TresSugar

Product of the Day: Anything and Whatever Soft Drinks

GiggleSugar — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 02:00:00 -0700

"What would you like to drink?" "Anything." "Well, I have a lot of choices." "Whatever." In Singapore, this conversation probably goes on a lot. Why? Because they have two soft drinks available with the two words teenagers like to say the most (especially "whatever"). Whatever is a carbonated soda - you'll know that much going in - and Anything is some kind of tea. What flavors they'll be is a surprise. They're like the iPod Shuffle feature, only they're soft drinks. (If you're like me, though, I never like anything Shuffle gives me, which makes me wonder sometimes if it's really my iPod or if I'm just a control freak.)

Meet Reggie Love: Barack Obama's Body Man

LibertySugar — Tue, 27 May 2008 11:00:01 -0700

Reggie Love is Barack Obama's body man. What is a body man you ask? The personal assistant responsible for shadowing the presidential candidate making sure he has everything he needs, and nothing he doesn't like.

Today's New York Times profiled the 26-year-old former Duke basketball and football player. Reggie gave the inside scoop from the campaign trail:

Reggie and Barack start the day with a dawn workout and end it winding down to SportsCenter, during which Barack flosses his teeth.
Barack does not like mayonnaise, salt and vinegar potato chips, asparagus, or soft drinks (just water, please).

To see what Reggie always has on hand for Obama, and more Reggie Love info, read more.

Reggie always keeps a supply of the senator's must-haves: MET-Rx chocolate roasted-peanut protein bars, and bottles of organic Black Forest Berry Honest Tea.
If limited food options are available, a cheddar cheeseburger is the go-to option.
Talking heads are banned. The pair never watches CNN or MSNBC.

Obama also gave the newspaper the inside scoop on Reggie, who gave "the boss" a silver nano iPod for his 46th birthday. Obama told the NY Times:

“So I’ve gotten pretty fond of Jay-Z,” Mr. Obama said. “He’s broadened my horizons in the hip-hop world.” In turn, Mr. Obama said he had gotten Mr. Love into “everything from John Coltrane to Frank Sinatra. I think he’s got the most eclectic music of any 26-year-old.” the senator said.

Do you think a body man like Reggie Love gives Barack the advantage he needs? Are you ready to elect a president that doesn't enjoy asparagus?
Source

Come Story Telling with me!!! The Completed Story

DearSugar — Sun, 16 Sep 2007 14:56:51 -0700

I hope you all enjoyed this new feature as much as I did! Your wild imaginations made for a great story line! To read the completed tale you all helped create, read more

"I am going to bring the salad so will you bring the dessert?" Do we really have to go to this thing? "Yes, we do," I replied. "And," I said pointedly, "we even have to pretend to enjoy ourselves." Mel sighed loudly on the other end of the line, paused, and then said, "Alright fine, I'll pick you up at 6." "Make it 5:30," I said firmly, knowing full well that my little sister Melanie was never, ever on time. Melanie looked at the wall, ignoring my every word, like usual. It was impossible to win any sort of argument with Mel, I thought to myself, as I studied her avoidance. Then I snapped out of my day dream as I realized that I could not see Mel's face since I was talking to her over the phone. I smiled because I knew exactly the look she would have on her face just from the tone of her voice.

"Fine, see you then." she said and I heard her hang up the phone. I sighed as I closed my cell phone. What was I going to do with that girl? Lately, she just hasn't been interested in the things that we have always done together. She doesn't enjoy shopping, she doesn't want to go to the dinner parties, and even working together isn't as fun as it used to be. The hardest part was that I couldn't figure out why. I mean, I know that she's been feeling really self-conscious about her body since her operation, but the doctors assured her that the scars would fully heal. Besides, I couldn't see why she wanted to have her nose shrunk. We both have the cutest button noses and she thought she looked like Toucan Sam. In the back of my mind I think she regrets the whole thing since changing her nose has made her look like a completely different person. She'd never admit to it out loud, though. I could almost swear that even the portrait of mom in my study had to take a second glance to be sure it was Melanie when she came over the other night.

Before the operation, I asked her why and her reply was, "I'm not happy with the way I look. I feel like when I enter a room, my nose is the first thing people see. I work in the fashion industry where EVERYONE is perfect and I want to feel confident."

I knew that a girl named Eva, Mel's frenemy from high school had just landed a job at the same magazine Mel worked for, and had been flirting up a storm with Mel's crush, a drop dead gorgeous Gabriel Aubry look-alike. This is it, I thought, really want my sister to be happy, and I'm not going to let this girl steal her man. Now all I needed was a plan to bring Mel and her crush together without Eva being able to interfere Well, that is for another time.

Right now I have to make a salad. It then occurred to me that I had no idea of what kind of salad to make. Salad nicoise? Potato salad? Caesar salad? Getting up and walking to the fridge, I looked inside of it and debated my choices.

I logged on to YumSugar to find a spectacular salad recipe to take to the dinner party our friends were throwing after but then decided, screw it. I'll order one up from the catering place a few blocks over and just pass it off as my own. Those upper crust socialites won't know the difference because they do the same thing. A knock on the back door jilted me from my food debate.

"Who is it?"
"It's John. I need a cup of sugar neighbor."

I knew full well what he meant by a "cup of sugar" Unfortunately, he meant a cup of sugar and that's it. I'd been lusting after John since he moved in last month, but he seemed more interested in Melanie. "So, how's your sister doing?" he said as I opened up the door. "She has a telephone, and a number; both work surprisingly well what with technology and all," I said. "Bad day or what Kim? Please, if it's hard to be neighborly, keep the cup of sugar and the comments," John said.
"No, no, I just, yes, bad day, long day. Whatever you want to call it," a little sigh escaping my mouth. "Please just take the sugar and accept my apology."

He took the sugar from me and as he started looking away I spoke without thinking as I always do, "What's the sugar for, SUGAR?". What was I thinking I just called a grown man SUGAR! I leaned againts the wall trying to recover, arms crossed. With that, John flashed his 1000-watt smile and took the cup.

"Thanks for the sugar, sugar" he laughed, walking out the door. I couldn’t help but smile; I abhor cutesy pet name but I’d be his sugar anytime. “SALAD, Kim” I reminded myself. I decided to call Café Dulce up the street.

“Yes, I’d like to order a fruit and walnut salad” I started, “ohh, and a dozen mini Lindsor Tortes” I continued. Mel might forget to bring dessert, but those trust fund babies weren’t going to be looking down their sculpted noses at the DeMaui sisters. Yikes, I’ll have to wean myself off the nose job humor, I thought, thinking of Mel. Just then the phone rang, I couldn’t believe it - it was John, he said, "thanks again for the sugar, but I'm gay so please stop hitting on me - it's pathetic." I was so shocked by the phone call that I simply said "Get over yourself" and dropped the receiver.

I was too busy to deal with such rudeness. I had just enough time to get to the store and back before 5:30 so I grabbed my car keys and headed out. On the way I ran into Mario. And I have to tell you that after that phone call, Mario was looking like the fresh drink of water that I needed. So I asked him if he might like to join me for dinner? What was I thinking dinner? After totally embarrassing myself with John, and here I am asking this tall drink of water to dinner. Oh my God please tell me I didn't just ask him! Please God, Please God! Mario had been a student in the ESL class I taught, and I had a crush on him that had been hard to hide. I'd seen him out for a walk several times since but chickened out and gone the other way before we got to speaking distance. And no wonder, I sounded like a total idiot; Mario quirked an eyebrow, and I could tell he was trying to hide a smile because his adorable dimple creased his cheek. "Bella Mia do you realize yourself? You are speaking strange things out aloud. I do not understand your drink of water. You are...it is....giornata stressante, no?" He shook his head. stressful day. That was putting it gently. "And your shoes --" he gestured. I looked down -- one sandal and one sneaker. Both left footed. Now I looked like a total idiot. "I just..." I broke off helplessly, flinging up my hands up in a gesture of humiliated resignation. I could feel a blush rise to my cheeks.

He caught one of my hands and stepped in close before I could pull away. "Yes, I would like dinner with you, anywhere, anytime." he murmured. "Tonight?" "Yes," I squeaked in spite of myself as his warm fingers traced my knuckles and trailed down to trace my fingertips. I could feel my pulse fluttering like a caught sparrow. If he did anything else I would melt right here on the sidewalk. How was I going to manage having dinner with him? Oh my god, I had invited him to my dinner party tonight. The one I was hosting for my ex-best friend and my ex-fiance.

My thoughts veered away from old memories, as I realized how close Mario was standing to me, his breath warm on my face. "Tonight, when?" he prompted gently. "6:00. My place and I'll drive you over." My mouth said, smiling, as my brain frantically screamed: zip your lips, girl, shut your mouth, call it off, call it off, get a rain check, you can't handle this tonight, you'll wreck any chances with him if you drag him into this, call it off, wow, he smells good and his hands are so warm....ohhhh....

"Not at your house, then?" he sounded faintly disappointed, then his dimple quirked again. "I will drive. It is a new Ferrari 612 Scaglietti - you will love it." He leaned in close, brushed a straying lock of hair off my face and kissed each cheek -- a European farewell. I could still feel the softness and warmth of his mouth long after he turned the corner and disappeared down Tobein avenue.

I floated home, despite the two left shoes, trying to figure out what to do next. What did I have that looked good that didn't ride up indecently in a Ferrari? How could I stand to be in the same room with ex-best-friend Beth or ex-fiance Sean again? Frack me, I had forgotten the salad, I realized as I changed for the tenth time. So long as I didn't put on two left shoes again, the rest would fix itself, I told myself determinedly, digging through my closet and changing again. I wasn't going to let anything screw up tonight with Mario. Especially given the circumstances of this dinner party I had to endure. I put on my sexiest red dress and did my makeup just right before finally deciding to delve into the salad once and for all. Finally my day is now over.

I had the salad, my outfit was way too sexy for Mario, and I knew I could face the rest. As I was thinking of changing the bed sheets for maybe a little surprise for Mario, I heard the door open and Mel say "hey Tracy, I'm here with the desert," I flung the duvet over my rumpled unmade bed, grabbed the salad out of the fridge, and checked my makeup one last time in the upstairs hall mirror. As hurried down the stairs to the front door entry, I heard a cacophony of noise -- car doors slamming, raised voices, running footsteps, and startled exclamations. I slipped on the steps and almost fell -- all the noise and chaos made the tiny foyer into Grand Central Station. I could see Mel holding the cake platter overhead with two hands, shrieking, trying to stay out of the way of a tangle of arguing men. I heard fragments of conversation "--only kissed her hello--" "--NOT gay!" "--stop fighting, my cake--" "--friend Eva was lying--" "--not GAY, I want her--" "--how they say hello in where I come from--" My neighbor John spurted free of the fracas and careened into me, grabbing my arm for balance the salad bowl spun out of my grasp. I fell with John still in his death grip and yelling in my ear

"--said I was gay to get you to leave me alone, you thick-skulled twit!" And we landed with in a heap, knocking into the crowd on the floor. A confetti of field greens and pear tomatoes rained down us. Wedged between John's shoulder and Mario's knee, I had a perfect view of Mel tilted against Gabe's chest (her crush!), the upraised cake wobbling precariously. I pinched my eyes shut, wincing. All I needed was Eva's frenemy Eva to show up to make this a total disaster. I felt salad dressing drip on my cheek and a tomato bounce into my cleavage.
Mario reached down and hauled me to my feet, and his laughing voice in my ear made me shiver. "Cara Mia, you invite disasters, my Armani is ruined, and yet I have I crave nothing but to taste your tomatoes."

Twin Peeps

GiggleSugar — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 13:00:00 -0800

This is def one of our weirdest Twin Peeps! These dudes must have all been drinking from the same fountain of cheese. Check it: magicians Siegfried and Roy have some soul brothers in Russell Hitchcock and Graham Russell of the soft-rock group Air Supply. (Thanks, YumSugar!)

Source and Source.

The How-To Lounge: Being a Good Hostess

DearSugar — Fri, 23 Mar 2007 06:00:00 -0700

It requires a lot of experience and some serious patience to become a graceful hostess. A good girlfriend of mine currently gives us all a run for our money, and I admire her talent and her skills. Let's review a few helpful tips for throwing a great dinner or cocktail party and enjoying it, too.

Click here to read more

Be prepared for early guests!
When hosting a party, ambiance counts. I like soft lighting, candles, and it's best if the music serves to accent conversation, not overwhelm everyone
Flowers are always a nice tough to make your home look fresh and cozy
Being a hostess takes a lot of work. Catering to your guests, and taking care of the food and the drinks gets overwhelming here and there. Stay calm and collected. Take a 5-minute break in the bathroom if you need to center and ground yourself
Provide an assortment of beverages for your guests, including enough water and non-alcoholic choices, and stock up. When the drinks disappear, so do the guests
Introduce guests to each other. If you're secretly playing matchmaker, be very sly but do help spark their conversation
Set aside a place for coats. You don't want the couch turned into an eyesore in the middle of the room
Assign little jobs to your partner or good friend. This way you can concentrate on your guests' needs, facilitate introductions and not become overwhelmed. Delegate. Delegate. Delegate
Provide appetizers, no matter the occasion. A simple cheese plate on the coffee table will suffice
If you're hosting a dinner party, keep the cocktail hour short and sensible. Disasters follow excessive drinking before a meal
Parties should be fun for everyone, including you. Let the little things go and delight in the company of your friends and family

Enjoy your weekend, ladies!

Source

Dear Poll: Who Would you Want to Serve you in the Friendly Skies?

DearSugar — Thu, 09 Aug 2007 09:00:00 -0700

There was an unconfirmed rumor going around the Sugar offices yesterday that Miss Oprah Winfrey was playing the part of a flight attendant on a San Francisco bound flight. Pretty crazy huh!! While I would have been a star struck passenger, to say the least, it got me thinking ... who would you want as your celebrity steward or stewardess? If you could have any Hollywood star wait on you, hand and foot for hours on end while flying the friendly skies, who would you want to bring you peanuts and soft drinks, a blanket, or even headphones while you sat back and enjoyed the flight?

Source

Are Multivitamins Worth Taking?

DearSugar — Mon, 05 Jun 2006 09:28:47 -0700

Dear Sugar
I take a women's multivitamin everyday. But I've been told that they aren't a substitute for the natural vitamins in various foods and that the body can't even absorb over a certain amount of vitamins and minerals at one time. So, are multivitamins even doing anything for me? Are they worth taking? One A Day Wonderer

Dear One A Day Wonderer
This is a very good question that unfortunately I don't have a very good answer for. According to The Washington Post from last Wednesday there isn't enough evidence yet to make a decision to recommend for or against the use of multivitamins and mineral supplements. 52% of American's take multivitamins every day and they spend over $23 billion a year on them based on the belief that these vitamins will help prevent heart disease, cancer and other chronic diseases. But evidence supports that there are really only 3 instances where supplements actually provide a clear heath benefit. They are:

Calcium and vitamin D reduce the risk of bone fractures in post-menopausal women.
Vitamins C and E, beta carotene, and zinc and copper minerals reduce the risk of vision loss in people with early signs of macular degeneration, (one of the leading causes of age-related blindness).
Folic acid prevents birth defects in the spine and brain.

What I can recommend is for you to closely examine your diet to see what's missing from it. The current daily serving recommendations for the Food Pyramid are:

Milk, Yogurt & Cheese Food Group: 2-3 Servings
Vegetable Food Group: 3-5 Servings
Meat, Poultry, Fish, Dry Beans, Eggs & Nuts Group: 2-3 Servings
Fruit Group: 2 - 4 Servings
Bread, Cereal, Rice & Pasta Group: 6-11 Servings
Fats, Oils & Sweets - Use Sparingly

Don't forget about drinking plenty of water too. Soft drinks and other sweetened drinks count as sugars so don't let those sneak in there to rack up unwanted calories.

Another Coke Head!

GiggleSugar — Tue, 28 Nov 2006 14:00:00 -0800

We found another monkey for you, bluejeanie! But this one isn't up to any monkey business, he's a hard-core Coke addict in need of a quick sugar high. He goes bananas without his daily sip of the syrupy soft drink, and he's apparently found his latest fix.

Source

The Case Against Coke

GiggleSugar — Thu, 16 Nov 2006 11:30:00 -0800

Is Coke about to get canned? A 27-year-old Russian woman recently sued the soft drink company for her Coke addiction- and won! She claims to have acquired her addiction by participating in a promotional offer that traded bottle caps for prizes. At trial, exhibit A was one of the inflatable mattresses awarded to her. Exhibits B, C, and D consisted of other crap prizes that most people would repackage and use as Christmas gifts for third cousin relatives. Natalya Kashuba, however, drank around 3 liters a day for 5 years in order to win herself a pile of worthless junk, not to mention an invaluable chronic gastrointestinal condition. Because Coca Cola failed to warn its consumers of potential health risks, the court made Coke cough up some cash in an unprecedented ruling that could inspire many more suits to follow. Hmm...is Coke on the verge of broke?

Source

Negligent Nodding Off

DearSugar — Mon, 06 Mar 2006 16:29:00 -0800

Dear Sugar
I have been working from home for the past several months but recently accepted a new job that requires me to be at an office during business hours every day. When I worked office hours before, I often had trouble staying awake during the day - at my desk and even at meetings. Even though I know I will like my new job, I'm worried that this embarrassing problem will happen again. Is there anything I can do to keep myself awake all day? Sleepy in Seattle (PS - Your sites are great. Thanks for sharing such awesome content with us)!

Dear Sleepy in Seattle
It sounds like you have narcolepsy or become overly bored with office drivel. Have you ever talked to a doctor about your sleepiness? I think it's something you should consider doing before you start your new job. If a boss or co-worker finds you cat napping at your desk or worse - nodding off during meeting, it's going to look awful. The trick is to keep your mind stimulated by becoming interactive -force yourself to ask questions and make comments. It may be silly to ask someone from the birthplace of Starbucks if common caffeine products like coffee, chocolate and soft drinks are working. If they aren't doing the trick then discontinue them. Overdoing it may only make you moody and shaky but won't necessarily keep you awake. If your situation does turn out to be something as serious as narcolepsy, don't worry about it affecting your career. Although it can not be cured presently, researchers are hopeful for the future. And as for now, most cases can be treated with pharmaceuticals in combination with a consistent sleep schedule.