CasaSugar

This Just In: Home Magazine Folds

CasaSugar — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 05:30:00 -0700

Hachette Filipacchi Media U.S. has announced that it will pull the plug on its struggling shelter magazine, Home, due to "sharp declines in the 'mid-market home sector'," according to the Wall Street Journal. Home will join the ranks of fellow folded shelter titles, Conde Nast's House & Garden and Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia's Blueprint. In a company press release, Jack Kliger, President and CEO of HFM U.S, said, "The current economic environment is difficult, and the mid-market home sector has been particularly hard hit. When the middle market recovers, we will consider future publication of Home using the special interest publication newsstand model." Another one bites the dust. In this uncertain real estate market, this comes as no surprise. But, considering that House Beautiful had a 19 percent increase in ad pages in its second quarter, and Domino increased circulation by 82 percent to 1.1 million in the first half, it seems that only the fittest survive.
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French School Children Dine on Five Course Lunches

babysugar — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 09:00:07 -0700

In France, public school students sit down to a five course lunch every day, and no meal is repeated for two months. Your child's prepacked lunch of favorites probably pales in comparison. A Time magazine article, marveled at the French public school system's lunch program since US moms try a variety of tricks to entice their tots to eat something other than the standard peanut butter and jelly sandwich, chips and a piece of fruit. While our first lady begins an initiative to increase vegetable consumption among lil tykes, our French counterparts can sit back and peruse a monthly menu that includes an hors d’oeuvre, salad, main course, cheese plate and dessert as well as dinner suggestions for home.

Some may argue that the time to consume such a meal would be better placed in the classroom, but given the staggering US childhood obesity epidemic, and the known benefits of the French diet, perhaps spending more time learning about food would benefit our children. What do you think?

Link Time!

CasaSugar — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 12:00:00 -0700

Welcome a new shelter magazine, Flea Market Style! - Charles & Hudson
Make a Spring patchwork quilt. - Craftzine
Take a few designer tips for a perfect bath makeover. - ShelterPop
Learn two ways to clear clogged drains. - DIY Life
How wonderful is this chess set with mini furniture pieces? - AT:SF
Here are five things buyers want in new homes now. - Hooked on Houses

Home Library: Sunset Western Garden Book of Edibles

CasaSugar — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 11:00:44 -0800

Sunset magazine has been publishing books since the 1930s, with titles ranging from home wiring to deck building, although the most consistently popular title since that time has been Sunset's Western Garden book. Now, an updated and expanded version of Sunset Western Garden Book of Edibles ($25) is available for those of us who are cultivating a green thumb and a beautiful backyard garden.

The new copy improves on the old favorite in many ways, including gorgeous full-color photos for every entry, from vegetables and herbs to nuts, tropicals, and fruits. All entries have been updated and now include such exotic edibles as jicama and breadfruit.

Over the course of 300 pages, you'll also discover new, eco ways to protect your garden from common pests and also find inspiration for designing the look of your garden. You'll also learn how to accomplish such practical tasks as building raised bed gardens, composting kitchen and garden scraps, and planting in containers.

So, if you're looking for practical advice on how to grow everything from strawberries to romanesco in your own backyard and you live in any region of the West, I highly recommend picking up a new copy of this must-have garden book. Whether you're a new gardener or an old pro, you'll find inspiration and new ideas in this updated edible gardening book.

What Is Your Favorite Home Magazine?

CasaSugar — Wed, 25 Jul 2007 04:20:13 -0700

Let's Get Lost: "Dr. Linus" Recap

BuzzSugar — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 05:30:33 -0800

Another goosebumpy episode of Lost! "Dr. Linus" is all about Ben and the complicated path he's led on and off the island. There's also a focus on the life and death of several characters, leadership, solved mysteries, plus a bunch of fun Easter eggs.

Naturally, there's no way I can speak freely without revealing spoilers, so to get chatting, just read more.

We get to see the sideways reality life of Ben Linus, who's the history teacher at the same high school where Locke is a sub, last seen in the episode "The Substitute." Spurred on by the injustice of budget cuts and having to supervise detention, Ben laments his situation until Locke encourages him to go for the principal job. You can see the same flicker of ruthless ambition in his eyes we see on the island when Locke mentions leadership.
At his home in LA, Ben is a very decent human being who's taking care of his sickly father. It's in stark contrast that he cares for Roger so tenderly, when on the island, he wanted to kill him (even more ironic is that instead of gassing his own dad to death, he changes out his oxygen tanks). Their relationship is also different in that Roger seems to never have blamed the death of Ben's mother on Ben; instead, he wishes Ben had a better life. He also mentions that they left the Dharma Initiative (but why?) and is the first person of two to wonder how different their life would be (the other is Lapidus).
Back on the island, Ben reunites with the group of Ilana, Miles, Sun, and Lapidus after fleeing Sayid and the temple. It's the wrong move, as Ilana makes Miles use his "power" to find out how Jacob died. Immediately, Miles sees that it was Ben who killed Jacob, declaring it aloud and putting Ben at the top of Ilana's you-know-what list. She is pissed, and decides that an apt punishment is for Ben to dig his own grave. You know, Ben did some crappy stuff in his life, but . . . wow. We learn more about Ilana besides the fact that she thought of Jacob as a father figure: she reveals that her job is to protect the candidates, letting Sun know she may be one - unless it's that other Kwon, Jin.
Someone else familiar plays an important part in Ben's sideways life: Alex! As the only nerd who cares about history club (I kid), the happy, healthy teen still shares a bond with Ben as his prize pupil. Butterflies: she was never separated from her mother, Rousseau, residing with the hardworking single mom. As Alex worries about getting into her dream college, she gives Ben the weapon he needs to get the principal job: gossip. Remember that decency in Ben I mentioned before? It goes into hiding as he figures out a way to get the top job - just blackmail Principal Reynolds into leaving.
Jack and Hurley, in the meantime, are meandering back to the temple. Richard runs into them and tricks them into following him to the Black Rock. His ulterior motive? He wants to die. Not only does he want death by dynamite, but he also wants some help: he can't kill himself, he says, because Jacob touched him. Look at that, a mystery solved! That's why Jack failed in all his suicide attempts back in season three. So besides Jack and Richard, Kate, Sawyer, Sayid, Hurley, Jin, Sun, and Locke had all been touched and would also be/have been similarly unable to kill themselves. With this info, Jack gets all crazy-eyed and lights Richard's dynamite, thinking they'll survive it - and they do. It's a rare show of faith for the doctor - pretty significant for the famed man of science.
In LA, Ben tries to blackmail Principal Reynolds into quitting, but he immediately pulls out his trump card: Alex (though I'm kind of unsure how the principal knew they were that close). If he steps down, he's also sabotaging Alex's chances at Yale. Cut to Ben back on the island, and Bad Locke shows up, freeing Ben from grave-digging duty. He makes a run for it, and once Ilana catches up, he takes his chance to explain himself (explain himself? Ben has totally gone soft. The old Ben just would have shot her and run). Anyway, he has a heart-to-heart with Ilana, rifles poised, and emotionally confesses his regret for choosing the island over Alex. Cut back to LA: he chooses Alex. Giving up the chance to lead means a lot about Ben's core character; the man in the sideways world is a good person. Maybe the man on the island isn't too far off either; after his speech, Ilana lets him come back to the beach, no death required.
Reunited and it feels so good! Richard, Jack, and Hurley make it to the beach and find some old friends. I melted when Sun and Hurley get all huggy and everyone slow-mos into brief happiness. I kind of love these twisted happy endings Lost gives us sometimes. The twist here is that someone is lurking underwater, having spied them: Widmore, inside a submarine.
Other fun stuff:
Ben is teaching his students about Napoleon, the petite world leader who lost his power, the most important thing to him. It's obviously a comparison to Ben, who seeks power so tenaciously. Not to mention that the first Napoleon reference is Elba, another island.
When Ben is tutoring Alex, the ship in the image for the East India Trading Company looks a lot like the Black Rock.
The books and magazines Ben finds in a tent on the beach are Sawyer's dirty magazines and The Chosen, about two boys from different worlds, and a book called Benjamin Disraeli: Justice Is Truth in Action.
Oh, and I also guffawed when Miles mentions the most forgettable characters in Lost history, Nikki and Paolo. After "listening" to them, he nabs their buried diamonds, apparently.

What did you think of this week's episode? Do you think Ben deserved to be killed, or do you think he somehow redeemed himself?

Diane Kruger Talks Marriage, Growing Up, and Dawson's Creek

PopSugarUK — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 08:31:42 -0800

Diane Kruger is looking stunning as always on the front cover of the new issue of Marie Claire, starring in a gorgeous photo shoot inside the magazine. She also opens up about her childhood, the effect her family had on her, her man Joshua Jackson and why she doesn't think she'll get married again. Take a peek behind the scenes of her cover shoot and check out some excerpts from her fascinating interview:

On Dawson’s Creek: "I have never seen one episode of Dawson’s Creek. I must be the only person on this planet. I went to a Women in Hollywood event two months ago and Katie Holmes was being honoured. And all of her clips of Dawson’s Creek were with Josh and it was so weird. He was all pimply and had a bloated face [laughs]. I had to call him and he was like, ‘Don’t watch it! Don’t watch it!’ Very funny."
On how Inglourious Basterds has changed people’s perceptions of her: "I’m European, I’m small, dainty, but I don’t perceive myself as that at all. I actually consider myself more of a tomboy. But I’ve not been allowed to play those parts in America and I think it just changed the way people and film-makers think of me."
On her upbringing: "My home was a little difficult. My father was ill. He was... is an alcoholic, so he wasn’t really around. My mom, Maria-Theresa, worked in a bank, so I grew up mostly with my grandparents. We always had jobs. Between the ages of eight and 12, I was a professional griever. I’m not joking! I went to Catholic school and they would have young girls with a candle stand in front of the coffins. It was the worst job anyone could think of. You would stand there, with people crying and weeping, and walk in front of the coffin. Once they were buried, the priest would come up to you and hand you five Deutschmarks."

To read Diane's opinions about marriage, and the effects of her upbringing, just read more.

On if her upbringing affected her career choice: "I don’t know. I think everybody has childhood problems, issues, whatever. I was an angry child when I was a teenager. I just really hated school, and the Catholic bit was part of that. Just the suppression of everything and being so proper. I began to resent it when I was around 11 or 12. I just didn’t see myself as academic. I wasn’t happy so I loved to be able to express my anxiety or passion or whatever you feel by dancing."
On her marriage to Guillaume Canet: "[I was] 23 or 24. Very young. That’s what it was. That lasted five years. Oh, yeah, it was a big love."
On the possibility of future marriage: "No, I don’t think so. Because I’ve realised commitment is important and no matter what paper you’re going to sign, if that commitment ceases to be there you’ll get out of the marriage anyway. You know, I might get married at 50 or 60, when it actually means something to say ‘for the rest of my life’."

You can read the full interview with Diane in April's issue of Marie Claire magazine, out now!

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Get the Bod: Jessica Biel's Abs

FitSugar — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 14:00:04 -0800

You love Jessica Biel; we know that. I mean, for three years running she's been voted the fittest female celebrity by you, our readers. It's easy to see why. Jessica always looks toned, slim, and strong. We already know how Jessica keeps her arms in shape, and now we know how she works those abs. Trainer Ramona Braganza shared with Us Magazine the details of how she kept Jessica in shape while filming the A-Team: "Jessica is in great shape. She maintains her body and doesn't necessarily have to train every day." Check out some of the exercises Braganza did with Jessica to work those abs. Added bonus: they're easy enough to do in your own home!

Source: Getty

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Metropolitan Home Folds

CasaSugar — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 11:56:46 -0800

Another one bites the dust. Hachette Filipacchi Media announced today that it will fold Metropolitan Home with its December issue. The company plans to focus its efforts on its other shelter glossy, Elle Decor. HFMUS President and CEO Alain Lemarchand said, "We believe the best strategy in the upscale shelter segment is to boldly focus our resources and investment on Elle Decor, which is the ad-page leader within the US market. Despite the downturn in ad pages that has affected all magazines, the Elle Decor brand has multiple opportunities for growth across all platforms.” Met's longtime Editor in Chief Donna Warner and her staff will leave the company.

This closure follows a long string of folds in the shelter world, including HFMUS's own Home, House & Garden, Blueprint, O at Home, Cottage Living, and, of course, Domino. So while it's not a shocker considering the economic climate, it is still sad news indeed. But at least this glossy went out with a bang, wowing us with the Metropolitan Home Showtime House and the exquisite Modern by Design Showhouse this year.

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Check It Out: Downloadable Yoga Videos

FitSugar — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 03:00:23 -0800

We can't always get to a yoga class because of our busy schedules, plus hitting up a studio every week can get pricey, so Yoga Journal has a new solution. The company known for its amazing magazine, calendar, and yoga conferences just launched the Yoga Journal Download Center. You can choose from hundreds of yoga videos, download them to your computer or MP3 player, and practice anywhere your yogic heart desires. These aren't dinky little five minute videos we're talking about. The site offers 20- to 60-minute videos designed by Yoga Journal, as well as mainstream yoga DVDs led by well-known yoga instructors.

Here's a list of a few I think you'd like:

These videos are reasonably priced at about $6 to $20 a download. You can bring your iPod to the gym or on a trip, or follow along on your computer at home. It's a simple way to ensure that yoga is a part of your life without breaking the bank.

To see a video clip of the Shiva Rea video mentioned above, read more.