Do you have a best friend?

My summer memories are filled with special times with my crew. Lychee sake and sushi. Shared cupcakes and lattes on coffeehouse couches. Over-shopping and then bemoaning our depleted budgets over happy hour merlot. Chatting over long walks, only interrupted upon finding vegan baked goods.

(Yes, many of my most beloved tales are food-centric.)

Whether it’s giggling into your organic fro-yo or sharing sad tales of woe over founder’s creations at Coldstone, memories created with your best friends are sacred. We may not fully appreciate those individual moments as they occur, but preserving them can create memories to return to for a lifetime.

(OK, sappy quotient for the day is eclipsed.) But seriously, in that vein, I teamed up with do a photo contest with MyPhotoAlbum.com in which you submit your favorite summer photo of yourself with your best friend. The winning photo will win a 1-year club membership at MyPhotoAlbum.com and personalized keepsake boxes (both friends in the photo will each receive a set!).

MyPhotoAlbum.com is a photo-sharing service offering tools for creating personalized online photo albums and photo keepsakes. Hold on to memories just a little longer by winning my contest and having a club account and keepsake boxes of your very own! Seek out your best friend photos, and send me a link. Feel free to share the story behind them! Winning photo wins the bounty mentioned above - plus added Aly sappiness. Each keepsake box is worth $25, and each club membership, $20, making this a valuable bundle to get your hands on!

Deadline Sept. 22nd. Get started uploading!

Need a hot dress to stash just in case of a special occasion?

Sydney’s Closet, a retailer of luxury dresses for all sizes, has a very special offer for our readers. They wish to give away one of the above Galaxy dresses (in black or plum) to a lucky reader. This dress features:

• Hand-beaded lace
• Charmeuse satin fabric
• Bra cups sewn in · Optional spaghetti straps · Strapless neckline
• Mid back
• Empire waist
• Tea length skirt
• Beaded bodice + skirt · Extra beads included
• Matching beaded jacket 3/4 sleeves
• Size 4 to 34 available

It retails for $269 on the site, but the reader who can write me the best poem (of any length) with the word Charmeuse wins! Enter for yourself, your mom, your friend. Enter by Sunday though - or you’ll miss out!

I continue the New Years celebration fun - with Grandma’s Challah recipe!

• 7 cups flour
• 1 T salt
• 1/2 cup sugar (or honey - agave nectar is a great choice too)
• 2 pkg yeast + 1/3 cup warm water
• 1/2 cup oil
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1/2 cup cold water

This recipe makes the equivalent of 3 braided loaves.

Beat eggs in a small bowl.

In a large bowl mix oil, sugar and salt.

Add boiling water to large bowl and stir until all is dissolved.

Sprinkle yeast into a measuring cup with 1/3 cup warm water. Wait a few minutes, then stir.

Add cold water to mixture in large bowl. (The stuff in the bowl should now be the right temperature to add yeast. If too hot, wait a few minutes; if too cold, put the bowl in the microwave to heat it.)

Add yeast to large bowl.

Add eggs to large bowl, reserving about 1 tablespoon.

Add flour 1 cup at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition.

Turn out dough onto floured board and knead for 5 minutes, adding more flour as needed (but not too much). Dough is ready if it springs back after being poked with a finger.

Put back into bowl, cover with dishtowel, and put in warm oven (heated to 170-200, and then turned off beforehand) until doubled - about 1 hour.

Turn out onto floured board and knead for 1-2 minutes.

Divide dough into thirds.

Take one of the thirds, and knead for another minute. Form into 8-12 small “snakes” for bulkies, or 3 large snakes for braid. Make bulkies by knotting each small snake and pinching the ends together. Place bulkies close together pinched-end down in greased pan. For braids, pinch ends of 3 large snakes together and begin braiding. Pinch ends together when done. Place in greased round pan or loaf pan.

Repeat for 2 other thirds. Put formed loaves/bulkies into oven (pre-heated and then turned off, as before) for about 45 minutes. Remove from oven. Turn oven to 350. Brush tops gently with reserved egg. Sprinkle with poppy and/or sesame seeds, if desired. Bake for about 30 minutes (loaves) or 20 minutes (bulkies). Times will vary. Watch for moderate browning on top, but be careful not to allow scorching on bottom.

Remove from pans, and put on dish towels to cool.

YUM!

A few weeks ago, my dear friend Allie called me with breaking news.

“You would not believe when I just saw on the subway…it’s a mascara, made of FIBER.”

This was an exciting development. I love Allie, mascara, and fiber. How could this possibly not be a success?! We arranged a sojourn to Sephora for further research.

Fiberwig is the top-selling mascara in Japan. We love Japan: It’s where sushi and sake was born!

Marketed as “paint-on” false eyelashes, the results are truly remarkable. Engineered to create the perfect lashes with micro-fine interconnecting fibers, the instant drying formula creates a long lasting film coat around your natural lashes. It’s a perfect marriage of long-lasting yet easy to wash off (just use some warm water), and brushes on clump-free. Does it look like false eyelashes? No. But, you kinda don’t want that anyway. You do want sexy, long, natural lashes - which Fiberwig WILL give you.

So, this is a yay, indeed. I love my Fiberwig. And you will love your Fiberwig. It retails for $22 in Sephora, but for the 15 best comments on your personal secret to achieving ideal sexy, smoldering eye look, it’s your special gift!

To all my Jewish friends, happy New Year!

(Well, New Year’s Eve, that is.)

Some of my non-Jewish friends look forward to various Jewish holidays based on the yummy desserts that it means I will be sharing. My friend Jodi will, every year, ask for her own batch of Hamentashen for Purim, and Allie and I already have a plot for her to latkas-it-up with the fam this Chanuka.

So, I figured it was only fair I present to all some treats for Rosh Hashonah, to be enjoyed whether you are celebrating or not!

(courtesy of recipezaar.com)

Tayglach

1. Make a well of flour,salt and 1 tbsp sugar in a large bowl.
2. Add oil and eggs and mix very well with wooden spoon.
3. Dough will be quite elastic.
4. Pinch off large egg-size pieces.
5. Roll these between your hands (lightly flour if needed) until you have a piece as long as a drinking straw.
6. Place on floured board and roll flat so it is~ 1 inch wide.
7. Cut into 1 inch pieces.
8. Place one almond and two raisins on each piece.
9. Roll into a ball making sure that it is sealed completely.
10. Set aside.
11. In large pot bring honey,sugar and ginger to a boil.
12. Drop the pieces in and reduce heat to medium.
13. Cook for 35 to 40 minutes.
14. Stir with wooden spoon as needed.
15. Adjust your heat to maintain a slow rolling boil.
16. Remove pieces from honey with slotted spoon and set aside.
17. Turn heat to low, add hot water and cook down.
18. Stir frequently.
19. When mixture is 1/4 gone, remove from heat and return pieces to honey to coat again.
20. Remove with slotted spoon to cookie sheet or flat platter to cool.
21. At this time,you could sprinkle with crushed almonds (leftovers).
22. The wine is for your raisins, if you wish, to plump them.
23. Make sure they are drained and patted dry before using.
24. If you don’t use the wine this way, you can do what I do and drink it!
25. The finished tayglach will be sticky and remain this way, as it should.
26. You can store them in an air-tight container and they will keep nicely for several weeks.
27. If you are creative, you can make a pyramid of them, sticking cut red and green candied cherries among them.

Apple Kugel

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, combine sugar, raisins, pineapple, finely chopped almonds, chopped apples, vanilla, and cinnamon.
2. Boil noodles for approximately 10 minutes. Drain noodles and add butter (cut into small pieces to melt easier) while still hot. Add other ingredients and one slightly beaten egg.
3. Pour into very well greased 9″X13″ pan dot with butter and bake for 1 hour. After it has cooled completely, refrigerate. Serve hot or cold. Reheats well in oven or microwave.

Warning: Holidays are a a great excuse for treats, but not a free pass! Nibble and move on. Your jeans will thank you.

Ladies: The hottest guys I know appreciate a woman who is not afraid of her inner-geek-chic.

Men: Women are hot for men who are not afraid to wear pink.

And so, I present you with the most perfect gift (to have for yourself or share) ever.

Pink is my favorite color, and infiltrates all my most beloved gadgets, from my Bettie Lou mimibot to the pastel sleeve encasing my sexy new MacBook to, well, the free iPod Nano that is coming with said computer. My room is flocked with raspberry-pink walls and I currently have like-colored nails detailing my various appendage digits.

It goes without saying, then, that if I was going to embrace the coolness that is DS Lite, it would be the one that belongs to my already-standing color family.

(Color coordination is, of course, an important part of accessorizing.)

The Nintendo DS Lite Pink revolutionized the way games are played with its ultra-bright dual screens and touch-screen technology. Even cooler, you can connect to Nintendo’s Wi-Fi Connection and put your skills to the test against players across the room or across the world. This is a high-powered hand-held video game system in a sleek folding design – loaded with features for a unique gaming experience.

Long subway rides? Boring downtime at your office? Pop a cool game into a DS Lite and your day is once again your own. (We love Brain Age 2, which was developed by a Japanese neuroscientist. It features 15 fun new activities, designed to give your brain a daily “workout” through quick thinking. The lower your “brain age,” the better you’re performing. This rocks far and above Sudoku!)

My video-game memories began with playing Donkey Kong and Ms. Pac-Man on Atari in my uncle’s basement and evolved into a ferociously competitive Tetris nature. Where did you hone your skills? Or do you need some remedial gaming help that only a Pink DS will provide? ONE winner will get a DS Lite of their very own. Deadline for all responses is Friday, Sept. 14th.

Friends, I ask: What makes a wretchedly twisted ankle bundles more fun?

Answer: A rainy, humid day, of course.

Happy day all!

PS: Think those Vibe Duos below are exciting? Wait till you see what’s coming tonight!

Get your mind out of the gutter.

As cool as your iPod may be, the sound will be a lot sexier with a hot pair of ear buds.

Created to complement the iPhone, V-Moda’s new Vibe Duo headphone/headset features a buttonless microphone and works not only with iPhone, but all cell phones and mp3 devices. Sexy and black (much like my soon-to-arrive MacBook), these are not only pleasing to the eyes and ears, but feel like butter in the ears.

These are indeed, well, hot. The noise-isolating earphones have lightweight design sculpted from alloy metal (read: Gunmetal Black and FlashBlack Chrome!). Great vibrant bass, and BLISS (Bass Level Isolating Soft Silicon) technology reduces outside noise for a rich and crystal-clear sound.

For you tech-buffs, here’s the nitty-gritty:
Compatibility: all iPod, Zune, MP3, DVD, computer, and CD players
Included Accessories: gold leather pouch, modawrap, six pairs (S,M,L) of clear and two pairs (S) black silicone fittings, V-MODA VIP Card
Frequency Response: 12 Hz – 22 kHz

This baby will run you around $100 at V-Moda’s web site or the Apple store, but a few lucky people will (like me) score it for themselves right here. Are your headphones a tangled, weepy mess? (I once had buds MELT!) Is this keeping the music from your soul? (Or at least ears?) Share your pain. Two of you will win a pair! Deadline to respond is Thursday, Sept. 13.

One of my best friends, who shall remain nameless (hint, her name is pretty similar to mine and she’s very *crafty*) once upon a time posed for a lovely portrait she titled Chicken of the Sea. Mermaid-decked and donning *my* sexy blonde wig, she was, I must say, pretty darn hot stuff.

So, when Honeycat Cosmetics, a new and very fashionable line of bath of body products created by Theresa Spruill, sent me a set of foaming bath crystals entitled CHICK OF THE SEA, it elicited quite the giggle. Theresa finds inspiration for Honeycat from the cat, which is a symbol of female sexuality, and sensuality (just ask my three feline babies).

Honeycat’s adorable Foaming Bath Crystals are almost too cute to pop open. But knowing what waits in these little sardine cans will make it easy!

It includes a mix of chocolate, raspberry and mint bath crystals that will soothe your muscles AND make you feel good. (Something even my blonde wig could not do.)

So, in the name of siren-like chicks of the sea and sexy felines everywhere (including those in my basement) I think many of us deserve a little bit of a luxurious treat. Honeycat has agreed to award Chick of the Sea sets to two lucky winners. We want to know your sexy bathtub routines? Do you have a glass of vino? Kick back with some tunes and doze? Or do you not remember what a luxurious bath is? (Sad.) Comment by Wednesday Sept. 12th!

Changing seasons means changing your wardrobe, or at least adding some key pieces that you can incorporate into your summer wardrobe. Now is the perfect time to embrace the seasonal change that is soon to come, even if you won’t be able to wear some of the new stuff for a while. Ready or not, you’ll find the best selection in September and October.

Marshalls style expert, Amy Cafazzo, notes some key pieces you will need this Fall below:

The Trench Coat: It’s a classic that never goes out of style. It’s not too heavy, not too light, particularly in September, when it doesn’t get very cold. You’ll see trench coats in metallics, patent leather, double- breasted and belted. Look for one that’s knee length.

Dresses: This fall dresses have an emphasis on volume in sleeves, collars, and egg and bubble shapes. If you have a favorite from Summer, pairing effortlessly with tights or over jeans works for fall. 

High-waisted pants: No more panties poking out from the low rise jeans…embrace the high waist!  The right pair can slim the hips and paired with a flared bottom, can lengthen the legs.

Wide-leg trousers: Balance and proportion are key to pulling off the wide-leg look. Loose styles on the bottom should be paired with more fitted tops and vice versa.  These wide legs do everything right, making larger hips appear smaller while offering the ultimate in comfort.

High boots:  Don’t put away your favorite pair of cropped jeans, tuck them into a sleek or slouchy high boot this fall.