If you have not discovered the official Ostrich Pillow from Studio Banana Things, prepare to have all your holiday gift troubles vanish.  I might go so far as to declare this the best holiday gift of 2012, especially for that hard to shop for person on your list.

The Ostrich Pillow launched this year on Kickstarter, and quickly passed its $70,000 fundraising goal to earn $195,094 with over 1,800 total backers.

Introducing the ultimate nap-anywhere device: The Ostrich pillow. The pillow that covers your whole head like an oversized winter hat, and includes holes for your hands.

The official product description:

OSTRICH PILLOW is a revolutionary new product to enable easy power naps anytime, everywhere, OSTRICH PILLOW ‘s unique design offers a micro environment in which to take a cosy and comfortable power nap at ease. OSTRICH PILLOW has been designed to allow you to create a little private space within a public one, to relax and unwind. Its soothing soft interior shelters and isolates your head and hands (mind and body) for a short break, without needing to leave your desk, chair, bench or wherever you may be.

This product checks so many of the boxes that make up a great holiday gift.

First off, it is hilarious.   The thing is just goofy as all hell, and will surely grab a ton of laughs when sitting around your tree Christmas morning.

Second, it is unique.  You can be virtually guaranteed that no one has ever heard of this thing (unless the recipient is an avid Kickstarter too).

Third, they will definitely use it at least once.  Let’s face it, one of the best things about Christmas morning is the nap afterwards.  What better way to enhance that napping experience than with a pillow designed to take napping to the next level?

Lastly, you’ll probably have the most memorable gift.  Your gift recipient will surely tell everyone about the funny/awesome gift you got for them.  ”Hey! How was your holiday?”  ”Great, you’ll never believe what so-and-so got me.”

If you missed the Kickstarter wave, it might cost you a bit more.  Yes, they are kind of expensive, and they ship from the UK.  However, I think it might be worth ordering yourself a couple right away even if you don’t know who you will give them to just yet.

I know I did.

It’s the time of  year when the sun is shining, the flowers are blooming, and summer produce is not too far away. While I love the fresh fruits and veggies that are coming up, one of my favorite things to grow in the summer are fresh herbs.  Sure you can buy them all year long in those little plastic containers, but those are expensive and since a little goes a long way, you almost always end up throwing them away.

I love the typical ones you see everywhere, in fact basil is one of my favorite. One of my absolute favorite dishes is a Caprese salad with summer tomatoes, fresh mozzarella and basil drizzled with olive and and balsamic vinegar.

While this is a great herb, don’t discount some other herbs that are used less frequently. Sage, rosemary and mint come to mind.

 Some popular and not so popular herbs and their uses:

In addition to tomatoes, basil can be used on pretty much any summer vegetable with much success. It’s great on pizza, in pasta dishes and of course pesto, a sauce made of lots of basil, garlic, pine nuts and cheese.

Rosemary, another favorite is good with potatoes as well as other vegetables, and is great on one of my favorites, rosemary focaccia bread. Some sea salt and good olive oil, and you’ve got yourself one of the best breads around.

Thinking about sage brings to mind a Thanksgiving stuffing, but it’s  a great addition to squash and sweet potatoes, and it’s awesome with a pumpkin filled ravioli in brown butter. You find it more in wintery dishes, but don’t discount it in the summer.

Mint is usually used in Mediterranean foods, but it also is great for summer drinks, iced tea, in a fruit salad. Anything you think would taste good with peppermint, is great with fresh mint.

There are tons of other easy to use herbs as well. Cilantro is good in both Mexican and Asian dishes, Thyme and Oregano are both great in a variety of things, from soups to Italian dishes.  And if you have bunch, you can always mix them up and add them to anything from rice, to pasta, to garnishes. The possibilities are endless.

Growing your own is is as easy as getting some seeds and pots (or plants that have already been started) and just remembering to water them. If you don’t want to grow them, you can maximize the shelf life of the store bought ones by taking them out of those pesky plastic containers and putting them in a container of water or wrapping them in a wet paper towel.

Of course dried ones are okay, but I tend to use those in the winter when the fresh ones aren’t as plentiful. Whatever you do with them, you’re in for a fresh and summery tasting treat.

What are your favorite fresh herbs?

The problem with them? At three to four bucks a pop for a cup of coffee, in addition to any sweets I might want to go along with it, this can add up. The sweets are another story all together; while not as expensive as the drinks, they are high in calories and fat, although these to can be easily recreated at home (and they’ll taste much better!)

So a while back, I began making my own versions of my coffee house favorites at home. Since then, I still go to the coffee shop occasionally, but since I know I can make the expensive drinks at home, I can just order a cup of coffee for less than two bucks and still be satisfied.

You can do it to.

Here’s how:

You probably have at least on think in your kitchen you can use to make creamy and foamy steamed milk, and another is as easy as spending twenty bucks or so at any kitchen store.

The first? A blender. Put some milk in a glass measuring cup and heat in the microwave for about 30 seconds. You want it hot, but not boiling. Then pour it in the blender and blend on high until it’s nice and frothy. Simple huh?

If you don’t want the hassle of getting out and cleaning a blender everyday, you can find a handheld milk foamer at any kitchen store for about twenty dollars. It’s basically a small contraption (you can store it in your silverware drawer) that is just a vibrating whisk. Use the same microwave “steaming” method mentioned above then pour the milk in your cup, froth with the foamer and in under a minute, you’ve got perfectly steamed, foamed milk.

Add whatever flavorings you like to the milk; extracts, such as vanilla work well, and you can even buy those fancy flavored syrups at the grocery store. Brew some really strong coffee or espresso (you don’t need a super expensive espresso machine; you’ll never know the difference, trust me), pour your milk overtop and there you have it: A delicious, creamy, four dollar coffee drink for pennies.

Add whatever syrups (Hershey’s chocolate sauce makes a great mocha), extracts or flavorings you want. Ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and cocoa powder make great garnishes. The possibilities are pretty much endless, easy, and inexpensive.

What are your favorite coffee house drinks?

I always used to just drink the same kind of wine with everything. There were a few brands of Pinot Grigio that I liked, they never let me down. In restaurants I would order whatever Pinot Grigio was on the menu. It was simple, I knew I liked it, and I though it went with everything.

I never messed with red wines much, I don’t know why, I just didn’t. One day while at a friend’s party, he convinced me that I was missing out on a whole big world of wine drinking with this thinking.

He gave me some olives and red wine. He told me to drink the wine with the olives and without. The difference was amazing. The flavor of both the wine and the olives seemed to pop. I don’t even remember what the wine was (I should have asked, I know), but I since that day I have become much more adventurous with wine pairings, and have discovered many wines and even foods I thought I didn’t like.

Pairing wine is hard if you’re trying to impress a sommelier; when I was in culinary school, the hardest test I remember taking was the wine pairing test. It didn’t help that the chef that taught it was a sommelier herself, but it was a nerve wracking exam. So many grapes from so many countries.

Pairing wines doesn’t have to be a complicated affair, and it doesn’t have to be as basic as red with meat, white with fish.

Here are some things you’ve probably heard and why they just don’t have to be true:

“Your food and wine should come from the same place.”

Umm…Not. True. There are so many types of wine out there that it’s more important to complement the fruitiness in the wine with your dish than it is to match the region of the wine with the region of the food.

“Your wine should be the same color as your food.”

A good oaky Chardonnay can be as good with a steak as a Cabernet. It’s all about finding something that compliments as far as flavor, not color.

“Some things just don’t go with wine”

Again, false. You can pair anything with wine, and taste is subjective anyway. Asparagus is something lots of people think can’t go with wine, but if you prepare it correctly and eat it with something else, such as a filet mignon, it can go beautifully with wine.

Bottom line: Wine is what you make it. While I have branched out considerably since that party where I got a good glimpse of wine, I used to drink my Pinot Grigio like it was going out of style. I never had any problems with it matching, and I even drank quite a bit of it by itself, and it was delicious.

Life’s too short to worry if your wine matches your food. If you like it drink it, if you don’t, find something else.

Donald Trump by DonkeyHotey

When the news broke that the United states had killed Osama bin Laden, Gary Busey was undoubtedly in the middle of an angry tirade about bees or loafers.

The announcement could not have come at a worse time – the middle of Donald Trump’s “The Celebrity Apprentice.” Not to be outdone by the news cycle, The Donald is forcing his way into the Osama bin Laden story by demanding an apology from the President and the release of bin Laden’s long form death certificate.

It was late Sunday night that every network broke in to cover the imminent news that the United States, likely in the middle of a White Castle run, had stopped by Osama’s house to have a talk. The talk did not go well as bin Laden was already in a bad mood as he was pulling for Casey Abrams to win American Idol before he was eliminated earlier in the week.

It was not long before bin Laden himself went the way of Abrams’ Idol career.

As the news cut away, Donald Trump was admiring how good his hair looked on television from his Trump Cave, a 60-bedroom home designed to be an exact replica of The Death Star. “Donald was furious,” said his wife Melania in a broken Slovenian accent, “when he saw Obama he said ‘who does this guy think he is?’ and hurled our five-year-old son at the TV.”

This past Monday, Trump held a press conference at Ground Zero to make sure his side was heard. Donald claimed that the bin Laden attack was intentionally done on a Sunday night to take away Trump’s viewers.

“The President knows what he did,” Trump said as a couple of birds began to nest in his hair, “and I will not rest until he personally apologizes to me for carrying out important missions in the middle of the most important show in the history of shows.”

Trump did not stop there.

“How do we even know we killed the right bin Laden?” Trump continued, “All I am saying is – where is the long form death certificate? I have personal spies in Pakistan right now and the things they are telling me you would not believe.”

This was no surprise to reporters who had just seen him refuse a beef taco at Taco Bell because the 17-year-old behind the counter could not provide a birth certificate for the cow.

Had he been president, Trump claims that he would have “gotten bin Laden my first week in office.” This is not unlikely, after all, Trump is the one who was renting Osama the mansion he was staying in.

Experts behind the scenes believe the real reason Trump has demanded an apology is that his company was in serious negotiations with bin Laden to appear on Celebrity Apprentice 6, also set to feature huge stars like Balloon Boy’s dad and LeBron James’ limo driver.

With bin Laden having been preemptively fired, NBC has lost a sure ratings hit and a man NBC CEO Steve Burke calls a “close and dear friend.”

Photo by DonkeyHotey

If you wanted to become a race car driver you better be able to drive a car.

And if you wanted to be a pilot, knowing a thing or two about flying might come in handy.

And if a common criminal is really good at lying and stealing, he is much more likely to become a successful politician some day.

The point is…

When it comes to a career, we “get” that we have to gain professional skills if we will ever hope to succeed.  But what about relationships? What is the number one skill needed to have an AWESOME love life?

Can you think of an answer?

Obviously, this is a difficult question, but I propose that the number ONE skill you need to master your relationships is ATTRACTION.

Attraction

Attraction is to relationships, what money is to a business.

Let’s say you started a new company. But you didn’t want to start just ANY company…

You had the business idea of the century… Almost like your idea was destined to be the next Facebook.  Let’s also say, that you had no startup capitol.

Even if you had an AWESOME idea, you might need employees, and equipment, and an office – and without money, you can’t afford any of these, so your business is DOOMED to struggle.

And of course if you DID have savvy investors backing you up, then you could become an international success within a matter of months…

Your ability to attract your man on a deep emotional level has the same effect in your relationships.

So let’s say your boyfriend likes you.

Sure, he’s attracted, but let’s face it – the last time his eyes glazed over in a feiry gaze of desire was when you caught him drooling over a Jessica Alba picture.

With a few tweaks, you will totally be MUCH more attractive in his eyes.  But without making those tiny changes, getting what you want in the relationship is just a little bit harder.

What’s it like asking someone to love you more if he’s only mildly attracted at the time?

How much easier would it be to get a solid commitment out of him is he found you completely irresistible?

Attraction makes EVERYTHING easier in a relationship. Mastering the skill of attraction immediately wipes away most relationship “problems”.

Nagging? Arguing?? Fighting???

A lot of this falls away when you have more control in the relationship – and this control starts with attraction.

Sparking Attraction 101.

• Curb Your Clinginess — Men are just like cats — they want what they can’t have. If you are clingy your man knows that he has all of the power in the relationship. While he might enjoy this idea for a while, he will likely grow bored of having all the power to himself. Allow him the gift of missing you.  The more he notices your absence, the more attracted he is.

• Be The Prize – The price you put on yourself is the same price he puts on you. If you fully believe that you are a catch so will he.

• Become A Temptress – Temptation is psychological foreplay. Don’t just offer your love… play with him. Give him tome love, sex and attention. Just when he wants more…you hold back and take it away. This back and fourth makes him feel like you are unpredictable. If he always has anticipation being with you, but he never knows what’s coming next.

• Embrace Your Femininity — We live in an age where men and women are confused about their gender roles. We don’t even know how politically correct is to embrace our own gender-hood. The fact is, men really are turned out by feminine energy. Take the time to distinguish your feminine for masculine. Men are secretly mesmerized by a woman who knows how to speak with that right tone of voice, or touch in that certain way, or walk with sensuality. Replacing 10 masculine habits with 10 feminine ones could transform your love life forever….

Attraction is the main currency of love. The more of it you have in your relationship, the more control and freedom in your relationship. Luckily for us all, attraction can be increased, literally overnight, with minimal effort. Thanks again for reading!

Try these tips out and let me know what you thought in the comments below!

I love Mexican food, in fact it’s one of my favorites. So it’s only understandable that having a celebration centered around Mexican culture (well food and drinks anyway) would be exciting for me.

If you want to have a Cinco de Mayo celebration, it’s an easy and exciting way to get a bunch of people together for no real reason other than fun. After all who doesn’t love taco’s and margaritas?  Not me, that’s for sure.

Typically you see the same flavors and ingredients in Mexican food: some form of tortilla, meat, salsa, lettuce and cheese. While these are delicious, don’t be afraid to think outside the box.

Tacos

Tacos are one of my favorites and there are so many different ways to do them, they never get boring:

Use a variety of shells, and don’t just stick to the basic crispy or soft. If you can get your hands on some handmade corn tortillas (or make them yourself!), you’ll never want another store bought one. Bonus if can find some flavored ones like cilantro lime or chipotle chili. The best ones are a little thicker and have a chewier texture.  If you’re feeling adventurous, you can make your own crispy shells by frying up the corn ones.

Think outside the box as far as toppings. Use shredded cabbage instead of lettuce for crunch as well as a boost of flavor. I like to toss mine with a little lime juice, cilantro and salt. Instead of typical tomato salsa, try one with mangos or peaches.

Try crème fraiche instead of sour cream or put some regular sour cream in a bowl and whip a little lime juice into for a thinner consistency and tangier flavor. Avocados, fresh jalapeños and crumbled queso blanco cheese make excellent toppings.

You don’t have to just stick to beef or chicken. Marinated pork, cornmeal crusted whitefish, or even swordfish all make excellent protein choices. For vegetarian tacos, try marinated tofu or a grain mixture such as quinoa with corn and black beans for the filling.

If you don’t want to have everyone put together tacos or you just don’t have room, you can do casserole style cooking like a big pan of enchiladas, and make some tortilla soup as a starter.

Margaritas & Beers

And who can forget about drinks? I usually buy a few different Mexican beers and let everyone grab what they want, but how can you have a Mexican celebration without margaritas? Steer clear of mixes, they’re usually full of sugar and not authentic.

For a real margarita, you need only three ingredients: Tequila, orange liquor and lime juice. Simple and delicious. Use at 2:1:1 ratio, so 2 oz of your favorite tequila, 1 oz orange liquor such as Cointreau and 1 oz fresh lime juice. Delicious, easy and truly authentic.

Whatever you do for your Cinco de May celebration, the important part is to have fun.

Do you celebrate Cinco de Mayo? If so, what is your favorite way to do it?

This is my favorite time of year, and Mother’s Day is one of my favorite holidays.  I usually have a long relaxing brunch, filled with good food good cocktails as a way to celebrate Mom on her special day.

A lot of restaurants offer brunches and dinner specials, and those are okay, but you don’t always have the choices you want and it’s usually crowded (Mother’s Day is one of the busiest days of the year for restaurants), so a few years back, I started just hosting my own. It’s less expensive and more relaxing and an overall good time for all.

I try not to do things that are overly complicated, and usually try to stick to more breakfast like items, although I have served flatbreads and panini sandwiches in the past, and these worked extremely well.  I like to keep it to things I can do ahead as much as possible, that way I can enjoy spending time with my mom and the rest of the family while the food is going.

I’ve found that you can still have a good time without overworking yourself, and you can definitely eat good food without spending a fortune or making dishes that not everyone will love. There’s a reason you often see eggs and pancakes at brunches. People love them.

Some things I like to serve:

Homemade Belgian waffles with fresh berries and vanilla whipped cream

Various quiches and fritattas; this year I’m going to do an Italian-inspired one with spinach, tomatoes, aged Parmesan and oil cured olives

Homemade scones. I have two favorites: A deep dark chocolate one and a Meyer lemon with fresh cranberries.

Good coffee made in the French press, various teas and homemade juices, and of course cocktails.

I usually do a signature cocktail for my brunch in addition to a few classics like Bloody Mary’s. I’ve done martinis, to various mimosa’s and bellini’s with much success. This years is a lemon spiked sweet tea, garnished with fresh basil. I got the idea after going to a brunch at my favorite restaurant. I experimented, and changed a things, but the results are delicious.

No matter what you decide to do for Mother’s Day, just make sure it’s safe and  a lot of fun.

Lemon Basil Spiked Ice Tea

Lemon-Basil Spiked Sweet Tea

8 cups water
7 black tea bags
1 1/2 cups sugar
Juice from about 4 lemons
1 cup high proof golden rum
Lots of fresh basil leaves, left intact

Bring half of  the water to boil and add your tea bags. Steep them for about 5 minutes, and remove. Add the sugar and stir the tea until it’s dissolved. Transfer the tea to a pitcher and stir in your lemon juice and the rum. Add some fresh basil leaves and chill in the fridge to let the flavors meld. Serve in ball jars or your favorite glasses over ice, and garnish with lemon wedges and more fresh basil.

Do you have any traditions for Mother’s Day?

Men who leave their women complain about a few common things. To his buddies, he might say:

“She nags me too much.”

“She’s crazy.”

“She’s too jealous”

“She’s too controlling.”

“She doesn’t allow me to be free.”

“She tells me what to do too much.”

All of these phrases raise re

d flags. When I hear this kind of talk, I start to suspect that he might have secret thoughts in his mind that even HE is unaware of.

But all the same, those thoughts are destroying your relationship. Often, when men use these key phrases, I begin to suspect that they might have been victim to something I like to call, “Psychological Castration.”

Whether he knows it or not, every man is a warrior in his own mind. Part of being a strong man includes having a mission in life that comes before everything else…

…this includes you..

A man needs to feel like he is on a mission and he is winning his own conquest. More than money, or superficial “things” or a hot trophy girlfriend – a man’s pursuit of his own mission generates his deepest sense of masculinity.

A man is “Psychologically Castrated” when his woman blocks him from his life’s mission in some way.

Sometimes women do this by accident, sometimes it happens because your needs are in direct conflict with his needs. And hey – it’s ok if your needs are different from his. There’s nothing wrong with that, or you.

But a man needs to feel like his woman supports his mission, otherwise he will either start to feel psychologically castrated – or he will leave.

How “Psychological Castration” Happens

Even though you’re only one person, you play many roles with your boyfriend. You are his lover, his teammate, perhaps best friend, sometimes daughter, and often – too often – you’re like his mother.

Playing different roles with your partner is a good thing – for the most part. After all, you may enjoy your boyfriend, in the roles of brother, father, lover, caveman(?), from time to time.

Guys who are “Psycologically Castrated”, feel like they are controlled too much.

Some men really enjoy that kind of female energy in their lives. Some even crave it. But this cannot be the basis of your relationship, because the longer you stay in “mother mode”, the longer he must stay in “boy mode.” As awesome as it may sound to feel pampered and spoiled by mommy, men don’t like this role for too long.

Analogy

Some times a warrior comes back from battle. He’s wounded and scarred. Your female nurturing energy is exactly what he needs to get nursed back to health. After he recovers, he basks in your warmth. You have passionate sex, like it may be his last. He plays with you, and the family.

Not long after, he hears the call, and he must return to battle. He doesn’t want to leave you, but his mission calls – he has to go.

There is the psychologically castrated warrior comes back from battle. He’s wounded and scarred. You nurse him back to health. After he recovers, he basks in your warmth. You have great sex, and all great times ensue.

…but when he hears the call, you demand that he stays – and he beats himself up for being a coward. Eventually, sex with you is not so fun, and he feels impotent in all areas of life.

…or, when he hears the call, you demand that he stays – but he goes anyway. While in the trenches of warfare, he gets your letters, but your letters are filled with nagging contempt. This distresses him, and he gets killed in battle.

It’s very important as a girlfriend to know your man’s mission, and to support it.

Here are some action steps to follow:

• Allow him to stay fully engaged in his mission until he is ready for you.

• Be supportive – even if he is not super successful yet. Inspire his confidence by having faith.

• Enjoy your own femininity while he is away. Go shopping – or whatever you like to do to nurture yourself.

• When he is done handling his mission for the day, be fully present with him. Give your full attention to him and your relationship.

• If you have issues you need to discuss he will be much more receptive AFTER he has gotten to be full present with you.

Hope you enjoyed this post. Do leave a comment and let’s hear what you thought below!

Photo from Flickr.

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