FitSugar

Tales From The Darkside

YumSugar — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 13:07:42 PDT

Last weekend I had a wonderfully unique opportunity to dine in the dark. And when I say dark, I mean dark, as in I was blindfolded. It was an interesting experience, if not a rather difficult one. More than once I picked up my fork and put nothing in my mouth, and I'm not even going to tell you the number of times I shoved a green bean into my eye. And because my fantastic tablemates were also blindfolded, I definitely threw social etiquette out the window, propped my elbows on the table and used my finger as a way to get my food on the fork.

The SF Dark Dining event took place at the Fort Mason Center and while the windows were blacked out, it wasn't really dark enough. So we took our dark napkins and tied them around our eyes and awaited our meal. The menu was rather ambitious for a place with no kitchen - the caterers had to prep everything before hand and finish it off in convection ovens - and it resulted in just so-so to not-so-good flavor. However, the experience was quite interesting as my sense of smell and taste were definitely heightened. Pine nuts suddenly became PINE NUTS and blue cheese was BLUE cheese.

While I wished they had paired down the meal options and went a much simpler route, it's something that I'm glad I did. The cost is currently $95 per person, and even though it's a three-course meal, I didn't feel that the food was worth the experience. However, this was their first time running the event, and they were definitely taking a lot of feed back and getting used to the "kitchen". I think the event can only get better, and if you do go, be sure to wear dark clothes (or a bib!).

To check out some pictures of the dark dining prep - I love the way the waitstaff look in night vision goggles - as well as a link to some video footage,

Check out TasteTv's video of the pre-dark set-up.

Note: the pics are from the check in process before the lights went out. Also, note how the tables are plain as there is no need for decorations.

View 11 Photos ›

Chocolate is Even Better for Us

FitSugar — Mon, 26 Mar 2007 13:30:00 PDT

OK. OK - You don't have to twist my arm. I'll eat dark chocolate already.

Recent reseach has discovered yet another health benefit of chocolate. Right On!!! Based on a study where patients consumed 8 oz of cocoa (without sugar) daily for 6 weeks, researchers found the patients had increased blood flow. Good news for your heart and your taste buds.

Cocoa and dark chocolate products are considered one of the most concentrated sources of flavenoids. Red wine, green tea, fruit, and vegetables also contain flavenoids, which are the pigments in plants that act as antioxidants.

This test does not suggest that everyone start devouring Hershey's kisses and Bon-Bons daily (darn), but it does suggest that we pay more attention to how dark chocolate and other flavenoid-rich foods might offer help to our heart and body. Who knows, maybe down the road your doctor will prescribe heart medication made out of cocoa.

The antioxidants in dark chocolate can also lower your blood pressure and your cholesterol. So if you're a chocoholic, make sure you're consuming the dark stuff. It has a higher percentage of cocoa than milk-chocolate.

Augustus Gloop knew this all along. No wonder he took a dip in Willy Wonka's chocolate river. Knowing what I know now about the health benefits of chocolate, I would too.

Behold the New Poster For the Dark Knight Rises

Becky Kirsch — Tue, 22 May 2012 13:50:58 PDT

Let's try to decode the new Batman poster - The Hollywood Reporter
Meet the new contestants of Love in the Wild - Zap2It
Get a load of spoilers from True Blood season five - BuddyTV
Kristen Wiig gets crazy at the SNL afterparty - BuzzFeed
Will Smith wants to play Obama - HuffPost Entertainment
Wes Anderson's new movie is getting rave reviews - Rotten Tomatoes
The top 15 reality stars in movies - NextMovie
Johnny Depp snags a new role - Moviefone
See all the pictures from the Cannes Film Festival so far - PopSugar

Anne Hathaway and Adam Shulman Stick Close From Coast to Coast

Lauren Turner — Fri, 25 May 2012 08:09:28 PDT

Anne Hathaway's fiancé, Adam Shulman, was right behind her as they arrived at LAX yesterday. The couple hopped on a flight to NYC after visiting with friends on the West Coast. Anne's on a break from filming Les Misérables in London, where she hit the set with costar Hugh Jackman in April. She took advantage of the downtime to escape to Miami earlier this month. Anne wore a black bikini for a dip in the ocean with her mom Kathleen during the getaway, which came just before Mother's Day.

Anne may still be sporting cropped hair for her character in Les Mis, but she'll soon be switching gears to another project. The Dark Knight Rises hits theaters in July and Anne will be traveling to promote the latest installment in the Batman franchise.

Link Time: Cindy Crawford Knows How to Rock One Sexy Leather Dress

Marisa Tom — Fri, 25 May 2012 07:14:23 PDT

Cindy Crawford knows how to rock one sexy leather dress - Stylelist
What to pack for a long, sunny Summer weekend - Olivia Palermo
Does The Great Gatsby accurately depict 1920s style? - HuffPost Style
Jenna Lyons on J.Crew before Mickey Drexler: the company was "vanilla" - Fashionista
The Real World celebrates 20 years of reality, fashion, and more - The Daily Beast
Thoughts on Britney Spears's bright pink minidress? - Red Carpet Fashion Awards
This bag lunch benefit sounds like our cup of tea - Style.com
Celebs go for dark and dramatic this Spring - The Fashion Spot
Scott Schuman and Garance Doré on fashion show lurkers and more - Styleite
Michelle Obama and Beyoncé continue their love affair - The Cut

Kate Bosworth and Michael Polish Couple Up For a Calvin Klein Event

Katie Henry — Fri, 25 May 2012 04:04:00 PDT

Kate Bosworth and Michael Polish held hands and posed for photos at a party hosted by Calvin Klein in Seoul last night. Kate mingled with Calvin Klein creative director Francisco Costa and chatted with fellow actress Chloe Moretz when she wasn't sharing kisses with her date. South Korea is the latest loved-up stop for Kate and Michael. The pair visited NYC earlier this month for the Met Gala, where Kate modeled a fringed Prada minidress.

Fresh off an extensive press tour for Dark Shadows, Chloe Moretz also made the trek to Asia for the fashionable party. Chloe's currently on a break from film, but she's gearing up to start production on a remake of Steven King's Carrie. Fans of the original have voiced concerns over a Carrie reboot, though with Julianne Moore signed on to play Carrie's mother, it's shaping up to be a talented cast.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt Bulks Up For an Addictive New Role

Katie Henry — Thu, 24 May 2012 14:55:11 PDT

Joseph Gordon-Levitt showed up on the Hollywood set of his latest film, Don Jon's Addiction, yesterday. He ran through a scene and showed off his bulked-up frame in a tight blue t-shirt. JGL's diving into another project while his forthcoming feature The Dark Knight Rises preps for a July 20 release. Earlier this week fans got a glimpse of a new poster showing Gotham burning to the ground around Batman. Hot superheros Christian Bale and JGL are just two of the reasons we're excited to see the final chapter in the Batman franchise, and if you're still not convinced, take a peek at the latest trailer for The Dark Knight Rises.

Watch Andy Samberg Speak at Harvard's Graduation

Becky Kirsch — Thu, 24 May 2012 13:32:10 PDT

Andy Samberg brings the funny for Harvard grads - The Hollywood Reporter
Find out who's hooking up in the new season of True Blood - Zap2It
Justin Timberlake is making music again! - HuffPost Entertainment
More new footage from The Dark Knight Rises - BuzzFeed
You'll never believe what Nicole Kidman does to Zac Efron in their new movie - The Frisky
Will Smith's best movies - Rotten Tomatoes
See which classic horror film is coming to TV -/Film
Here's a preview for the new season of So You Think You Can Dance - ET Online
Jennifer Love Hewitt says The Client List makes her feel like a hooker - TrèsSugar

9 Ways to Earn Extra Cash When Money Is Tight

Wise Bread — Thu, 24 May 2012 11:51:58 PDT

I'm sure everyone can do with a little more cash in their wallets. Here are some great suggestions by Wise Bread for you to make extra money.

Even though I'm self-employed full-time, I'm always looking for new and exciting ways to make more money.

Earlier this year, I wrote a Wise Bread post on websites that can help you earn extra cash. More recently, I came across a blog post on Zaarly titled, "10 Ways to Make Money Without a Job." After reviewing the latter post, I thought it was time to revisit the topic and let you in on a few more ways to get paid.

The ideas that Zaarly presents are perfect for the unemployed or those who just want to pad their pockets a little more. In addition, there are moonlighting jobs that I do that I thought you should know about. Thus, if you're without a steady paycheck or you just want to build up a rainy-day stash, here are some of your options.

1. Offer Experiences to Strangers

I recently learned about a new site called Vayable, which allows people with specialized knowledge and talents, local info, and time on their hands to create experiences that others can purchase. It's basically a touring and activity company without the company. Anyone can join the site and set up an experience. For instance, the Kan Brothers offer motorcycle tours of San Francisco - which include helmet rental, a drink at a local hot spot, and a city map - for two to four people at $75 per person. In New York City, Kim G. is offering a personalized painting lesson for groups of two to six for a flat rate of $300; the experience includes acrylic paints; canvas board and supplies; studio space; wine, cheese, and crackers; and Kim’s undivided attention. Consider this tip if you're interested in joining Vayable: Browse the site to see what other people in your area are offering. By creating a unique experience that no one else has established, you have a better chance of getting booked.

Read on for more.

Tessa and Tyrell's Lakeside Glamour Wedding

Tara Block — Thu, 24 May 2012 11:35:55 PDT

It's time to celebrate the most romantic season of the year with our first featured wedding! Each week we will be sharing an inspiring real wedding with insight from the bride on everything from the decor details to the honeymoon plans, as well as lots of gorgeous photos from the big day. Pin your favorites to take part in our Pinterest contest - you could win a romantic getaway! Kicking off the series is Tessa and Tyrell's glamorous Canadian wedding!

Tessa and Tyrell met as staff members at Camp Firwood in Bellingham, WA, and they tried unsuccessfully to keep the relationship from getting too serious due to all the family ties at the camp. Tessa says, "Since we both have lots of family that has worked at Firwood, our first conversation was about how we could never get married - otherwise all of the Camp Firwood staff would be related!" But just a year later, they began their two-year dating relationship. They were engaged for six months before tying the knot.

Taking place outdoors at Tessa's family's home on Lake Okanagan in British Columbia, the wedding had a beautiful, nature-filled backdrop that didn't require much in the way of decor. "We didn't really have a theme for our wedding," Tessa says. "I just wanted it to be elegant. We chose to have it in the evening and have purple, charcoal, and black as our colors. We had lots of damask pattern in the dark colors, which I think helped us achieve the classy/sophisticated look that I wanted."

See more stunning photos of the wedding and learn more about how it came together now!

Photos by Glen Durrell Photography