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Winter in LA: Things to Do This Season

January 26, 2015 by Daria Ibn-Tamas

We spend all this time prepping and looking forward to the Holiday season, flying through Thanksgiving, followed shortly after by Christmas and then New Years just a week after that. With this flurry of activity, it can be a nice feeling to have some free time to yourself when all of it has passed. That being said, once the dust of the Holiday Season has settled, it’s easy to fall into a place of boredom, dreariness, and lack of motivation. After all, what is there to look forward to next? Summer is a ways away, and you have to keep active and engaged in the day-to-day somehow! Well, fear not, Los Angeles locals, the following are some great activities, sights and events to take advantage of this month to kick off 2015!

1. Dine like the stars at LA Restaurant Week: Take the opportunity to indulge in some of the most delicious food the city has to offer at some of its finest establishments during this two-week event featuring prix-fixe menus at over 300 noted restaurants. Some hotspots participating in this event include Gusto, Duke’s Malibu, Blue Plate Taco, and Mr. Chow. For the full list of participating restaurants, check out this article

2. For the Comedy-Inclined, The Anna Wintour Bio Musical: Actor Ryan Raftery plays the most powerful woman in fashion, the editor-in-chief of Vogue Magazine, Anna Wintour, in this hilarious musical spoof, which has already garnered a great deal of recognition in New York City. See what the buzz is all about at the new-to-LA show this January- lots of laughs are a guarantee!

3. Get Your Feng-Shui on at the BoConcept Sale: This posh home goods & furniture store is having a 25% off sale through January 31st, so now is the perfect time to launch that resolution of new year, new you! Or rather, new apartment decor. Take advantage of the chic goods and give your pad a facelift!

4. Reconnect with Your Inner Bookworm at the Printed Matter’s Art-Book Fair: From art books to periodicals, to vintages magazines to monographs, there is undoubtedly something for everyone here. Whether you’re looking for creative inspiration or a coffee-table piece, you’ll be astounded at the vast sea of books that they have to offer. Check out the event on January 29-Feb 1.

5. See Incredible Art from Talented Photographers at the Photo LA Exhibit: Returning for its 24th annual installment, Photo LA is sure to wow with the incredible works it has collected to showcase from artists across the globe. This photo-art fair is an LA classic, so don’t miss out on its coolness this year.

6. Satisfy your sweet tooth at Cookie Con: You know Comic Con? That event every year where all those who are dedicated to classic comics and love them more than anything gather to celebrate the industry? Well, imagine that, but with cookies. Couldn’t really get any better, could it? Not to mention, free samples galore. You really don’t want to miss this one!

7. Get Refreshed for the New Year with The Springs Detox Workshop: What better way to kickstart your resolution for a happier, healthier year than to get together with a bunch of like-minded individuals and plan out just how to properly execute said resolution. With this detox workshop, you’ll learn from experts how to be a smarter grocery shopper, how to form an exercise regimen (that you can actually stick to), and how to eat for optimal digestive health, just to name a few topics.

8. For the Movie Buff, the Santa Barbara International Film Festival: Check out the latest movie releases and mingle with the stars, (okay, maybe just sight the stars), at this annual film festival which notoriously attracts some of the biggest in the biz. Definitely worth the trip up the coast!

These are just a few of the awesome things happening in LA this January. For more events and activities, check out this article by Refinery 29 and keep the winter fun going!

Tips for Stress-Free Holiday Travel

December 15, 2014 by Daria Ibn-Tamas

It’s that time of year again- the season of giving, merriment and visiting relatives and loved ones to enjoy the Holidays with one another. While all of these things are undoubtedly events to look forward to, unfortunately, travel during this season can be a nightmare. With everyone trying to get home for the Holidays, airports are more crowded than usual, flights are delayed, people are getting bumped from flights- you may wonder how you’ll ever get home to your family. The following are some suggestions for ways to remain calm and have a stress-free travel experience!

1. Preparation is Key: In order to not get overwhelmed in a bustling airport, make sure you are completely packed and prepared the night before your trip. Have everything laid out and ready so you can wake up the next day and hit the road on time, avoiding any last-minute snags. Be sure to arrive early for your departure as well, so you won’t have the worry of missing your flight (or bus or train).

2. Know the Truth About Travel Safety: Concern with the plane crashing tends to heighten stress & anxiety for travelers. Many people don’t know- or forget- how rare instances of plane crashes are, and that it’s actually safer to fly than drive. Do some research to put your mind at ease.

3. Make Yourself as Comfortable as Possible: The second you get to your seat, try to get yourself as comfortable as necessary so that you can relax and not feel anxious or frustrated with your trip. Bring a billow, have a beverage, bring a book or magazine- anything so you can feel at ease as quickly as possible.

4. Expect the Unexpected!: During the holiday season, travel is notoriously fickle. Expect delays so that when they occur, you won’t be devastated. In all honesty, if the plane takes off on schedule, you will be having much better luck than a lot of people during holiday travel season!

5. Remember your destination: At the end of the day, you’ll be home soon and with your loved ones. That’s really what matters. The flight/travel experience may not be the best during this busy time, but you’ll be where you’re trying to go before you know it. Keep the end goal in mind to help calm you down.

To read more about tips for stress-free travel, check out this post form Pop Sugar. Happy Holidays everyone, and safe travels!

Adjust Your Circadian Rhythms For Earlier Rising And Better Sleep

October 20, 2014 by Daria Ibn-Tamas

Getting enough sleep, and waking up refreshed are some the best things you can do to maintain a healthy lifestyle. However, busy lives with a myriad distractions can make winding down, getting a good nights sleep, and rising early a sometimes painful process. A recent post on Refinery 29, discusses the ways that night owls and and early birds function differently, and that shifting our sleep schedule is more than just a matter of will power – it is a matter planning.

While some default settings in your sleep pattern may be genetic, you can shift your circadian clock by gradually adjusting your sleep times by 15 minutes. Stephanie Silberman, PhD, a fellow of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine indicates that people will attempt to function on less sleep rather than attempt to adjust their sleep schedule. But it is important to remember that the body’s need for sleep remains constant, and that learning to adapt your sleep to your circumstances is one the best ways to remain healthy.

Also, people’s perceptions of sleep are also a little skewed. Some believe that feeling groggy and less than enthusiastic upon waking up in the morning is indicative of a bad night’s sleep. Not so, says Silberman. This is simply what sleep researchers refer to as “sleep lag,” the time between sleep and the adjustment to waking life. Feeling less the 100 percent first thing in the morning is totally natural and does not necessarily indicate bad sleep.

There are strategies that researchers say can help facilitate falling asleep faster and improve overall sleep quality. Below are three you can try:

Turn off gadgets two hours before bed.

This will be tough for many of us, but studies show that just a two hours at the screen of a tablet can reduce melatonin – a hormone essential for sleep – by 22%.

Catch some rays in the morning.

Light exposure is important to our circadian rhythms. Being exposed to UV light in the morning sends the signal to your body that is time to be awake. This helps set your rhythm so that later in the day you can fall asleep at the proper time.

Try wearing your socks to bed.

Swiss researchers have shown that when you are about to fall asleep, blood flow is redirected to your hands and feet. Covering your feet will help your body temperature drop more quickly and allow you to fall asleep faster.

Mel Brooks Gives Eleven Fingers to Hollywood

September 24, 2014 by Daria Ibn-Tamas

Mel Brooks, the 88 year-old comedy legend got to cross another Hollywood honor off of his bucket list. As reported by the Associated Press, Brooks got to join such tinsel town luminaries such as Humphrey Bogart and Jimmy Stewart by leaving prints of his feet and hands in the cement in front of the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood.

But just like everything else Brooks does, he did things a little differently. Mel came to the ritual – one that is practically as old as Hollywood itself – wearing a prosthetic finger. As a justification, Brooks said that he pulled the stunt “just in case somebody from Des Moines, Iowa, says ‘Harry! Harry! Look, Mel Brooks has six fingers on his left hand!'”

Mel Brooks is the director, producer, writer, and actor responsible for films such as “Blazing Saddles” and “The Producers.” The ceremony was held on September 8, as a way of commemorating the 40th anniversary of “Young Frankenstein,” Brooks’ classic send up of classic black-and-white horror films. The film’s anniversary is also being commemorated with a Blu-ray re-release on September 9.

Mel Brooks began his career in show business in the 1950s working on Your Show of Shows with Sid Caesar. The show would also help to launch the careers of playwright Neil Simon, and frequent Brooks collaborator, Carl Reiner. Brooks made his film debut as a writer/director with 1968’s “The Producers.” He would go on to make 11 other films occupying that dual role, and serving as a supporting actor in the majority of them. Brooks would also experience great success as a producer, filling that role in David Cronenburg’s very successful remake of “The Fly” and helping to launch David Lynch’s career when he allowed the director to helm “The Elephant Man.”

New Film Brings Out A Multi-Generational Group of Stars in Toronto

September 15, 2014 by Daria Ibn-Tamas

Director Noah Baumbach is one of the undisputed kings of indie film. His dry humor and understated delivery has bewitched audiences and attracted big stars to his projects. According to the LA Times, those stars, including comedy A-lister Ben Stiller were out at the Toronto International Film Festival for the premier of Baumbach’s new film, “While We’re Young.”

When speaking to the press about the inspiration for making the film, he jokingly said “middle-age.” And certainly the new film deals with the gap between generations. While Baumbach’s most recent work, 2012’s “Frances Ha” dealt with youth issues, this new film takes stock of how generations view one another.

Ben Stiller and Naomi Watts play a couple in their forties who become fascinated by the lives of another couple in their twenties, played by Adam Driver and Amanda Seyfried. The film not only hopes to look at the way that different generations view one and other, but also how advances in technology and changing trends affect the way people move through life in different ways.

“Something is going on in the movie that’s ‘wait, we’re old, the old people,” Stiller said to the audience post-screening, “With social media and everything going on,” he added, as a personal note, “it does make me feel outside of what’s going on a lot of the time.”

The social media driven world of the millennial generation plays a part in the film, though one of the actors playing one of the young people in the film commented that he has a complicated relationship with that technology.

“Twitter and Facebook make me scared,” Adam Driver said to the crowd, “There’s something valuable in boredom and not having access to everything.”

Ben Stiller has been playing forty-ish people at existential crossroads for a bit now, most recently in his directorial passion project “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.”

But with the help of Noah Baumbach, he tackles things from a different direction in “While We’re Young.” The new indie, which world-premiered Saturday at the Toronto international Film Festival, has on its mind not just the usual tropes about career and relationships from movies on the subject, but shifting attitudes about topics such as privacy and creativity.

Shortly after his new film opens, Stiller’s documentary-filmmaker character Josh and wife Cornelia (Naomi Watts) find their lives energized when they meet an exciting young couple, Jamie and Darby (Adam Driver and Amanda Seyfried). The older pair covets the free-spirited artisanal ways of their new friends, seeing them as an antidote to the child-centric world of their contemporaries.

Soon, though, the veil is lifted, and what follows is an older generation’s more complicated view on younger people — by turns energized, jealous, fascinated and resentful — and the techno-fueled lives they lead.

“Something is going on in the movie that’s ‘wait, we’re old, the old people,” Stiller told the audience after the screening. “With social media and everything going on,” he added of his own life, “it does make me feel outside of what’s going on a lot of the time.”

Joking that “middle age” was his inspiration, Baumbach said the film sprung from an idea he had about couples that he couldn’t quite crack, until he had a small epiphany. “Thinking about people of different generations,” Baumbach said, “motivated me to write it.” (Click over to this piece for my colleague Betsy Sharkey’s take on the director’s own evolution.)

“While We’re Young,” which is seeking U.S. distribution, is rife with the kind of adjustments, psychological and otherwise, members of an older generation must make when they realize a baton has been passed. “It touches on so many things I identify with,” Stiller said. That’s true not just with gizmos themselves but further-reaching areas such as storytelling (“If everybody records everything, then what’s a documentary anymore,” Josh asks) and the appropriation of culture. “I knew this song when it was just bad,” Stiller’s character says when Driver uses Kenny Loggins’ “Danger Zone” as psyche-up music.

But “While We’re Young” is hardly a cri de coeur, just as it’s also not an easy piece of fogeyish fetishization. Josh and Cornelia actually have a reasonably good relationship in their own right, and not all is rosy in the Millennial world.

And for all the Facebook Generation assumptions, the younger couple is sometimes actually seeking to turn back the clock, embracing vinyl (most obviously) and occasionally even eschewing quick phone-based research (less so). Driver, the director’s go-to choice for Millennial embodiment these days, himself upended the perception when he told the audience that “Twitter and Facebook make me scared … there’s something valuable in boredom and not having access to everything.”

In the end, “While We’re Young” doesn’t stake out a position as much as it asks us to take stock of the shift, and the size thereof. When Cornelia questions Josh how he found her at a meeting with a person she didn’t want Josh to know about, he replies, “I follow him on Twitter. We can’t lie like we used to.” It’s only a small piece of the new world.

Brazil’s Silver Lining

July 21, 2014 by Daria Ibn-Tamas

There is no question that Brazil’s loss to Germany was a tremendous blow to the nation’s morale. As a unit, Brazilians were embarrassed and devastated over their country’s loss. However, despite what one may expect, Brazilians everywhere let out a collective sigh of relief as Mario Gotze scored the one and only goal of the final game, leading Germany to a victory over Argentina.

Though it may be hard to believe, Brazilians gathered to watch the final game at the Maracaña stadium, celebrating the German’s win in the final. This win made Germany the first team hailing from Europe to take home a World Cup that was played in North or South America.

Post-game, a Brazilian fan was quoted, saying, “ Argentina winning would have been the worst thing I could think of.” While this may seem like a harsh sentiment, many would say Brazilians were warranted in this attitude. Leading up to the final, tens of thousands of fans from Argentina had flooded Brazil, setting up camps wherever they could and consistently heckling Brazilians over their crushing loss to Germany, followed shortly after by their loss to the Netherlands.

On the other hand, Argentina also had reason to be enthused. This year was the first time Argentina had made it to the World Cup Final in the past 24 years, thanks to Lionel Messi, their super-star player who many revere as the world’s best soccer player.

The interesting thing about this rivalry between Brazil in Argentina is that many fans seem to be unaware of the grounds for it in the first place. “We hate them, and we don’t even know why,” commented Flávia Torezani, a Brazilian fan who cheered until her voice was lost for Germany over Argentina. “They’re our rivals. We don’t want them to win, ever. This was almost like Brazil winning today.”

While Brazil is still licking their wounds from their loss, they were able to at least rally some camaraderie and cheer on the falling of their rival. To read more about Brazil’s sentiments on the cup at large and the final fate of Argentina, check out this article.

Does Winning the World Cup Ensure a Detriment to the Economy?

July 14, 2014 by Daria Ibn-Tamas

When it comes to the World Cup, one would think that the winning country would benefit the most- in terms of recognition, bragging rights, attention, tourism in the future, and so on. However, an interesting article in Forbes magazine suggests that the winner may not really take all when it comes to economic growth following the game.

In a gathering of data by the World Bank, results yielded that in six out of the past seven world cups, the winning country saw a decline in their gross domestic product following the year of their win. This interesting pattern dates back to 1986, when Argentina won the cup, and has continued every year, aside from Spain’s win in 2010. That being said, the only growth Spain saw in GDP was by 0.1%, much lower than one would expect for the country that had just won the world cup.

Worse yet, is that out of the countries that did experience a decline in GDP following their world-cup win, 5 out the 7 total experienced a continued decline in the second year after their winning of the world cup. Interestingly enough, it seems that this trend is already on its way to taking hold once again. Between this year’s finalists, Argentina is already seeing an improvement in their economy- seeing a 3.0% growth in 2013, while Germany only saw a 0.4% increase that same year.

Experts are speculating on why this is the case, and are quick to say that only 7 years of observation is not enough data to solidify this pattern. Some economists believe that the time the people of a country spend watching the world cup results in a detriment of the economy, as people are not focused on their careers and their daily lives. That being said, this does not seem like something that could be that severely detrimental to the economy, and for such an extended period of time. Not to mention, this trend is solely relative to the World Cup- it is not seen during the Olympics, NBA finals, the Superbowl, or any other widely-viewed sporting events.

Only time will tell when it comes to learning more about this pattern and its causes. To learn more about this interesting trend, check out the Forbes article here.

Make Workouts Manageable

April 24, 2014 by Daria Ibn-Tamas

For anyone looking at Kit Rich, a Pilates instructors for celebrities and healthy-lifestyle coach for large name brands, you would never guess that she was once a woman struggling to lose roughly thirty pounds. She tried all types of extreme, unhealthy, short term methods to drop the weight- practices that facilitated issues such as eating disorders and body dysmorphia for her. In her desperation to lose weight, she couldn’t see how unhealthy it was- and how these extreme diets would cause her to ricochet back to the opposite extreme of unhealthiness. It was simply impossible for her to lose weight, or keep any weight she did lose, off.

After years and years and of this unhealthy behavior, Kit finally realizes that these extremes weren’t getting her anywhere. She finally reached a conclusion that enabled her to lose 30 lbs, and is an idea that she stands by: Make it Manageable. This is Kit’s number one piece of fitness advice and overall mantra. What she sticks to, in terms of exercise, is the practice of, “three miles or 30 minutes, every day.” It was exercising in this way that made her workout routine more doable and thus, she began to see results that were lasting this time. Kit says that the way you get your thirty minutes of exercise is entirely up to you- hike, jog, or walk three miles, or do a thirty minute workout that can consist of circuit training, weightlifting, and so on. If there’s any advice we should take, it is probably that of a professional trainer. ” I really do believe wholeheartedly that the middle road is the way to go,” says Kit, “Anything extreme is not long lasting.”

This three-or-thirty rule is one that can truly help women to lead a more healthy, balanced life, rather than thinking they need to work out for hours a day to achieve results. Working out can seem like a daunting task, especially for women who lead busy lifestyles. With the three-or-thirty rule, and in doing workouts that they enjoy, women will be able to achieve lasting results, feel better about their bodies and hopefully will not dread working out so much anymore. To learn more about Kit Rich and her workout tips and tricks, check out this page.

Become a Better Runner!

April 15, 2014 by Daria Ibn-Tamas

Whether you are looking to start an exercise regimen, or are looking to get in better shape, running is a popular and common suggestion for increasing your overall health and wellness. Running can be a great way to blow off steam and relax your mind. However, when you are trying to improve yourself as a runner, or even just starting out running, it can be extremely difficult to enjoy the exercise, let alone force yourself to do it.

The following are some helpful methods for getting yourself to go running, and keep running. You’re sure to see improvements in your running- be it a faster time, a farther distance, or just plain getting in shape- if you utilize these tips.

1. Adopt a Mantra- Mantras can be extremely helpful in pushing yourself and reminding yourself why you are doing what you’re doing in the first place. Pick a word or phrase that truly speaks to you and is positive that will be sure to beat out any thoughts of negativity.

2. Find YOUR song– For those who run with music, its imperative that you have your ultimate pump-up song ready to go when you feel yourself slacking. It can be anything that works for you and keeps you going, just make sure you have one!

3. Positivity!– A lot of what keeps you from running or continuing running is purely mental. Therefore, it is important to focus on the positive- why you are running, how much better you are making yourself, how far you have come and how much farther you will go. These thoughts can help to push out those negative thoughts.

4. Keep good form- When you start to doubt yourself mentally, this is when your running form generally starts to deteriorate as well, which can make running even more miserable. Keep your shoulders back, your chest up and focus on steady breathing. This can both take your mind off the negative and make your running more comfortable.

These are just a few ways that can make running easier and more manageable for those of all levels of fitness. To see more examples of tips and tricks for better running, check out this post.

Gabourey Sidibe’s Empowering Non-Profit

March 20, 2014 by Daria Ibn-Tamas

Gabourey Sidibe rose to stardom after her performance in the 2009 film, Precious. She has experienced difficulty with being scrutinized for being plus-sized but despite the discrimination, the 30-year-old actress is known for speaking out against her critics.

Sidibe plans to help girls and women share her self-confidence by creating a non-profit organization dedicated to building self-esteem in females. Sidibe has also expressed concern for cyber bullying after she herself received some personal attacks. Sidibe says, “I just joined Twitter and I’m getting the hang of it, but I still don’t like it. People who are complete strangers feel like they get to have an opinion on me when they really can’t. If we were in a restaurant together, [they] wouldn’t come say stuff like that to me!”

No moves have been made to start the organization yet but the actress continues to express plans to take action. When asked what the mission of the organization would be, Sidibe said, “It would be about building a good self image and really building confidence. I think that’s the most important thing that I have that I hold on to. It was the hardest thing that I ever had to build and it’s the hardest thing to maintain.”

The trend of promoting self-confidence is spreading across media outlets. From public service campaigns to Dove advertisements, young girls are being targeted in a way the media has not seen before. Sidibe wants to expand the trend to include women as well, not just young girls. “There are a lot of grown women who don’t know that they are worthy of love,” Sidibe explains.

The timeline for the organization is not yet set in stone. “I have not slowed down enough to really focus on that, but it’s something I do have plans to do,” Sidibe says.