My protest song was “We deserve a nice table too!” and my mother couldn’t do anything else but smile and agree. This brought the two tables together,  not physically, but in style and importance.  The truth is that it’s not a simple task: when guests are expected to come as a mass, people panic and tend to forget what  the essence of the party is. How the food is presented, the plates and glasses that you choose, the napkins and the linens. And it makes it everything more challenging: how to combine and create decorative elements without falling into the tempting waters of kitsch. Because remember that now it’s not the time for you to show your Elvis mugs. It’s the time to use that crystal vase that your grandmother bought in Prague.

NO: YES:

Christina Haire guides us through the process of combining the good and the not-so-good, creating a classy and classic atmosphere.Valuable antiques, flea market bargains and basic and neutral elements can work together and transform a table (or tables, for the little ones like myself). As Christina says, trust your judgment. If you think it looks good, it does. Now, if you’re still thinking about Graceland, maybe you should watch this video:

Just to be on the safe side.

But apparently, all drink  taboos are meant to be broken. After all, absinthe isn’t illegal anymore and some boxes do contain decent wine. Also, being a grown-up means that you’re not here to impress anyone, so if you’re hosting a Thanksgiving party, some box wines are good enough to keep your guests happy and entertained.

DadLabs guide us through the world of Box Wines (a world that I had forgotten long time ago, thanks to Gary Vaynerchuck) and show some options that will provide some decent alcohol for a decent price.

Now, if you still don’t feel comfortable drinking this wine, you can also consider the option of making mulled wine, (or the classic  Glögg if you have the mix), which is perfect for the colder season and will make any wine taste good.

So for Thanksgiving, what’s better than pumpkin pie? Well, the answer is obvious: Pumpkin Cheesecake. In order to make the perfect pumpkin cheesecake, you need to master the art of baking a cheesecake before, with all the important tips that you should always consider: preheating the oven, adding the ingredients slowly and one by one, and mixing everything in the right speed.

Just look how they do it at LeGourmet.tv:

And what you need:

INGREDIENTS:

* 4 6-ounce packages of cream cheese (room temperature)
* 2 cups sugar
* 1 15-ounce can of pumpkin
* 5 large eggs
* 3 tbl all purpose flour
* 1 tsp ground cinnamon
* 1/2 tsp ground ginger
* 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
* 1/2 tsp ground allspice
* 1/4 tsp salt
* 2 tbl vanilla

Enjoy!

So yes, it’s hard to live in an apartment. But as I already tasted how a garden feels like, there’s no way I’ll settle for anything less than  a small piece of land that I can call mine. That’s what I tell myself: “Land is the only thing that matters, Katie Scarlett O’Hara“. So I’m already thinking in my house in the suburbs, where I’ll finally have a garden, and hopefully, even grow my own vegetables.

Now, call me a garden-freak, but since I’ll probably won’t have the chance to have a secret garden  (and someone who’ll secretly take care of it) I’m thinking of alternatives to have a place where I can sit and relax – have some tea, read a book, and watch my children play with Moosy.

The best idea so far? A pergola. Not only it’s a romantic spot (yes, I mean Liesl and Rolf’s dance in the glass gazebo) but it’s also a perfect way to enjoy your garden in comfort. Good news:  with Lowe’s advice, you can find some recyclable materials for your pergola, making it both eco-friendly and affordable.

Chef Jason Hill follows Child’s steps with a Thanksgiving classic: pumpkin soup. But he shows us how to do it the French way: creamy, with a good amount of “fromage”, and a perfect Gourmet appearance. Now, don’t worry about the sophisticated looks of this pumpkin soup: it’s done in a few simple steps.

So if you want to make this  Thankgiving Dinner “chic”, you should definetely try this recipe. Just remember to choose the right pumpkin (no blemishes, please!), a good quality cheese, and there you go…

Bon appétit!

That’s why I was thrilled when my parents decided to turn our garage into an Art Studio. The transformation was unbelievable, and in a month, this dark and humid room became a room full of light, where I had everything I needed to make my projects. It was a small space, and my creativity was in bloom, so we had to figure out  how to save space without making the place look crowded: cabinets, hanging some of the tools, and drawers under the tables.

After some years, when I left my parents home, the garage slowly became a storage room again. I gave most of my things away, but some of the art projects  are still in boxes.  And as I’m allergic to dust, whenever I go home, the entrance to my art studio is banned.

That’s why I was pleasantly surprised when I ran into Lowe’s video on how to turn your garage into an Art studio. It made me want to paint again, and have my own space to do so. A place where my little one won’t be affected by the intense use of white spirit, and a  where I can paint while listening to the  inspiring voice of Zooey Deschanel.

After all, although I have a lot of a Desperate Housewife, I’m more of a Desperate Romantic.

Luckily for me, the baby fat (I was the chubbiest baby ever) disappeared at a very young age and since then I’ve remained petite. But staying fit it’s not only watching your weight. It’s  letting your body absorb the minerals that you need and let your muscles stretch in order to avoid all the sedentary-related pains. To achieve a healthy state of mind, exercise is the key.

It’s easy to say, but  hard to do. Although in the last seven years I’ve practiced Yoga regularly, when it comes to cardio I automatically start begging for my life. That’s why some weeks ago, I did something I never thought I’d do: I joined the gym. So far, I’ve taken it very slowly, but I’m beginning to feel some change and I have to admit it, to feel better.

My trainer has faith, something I had never seen on anyone that saw how I struggle with the most basic workout routines, and gave me a few exercises that will make my Lilliputian muscles get stronger and in less than two months, look like Madonna’s.

So beware!

Or follow ExerciseTV’s tips on hot to get your arms in shape too…

The truth is, I don’t regret not pursuing the architectural career, or at least not where I used to study it. A hippie community that relied on rotting materials, this Architecture school spent far too many hours on poetry and reviving the 60’s.  I was more traditional when it came to studies and if I had to get into the term poetry, it would only be through Aristotle. Also, call me a criminal, but I’m a big fan of ornaments.

And yes, after all these years, some of my friends still think they’re the Rimbaud of Architecture. Others keep on bringing up Gordon Matta-Clark although I’ve never seen them drilling anything. And some of them have pursued fascinating careers, taking sustainability and green (not rotting) materials  into consideration when it comes to creating their projects.

Now, if you want to give Architecture a try, you should start from the very beginning. That is, learn how to write. And remember, it’s like riding a bike. You’ll never forget!

Indigo Children is a concept that was developed by Nancy Anne Tappe, and that states that Indigo children are more evolved and therefore have paranormal powers, such as telepathy. While some people strongly believe that Indigo children (named after the color of their aura) should be treated in a special way in order to allow them to develop their abilities, others think that there is no evidence that supports this theory and that the characteristics exposed by Indigo children are very similar to the ones displayed by children with  ADHD or other brain disorders. Sometimes parents tend to use the “nicer label”, when it comes to their children, which is good, but it needs to be done to a certain extent, as the misuse of a label may have harmful consequences on your child.

Personally, I wasn’t a specially sensitive child (I was more interested in the Big Bang theory than the existence of angels ) and when it came to facts, I was eager to hear a scientific explanation. After all, my dad is a very skeptical man and I was a skeptical kid myself.  This doesn’t mean that I believe that what you can’t prove doesn’t exist, or that some kids aren’t in fact different. This only means that if my child starts telling me about his past life I’ll have to do a lot of research before I decide to dismiss the British education I’m all for and send them to an Indigo school.

-Quality Over Quantity: If your costume is going to be simple, pick a quality item over a bunch of accessories that have no Halloween value. Don’t go with that cheap wig and a beach shirt dressed up as “the wig dude”. There is no such thing as a wig dude, and people know it. Halloween is like the Oscars of the holidays: if you get a perfect imitation of a famous character, you’ll get an award for sure! Choose an emblematic element, such as Mike Myers original mask (pick a good one, otherwise no one will be scared) and stick to your character.

-Get in the Mood: While some girls prefer to be the sexy vampire, others might want to use that long black hair and whisper “seven days”. For a guy? Wear jeans, a leather jacket, take a (fake) axe, and greet your friends with a creepy “Here’s Johnny!”. If you have the looks, try Baby Firefly. If you have the attitude, the rest will come.

-Get Something That Will Fit Your Body Type: If you don’t have the time to elaborate a concept, choose something that will make you look good. This will make people forget that you were lazy and didn’t work enough for your costume.Now, if your laziness goes beyond any possible effort, try some humor. Laughter is the best medicine:

Now, if you still aren’t sure on what to wear for this Halloween, check what The Style Network has to say. After all, there is a costume for every person.