BellaSugar

Family Trades in Mansion to Help the Hungry

SavvySugar — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 04:02:09 PDT

The Salwen family's $1.8 million mansion is for sale, and unlike many Americans with for sale signs on their lawns, the family is selling for reasons that don't involve a mortgage they can no longer afford. The Salwens lived happily in their gorgeous 1912 Georgian mansion for nine years, and after realizing how many people they could help by donating half their home's worth the family decided to downsize.

They've already moved into their new home that is half the size of their old one even though their previous home is still for sale. Once it does sell, they will donate half the proceeds and help about 20,000 hungry Ghanaians. Watch the video to see both homes and listen to the family talk about how their American Dream changed.

American Dream Gives Dreamy Clip-On Hair

BellaSugar — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 10:00:33 PST

Yesterday I told you a little bit about professional hair extensions and how costly they can be, so today I wanted to make sure that you can have long, thick and lustrous hair even if you don't have a bulging budget. These easy-to-use American Dream Hair Extensions ($29.42) really are a dream come true!

All you have to do is match the color extension to your own hair color (which is pretty easy, considering there are 85 shades to choose from), and clip them in section by section to the layer of your hair just underneath your crown.

Be warned that it took me three pieces to create a natural-looking full head of hair. I have thin hair, so if yours is thick, you may even want to go for four. You can use less if you are creating an updo, ponytail or half-up half-down look, or you can choose one contrasting shade for a fun touch of color.

The extensions are made from 100% human hair. This is good news because they are soft, they can be cut and they're safe to use with heated styling tools. Each extension comes in 12 inch wide and 18 inch long wefts. So it's a lot easier - and more affordable - to try this trend than you might think.

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Phillip Phillips Is America's New Idol

Katie Henry — Wed, 23 May 2012 22:30:22 PDT

American Idol closed out its 11th season in LA tonight and crowned Phillip Phillips the winner! The two-hour season finale brought out some of music's biggest stars like Rihanna, Chaka Khan, John Fogerty, and Dream Girls legend Jennifer Holliday, who joined finalist Jessica Sanchez on stage for an unforgettable duet of "And I'm Telling You." The judges also got in on the action. Steven Tyler and Aerosmith performed a medley of songs while Jennifer Lopez flashed her abs in a studded bra and got the crowd on their feet with her latest dance track, "Follow the Leader." The evening was packed with exciting moments, including a marriage proposal. Former contestant Ace Young got down on one knee and popped the question to girlfriend, and Idol's season three runner-up, Diana DeGarmo.

Following the results and Phillips's emotional performance of his first single, "Home," he headed backstage to chat with press about his long road to tonight's finale, and how he's processing the win. Phillip said of his big win, "It's so unreal . . . it hasn't sunk in yet, it's just such a blessing to have." Phillip was humble talking about his own success, but Jessica was quick to compliment her competitor, saying, "When they announced it was Phillip I was so happy. I love him so much; he deserved it. He's been having to keep up with his health issues; he's been through a lot more than us, both mentally and physically." Season 11 was full of excitement for the contestants and the judges. However, we'll have to wait and see if J Lo returns for season 12.

American Idol: Who Deserves to Get Cut This Week?

Maggie Pehanick — Thu, 10 May 2012 06:24:30 PDT

We had a dual theme this week on American Idol. "California Dreaming" - which essentially meant songs about California, written by artists from California, or songs that were written in or around the state of California - was the first, followed by a round of songs that the contestants "wished they had written." Phillip Phillips started off the show with CCR's classic "Have You Ever Seen the Rain." Normally, Phillip is totally my bag, but this rendition was a little Los Lonely Boys-y for my taste. Hollie whipped out Journey's "Faithfully," which paired nicely with the Farrah Fawcett 'do the stylists gave her. Joshua Ledet went with "You Raise Me Up," which was right in his wheelhouse, and impressive as usual. It was slightly disconcerting to see 16-year-old Jessica Sanchez wobble around on those sky-high heels during her performance of "Steal Away," but the vocals were ridiculous.

Sitting on large swings and walking on pianos ensued during the duets round before the contestants went on to perform songs they've been most inspired by. Unfortunately, as we were so brutally reminded in the intro this week, every cut gets deeper as the competition goes on. So who deserves to be next on the chopping block?

A Pass That Offers Unlimited Lifetime Access to First-Class Travel

Emily Co — Mon, 07 May 2012 15:29:12 PDT

Imagine having access to a pass that lets you fly as much as you want. Sounds too good to be true, right? Well, that's the reality for the lucky few who own AAirpass, a pass that gets them an unlimited lifetime access to first-class trips on American Airlines.

The lifestyle of these privileged AAirpass holders was recently featured in an LA Times feature over the weekend. Apparently, American Airlines is losing millions of dollars from some of the heavy users of the AAirpass program. The firm decided to find ways to cancel some of their memberships and allegedly used dirty tactics such as bribery and extortion.

The program was started in 1981 as a way for the airline to raise money for expansion. Each pass started out costing $250,000 and came with the option of purchasing an additional companion pass for an extra $150,000. Of course, the price rose throughout the years, and the airline finally retired the program in 1994. However, it did make one last appearance in 2004 in a Neiman Marcus Christmas catalog for $3 million.

Here's what it's like to hold one of these passes:

"He was airborne almost every other day. If a friend mentioned a new exhibit at the Louvre, Rothstein thought nothing of jetting from his Chicago home to San Francisco to pick her up and then fly to Paris together.

In July 2004, for example, Rothstein flew 18 times, visiting Nova Scotia, New York, Miami, London, Los Angeles, Maine, Denver and Fort Lauderdale, Fla., some of them several times over. The complexity of such itineraries would stump most travelers; happily for AAirpass holders, American provided elite agents able to solve the toughest booking puzzles."

It sounds like a dream to be able to fly to any country you want on a whim - where would you travel if you had one of these passes?

Meeting My Sperm Donor

The Good Men Project — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 10:00:50 PDT

We're happy to present this story from one of our favorite sites, The Good Men Project. Ben Sommer, conceived through alternative insemination, is a young man now and tells the story of deciding to meet his donor.

I grew up in a middle-class home in Cambridge, Massachusetts, with two loving parents, both of whom are women. My conception was perhaps the most organized and scientific miracle of the modern American family - my architecture, the dream of dozens of individuals conducting their work across thousands of miles.

Objectifying Ryan Gosling

I was conceived through alternative insemination. A donor submitted his sperm to the Sperm Bank of California in Oakland (TSBC). Later, it was sent to the Fenway Community Health Center in Boston. Since opening its doors in 1982, TSBC has helped families without the ability to conceive on their own to birth over 2,000 children. Two thirds of those have ended up, like me, being raised in a lesbian household. TSBC is also the first sperm bank to offer a donor-identity-release program, which allows children of alternative insemination access to their donors' information when they turn 18.

I am not as much an oddity as you might think. As of 2005, some 270,000 children in the United States had same sex-parents. We are a generation that is just now beginning to come of age and able to share our stories. This is mine.

Growing up in a lesbian household was much like growing up in any other family unit, I imagine: vacations to Cape Cod, parents working late and sometimes not, play dates with a diverse group of friends.

I never gave much thought to that mysterious figure across the country. I never questioned the fact that I didn't have a father. As far as I was concerned I didn't need one. Is having two moms really all that different than having a mom and a dad? Parents are parents, right? I didn't see a difference at the time. My parents didn't either - at least at first.

They decided to conceive through a donor, in part, to avoid the complications that a third parent would bring. Asking a close male friend to donate, like some couples have done, can create unforeseen consequences. In the past, there have been custody battles between the donor and the parents raising the child. This was the case with a friend of mine, whose parents arranged donation from a male family friend. With a semi-anonymous donor like the man my parents chose, it would be clear who my parents were. And it was.

That's not to say that it was smooth sailing. "When we first learned you were going to be a boy, we really panicked," my mother told me recently. "Who's going to teach him to throw a ball? We didn't have many male friends. There was even basic stuff, like who's going to teach him to pee standing up. That doesn't come naturally."

Read the rest of the story below.

Financial Time Line For 20-Somethings

Anna Monette Roberts — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 00:15:14 PDT

While we'd like to blame the economy, Generation Y - often called the Boomerang Generation of Americans born in the '80s and '90s - have earned that snide title for their inability to land jobs after college and for commonly moving back in with the folks several years after graduation. In an effort to move away from this common trend, here's a list of goals and a realistic time line to help you move toward an independent, adult life.

Last Year of School and Graduation

While some college students apply for jobs or graduate programs during their last semester of school, you might feel overloaded if you start the search while you have a full schedule of classes, an internship, and even a part-time job. Rather than trying to juggle all of those tasks at once, focus on completing your degree. Do make use of your college career services, so you have websites and resources at hand when you are ready to seriously start the hunt.

If you have savings or financial support from your parents, go to Europe or take that dream vacation you've always wanted. It's important to take a break after graduation to decompress before jumping into a job search or a new job. Even if it's just a road trip with your friends, take the opportunity to celebrate your graduation.

Click here to read what to do during your first and second year after graduation.

American Idol: Who Deserves to Get Cut This Week?

BuzzSugar — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 08:29:24 PDT

It was Billy Joel week on American Idol, and the contestants were in a New York state of mind - or at least Erika was, who was sporting a fresh new short 'do. (As Ryan put it, "not since the Sanjaya ponyhawk have we seen such a transformation.") Diddy was the musical mentor with Tommy Hilfiger on wardrobe. Much to Tommy's chagrin, Phillip Phillips wore gray, again, and Diddy was confused about whether HeeJun was a singer or a clown.

Mentor observations aside, it wasn't the most impressive of performance shows. The judges continued their love affair with Joshua Ledet but the usually outstanding Hollie Cavanaugh was only kind of meh. Admittedly, Jessica Sanchez's rendition of "Everybody Has a Dream" was goose bump inducing and "Piano Man" might be our favorite Colton Dixon song so far. Altogether, this week was a mixed bag, but the question remains: who deserves to be sent packing?

Photo courtesy of Fox

Octavia Spencer Calls Her Oscar Win "Fan-Effing-Tastic"

Becky Kirsch — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 23:11:07 PST

Octavia Spencer completed her award season sweep with the Oscar for best supporting actress for her role in The Help. After giving a very teary speech on stage, Spencer dried her eyes and cracked jokes back in the press room. She talked about how humbled she is by her win, her deep love and respect for her cast mates, and why you can't take yourself too seriously in showbiz.

On the tone of the film: We wanted to make the movie that Kathryn Stockett had envisioned when she wrote the book. I don't think there's anything lighthearted abut the civil rights movement, but if you can have a laugh every other 10 minutes while you watch the struggle, then I have no problem with it.

On her upcoming plans: Tonight I am going to find my cast mates and I'm actually going to have a quarter of a glass of champagne and hang out. I think we all start projects within the next couple of days, but I'm just gonna live in this moment because lord knows it's never gonna happen again.

On what the cast meant to her: It's very rare that you have the type of ensemble that we had. You don't get all the Academy Award nominees and winners coming together to do a project. And then you have the collaboration of Academy Award nominees behind the scenes. We just left our egos at the door and worked together as one beautiful unit. It was an award-winning cast. So to be a part of that, and to just sort of dissolve into the world that we were representing is something that we're supposed to do as actors, but it was rare that we did it without judgment of each other.

On her love affair with The Help: The word I want to use, I can't. I want to say fan-effing-tastic. But we'll leave the "effing" out. Fantastic. It is humbling, the love affair I have with The Help. I'm a benefactor of all of the riches that the real life Minnys, Aibileens, Cosntantines, Skeeters, that they basically reaped. And so I am very humbled because I get to stand here and accept this award and I haven't really done anything.

On what she was feeling at the moment she won and advice: Really and truly I was just trying not to fall down. This is one of those evenings in my life that I'll never forget. I hope it's the hallmark for more aspiring actresses of color, and by color I don't just mean African American. I hope that in some way I can be some sort of beacon of hope. Especially because I am not the typical Hollywood beauty.

On her advice for aspiring actresses: Get a great designer because you don't know if you're gonna be on TV or not. I think that you have to believe in yourself, and you have to work very hard. You can't think that you're the best thing that sliced bread, because there are going to be Viola Davises, Jessica Chastains, Emma Stones, who are the best things since sliced bread. Take it seriously, but don't take yourself too seriously.

On her dream role: I don't have one role that I want to play. I guess I want to be a producer. I want be an activist. I want to be proactive in bringing about work for men, women, boys, girls, that are good at what they do and deserve a shot at it. I want to have a presence behind the scenes and in front of the camera. I want to be a jack of all trades and hopefully decent at one of them.

10 Most Beautiful Travel Adventures to Take Around the World

Emily Co — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 03:05:26 PST

I don't know about you, but I'm always dreaming about my next trip and I'm often scouring the web for exciting new vacation destinations. Although travel can get expensive, it definitely has its benefits. It's a great educational and cultural experience for people and it helps people learn more about the world and think outside of the box.

When you're planning your next trip, consider one of these 10 most beautiful travel spots. You might want to add them to your bucket list!

Source: Flickr User muha...

Maldives

Famous for being the ultimate luxury-honeymoon getaway, the Maldives is made up of 1,192 islands (200 of which are inhabited) located in the Indian Ocean. It is the smallest Asian country and also the flattest country in the world. Known for its crystal-clear water and colorful and varied marine life, the Maldives is definitely a beautiful escape.

Source: Flickr User daretothink

African Safari

If you had to pick just one travel adventure, you'll be hard-pressed to find a something more exciting than the wildebeest migration. Stay in a tent, lodge, or hotel in Kenya or another African country along the migration route and watch the large herd cross the plain or battle hungry crocodiles during a river crossing.

Read on for more beautiful travel spots.