Five Foods to Include in Your Diet

If you’re like me, and most other people in the U.S., you’ve resolved to eat better in 2010. Who doesn’t want to be healthier? And there is no time like the present, right? Especially after eating so many goodies over the holidays.

CNN Health suggests five foods for us to work into our diets so we can be healthier in 2010.

Whole Grains
If, like me, the thought of wheat bread makes you think of cardboard, remember that you have options. You can get whole grain goodness in rye, barley and oats. Try a snack of rye crackers with low-fat cheese. Or put some barley in your soup. Oatmeal makes a warm and comforting breakfast. You’ll reduce your risk of high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, and your waist line will look slimmer.

Soy
Every vegetarian’s favorite word. But have no fear. Soy is not boring. Soy is so versatile. It’s full of vitamins, minerals, fiber, and low in fat. Try soy burgers, soy cheese, or soy milk. Toss some edamame pods in some sea salt and eat the beans. Use silken tofu as a thickener in soups (instead of milk or cream). The possibilities are endless.

Salmon and Other Oily Fish
High in vitamin D, omega-3 fatty acids, and the most delicious food on this list, salmon and other oily fishes can help prevent heart disease. If salmon is not to your liking, try fresh tuna or trout, two of my favorites. Mackerel, herring, sardines and anchovies also fit this category.

Red Wine
Thank the maker. Red wine is good for us. And it is 10 times better for us than white wine. Taken in moderation red wine can reduce the risk of blood clots, inflammation, and therefore, heart disease. But too much alcohol can negatively outweigh the benefits. So, drink wisely.

Green Tea
Antioxidants fight cancer, increase metabolism, and help reduce belly fat. And green tea is full of them. But it needs to be brewed, not taken in the form of iced tea. And the catch is that you have to drink a lot of it for the full effect. Whatever. It tastes delicious and is a soothing treat.

Read the full article at CNN.com

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Best Cocktails

With summer fast approaching, we’re all trying to keep slender figures. But once in a while, you gotta get your party on. Here are some summer drinks that, when taken in moderation, won’t pack on the pounds as quickly as others.

Full of antioxidants, it’s no surprise that red wine tops the list. Microbrews come in second because they contain protein, electrolytes, vitamins and phytonutrients. But don’t confuse them with regular mass-marketed American beers, which are as bad as eating junk food from the 7-Eleven. Guinness, my personal favorite is also good. It’s low in calories and high in iron.

Who knew all those pints I downed in my youth were actually good for me? When I lived in New York City, I once ingested nothing but Guinness for an entire week, and did just fine, thank you.

Stay away from sugary drinks like grog, Long Island Iced Tea, Red Bull and vodka and Piña coladas.

Learn more at beachbody.com.

Cheers.

Cocktails for Inauguration Day

Celebrate the dawning of a new day with these three happy cocktails.

Baracktail (my own invention)

• 4 dashes blue curacao (for the color of the Democratic party)
• 4 ounces chilled champagne (for celebration)
• 1 pineapple chunk (for Barack’s Hawaiian birthplace)

Swirl the curacao around the sides of a champagne glass, fill with champagne and garnish with a cube of pineapple.

Chicago (for Barack Obama’s political base)

• 2 ounces cognac
• 1 dash curacao
• 1 dash bitters
• champagne

Stir cognac, curacao and bitters with ice. Strain into a wine glass and fill with champagne.

Gloom Raiser (for hope and change)

• 1 ounce gin
• 1 ounce dry vermouth
• 1 dash grenadine
• 1 dash Pernod

Stir gin, vermouth and grenadine with ice. Strain into a cocktail glass. Float Pernod on top.

In NYC – Day 3 part 1

Shopping. Shopping. Shopping.

A long time ago I lived in Manhattan and worked in an office on Fifth Avenue near St. Patrick’s Cathedral. My apartment was on the Upper East Side, so I would walk to work past all the high-end shops like Henri Bendel, Bergdorf Goodman, Tiffany, Versace, H. Stern, Cartier, Pucci, Saks, etc.

I could never afford anything in these stores. But now that I am a little older and actually have a career, I wanted to shop Fifth Avenue — the sales, of course.

My first stop was Saks Fifth Avenue. I’d forgotten how the cosmetics sales reps practically tackle you when you walk onto the first floor. I raced by them and took the escalator up one flight. The designer sales racks were bulging with goodies. But, alas, even at 80% off I still couldn’t afford most of the merchandise. But it was nice to be able to handle and see up close the workmanship that goes into these pieces.

There was Valentino, Versace, Marc Jacobs, Donna Karan, all the big names you see in the pages of Vogue. Ladies in fur coats were digging through the racks. I was surprised by the wide range of sizes that were on offer. Usually, when you see a designer sale, the clothes are all microscopic. I didn’t buy anything, although I fretted over a beautiful winter white driving coat. I made my way back to the first floor and bought a silver-sequined scarf. I’ll take a picture of it when I get home.

On my way out I got enticed to one of the perfume counters where I tried on Coty’s La Voce by Renee Fleming. The beautiful bottle was inspired by one of the chandeliers at the Metropolitan Opera house. The top of the bottle can be removed and worn as a brooch. The whole package comes on its own little stage. The scent is a lovely oriental floral. It costs $200 and proceeds go to the Metropolitan Opera.

Next, I wandered into Ferragamo, one of my favorite stores. They were having an end-of-season sale. I bought two pairs of driving shoes. One in lipstsick red patent leather, the other in black suede. I’ll show you when I get back to L.A.

I wandered in and out of other shops just to browse. Takashimaya (where they offered me some hand cream because of the cold weather), Bergdorf’s, Bendel’s. They were all packed because of the sales.

I was disappointed to see that some bargain stores have moved in. Surely, there is a better place for H&M, Zara and Juicy. I have nothing against those stores, but they are out of place on Fifth Avenue.

It looks like I’m going to an Off-Off Braodway show tonight. More later.

Keep Warm With This Hot Drink

I posted this last year but I wanted to remind you. Warm up with this old French recipe for simple cooked wine:

Vin Brule recipe

It’ll cure what ails you.

Holiday Gift Ideas for Wine Lovers

Masini – Centellino – One-Dose Wine Blown Glass Decanter – $96.00

Drinking alone? Don’t waste the whole bottle. Pour yourself a single serving of vino with this one-dose decanter.

Torrini – Sterling Silver Champagne Stirrer – $129.00

Pure decadence. Those tiny bubbles making you dizzy? Relieve some of the tension in your champagne glass with this magic wand stirrer.

Alessi – Anna G. Chrome Corkscrew – $87.00

Pop the cork on the festivities with this whimsical easy-to-use corkscrew in the shape of a smiling lady.

All items available at forzieri.com.

Grace Hits 1,000,000 Page Views

I never thought I’d see so many digits.

Grace Magazine has passed 1 million page views.

Thank you, dear readers, for checking in with me so often.

I have lots of fun things planned for the future so stay tuned for more Grace.

Cheers.

Mumm’s the Word

Looking for a light, sparkling taste for afternoons in the backyard?

Well, today I enjoyed a bottle of Mumm’s Carte Classique champagne.

Accessibly priced, Mumm’s Carte Classique is a refreshing sippy for the summer months.

Description:

This Champagne was a favourite of the courts of Europe from its birth in 1879, and is still the champagne of connoisseurs of extra-dry in the 21st century. For more than 120 years, Mumm Carte Classique has been the epitome of balance: perfect balance between suppleness and acidulous freshness, between lightness and fruitiness, strength and roundness.

Carte Classique is one of the champagnes that comes closest to how champagnes originally tasted.

Fresh, generous and well- balanced with harmonious nuances, rounded and supple, Mumm Carte Classique is the perfect ambassador of the rich qualities of the House vineyards.

Try some today. You won’t be disappointed.

Champagne and Other Bubbly

Get ready to toast the New Year with a nice bottle of champagne or sparkling wine.

Real champagne only comes from Champagne, France. Here are some favorites:

Dom Perignon 1999 Vintage – $149

The commitment of Dom Perignon is a commitment to creation. It’s a quest for excellence; it is about taking risk, taking a challenge from the vintage, making it to the style of Dom Perignon. Every single vintage of Dom Perignon is an exclusive wine; it is the harmonious dialogue of style and vintage. Dom Perignon Vintage 1999 goes straight to the heart of Dom Perignon. This wine is radiant, pure and vibrant. It is a story of seduction and sensuality.

Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame 1998 Vintage – $155

La Grande Dame 1998 has a pale gold color with jade glints. The wine is crystal clear, with unbelievably fine bubbles. The aromatic, impressively complex bouquet is confirmed in the mouth. On the palate, the wine is clear-cut and pure, perfectly balanced with a delightful silky smoothness. La Grande Dame 1998, with its lace-like construction, has a long, lively, and structured finish.

But there are some other great bubbly choices from around the world. Here are a variety in a more affordable price range:

Cristalino Non-Vintage Brut Cava From Spain – $7.99

Straw color, smooth and fresh aromas; fine and fruity palate with a dry aftertaste. Clean, dry and crisp with citrus and apple flavors.

Roederer Estate Non-Vintage Brut from North Coast, California – $19.99

Roederer Estate Brut, the first California sparkling wine produced by Champagne Louis Roederer, builds upon a 200-year tradition of fine winemaking that has made Roederer champagne among the most sought-after in the world. The Roederer Estate Brut debuted in October 1988, and has since established its reputation as one of California’s premier sparklers, remaining true to the heritage of excellence and style of its French forebears.

Canella Non-Vintage Prosecco di Conegliano from Veneto, Italy – $14.79

Brilliant straw yellow with fine, persistent perlage, fruity aromas of peach, apple, pear and citrus fruit, the palate gracefully balances zingy acidity and a subtle hint of sweetness, richness and silky-smooth texture.

All notes and prices from wine.com