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Happy Hour: Josh Wesson on Pairing Food and Wine

partysugar — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 14:00:16 -0700

Despite the long lines and hungry event goers, there was one thing the organizers of the Great American Food and Music Festival did right: they invited Josh Wesson to give a special wine seminar. Wesson is a highly regarded wine professional. He's won countless awards and cofounded New York's acclaimed Best Cellars. I was lucky enough to attend Wesson's seminar, Fast Food/Faster Wine! In it he discussed the foundations for pairing food and wine. To learn what he had to say, read more.

Look for similarities. An obvious pairing is a dessert with a dessert wine. Just make sure the dessert (cake, cookie, pie, etc.) is sweeter than the wine.
Balance sweet and sour. When a dish is highly acidic, look for a sweet wine. If the pairing works, the food will taste less acidic and the wine will taste less sweet.
Think about the dominant taste. Do you want the strongest flavor to be the food or the wine?
Look for ways for the food and wine to complement each other. When a fish tastes oily, it's often served with fresh lemon because the acidity mutes the fishy flavor. This same effect can be achieved with an acidic white wine.
Consider the smell of the wine. Without a sense of smell, the wine is tasteless.
Drink a lot of wine. Don't be afraid to try new wines and different pairings.
The final point that Wesson stressed was that drinking and pairing wine is subjective. If it doesn't appeal to your palate, don't drink it.

Do you enjoy pairing wine with food? What are your go-to matches?

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50 Cheap Date Ideas

PinkNC — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 07:17:05 -0800

Discount Dating

A lighter wallet is no excuse to turn date night into a luxury. Get out of your sweatpants, put down the cold pizza, and check out these 51 budget-friendly date ideas that will get you off the couch and into each other's pants.

Get on thin ice. Depending on the weather, head to an indoor or outdoor ice-skating rink - it's the perfect excuse to hold hands, "accidentally" fall on top of each other, and grab a cup of hot chocolate and cozy up to each other to keep warm.

Skip the pricey wine bar and grab a few beers at your local dive bar. Make sure you pick a place with a pool table or dartboard set up, and challenge him to a few games. Loser owes the winner a song on the jukebox.

He may hate to shop, but he'll end up thanking you if you drag him to a flea market. There's something for everyone and plenty of things you never knew existed - you might even discover he has a hobby or weird collection you didn't know about!

Settle in for a night of pampering: No pricey spa required. Use your empty wallets as an excuse to stay in - and up - all night. Run a bubble bath and then treat each other to full-body massages. Sleep in the next day.

Get an adrenaline rush at the roller-skating rink. As long as you don't mind being the oldest people there who aren't chaperoning their children, it's a great way to have fun and let loose with each other. Top it off with a bowl of ice cream when you get home.

Play house: Dress up in your most serious grownup outfit and leave your tiny apartment to visit some open houses. Spend the day arguing over where you would put the love seat, discussing the difference between eggshell and ecru paint, and giggling over strangers' hideous decorating choices.

Does he drive you up a wall sometimes? He probably feels the same way about you, so put on your sneakers and head to an indoor rock-climbing gym. Challenge him to a race to the top and relieve sore muscles with a hot shower together afterward. Just try not to gloat too much about beating him.

Celebrate the first snow of winter with a day of sledding. Pick a hilly spot in your town and use garbage can lids as makeshift sleds. Wear a bike helmet to up the dorky fun factor, and celebrate living through the experience with a cup of hot cocoa.

Spend the day picking fruit at a local farm, either one-on-one or with a few couples you know - the more the merrier. Once you've picked all the apples you can carry back to the car, get creative in the kitchen and think up some recipes with the fruit you picked. Judge each other's creations, Top Chef style.

Plan a trip. You might need to save up for awhile, but that doesn't mean you can't daydream. Plan your dream vacation with each other - it might be the incentive you need to start putting your loose change in the piggy bank.

Challenge your guy to a little friendly competition and surprise him by taking him to a rifle range. After each round, compare your targets - loser buys the next round of bullets; winner gets gloating privileges.

Spice up your movie-night routine by finding a drive-in movie theater. Stop at the supermarket on your way to load up on your favorite snacks, and bring blankets and pillows to make the car extra cozy. Let him pick the movie - you'll get points for being easygoing, even though you know you'll probably miss most of the movie.

The easiest way to booze it up on the cheap? Take a tour of a winery or brewery, and pick up some wine facts for your next dinner party while getting tipsy.

Dying to see a musical or play but can't afford the tickets? Call around to see if you can buy tickets to the dress rehearsal instead - you'll pay a fraction of the price for the same experience.

Wherever you live, chances are there are local bands dying for an audience. Check out MySpace for bands in your area and go to a show. Alternate with your guy on who gets to pick the band so that you both get a chance to enjoy your favorite music genres, and save cash on booze by bringing a flask.

Head to the bookstore and walk through the aisles together, showing each other your favorite books, bonding over the books you both hated, and flipping through a Kama Sutra book for ideas for later.

Bowl him over at the bowling alley. Psych him out by reminding him of how many gross people wore his shoes before him, and don't forget to program his sugary-sweet nickname ("Muffin Face") onto the computerized scoreboard instead of his real name.

Show him your rugged side and build something together. Ask him to help you build something like a coffee table or dresser for your place - he'll be psyched that you asked him, just as long as you can bite your tongue when the table he puts together falls apart the moment you set your cup of coffee down.

Appeal to his inner child (it shouldn't be too hard to tap into) and buy tickets for a carnival. Embrace the cheesiness - share cotton candy, let him try to win you a prize, and ride the Ferris wheel until you get nauseous. It's a great way to get to know each other if you've just started dating and will serve as a reminder of how much fun you can have together if you've been dating for awhile.

Keep up on the specials. For a break on your dinner bill, check out sites like Restaurant.com for the restaurant deals in your area. And check out the websites of your favorite bars - they might have drink specials on certain nights, like a free pizza with every drink.

Ask him about his fantasy cars and he'll probably talk your ear off. Head over to a local car dealership and test-drive the most expensive car they'll let you take out of the parking lot. Take turns at the wheel but resist the urge to nitpick each other's driving skills.

Indulge your sweet tooth with your sweetie - visit a chocolate or cookie factory. Do a quick Google search to see if there are any in your area and give one a call to see if it does tours. If it only does group tours, make it a group date and invite a few other couples.

Get spooked at a haunted house. Check out Hauntedhouse.com for listings in your state. Start off the night by watching a scary movie before you go, and then try not to laugh when he launches a foot into the air at every corner.

Get out those matching aprons and fire up the skillet for a night of cooking - for both of you. Learn how to cook each other's favorite meal and then do it together. Whether you end up with a delicious steak and tuna casserole for two or speed-dialing for Chinese takeout, you're guaranteed to enjoy the process.

Forget eating dinner parked in front of a Mad Men marathon until you and your boyfriend are tired of looking at each other. Invite another couple over that you don't know well for a potluck dinner. Ask them to bring the appetizer and dessert, and work on the main course with your guy. At least one of the dishes should come out edible, and you can bond with your new friends over your shared culinary failure.

Tap into your animal instincts by visiting a petting zoo. Bring some bread to feed the animals and spend a few hours debating him on why getting a pet monkey is a bad idea. When you get home, jump in the shower with him to scrub off the zoo smell.

Play 20 Questions. Whether you've been together for three weeks or three years, there are probably things you don't know about each other. Each of you should write down 20 questions about the other - make sure they're open-ended so you don't get boring one-word answers - and fire away. Take turns answering the questions and get to know each other a little better than you already do.

Take a pottery class together and decorate your apartment in misshapen vases and funky-looking coffee mugs. Resist the urge to make your guy recreate the scene from Ghost every time you walk into class.

Have pretentious conversations about art at a local show. You'll find them going on all year at community centers, schools, and libraries - you might even find a great piece of art to add to your home.

Take a hike. Spend the day hiking and taking pictures together. When you're ready to recover, add some extra romance to the evening - lie across the hood of the car and look at the stars.

If you're tired of a quiet dinner at home disintegrating into chips and dip on the couch with no conversation between the two of you except for requests to change the channel, grab a blanket and some food and have an indoor picnic. The best part of staying inside? No ants in your food - plus, you're free to get busy right then and there.

Take a class together. Sign up to learn something neither of you knows how to do. Community schools generally offer a lot of options for classes you can take in eight-week sessions, from cooking to karate.

Put on your walking shoes and head to the museum. Almost all museums have one day a week where you can get in for free or for a small suggested donation. Pick the exhibits you each want to see beforehand, and spend some time at each of them together.

Celebrate something special with a trip to a bed and breakfast. A one-night stay in the colder months won't break the bank, so you can put that extra cash toward a room with a hot tub or breakfast in bed. If you're in for a long car ride, grab a book on tape from the local library.

Look into the future: Go together for a psychic reading. Practice your poker faces and spend the rest of the night talking about how funny - or eerily accurate - the reading was.

Score major points and head to a baseball game with your guy. Tickets can be as cheap as $5 a person, but bring extra cash for some beer, hot dogs, and a giant foam finger.

Check the theater offerings at local colleges and high schools. Schools usually have a spring and a fall show, and it's a great way to see a version of your favorite plays and musicals for a fraction of the cost.

One man's junk is another couple's treasure. Grab your guy and see what you can dig up at local garage sales. Up your chances of scoring something great by going to the ritziest neighborhood in your area.

Rent bikes - a tandem one, if you're adventurous - and go for a long ride through the park. Pack a few sandwiches and plenty of water for a picnic, or just grab hot dogs from a stand when you're ready for a break.

See the stars without braving the cold by getting tickets to the planetarium. Sneak in a thin blanket and cozy up. For extra privacy, go during off-peak times - call ahead to see when those are.

Bummed that you can't afford a weeklong vacation with your man? Put things in perspective and volunteer together for a cause you both care about. TiVo Gossip Girl and sign up to work at a soup kitchen once a week, or cuddle up with lovable cats and dogs at your local animal shelter.

Want some quiet time? Exercise your creative talents by drawing each other. All you need are two pieces of paper, some art supplies, and a bottle of wine for a quiet, romantic night in. Go as artistic or as fun as you wish.

Get physical. Get free day passes to a gym whose membership you could never afford and have him spot you. Challenge him to a fitness competition, bribe him into taking a spin class with you, and take advantage of the gym's sauna or pool, if it has one.

You can knit holiday sweaters like nobody's business. Your man is a Guitar Hero rock star. It's great to have separate hobbies, but it's also fun to share. Pick a weekend to teach each other your hobbies, and serenade him with a guitar solo while he knits you a pair of mittens.

While you're waiting for your Netflix delivery, stop at your local library and rent a few old movies. Toss a coin to see whose pick you'll watch first, and promise not to interrupt with bored sighs, eye-rolling, or snoring sound effects during each other's choices.

Travel back in time and reminisce. If you or your guy still live close to where you grew up, give each other a tour of your childhoods. Grab a camera and take pictures of your all-grown-up selves as you visit each landmark.

Can't get away for a vacation? Sightsee in your own city. If you've lived in your area for a long time, chances are you never got around to seeing a lot of the tourist attractions. So grab your guy and pretend to be tourists for a weekend. Stop at a used bookstore or look online for travel guides for your city, put together an itinerary, and don't forget to take pictures!

Grab a cup of coffee and check out a local coffee shop's open mic night. You might luck out with a great show, or you may find a mixed bag of angsty guitar solos and bad poetry - either way, you'll have something to talk (or laugh) about on the way home.

You probably live within driving distance of a college or university. Log on to the school's website and check out the scheduled events - often, schools will open large events, like lectures and panels, to the public. Check back often - your guy's favorite movie director might be appearing at a screening at the school's drama department, or you might find a panel of your favorite authors speaking to the English majors.

Share a few laughs at a comedy club amateur night. Admission usually costs two drinks per person, and you're in for a hilarious night - whether you're laughing with the comedian or at him.
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Rainbows

FashionSheSays — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 16:50:38 -0800

Junk Food Rainbow Brite t-shirt. Betsey Johnson dress worn as skirt. Studded belt. Chanel snowflake earrings. Vintage costume engraved, twisted, woven & flower bangles. Emillio Cavallini tights. Marc Jacobs ‘Mina’ bag. Lanvin shoes.
Today’s outfit is inspired by the Valentine’s of my girlhood… I wore a faded Rainbow Brite t-shirt (the 80’s cartoon supergirl committed to coloring the world) over a gothic tulle dress, whose every rustle whispers of past bas-mitzvahs/sweet 16’s/cotillions. A pair of bow tie shoes + a stack of bangles = ballerina cha-cha-cha… Fashionshesays.com.

Jasmine’s Global Love Letter

MireMolnar — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 21:38:56 -0800

Valentine’s Day is one of those holidays that has a strange and murky history. Nobody knows for sure how it began, but the two most common tales are rather interesting. Some believe it is based on the life of Saint Valentine who in third century Rome was ordered to be put be put to death by Emperor Claudius II for secretly performing marriages for young lovers after Claudius had outlawed marriage for young men – his crop of potential soldiers.
It has also been said that Valentine was put to death for attempting to help Christians escape harsh Roman prisons. Either way you look at, this Saint Valentine was a truly noble man with love for his fellow human.
Others believe that Valentine’s Day is a Christian take on the Pagan holiday Lupercalia. Lupercalia, which commenced on February 15, was a fertility festival dedicated to Faunus the Roman god of agriculture, as well as to the Roman founders Romulus & Remus.
Whatever the factual history may be, this special holiday has simply become a day to love and be loved.

Now I’ll be honest, for much of my life I have been known as a scrooge over this holiday. I didn’t exactly possess that classic beauty that boys were looking for in a mate, so needless to say I was quite the wallflower when it came to meeting that special someone. However, as I’ve aged I have discovered that there are many different kinds of love in the world. Like the love we have for our children, our pets, our families, our neighbors, our colleagues & so on. That is how I learned that Valentine’s Day does not have to be a dreadful day of loneliness. To me it has become a day to share my heart with each and every person who inspires me. And it doesn’t stop there; Valentines can be shared with more than just loved ones. We have quite powerful hearts and we can extend our love to the earth, to animals, and people all over the globe. So this year I challenge you to change your mindset about this holiday and join me as a thoughtful consumer by transforming your online gift shopping into a global love letter.
There are so many fun and unique online retailers that you can reach through www.nonprofitshoppingmall.com that can help you find the perfect gift for loved ones young and old while helping you support the non-profit organization’s that are dear to your heart.
I’ve put together a collection of some of the coolest online stores to find really standout gifts….

Rather than red roses, try a more exotic flower like the orchid. It’s such an elegant flower and with potted plants you will be giving a gift that will last much longer than fresh cut flowers.

It’s no secret that women adore diamonds but another thing they really love is jewelry that reflects their love of art and beauty. These few pieces from artfulhome.com are like nothing I’ve ever seen before. They have fresh concepts with striking craftsmanship.

Both www.chefscatalog.com and www.deandeluca.com provide irresistibly fine foods and kitchen goods that are sure to deliver a promising evening of indulgent romance. Few things are more enjoyable than spending the evening cooking an unforgettable meal with the love of your life. The time you spend working together in the kitchen, while sharing hopes and dreams together creates priceless memories. Here are some delicious gifts that will sweep your sweetheart of his/her feet….
The items below from www.chefscatalog.com are definitely not your common Valentines gift’s, but who says you can’t give a fabulous pannini grill or wine saver to the person you love? Gifts like this have a creative edge and they are fun for both of you.

At www.deandeluca.com you will find a wide variety of mouthwatering specialty foods. They say the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, but guess what fellas – the same goes for women. Most women wouldn’t admit it but trust me – if you lay out a fancy spread of gourmet cheeses, succulent meats, and that perfect bottle of wine….she’ll be eating out of your hand quite literally.

To finish off your romantic meal it helps to surprise her with a treat. But why settle for basic chocolates like every other Joe Schmoe out there when you can send her over the top with these mini cupcake chocolates. Each one is filled with a sophisticated ganache in three different flavors – champagne, strawberry, and passion fruit.

The gift giving doesn’t stop there. What about the kids, and the family pet? I happen to be quite the expert in gift giving with children and teens so here are a few ideas to help you earn the mom or dad of the year award….

At www.faoschwartz.com you will find one of the coolest toys I have ever seen, it’s called the “Muppet WhatNot”. Much like the concept of Build-A-Bear, the Muppet WhatNot is a fully customizable Muppet doll. The little ones will go crazy over this!! Here’s an example of two possible dolls your child can create….

And for the teens in your life? Girls are simple, all it takes is a fabulous new pair of shoes or some real quality make-up but you might want to go for a gift card on this one. It’s better to let the young ladies choose those items on their own, and it gives them an opportunity to do some shopping which secretly ends up being a second gift. Here are two great retailers to shop from….

Teen boys can actually be a tad bit trickier to shop for. However, there is one thing that every boy has in common – they all want to be rock stars!! Guitar Center can help them get started….
The 1974 Fender Stratocaster: quite possibly the most popular electric guitar ever.

There is also the Ludwig Junior drum set, perfect for blossoming percussionists – if you can handle the noise.

Finally, if you have a pet don’t forget to show it some extra love. They are always there for us when we get home from a hard days work and they love us unconditionally. Shouldn’t we show them the same devotion? There is a huge selection of goodies available for pets these days, but the leopard print chaise pictured below is my absolute favorite item, currently sold at Petco. It’s pure luxury for our furry friends.

I wish all of you the most beautiful Valentines Day in 2010. May your hearts be filled with endless love. Remember, this is a day for everyone….even the lonely. You can make an enormous difference in somebody’s life by simply showing them that you think of them….no matter how big or small your gifts may be.
As my Valentine gift to you I’d like to share with you my secret weapon for bringing joy to every person I see and meet. It starts with a motto – “Smile on, pass it on”. It’s very simple, just smile at every person you see and chances are they will feel special inside. They will take that joy you gave them and pass it on with a smile to the next person they see….and so on….and so on. These days a smile can go a VERY long way.

Good News: We're Not Getting Any Fatter

FitSugar — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 03:47:00 -0800

Obesity seems to have reached a state of crisis in the United States: it's more harmful than smoking, junk food is as addictive as heroin, and the latest wave of reality shows are all about helping people lose weight to save their lives. Here's the good news - according to new data from the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (CDCP), obesity rates in America are not getting worse. But the bad news is that the rates have remained alarmingly high for the last decade.

To determine this obesity trend, in 2008 researchers collected the body mass index (BMI) of almost 6,000 adult men and women living in the United States. These numbers were then compared to prior data collected by the CDCP. According to the data, the percentage of obese adults in this country has been constant in the last decade at about 34 percent. In addition, 68 percent of adult Americans are considered overweight. (An adult who has a BMI between 25 and 29.9 is considered overweight. An adult who has a BMI of 30 or higher is considered obese.) Keep in mind that BMI is not the be-all and end-all of measuring a person's true health, and many argue it's a much too simplistic approach.

To hear what researchers think this data means, read more.

When looking at the data, it's hard to know what these numbers truly mean. Researchers aren't sure if the stabilizing trend reflects a positive change in eating and exercise habits, or if the American population is literally unable to become any more overweight as a group:

Dr. Ludwig (director of the Optimal Weight for Life Program at Children’s Hospital Boston) said the plateau might just suggest that “we’ve reached a biological limit” to how obese people could get. When people eat more, he said, at first they gain weight; then a growing share of the calories go “into maintaining and moving around that excess tissue,” he continued, so that “a population doesn’t keep getting heavier and heavier indefinitely.”

Stable numbers or not, it's alarming to know that one-third of the American population may be obese - especially when you consider that the rate of obesity among this country's adults was only 17 percent 30 years ago. Being obese is not just a matter of shedding a few pounds to fit into a pair of jeans; it can be a matter of life and death. For those of you who are struggling with weight but have resolved to take control this year, know that we're all behind you. If you need any extra support or motivation to stay on track, join our Get Fit For 2010 community group - we're all rooting for you!

The goal? Love my body for the first time in my life.

fordhamgirl — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 18:18:01 -0800

The goal I am most looking forward to achieving in 2010 is to fall in love with my body for the first time. I know that it is capable of extraordinary things, and this is the year I tap into that potential. To be honest, I am terrified. I do not know what it feels like to be at a healthy weight. Ever since I was a little girl, people have been telling me that I need to lose anywhere between twenty to fifty pounds. I knew that overeating and spending every free moment in front of the TV was unhealthy, but that did not stop me from self-destructing. I felt more comfortable doing that than going out into the real world, where classmates would call me hurtful nicknames and a pair of jeans never fit. In high school, I lost thirty pounds the way no one should... through diet pills and starving myself. Sure enough, as soon as I started eating three meals a day again, I gained more than half of it back. As a full-time college student also supporting her out-of-work mother, I cannot afford to shun food. However, I can certainly benefit from changing my relationship with food. 2010 is going to be the year I quit crying into a bowl of ice cream and take ownership of my health. I will be a total babe, just you wait and see.

Fun Facts

Cherlene — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 05:51:14 -0800

Lady Gaga Draws Young Hollywood to New Year's Gig

kty — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 12:17:46 -0800

By David Caplan
At Lady Gaga's New Year's Eve poolside performance at Miami Beach's Fontainebleau Hotel, the outlandish performer wasn't the only star on display: A gathering of single, Young Hollywood types were in attendance – with some as mesmerized with each other as they were with the singer. According to an eyewitness, bachelorette Hayden Panettiere, 20, "was dancing, front and center" with bachelor Kevin Connolly, 35. The two were "chatting in the VIP lounge at the pool during the concert, and at the after-party at LIV [nightclub at the Fontainebleau], they were sitting together. They were chatting all night, and they were very close to each other all evening." The pair even shared a classic date food: Domino's New Pizza slices together poolside, says the eyewitness. Lady Gaga performed four songs, including "Bad Romance" from her current album, Fame Monster. Others in the audience included Chace Crawford ("He was singing to Gaga's songs," says a source), blogger Perez Hilton (sporting a head-to-toe floral ensemble), former Desperate Housewives actor Shawn Pyfrom, The Hills' Frankie Delgado, former boybander J.C. Chasez and actress Stacy Keibler.

The After-Party

After her set, Gaga "and over 20 of her dancers and production crew ate Domino's New Pizza. She spent over three hours backstage after the concert with her dancers. She thanked everyone individually for everything they had done in 2009," a source tells PEOPLE The performer then headed to her 3,000-sq.-ft. penthouse, where a partygoer says, "The after-party raged on until the wee hours of the morning." As for the setting, the $35-million penthouse rents for $15,000 a night. "Lady Gaga has four bedrooms, a kitchen, whirlpool and amazing balcony overlooking the ocean," a source tells PEOPLE. At the after-party at LIV nightclub, in addition to Panettiere and Connolly, celebrating stars also included rappers Chris Brown, Bow Wow and Akon, who showed up via Diddy's private dinner party on the tony residential community of Star Island. A source says, "Chris was in great spirits, but once he was inside, he stuck to drinking bottled water. He pretty much kept to himself, hanging out with Akon."

Nice Christmas decorations but a little pricey

Monique Marie — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 06:53:41 -0800

If money is no object, here are some cool decorations but a little pricey. I prefer to either make my own decorations like the Penguin ornament that I put up or make something out of food so I can eat it later, LOL.

1. Cheers Stocking

Price: $24.95 at Crate & BarrelI love the bright, cheerful colors! Plus, this stocking looks big enough to hold all kinds of goodies! The Cheers collection has other co-ordinating pieces, too, like a tree skirt, toss pillow, and adorable ornaments.

2. Pickle Ornament

Price: $5.95 at Crate & BarrelIn keeping with the old German tradition, the first child to find the pickle ornament on the tree on Christmas morning earned a special extra gift. Start or continue this tradition with your own family with this sweet little green glass gherkin, imported from Germany (where else?).

3. Over-sized Twig Reindeer

Price: $99 at Pottery BarnAvailable in bronze or silver finish, these leggy, twiggy reindeer add a simple touch to your holiday décor. Add a pair to your hearth or foyer for subtle holiday joy!

4. Advent Calendar

Price: $149 at Pottery BarnAdd a touch of shabby, country-cottage charm while counting down the days to Christmas! I love the little doors, perfect for hiding a special holiday treat each day. The base is open, great for storing holiday cards, pens, and candy canes.

5. Vintage Hand-blown Glass Ornaments

Price: $16.49 – 21.99 at Restoration HardwareTwo sizes, two rich shades, four unique shapes, all kinds of elegance. I love the rich ruby red and golden topaz hues, ideal for display in a shallow dish or for hanging on the tree, balustrade, or mantle.

6. Eucalyptus Pepperberry Garland

Price: $39.49 at Restoration HardwareFaux pepperberries and silvery eucalyptus attached to flexible, long-lasting twigs for your mantle, balustrade, tree, table, or anywhere else you want a touch of the outdoors in the warmth of your home. Pair with ivory candles or your most elegant ornaments for a sumptuous, original decoration.

7. Magnolia Pomegranate Wreath

Price: $34.49 – 64.49 at Restoration HardwareAvailable in three convenient sizes for every decorating purpose, this wreath can hang on a door, in an entryway, above the fireplace, or sit on a table.

8. Nambe Christmas Sleight with Reindeer

Price: $225 at Macy’sSimple, elegant lines abound with these two grazing silver-alloy reindeer and their acacia-wood sleigh. Spare in detail but charming and sweet. A perfect centerpiece or a magnificent hostess gift!

9. Christmas on the Cape Wreath

Price: $53.99 at TargetDo you winter in Maine, or only wish you could? This pretty wreath features ocean creatures, like seashells and starfish, mingling with evergreen and other traditional Christmas greenery.

10. Sequin Wreath

Price: $35 at Pier OneGlitter and glamour! Sequins in every jewel hue, shining on and on all holiday long! Greet guests with the ultimate wreath to inspire giddy good cheer!

11. Pomegranate Feather Swag

Price: $46.99 at Pottery BarnHang it in the fall and keep it up all winter long. I love this swag, featuring real feather and pinecones, accented with faux pomegranates, leaves, and berries.
See? A little something for every décor.

How did the bald eagle get delisted as an endangered species?

Monique Marie — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 12:03:02 -0800

Benjamin Franklin famously got his feathers ruffled when the Second Continental Congress selected the bald eagle to symbolize the fledgling United States. In a letter to his daughter, Franklin charged that the eagle has a "bad moral character" because it lazily steals food from hawks and is easily frightened when approached by smaller birds [source: Franklin Institute]. Instead, Franklin wanted to substitute the turkey, despite it being "a little vain and silly." At least, he reasoned, the gobbler displayed courage by procuring its own dinner.

Franklin was correct regarding the bald eagles' cafeteria-bullying habits. The birds usually nest near freshwater sources, such as rivers and lakes. While they'll go fishing on their own some of the time, a majority of their diet comes from foraging carrion and snatching meat away from other animals [source: National Geographic]. Eagles prefer fish, but will also eat waterfowl and small mammals on occasion.

Eagle Facts

Live 15 to 25 years in the wild
Weigh an average of 14 pounds (6.3 kilograms), though females are larger than males
Feature a wingspan between 5.5 and 8 feet (1.6 and 2.4 meters)
Generally mate for life
Build nests weighing up to 1,000 pounds (453 kilograms)
Lay one to three eggs each year

In 1782, when the eagle ascended to its position as the national symbol, around 100,000 nesting pairs lived throughout the United States in habitats ranging from Alaska to northern Mexico. By 1963, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service estimated that only 417 nesting pairs remained in the lower 48 states. The government's efforts to protect the dwindling avian species began in 1940 with the passage of the Bald Eagle Protection Act, which made it a crime to take or sell the eagles. But it would take 40 years of concerted bald eagle conservation efforts to usher the species back from the brink of extinction.
As people settled throughout the Western half of the United States, some bald eagle habitats were destroyed in the process. Eagles prefer not to live near humans, instead selecting tall, mature trees near water for nesting. Because the bird of prey's diet may include livestock such as chicken and lamb, some farmers and ranchers hunted bald eagles to protect their farms [source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service].

Karen Su/Getty ImagesBald eagles in Alaska were never endangered like the ones in the lower 48.

The bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) population received the biggest blow from the environmental prevalence of a chemical pesticide called Dichloro-diphenyl-trichlorethane (DDT), which seeped into freshwater supplies. This meant that fish swimming in the polluted waters would absorb the chemical. From there, eagles would ingest the fish and effectively consume the poison. Once in their bloodstreams, DDT caused females to produce eggs with shells too thin to protect the embryo. Since the hatchlings couldn't survive, the number of bald eagles shriveled accordingly. Rachel Carson's 1962 book "Silent Spring" about DDT's harmful environmental effects helped bring about the ban on the pesticide's use in 1972.

Bald Eagle Recovery Timeline

1940: Congress passes the Bald Eagle Protection Act.
1962: Congress later amends the act to include the golden eagle, renaming it the Bald Eagle and Golden Eagle Protection Act.
1963: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service estimates 417 bald eagle nesting pairs are left in the lower 48 states.
1967: The government declares bald eagles south of the 40th parallel endangered.
1972: The United States bans the pesticide DDT.
1995: Bald eagles in the lower 48 states are moved from endangered status to threatened status.
2007: The government formally removes bald eagles from the endangered species list. However, conservationists later classify the Sonoran Desert bald eagle as threatened in 2008.

In 1967, bald eagles were added to the endangered species list. That designation offered the eagles more habitat protection from development and made it illegal for anyone to kill them. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service headed the repopulation efforts through programs like breeding a colony in captivity at the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center in Maryland [source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service]. By monitoring the growth of that group of bald eagles and eventually releasing them into the wild, the species began to rebound. The agency divided the country into five regions to manage the revitalization [source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service]. Then, in 1995, the government transferred bald eagles in the lower 48 states from endangered to threatened classification. Threatened status means that a species is no longer in immediate danger of extinction but still needs protection.

Although they were designated as threatened, strict rules regarding the eagles' habitats persisted. For instance, the general rule for building around an eagle nesting site is that it can't come within a 330-foot (100-meter) radius [source: Slevin]. That restriction hampered Minnesota resident Edmund Contoski's plans to develop his lakefront property. Frustrated, he filed a federal lawsuit in 2005 challenging the restriction [source: Slevin]. Contoski won his case on the basis that the eagle's population had reached a level where it no longer should be considered threatened, paving the way for the eagle's removal from the endangered species list.

On June 28, 2007, the Interior Department officially declared the bald eagle to be fully recovered and delisted. At that time, an estimated 9,789 breeding pairs lived in the continental United States, representing one of the most dramatic population improvements for an endangered or threatened species [source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service]. Major conservationist groups including the National Resources Defense Council and the National Wildlife Federation approved of the motion as a celebration of the conservation efforts. There have been a few setbacks for this bird of prey recently, as Arizona's U.S. District Court reversed the delisting for bald eagles in that region, reclassifying the Sonoran Desert bald eagle as a threatened species [source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service]. However, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service maintains protectionist policies to help ensure that the remaining bald eagle population doesn't plummet.