How Can You Turn a Bottle of Lotion into a Dress? Easy – Recycle It!

Many people spend hours rinsing peanut butter jars and milk cartons before they place them in the recycling bin but did you know that you can just as easily rinse out your shampoo bottle and recycle it as well? And that empty roll of toilet paper? Yup, that can also go into the recycling bin, along with a plethora of other bathroom products that typically end up in the garbage can. According to a recent study conducted for the Ad Council, 52% of Americans don’t know which items can be recycled in the bathroom. And only 10% of Americans have a recycling bin in their bathroom, compared to the 45% who have them in the kitchen.

Red Lobster’s Endless Shrimp

I’m a pescatarian so my main source of protein is fish and seafood. I especially love shrimp; not only are they delicious and incredibly easy to make, but shrimp are also a good source of vitamin D and B12, as well as cancer-fighting Selenium. I recently visited my local Red Lobster restaurant to sample their Endless Shrimp promo, which is available until November 2nd, 2014. I had never been to Red Lobster before (mostly because I’m married to a vegetarian) but since my mom was in town we decided to check it out and see if their shrimp were worth a visit.

Restaurant Review: Spuntino Wine Bar & Italian Tapas on Long Island

I’m not a big fan of Italian food, that is, American Italian food. I’ve never actually tasted authentic  Italian food so when I recently had dinner at Spuntino Wine Bar & Italian Tapas, a new Italian restaurant in Garden City, Long Island, I was completely blown away. I’m happy to report that I am now a big fan of Italian food. At least if it’s authentic, like at Spuntino.

Rooibos Facial Exfoliant from HTY GOLD

Are you craving that dewy, glowy, bright skin? Having great skin in the summertime can be tricky with the muggy, hot weather but one thing you can do to help is to exfoliate it with a really good face wash. Getting rid of the dead cells will do wonders for your skin and give it a much-needed boost, even after a long day at the beach. HTY GOLD is a company dedicated to making products that are made of all-natural ingredients and I recently tried their new Rooibos Facial Exfoliant – made of the antioxidant rich Rooibos plant.

Just for Moms: Summer Clothes & Accessories from Coolibar

The temperatures are rising here in NYC and it’s starting to get really uncomfortable to be outside for too long. We’ve still got an entire summer ahead of us and even though I, for one, would rather stay indoors with the AC blasting, I’ve got kids to entertain and I want to make sure I minimize sun damage to my skin. Coolibar is a great company for garments that provide protection – no less than UPF 50+. This means you’ve got 98% coverage from the harmful rays of the sun and with such a large selection of items and styles, you’re bound to find something that fits your own style. Here are some of my favorite products for moms. Who says you can’t look good in the sweltering heat?!

Cook Academy & Camp Cook at the Essex Resort & Spa

I love cooking from scratch whenever possible but I’ve never tried making lasagna with home-made pasta, ricotta and mozzarella. At Camp Cook in Vermont kids as young as 10 years old make this dish — as well as many others from scratch and on a regular basis. I recently spent a few days at the Essex Resort and Spa in Vermont to learn about Camp Cook and even participated in a class at Cook Academy – a cooking class program for adults. Here’s a re-cap of my experience plus some recipes.

Weekend Getaway Idea: The Essex Resort & Spa in Vermont

My husband and I are big fans of road trips. The kids? Not so much. Last weekend my family and I took a five-and-a-half hour drive from NYC to the Essex Resort & Spa in Essex, Vermont with three small kids in tow. How did it go? Perfectly fine – the kids did great, probably due to the fact that we promised them a visit to the Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream Factory. As it happens, people will do a lot when it comes to great food and what place is better for foodies than Essex, near Burlington, Vermont –  a city known for its incredible restaurants?! With innovative chefs that use a considerable amount of locally-derived food for their dishes, Burlington has emerged as one of the top cities for foodies in the U.S. On our agenda was a two-night stay at the Essex Resort & Spa and I was planning on checking out Camp Cook, a kids’ cooking camp, as well as trying an adult cooking class. What we got was everything on our list and then some.