FitSugar

The Counter: Healthier Burgers You Custom Build

FitSugar — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 11:45:00 PDT

I am not in the habit of eating at fast-food joints regularly, but when traveling sometimes I just can't avoid them. Next time I'm on the road, I will be looking to feed my family at The Counter. New on the fast food scene, The Counter is going to revolutionize the way we eat burgers. With over 312,120 possible burger combinations, this restaurant allows you to customize your meal anyway you like.

Using a clipboard menu, you build the burger exactly how you want starting with the protein: certified humane beef, turkey burger, veggie burger, or grilled chicken. There are 10 cheese options, and you also get to choose five toppings from a long list including carrot strings, dried cranberries, hardboiled eggs, avocado, and sun-dried tomatoes. Further customize your burger by selecting a sauce and bread. I love that there are healthy choices in each category so you're not just stuck with beef high in saturated fat, iceberg lettuce, and a white flour bun.

To see a sample of their menu

read more. Pretty inventive, huh? With all these choices it's possible to create a uniquely delicious burger that's also healthy. Locations are cropping up all over the US so I'd definitely choose The Counter over Mickey Dee's any day. Have you eaten at The Counter? If yes, tell me what you thought in the comments section below.

Preen Fall 2012

Hannah Weil — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 13:34:05 PST

Drawing inspiration from Victorian-era scrapbooks and abstract expressionists, Preen's Justin Thornton and Thea Bregazzi crafted a set of clean, cool silhouettes washed in bold color, florals, and collage-like prints for Fall '12. It's a cool-girl juxtaposition that plays out in this collection - minimalist separates dressed up in textured, overlapping prints and sequins create an almost literal scrapbook effect on dresses and tops. Still, it all works flawlessly - while some collections feel disjointed, there's no sense of losing the theme here or feeling disconnected. There isn't a look that doesn't speak to the overarching palette, structure, or playful printing, giving the whole collection a cohesiveness and effortlessness. Even in botanicals, sequins, flirty lace, and peplum, each piece carries with it an underlying ease - shapes are simple, sporty, even, with drawstrings on pencil skirts and color-contrasted collars and sleeves to counter the intricacies of every embellished cuff or printed silhouette.

Trends: Florals, graphic print, peplum, lace, sequins; textured, overlapping prints.
Colors: Camel, navy, white, red, black, and soft pink and moss-green florals.
Key Piece: The white fur coat with orange cuffs; the navy lace peplum knit.
Accessories: Neutral and floral-printed platform lace-ups.
Who Would Wear It: The modern sophisticate with an eye for clean lines and cool-girl flair; Kate Bosworth, Jaime King, and Rachel Bilson.

Hervé Léger by Max Azria Fall 2012

Hannah Weil — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 18:32:03 PST

Taking us beyond the label's bandage dress, Max Azria delivered his signature sexy with rich equestrian details and a new sense of strength for Fall. For every curve-conscious silhouette, the strapped bodices and gladiator-inspired footwear counter with militant, almost dominatrix-feeling toughness. If it takes a confident woman to pull off Léger's more typical body-con wear, for this season's offerings - complete with leather harnesses and fur detailing - only the fiercest of fashion enthusiasts need apply.

Trends: Fetish, harnesses, leather, fur.
Colors: Black, white, nude, burgundy.
Key Piece: The white maxi paired with the fur-trimmed black leather harness.
Accessories: Slick mirrored clutches, gladiator-style knee-high boots with shin guards, open-toe ankle boots.
Who Would Wear It: Hervé's fans; the risk-taker with a taste for sexier fare.

Rebecca Taylor Fall 2012

Hannah Weil — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 14:15:38 PST

Rebecca's girl is both an homage to '90s grunge and a fresh-faced street-styler. The Fall collection marries the designer's signature sweet side with darker territory, at least where texture and color are concerned. Rebecca's palette is decidedly moody in deep brown, burgundy, and black on leather, herringbone, wool, and velvet layers. Then she counters with cool-girl silhouettes; layers are in perfect proportion - for every slick leather layer, there's also a sheer-chiffon sleeve, slinky sequins, or abstract print. There's a lightness to counter the severity of her colors; she still homes in on that girlie factor we love in a pretty peplum top, a sexier snake-print halter dress, or ultra-femme sheer pleats. Like front-rower Olivia Palermo, this girl is something of a mix-master who's got as much femininity as she does cool-girl edge.

Trends: Rich texture in leather, velvet, and jacquard; sequins, peplum, heavy layers, and exotic print.
Colors: Brown, gray, and black with just a pop of purple and blue.
Key Piece: We love the open sheer-chiffon pleats on the gorgeous full-length print dress; also the cool factor of a leopard coat done in ombre.
Accessories: Metallic ankle-strap heels, fur-adorned ankle boots, chain-strap crossbody bags, and oversize leather satchels.
Who Would Wear It: Street-chic celebs like Nicky Hilton would rock the moto-style jackets and edgy layers.

BCBG Runway Fall 2012

Noria Morales — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 12:15:43 PST

An architectural aesthetic, specifically Bauhaus style, rules for BCBG's Fall 2012 collection. Structure manifested itself via colorblocking, but it was done on fluid silk chiffon shift dresses, so the effect was a pretty blend of strong forms on flowy silhouettes. The geometric shapes created by bold color combos - black and orange, merlot and blush - were intensified with textural plays like sheer insets and clever pleating that made dresses look magically fluid and sharp at the same time. To counter the collection's emphasis on lightweight materials like silk and chiffon, it also sent cozy outerwear down the runway - we have mixed emotions on the return of gorilla-armed coats, but the multicolor fur vests and canvas and leather trenches were artful choices for next season. The minimalist approach to geometric forms and bold color combinations, together with the flowy silhouettes, make for clothes that are ideal to wear to a gallery opening.

Trends: Colorblocking, fur, architectural detail, Bauhaus.
Colors: Merlot, blush, camel, cream, navy, coral, teal.
Key Piece: The canvas and leather trench coat; the super-cool pleated dresses with tulle inserts.
Accessories: Open-toe ankle-strap sandals, bags with contrasting textures like snake and suede.
Who Would Wear It: Erin Wasson was in the front row, but the structured, urbane collection seems more suited to Naomi Watts or Thandie Newton.

Craft of the Day: Decoupaged Tray

Stylelist Home — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 05:00:28 PST

I'm happy to present a post from Stylelist Home!

Trays are one of the most useful home accessories, so they make a great starting point for a mini-makeover. Exhibit A: This Craft Of The Day. You can lay the finished tray on the coffee table to contain remote controls, put it on the kitchen counter to catch house keys, or use it for a romantic breakfast in bed. Keep reading for the how-to!
What You'll Need

Unfinished wooden tray
Paint (wood-friendly)
Decorative paper
Paint brush
Mod Podge
X-acto knife
Ruler

How To Make It

Paint your tray. (You can leave the tray surface uncovered because that is where the decorative paper will go.)
Let the tray dry.
Measure the inside of your tray and cut the decorative paper down to size.
Cover the entire bottom of the tray in an even coat of Mod Podge.
Lay your decorative paper down. (It is easier to start from one side and press/smooth as you go, rather than drop the entire piece down at one time.)
Add a second layer of Mod Podge over the paper.
(Optional) Lay embellishments like monogram letters or strips of different paper (like the lime green pieces in the photo) down on the tray.
Apply one to two more layers of Mod Podge.
Let everything dry and you're done!

For the full photo tutorial, visit Prudent Baby. And, be sure to check out the other great crafts in our Craft Of The Day slideshow.

Dree Hemingway Models Her New Bohemian-Chic Sandro Line For Elle France

Marisa Tom — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 12:38:49 PST

Model Dree Hemingway has officially added designer to her list of fashionable talents. Her 10-piece capsule collection for French brand Sandro - which will hit Sandro stores soon - is super chic with a distinct bohemian twist. While the collection is still officially under wraps, Dree modeled the soon-to-be-released line in the February issue of Elle France, and the verdict's in. We're crushing hard on the pretty duality of each design; it's light and airy, then countered by quirky, colorful prints and pops of texture. Two words: Spring perfect. Click through to see Dree show off her newest Sandro creations, and then, be sure to look out for its official launch in March.

Source: Elle France

February Must Haves

Elka Karl — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:00:19 PST

February has a reputation as a bit of a dreary month, what with the melting snow, short days, and seemingly endless Winter. Luckily, we have plenty of ideas for countering the gloom. From fun letterpress Valentine's Day cards to colorful hotel rooms and great new home decor pieces, see what catches your eye in this month's must haves.

Beth Ditto Gets Her Own MAC Line

Miriam Lacey — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 10:04:00 PST

Singer Beth Ditto has long been known for her avant-garde fashion sense and experimental approach to hair color and makeup, but now MAC is giving her the chance to share her creative vision with the rest of us. WWD reports that Beth's limited-edition collection is expected to hit MAC counters come June. The first image from her campaign has just been released, and if the shades on display are any indication, we're in for bold, bright colors and lots of matte textures. We're most excited about the possibility of cool nail polishes, though - Beth's pink, yellow, and black manicure above looks both cutting edge and surprisingly wearable.

4 George Lucas Revelations on Star Wars and Blockbusters

Kelly Schwarze — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 05:24:40 PST

Remember your first dose of cinematic geekdom? Whatever your age, it's likely the story of warring galaxies battling an evil Empire with something called "the Force" served as initiation to a lifetime of science fiction fandom.

George Lucas, the master behind the epic saga of good vs. evil in Star Wars recently gave an interview to the New York Times, in which he discussed his feelings towards devout Star Wars fans, and more about the popular films that made him a legend.

Blockbuster Retirement - After decades of involvement with pricey studio films, George is committing his cinematic focus to the more art-house, experimental filmmaking he worked on in film school and the years before Star Wars changed his life.
Indiana Jones 5 - Despite putting the star character in a refrigerator during the most recent Indiana Jones film to the audience's horror, Indiana Jones will make one more appearance on the big screen. Before he washes his hands entirely of Hollywood razzle-dazzle, George is contractually obligated to the fifth installation of the Indiana Jones story.
Star Wars Revisited - Considered by many fans an affront on their beloved films, the director's revision of an early Star Wars: A New Hope scene where Han Solo shoots bounty hunter Greedo in self defense was a necessary change, because it didn't blend with his view of Han as the saga's lasting hero.
On Fanboy Outrage - Further edits to the original Star Wars trilogy during the 1997 special edition release of the films left fans casting George to be just as much of a villain as a science fiction character. He now counters their criticism: ". . . My movie, with my name on it, that says I did it, needs to be the way I want it."

As George himself admits he's drawn to stories with "corn" and heroes at the forefront, it will be interesting to see how his future films follow the same themes of his big-budget work. Will you miss his blockbuster films?