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Gear Review: Look Pedal Keo Blade Cromoly

Susi May — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 04:00:44 PST

Biking is a gear heavy sport, and gear with carbon fiber is often coveted by cyclists because the fiber is lightweight, yet sturdy, shaving ounces off frames, seat posts, and cranks. When you’re climbing long steep hills on a two-wheeled machine, it seems like you can feel every ounce as you pedal against gravity's pull. Carbon fiber holds an idealized spot for cyclists, and any gear made with it often holds a hefty price tag. Sometimes you can feel the difference, and frankly, sometimes you can’t.

Look Cycle, a cycling company associated with pedal innovation, sent me a set of its new carbon fiber pedal: the Keo Blade Cromoly ($319). The axle is made of cromoly, a steel alloy, but Look makes a fancier version with a titanium axle too. Designed to be lightweight and safer, these blades come with a hefty price tag - but are they worth it? Read on to see.

Drugstore Challenge & Review of PhotoReady Foundation

OnSugar Blog — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 11:00:11 PST

Here's an excerpt from OnSugar blog I'll Take One in Every Color Please.

So here is my Drugstore Challenge look. I just picked up Revlon's PhotoReady in Natural Beige after avoiding it for so long. I finally caved when it was BOGOF at Rite Aid. I am not a huge fan of liquid foundations so this was a stretch for me. I usually use a tinted moisturizer or a mineral foundation. On with the review... click for review and pictures

Come Party With Me: Passover - The Look & Music

partysugar — Sat, 31 Mar 2007 05:19:41 PDT

After the meal, the most important aspect of your Passover dinner is the table you will gather around to eat on. The meal is so traditional that I think a modern, chic, table adorned with a simple candle and flower scheme is the key. A beautiful set table will make the dinner feel more like a celebration and get guests in the mood for some delicious food. To get inspired by my decor ideas that include soft glowing lighting, smooth soulful music,

To ensure that the table is the center of focus clean up the rest of your dining room and remove clutter. Light long white taper candles and arrange on the outside of the room for warmth.
Set the table in a beautiful dark blue satin tablecloth and long white damask runner.

Run a row of simple glass votive holders all the way down the middle of the table.
Arrange blue flowers in low square vases and place in between the candles.

Leave a spot in the middle of the table for the Seder plate.
Set with your special china and silverware and linen napkins.

If you have a large number of people coming to dinner make placecards like these by folding a 3-8 inch piece of cardstock in half. Write the name of each guest on the front in your fanciest handwriting and cut a small hole at the crease. Slide a flower (use one of the blue ones from your arrangement to keep things uniform) through the hole and place on each person's plate.
Create a playlist with Hebrew music. Pair one instrumental cd (like David Yakobian) with one lyrical cd (like Jacob Balshan) and hit random for a selection of festive, interesting music.

How are you decorating your table for Passover and what will you be listening to?

The Look Of The Governors Ball

partysugar — Thu, 22 Feb 2007 11:43:17 PST

While we have to wait until Sunday to see what all of the stars will be wearing at the Oscars, I've been giving you a sneak peek of the recipes that will be served at the Academy Awards official after party, the Governors Ball all week long. As if knowing what the celebs will be eating wasn't enough, I've found some awesome pictures of the decorations at the event space. The Governors Ball is held in the Grand Ballroom on the top level of the Hollywood & Highland Center and is put on by Sequoia Productions (an event planning firm based out of Los Angeles). The decor is set in beautiful shades of white, cream, gold, butter, and burgundy with low lighting, wood details, thousands of candles, and fresh flowers everywhere. To take a peek at a gallery of photos of the actual decor plus lots of images of the food as well as Puck and his crew practicing the menu,

Click on an image below to take a larger look.

View 25 Photos ›

Source

Off To Market Recap: Centerpiece

partysugar — Wed, 21 Feb 2007 12:58:12 PST

I'm always in search of beautiful new centerpiece ideas to jazz up my regular old table or bring my party table settings to the next level. A few weeks ago I asked you to help me out and share your best centerpiece suggestions. You saved your favorite floral/foodie designs in the Yum Market on TeamSugar and tagged them with the keyword Centerpiece, here are what I consider to be the most gorgeous centerpieces:

DesignRchic found this exquisite, modern, geometric candle centerpiece. One of my rules when dressing a table is to create as many levels, layers, and textures as possible to attract and tantalize the eye. This centerpiece does so all by itself. To add more depth I could use colored votives and place it on a vibrant tablecloth.

Two more creatively cool centerpieces so

Top Yum Market-er rubialala discovered two (!) aesthetically pleasing centerpieces that are each very distinct. The first is a 4-in-1 vase that can hold flowers, floating candles, shiny rocks, or tiny fruits. Don't those roses look spectacular? I have to confess I totally fell in love with this centerpiece and may purchase it for my vase collection.

The second centerpiece that fab finder rubialala submitted is appropriately in time for Chinese New Year. This shiny bronzed pig is absolutely adorable and perfect for adorning your table in a little Chinese New Year bling.

Thanks for participating gals! For more information on how to bookmark on TeamSugar please read geeksugar's helpful hints.

Look of the Day: Leopard Meets Brights

Laura Marie Given — Mon, 28 May 2012 03:00:42 PDT

Fab reader ppfgirl brought chic sophistication to the bright-pants trend by adding animal print and and classic gold accessories. She paired cropped kelly-green pants with a breezy leopard-print blouse before grabbing a structured two-tone tote that coordinated with the neutral shades of her top. Along with cool aviators, she dressed up the look with bold accessories: a long chain necklace, a gold menswear watch, and a mix of gold and yellow bracelets. Topping off her polished style? Colorblocked heels in nude, black, and neon orange for a fun, unexpected pop of color that adds personality to the outfit.

Congrats, ppfgirl!

Everyone else, submit your looks, and we might just feature you on FabSugar!

Don't Get Ticked Off! Easy Ways to Prevent Lyme Disease

Jenny Sugar — Tue, 29 May 2012 00:41:18 PDT

If you're the outdoorsy type - and I don't mean sipping cocktails on your patio - chances are you've come in contact with a tick or two. Blacklegged ticks, also called deer ticks, are the ones to watch out for since they carry the Borrelia burgdorferi bacterium, which causes Lyme disease. Seventy to 80 percent of people will develop a rash that looks like a bull's-eye within three to 30 days of being bitten, and other symptoms include severe headaches, dizziness, heart palpitations, neck stiffness due to meningitis, joint pain and swelling, and shooting pains. Antibiotics can cure most cases, but some patients will later develop neurological complications, such as Bell's palsy (loss of muscle tone on one or both sides of the face) when not treated in time.

Any way you slice it, Lyme disease is not something you want to bring home from a hike or trail run. The best thing you can do is take some simple precautions to prevent those bugs from infecting you, and here's how.

Stick to the trail: Ticks hang out in moist, humid grassy areas, so you can decrease your exposure by hiking, running, or biking on the clear, dirt trail. Avoid tromping through high grass, piles of leaves, and bushes.
Sock it to me: Wearing pants is probably not an option when working out in the Summer heat, but you can keep your lower legs protected by wearing socks that cover your shins. It's not exactly the most attractive, but it definitely beats joint pain, dizziness, and a skin rash.
Go for the chemicals: I'm always a fan of using all-natural products, but when it comes to protecting yourself against ticks, when used properly, DEET is your best bet. Spray small amounts on your clothes, and choose products with low concentrations of DEET for your skin. As soon as you get home, strip down and hit the showers.
Know your enemy: While in the shower, it's a good time to do a tick check. Look for a small dark brown bug with eight legs, and check everywhere including your armpits, inside your belly button, and in your hair. If you discover an embedded tick, look to this video demonstrating a pain-free way to remove the tick without the use of tweezers. If it's removed within 24 hours, your chance of contracting Lyme disease is pretty small.

Game of Thrones' "Blackwater": What We're Still Talking About

Shannon Vestal — Mon, 28 May 2012 17:44:02 PDT

War ain't coming to Game of Thrones - war is here. This week, the Lannisters each deal with the attack on King's Landing in their own way: Joffrey tucks his tail between his legs, Tyrion rallies the troops, and Cersei gets drunk. The episode only shows us what's happening in King's Landing, and though we don't get to see any Jon Snow, Robb Stark, Daenerys Targaryen, or Arya Stark, it doesn't feel lacking to me in any way. In fact, it's one of my favorite episodes this season.

There's only one more episode left in season two, and I'm wondering just how intense next week will be, because this week is crazy. I'm ready to chat about what I'm still thinking about from "Blackwater," so if you're ready to relive it, just keep reading.

Mad Men's 5 Maddest Moments: "The Other Woman"

Becky Kirsch — Mon, 28 May 2012 17:22:20 PDT

The titular "other woman" in this week's episode of Mad Men is actually a car, but the ladies of Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce - Peggy and Joan - are also courted in very different ways. Both women make major decisions that impact their careers and their futures (not to mention the whole dynamic of SCDP).

The way that Joan and Peggy handle their respective situations truly showcases just how different these women are, even if they both have the same ambition and devotion to success at heart. I can't get into it without revealing a few spoilers, though, so let's break down the biggest moments when you

The ending of an era: Peggy's leaving Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce! This is by far the show's biggest shake-up since Don and Megan's engagement, and it's bittersweet because it happens right in the middle of all the Jaguar madness. Peggy's felt a bit out of place all season long (especially thanks to Ginsberg), and when Don embarrasses her in his office, it's the last straw. She seeks out old friend Freddy Rumsen for advice, and he tells her she should cast her feelings aside and start exploring her options. She's quickly snatched up by a rival agency, for even more money than her asking price. Don can't believe it when Peggy breaks the news (you can practically see the smoke coming out of his ears), but he keeps his temper in check long enough to give her a very tender, heartfelt goodbye. She tells Don not to be a stranger, but could Peggy really be gone for good? I'm happy to see her character moving on, but would definitely miss her on the show.
Indecent proposal: As the writers are busily brainstorming for the upcoming Jaguar campaign, Pete and Ken get a rude awakening from Herb, the head of the dealers association. He mentions over dinner that he'd give SCDP a leg up - if he can sleep with Joan. Pete makes the already-uncomfortable situation even worse by having the nerve to bring it up to Joan in the most obnoxious way possible. She says the company "can't afford" her, which Pete takes to the partners as a bargaining chip. Don and Lane are horrified, but the rest of the guys are open to seeing what Joan will do.
A dirty job: After the partners meeting, Lane takes his turn discussing the situation with Joan. At first, she's annoyed, and I felt a tinge of sadness for her when she learns about the discussion, especially when she asks if Roger was involved. Lane's still not quite endorsing the idea of Joan whoring herself out, but he proposes that she ask Pete to become a partner rather than just taking a check. She takes his advice, which gets Lane out of yet another sticky monetary situation.
Slippery Pete: Pete's creepy ways are mostly reserved for the way he handles the Joan/Jaguar situation, but we also get another brief peek into his troubles at home. After a rousing rendition of "Goodnight Moon," Pete and Trudy get into a tiff when he mentions that he's tired of his long commute and wants an apartment in the city. Trudy says absolutely not, but it's clear that his distaste for the suburban life is only getting worse.
Game changer: When Don gets wind of the fact that Joan will sleep with Herb in exchange for a partnership, he's angry and shows up at her door. He tells her that he doesn't want to win the campaign this way, and she's appreciative of the fact that he's the only one that stood up for her. It seems that he may have changed her mind, but twist! We learn that it's too late, and she's already slept with Herb. The guys nab the campaign the next day, but the look on Don's face when he sees Joan in the partners meeting says it all.

With only two episodes left in the season, what'd you think of all the happenings on Mad Men? Were you surprised about Joan's or Peggy's decisions?

Photo courtesy of AMC

Looks of the Week!

Laura Marie Given — Sun, 27 May 2012 04:00:54 PDT

This week, our Fab Community stuck to striking neon pieces and bright, mixed prints. From cropped floral pants to polka-dot skinny jeans, our readers proved that bold bottoms work well with both neutrals and patterns. Whether mini or maxi, skirts were full of volume and paired with simple tops in classic shapes. High heels and structured handbags topped off the looks, adding a refined element to the colorful prints. Here are our favorites: florals and spots, neo(n)-bohemian, floral love, siren twist, '60s sweater, dress to impress, neon dots, sequins and ruffles, date night, and icky pop. Congrats all!