Okay, so I’m no Martha Stewart, but I do know how to keep a happy and functional home.  I also do enjoy baking and cooking (baking more than cooking).  There is also something to be said about a woman who can cook and look good while she does so.  I know we think it’s hilarious that Carrie Bradshaw used her oven to store sweaters, but today’s “modern girl” can do it all… and that includes whipping up a gourmet meal.

You don’t need every fancy appliance under the sun to make your kitchen run more smoothly, but there are a few gadgets that may very well change your life (or at least make you more efficient when it comes to the kitchen).

1. Crock Pot 5 Quart Stainless Steel Slow Cooker, $41 - A crock pot is the lazy girl’s dream appliance.  Basically you could throw just about anything in in the morning and come home to a delicious meal.  It does the work for you and do you know how many amazing recipes there are?
2. As Seen On TV, Eggies, $9.99 - Okay, I must admit I fell for something I saw on TV.  Hey, at least it’s not Pajama Jeans.  These will blow your mind if you enjoy hard boiled eggs, deviled eggs, or egg salad.
3. KitchenAid Apple Wedger, $10.29 - I love apples, but I hate biting into them (creeps me out) and I find cutting them can be cumbersome (Okay, fine.  I can’t be trusted with sharp objects).  This little guy slices and apple right up in one swift move.  No more excuses when it comes to making yourself a healthy snack.
4. Wusthof Kitchen Shears, $19.99 - My mom scolded me for years for not having a “proper” pair of kitchen shears.  Theses babies can do everything from cut meat to trim flower stems.
5. Rabbit by Metrokane Zippity Rabbit Wine Opener, $79.99 - Alright, alright… the kitchen doesn’t have to be all business.  This wine opener is the best thing going.  When you have company, there’s nothing worse than fighting with a rogue cork.  The rabbit (not that rabbit) will have you in and out in no time. [insert dirty joke here].

A functional kitchen is a happy kitchen.

xx,

WhyDid

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By now, it should be clear how much I enjoy Sex and the City (SATC).  Not really because it is soooo accurate (cause it kind of isn’t), but because it is so very well written and there’s a lot of great shoes.  Plus, what girl doesn’t like to commiserate with others about those dogs we called men who ruined our lives?  I could watch old episodes over and over and over… and as a matter of fact thanks to our bizarrely programmed HD cable box, I get to watch it on both east and west coast timezones (booyah).  And yes, that is just what I did yesterday.  All five of the last episodes were on (that’s three hours, kids) and I watched them all.  Twice.

I love so many things about the show.  I love that it’s shot in New York and not some stupid soundstage in LA. I love the witty banter and the situations that so many of us can relate to.  There is, however, one thing that I do not love.  His name is Mr. Big.  Don’t get me wrong.  I love Mr. Big as a character.  He could charm the knickers off a nun.  What I do not love is what he represents.  He is that one guy that every girl has dated.  The unattainable for whatever reason.  The one who broke our heart.  The one who got away.

If we were to use SATC as our bible (but who would do that, seriously?), we would be led to believe that some day our mysterious, elusive Mr. Big will magically reappear back into our lives and we’ll all live happily ever after.  The end.  Newsflash: that’s ridiculous.  When Mr. Big was a douche the first time, Carrie should have kicked him to the curb- for good.  But alas, much easier said than done.  So, fine.  We give the guy another chance.  Still a douche?

Rather than seeing all the good right in front of her (Aidan? Are you effing kidding?) she continues in search of something intangible.  She’s holding out for Mr. Big while simultaneously destroying any and all good that’s right in front of her face.  Sound familiar?  I get it, you don’t want to settle, but there’s a big (no pun intended) difference between “settling” and just being outright stupid.  Get your mind right, little one.  You can go clomping around the globe chasing your Mr. Big but he’s gonna chew you up and spit you out.  A guy who treats you poorly once, always will.  You’d be much better off finding someone who loves you from moment one.

I remember right before my first “real” date with my now fiance.  I wasn’t sold on the whole idea to be honest, but my friend said to me (and I will never forget it), “This is what it looks like when a guy really likes you.”  And she was right.  He pulled out all the stops and really tried.  Once she said that to me, it was a game changer and in some ways, I have her to thank for the way things turned out.

And no, I’m not up on some soapbox just cause I happened to get lucky by meeting the male version of myself.  I’m down in the trenches with you single ladies because I get it.  Hell, I’ve been right down there with you.  I have dated in one of the toughest cities to date in: New York City.  Am I right, ladies?  There I dated some of the biggest douchebags on the planet.  I’m not kidding.  You can check my references.  I’ve been through relationship troubles that would make your stomach turn.  The reason I’m going on and on is because you ladies are beautiful and special and wonderful.  Why on earth would you EVER want someone who didn’t recognize that immediately?  Who wants a guy that took a billion years of hemming and hawing and testing out the other goods before realizing you were “the one”?

You’re better than that.

So my advice to you is to watch SATC for the clothes and Samantha’s sexy boyfriend, Smith rather than for any real life love advice.  It is a TV SHOW afterall.  And for those late adopters, 1. better late than never, 2. go out and splurge on the DVD’s. There is a lot lost in the editing for cable TV (listen, a nipple can go a long way).

xx,

WhyDid

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Blair’s been there.  Carrie’s been there.  Even I have been there.  It’s the inner struggle between good and evil.  The choice between the good guy and the guy who makes your hair stand on end.  You know what I’m talking about.  There is the guy who you know will make a great boyfriend, great husband, great father and then there is the guy who makes your stomach flip flop when you hear the mere mention of his name.

We have all met the guys who are perfect on paper.  Good job, good family, good looking.  All reasonable logic would tell you, “Pick him! PICK! HIM!” but then there is that pesky little thing called lust.

For Blair, Dan is a complete departure from her usual type.  As a matter of fact, he is the epitome of all that is awful in her world.  Chuck on the other hand is cut from the same cloth as Ms. Waldorf.  But is Blair fighting against the very thing that she actually needs?  Are we programmed to think that we “need” one thing when in reality what we actually need is something completely different?

I’m fairly certain that women’s hearts around the world broke when Carrie ditched Aidan… not once, but twice in Sex and the City.  He was tall, dark, and most certainly handsome.  Not to mention, he was a man’s man who was good with his hands.  Carrie, WTF?  But alas, our heroine sauntered off into the sunset yet again with Mr. Big.  I can’t lie, there is something eternally endearing about Mr. Big (don’t we all have our very own Mr. Big?), but we all know he is nothing but trouble.  Was Carrie really in love or was she just addicted to the struggle?

So is there an answer to the age old question?  Head or heart?  Do good guys always finish last?

I like to think I got lucky and wound up with both head and heart.

xx,

WhyDid

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So clearly, I have had a bit of extra time on my hands these days.  This has gven me the opportunity to conjure up some deep thoughts…

• Did I NOT get the memo that cowboy boots are making a comeback?  I remember hussing around Manhattan in tiny short shorts and cowboy boots circa 2005, but that was courtesy of the Dukes of Hazard remake (you have NO idea how much it hurts me to give Jessica Simpson credit for anything). Anyway, I’ve seen more than a couple young ladies strutting the streets wearing cowboy boots recently.  Now that summer finally arrived and temperatures are nearing the 90′s, there’s nothing I’m less interested in sticking my foot in than a bulky leather boot. P-U.  For the record, the original Daisy (Catherine Bach) didn’t even wear cowboy boots.

Now that’s how short shorts are done!

• I keep seeing this commercial for Maybelline’s SuperStay 24 Hour Makeup. Um, really?  I personally do not wear foundation because I don’t like it, but for the life of me I can not understand why anyone needs to have their makeup stay on their face for 24 CONSECUTIVE HOURS!!! Ever heard of letting your skin breathe?  Facewash? Acne?

• Dear Carrie Bradshaw- I just rewatched the Sex and the City movie with my mom last night (don’t judge me) and I have a bone to pick with you.  Other than the fact that you all overacted your characters, you also gave girls across the country “false hope.” Remember when your sweet sweet assistant Louise (from St. Louis) reminded you to go grab your $450 Manolo’s from the apartment before they changed the locks? And you corrected her that they were $525?  Um, well… girls around the globe probably saved up their funds in hopes of slipping on these shoes and finding their own Mr. Big… until they got to the store and the shoes were actually $945!!!

Whew! I feel better.

xx,

WhyDid

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Summer is the time of year where ladies love to bear it all. We’ve perfected our spray tans and spent hours in the gym to get our glutes in tip top shape.  In all honesty, we’ve earned it.  However, there are tricks to making our barely there outfits work without being utterly offensive.

One of the biggest offenders all times of the year is VPL (visible panty lines).  We all know what this is (for heaven’s sake, even my Dad knows what VPL stands for).  I would hope by now, that everyone knows you need to wear a thong if you are wearing tight pants or a tight skirt.  Taking it one step further, sometimes a thong alone doesn’t cut it.  With very sheer or clingy fabrics, sometimes the outline of your thong will still show giving you unnecessary lumps and bumps.  You might be tempted to just go sans panties, but rather than show us your Paris/Britney, I have another solution.  Enter the Commando Tiny Thong. Lots of places have introduced seamless, no-show panties, but these are the original tried and true.  Having worn these myself, I can vouch that you will not see even the tiniest seam, not even under a body skimming chiffon dress. They have several variations of these panties, I prefer the Tiny Thong (it’s the least amount of fabric, obvi).

Another offender? Illegal use of bra straps.  I am totally cool with showing a beautiful bra under a see through blouse, or having a bit of your lacy bra pop out, but ONLY when done appropriately and intentionally (a la Carrie Bradshaw).  Not only are there tons of bras out there to allow you to re-configure your straps, there are also now gadgets  that are meant specifically for hiding your straps. Hollywood Hook Ups are a great option (a lot better than my MacGyver tricks involving safety pins and rubber bands).

NOT SEXY:

SEXY:

Having a royal nip slip can also put a damper on your summer evening out.  To avoid this, just grab some double sided tape to hold your drapey blouse in place.  I like Matchsticks because they are in cute pink packaging that you can just pop in your purse.

USE TAPE ON A TOP LIKE THIS:

TO AVOID A MOMENT LIKE THIS:

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