The new self-tanners

So I'm a tanner, not the over doing it type but I love lying out in the sun and soaking up those vitamin D rays. Yes, I know there are health risks to tanning. Don't worry though, I don't over do it and luckily because of my Italian skin I hardly ever burn (unlike my mother) and if I do it's usually on my face. Typically I only use an SPF 6 lotion, the idea of which has caused my friends to balk and say that I might as well put oil on and nothing at all. But 6 does the job for me, although I've recently moved up to an 8 to get my friends off my back a bit--it didn't help.

Anyway, I've never had to use those orange colored self tanners that my mom has tried over the years, but I've been loving the new glow lotions that are out on the market now. It seems that every brand has come out with their own version, which allow for a subtle tanning look just by moisturizing with natural botanicals and a skin darkening complex that provides a tan without the downside. After all, why not get a little extra oomph out of your everyday moisturizer? I've now tried them all thanks to having had received bottles over the last few months in gift bags at events and for product reviews. Otherwise I don't think I would have originally bought them and would have been missing out. Here's my take on each--using the ones made for medium skin tones:  

Dove Energy Glow ($7.99)- This one smells the best with its citrus grapefruit scent. I found this lotion less likely to streak compared to the others, but it doesn't work as quickly as Jergens or is as pronounced in its glow. On an aesthetic note: I like the look of the Dove bottle the best. In another opinion: My friend Karen who has lighter skin has been liking the sample we received in the gift bag at Sheckys.

Jergens Natural Glow ($5.00)- Provides a really nice natural glow that works quickly, but has a weird odor. Although it's not unpleasant it's just  something you wouldn't usually have on your skin or find in lotion fragrances. I feel this one works the fastest though and produces the quickest result, you just have to deal with the not so sweet scent. In another opinion: This one is my mother's favorite for all body use, but my friend Heather from Toronto said she found this one to be sticky and took awhile to dry.

Olay Touch Of Sun ($11.99)- Olay makes a similar sunless tanner just for the face but with another added benefit, it's a moisturizer like the others with just a hint of self-tanners AND also includes SPF. Thus, this brand provides a subtle tan, while also protecting your skin for when you want to sun bathe or are out and about. Since I'm bad about putting on SPF, especially on my face, this one is ideal. The self tanning aspect is subtle though, which I suppose is better for your face's coloring. Jergens also makes a similar face tanner but without the added SPF.

Application Tip: After applying remember to wash the underside of your hands to prevent a yellow stain there. Also, don't forget to apply to the tops of your feet and hands for an even look.

Burgers & Cupcakes

A couple of months ago while in a taxi leaving Hell’s Kitchen area, I saw an eatery called, Burgers & Cupcakes on 458 Ninth Ave (between 35th and 36th). My head practically did an exorcist turn to keep the establishment with its cute orange, brown and pink sign in my sight as the cab drove past it. I kept meaning to try it, because after all, I like burgers and I like cupcakes—can’t go wrong.

 

I finally went last week after work. Inside, the cupcakes (vanilla, chocolate, blueberry, and carrot cake) are on display in a window in front of the kitchens and dinette chairs and tables fill the small restaurant.  Since I had a big lunch and wanting to save room for the cupcakes I wimped out and ordered a mushroom burger, which was very tasty and juicy though and the fries were just how I like them, nice and crispy like frites. The menu is pretty simple listing different kinds of burgers (Veggie, Turkey, Salmon, Lemon Grilled Chicken, and Portobella Mushroom) and breakfast options.  The prices are reasonable too. Our waiter, a self-proclaimed George Michael’s fan club member, was super nice and made our meal even more enjoyable with suggestions and conversation.

The cupcakes however, were just OK to me. They are on the small side and the frosting is shaped like cone heads on top of it. I guess because we went later the icing was crunchy and not fresh. The cake part was nice and moist though but the frosting was way too sugary that it sort of upset my stomach even. My friend liked hers though, but agreed that the frosting wasn't fresh.

 

Here are two photos from the meal:

 

 

 

Speaking of burgers, I finally went to Shake Shack in Madison Square Park for a super yummy cheeseburger a few weeks back. There burgers have been voted the best in the city and are only available in the summer season. However, The Amateur Gourmet reports that Shake Shack has failed its health inspection, with a score of 140, "putting it in the company of many of the uncleanest venues in town."  No wonder why they tasted too good to be true :(

 

PS: Will be in Boston for the next few days for my office's annual off-site.

Off the offsite

I'm back and am now beat from the trip to beantown. It's weird traveling with work, never mind with your whole office. Looking around the plane and seeing 15 people that you know is eerie enough. Just take a look at the difference in our luggage. Can you spot mine? I guess the question should be how can you NOT spot mine. But that's the point of it--hard to miss it coming off the belt. It's also from American Tourist, so some pretty sturdy stuff for a bright magenta bag. 

 

The annual offsite is a chance for employees from the different offices to get together, brainstorm, team build and participate in workshops for professional and corporate development. Plus, have some fun as a group. For one event the company hosted an interesting Lunch & Panel--Media in a Post-Media World with Bruce Richardson of AMR Research; Sam Whitmore, Media Survey; Dave Berlind, ZDNet; Martin LaMonica, CNET; and Bill Hewitt CEO of Kalido.

Sam Whitmore compared the change in traditional media newspapers to online news with the music industries transition and evolution from records to cassettes to CDs and MP3s, which I thought was a neat parallel. On his site he is currently discussing why tech PR attracts so many women (like me), he also reminded me of Sam Waterson from Law & Order.

Meanwhile, Martin LaMonica, a reporter at CNET who a colleague and I both thought looked remarkably like a cross between Keanu Reeves and a young Bob Saget, brought up a good point too, one that as a blogger I hadn't really thought about. He briefly said that news aggregators and RSS readers, which filter in text from blogs to their own application are preventing traffic to the actual blogs. Instead of going to the actual post, interested parties can read a blogger's post externally and away from the originating blog. This then effects a blog's visiting statistics and possible ad revenue even, plus it dilutes the full experience of that blog. There are RSS aggregators like those on Google homepage that alert readers of new blog posts but directly link to the site's entire environment though, which is what I use to track the blogs that I read.

You can read more about the panel and see a photo at Kyle's blog Engage in PR.

PS: Coincidence that the Yankees spanked the Red Sox in three straight games while I was on their turf? I think not! Also, if you are in Boston be sure and check out the bar & lounge, Sanctuary.

Tara got run over by a bike messenger

Walking on my way to work this morning (shoot I couldn't keep the reindeer song going). Anyway, the bike's metal peddle scratched my calf and it’s now swollen and the skin is cut. How'd it happen?

I was just minding my business, eagerly waiting for the walk sign to show and listening to Starship's We Built This City on my iPod when a bike messenger dude plowed into me and scraped against my leg. The driver, if you can call him that, had to steady me from falling forward and hurting myself worse. I was wearing a skirt so it wouldn't have good. The guy was apologetic though and looked pretty fearful of my murderous gaze and yelp of pain, I think he just misjudged his stopping distance. I then felt bad for him and said "it's OK, don't worry about it" and hobbled to the subway trying to dab at my cut without looking like a flamingo with one leg bent behind me.  

I knew this would happen eventually though. Actually living here for three summers and not being taken out by one of the mad bikers on the road would have been unlikely and impressive.  

What I hate about Manhattan bicyclists who use the roads and not the bike paths, is that they think they can be both pedestrian and driver, thus following both sets of rules. Some figure they have the right away but still can go barreling and weaving on the streets. Like when the indicator shows the walk sign and all the cars dutifully stop, but then there will be this lone biker who keeps zooming on through making walkers jump back for safety or do the 'which way do I go' dance in the middle of the street.  

I give them credit though, there's no way in hell I'd be able to ride my bike on the streets of New York, not with all the cabbies, tourists and pot holes before them. Even when I go roller blading I'll slowly blade (is that a verb? I'm making it one if skate is) the two blocks to the Hudson River Path via the sidewalk rather than the street and just crossing the West Side Highway on wheels is freaky.  

In Memorium: Actor Bruno Kirby, who played Billy Crystal's funny sidekick in When Harry Met Sally (my fav film and which my blog title is named after) died yesterday at the age of 57 from leukemia.  Kirby was also in the film The Godfather: Part II, in the role of a young Clemenza and also in the first City Slickers movie. Ciao Bruno :(

Link: In happier news, I just got picked as 'Blogger of the Week' at About.com's Internet For Beginners

Things I love about my apartment

Besides its great location in the Meat Packing District of Manhattan I mean.

1. My stools from my dad's restaurant and the fire place that doesn't work--it looks nice though.

 

2. The bright gold fish shower curtain. It was one of my very first purchases three summers ago when I moved in. I had always wanted a gold fish shower curtain, don't ask me why but I spotted it at Details in the Village and saved up for it. Yes, I was that broke that I had to save up for a shower curtain. 

 

3. The rolling ladder I go up and down every morning and night in order to sleep in my bed above the kitchen IE The Bitchen. Yeah I actually don't mind it, despite it's disadvantages like middle of the night bathroom trips but it's fun pulling it out each night and turning the light off with my foot as I climb up to bed.

4. Space saver items like the my Pier 1 wine goblets hanging from the ceiling. I bought the rack at IKEA but my stepdad installed it as well as those cool red track lights.

5. In that vain, check out the hanging pots wall in the kitchen below my bed. The metal net was already in the apartment otherwise I wouldn't have thought of it and it's saved me lots of cupboard space.

6. My cute red microwave that matches my red stools, pots and couch. Also check out my cereal dispenser filled with Lucky Charms and my tiny fridge and freezer. Oh yeah and my stash of booze.

7. My veranda/terrace IE the fire escape. The window opens high enough for me to easily step out onto the metal escape to check out the moon or to put down a towel and sunbathe on (I face the back and not the street). And currently a dove is nesting on it. For another view of my view click on my really old X-Mas post or you can check out photos from other bloggers' casas at: