WHAT THE SPELL? on "Glee" and a wedding cake fit for an author...

by Brittany Geragotelis

I know this is a few weeks late, but I've been a little caught up with the whole "getting married and going on my honeymoon" thing, so I hope you'll forgive me for leaving you hanging. And as a thank you for your patience, here are a few goodies for you!

First off, although WHAT THE SPELL didn't turn out to have as big of a storyline as I'd thought it might, fans were still able to catch a quick glimpse of my book in the hands of Tina Chang on "Glee's" Guilty Pleasures episode. I can't describe how cool it was to see WTS on one of my favorite shows...well, you can imagine I'm sure. And in case you didn't catch it the first time around, here's a screen capture of the scene!

Second, if that wasn't already awesome enough, I just had the most FABULOUS time at my wedding! I don't want to brag, but people said it was the best wedding they'd ever been to...and I can't wait to show you all the pics! But for now, I'll just give you a teaser.

Of ALL the cool things we had at our wedding, one of my favorites was our cake. It was a stack of horror books, with monsters surrounding it and action figures of my husband Matt (I know, husband, can you believe it?!) and I on the top. Cake topper me was even holding a scythe from the last season of Buffy....how awesome is that?!?! Anyways, it was the perfect dessert for a novelist I'd say.

So, what do you think? Two amazing pics....which is your fave?

5x5,
B.

The Curious Corner--Juicing

Hi. I'm Sacha Breitman and I'd like to welcome you to my column, The Curious Corner. Now, a little about me: I'm a young guy who was raised in the fashion industry of this big--but small--city of New York. Some people may call me an airhead but I prefer to call myself a surrealist. What can I say? I'm a dreamer. I love music, poetry, books and rain. I also love meeting new people. Today I'm going to be talking about juicing. Enjoy!
______________________________________________________

The Juice Press

This past year juicing has not only become a big part of my life, but it's also exploded onto the New York scene. Healthy, vegan and gluten-free diets seem to have become the new hip thing. I mean, being skinny and looking good has always been important to our society, but since when did we take health so seriously? Juicing can improve one’s looks by clearing up skin and providing a great tool for losing weight. It also adds to your overall health.

Yet, despite all these benefits, I thought it was gross at first. I mean, if I didn't want to eat my vegetables why would I want to drink them? As you know, I'm into food and drinks that taste good and are extra sweet, and I’ve never really been one to care about my health--until my health kicked me in the butt.

Fortunately, I've found a juice bar here in the City that makes veggies taste as good as they are healthy. And no, I'm not talking about another place that calls itself a juice bar like Jamba Juice. This juice bar actually serves juices that are made with organic, raw and alkaline-filled products—so their juices don’t just taste good, they're actually a lot healthier than their competitors' products. This life-changing juice bar is called The Juice Press, and is located in several places around the city: 70 E 1^st St (hours: 8am–8pm), 279 E 10^th St (hours: 10am–10pm) and 1050 3^rd Ave (hours: 8am–8pm).

The Juice Press mainly serves cold pressed juices, but also sells health products and bottled coffee. Though their juices are a bit pricey—all around $10 each—they're worth every penny. Because juices in general are made of raw products, inorganic juices often have chemicals in them from pesticides, which can be toxic to the body. And let's be honest...what would be the point be in drinking something so healthy if it actually wasn’t? The Juice Press’ drinks are all chemical free and packed to the brim with vegetables and fruits.

My favorite drink at The Juice Press is the "Green Giant." It's made of coconut water and meat, kale, apple, dates, cacao, spirulina and lemon. This drink is practically a meal and after having a juice, I feel so clean and fresh. If I'm feeling extra healthy, I’ll get the "Mother Earth," which consists of cucumber, celery, parsley, kale, dandelion, Swiss chard and ginger.

If you haven’t tried juicing before, I highly recommend it. And if you haven't tried The Juice Press before, I urge you to check it out. The Juice Press is where juice haters become lovers, and for those who already love juicing it will just make you love it even more!

Thank you!

Sacha

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.

20 days of Buffalo Chicken Recipes...

by Brittany Geragotelis

So, yesterday I get an e-mail from Matt with a link to a list of 20 amazing recipes using Buffalo Chicken as the main ingredient. In case you don't finish off all the buffalo wings you're sure to be munching on this Sunday, here are some of my faves:

1. Buffalo Chicken Grilled Cheese















2. Buffalo Chicken Bread Bowls

















3. Buffalo Chicken Mac-N-Cheese






















4. Buffalo Chicken Bites






















5. Buffalo Chicken Pizza Rolls















6. Buffalo Chicken Lasagna















7. Buffalo Chicken Pasta















8. Buffalo Chicken Sushi















9. Buffalo Chicken Cheese Dip














10. Buffalo Chicken Soup






















11. Buffalo Chicken Cheesesteak















12. Buffalo Chicken Cupcakes






















Yes, I know Buffalo Chicken Cupcakes are pushing it a little, but make the cupcake cornbread and you've got a good little meal!

So what do you think of the roundup? Will you be trying any? If you're looking for more, be sure to visit the original roundup here. In the meantime, happy eating!

5x5,
B.

DELETE—Food shopping in NYC

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 wondering why going to the store is such a pain in her ass. Check out what she had to say and then come up with a few DELETE's of your own.

If there's one thing I hate more than people, it's food shopping…or Facebook…but we can address that another week. If you haven’t had the pleasure of navigating the isles of the New York City “grocery store,” let me tell you kiddies—it’s chock full of DELETES. The food stores here are about the size of a newsstand on steroids. Sprinkle in some lovely New Yorkers and you can see where this is going.

So, let’s start with the cart. You know, the one that has the handicapped wheel. The one that insists on bearing right, when with all your might you're trying to navigate forward (hmmm this is sounding strangely like my last relationship). Now, some genius has decided to create the mini-cart (which I never approved by the way). These mini-carts were designed so that you could pull them behind you like luggage. But in the hands of an elderly couple or a 5-year-old, they can become deadly weapons. One word…DELETE!

Next, we have the infamous Sunday circular. You know, the one that lists all the specials for the week. Unfortunately all the bargain shoppers feel it necessary to stand in the middle of the aisle—the aisle, I might add, which is so small that you’d be lucky to fit two starving supermodels down it side by side. So, the bargain shoppers stand there, holding the paper, arms fully extended, eying their next coveted item. You just can’t get away from these people. They're everywhere! Standing in front of the cheese counter; the meat counter; the cleaning supplies. For the love of God it’s an epidemic! So, imagine what it's like for me to navigate around little Miss Super Saver while I'm trying to get to the ice cream. I’m on a mission here, Missy. Move your ass before it gets DELETED.

And finally, you have to love the check out. Here are a few items that made the list this week, which most certainly deserve a big fat DELETE:

The woman in front of you who price-checks every item she has. Hey, buddy, maybe you should apply for a job since you seem to like playing cashier for the day…DELETE.

People who bring 10 items to the 8 items or less lane. I don't care who you are, you’re not that special and yes the rules apply to you, too…DELETE.

Parents who let their kids scream for candy and hang off the cart like monkeys. Give them the bleeping candy and let us wait in peace…DELETE.

The guy you're stuck behind in line who doesn’t have enough money to pay. Really? Weren’t you the one reading the circular a few minutes ago? I would've thought you'd be better prepared…DELETE.

The Chatty Kathy. You know who I’m talking about. She thinks everyone's her best friend and wants to chat it up with the cashier, you and the kids hanging off the cart. Zip the lip, lady. And oh yeah, forgot to tell you…DELETE!

So until next time…shop in peace and let’s see what we can cook up for next week. Who would you DELETE during your grocery store visit? Leave your comments above!

5x5,

B

Getting crazy in New Orleans...

by Brittany Geragotelis

Okay, so I'm not really getting crazy, but I am here in New Orleans right now. I'm in town for a business trip and figured that while I was here, I'd try to soak up as much of the Louisiana culture as possible. And because exploring just isn't as much fun alone, I invited one of my BFF's (Tammy) to come along with me (I asked Matt, too, but he's holding down the fort back home). So, when I was done doing a few things for work, Tammy and I headed out to sight-see around the French Quarter.

First, we went to this famous restaurant down here named Muriel's. Besides offering a gluten-free menu, the place itself was beautiful. After sitting down and ordering, we found out that the building had a rich history, including that the place was haunted! Apparently, one of the original house owners had lost the house gambling and before he had to hand it over to the winner, he committed suicide in one of the upstairs room (talk about drama queen!). Now, people see the owner throughout the restaurant and they've even created a seance room made of velvet and is red from floor to ceiling. More pics of this to come later.

Then, we walked around and window shopped...but not for clothes. The funny thing about this area is that voodoo shops are more popular than Starbucks down here! Because voodoo is such a huge part of the culture in New Orleans, Tammy and I jumped on board, stopped in some stores, going to the voodoo museum and visiting the shop of a high voodoo priestess to schedule a cleansing. Though we only made appointments today, Tammy and I are both excited to head back there in the next few days.

After that, we headed over to Cafe Du Monde, the original french coffee stand in this area, for some coffee and beignets (fried dough sprinkled with powdered sugar). Of course, being that the French treat is full of gluten, I didn't get a chance to take a taste, but Tammy did and she said it was awesome!

We headed home in the evening, to take showers, change and do a little work before heading back out for dinner. This time we sat down for a luxurious meal at Nola, Emeril's first restaurant EVER. Our waiter was super nice (and according to Tammy, really cute!), and the food was incredible. Speaking of, I have been blown away by the food here. Everything has so much flavor...it's truly incredible. And Nola was no exception: I had the pork chops!

When we'd filled our bellies, we walked it off on famous Bourbon Street...where you always see people throwing beads to girls during Mardi Gras. I've gotta say, I was surprised at what I saw there! First off, people can drink in the streets there, there's smoking in the bars, everybody's just walking around like it's a carnaval and there's plenty of depravity going on. Tammy and I wandered into one bar where a group of guys were singing all of the best 80s songs: Living on a Prayer, Jesse's Girl, Don't Stop Believing, etc. So we sat there for a half hour and just belted out the tunes at the top of our lungs. It was a blast.

It was such a full day, but one that I'll remember for years to come. Has anyone else been to New Orleans? Anything we should see while we're here?

5x5,
B.