'aime, $27.80; Smooch, $10

BUY THEM HERE: Cool Cat, $13.80; Owl, $10; Foxy, $19.80; Black Sheep, $29.80

BUY THEM HERE: Red Christmas, $10; Sequin Bow, $39.90; Snowflake, $10; Smiley Face, $22.80

BUY THEM HERE: Zipper, $22.80; Studded, $22.80; Lace, $5; Cape, $15

BUY THEM HERE: Mercy, $22.80; Last Place, $13.90; Lost & Found, $22.80

BUY THEM HERE: Crosses & Arrows, $10; Stars, $29.95; Diamonds & Triangles, $37.80; X, $29.95

BUY THEM HERE: Barcode, $22.80; Shining Star, $27.80; Zig-Zag, $29.95; Stitches, $19.80

BUY THEM HERE: Panther, $29.95; T-Rex, $22.80; Panda, $22.80; Kitty, $34.90

Stay warm and happy holidays!!!

5x5,
B.

Dad's Day

by Brittany Geragotelis

If you're like me, you're unable to be with your dad today on Father's Day. But that doesn't mean that you can't make him feel special (hopefully making up for the fact that you can't be there in the first place). What better way to do this by making a list of all the reasons your dad is awesome and then send it to him. He'll appreciate the thought you put into it and it will make him happy to know that you really WERE paying attention when he thought you were just ignoring him. And if you're having a tough time getting started, here's my list:

Me and Dad at a museum in NYC

Awesome Things About My Dad:
1. He's tall and could always reach the dishes in the cupboard that I couldn't get down.
2. He's always nice to my mom. Back when they first got married, he gave part of his savings to her so that she could start her own ballet studio.
3. He's always believed that I would become a published author one day...but also reminded me that I needed a day job until that happened.

Dad, Mom, Curtis & Jacey

4. He flew airplanes for years. Even though I'm a girl and didn't really think this was cool growing up, I've come to find out (from just about every guy alive) that this is, in fact, one of the coolest jobs someone can have. Hello, look how popular Top Gun was!
5. He buys me random books from the sales bin whenever he goes to a bookstore or the library.
6. He's a coffee drinker and appreciates a good cup whenever he can get it.
7. He thinks he's HILARIOUS and laughs at his own jokes.

Twins!

8. He can't sing, but does it anyway.
9. He took me to the movies right after I had surgery on one of my feet...and got the manager to give me a chair to rest my foot on, with a pillow he'd brought from home, just so I'd be comfortable.
10. He sends me and my sisters little notes/stories/poems that he finds inspirational.
11. He's really passionate about golfing.
12. He's clever and even makes his own golf clubs.

Dad channeling Zoolander.

13. He can wake the dead with his sneezes.
14. He's smart and has several degrees.
15. He wants to be a writer one day and says he's going to follow in my footsteps.
16. He puts rice in his hair and then asks if he has "head rice."

The statue was NOT amused.

17. He and his navy friends have silly nicknames for each other. His is Germ.
18. He makes my mom laugh. His kids...well, we laugh at him, anyway.
19. He likes really ugly ties.
20. He falls asleep while watching TV and when you catch him, he swears he was awake the whole time but was just resting his eyes.

Happy Father's Day, Dad!

What's so awesome about your dad? Leave your lists in the comments below!!!

5x5,
B.

Mother's Day Momma

by Brittany Geragotelis

Me and Mom

Today is Mother's Day, so what better time to list all the things I love about my mom? Here are my top 10.

1. She's funny. Maybe she's not stand-up funny, but she always makes me laugh. One of her fave things to say? "You're funny--funny looking!"
2. She's always encouraged me to follow my dreams. And she's done this through example. She's a ballet teacher and has always said that work isn't work when you're doing what you love. Even though publishing books is a bit of a lofty dream, she's never told me I couldn't achieve it.

Mom in a chicken suit she made for Halloween

3. She's dorky. My mom's not what you would call a serious person. She's dorky, but in the same way that I am. She says weird things, she'll bust out in the splits anytime, anywhere, and she dances in the car like a lunatic. She's adorkable.
4. She's strong. Looking at her, you wouldn't think she's lived the life she's lived. She's raised three strong-willed, confident young women. There was a time when she worked several jobs at a time just to pay the bills. She was held up at gun-point. She was stalked by a serial killer. She survived horrible situations and came out the other side better for it.

Me at Disneyland

5. She's a big kid. There is NO ONE I'd rather go to Disneyland with than my mom. She wakes up early so we can be there when they snip the ribbon to let people in to the park. She makes us run from one ride to the next and she believes that everything is as magical as the first time she went there...even when we've been there a million times before. She jokes that when Matt and I go on our honeymoon there, she's going to come along, because she's so much fun to go with.

Here's a cake my mom made and decorated

6. She believes in her kids. My mom hates to read...but she's now read three of my books. She was there 100% when my sister was trying to get pregnant, then all throughout her pregnancy and now as a Memaw to my nephew. She's all for my baby sister playing video games for her chosen career. Whatever we want to do, she's supportive, and when we fall along the way, she picks us up.

Here's a dress she designed for one of her students

7. She's uber-talented. Not only is she a phenomenal dancer, but she can also sew just about anything. She makes all her costumes for her ballet performances and she made my sister's bridesmaid's dresses. Seriously, she could have a second career designing and making clothes, she's that good. And she can decorate a mean cake, too.
8. She's a scaredy cat. She will NOT watch scary movies. When we were growing up, she wouldn't even let me watch "Are You Afraid of the Dark" on Nickelodeon while she was in the same room, because she thought it was too scary. This is especially funny, considering that all of her kids are obsessed with scary movies.

Here's a hat she created for one of the cruises she went on

9. She knows what she wants. And it's perfection. To say she's a perfectionist is an understatement. Her house MUST be perfectly clean at all times. If a thread is sticking out of a costume, it must be snipped. And don't worry if you don't do something perfectly...she'll fix it. You've gotta respect someone who has a vision and isn't afraid to go after it.
10. She's a great mom. I am who I am today because of my mom and I wouldn't have it any other way. She's the best and I'm lucky to have her in my life.

Happy Mother's day, Mom! Love you!

5x5,
B.

by Brittany Geragotelis


Valentine's Day may be over, but Cupid's certainly left some collateral damage in his wake. Whether it's a wine hangover or a love hangover, most of America is recouping today...myself included. Take a look at what my V-day was like.

First thing yesterday morning, I took my daily walk over to the Bux to make sure I would be able to make it through the day...and along the way, saw this:


















and then....


















and...


















Seriously, they were up and down the block...

















I have a feeling Isobella was one happy girl when she got up to go to work in the morning! Either that, or she was freaked to find out she has a stalker.

Next, I made a little Valentine's day treat; it was a play on an old recipe, but with a little something extra. These are dark chocolate-dipped chocolate chip cookies. To achieve this amazingly delicious choc-tastic dessert, I used Betty Crocker's gluten-free chocolate chip cookie mix and prepared as suggested on box (only, I switched out butter for applesauce, which makes the cookies more fluffy and cake-like). After they'd come out of the oven and I'd let them cool for about 10 minutes, I took half a tub of Cool Whip and a generous amount of dark chocolate chips, put them into a bowl and nuked it for about a minute. Once done, I stirred up the mixture until I had a dark chocolate dip. After that, I took the cooled cookies and dipped the bottoms into the chocolate and then placed them chocolate side up on a plate and let them harden a bit in the fridge. Once they were done, I had a chocolatey gooey mess that was truly delectible.

Mmmmm.

Next, I had to get Matty a hot V-day present, so I went out and bought him a mixture of loungewear: sweats, pajama pants and boxers. I even flared the boxers out on top of the bag, to make it look like tissue paper (which I think was a little bit genius. Move over Martha Stewart).

















By the time I got home around 9pm, Matt and I were officially ready to celebrate the holiday. We did this by ordering in Mexican food, watching "Glee" and exchanging presents. So, what did Matt get me? Well, take a look.


















I was not happy when I began to flip through the cards...


















When I frowned, Matt started to laugh...


















Notice how it says cuddle time is only "2 minutes max." Matt explained to me that that's all he can take before he gets too overheated. Romantic, huh?


















By this point, I was like...Seriously? This is it? But after laughing his butt off, Matt handed me this.


















So, in the end, Matty pulled through with an amazing gift of an hour-long couples massage and a mani/pedi session. Way to go, babe!

And, of course, Valentine's Day wouldn't be complete without a little present from my mom. Here's what came in the mail for us:


















I've said it before and I'll say it again: My mom gives great gifts. How cute are these his/hers pillowcases?

So, as you can see, I had a pretty nice V-day. How was yours?

5x5,
B.

DELETE--Who shot Cupid?

by Brittany Geragotelis

Once a week, my guest blogger (who shall remain nameless...okay, not nameless...let's call her Ms. Sassy Pants. Sassy for short) stops by to share all the things in her life that deserve a big, fat DELETE. Anyhoo, her majesty is back and this week she's got beef with good, ole Cupid. Check out what she had to say and then come up with a few DELETES of your own.

Ah Valentine's Day. The dreaded holiday of all singletons. Or as I like to call it: You're a Loser if You're Not in a Relationship Day. You just can't get away from it. It's a constant kick in the face; everywhere I turn, there it is. From my doorman asking me, "why don't you have a boyfriend?" to the numerous New York Times articles outlining how difficult it is for women to find love in the City. Apparently there are over 100,000 more single women in NYC than men. Why don't you just kill me now? Apparently, I'm going to have to move to Alaska to find a soulmate. For the love! So my ladies...I'm sure you know where this is going. Valentine's Day...DELETE!

Here are just a few of the cliche's that need to be DELETED around this bullshit holiday:

Boxes of chocolates. Really? The only people eating those chocolates are the single girls who are at home alone watching rom-coms and getting fatter by the minute...DELETE!

Getting flowers at the office. Any woman who displays flowers sent by admirers today should be stoned--publicly--and then have her pretty petals taken away. Period. DELETE!

Romantic candlelit dinners. I can't see the bleepin menu because of the dim lights. And by the way...a few open flames and a hot meal doesn't mean you're getting laid. DELETE!

Getting engaged. Oh wow, how original. Getting engaged on Valentine's Day. That's SOOOOO romantic. DELETE!

Gaggles of single bitches going out to celebrate being single. Oh please! You look desperate and pathetic. And we all know you're really going out to troll for men, so enough already. Go home and eat some chocolates. From a box. DELETE!

And on that note, I'm off to kick some cupid ass and break some arrows. Until next week...

5x5,

B.

Happy Thanksgiving!

by Brittany Geragotelis

I'm sitting here watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade from the comfort of Matt's family's home, bundled up in a warm blanket and drinking some coffee. Can you say perfection? The only thing that would be better would be if I was able to be with my family today, too! But I'll give them a call later (they're three hours behind)...

So, I thought I'd dedicate this blog to the holiday. And no, it's not all about the food (although I'm looking forward to eating some gluten-free mac and cheese later!). It's about being thankful. So, in honor of Thanksgiving, here's a list of all the things I'm grateful for:

1. The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
2. All the wonderful acts we get to watch
3. It's actually pretty warm right now. This time last year, it was freezing.
4. My family. They're all wonderful and so supportive of me.
5. My friends. They're awesome. What else can I say?
6. Comfy blankets
7. Black Friday shopping tomorrow!
8. Picking out Christmas presents for people. Sure, I like getting gifts, but I like giving them more!
9. Playing board games with Matt and his family whenever we come home.
10. Picking out a comfy bed
11. The Chocolate Chip Cookie Cheesecake that I made last night.
12. "Glee" and that I get to shoot Heather Morris for our next cover!
13. My job. At the end of the day we get to impact young people's lives in a positive way.
14. The opportunities that present themselves to me.
15. Moving in with Matt in January
16. Writing my next book, Life's a Witch.
17. All the amazing food I'll be eating later!
18. This blog and all of you who read it!

5x5,
B.

DELETE--Gratitude not ATTITUDE

by Brittany Geragotelis

Once a week, my guest blogger (who shall remain nameless...okay, not nameless...let's call her Ms. Sassy Pants. Sassy for short) stops by to share all the things in her life that deserve a big, fat DELETE. Anyhoo, her majesty is back and this week, she's trying something new for a change: Gratitude! Check out what she had to say and then come up with a few of your own.

In light of the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday, I figured I'd try hanging up the snarky 'tude and get down to some real “thanks-giving.” I blame it on the time of year, the change of seasons and holiday cheer. So for one week (and one week only)…I’m going to attempt to do the opposite and see if I can go from hating people to tolerating people.

So what, you ask, does that mean? Well, this will most certainly be a work in progress, but whenever a negative attitude or thought crops up over the next week, it must be DELETED immediately. For example, if someone is walking too slowly in front of me and I’m late for an appointment…instead of pushing them into a bag of garbage on the side of the street (like I might want to)…I’ll take a deep breath, slow down and think of one thing that I’m thankful for. Here are a few items I added to my arsenal this week:

My friend Britt and her love of all things pink. Every time I see pink I think of her and that is a gift…my own version of rose-colored glasses.

The beauty of New York City at night. Even though living here provides me with unlimited sources of material for this column…it truly is magical.

The little noises my cat makes when he sleeps. I think he might actually be a dog that just looks like a cat.

80’s music. Enough said.

Spending Turkey Day with my family and laughing at our neuroses year after year. Every year my mother plans out the menu minute by minute. From when the turkey goes into the oven to when the potatoes need to be peeled. And every year something goes wrong that sets the whole plan into a tailspin. And every year I get to sit back and enjoy the chaos unfold around me. But at the end of the day, when our bellies are full…the drama is all forgotten.

Next week, after being held hostage by my family during Thanksgiving, I’m sure Ms. Sassy Pants will be back to her usual DELETEful self. Happy Gobble, Gobble!

5x5,

B.

Up to mischief this Halloween

by Brittany Geragotelis

I've always loved Halloween. It's not my favorite holiday (That would be Christmas, followed by Friday the 13th), but it's definitely in my top five. The truth is, there are two things I like about it. One, it's a day devoted to scariness. The air seems more electric, you get startled a little easier at noises, you start to believe that ghosts, vampires, aliens, ghouls and things that go bump in the night might not be fiction. I love that on Halloween (or really any time that weekend), you can turn the TV to any channel and land on some slasher film starring some masked man chasing after young coeds, documentaries that manage to catch a murder on tape or ghosts haunting people, houses and families. In other words, it's AWESOME.

The other reason I love this holiday is because I revel in the idea of dressing up in a costume and being something else—someone else. A fantasy version of me, if you will.

And no, I don't mean a fantasy version in the slutty kind of way. In fact, I sort of feel like it's cheating the holiday when people dress up as slutty nurses, slutty bumblebees or slutty M&M's (Oh yeah, that's right..someone somewhere actually managed to make a chocolaty desert candy sexual. Now that takes some real skill...or just a drunk college girl who decided to wear the little kid's candy costume sans pants....). Take a look at a few of this year's gems:

























































































Come to think of it, I actually kind of like the Freddy Kreuger look....But back to the real costumes. I love becoming someone else....just for the day/night. Over the past 9 years since I moved to NYC, I've sported a variety of costumes: some really imaginative, some funny and others....a bit obscure. But all were fun! Here's what I've dressed up as in the past:
















A cheerleader























A punk rocker




















Mary Kate & Ashley Olsen






















Illyria from "Angel"
























Blair Waldorf from "Gossip Girl"


Today is my last day in the office before Halloween, so my staff and I decided it would be fun to dress up. My costume this year? Michael Jackson from his Thriller video. What do you think?























So what are you going to be this Sunday? Leave your comments above and then go have a treat for me! If you send me a picture of you in your Halloween costume, I'll post it on my blog! E-mail pics to thebookslayer@gmail.com

5x5,
B.

Mother's ROCK!

by Brittany Geragotelis

It's Mother's Day!

And I don't know about you, but I have a pretty cool mom. Besides the fact that she gave me life (little did she know what she was getting herself into!), she's the one who took me to all of my gymnastics meets, she taught me by example to follow my dreams and showed me the importance of chocolate (seriously....our crisper drawer at home is filled to the brim of candy bars. MMMMMM).

She's made me the woman I am today. Taught me to be independent, self-preserving and strong. And as I get older, I realize I've also inherrited her metabolism and awesome sense of humor.

courtesy of Disney

One of my favorite mom memories though, is when she used to take us to Disneyland as kids. She'd come into our rooms in the middle of the night and wrap each of us girls in our own soft, warm blankets and then bring us out to the car (which she'd warmed up beforehand), belt us into our seats and then drive all night to bring us to Disneyland (all the way from Washington). Then, when we got to Disneyland, my mom would make us line up at the entrance until they cut the ribbon and let us in. She's so much fun to go to Disneyland with....she runs from one ride to the next and gets just as excited for the rides as any kid there. She makes the whole experience even MORE magical than it usually is, and she's really fun to talk to when you're waiting in line for the rides. I think it's because of my mom that I like Disney as much as I do...

So here's to all our moms for making every memory special! And special shout-outs to fabulicious moms, my BFF Colleen and my sis Amy! You guys rock, too!

5x5,

B.