Up DOs

From InStyle.com

Try This

Beer Margarita

1 can of frozen limeade (found in freezer section of grocery store)

1 12oz Can of Lemon/Lime soda (I use Sprite)

bottle of tequila

1 12oz bottle of light mexican beer (I prefer Corona)

limes

course salt

pitcher

glasses

ice

1. fill a pitcher half way with ice, add limeade

2. fill limeade can with tequila (12 oz) pour into pitcher

3. Add bottle of beer. Combine those ingredients

4. Now add soda. stir

5. run a cut lime across the top of the glass and dip the rim of glass into course salt

6. Pour margarita into salt rimmed glasses and serve (if you feel it is a little strong you can always add more soda)

ENJOY!

Brought to you by: Couture Parties

Negev

Con't:

We arrived in the Negev desert in the middle of a sand storm. (Those are cacti - Israeli's are like cacti, rough on the outside and sweet on the inside.)

When I realized we were going to Merchav Am, I was pumped. I had been to this place back in December with my previous group. Out in the Negev, there is a group who moved from the cosmopolitan areas into the desert because they think (just as one of the original Zionist founders, David Ben-Gurion preached) that living in the Negev is the most crucial part of Israel surviving.

So this new community was just getting started in December and we go there and help them plant trees. As cool as it is to plant the trees and contribute to this settlement, the two guys in charge are really what make it worth every second. They are just so chill. Stop by and say hi to them if you ever find yourself in the desert.

A tree from December and the new planters.

We also stopped by the side of a winding road to check out, Makhtesh Ramon. It's a huge crater. The wind was so strong you could lean into it at like 45 degrees and not fall over. When we turned around to go back to the bus, we saw some cars on the cliff behind us.

Following our mitzvah of the day (that means good deed), we proceeded to my now least favorite night of the trip of sleeping in the Bedouin Tent. It's like Disneyworld in the desert, such a tourist attraction but that's not why I hate it. We all sleep in a tent together and usually people are loud and obnoxious and snore which does not help with the fact that you have to wake up at 4am to hike Masada AND it's crazy stuffy with sand and you sleep on dirty mats. But I digress, it's part of the trip.

Here's a pic of two ladies enjoying themselves on a rushed camel ride in the middle of that sandstorm I mentioned.

Jessica vs Leigh

Food For Thought

Now that there is all this low fat etc food on the market, do you think eventually, since it is better for our bodies and all, that the regular of foods will go away? I don't think they all will in time or anything but like, if low fat Poptarts taste the same as regular ones, and I only buy low fat, as do other people, and just say hypothetically everyone does the same, why keep the regular ones on the market at all?

Northern Israel

PART 1

The trip started in the North, with team building exercises before we even got to the hotel. It wasn't clear but I think it was in the forest where when we were young we donated trees to Israel. I wish I remembered the name of the company that worked with us on the coarse because before we left, they took a lot of my pictures for their website. Hm...

We rafted on the Jordan River. It was fairly easy except for the fact that my boat couldn't keep itself away from the sides, where we were constantly stuck and being poked with branches. That said, it was one of the highlights of my trip.
Before we even began our second major hike on Mount Arbel, my knee gave out causing my ankle to bend. The second photo is the wall we had to climb down after this fun little mishap.

To be continued...

Telly vs Michael and Johnny vs Chloe

Sex and the City 2 Premiere

Photo: Landov via Entertainment Weekly

SJP in Valentino. Kim Catrall in Naeem Khan. Kristen Davis in Jean Dresses. Cynthia Nixon in Carolina Herrera.

The ladies are getting claps and some gasps. I gotta say, I like. They could have done a lot worse then this! Maybe that's not a fair way to judge but with these ladies, it's tragically true.

What I think is even more important is this:

As a fashion designer Ms. Port, this is just unacceptable. Who is encouraging this?

But which is worse, that or this?

LOST Finale

RIP Lost. You've tortured me for 6 years and in true fashion, left me hanging, pissed off and questioning for life.

Some colleagues takes:

"I think I am pissed, but I need a couple days to let it settle."

"I called this ending years ago! "

"LOVED IT!"

"Still so many questions unanswered."

I agree with all of the above statements. There is a great article from Time that makes it make some sense. I miss a lot when watching and I have two major questions. 1. Why was Jack so willing to let Desmond down into the light and to work with "Locke"? Did I miss some conversation where he was like, "I'm going to kill you but first let's try your way?" 2. So does Ben stay true to his nature and pussy out? He wants to be part of a group and be special so badly but when he's invited to join them, he declines. Is it because he is truly not special or just being a weirdo or afraid of dying? But isnt he already dead if the flash sideways is purgatory? AH!

Also now I want a final final season of how everyone actually died. Another side observation I made was that a lot of viewers last night have never watched an episode before and these outsiders seemed to think it was quite an intriguing show. The funny thing is now they may go watch DVDs and that is how I originally got hooked. Wonder how it will effect those sales. My roommate never watched until I moved in and we both still have the same questions watching it so it really never made a difference when you jumped in because no one knew what was going on, which I found brilliant.

For those who have the time to read (I don't):

http://douthat.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/05/24/the-lost-finale/

http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/tv/2010/05/23/2010-05-23_lost_lovers_get_closure_during_finale_all_survivors_of_the_crash_end_up_dead.html

http://hollywoodinsider.ew.com/2010/05/24/lost-series-finale-carried-more-than-45-minutes-of-commercials/

http://www.google.com/search?source=ig&hl=en&rlz=&q=lost+finale+&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=

Sperry Top-Sider

Never been a fan of the boat shoe but I passed them in Nordstrom the other day and thought these Sperry ones were cute.

Awesome Tee Alert

How awesome is this shirt? Just google Hangover Carlos Tee if you really do want to buy it. I saw someone wearing it in Israel. So funny.

Israel Round 4

Flying over Tel Aviv

I just returned from my 4th trip to Israel. Each time, I have staffed a Birthright trip (except my first time when I was a participant). It was as usual, an incredible experience. Not so much life changing for me this time, but definitely for the people I was leading on this trip. That is one of the things I love most about doing what I do. Another reason I do it is because I know that I will never move to Israel but I feel like I need to contribute to the country in some way and me bringing these young adults over, having them make their connection to the country, and then they pass it on, and so on and so on, is my way of giving back. I met some unique people and did some amazing things that I plan on writing about soon, but for now here are some photos of the trip.

The Dead Sea

Birthright's Mega Event (5,000 of us)

My Group from Sachlav Kol Beseder at The Kotel

Eating Schnitzies (my favorite)

Loterie Farm, Top Recommendation In Saint Martin

As beautiful as the beaches were, surprisingly up in one of the mountains was my favorite place I went on Saint Martin. This place is called Loterie Farm. Surprisingly many of the locals and travellers have never even heard of it. I guess because it is all the way on top of a mountain and the ride up there is a bit rough but WELL WORTH IT. (Especially if you get picked up in a cab that has duel DVD screens playing a BeeGee's concert.)

This is an old plantation spot turned extreme forest adventure area with the most awesome tree cafe in the world. We opted to skip the rope ride but took a two hour hike followed by one of the best meals I have had in my entire life. Very pricey but again, well worth it. We split a conch tar tar style salad and red snapper, polenta and plantain baked in a banana leaf.

Saint Martin

Thrilled to be here!

Our hot tub time machine at the Wyndham Sapphire Beach.