Month: September 2017

It’s the The Cooking, Kitchen, and Foodie GIFT GUIDE! Never to early or too late to do some shopping for others. We received an amazing amount of submissions and requests to be included in this gift guide but for your benefit we’ve narrowed this list down to the best of the best of the ideas for what you can buy your loved ones that are into cooking and food. We researched all and put some of them to the test – here are the suggestions:

AN AIR FRYER!

That’s right, we’ve seen them on TV – we have been hearing about them all over.  But do they really work? YOU BET THEY DO! Just check out the video below where I put the Avalon Bay AB-AIRFRYER100B Air Fryer to the TEST!   This is such a cool gift idea, I’m thinking of getting one as a wedding gift for my cousin.

AND OF COURSE, since you are an esteemed Ready for the Red Carpet Blog reader, you get a Substantial Discount on a new air fryer! Just use promo code BHATT30 at checkout and get 30% off!  Seriously!

Get your Avalon Bay Air Fryer  here (discount automatically applied) : http://amzn.to/2zfxNMJ

OR use promo code BHATT30 at the manufacturer’s site.

Repour, the best wine saver ever! Repour wine savers make the perfect stocking stuffer, hostess gift, or holiday gift for anyone who enjoys wine and hates pouring wine-gone-bad down the drain. They’re actually Quite fascinating. It’s a topper that keeps a bottle of opened wine fresh for up to months! It removes the harmful oxygen from the wine, keeping it fresher for longer. Works so well, that we had to let the wine re-breath each time we “re”-opened it!

• Check out Repour Wine Savers here: http://amzn.to/2xIWNeB
• And if you want to be a total badass, you can gift a 72 pack here: http://amzn.to/2xK4KQS

HELP THEM COOK WITH PRECISION!   I remember the first time my cousin & I tried to cook Indian Food.  My mother gave us the recipe, and we got all the ingredients and figured “Hey, we’ve made spaghetti before, how hard could this be?”  So we started up the stove, got the pot to hot and threw in some cumin seeds.  So far so good, then we eyeballed some turmeric (which we called yellow powder).  So far so good.  Then the recipe called for an exact amount of “red powder” – we threw in a pinch and POW! The whole pot caught on fire!

We quickly learned that sometimes Cooking is more like Chemistry.  We can call it “an art” all we want, but there is definitely a science to it.

TEMPERATURES & AMOUNTS MATTER! Sometimes to the degree and to the gram!  This is where an actual scale and thermometer come in handy.  The EatSmart Precision Pro Digital Food Thermometer allows users to easily grill or roast food to just the right internal temperature and cuts down on food borne illnesses. You cannot judge internal temperatures by looking at, smelling or even tasting food.  The EatSmart Precision Digital Kitchen Scale is SUPER EASY to use, I actually used it to measure out my Niacin, Turmeric, and Fenugreek since I buy those in bulk.

Grab The Scale Here: http://amzn.to/2zMKqir

Get the Thermometer Here: http://amzn.to/2yHvLqY

Personalized and Engraved Kitchen Stuff! Especially the cutting boards! This option is available from ex NFL star Chris Gronk (yes, brother of Rob Gronk, and Chris Gronkowski can hold his own as a player and entrepreneur and is pretty amazing as you can see from this interview here:  BEYOND NFL -a Gronkowski Brother Talks Life & Business). Chris says “Our personalized cutting boards are always a huge hit. We sell 3 different size boards in bamboo, maple and walnut and each board can be personalized just for you. I can engrave logos, recipes, names or anything else you would like on the board. This is one of our best holiday sellers. ”

You can get a personalized a cutting board here:
https://www. everythingdecorated.com/ search?type=product&q=cutting+ board

Meal Plans if your loved one is Vegan/Vegetarian!  Now, this isn’t a typical product for the kitchen but it is definitely something that can be used in the kitchen and help with cooking.  Plan V is a vegetarian and vegan based meal planning service. You can show a vegan/vegetarian loved one that you care and support their lifestyle by giving them a subscription where each week they get new plant-based recipes, along with grocery list and simple instructions.     AND as a Ready for the Red Carpet blog reader, you get a special discount :)!   

Ultra Amazing Cleaning Compounds! I don’t know about you, but for me cleanup is the worst part of cooking. I recently spilled a bunch of boiled over milk over over my stove top and TriNova came to the rescue as you can see in this vid below.

TriNova also makes a steller Stainless Steel Cleaner.
You can choose from an assortment of TriNova cleaning products here: http://amzn.to/2fzheCF

Of course, no Cooking Gift Guide can be complete without mentioning Rock Star Recipes or Unique and Collectible Hot Sauce – And for an awesome gift option, you get a FREE copy of Rock Star Recipes when you buy 3 bottles of Anand Bhatt Signature Hot Sauce – mix/match any flavors. Check out that deal from Hot Sauce Depot here: https://www.hotsaucedepot.com/anand-bhatt-sauces-with-free-e-cookbook/

Did we miss anything? Anything to do add? What do you think?

I’m finally used to Becky G’s new teeth. Let’s face it, even if a donkey kicked her in the face I’d love her. BUT for those of you that don’t know …

Becky G used be this chunky girl with a gap between her teeth, and it was SEXY. What made Becky G so charming is that she owned this tooth gap and her confidence was hot. Sadly, since her gig in the Power Rangers movie it appears as if she got her teeth fixed and now she just looks like everyone else – she has that cookie cutter homogenized look that Hollywood and Miami have been cranking out like a “pretty girl” factory. And now that all girls look exactly alike, “imperfections” like gap teeth and a thick body are “PERFECTIONS.”

I recently worked on a Mayores remix ft. Becky G and Bad Bunny and after spending all that time looking at her new look, I think it’s adorable.  Even though she has joined the collective and it’d be hard to pick her out in a crowd now.

That being said, on the inside she is still Becky from the Block and if she ever wanted to do it Latindian Style I’d give her a shot!

By Mary Thompson –

Coconut oil, the untapped beauty secret?

“Do not read beauty magazines they will only make you feel ugly.” Baz Luhrmann’s words proclaimed in his internationally proclaimed hit song, Everybody’s Free (to Wear Sunscreen) were more than lyrics put into a song to create a catchy tune. On the contrary, taking that phrase to heart could save so many readers from so much frustration and heartbreak.

Another phrase which should have been included in the song’s liturgy of life lessons is, “Do not read beauty magazines they will only hollow out your bank account to the point of extinction.”

So, many of us who strive to keep up with the latest trends in beauty is well aware of the fact that doing so can be expensive since no matter how reasonably priced items are it doesn’t take long for the numbers to add up. Suddenly products which seemed cheap at the time start to resemble a small fortune.  

Below is a list of thoroughly researched and tested beauty hacks made possible through the benefits of coconut oil which will deliver not only produce outstanding results, but the price tag is something to smile about as well.

READY?? …..

 Watching What? 

Yeah that’s right! If you’re in my hometown of Chicago right now, this is definitely something you want to check out! Let’s chat with these folks, and let’s start with Matt Wells from True Mother Records:

How did True Mother Records come into fruition?
After working on creating original music with my production partners for a couple of years, we
realized that there was no such thing as having any control or ownership of your music under a
traditional record label contract. We formed True Mother Records after deciding that we wanted to make our own rules about how to control licensing and ownership, but still giving our music a vast global release.

What does True Mother mean, and how did you come up with the name?
Chris and I, the two original members of Jaded Lover used to joke about who was the “true mother” of the cat at the original L.A. studio. Exclaiming in an English overdub-style anime voice “You are not his true mother, I am his true mother!” Then the name kind of stuck.

When did you first discover your love for DJing?
When I was 16 years old I was lucky enough to be around Chicago when there were some pretty incredible DJs at the raves/ loft parties that my friends and I were going to. (Which included the other half of Jaded Lover, Chris)
I was enchanted by watching the DJs and how they were able to control the energy of the room, creating such an incredible experience for everyone there— I had to learn to do it myself and bought my first turntables shortly thereafter.

Who is your idol?
I don’t really have one of those. I have deep respect, however, for musicians and DJs in the industry who are continuing to stay true to themselves despite the changing trends in music, and I aspire to reach success in that paradigm.

To who do you credit your successes in the music business?

I have had excellent support through my parents and am grateful to them for instilling the work ethic in me that they did. I am also grateful to the collaborators and other mentors who continue to work by my side on a daily basis to keep our creative process flowing.

How did you guys come up with the title song for your first joint single, “Watching Porno?”
The production duo of Jaded Lover (Chris Doria / Potions and I) were working on the original instrumental version of the song in LA, and Chris’s wife was in the other room teasing us about being at the computer for so long, and she was asking of we were watching porno. The song was then off-the- cuff named “Watching Porno” and this then inspired the lyrics written later, by
Abagale and Connie.

What is the secret to longevity like yours in the music industry?
Perseverance. It is the most important thing in the world. One of my favorite quotes that I could not possibly put better myself, is:  “Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan Press On! has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.” (Calvin Coolidge)

Why is Cerise Rooftop at Virgin Hotel Chicago a favorite venue of TMR?
Blake and Romain and the whole Virgin crew are awesome, the location can’t be beat, and it is a great venue all around, the decor is pretty rad. There is nothing like the Chicago skyline as a view when you are performing up there, it is exhilarating.

NOW, let’s talk to SaraJeanne:
How did you get your start in music?
I’ve been singing since I could talk. My dad’s a musician (keyboard player/singer/songwriter), so I grew up with a lot of music in my life (and a recording studio in my garage). I did choir and musical theater as a kid, and actually ended up studying opera in high school and early college. I
also have some pop songs floating around the internet that I recorded with my dad when I was a teenager.

What do you do to keep your pop-star figure, SaraJeanne?
Haha can I get this question embroidered on a pillow??
Honestly? For the month leading up to the video shoot, I did boring, sensible stuff like avoiding processed food (cheese), not drinking, and not eating bread. I also worked out maybe 20 minutes to an hour 5 times a week — mostly yoga and free weights with some cardio and dance (I grew up doing ballet/jazz/modern dance). We’re such an independent operation I never felt
pressure to look a certain way, but it was important for me to feel good in my body so I could give a confident performance.

I definitely wolfed down a big plate of fried chicken with mashed potatoes and biscuits the night we finished shooting. I go between periods of being really health conscious and fit to totally slobbing out. I’m always searching for that healthy balance.

[Also See Pop-Star Diets @ https://smarturl.it/rockstarrecipes ]

What can your fans look forward to in the future?
Well, SaraJeanne and Jaded Lover have two new original singles in the works for the coming year.  I’m really excited about them because I co-wrote these songs with Matt. Writing is a huge passion of mine, along with music, so it’s always the most rewarding when I get to merge the
two. Right now, we’re working on video concepts for the first single, Soft School. It’s going to be really moody, dance-y, and fun!

We know you are in from New York City for this special release, but will Chicago get to see more of you?
I hope so! I’d love to come back to Chicago and do more shows!
Tell us about the making of the music video for Watching Porno.
So Jim McGibbon, who shot Watching Porno (and is now my manager), and I have been best friends since the 7th grade. He has also been successfully working in television for almost 10 years, so when we needed to make a low-to- zero budget music video, I didn’t even think to ask him. In a lucky moment of fate, he and Connie both were over at my place for Thanksgiving
dinner last year. Connie played the newly finished demo, and Jim totally volunteered to help us out!

From there, we started brainstorming concepts. We decided on a kind of before/after that showed people in their everyday lives, then later in their “porn fantasy lives.” The cheerleader thing was an homage to Toni Basil’s Hey Mickey.

How about You, Mark Gertz?:
Tell us how you and Wells teamed up?
Matt and I (aside from growing up in the same area in NW Indiana and actually knowing of each other as far back as high school, skateboarding together, etc) I think always knew of and respected each other and our respective work and music careers although never really being all that close other than acquaintances from parties in Chicago, he as music director or Reserve,
djing closely with another acquaintance of mine, the late DJ AM, and myself as part of Dark Wave Disco. We actually met no were properly introduced at The Standard Hotel in downtown LA were I (with Dark Wave Disco) were doing an URB Magazine event along with NY’s MisShapes. Then last summer I happened to be sitting at a bar in Valparaiso, IN, at (suffice to
say) something of a low point, and he was across the bar yelling my name. He was probably the absolute ONLY person that night that I'd have had any desire to speak to, haha. The rest is… history?

How does TMR and all of its components manage to sustain activity in multiple cities across the U.S.?
We are finally getting new tracks and releases into the hands of big name artists and have lots of interest from them to remix, collaborate,
etc. Also, Matt and I are gearing up to start playing higher profile events in Chicago for starters (hopefully the opening of Dior here, although that’s VERY unofficial this sec) as well as hopefully getting on the national and international festival circuit by next year with Matt’s production via Jaded Lover, as well as myself FINALLY releasing original work as well as dipping
my toes into the remix pool.

Good, I’ll have Latindian Style remix requests to send you! What’s happening that’s exciting in the future for you?
As far as what’s exciting for me in the future… Yikes, ha. I always, for better or worse, have stars in my eyes and grandiose ambitions and goals, some realistic, some maybe a hair out of reach but then again, it’s that mindset that made Dark Wave Disco what it was/is. I have very high hopes for the future of TMR, Jaded Lover, and my own personal work as well as my new
and current DJ partner and collaborator, Mr. Matt Wells! That and there is a (hopefully) new special someone in the record label’s, as well as my life that, well, I’ll hopefully have more to tell you about soon. The future’s looking bright!

The results may be shocking! These days Medical Science has lost all its merit. Especially when you consider notions such as:

• Coffee can Lower cholesterol, but coffee also raises cholesterol.
• Fish oil is good for prostate health, but fish oil is bad for prostate health.
• Tofu can increase estrogen and lower testosterone, but tofu can increase testosterone.
• “Low blood sugar can cause high blood sugar” (yes, that’s a real quote).
• ad infinitum.

At this point I trust an astrologer over a medical doctor.  Out of probability, my horoscope is at least right 1 out of 365 times a year. I have yet to hear a doctor say anything that matches that level of accuracy.

NOW to test this out, we took a 41 year old man that was living off of junk food and not exercising at all.  For a YEAR we put him on a strict diet of all the recommended cholesterol lowering and low carb blood sugar lowering foods AND put him on p90x (rigrous exercise 5 days a week) – FOR A YEAR.

Here were the results after A YEAR of living healthy and working out:

Total Cholesterol went down 225 to 199
Triglycerides went UP from 61 to 118
HDL went down from 57 to 37
LDL went down from 156 to 138
ratio went from 168 to 162

comp.metab. pan

Glucose 106 to 101
Sodium from 149 to 137
Chloride from 112 to 105

A1C went UP from 5.4 to 5.7
eAG went UP from 108 to 117

We asked Medical Doctors what could be going on here, and every one of them shrugged their shoulders and went “Uhhh, well?”

So we asked experts whose brains weren’t fried by years of medical school and pharmaceutical industry sponsored continuing education.

Here is what real experts had to say about what could be going on with these results!

Keith Ayoob, EdD,RDN,FADN & Associate Professor Emeritus of Pediatrics Albert Einstein College of Medicine Bronx, New York says: ” The diet included all great foods but it does leave out meat and fish. Fatty fish like salmon ,sardines, mackerel, and herring are a huge source of omega-3 fats that probably would have raised his HDL levels. Walnuts and peanuts have plant omega-3s but the body has to convert them to a form it can use and the conversion rate is dismally poor, only about 3-5%. ….. his total cholesterol dropped like a bomb. That’s huge and it’s importance shouldn’t be minimized. As for his A1c, triglycerides, sodium and chloride, those fall within normal limits so it’s a stretch to draw too many conclusions. Within normal limits is exactly that. As for the eAG, it’s still hard to pinpoint a reason for this without more info. Genetics and family history may be playing a role here as well. Diet and lifestyle are hugely important but not the only influence in every case. ”

Very smart answer, although he had to add “His diet and exercise regimen still sound much better than they were. ”  I’m not saying it is true, but is it Possible that diet and exercise might not be that impactful over the Dorito’s & Netflix lifestyle?  Are we quick to say “yes” out of convention?

Chris Niedzinski, D.C. from InnerLink Chiropractic actually has a positive view of the #s, “Those are great results!Totally what would be expected- simply from just stopping junk food. Triglycerides went up- but its still pretty low- should be less than 150. Triglycerides are released for energy in between meals- from what you said he was eating- it’s really not a lot, especially if he was doing a high intensity workout- the body needs some sort of energy. Blood sugar is where it should be. A1C went up- but still good levels- low Iron can contribute to elevation. All others are fantastic. If that’s all he ate- that’s not a lot of variety. For a year is a very long time. Possible he missed some key nutrients that would be necessary for metabolic pathways. ”

Personal trainer, coach, and powerlifter (18 time World Champion, 33 time National Champion, member of the AAU Strength Sports Hall of Fame), Robert S. Herbst says, ” I would like to point out that the diet and exercise are the opposite of what you would want to create the best hormonal profile. A 41 year old man wants to raise his testosterone and human growth hormone (HGH) levels which are declining at his age. Increases of those hormones will lower cholesterol and decrease body fat. The best way to raise the hormone levels naturally is to do heavy compound multijoint exercises such as squats, lunges, and deadlifts. The body produces more testosterone and HGH in response to those exercises. PX 90 does not cause the same hormonal response. Also, tofu contains plant sterols which have an estrogen mimicking effect, which counters the effects of the testosterone the person’s body was making. Instead, he should have eaten more red meat, which contains testosterone.”

SO HORMONES (and Red Meat?) – a variable most doctors don’t address.

So what did the ONE doctor that had an answer over above an “ummmm” have to say?

Dr. Barry Sears, acclaimed author of the Zone Diet book series, said “What probably happened was not having a cogent exercise and diet plan.  ”   Unfortunately, like a doctor, he actually ignored the details that these mysterious results are Inspite of a cogent exercise and diet plan – that’s the WHOLE POINT OF THE QUESTION! Hmmm, an astrologer would have known that.   But to Dr. Sears’ credit he did add some interesting info by following up with, “he fact that the TG increased and the HDL dropped was indicative of increased insulin resistance in the liver.  Likewise, the increase the in the blood glucose and HbA1c confirm a systematic increase in insulin resistance.  This is caused by to two factors:  increased inflammation and increased cortisol.  Both were likely to be increased by the intense exercise program without adequate rest between bouts of exercise.  Another cause of inflammation is likely to be caused by an imbalance in the omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids in the diet that would also increase inflammation. First, do no more than three bouts of intense exercise never to exceed more than 20 minutes per week.  Second, increase the increase the intake of EPA and DHA (at least 2.5 grams per day) to reduce inflammation.  Third, achieve a better balance of protein to the glycemic load at each meal to prevent an increase of cortisol.  Following these simple steps, his blood chemistry should significantly change for the better within 30 days. “

WHAT DO YOU THINK??

I don’t know about you, but when I think of the NFL  I think of The Rock rescuing his ball player clients from golddiggers and PR mishaps (that was a Ballers reference btw).  OR what was the name of that awesome BET show with one of the twins from Sister Sister? That show was great!

I bet my friends and readers on the east coast are expecting to read even more about Rob Gronkowski  (or maybe you knew it might be Dan or Glenn or Chris) but for everyone west of the Mississippi – There’s the Broncos – and CHRIS Gronkowski. And football fans also know Chris Gronkowski as a Dallas Cowboy.  What you might not know, or maybe you do if you’ve been following the Gronkowski family, is Chris owns businesses: and in sectors you wouldn’t predict!

And for those of us that have spent too much time on the Red Carpet and don’t know football from soccer – here’s the Chris Gronkowski refresher:

Dallas Cowboys (2010)
Indianapolis Colts (2011)
Denver Broncos (2012)
San Diego Chargers (2013)
TODAY:  Everything Decorated & Ice Shaker!!!

Believe it or not, I got a chance to chat with Chris working on a Rock Star Recipes article for Cooking & Kitchen Gifts (stay tuned to the blog to see that!).  Here’s what we talked about!

Chris! Here’s the question I’m sure everyone asks you, how

Men’s Journal asked Anand to submit a Rock Star Recipe’s HANGOVER CURE.  Here’s what he said:

“This near-instant hangover cure can help reset your nerves from a night of partying like a rockstar. It works by mixing an Indian ayurvedic adaptogen with some “oophm” to get you mentally alert and clean you up internally to get back to your health and fitness goals.

You’ll need:

Some ….

I love tofu. I remember the first time I got to try
fresh tofu. I was on the road somewhere in Asia.
It was warm and the server dished it out with an
ice cream scoop. The tofu had a totally different,
much softer and less gelatinous consistency than
the kind we get in America.

I made it my mission when I returned home to find
ways to turn our store bought tofu into some of my
favorite meals. This section is loads of fun, and
even if you weren’t a tofu fan before I’m willing to
gamble that you will be after trying these recipes.

TOFU FRIES
• 1 Package of Extra Firm Tofu
• 2 TBSP of …

The first time I got hooked on a really strong
Matcha was in Tokyo. A really hot local girl
decided to take me out on a date and show me
around town (funny how many stories start out
this way isn’t it?) and one of the our stops that
she planned was a tea tasting. I remember it
was raining, as it so often does in Tokyo during
summer, and we dropped our umbrella into the
little canister in the front of the tea shop as we
walked in.
Some words were exchanged in japanese
with the shopkeep and we were both escorted
upstairs to a pretty oldschool looking, all wood
room. It sort of resembled a dance studio
crossed with an attic, to give you a feel of the
atmosphere. An older lady came out from behind
a curtain and began to

Traditionally we should be making tea by boiling
a pot of water, and measuring out the tea, adding
milk, and some more time consuming instructions
ad nauseum. If you have time to do all of that,
than you probably shouldn’t be complaining
about giving yourself 3 hours of quiet time every
morning. In this day and age, it’s best