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,

read more 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.

Dark Tide Trailer: Halle Berry Goes Swimming With Sharks

Shannon Vestal — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 14:41:25 PST

If you miss Shark Week all year, perk up, because the Dark Tide trailer is here. Halle Berry plays Kate, a shark expert who stopped swimming with the fearsome creatures when her mentor was attacked and killed by a great white. Her fear is enough to keep her out of the ocean until she gets the opportunity to revisit the shark-infested waters on the dime of a danger-seeking businessman, alongside her ex-boyfriend (Olivier Martinez).

Any movie with a great white baring its teeth brings up my lifelong Jaws fear, but the movie feels like a cheesy sequel to Into the Blue or The Deep Blue Sea, only with the inclusion of an Oscar winner. Berry is a great actress, but it doesn't look like she's flexing her acting muscles so much as her ab muscles. To see Berry in her bikini and facing down sharks, just keep reading.

Elizabeth Banks Talks The Hunger Games and Says Harry Potter Is "Scary as Sh*t"

Becky Kirsch — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 05:30:00 PST

I got the chance to visit the set of What to Expect When You're Expecting last year, where I chatted with Elizabeth Banks about fake baby bumps, motherhood, and the star-studded comedy. Naturally, the conversation also turned to Banks's other big upcoming movie, The Hunger Games. Banks discussed how she feels about the dark subject matter now that she's a parent herself, compared the film to the likes of Harry Potter, and talked about how she got into the role of Effie.

As a parent, did you have any reservations about The Hunger Games's dark subject matter?
EB: The movie is going to be PG-13, and I think that's about right. My nephew's 11, and he read it and loves it. The book has adult themes, for sure. Gary Ross, the director, and Suzanne Collins [who wrote the novels] did a great job patrolling what happens visually in the movie, what we can show and what we can't show. But I remember taking my 6-year-old niece to a Harry Potter movie with those dark shadow things that were scary as sh*t, and the guy doesn't even have a f*cking nose. That's like nightmare stuff, in my opinion. This is a lot of hand-to-hand combat, but it's nothing you wouldn't see on a video game or an episode of CSI. We don't have guns.

What was it like making the transition from The Hunger Games to What to Expect When You're Expecting?
EB: They're just so different, it's literally night and day. I don't have the same voice, I don't have the same hair, I don't have the same anything. Literally nothing, it's completely and utterly opposite. The good thing about this is that it's a role much closer to myself, so it's easier.

What helps you get into character?
EB: Well what's great about both of these characters, Effie Trinket in The Hunger Games, and Wendy, is that there's so much external stuff to build the character with. Effie has the great wigs and the crazy clothes, and the accent, and all that. That's all something that really helps feed you. And this character has the boobs and the bump and the back pain, and the shoes that don't fit, and all of those things that really feed you in the moment, which is great. It's a lot easier than having to come up with a bunch of emotional sh*t that you have to deal with from internally. They're nice characters that you build from the outside in, instead of from the inside out.

Get Great Benefits by Taking on One of These 11 Part-Time Jobs

LearnVest — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 00:15:46 PST

We're thrilled to present this smart LearnVest story here on Savvy!

“Underemployment” is a term that, compared to “unemployment,” more fully captures the lack of job opportunities.

The underemployed includes the unemployed as well as those employed part-time but wanting full-time work.

According to a recent poll, underemployment is currently at 18.1 percent. That’s down from 18.3 percent the month prior, and 19 percent a year ago. While these numbers are still high, there are opportunities to work part-time. You won’t make as much money as you would with a full-time job, but with many part-time positions, you’ll not only earn a salary but also score some great perks.

Related: the 10 Fastest-Growing Jobs

We’ve put together a list of 11 big-name companies that provide big benefits to its part-time workers. Whether they're offering free merchandise, health insurance benefits, or tuition aid, these employers certainly make it worth your while to work, even if you’re only putting in 20 hours a week.

Whole Foods

After part-timers have worked 400 hours, they get health, dental, and vision plans, as well as 401(k) retirement plans, paid time off, and a 20 percent employee discount. After working 6,000 hours, employees are offered stock options.

Target

Work at Target as few as two and a half days a week for six months, and you can become eligible for Target’s health care coverage. Employees also get access to other health benefits like free flu vaccinations, a 24-hour nurse hotline, and discounts for Weight Watchers.

Read on for more.

Fashion Week Trend to Watch: Almost-Black Nails

Miriam Lacey — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 10:50:47 PST

Black nail polish has been a staple part of any cool girl's beauty arsenal for years, but this season there's a new contender for its spot in your makeup drawer. Designers have fallen in love with shades that aren't quite black: burnt plums, deep umbers, incarnadine reds, and moody viridians. These shades have all the drama of your basic black without the harshness, and they set off skin tones beautifully. Check out our top 10 examples of the trend now.

Source: CND

Badgley Mischka's Golden Girls Light Up the Runway

Jaime Richards — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 16:30:00 PST

When creating the bevy of bouncy curls for Badgley Mischka, hairstylist Peter Gray for Moroccanoil found his inspiration in somewhat of an esoteric concept, using the late 1920s German film Metropolis as a starting point. The light, airy look took a nod to the geometric shapes in the movie's make-believe backdrop, and metallic nails and makeup reflected a similar science-fiction feel. Go behind the scenes to see how this dark, mysterious beauty concept was brought to life.

Source: Getty

Low-Cal (to No-Cal) Ways to Satisfy Your Chocolate Cravings

FitSugar — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 00:03:41 PST

It's the time of year when chocolate is everywhere. They say you are what you ~~wear~~ eat, so I must be bittersweet. While I believe a little dark chocolate here and there is good for the soul and your health (here are some surprising health benefits of the chocolate), some chocolate cravings run deep. Here are seven ways to scratch your chocolate itch without piling on the calories and literally wearing your chocolate.

Announcing the 2012 Grammy Award Winners

Shannon Vestal — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 15:20:23 PST

The mood of the Grammy Awards was a bit somber this year in the wake of Whitney Houston's shocking death, but the show went on, and the statues were all handed out to the winners. Adele owned the night, picking up multiple awards, including those for record of the year, album of the year, and song of the year.

Plenty of other folks received Grammys too, including Kanye West, The Foo Fighters, and Taylor Swift, so to see the full list of winners, just keep reading.

See the Full Soundtrack Song List For The Hunger Games

Shannon Vestal — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 12:43:52 PST

We don't just have the epic battle of Katniss Everdeen fighting for her life in The Hunger Games movie to look forward to - it sounds like we're also going to be treated to a pretty epic soundtrack.

The full tracklist has just been released, and though there's a big presence of country/pop star Taylor Swift, there's plenty of indie cred too, in the form of artists like Arcade Fire, The Decemberists, and Neko Case. You can pre-order the soundtrack on iTunes now, in anticipation of the Mar. 20 release of the album, and to get the full listing, just keep reading.