Skinny Contest: Win a box of Figamajigs!
Do you have candy aisle woes? Maybe you crave a salty snack in the afternoon? Let us know what snack you'll replace with this fig treat by emailing contests@skinnyandthecity.com by July 10th, 5 PM EST. We have one box of Figamajigs to give away and it could be yours!
What exactly is a Figamajig? Click here to find out!
Skinny Contest: Win a year supply of Almond Accents
One Skinny reader will win a year’s supply of Almond Accents! To enter, send us an original recipe using the almond slices. Our favorite one will win. Email your entry to contests@skinnyandthecity.com by Monday July 6 at 5 p.m. EST. Good luck! Wow us!
How do we use our Almond Accents? Check out one of our favorite Skinny Kitchen recipes.
And the winner of the 3-month supply of Fruit2O Essentials is...
Angela, age 40, from Newport, VA. Good luck to you, your family and all that is essential to you.
My family is essential to me because my dad was diagnosed with Stage IV melanoma in February and it has been a roller coaster ride for the entire family especially my mom. We are in this fight together though and we intend to win. The cancer has brought us all closer together and we don’t take things or each other for granted anymore. We have planned several vacations together this summer and if I win this contest I am actually going to give it to my dad because he has to drink bottled water now and the chemo causes him to become dehydrated very easily. Keeping him active, positive and healthy is my main goal and he has a wife, 2 daughters, 2 sons-in-law, and 3 grandchildren who love him very much.
Woman We Love: Designing with… Kendra Scott
A mom of two young boys and a proud resident of Austin, Texas, Kendra Scott makes beautiful jewelry for the everyday woman. A designer and entrepreneur by spirit, she started her first company, The Hat Box, when she was just 19 years old. Her specialty store donated much of its profits to cancer research organizations — in a nod to her stepfather, who had just been diagnosed himself. Since then, her ventures have always had a charitable heart. In 2002, Kendra began her jewelry line out of the spare bedroom of her home with an initial investment of just $500. Thanks to her creativity and determination, Kendra Scott Design, Inc. has become a multimillion-dollar company in only seven years! Kendra’s jewelry line can be found at top retailers such as Bloomingdale’s, Nordstrom, more than 600 boutiques worldwide, and of course, at kendrascott.com. Skinny Bonus:Enter SKINNY01 upon checkout to receive 25% off your entire order from June 16 – June 26!
Name: Kendra Scott
Age: 35
Location: Austin, Texas
Occupation: Jewelry designer and founder and CEO of Kendra Scott Design, Inc.
What makes me tick: Spending time with those I love. My family and friends inspire me to be the best I can be. Also, being surrounded by creative minds. It’s so inspiring and motivating to share ideas and brainstorm with free-thinking people.
Current project: Designing our 2010 Resort Collection — I’m mentally checking into the beach right now, the Amalfi Coast to be exact…love it! Who doesn’t love bright, happy colors?!
How I give back: I’ve always been a huge fan of supporting women’s and children’s charities. Family comes first at my company. I’m on the board of LifeWorks in Austin, a charity whose mission is to transition youth and families from crisis to safety and success. I am also involved with The Go Red Campaign for Women, which was founded by the American Heart Association to spread awareness of women’s heart disease. I’ve also donated some beautiful jewels to Dress for Success, a fantastic organization that promotes the economic independence of disadvantaged women by giving them the tools they need to succeed in work and in life.
My favorite Skinny section: Skinny Kitchen! It’s perfect for a mom-on-the-go like me who loves quick little articles that have a big impact on the way you feed your family. I need all the help I can get in the kitchen!
If I had 1 hour completely to myself, I would… get a pedicure and manicure, hands down!
If I had 1 year free completely to myself, I would… travel the world with my husband and two little boys. It’s so wonderful to discover new places and cultures together as a family.
Likes: Jewelry, of course! Shoes, traveling, girls’ weekends with my sisters, color, giving back, public speaking, sushi, Rock Band, Broadway (Mamma Mia is my fave!!), music (Austin has the best!)
Dislikes: Dream stealers. There are always naysayers in the world, so do your best to listen to your heart and don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t — because you can!
Favorite quotes: I have two which both basically say to live life to the fullest:
“Never, never, never give up.” –Winston Churchill
“Any man who can drive safely while kissing a pretty girl is simply not giving the kiss the attention it deserves.” –Albert Einstein
Favorite healthy snack: Apple slices with organic peanut butter
Favorite indulgences: Jimmy Choo and Krispy Kreme doughnuts!
And the winner of a case of Funky Monkey is....
Not only one person, but two! We got so many creative responses with tricks to beat boredom eating that we couldn't just pick one! So, the folks at Funky Monkey were generous enough to donate an extra case for both our first prize winner and one irresistable entry which earned honorable mention.
First prize goes to Kristen, age 30, from Mesa AZ. Try this out next time you have the munchies:
My favorite trick for beating boredom snacking is wearing fitted clothes around the house. I may even wear something that is one size too small. It gives me motivation to think about what I put in my mouth due to the clothes helping me “feel” my body and it fuels my desire to want to fit into the clothes making mindless snacking less likely.
Skinny Contest: Win a 3-month supply of Fruit2O Essentials!
Win a 3-month supply of Fruit2O Essentials and stay hydrated all summer long! To take home the prize — six 15-packs of water — tell us what’s essential to you in your life in five sentences or less. Email your answers to contests@skinnyandthecity.com by 5 p.m. EST Tuesday June 16, 2009 for your chance to win. Good luck!
We're loving this water right now. Click here to find out why.
Happy National Doughnut Day?
Yup, it’s true: Today is National Doughnut Day. Whether as a quick breakfast grab, a birthday party treat, or business meeting staple, doughnuts have been a part of American culture forever. This sweet, deep fried pastry we hate to love is being honored today, June 5th. A day for celebrating doughnuts seems trite, but the history is actually pretty interesting.National Doughnut Day was established in 1938 by the Chicago Salvation Army to raise funds during the Great Depression as well as to honor the work of Salvation Army volunteers during WWI who prepared doughnuts for thousands of soldiers.
Major doughnut chains like Dunkin Donuts and Krispy Kreme are giving away free doughnuts in honor of the special day. Resist the urge! A standard sized doughnut can cost you a whopping 400 calories, 15 grams of fat, and 63 carbs! If you absolutely must have a doughnut today, opt for 1 glazed doughnut hole or munchkin, which contains 50 calories, 2.8 grams of fat, and 7 carbs.
Leave your house fortified with healthy snacks to satisfy your sweet tooth and keep you from dipping into the doughnut box!
And the winners of our Gnu Flavor and Fiber Bar contest are...
First prize: Two 16-bar boxes of Gnu bars, plus a Gnu Foods tote bag goes to Robin, 25, from Delta Junction, Alaska who clearly has a lot on her plate:Hello! I would love to try the Gnu Foods granola bars for several reasons. I am a part time student and mom of two boys under three years old. As if that wouldn't keep me busy enough, my husband is in the military, works long hours and is frequently gone for weeks at a time, leaving the me with more than my share of household duties. Sometimes I am so strapped for time, I can barely shower, let alone cut up carrots to snack on for the week! I live in a rural area of Alaska where wholesome snacks like strawberries are incredibly expensive, and the healthiest granola bars I can find at my grocery store are loaded with high fructose corn syrup. I could really use a few good-for-me snacks that don't require much prep and that I can eat one handed. Thanks for considering me!
Second prize: One 16-bar box of Gnu bars, in your favorite flavor plus a Gnu Foods baseball cap goes to Janice, 47, from Cleveland, Ohio. Keep up the great work!
Because I am in the midst of losing a lot of weight. I have been on my weight loss journey since March 2007 and so far down 80 lbs-- and still another 80 to go. I am at the halfway point and I have found what helps me most in warding off hunger is a high fiber intake. At 12 grams of fiber per bar, that would help tremendously in getting me to my goal weight. Plus the convenience of being able to carry one in my purse for those intense craving moments really appeals to me:):):) I will walking in my first 5K on august 2 and I am trying to lose at least another 15 lbs before then and I need all the help I can get.
Skinny Contest: Win a bottle of MonaVie!
Want some in your refrigerator? Let us know why you'd like to try MonaVie by sending us an email at contests@skinnyandthecity.com by June 17, 2009 at 5 pm EST. Eight people will win one of these antioxidant-rich bottles!
Read our Obsession article about MonaVie, our favorite açai berry beverage.
Woman We Love: Taking a time out with… Lyss Stern
Lyss Stern’s philosophy? Being a mom shouldn’t mean giving up your style and confidence! The chic New York native and mother of two created Divalysscious Moms, divamoms.com, a social network that caters to new moms who feel the same. From fun events to nursery consultations, her company, started by five friends, makes mom the word. Lyss also writes a weekly column, Divalyssciously Yours, for The New York Sun, is the lifestyle correspondent for Cookie magazine, and shares her expertise on all things mommy in many more publications. Her new book, If You Give a Mom a Martini: 100 Ways to Find 10 Blissful Minutes for Yourself, is just as lovable as she is!
Name: Lyss Stern
Age: 35
Location: New York City
Occupation: Diva Fab Creator of Divalysscious Moms
My mission: I’m eager to keep all moms tuned in to the cultural and chic happenings of the city — I’ve made those once daunting “No Strollers Allowed” signs a concern of the past. Instead I fill New York moms’ calendars with mom- and kid-friendly festivities. Think shopping fêtes on Madison Avenue, makeovers at Henri Bendel’s, and annual holiday bashes at FAO Schwarz and Dylan’s Candy Bar. And our events are always replete with incredible prizes and gift bags filled with goodies like spa certificates, DVDs, and beauty products!
What’s taking up my time now: Working on my next book, creating a Divalysscious Moms TV Show, and trying to turn If You Give a Mom a Martini into a movie.
Favorite Skinny section: Obsessions! There’s nothing better than receiving the Obsessions email in my inbox.
If I had 1 hour completely to myself, I would… I don’t know, considering I never do! But my dream would be getting an hour-long facial with the best facialist in NYC, Ildi Pekar.
If I had 1 year completely to myself, I would… travel the world. My dream is to take a wild safari in Africa, stay at an Ashram in India, see the pyramids in Egypt, climb the great wall in China, float in the Dead Sea in Israel, and spend the last part of my trip in the Seychelles islands.
If I could tell women one thing to make a priority in their lives, it would be… have a “Mommy Time Out.” Moms that run their own businesses also need to take a few minutes out of their busy day for themselves. I have a strong philosophy that if mom isn't happy then the children won't be happy. Take ten minutes to meditate, get a quick ten-minute back massage at the local nail salon, look through a magazine, or even take ten minutes to make a phone call to a friend, completely unrelated to work, just to say hi.
Favorite quote: “A girl should be two things: classy and fabulous.” -Coco Chanel