Garlic is not only tasty, but it’s also good for your health. Studies have shown that consuming garlic, from a supplement or the actual plant is proven to reduce blood pressure as much as some prescription drugs. Eating four or more cloves per day, is also thought to lower bad cholesterol (LDL)by 9% and the risk of colon cancer by 30%.

The downside of garlic is the pungent odor on your breath, which can linger for several days. Unless you are looking to fend off a vampire attack, that can be an unpleasant side effect. According to a new study in the Journal of Food Science, drinking a glass of low fat milk along with your garlic heavy meal can keep your breath smelling fresh. Researchers are also testing the effects of lemon juice and green tea, in preventing the dreaded garlic breath.

So, go ahead and indulge in a garlicky meal, just be sure to drink your milk. Your bones, and your significant other will thank you.

photo: Glasshouse Images

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What if you could just inhale your coffee, getting a quick caffeine buzz, rather than actually drink it? How about getting your chocolate fix, with out the calories?
A new product called “Le Whif,” allows you to do just that.

Developed by Harvard University professor David Edwards, who pioneered inhaled insulin; Le Whif is an inhaler for the senses.

The plastic “puffer” is placed between your lips, and tiny particles small enough to become airborne, but too large to enter the lungs, descend upon the tongue to offer the taste and sensation of eating chocolate or drinking coffee.

Watching video footage of people enjoying Le Whif out socially, is reminiscent of other ‘inhalable” substances illegally enjoyed at clubs and parties.

In an attempt to bring a healthy vibe to the product, the company has also introduced breathable vitamins.

The price of huffing your treats isn’t cheap…each lipstick tube like canister costs about $2.50.

Personally, I’ll pass. How about you? Would you try Le Whif?

While it’s commonly known for it’s culinary uses, cream of tarter also has hidden talents when it comes to cleaning.

Make a paste of cream of tartar and water and use it to polish your stainless steel appliances and cookware.

Mix it with a little lemon juice to polish copper.

Cream of tartar and hydrogen peroxide can lift off that nasty bathtub ring.  Apply it to the ring, let it dry, and wipe the solution and the ring right off!

It’s also a great way to remove mildew from grout.

Did you know that you can mix it with baking soda to make baking powder in a pinch?

photo: glasshouse images

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We had a violent storm rip through the city on Saturday afternoon, and when the thunder, lightening and torrential rains subsided, I headed out pick up some ingredients for dinner. I ran into a friend along the way, who decided to accompany me on a trip through Chelsea Market, making the journey much more fun.

Inspired by a recipe from Andrew Carmellini, I began foraging through the market.

First stop, the newly renovated Lobster Place. Oh how I missed my fabulous seafood market during the several months they were closed! It has finally reopened, with an expanded space, immense selection and an attached restaurant.

It was there that I picked up fresh cod filets, cleaned squid and a small bottle of clam juice.

Next stop: The Manhattan Fruit Exchange for fresh produce. I added a red bell pepper, a bunch of basil and some baby arugula to my stash, and moved on.

My final stop was Rana, where I bought some homemade fettuccini to use as a base for my concoction.

The result?

Oven Braised Cod in Spicy Tomato Broth with Calamari

In a large sauté pan, (with a lid) sauté some thinly sliced garlic in olive oil. Add a red bell pepper sliced into thin strips. Toss in some hot red pepper flakes, and add about a ½ cup of dry white wine. Bring it to a boil and add about a cup of clam juice and 2 cups of marinara sauce. At this point, it’s ok to use a simple marinara sauce from a jar if you don’t want to take the time to prepare your own.

Simmer on the stove for about 15 minutes, until the red pepper softens. If the sauce starts to get too thick, add a little more wine or clam juice. Pour it into the blender, and puree until smooth. *

Season the cod filets with salt and pepper and place them in the sauté pan. Pour the tomato broth over the fish, cover it, and cook it in a 375-degree oven for about 12 minutes or so.

When the fish is done, carefully remove it from the pan, and set aside, covering it to keep warm.

Return the pan to the stove, and add the calamari (squid) cut into rings.. Simmer lightly for 2 or 3 minutes until they are fully cooked. Avoid boiling them, as they will get rubbery. Add some chopped basil and arugula to the pan and mix thoroughly.

To serve: Place the cooked fettuccini into pasta bowls. Place a fish filet on top of the pasta, and pour a generous amount of the sauce and calamari over the fish.

Make sure you have a spoon, or a big piece of crusty bread on hand, because you will want to lap up every last bit of that rich, spicy sauce!

Remember, this is an unrecipe. If you can’t find fresh calamari, try rock shrimp, bay scallops or clams instead. Or be adventurous, and use a little of each!
Even simpler, just cook the fish and use the flavorful sauce on it’s own, without the added seafood. It will still be delicious! If you choose to use a bottled sauce, you may need to adjust your seasonings a bit. If the sauce already has a lot of garlic, you may not want to add anymore at all.

Enjoy!

* Be careful when blending hot liquids! Place a kitchen towel over the top of the blender, and use a few cautious pulses to get started. You only need to experience the explosion of scalding hot liquids when the top blows off the blender once, to learn to practice caution.

photos: Glasshouse Images

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A century ago, a humble tradition began in Naples, Italy called caffe sospeso, or “suspended coffee.”  In this Neapolitan custom, a patron purchases two cups of coffee, so that someone less fortunate can enjoy one later. The barista keeps a log, and the benefactor and recipient rarely meet.

This lovely display of generosity without the expectation of gratitude fell by the wayside over time. Now, with Europe’s looming financial crisis, suspended coffee is gaining popularity across the continent.

The pre-paid cup of coffee is a show of social solidarity as the formerly prosperous population deals with economic woes.

Why not try paying it forward the next time you visit your local café, and purchase an extra cup for someone down on their luck?

It is a small but meaningful gesture that will make someone’s day special.

photo: Glasshouse Images

Much speculation lead up to the event, as to how the theme would be handled by the revelers, hand selected by Vogue’s high priestess herself, Anna Wintour.

Well, today we have the answer, and in most cases, it was handled poorly.

While a few went all out, (Madonna you go girl!) many opted for odd choices that left them looking awkward and uncomfortable. Below are some of our favorites, who embraced the movement and looked pretty in punk:

Madonna at the Met

Miley just being Miley

Sarah Jessica Parker channeling Carrie Bradshaw in Giles

Kim Kardashian in a custom slipcover by Riccardo Tischi

Beyonce in Givenchy

And after couture came utter chaos. What made these attractive young women embrace old age, instead of punk?

Nicole Richie goes grey

Kate Upton goes matronly

Nicki Minaj left us speechless

Anna Wintour in Chanel

The grande dame of the evening may have inadvertently been the most punk of all. While others tried to conform to societal expectations, Ms.Wintour bucked the norm, and showed up in a demure floral Chanel gown. What looked the least in keeping with the theme,may just have out- punked everyone.

Tonight I had the opportunity to attend a book launch party for “Carried in Our Hearts,” by Dr. Jane Aronson, with essays by many  parents and children who have experienced first hand, the joys and traumas of creating a new family through adoption.

I am honored to have my story, originally posted here, be a part of this beautiful collection.

If you are seeking for a last minute Mother’s Day gift, take a look at this book, sure to melt the heart of any Mom, regardless of how her family was formed.

There was not a dry eye in the room, as people read from the book, and recounted their international adoption experiences.

Dr.Aronson, who is not only a highly acclaimed pediatrician specializing in international medicine, but also the founder of World Wide Orphan’s Foundation, has taken on the role of mentor, fairy godmother and stork, to many families across the world. Her goal through WWO is to transform the lives of orphaned children and help them to become healthy, independent, productive members of their communities and the world.

Won’t you join me in celebrating the heartwarming stories of families who were formed not by blood, but by love this Mother’s Day?

Finding a perfectly ripe avocado in the supermarket can be difficult. Some are hard as rocks, and others have already turned to guacamole.

To speed the ripening of an avocado that is too firm, put it in a paper bag with a banana, and seal the bag. The ethylene, a natural gas released by the ripening banana, speeds the ripening of other fruits around it. Be warned, storing bananas with other already ripened fruits could cause them to spoil more quickly than normal.

photo: Glasshouse Images

Tonight marks the opening gala for the latest costume exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum in New York, aka “The Met Ball.” This year’s exhibition is entitled

“Punk: Chaos to Couture” and examines the movement’s impact on fashion from the 1970’s to today.

Junya Watanabe

With an all-star list of attendees, all personally vetted by Ann Wintour herself, this is the event of the year. Much hype has preceded the opening. Many designers showed a punk or grunge influence in their fall 2013 collections. Moda Operandi, the website where clothing and accessories can be pre-ordered straight off the runways, commissioned designers to create special items to commemorate the event. Ball goers are scrambling to dress to the theme, while maintaining the appropriate level of chic and formality that an event like this entails. Even New York Magazine ran a feature, interviewing people who currently identify with the punk culture.

Fausto Puglisi

Moschino for Moda Operandi

It’s all sort of counter-intuitive, to see a movement that was based on rebellion and non-conforming, be the center of something so bourgeois.

Of course, the entire red carpet extravaganza will be live streamed so those of us at home can partake in its glory.

The show opens to the public on May 9, and runs through August 14.

With an influx of boutique spinning studios infiltrating the New York fitness scene, this newcomer has figured out how to provide the burn, and the buzz without leaving your home.

Introducing Peloton Cycle, the technological masterpiece of John Foley, former President of Barnes & Noble ecommerce, and one of the great minds behind the marketing of the Nook, and it’s downloadable eBooks.

In this innovative business model, Peloton plans to sell a high tech spin bike with a tech-enabled screen. Riders can subscribe to a service which allows them to take unlimited classes live streamed from the company’s cycling studio, or play a class on demand for $39 per month.

The bike’s console also provides customized stats, displaying your cadence, watts and calorie burn (programmed off of your height, weight, and age for accuracy.)

The center of the screen will feature the instructor, with a few cuts to the riders in the studio, to make the participant feel like part of the group.

As the competition for the best instructors heats up, Peloton plans to pay top dollar and make their instructors “global celebrities.”

If this takes off the way it’s founder believes it will, this could become the next wave of fitness fanaticism to sweep the country.