Before I go on vacation if I'm going to a particularly wonderful place I love to read a book or watch a movie that will get me in the mood before I go. A little cultural insight doesn't hurt either. During my honeymoon planning I came across this awesome list put together by Lonely Planet to help you figure out what to read or watch ahead of your trip! I thought it was really interesting and helpful! 

Do you have any favorite books that you read before a particular vacation? Let me know in the comments!

For all you wine snobs out there, you may cringe when you read the words that follow…but trust that the tip comes from former CTO of Microsoft and famed master French chef, Nathan Myhrvold.

Does anyone decant wine? I mean I'm always pleased with myself if I even open the bottle and leave it to breathe before I guzzle the whole thing down. So, according to many famed French chefs, the best way to aerate your wine is to literally beat the crap out of it. 

You may be asking, Katie, what does that mean? It means either put a beater in your wine or throw it into your standing blender like my best friend in the entire world, the Vitamix! It makes sense right? The whole point of decanting wine is to expose it to air. This is just the quickest way! I haven't' tried it yet but I can't wait to! Have any of you guys?

Watch this video to see!

Nothing made me happier this week, okay maybe today, than this story that the painter hired by Facebook at its start offered to pay the artist in stock or cash. He begrudgingly took the stock options. Need I say more? It's now worth $200 Million!

Yay underdogs!!

Check out this New York Times article for more info.

For celebrity nutritionist and author of The Beauty Detox Solution, Kimberly Snyder, eating right isn’t about dieting and restriction, but feeding your body the beauty-boosting nutrients it craves.

Just in time for Valentine’s Day, Kim also understands that feeling sexy is just as important as feeling fit, when it comes to boosting your confidence. Physical intimacy is a major factor in maintaining a healthy committed relationship, so don’t let daily stresses get you so bogged  that you don't have time to spend with your loved ones. This Vday, nibble on foods that possess aphrodisiac properties. 

An aphrodisiac (named for the goddess of love, Aphrodite) is a food, drink or substance that enhances sexual desire by increasing blood flow, reducing stress or positively affecting neurotransmitters, factors which improve libido. Add these items to your grocery list to kiss your bedroom blahs goodbye, and spice up your love life: 

1.      Celery: Not only does this aromatic vegetable have a satisfying crunch, it makes you more physically attractive too. It also contains the chemicals androsterone and adrostenol, which are sexual attractants, and is high in essential nutrients necessary for great sex. All these reasons make drinking your Glowing Green Smoothie an everyday must.

2.      Avocado: This silky fruit established its reputation as an aphrodisiac in the Aztec times. In fact, the Aztecs referred to the avocado tree as “Ahuacuatl,” which means “testicle tree.” Enough said. Slice up an avocado to eat alone or toss it into your next salad.

3.      Almonds: An ancient symbol of fertility since Biblical times, these nuts have a sweet fragrance that may act as a sexual attractant. Almonds are also rich in fiber, vitamin E and beneficial fats, which keep you feeling and looking good.

4.      Chili peppers: This is the ultimate spicy solution for the lovelorn. The capsaicin in peppers heats up body temperature and increases blood flow, while stimulating the brain to release endorphins, the feel-good chemical. Chili peppers also add some physical oomph, plumping lips and causing flushed skin, characteristics that boost your sexual attractiveness. Sprinkle cayenne on soups and stir-fries to get things really cooking, or on top of avocados for a double-dose of desirability.

5.      Honey: Nutrient-rich organic raw honey benefits men and women when it comes to sensuality. Desire is increased in men due to its testosterone-promoting B vitamins, while the boron in honey is used in estrogen production, which is important for female desire. Swap sugar for honey when sweetening your next cup of tea.

For more information on Kim or The Beauty Detox Solution, please visit www.kimberlysnyder.net

The Folks over at Bags of Love were kind enough to send us a little early Valentine's Day present–a Photo Canvas of one of our favorite wedding pictures. 

As a lover of photography this to me is one of the most perfect Valentine's Day Gifts. It's the perfect way to decorate an apartment to me! Why buy a boring and generic old poster at Bed Bath and Beyond when you can make someone a unique and affordable canvas? 

We hung this above our bed in our room. Do you like? 

If your 2012 started off anything like mine did you may want a do-over. 2012? Not impressed so far! Therefore, as of midnight on January 23rd, 2012 I will be celebrating the Chinese New Year (in my mind at least) and starting this year over the right way! Pretty soon we're all going to be following the Chinese's lead anyway, might as well start now! 

Sending many people out there well-wishes and prayers, you know who you are, healthy and happy 2012–let's just start over, K? 

Gong Xi Fa Ca! That’s the traditional Chinese New Year greeting that means “wishing you prosperity” in Mandarin. Have you had a crappy 2012 so far? Let me know in the comments if you need to vent y'all!

Every year’s end, we sit and think about our resolutions for the year to come. A few weeks in and we’ve already broken them. Check out this article from YouBeauty.com on how to make, keep and stick to your New Year’s Resolutions! Instead of just talking about them, be about them!

By learning these simple tricks to take willpower out of the equation, you can check those ever-elusive goals off your to-do list once and for all.  

1. Start small. 
2. Be specific. 
3. Ask for help. 
4. Anticipate setbacks.
5. Have patience. 

In the spirit of the holidays I thought I should share with you the most spectacular Christmas experience in NYC! You must go to Rolf's in NYC! It's incredible. Rolf's gives a new meaning to the term "Deck the Halls." You haven't seen Christmas decorations until you've seen this place. It's a rustic German pub that is completely covered floor to ceiling in tchochkes and Christmas decorations. It's as New York as street-food or Rockefeller center! It's definitely a must-see during the holidays. I must warn you the crowds are not like anything you've ever seen. You literally CANNOT get yourself to the bar easily. I recommend going for dinner, which is delightful. We had the potato pancakes and the beef stew with spaetzel (Vegan cheaters I know!) The beers are so enormous you can barely lift them with one hand. But let me just tell you they come with a rather hefty pricetag as well (a bit of a shocker when our bill arrived). I think they were about $25- but to be fair they are about the size of 3 beers. Just be prepared, the food aint cheap either. Also, Rolf's only accepts reservations for parties of 5 or less. They will NOT let you add an extra person. Trust me, we tried. 

I highly recommend a visit but be sure you make a reservation for dinner unless you want to be crammed up against a wall in between 4 other wasted beer-guzzlers!. The ambiance will make you feel like you've really experienced the holiday season! The delightful array of German pilsners and hefeweissen will satisfy your yearning for the Christmas spirit! I don't think these photos do it justice you'll just have to go and see for yourself!

Visit Rolf's this holiday season!!

281 3rd Avenue  Manhattan, NY 10010

(212) 477-4750

The Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC (The MET) is open until 9pm on Friday and Saturday nights right now. It's the best date night ever! We sipped wine in the atrium and were serenaded by a live pianist, cellist and violinist. The wine isn't cheap, the cheapest bottle I believe was about $48 but it's a spectacular Friday evening. They even have fun little bites to eat that were delicious. Curried pistachios! Didn't really complement the wine per se but they were yummy! 

Cheap Trick: The museum suggests you pay $25/pp. However, this is a suggestion. I don't know about you but that's a bit steep to pay once a month (which is how often we go). So instead I say 2 please and hand them whatever I feel like I can afford. I take comfort in the fact that I plan on being a donor when Im rich one day. 

Definitely head on over before other people discover this secret. Hopefully I'm the only one blogging about it It is truly the best cheap date in NYC to be had!

I'm finally planning my honeymoon y'all! We're going to Southeast Asia! I cannot wait!!! Do you know how many shots you need to get to go over there? It's crazy! You know what else is crazy? How expensive all the shots, etc. add up to be! Man if you don't have health insurance you're in big trouble!

I think I'm in the wrong business, Fortune 500 said that the pharmaceutical industry topped the list of the most profitable recently. The high cost of prescription drugs in the US is a major issue in the health care reform debate. And shouldn't it be!?

Even though it isn't too expensive to manufacture a prescription drug, pharmaceutical companies have to pay a high price for research and development of new drugs. Even though people in the US only represent 5% of the world's population, the United States is the leader in drug research and development. Thirty-five percent of the research on new drugs is conducted in the United States. A recent study indicated that research on new drugs to for AIDS, heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer's, and arthritis will save more than $750 billion in treatment costs over the next 25 years. If you are buying expensive drugs in the US you are helping the pharmaceutical industry fund their research and development.



Many  Americans are looking for alternatives to purchasing their prescriptions here in the US. But let's be honest you don't want to buy it at some shady market! But you can save money on drugs purchased from other countries. For example, a Canadian pharmacy , carries the same prescriptions available in the US for much cheaper. The reason for this is because drugs in Canada are under government price controls. Canada also carries a wider selection of generic drugs than the US.

What will the future bring us with this!? 

*This is a sponsored post but all thoughts herein are my own*