Blogs

[#1]

Hey Q-ers:

Kinda sad morning…big quake-tsunami in Japan. Friend of a friend is on business there now, and QVC Japan is also there, so they’re currently off air and most of us are praying that loved ones are ok. Sobering. Pictures are so disturbing. Apparently the quake lasted three minutes. That is extraordinary. My dad lived through the 1985 quake in Mexico. He went down on business just before my mom and I joined him and moved there. He got trapped in a hotel elevator on the 16th floor. Took us three days to find out he was still alive. And his office wall had these arc-shaped scratches from where the pictures/paintings swung when the building shook.

Sorry to start the blog off on such a somber tone, but it was on my mind, with Jayne Brown and I in the host lounge. She was watching the news to hear any updates. At the risk of indelicately changing the subject here...how cute is Jayne’s longer hair with that darling headband?

So, how are all of you? Any shopping faves of late? I’ve noticed the packages coming to my house on a daily basis have trickled off, which is refreshing since it was becoming a daily chore to cut open brown boxes, peel off address labels, and shred so ID thieves don’t pillage my info, and then get said boxes downstairs for recycling day. I could build a life-size fort with all the boxes I typically have in the garage. And yet, ironically, the other day I needed to return something rather large and bulky, and wouldn’t you know I couldn’t find a box for that one odd-shaped thing I needed to ship. So I need to go buy one. There’s some sort of weird life irony in that…

So, I frequently scoop with you guys about the products that I love, own, or have recently ordered. Well, I wanted to share something that has really been a life-changer for me in terms of eating healthy and managing nutrition on the go. I occasionally work out (when not entirely fried, tired, or pathetically lazy) at a local gym, and they’ve begun selling their protein powder on QVC.com. I think it first appeared with Lisa Robertson in PM Style because she loves the stuff. It’s awesome and I drink a shake in the morning, a shake before bed, and a shake any time during the day I don’t have time for a meal. It’s liberating because it’s tasty-yummy-sweet-healthy on the go. It’s called Roberts One on One Powder (A312329). I just ordered Chris Freytag’s blender (K31424) because I think it’s so much easier to blend in a personal-size blender than a jumbo KitchenAid. And I bought an extra blender to keep at work in our kitchenette area so I can make shakes while I’m on the job. Because that’s my downfall — work. When I’m starved, don’t have money for the café, or am feeling weak…I go for the leftover cheese platter in Joan Rivers’ green room…or the Cheryl & Co. cookies that float around the studio ops desk. The great thing about this protein powder — because there are so many out there on the market, I never know which ones are really good for you — is that it’s loaded with protein, NOT sugar. That’s the big offender with these powders, sugar. Instead, this one uses Stevia, the natural sweetener. Anyway, I think as summer approaches, you could find this to be an awesome snack/meal on the run. It’s been a total life-changer for my erratic eating habits…frankly, my erratic everything!

Speaking of eating healthy…and we all know I can’t cook…but somehow lately I’m inspired to at least try. So I’ve ordered a cookbook that I cannot wait to get — I think it was on In the Kitchen with David last week — Hungry Girl 300 Under 300 (F09337). It’s 300 recipes under 300 calories. But what hooked me was that the ingredient list looks totally doable, not more than five or 10 items. I ordered a slow cooker cookbook that was awesome and amazing and made me salivate just reading it, but the ingredients in some cases numbered in the 20s and included things like coconut milk and other stuff that’s not on my daily radar. Totally out of my league. So I’ll keep you posted on this new cookbook and if it becomes an Oprah light bulb moment for me.

Btw, does anybody have any easy soup recipes? Healthy, delish, under 20 minutes? I think I told you about the split pea I mastered and love. I use turkey bacon instead of ham hock (because I have no idea what a ham hock is) and I use one of those personal hand mixers (K123657)to purée it after I boil it so it gets all mushy and thick and decadent. Only bummer — nutritionist told me split pea has a lot of sugar in it, so my attempts to eat healthy, once again, slightly foiled. Nonetheless, it’s so easy…

Dried split peas

1/2 white onion

Crinkle-cut carrots, finely diced

2 tsp. minced garlic

5 strips or so of diced turkey bacon (I use Oscar Mayer)

3 cups water

3 cups vegetable broth

I think that’s it…bring to a boil until peas are total mush. Turn off heat and go to town blending. Ugh, it’s so warming and smoky-flavored and delicious. With a half sandwich, dipping the corners in, mmmm….

Want to thank you all because lately have gotten so many emails about folks recommending Dr. Scholl’s foot inserts for my foot issues. I must say, I have no idea what’s wrong with my toe, but I did pull the trigger and have had custom orthotics made…and they are amazing. I think everyone as a practice should get orthotics! I have to believe they’re good for your feet as a preventative. Ugh, to have a shoe insert that perfectly follows the unique shape of your foot and arch that turns any doggone shoe into a heavenly experience as if you were born with the shoe on your foot — terrific! Just wish they could invent orthotics for high heels!

Sent dentist Mrs. Prindable’s thank you this week (M24564) because he calmed my nerves and saved me from a root canal. If I’m honest, that was never in the mix…but my neurotic mind turned teeth sensitivity into something so much more that by the time I got to his chair, I was practically in tears. So ridiculous. How will I ever endure childbirth when I can’t even handle a dentist poking around my teeth with a tool?

Big Isaac shows in NYC on Monday and my new favorite shoe from him (A212964). I'm ordering more colors. Speaking of cool accessories that go with shoes, Shawn Says, “Accessorize!” (Fridays at 2 p.m. ET) had such a nifty skinny belt today (A213604) and I don’t mind saying I don’t normally get into the skinny belt. It’s one of the fashion world's anomalies for me. Awesome layering two or three together. And last week, I was so excited Joan Rivers finally made a cameo on our show. Oh how I delight in anything that comes out of her mouth, because so many times you can’t believe what comes out of her mouth. She’s the coolest lady. Actually, was talking about her last night with Kalina Gendel. Good friend. Had dinner with her and her hubs at one of our favorite country hideaways here and we got to talking about what a hardworking, amazing, machine Joan Rivers is. Btw, has anybody seen her NYC apt on her new reality show with Melissa on WE TV? Omgosh, it’s like the Palace of Versailles...stunning.

Please pray for Mom. Three months out and she still hasn’t been able to tackle getting up stairs, but she has taken a few steps without the walker. Still cannot believe she had two major replacement surgeries inside of two months. She’s such a trooper and my dad is a saint. Worry about them all the time. Amazing what happens as you get older...how the instinct to role reverse and take care of your parents kicks in.

In other news, I’ve hung up my Bethlehem Lights faux petunias (H18626), but stay tuned, because sometime before the end of March, they have a killer diller TSV. And in a complete topic change that offers no natural segue, baby nephew Killinger is due in June, and the names on the table are Drew, David Jr., and Grant. Feel free to vote amongst yourselves. I myself favor Colin. Just think it has a ring about it — Colin Killinger.

-s