Win A Signed Cookbook From Rocco DiSpirito!

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Rocco’s Dinner Party may be wrapping up tonight (with special guest star Lucille II, aka Liza Minelli), but that doesn’t mean he has to disappear out of your life. I’m giving away a signed copy of his cookbook Now Eat This!, which boasts “150 of America’s Favorite Comfort Foods All Under 350 Calories.”

In the spirit (or should I say DiSpirito) of cooking, submit your own healthy recipe in the comments section. The winning selection will get the book!

And now the important stuff: This prize was provided by the BRAVO Network but BRAVO is not a sponsor, administrator, or involved in any other way with this giveaway. All opinions expressed in the post are my own and not those of BRAVO. So think about that for a moment.

Also, stay tuned for the results of the Anastasia of Beverly Hills contest results!

Starbucks’ Secret Menu Revealed!

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Just when you thought you knew your Starbucks inside and out, here comes a bombshell revelation: there’s a SECRET Starbucks menu. Dunh dunh DUNH. Much like the “secret menu” at In-N-Out, Starbucks has its own line of special coffee preparations, and now the Huffington Post has blown it wide open. Prepare yourself for the Green Eye, the Zebra Mocha, the Chocolate Dalmatian, and much, much more. Ladies and gentlemen, it is time to take the red pill and go down the caffeinated rabbit hole…

Huffington Post: The Ultimate Guide to Starbucks’ Secret Menu

REAL HOUSEWIVES PHOTOCAP: Jacqueline Finally Realizes That Her Daughter Is Awful

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It was all about the kids and parents on this week’s episode of The Real Housewives of New Jersey. For Melissa, it meant communicating with her dead father through a “median” (before plunging into an earsplitting recording session of “On Display”). For Kathy, it meant having The Talk with her daughter in advance of a high school formal. For Teresa, it meant passing along recipes from her mom to her unruly kids. For Caroline, it meant reassuring Lauren that she was beautiful inside and out. And for Jacqueline it meant… well, it meant dealing with Moonface.

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‘Housewives’ Husband Russell Armstrong Found Dead of Apparent Suicide

Shocking news from the world of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. Russell Armstrong, husband of Taylor, was found dead last night at the age 47. TMZ reports that the cause of death is suicide.

Taylor Armstrong filed for divorce from Russell last month. No word on how the death will impact the upcoming season of Real Housewives.

More reading:

TMZ: “Real Housewives” Russell Armstrong Commits Suicide
E! Real Housewives of Beverly Hills’ Russell Armstrong Found Dead of Apparent Suicide

The B-Side Blog Guide To Not Getting Swept Away

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It seems like every week this summer, there’s been a tragic story of someone getting swept away to their death, with the latest coming today after news broke that a 19 year-old girl slipped and fell into the Niagara River, sending her over the falls where she is presumed to have died. Turns out the girl had climbed over a guardrail when she lost her footing and tumbled into the water.

Prior to this tragedy, we had several other incidents this summer, the most famous of which being a trio of hikers who were swept over Vernal Fall in Yosemite National Park after similarly climbing a guardrail to get closer to the raging waters. Also of note: a man who fell into a blowhole in Hawaii and was swept out to sea, and a woman who managed to cheat death after being sucked into the Niagara Falls whirlpool. “I just wanted to touch beauty,” said that survivor.

I by no means want to make light of the death that’s occurred. However, I can’t help but think that perhaps these untimely demises could have been prevented. That’s why I’ve created the official B-Side Blog Guide To Not Getting Swept Away. Details after the jump…

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The 20 Best Recipes from ‘Adventures In Domesticity’

I’ve had a run of culinary successes lately — the kind that have me boasting such things as “This has to be one of the best Adventures in Domesticity experiences of ALL TIME.” Well, it got me to thinking if I could actually pinpoint the BEST Adventure in Domesticity. I couldn’t. However, as I approach my 100th entry in the category, I couldn’t help but wax nostalgic, and thus I’ve compiled this list of my favorite culinary adventures on this blog.

A word or two about the list. I’ve chosen the recipes based on a variety of factors. Some dishes are so good and easy that I make them on a nearly regular basis. Some are time intensive but so amazing they can’t be ignored. The point is that each of these recipes makes me giddy in some way, and thus they’ve earned a spot on the list.

I’ve excluded cocktails because they’ll clearly receive their own list someday.

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ADVENTURES IN DOMESTICITY: Gianduja-Stracciatella Gelato Edition (a.k.a. Hazelnut Chocolate Chip)

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My ice cream maker has seen a bit of activity lately. In the past few weeks, I’ve churned out a delicious olive oil ice cream and a sensational Guinness milk chocolate ice cream (if only I had documented it), and last night, I took on my most formidable foe yet: Gianduja-Stracciatella Gelato. If you’re scratching your head, let me translate. Gianduja is a milk chocolate hazelnut treat from Italy, and Stracciatella is melted chocolate drizzled into churning ice cream, resulting in light, flakey “chips.” Together, the Gianduja and Stracciatella form a Voltron of tastiness in gelato form, or so one could only expect. And yes, I had high expectations.

This recipe hails from David Lebovitz’s amazing creamery bible The Perfect Scoop, which is a must-have for anyone with a functioning ice cream maker. Everything I’ve made from this book has been stellar, including the aforementioned olive oil and Guinness milk chocolate ice creams. Would the winning streak extend to this hazelnut gelato? Results after the jump…

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The Spectacular Journey of Gerard Butler’s Abs

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Back in the mid-aughts, Gerard Butler became the poster boy for ridiculous abs, thanks to his star-making role in the Grecian testosterone-fest, 300. It seemed like everyone wanted a midsection like his, spawning a minor exercise sensation with the “300 Workout.”

Well, since those glory days of 2006, Gerard Butler has enjoyed a donut or two. The actor famously put on a spare tire, which at once made him totally relatable and simultaneously a major disappointment.

Now, my friends, we have arrived at the third glorious incarnation of Gerard Butler’s belly, and the results are just as curious. Picture after the jump…

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How To Pub Crawl for 12 Hours in Downtown LA

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A spicy margarita from Las Perlas, left, and the view from Perch, right.

This past weekend, a group of us here in Los Angeles trekked to Downtown LA to engage in a lengthy and enjoyable pub crawl that lasted for just about twelve hours. Amazingly, we managed to keep our facilities about us, which was perfect since we then could appreciate the varied and eclectic watering holes we ambled into over the course of the day.

For those looking to make an excursion out of Downtown, definitely take notes. And also remember that we just barely scratched the surface…

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