Two years ago, after a pretty traumatic breakup, I was itching for a change.  Luckily for me, it was close to Halloween.  So, rather than actually chop off my hair and altering my appearance, I just tested it out for an evening.  By purchasing a dark, sultry wig, amping up my eye makeup (and slipping into a slutty costume), I literally felt like a whole new woman.  I actually scared myself on multiple occasions when I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror.  Added bonus of looking nothing like myself?  When bumping into shared acquaintances, no one recognized me.  I didn’t have to say the obligatory “hellos” to anyone I didn’t want to (sensing a trend here?).  If you are still searching for a last minute get up, this Cleopatra costume was super easy and the most expensive piece was the wig.  Since I am fair by nature, below is how I went from pale to ka-pow!

xx,

WhyDid

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So, yesterday morning (if you consider 5am morning) I woke up with a POUNDING headache.  No, I wasn’t suffering from a massive hangover due to a wild night out.  It was a sinus headache. Super sexy, I know.

The only thing that’s better than a Jewish mother when you’re sick, is matzo ball soup.  There’s a reason they call it “Jewish penicillin.”  In five years, living in New York, I’d never had it (poor showing- I know).  In the last year alone, I’ve had it too many times to count and even learned the art of rolling the perfect matzo ball (the longer you roll, the firmer the ball).  This is by far my favorite soup… which is saying a lot seeing as I don’t really like soup at all (except lentil or split pea). This soup is life changing… and I’m going to share how to make it… right… now:

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups of crushed Matzo
• 4 eggs
• 4tbsp cooking oil
• chicken bouillon (best if blessed by a rabbi, clearly)
• baby carrots
• half onion
• 20 cups of water (1.25 gallons)
• 3 chicken breasts

Directions:

Mix matzo meal, oil, and eggs together then refrigerate for 15mins to set.

Meanwhile.. Bring 1.25 gal of water to simmer with the bouillon, chicken, carrots and diced onions.  Remove chicken and cut into bite size pieces and return to pot of water to continue to simmer.  Remove matzo mix from fridge. Using warm water to keep hands wet (so balls dont stick) roll matzo into balls about 1 to 1.5 inches in diameter.  Roll and repeat until no more ball mix.  Place lid over pot and let balls and soup simmer for around 20 minutes.  If you like noodles, use separate pot and boil yolk-less soup noodles, strain and add to soup as needed.  Eat and enjoy!

xx,

WhyDid

P.S. I feel 94% better.

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Oh… you thought I was all done with my pirate talk?  No way you squiffy swabs!  I loved Captain Jack Sparrow’s (Johnny Depp’s) dreads so much that I went home and re-created them myself.  I think these would look awesome for a day at the beach, summer musical festival, or just a fun night out.  While, I think they are best suited for beachy waves, you could recreate the look on straight locks as well.  I recommend using strands near your temples that lay underneath the top layer so that these pirate braids aren’t blatantly obvious and more like hidden treasure (dare I say booty?).  Your hair may get a bit tangled in these, so I also recommend combing out before hitting the sheets.

Ready for the “how to” landlubbers?

Weigh anchor and hoist the mizzen!

xx,

WhyDid

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***WARNING: For all my vegetarian and vegan friends, this post contains a lot of meat.  Raw meat.  So, while I do appreciate your visits, you might want to just skip this one! xx ***

In honor of the season finale of The Bachelor, my fiance and his pal decided that they needed some balls.  Meatballs that is.  Since I was forcing (ahem- hardly)them to sit through the torture that is reality TV dating, they needed a little extra meat and manliness to compensate.  Luckily, I had the perfect remedy for such a situation.

Ingredients:

• 2lbs of ground beef
• 3/4lb of sweet sausage
• 3/4lb of spicy sausage
• cups shredded Mexican or Colby Jack cheese
• 2/3 cup parmesan cheese
• 2/3 cup breadcrumbs
• sprinkle of garlic powder
• dash of onion powder (you can use finely chopped onions – but they make me cry)
• pinch of oregano
• salt and pepper

Now for the fun part!

*Note: Bake for 20 minutes at 375 degrees

You’ve got balls!

xx,

WhyDid

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Everyone from Whitney Port to Kate Bosworth has been seen sporting this updated librarian bun.  Want to try it out yourself?  You too can be wound tight in six easy steps!

I know, I know… It’s not a video and there are no dance moves.  I promise my amazing “How To Tuesday” videos will be back soon.  In the meantime, this will have to do and you really are in need of some WhyDid dance moves, you can watch allll of my videos here.

That’s knotty!

xx,

WhyDid

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Perhaps you missed Girl Scout cookie season this year.  Might be because you live in a city where Girl Scouts are an elusive breed.  Maybe you were so buried in work you didn’t even notice the girls in khaki.  Whatever the case may be, I’m here to save the day.  Much as Phyllis (Shelly Long) saved the girls of Troop Beverly Hills. Get ready, these at home Girl Scout cookie recipes from Baking Bites are good enough to make you wanna get up and do “the Freddie.”

Thin Mints

For the cookies:

• 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 6 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
• 1/3 cup milk (any kind)
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3/4 tsp peppermint extract

1. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, cocoa powder and salt.
2. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar. With the mixer on low speed, add in the milk and the extracts. Mixture will look curdled. Gradually, add in the flour mixture until fully incorporated.
3. Shape dough into two logs, about 1 1/2 inches (or about 4 cm) in diameter, wrap in plastic wrap and freeze for at least 1-2 hours, until dough is very firm.
4. Preheat oven to 375F.
5. Slice dough into rounds not more than 1/4 inch thick – if they are too thick, they will not be as crisp – and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Cookies will not spread very much, so you can put them quite close together.
6. Bake for 13-15 minutes, until cookies are firm at the edges. Cool cookies completely on a wire rack before dipping in chocolate.

For chocolate coating:

• 10-oz dark or semisweet chocolate
• 1/2 cup butter, room temperature

1. In a microwave safe bowl, combine chocolate and butter. Melt on high power in the microwave, stirring every 45-60 seconds, until chocolate is smooth. Chocolate should have a consistency somewhere between chocolate syrup and fudge for a thin coating.
2. Dip each cookie in melted chocolate, turn with a fork to coat, then transfer to a piece of parchment paper or wax paper to set up for at least 30 minutes, or until chocolate is cool and firm.
3. Reheat chocolate as needed to keep it smooth and easy to dip into.

Makes 3 1/2-4 dozen cookies.

Samoas

For the cookies:

• 1 cup butter, soft
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• up to 2 tbsp milk

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Mix in flour, baking powder and salt at a low speed, followed by the vanilla and milk, adding in the milk as needed to make the dough come together without being sticky (it’s possible you might not need to add milk at all). The dough should come together into a soft, not-too-sticky ball. Add in a bit of extra flour if your dough is very sticky.
3. Roll the dough (working in two or three batches) out between pieces of wax paper to about 1/4-inch thickness (or slightly less) and use a 1 1/2-inch cookie cutter to make rounds. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet and use a knife, or the end of a wide straw, to cut a smaller center hole. Repeat with remaining dough. Alternatively, use scant tablespoons of dough and press into an even layer in a mini donut pan to form the rounds.
4. Bake cookies for 10-12 minutes, until bottoms are lightly browned and cookies are set. If using a mini donut pan, bake for only about 10 minutes, until edges are light gold.
5. Cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

For the topping:

• 3 cups shredded coconut (sweetened or unsweetened)
• 12-oz good-quality chewy caramels
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3 tbsp milk
• 8 oz. dark or semisweet chocolate (chocolate chips are ok)

1. Preheat oven to 300. Spread coconut evenly on a parchment-lined baking sheet (preferably one with sides) and toast 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, until coconut is golden. Cool on baking sheet, stirring occasionally. Set aside.
2. Unwrap the caramels and place in a large microwave-safe bowl with milk and salt. Cook on high for 3-4 minutes, stopping to stir a few times to help the caramel melt. When smooth, fold in toasted coconut with a spatula.
3. Using the spatula or a small offset spatula, spread topping on cooled cookies, using about 2-3 tsp per cookie. Reheat caramel for a few seconds in the microwave if it gets too firm to work with.
4. While topping sets up, melt chocolate in a small bowl. Heat on high in the microwave in 45 second intervals, stirring thoroughly to prevent scorching. Dip the base of each cookie into the chocolate and place on a clean piece of parchment paper. Transfer all remaining chocolate (or melt a bit of additional chocolate, if necessary) into a piping bag or a ziplock bag with the corner snipped off and drizzle finished cookies with chocolate.
5. Let chocolate set completely before storing in an airtight container.

Makes about 3 1/2-4 dozen cookies.

Do you have a question or are you drying your nails?

xx,

WhyDid

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Having sexy full waves and loose curls is not as difficult as it may seem.  One might think she MUST use a curling iron or hot rollers (which I love), but there are actually a couple of different methods that may surprise you.  Watch and find out:

Beach Waves like Blake:

If you are looking for a super simple (not to mention non damaging!) way to achieve fresh from the ocean waves, look no further.  After washing and conditioning your hair, detangle it and apply a styling product.  Since I have naturally wavy and sometimes unruly hair, I use something with a silicone base or an anti frizz ingredient.  However, if you have fine or straight hair,  you’re going to want to use something with some hold to it. I recommend Bumble and Bumble Surf Spray.  Once you have applied your desired/required product, twist your hair into a low bun on the back of your head.  Secure with a few bobby pins and you’re good to go.  Allow hair to air dry and when you’re ready, let your waves loose.  Shake them out and spray with a little hairspray and style the front section as you like.

What you’ll need:

• For wavy hair: silicone based/anti frizz product (L’oreal Professionel Spirale Extreme)
• For fine hair: mousse or light hold styling product
• bobby pins
• Light hairspray

Glam Curls like Olivia:

If you are looking for a more polished curl that doesn’t look like a beauty pageant contestant, look no further.  This is one of my favorite ways to style my hair.  It takes about 15-20 minutes (after some practice and depending on the amount of hair you have), but the hard work is totally worth the final product! Spray your hair with a light hold hairspray and then section hair off.  Grab two inch sections and wrap them around your fingers (use 2 fingers for a tighter curl and 3 for a looser one).  Remove your fingers from the hair and then pat the spiral of hair with your flat iron.  Repeat until your whole head is done and then mist again with hairspray.

What you’ll need:

• Flat iron
• Light hairspray

You go, curl!

xx,

WhyDid

P dot S, there is no poll this week due to a special “How To” video request from a reader! Tune in and find out next week!

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There is really nothing sexier than a smoldering smokey eye.  Every celebrity from Kim Kardashian to Taylor Swift to have been seen sporting this makeup trend.  As good as a smokey eye looks, it can prove to be a bit daunting to the untrained individual and without the proper equipment can go very, terribly wrong.  Rather than looking like a sex kitten, you may look more like a rabid raccoon. Have no fear, it is much easier than one would think and WhyDid is here to help.

What you’ll need:

• loose translucent powder
• light shimmer shadow
• medium shadow (for blending)
• very dark shadow (for outlining)
• kohl eyeliner
• black mascara
• blending brush
• sponge eyeshadow applicator

Smokin’ hot.

Take Our Poll

xx,

WhyDid

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During the holiday season, you are not only bombarded with festive parties and family gatherings, but also bogged down with awkward conversations and uncomfortable introductions. So what better time to learn how to start a conversation when there’s nothing to say than now?

While you may know some of the basics, let’s just start from the beginning:

1. First and foremost, make eye contact and smile.
2. After initial contact say (wait for it…), “Hi! How are you?”
3. When your “target” is engaged, mention something you notice about him/her like a watch or piece of clothing.
4. Another option is asking a question like, “My friends and I were debating what the all time best slow song is. Care to weigh in?”
5. If you feel extra shy and don’t want to attempt the above, ask a general question like where the closest subway stop is.
6. Finally, relax, and don’t ask questions that are too personal. You don’t want to be a creepy lurker/stalker. If they aren’t into chatting, they’re probably a tools anyway.

Please refer to the video below. It is “How To Flirt” but surprisingly is right in line with how to start a conversation:

Now start chatting up that cute guy in the corner.

Take Our Poll

xx,

WhyDid

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