TresSugar

Amazing Bento Boxes

GiggleSugar — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 12:00:00 -0700

Now these folks know how to play with their food! Lunch is one of my favorite parts of the day. It doesn't matter if I'm eating takeout, or if I brought a modest sandwich in the office to toast in our panini maker (mmmm, toasted sandwich!). The point is, lunch rules. Imagine if you made your lunch in the shape of cute animals and funny faces? I don't know if I can get behind blue rice, but mushrooms in the shape of birds flying into an egg yolk sunset? A sandwich with angry red bell pepper eyebrows? Sign me up!

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Does Food Play a Role in Your Relationship?

DearSugar — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 11:00:00 -0800

Were you glued to your TV last night like I was, watching the season premiere of Top Chef? This show is one of my favorites, and I've always thought it'd be a great one to watch with a significant other. Unlike most reality shows, its main focus is on the craft - the food - and the drama that follows is just the icing on the cake!

Food can be a great focal point when you're in a relationship. Not only is it fun to cook together, but sharing certain foods can also bring an element of flirtation to a relationship, whether you're dining in or eating out. Does food play an important role in your relationship?

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American Violet Shows How War on Drugs Is the New Jim Crow

TresSugar — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 06:00:00 -0700

Imagine if someone with a grudge against you told the police you were a drug dealer. Officers would come to your work and arrest you. Then you'd be told that you could go home right away by taking a plea bargain. That, however, would come with probation, the loss of your right to vote and to accept federal benefits like food stamps and public housing. If you chose to fight the charges, you would have to come up with $70,000 for bail or stay in jail. And if you lost, you'd be facing 15 years.

That's the choice that character Dee Roberts has to make in the new film American Violet. The movie is based on the true story of Regina Kelly, an innocent woman who was urged to plead guilty to drug charges by her family, friends, and public defender so she could return to her children. She chose to fight the charges, and with the help of the ACLU, she took on the system.

I had a chance to see the film at a screening also attended by the filmmaker and Regina's ACLU lawyer. To find out what I learned, and to see the trailer read more.

American Violet depicts a terrifying picture of the American justice system. The district attorney wields totalitarian power over a hardworking single mother who faces shaming and unemployment after her wrongful incarceration. While she struggles with the decision to sue the blatantly racist attorney general and the police, she ultimately decides to do her part to stop those preying on her community.

Filmmaker Bill Haney was moved to make the movie after Regina's story brought him to tears. The reality that this was not an isolated incident encouraged Haney to share her story.

ACLU attorney Graham Boyd explained that drug law and enforcement practices target the black community. And when 95 percent of criminal convictions are a result of aggressively pushed plea bargain deals, millions of innocent African Americans lose their right to vote, especially in the South.

It's no coincidence the panel argued, that the so-called War on Drugs was soon declared after the Voting Rights Act was passed in the 1960s.

American Violet is now playing in select theaters. The story of a woman who took on the system - bolstered by her strong bond with her mother and four daughters - it will make you second guess the War on Drugs if you hadn't already.

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You Asked: How Rude Can You Get?

DearSugar — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 12:00:00 -0800

Dear Sugar,

A friend of mine and her family just moved to the area where I live, and they are currently waiting to move into their new home. They asked my husband and I if they could stay the weekend with us because their house wasn't quite ready. They have two kids; ages three and seven, and I have a 16-month-old baby who is on a eating, playing, and napping schedule. We told the family that they could stay under the pretense that they'd be quiet when my daughter went down for her nap and at night at her bedtime. We also told them to buy some food for themselves because we are on a budget, and they agreed.

On Sunday afternoon, they asked if they could stay another seven days because there were delays on their house. My husband was leaving the next day for a month, so the decision rested upon me. I felt badly for them so I agreed. Throughout the week, they did not clean up after themselves in the kitchen, their kids jumped all over our furniture, they ate and drank our food, lounged around like it was their home, were not quiet when my daughter was sleeping, and worst of all, their kids would hit and push my daughter and take her toys away from her, pretending they were theirs. I ended up kicking them out two days before the end of the week. My question is was I wrong in telling them to leave earlier than I agreed on? Were we rude by telling them they had to buy food for their family? I'm feeling guilty for making them stay in a hotel, but I was at my wits' end!
- Taken Advantage of Tina

To see DearSugar's answer read more.

Dear Taken Advantage of Tina,

Yes, you agreed to let this family stay with you, but they didn't hold up their end of the bargain. In fact, they were completely rude and disrespectful by not obeying the rules you placed in your home, with your family, and your personal belongings - I would have kicked them out, too! Your hands are full enough with a 16-month-old baby so my hat goes off to you for even extending the invitation in the first place. Since money is tight for everyone these days, I think asking them to purchase their own food was completely fair - you provided them a roof and a bed - why should you feed them, too?

If you can't shake the guilt you feel, perhaps you should have a chat with your friend. Tell her where you were coming from and hopefully she'll see how her family's behavior crossed the line and you'll get the overdue apology you so much deserve.

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Tip No. 4: Surviving Valentine's Day When You're Coupled Up

DearSugar — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 09:00:00 -0800

Eating and using food as a way to celebrate is not a new tradition, so use it to your advantage this Valentine's Day! Check out what Patty Brisben has in mind below:

A natural aphrodisiac, it's no wonder that chocolate is a favorite gift on Valentine's Day. Put a playful twist on this tradition by buying a chocolate fountain and dipping strawberries, pretzels, almonds - whatever comes to mind - and take turns feeding one another.

To see all of Patty's tips, click here.

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Thanksgiving Party Crib Sheet: 10 Hot Dinner Table Topics

CitizenSugar — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 03:00:59 -0800

Thanksgiving is all about family, delicious food, fancy drinks, and, of course, small talk about the state of the nation, gas prices, and our president-elect. Debating politics with family members can get dicey, so I suggest doing your homework and having a safety net of topics that will encourage healthy conversation and smart family bonding without alienating those who, well, don't agree with you.

Whether your aim is a heated, controversial debate or lighthearted banter, here are some stories that are sure to get the crowd talking. (Note: Number 10 might be best served during cocktail hour and not over your Thanksgiving spread.)

Thanksgiving-Themed Outfits Forbidden in Class - A group of children in Claremont, CA, weren't allowed to dress up as pilgrims and Native Americans this year for their classroom Thanksgiving after parents deemed the controversial costumes demeaning.
President Bush Calls Iraq War a Success - While debris from collapsing financial institutions continue to fall during the final days of the Bush administration, the president has found something he considers a "success" - the Iraq war.
Top 5 Most Dangerous Cities List Released - The latest City Crime Rankings looked at reported incidents of six major crimes to determine the most dangerous dwellings in the US. With a population of only 250,000 that changed drastically after Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans came out on top. Was your city on the list?

For more juicy conversation starters, read more.

Unemployed Fred Thompson Decides to Go Back to Acting - While he failed to convince enough Americans to make him president, Republican Fred Thompson still has a shot at playing commander-in-chief. The former presidential candidate, US Senator, and (pretend) NYC district attorney plans to go back to acting.
Eliot Spitzer's Call Girl Ashley Dupré Talks to 20/20 - Reformed call girl Ashley "Kristen" Dupré has finally opened up about her experience with "Client No. 9," or as you may know him, former New York Governor Eliot Spitzer. Dupré told Diane Sawyer that escorts differ from prostitutes because they offer "more than sex."
Intelligence Report Says Dominance Set to Wane by 2025 - Americans might need to start practicing being humble, because by 2025 the US could lose its position of global supremacy.
DVD Explains How to Fight the Local Gay Agenda - The American Family Association's latest DVD - They're Coming to Your Town - teaches unsuspecting Christian communities how to prevent gays from taking over their towns. If you're so inclined, you can purchase the DVD in a five-pack and distribute it to your friends or Sunday school teachers.
Will Smoking Make Obama a Better President? - Barack Obama may like to work out, but that doesn't mean he's snuffed out all unhealthy habits. Barack promised first-lady-to-be Michelle that he would quit smoking back in 2007 - that much we know. Yet it still remains unclear whether Barack successfully quit, and the president-elect hasn't given a direct answer, nor has the media demanded one.
The City of Love Issues a Manual to Stop Forced Marriages - Paris, the universal capital of love and romance, created a manual on forced marriages this week to help officials spot and prevent cases of young women being forced into matrimony.
Did Sarah Palin Ruin Thanksgiving? - You may have heard Sarah Palin can hunt and skin a moose, but did you know that she could give an interview while someone else slaughters turkeys in the background? In the video that hit the web this week, Palin chats about Alaska's state budget and her experience on the campaign trail, while turkeys meet their dark, headless fates. (Warning! Watching this video could prevent you from eating turkey on Thanksgiving or ever again.)

14 Things to Do When It's Chilly

DearSugar — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 14:00:00 -0700

When other people are wishing it were still Summer, I'm savoring the Fall air. But even though I love Fall, I admit that this in-between season can be difficult for planning ahead since there's always a possibility of rain, wind, or chills. Fortunately, I've got a list of things to do if you wake up to a gray morning when you expect sun.

Stay in bed!
Rent a few movies or download a season of a TV show you've been meaning to watch.
Clean out your closet.
Invite your friends over to play a board game and drink hot buttered rums.
Make a casserole, a roast, or one of your other favorite comfort foods.
Reread your favorite young adult book.
Do a yoga video in your living room.

To see the rest just read more.

Bundle up and head out for a walk.
Go to a bookstore and spend as long as you want reading the back covers.
Start a craft project that you can work on through the Winter.
Light some candles and make yourself a real cup of hot chocolate.
Try your hand at pumpkin carving. And bake the seeds for a treat!
Give yourself an at-home spa day. (Let your significant other sub in as professional masseuse.)
Get your significant other, pet, or closest friend and snuggle up under a blanket.

What's your favorite way to enjoy a cold Fall day?

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Dirt Cakes & Ding-Dongs: Haiti & US Face Unique Food Crises

CitizenSugar — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 08:00:58 -0700

With my appetite sufficiently dampened by the up-to-the minute reports of McCain's facial growth, this story erased it completely, and the picture reduced me to tears. These children live in the Haitian, Port-au-Prince slum of Cite Soleil. Some kids make mud pies for play - but the children in the picture survive on dirt cakes. They eat them.

Like in the pictures below, the cakes are molded of mud and fat and allowed to dry in the sun, the only form of sustenance many Haitians can afford after rice and bean prices have risen 100 percent. One woman who makes the dirt cakes says, "it stops the hunger. You eat them when you have to."

View 5 Photos ›

The Director of the aid agency Christian Aid says, "food is available but people cannot afford to buy it. If the situation gets worse we could have starvation in the next six to 12 months." Food aid has been delayed.

While more than 50 percent of Haitians are undernourished, a new study about the state of the future of the US waistline is even harder to stomach. To see it and a clever way you can help feed the hungry, read more.

By the year 2030, most adults in the US will be overweight or obese according to a new study to be published in the July issue of the Obesity journal. By most, they mean 86 percent. Health care spending is projected to be as much as $957 billion, with one in every six bucks spent going to obesity related care.

While obesity in the US is a now a public health crisis, you can help provide food for people with the exact opposite problem, without leaving your computer. The UN World Food Programme has a vocabulary game called FreeRice. For every correct answer, you give a donation of 20 grains of rice to the WFP. I just donated 100 right now. Put your thinking cap on and get clicking. These kids need it.

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Changing the Present - Give a Gift That Makes a Difference

CitizenSugar — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 07:00:00 -0700

This website is a gift in more ways than one. What happens when you have to buy a gift for the person who's ungiftable? Give them the present of changing someone's life. ChangingThePresent rounds up nonprofit organization from all categories - like hunger, disaster relief, education, and human rights - and ties them with a neat bow. Earlier this week we looked at the rampant hunger in Haiti that's making dirt a diet staple, and played the FreeRice game - in your comments you wanted more ways to help. This site is stuffed full of them! And it turns your donation into the perfect present like this: for $24 you can give a girl in Afghanistan the gift of food for her family so she can go to school. Each gift comes with an explanation of the situation you're about to help:

Problem

Today, there are 115 million school-aged children who are out of school all around the world. Two out of every three of these children are girls. In a country like Afghanistan, poor families cannot afford to buy the clothing or the books children need to go to school. Many girls are pulled out of school because of traditional attitudes that value a girl’s work in the household. These families rely on their daughters to make ends meet.

The Gift

Your gift will provide take-home food rations to girls in school for six months to help ease the economic burden on parents. This will help convince parents to keep their daughters in school and free them from their household chores. This gives girls, who otherwise may stay at home, the chance to learn.

That sounds like an unbelievable gift for everyone involved.

Ask E. Jean For DearSugar: Should I Tell My Best Friend That I Saw Her Fiancé Kissing Another Woman?

DearSugar — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 10:00:00 -0700

Dear E. Jean,

My hands are literally shaking as I type this. Tonight I saw my best friend’s fiancé kissing a woman in an Atlanta restaurant.

There’s no mistake. I’ve known this guy for five years, and they were all over each other - at one point he actually had his hand up her skirt and his tongue down her throat. No way was this an innocent “business” dinner. The weird part is neither he nor I live in Atlanta. My best friend, her fiancé and I all live in New York City. I happened to be in Atlanta for business. The fiancé owns a tech company and travels a lot. By some bizarre fluke we both ended up in the same restaurant.

He was so busy sucking this woman’s face, he didn’t see me. He’s never been a supportive, understanding guy, but he makes a lot of money, and my friend absolutely worships the ground he walks on.

What do I do? My friend is marrying this guy in October - in less than six weeks! The wedding, the reception, the dress, the food, the honeymoon, everything is finalized. Worse, they’ve just signed the contract on a very expensive loft in TriBeCa. They want to get pregnant by New Year’s. They've chosen their first child’s name. My best friend is walking around on air she’s so in love. I will never be able to look her in the face again. But I can’t tell her. It will kill her. Her parents will freak out. It’s a mess! Why can’t guys behave themselves?! - Sick to my Stomach

To see E. Jean's answer read more.

Miss Sick, Sweetheart,

Tell her. It will be rough; but If Mr. Pantyhands is dining on a Georgia peach six weeks before his wedding, I hate to think what tasty morsels he’ll be sucking when he hits the third year of marriage. TELL HER. Respect your friend as a thinking, human being. Pay credit to her as a rational woman. He’s playing her for a fool; don’t you treat her like an idiot.

I realize that many supremely level heads here on Dear Sugar will be outraged at this advice. They will say you should mind your own business, and not meddle in your friend’s prewedding stresses; but I say, call her now!

As a friend it is the most compassionate action you can take. After all, if the situation were reversed, if she saw your lover shoving his tongue so far down a young lady’s throat it reached her knees - wouldn’t you want to be told?

Tell her the facts so she can make an intelligent decision about her future. In my opinion, it is immoral to conceal the truth. It is your duty as a woman and as a friend to speak up!

P.S. Indeed, I believe every female over the age of 14 should be given a cell phone programmed with a secret number, which she can call and instantaneously report any lying, cheating, two-faced ratwank. I am getting sick and tired of these jerkweeds!

To see more advice from E. Jean, visit Elle magazine and AskEJean.com.