versus

If you haven't seen them yet, you must not be looking too hard — the triple flavored popcorn tins are already popping up at shopping malls, pharmacies, and grocery stores just in time for the gorge holiday season. Growing up, they were always a big holiday hit in my house. My grandma ate the cheddar, my mom ate the buttered, and I gobbled up the caramel. Now it seems the cycle has shifted as I'm drawn to the buttered, my daughter to the caramel, and my mom to the cheese. Now if they were all equally healthy, I wouldn't care much who ate what. Since they're not, I'm paying more attention and figuring out which one is better for trimming fat while I trim the tree.

Want to see how the three flavors stack up against each other?

Milan Fashion Week showed off bold colors like royal blues and kelly greens, reinvented platform shoes, and small clutches. Covetable designers including Prada, Fendi, Gucci, Versace, and Dolce & Gabbana displayed fresh and innovative yet wearable fashions for Spring 2011. Plus, we show you several standout looks from the week!

>> Yesterday, Versus hit the runway for the first time in over a decade, under the creative direction of Christopher Kane. “To restore Versus like it used to be means to bring this collection once again on the catwalk, to show in a proper location and in a proper town, and to intrigue the VIP,” Donatella Versace told W. “And it will keep getting bigger and bigger. But not too big. Not yet. Because we are not ready. If you do it big, then you’ve got to do it big. I never really gave Christopher a proper party before either, but I will.”

The Spring 2011 collection, shown against a playground backdrop with a soundtrack of children at play, prompted the Wall Street Journal to write of Kane and Versace's professional relationship: "It was hard not to look at Versus and wonder who [between Versace and Kane] is influencing whom.  Spokesman Tomaso Galli insists Mr. Kane is the understudy. I asked if Mr. Kane consulted on the Versace collection. 'No. Not at all,' Mr. Galli said firmly. 'Not at all.'"

But that doesn't mean that Kane won't be working on the Versace collection one day. When W asked if she could see Kane heading up the house, Donatella replies without hesitation: “At the moment Versus is enough. But I can see him there, yes. For sure.”

Between now and then, however, Kane may have to change his laissez-faire attitude towards celebrity clientele — they are part of the brand DNA. The Versace show was delayed on Friday for more than 45 minutes waiting for January Jones to arrive, whereas Kane once cordially told Victoria Beckham no when she asked for a dress to be sent. “Yes, but let’s get this straight,” explains Kane. “I’ve got nothing against her. I think she’s really great. I think she’s really beautiful. I just wasn’t in a position to gift celebrities at that point. So in the end she bought it.”

As kids we're almost expected to hate our green veggies. But somewhere along the road in life, our taste buds mature and we hopefully develop a love for the garden goodness. Now featured on many a hip menu, Brussels sprouts and broccoli are popular dishes that have many diners licking their lips. But, between the two, there are some differences. So before you choose one for your sumptuous side dish, take a look at the comparison.

How many times have you been at a soirée and picked at sticks of celery and carrots, occasionally dipping them into a bowl of ranch dressing? A typical party hors d'oeuvre, the veggie sticks are often the healthiest option at a buffet table.
While you can't go wrong with either of them, there are distinct differences between the two, which may have you trying to balance out your consumption.

Want to find out what they are?

It's no secret that I'm nuts for nuts. From peanuts and almonds to cashews and walnuts, I'm a fan. A perfect snack for folks on the go, they satiate a hungry tummy while providing a healthy dose of fat and protein. Once upon a time, they were all the same to me. Now I pay attention to which nut I'm eating and how it benefits my diet so I can feel better about what I'm tossing on my salad or into my brownie mix. Almonds, a quick snack fix, and cashews, an age-old favorite, are the two nuts I feast on the most. To see how they fare against each other, check out my side-by-side comparison.

They say you can't really compare apples and oranges, but what about grapes and raisins? I have often wondered how the dried version compares with its juicy source.

When a fruit is dried, many of the nutrients become concentrated. According to the Berkeley Wellness Newsletter, ounce for ounce, raisins have almost three times the antioxidants as their grape counterparts. However, the amount of sugar is concentrated as well. Ounce for ounce, raisins also contain considerably more calories. A half-cup of raisins contains 246 calories and the same amount of grapes contains only 31 calories. But once the portions of each are appropriately sized, as in the chart below, raisins and grapes hardly differ.