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Titanic Tomato Fight Takes Over Valencia, Spain

YumSugar — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 09:00:58 PDT

For many, corn boils and clambakes are the highlights of the season. But others look forward to very different Summer festivities - like the La Tomatina in Valencia, Spain. Yesterday, the town of Buñol, Spain (population: 9,000), held its annual world-famous tomato food fight. The event, which is on the last Wednesday in August, is an all-out escapade that involves more than 100 tons of overripe tomatoes, draws over 40,000 visitors from around the world, and spares absolutely no one.

To learn more about it and check out a gallery of images, read more. It's part of a weeklong festival that includes music, parades, dancing, fireworks, and a massive paella cooking contest. The hourlong exchange, which takes place in Buñol's Plaza del Pueblo, dates back to the mid-1940s. Legend has it that the fight either began as a spat between local merchants, or when disgruntled citizens started throwing tomatoes at politicians. Après-argument, participants hose one another off and jump in the Buñol River, while fire trucks hose down the plaza. This looks disgusting yet fun, so I'm adding it to my bucket list of things to do. Can you imagine how much tomato pulp the photographer must've been covered in?! Would you participate in La Tomatina?

View 16 Photos ›

What Would You Do?

partysugar — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 10:15:46 PDT

We've all been in crazy situations, and I want to know how you handle entertaining fiascoes and bad restaurant behavior. I'll present a situation and you tell me what you would do. Here's today's scenario:

You've spent a lot of time planning a fantastic birthday party at your favorite bar. Although the party starts at 9, you made a bunch of small snacks - spiced nuts, truffled popcorn, caramelized peanuts, etc. - for your guests to enjoy with cocktails.

The snacks are prettily set up on a table near an open window that overlooks the street. The party is going fabulously when you look up to see three unidentified guests throwing your homemade goodies out the window! They are trying to hit people outside! What would you do?

To find out what I did - this very thing happened at my birthday party on Saturday night! -

read more. First, I rapidly determined if the food-throwers were random people at the bar or friends of friends. Since they happened to be the cousins of a friend, they were technically a part of my party. I made the food for everyone, but for everyone to eat, not launch at other guests. I walked over to the offenders and said, "Excuse me, that food is not for throwing. Please stop." Then I turned on my heel and left as quickly as possible. How would you handle the situation? What do you think of my reaction? Did I overreact? Source

Angelina Jolie to Replace Tom Cruise in Edwin A. Salt

BuzzSugar — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 11:31:33 PDT

So, perhaps the name will just be Edwina Salt?
In a curious gender switch and swapping of big Hollywood names, the espionage thriller Edwin A. Salt will now feature Angelina Jolie in the starring role, as a replacement for Tom Cruise. Apparently, Jolie "took a liking" to the script.

Jolie: The extremely profitable action star.
Variety has more details on this change of events:

After Universal beefed up Jolie's role in Wanted and then marketed the action film squarely on Jolie's shoulders and watched it gross $132 million domestically, Jolie reestablished, in the wake of Mr. & Mrs. Smith, that she is the rare female who is viable in the action genre, which has been almost the exclusive domain of men.

Probably a smart move.
While I know not everyone loves Jolie, she didn't get quite as many comments as Tom Cruise did from people saying they would boycott any movie she's in. As for Cruise himself, he's rumored to be possibly starring in a comedy titled Food Fight, in which Cruise would play "a snooty New York chef who is forced to cook meals at a school cafeteria."

Source

Food Fight!

YumSugar — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 01:03:18 PST

I saw this video earlier this week and thought it would make a nice weekend distraction. In Food Fight, a video by Stefan Nadelman, various modern battles are recreated using food from the regions of the world engaged in the conflict. It begins at WWII, but if you're not that well versed in war, don't worry, the folks at Boing Boing have kindly edited the video to include subtitles. It's really a captivating video, and if you haven't already seen it, then check it out, just

read more. This version has been edited down, check out the official website to see the full version. And if you're confused as to which country is what, take a glance at the food fight cheat sheet.

Fooooood Fight!

YumSugar — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 16:27:18 PDT

If you've ever wished you could throw a big plate of food at one of your friends, but social norms wouldn't let you go through with it, head over to The Good Food Fight where you can start a virtual food fight. It's part of the Eat Better America site which encourages folks to "eat better."

You choose from one of three healthy dishes, and one of three opponents. Then while you read about the recipe, your opponent pops out and throws food at you. You can then pick up the food on the screen and throw it back. Sadly I kept losing, as did the folks at Spluch, where I found this story, but maybe you'll have better luck.

Oh and when you're done fighting, you're supposed to head over to their main site and get some tasty, healthy recipes.

You Say Tomato, I Say Fooood Fight!

YumSugar — Wed, 29 Aug 2007 12:45:37 PDT

Every year, on the last Wednesday in August (which happens to be today), the folks of the Spanish town of Bunol get together for the annual tomato throwing festival. That's right, the town citizens, along with tens of thousands of tourists, get together for a giant tomato food fight called La Tomatina.

For exactly one hour (11am-noon), 117 tons of plum tomatoes were hurled into the air, at folks, into the streets, everywhere. At noon a rocket was shot into the air signaling the end of the fight. Once it was over, residents used garden hoses to spray down the town.

There were no reports of injuries this year, mostly because everyone seemed to respect the rules: Only throw tomatoes, don't throw tomatoes that are green (meaning that they're hard), squeeze the tomatoes first to make them burst easier (easing the sting).

So how did the event begin?

Local legend claims the event began in the mid-1940s after a group of youngsters waged a food fight near a vegetable stand on the town square. They met again the next year and pelted each other - and passers-by - creating the annual tradition.

Sounds pretty wild, but from the look of things, it sounds like a lot of fun. Maybe I should book a hotel for next year...

Source: International Herald Tribune
Image Source

Guinea Pigs: Not Much Into Sharing

GiggleSugar — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 07:00:00 PDT

There's enough to go around, but it's every guinea for himself in this food fight-- and these are a bunch of pigs, indeed! I guess "sharing" was never covered in the guinea pig code of conduct. Keep in mind that this tacky tug-of-war is all over...a cucumber?! These three little dudes need to get out more.

A Doctor Dishes: Which "Superfoods" Are Worth the Cost?

LearnVest — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 00:15:00 PST

We're thrilled to present this smart LearnVest story here on Savvy!

Most people you speak to these days are trying to stretch every dollar as far as possible - even the ones they spend buying apples and oranges.

Food prices are expected to increase yet again this year, and food manufacturers are making portions smaller without reducing prices. Not surprisingly, a recent Rasmussen poll found that 93 percent of adults report paying more for groceries now than they did a year ago.

So how can we supercharge our grocery dollars and get them to do overtime for us?

Yes, some foods are obviously a better nutritional deal than others (think apples vs. potato chips), but there’s another class of foods that blows the rest of the field away in terms of nutrients and health-protecting qualities: superfoods.

Superfoods can help prevent diabetes and heart disease, repair damage to your body’s cells, and more. But before you go piling them into your cart, know that some superfoods are better nutritional bargains than others. As a doctor and a mom, I’ve sleuthed out which ones are worth the extra cost in terms of their long-term health benefits. Below is the scoop on which ones may help you age better, ward off cancer, and more.

What to Know Before Buying Superfoods

Before we dive into what to buy, there are a few important things to remember about consuming these foods:

Eating foods fresh and in their natural state, especially fruits and vegetables (rather than in pill or powder supplement form), usually allows us to absorb the greatest amount of their nutrients. The way a superfood is processed or cooked can significantly lower its antioxidant content.
If the superfood can’t be eaten fresh, look for easy and appetizing recipes containing it. No matter how “super” a superfood may be, if you don’t know how to cook it, you’ll probably let it go to waste.

Are Superfoods "Good Buys" If I’m Shopping on a Budget?

Read on to find out.

Feel-Full Quick Tricks

Health — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 04:49:40 PST

We are pumped to share one of our favorite stories from Health.com here on our site.

By Health.com

It's not just what you eat that can make you more satisfied - it's how you eat, too. Try these tips to feel fuller longer.

H2O some more
Drink two eight-ounce glasses (16 ounces total) of water before each meal. It will fill up your stomach and trim up to 60 calories per meal.

Health.com: Which Foods Burn the Most Fat?

Flavor of the day
Use vinegar (or vinaigrette) and cinnamon for flavor whenever possible. These two ingredients can help regulate blood sugars after meals and help you feel full longer after eating, according to a study from the Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences, in Zurich, Switzerland.

Keep reading for quick feel-full tricks.

Relaxing Ways to Stay Healthy and De-Stress

Leta Shy — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 01:38:17 PST

Exercise is a proven way to beat stress, but if you're more in the mode for relaxation, here are some ways to ensure you stay healthy and stress-free without a bead of sweat.

Eat fresh: Greasy, fried foods may be endorphin-boosting since they're addictive, but in the end, they'll only make you feel bloated and tired. Instead of eating processed foods, reach for feel-good foods that will not only help you get the nutrition you need but will also boost your happiness, like these five foods that fight stress.

Think low-intensity, not no-intensity: On those lazy days when you don't want to sweat it out, there's ways to still burn calories and boost endorphins. Whether you're walking or practicing restorative yoga, make sure you stay moving when you're feeling especially overwhelmed.

Read on for more tips after the break.