FEEL GOOD Inc.: April 2011

Apr 27, 2011

Music Review

E-dubble

www.reverbnation.com/edubble

http://soundcloud.com/edubble

www.myspace.com/edubbletherapper

Up until recently I had lost interest in hip-hop. I used to be a big time fan of hip-hop. I would scour websites like sandboxautomatic for the newest releases, and unknown artists, trying to find the best beats and songs (admittedly so I had cool CD’s to play in my car, but also because I really enjoyed the music). During my college years though, I suddenly forgot all about hip-hop. Except for the occasional release by Kanye or The Roots, or even some newer artists like Lupe Fiasco and Dilated Peoples, I basically gave up on hip-hop. Just stopped listening to it entirely (except at parties when the ipod was out of my control of course). Lately, however, I have found a substantially renewed interest in many upcoming artists.

E-dubble, a native of Baltimore, is one of those promising hip-hop artists who has restored my interest in this genre of music. One of my best friends got me hooked on him. It first started with him sending me some of E-dubble’s Freestyle Friday downloads, and then I moved on to download a bunch of his songs on my own. And I am hooked. You won’t be able to get through a playlist on my computer without coming across an E-dubble song on shuffle. He’s got witty, insatiable lyrics, incredibly clever and catchy samples, and beats that make you wonder why you’ve never heard of him. I’m sure he’s one hip-hop artist we’re going to hear a lot more from in the future.

Check E-dubble out in the youtube links below, and make sure to check him out on reverbnation.com where you can download his Freestyle Friday tracks.

That’s all for now, but as always, I’ll see you where the water tastes like wine…

Youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vG00E2SoCFs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TpZzdy-4L78

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBqch-dOiNs&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzd4Qos6WXs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G48u_q5iz1o

Masterpiece

Apr 26, 2011

Success

Look Fabulous, Feel Fabulous

Ah, Spring is finally in the air.

This means short shorts, teeny bikinis, oh and this little pest called cellulite. Cellulite is what looks like those not-so-cute dimples generally on your thighs and bottom area. It is most common in areas of fat deposits and is the result of the unevenness of this fatty tissue beneath the skin surface. Some people think that there is a miraculous cure for cellulite, using technology and medicinal techniques. Well, I hate to break it to you, but cellulite can only be controlled by y-o-u.

This may seem hopeless to some who rely on medical treatments and surgeries for a quick fix. But there are more benefits to treating cellulite on your own than you think.

Since cellulite is essentially fat, there are 2 easy cures. A healthy diet is number 1; not only to cure cellulite but also for your body's nutritional state. For a list of foods you should incorporate into your diet daily, click here. The less fat you have on your body, the less cellulite you'll have. So eat healthy!

Exercise is number 2, and this is also imperative for your body's maintenance and health. Losing pounds and strengthening muscles in your legs, thighs, buttocks and abdomen can improve the appearance of the dimpled skin. Because fat is exceptionally soft, it doesn't keep our skin taut like muscle does. It also takes up more space, so it bulges out. This is why working out and building muscle is key in the losing-cellulite process.The trick is working all your lower body muscles from every angle, reducing the underlying fat stores and replacing lost muscle tissue to give the area a taut, toned appearance throughout.

Below is a video of an exercise you should incorporate into your workouts! And for some more exercise tips, click here.

Eat healthy, feel healthy, be healthy.

Apr 22, 2011

Happy Friday !

"Be thankful for what you have; you'll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don't have, you will never, ever have enough."

Have a wonderful weekend, Happy Easter!

Apr 19, 2011

In the Flesh

Nudes are a group of elegant shades, both simple and feminine. I love nude pieces because I get to feel girly and casual at the same time. These colors are especially lovely in the spring and summer months. Enjoy :)

Items & Pictures, Click to enlarge:

Calypso St. Barth - ASOS - Netaporter - Jeffery Campbell - Pinterest

Apr 17, 2011

The Situation Room

So last week in the situation room we asked what is your favorite meal? This week we’re back to the music side of things. One of my favorite bands Phish recently announced that they are going to play a 3 day music festival, entitled Super Ball IX, at the Watkins Glen International race track in Watkins Glen, New York. The announcement got me thinking about our question for this week. If you could travel back in time for one concert, which concert would you choose? And that my friends, is our question for this week’s situation room.

If you haven’t already surmised my hints above, I know exactly which concert I would head to immediately. Take me back to July 28, 1973, to wait for it, wait for it….yes you got it, Watkins Glenn! On that day, three of my favorite bands of all-time came to play together. There are many concerts from the past that could entice me, but I could never give up the chance to see the Grateful Dead, The Allman Brothers Band, and The Band all play live in one day.

Please drop us a line in the comments and let us know which concert you would go to if you could travel back in time?

Apr 13, 2011

Sweet Tooth

The sweet potato.

I grew up eating sweet potatoes at least twice a week. Now at almost 22 years old I absolutely love them, and I am so grateful my mother forced them onto my plate as a child. Why? Because sweet potatoes are one of the healthiest, if not the healthiest, vegetables out there.

According to Natural Health Magazine, the intensity of the sweet potato’s color is directly related to its beta-carotene content. One sweet potato contains over 25,000 units of vitamin A in the form of beta-carotene. This is the same beta-carotene that protects us from cancer, infection, the common cold, and other diseases. It also has measurable amounts of folic acid, vitamin C, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and dietary fiber. Now how does that sound?

A great way to incorporate sweet potatoes into your diet is to make a sweet, salty, crispy side dish of sweet potato fries.

Mike and I have finally perfected the crispiness of the fries, and it is now one of our favorites to make!

Ingredients: 3 Large sweet potatoes, salt, pepper, extra virgin olive oil

Directions: Set the oven to 400 degrees on bake. Peel the potatoes and slice them into thin sections (shaped like french fries). Place them in a bowl and add 1/4 cup of olive oil. Toss the potatoes and olive oil until they are all covered. Add a pinch of salt and pepper to bowl and toss again. Brush olive oil on a flat cookie sheet until it is all covered, then lay the potatoes on the sheet. Place in the oven for 15 minutes. After 15, turn them so both sides are crispy. Leave in for another 15 minutes (should be 30 total). Let sit for a few minutes, then enjoy! It is probably the easiest thing you will ever cook in your life, making the dish that much more appealing..

So next time you make dinner, skip the white potato and venture in the world of the sweets!

Hope you enjoy :)

Apr 11, 2011

Sunny With a Chance of Flare

I never thought this day would come. I now truly love 'retro cat-eye' sunglasses. It might have been because I was convinced they would not flatter my face, but I recently tried on a pair of Tory Burch cat-eye shades and loved the unique flare. They are much more flattering than you think! I also adore this style because it can give a casual outfit a very girly touch. I picked out a few different styles that caught my eye. Hope you like them just as much as I do. :)

Find these styles:

1) Juicy 2) Gucci

3 & 4) Topshop

5 & 6) Tory Burch

Apr 8, 2011

Have a Love-ly Weekend!

Here are some lovely links from around the web...

1) Delicious white bean, kale, and sausage soup

2)Make your own book!

3) A song I love..

4) Dinner in the sky...seriously..

5) Macadamia Natural Oil hair products, my faavorite

6) One of the few rompers I absolutely adore

7) 100 Ways to Cook an Egg

Enjoy your weekend everyone!

Apr 7, 2011

Favorite Spaces

I have a secret obsession with interior design. I used to catch myself reading my moms' Better Homes and Gardens magazines all the time when I was younger. It is always fascinating seeing perfectly decorated homes, since it takes a great amount of creativity and talent. I think it is very special being able to decorate your own home, and as a result, create your favorite spaces.

Here are some of my favorite spaces, enjoy :)

What are some of your favorite spaces? I'd love to hear what you think!

Photos via pinterest

Apr 6, 2011

Music Review: The Strokes @ MSG

Last Friday I was lucky enough to see The Strokes perform at Madison Square Garden, their first tour in the US in years. The Strokes has been one of my favorite bands since I was about 14 years old, and thanks to my wonderful boyfriend, I was finally able get a live dose of all the songs that took me back to my high school years.

The Strokes, with their cooler than cool attitudes and hard core looks, are actually all former NYC prep schoolers, growing up in the Lower East Side. Some even with famous parents (Julian Casablancas, who is the phenomenal lead singer, is the son of John Casablancas, the creator and owner of Elite Model Management), though that did not matter because their obvious raw talent goes far beyond any connection from a powerful parent.

The concert was outstanding, to say the least. I was a little nervous that they would play a lot of their new songs, since I actually have not listened to the whole CD that was just released. Turns out, they did a perfect job at balancing old and new. The show started off a little slow, with two mellow songs from their older albums, but then "Someday" came on and the entire crowd went wild. The band knew just what to do to get the energy roaring. To top it off, they played most of my favorite songs, "Under Control", "Someday", "Last Night", "What Ever Happened", "You Only Live Once", and "Take It Or Leave It". And as if Julian Casablancas could not get any cooler, with neon green nike kicks making him the best dressed guy at the show, he gracefully dove off stage into the crowd while singing multiple songs without missing a word!

All in all, I am thoroughly pleased with The Strokes live at MSG. The one thing I kept telling people is how I am completely blown away by the fact that they sound exactly the same in concert as they do on their CD. It is pretty amazing if you ask me.

So if anyone was reluctant to see The Strokes in concert, I will tell you right now that it will be the best decision you will ever make...musically speaking of course.

Here are two videos from the show, hope you enjoy!