If you have been to the grocery store lately, you’ve probably noticed how cranberries are suddenly at center stage. Not dried cranberries, but the fresh stuff that comes in a bag usually in the produce section. With the holiday season just about to launch into high gear, cranberries are in demand. So what do you do with fresh cranberries? Here’s the scoop: Fresh cranberries are extremely tart so don’t even think about eating them raw. A delicious cranberry sauce can be put together quicker than you can open a can. Place cranberries in a saucepan, cover with water, add desired amount of...

I was originally drawn to the Russian meat-pies called kotlety because of their name. Their name is Russian for “cutlets” and of course my old pen-name was “Mr. Cutlets.” Not that they are actually cutlets, of course. Pounded-out planes of fatless meat, floured and breaded and fried up in a pan are what we tend to think of as cutlets; and for my part, I’m always disappointed with them. They’re always crispy but tasteless, a fact that Italians implicitly admit to when the plop salad on top of them. Who would put salad on top of something crispy that...

I stopped by Eco-Luxe the other day, the first media and press event to showcase only environmentally responsible luxury brands, and what I saw there would warm the heart of even the most demanding, white-gloved shopper. Eco truly can be luxury too, and I was thrilled to hear about so many environmentally responsible luxury brands and products. The event was produced by the Go Green Expo, which sponsors fantastic eco-friendly exhibitions all around the nation, showcasing the best interior design, home accessories, technology, fashion, jewelry, automobiles and travel. You should definitely plan on checking them out when they come...

Two out of three of my kids recently got their first cavities. Of course I felt like it was my fault. They brush their teeth, rinse with fluoride rinse, and get fluoride treatments at the dentist. And I thought it was interesting that two of them (9 year old daughter and 5 year old son) had to spend some time with the drill while my 7 year old daughter got off scott free. (Side note - speaking of the drill - my dentist does not use Novocaine shots on kids, just topical numbing product when doing fillings. Are you kidding...

In the last couple of weeks, something I never thought would happen has happened: my boyfriend James has begun to enjoy shopping for food. And not only is he going to the farmer’s market with enthusiasm, he is going fully armed with an eco-friendly coterie of glass milk bottles to be refilled, compost to drop off, and reusable canvas bags to put food in. He has even gone so far as to carry produce in his knapsack in order to avoid taking an extra plastic bag. He returns home from the market with funny stories to tell...

Zip lock bags are commonly used for storing leftovers, but they can be used for a heck of a lot more. Plus, if you are really thrifty, these can be washed and reused as long as they weren’t storing raw meat or poultry in the original use. Just turn inside out, wash and let dry. 1. Store and organize toys. Separate by type of toy and group in bags - i.e., all the Polly Pockets go in one bag, Little People in another, Barbie clothes in another, each Lego set has their own bag, etc. 2. Store and organize craft supplies like markers, beads, ribbon,...

Curly hair is back! As a matter of fact it’s been back for awhile! Molding and reshaping those curls is all about technique and products. So, check out our hair files to help maneuver and avoid those frizzy hair days! Click here for Curly Hair Video Ch...

My two daughters are 7 and 9 and both participate in seasonal team sports - soccer in the fall and spring and now that soccer season is over, they have just joined a pretty low key swim team that meets twice each week for an hour. They also ski at least once each weekend during the winter. That said, they sound pretty active, but they do not - beyond these scheduled activities - play outside or engage in “active play” every day. When they were toddlers and in pre-school, we would go to the playground each day, play in our...

Because of my super-sweet shelter dog Baloo, I was really excited to visit Animal Haven, a no kill shelter in the chic neighborhood of SoHo in my hometown NYC.  Tiffany Lacey, Animal haven’s director shared a few great tips with me on choosing the perfect pet for you and your family.  And you really can find the perfect pet at a shelter.  Baloo wasn’t just a needy pet with a heartwarming story (which I’ll tell you all sometime), she was really the absolute perfect dog for me.  And if I can find that, anyone can!  Tiffany also introduced me to...