MLEstyle

Tips on Eating a Vegan Diet

MLEstyle — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 22:55:56 +0000

People often express how much they would love to eat a vegan diet, but they just don’t know how it would be possible to eat that way, everyday.

Does this sound like you?

I believe that making the decision to become a vegan–or even a vegetarian–is a completely personal decision. Whether the doctor has ordered you to eat a plant based diet, or your knowledge of commercial farming practices has swayed your cravings for any animal based products, we all have our reasons. So for all of us who are journeying towards the vegan lifestyle, or merely interested in finding out what it’s all about, I recommend that you take a look at two books that really changed my life:

The China Study

And

Skinny Bitch

If you’re interested in eating a vegan diet, or know someone who is, I have created a list of vegan alternatives for the animal based food products that we’ve all been accustomed to eating at one point in our lives.

Let me start by saying, every meat has an alternative. Take it from me, taco night is just as fun when you’re a vegan! Usually, a grocery store like Whole Foods, will offer almost everything you could possibly need to satisfy your cravings, in addition to satisfying your new lifestyle. For instance, instead of using hamburger meat in tacos, I use veggie protein crumbles (looks and tastes identical to hamburger meat). Think you’re gonna miss out on buffalo wings during football games this fall? Don’t worry…check in the freezer section, they’ve got alternatives for those wing cravings too! Chicken? Check. Steak? Check. Cheese? Check. You name it, there’s an alternative product!

So let’s cut to the meat of the subject! Here’s a quickie list of alternative products for those of you who are interested:

Cheese: Try Daiya cheese (cheddar and mozzerella–I SWEAR by this product!)

Milk: Soy Milk, Almond Milk, Rice Milk

Yogurt: Soy yogurt

Meat: Alternatives for all meat–check with your local grocer…try Whole Foods.

Eggs: Ener-G Egg Replacer

Boxed recipes (like cake, cookies, brownies): Alternatives for everything in the baking isle.

Chocolate: Look for dark chocolates and check ingredients–obviously, milk chocolate has…milk.

Butter: Earth Balance (I SWEAR by this product too!)

Artificial sweetener: Truvia (made from the Stevia plant)

Sour Cream/ cream cheese: The brand Tofutti makes great alternatives!

Gelatin: Animal-free gelatin alternatives–they taste exactly the same!

Ice cream: Soy ice creams, sorbets, and get this–you can even make your own delicious recipes! My boyfriend loves my vegan chocolate ice cream recipe…he said it’s like sex in his mouth–better than Coldstone!

Of course we’ve all heard that it’s a healthy way to nourish our bodies. Did you know that one vegan person can save over 100 animals a year just by sticking to their diet? A vegan lifestyle is exciting–your body will look amazing, you will feel amazing, and all while you’re doing a good thing for the animals…even if that isn’t your initial intention. Pretty cool.

And please make sure that if you’re considering a vegan lifestyle, you consult your doctor first. You will need to take a multivitamin, and you should take an additional B Vitamin (B12) supplement: I also take a Blue Green Algae supplement(at the request of my older brother) because I eat a gluten free and fairly “raw” (meaning uncooked) diet, which requires that I supplement certain amino acids to feel satiated and healthy enough for my hard workouts.

And remember, it’s about the journey–there is no failure if you’re trying. Don’t stress the mistakes! As we become more knowledgeable about the topic, what to eat and what we like to eat, the less stressful it becomes–that’s the truth.

Good luck to all you vegan lifestyle seekers! A great big pat on the back to all you who are educating yourselves.

Hugs + kisses…and most importantly, stay happy and healthy!

XoX

Made in USA

MLEstyle — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 18:01:13 +0000

Most would agree that the athletic apparel giants, Under Armour and Nike, trump all of the “other” brands in the industry…and on every other day, I would totally agree with you. After all, who doesn’t love seeing that famous check mark on their body when they’re looking in the mirror at the gym?

And what about FILA? …Hmmmm…never has been a brand I was too crazy about until I saw these tight black spandex shorts in Nordstrom the other day. I had to get them! So I scooped up a very cute Juicy Couture bright blue workout tank to pair with the spandex, and I threw in the matching Juicy sweatshirt (yoga-style) for the winter workouts–I love planning ahead!

So today is the big day. Another outfit debut for the gym. I put my new Nike sports bra (highlighter yellow) on, my Juicy Couture tank top, and my tight black spandex shorts by, ohhhh who makes them again? …oh that’s right, Fila!

As I was getting dressed for the gym, I noticed writing on the inside of my new spandex shorts that said, “Made in USA”. Which made me wonder…needless to say, I was curious enough to strip off my Juicy Couture tank top and twist my Nike sports bra around to find that one label that said, “Made in Vietnam,” and the other, “Made in China.”

Hey…why don’t you try it on? Wearing a true American brand feels great!

(YOUR FACE HERE)

God bless the American that made these tight black spandex shorts! A big shout out to the people at Fila who made the decision to manufacture their apparel in this great country!

Off to gym! Kisses!

Healthy + Happy…XoX

Back to the Future!

MLEstyle — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 18:25:04 +0000

I recently had the opportunity to model as a female version of Marty McFly with an amazing Delorean straight out of Back to the Future. The shoot will be used to benefit Parkinson’s disease research, via the Michael J. Fox Foundation. What a perfect match to use the Delorean from Michael’s incredible role as Marty McFly in the movie to promote a cure for Parkinson’s disease.

It was a great feeling to volunteer my time to help out such a worthy cause, and doubly great to leave the shoot thinking about how many amazing and talented people I had just worked with! …Especially one of my favorite photographers, Douglas Sounders. Here is the link to Doug’s blog with a sneak peak of what we worked on all Saturday night!

Douglas Sounder’s Photography

A final thank you goes out to Bubba’s East Coast Rods and Customs for letting us invade their shop and parking lot for this shoot! Did you guys know that Bubba’s has a top-rated reality show called Hot Rod Reality? …and it’s shot right here in Fairfax, VA! I had no idea…but then again, what do I know about cars!

Working with such a talented group of people was really an honor and on top of it all, so much fun! I’m excited to see the final product!

Hugs + kisses!

What Have We Done?

MLEstyle — Wed, 26 May 2010 16:47:44 +0000

We’ve read it in the papers and heard it on the news. It’s affected the economy in a number of ways. It’s even been used as question material for Miss USA (you can see question on video at 3 min 30 sec):

What have we done, folks? As one small person in this enormous planet, it is easy to feel like our small voice’s would never be heard worldwide, especially if we consider the language barriers. And in most cases, that is usually true, we are one small voice in this big big world. Unless you use the power of photography; the one language we all can speak. Pictures like these are evidence that one camera lens can clearly communicate this message in every language: “What have we done to ourselves?”

If you’re interested, you can see all 39 incredible pictures from the website I pulled these images from by clicking here: www.boston.com.

It is important to learn from the mistakes that we’ve made in our past so that we never make them again.

This catastrophe affects all of us in a million different ways. Whether you’re an animal lover, a tree-hugger, an environmentalist, an economist, an investor, a politician, even a nutritionist (who will probably cut out the seafood from diet plans, yes?); we ALL are affected.

…Sending heartfelt appreciation, gratitude, and prayers from all of us, to all of the wonderful selfless volunteers and individuals who are working so hard to clean up this terrible spill–in the ocean, in the court room, and on Capitol Hill.

Kisses to all. Besos. XoX

I Know the Feeling

MLEstyle — Mon, 24 May 2010 18:41:34 +0000

This is what it’s like to work for the family, and even more so, for your Grandfather. Wanna know what it’s like to live a day in the life of me? Just check out the new Heineken commercial I caught during a Washington Nationals baseball game:

At the end of the day, I can’t say that working for my family is all so bad, but I do thank the good lord that modeling requires A LOT of travel! Of course, not for any reasons linked to me being an eligible bachelorette…

Hugs + kisses.

XoX

PS- If you don’t know my Grandfather…he is the MAN! I’ve put a picture below of him teaching my best friend Mike (@MrMikeLights) how to cut down trees last Easter. Go Grandpa , go!

Supermom Adriana Lima’s Sweaty Come Back

MLEstyle — Thu, 06 May 2010 16:19:41 +0000

She’s a bad-ass supermodel, and is now making her “come back” (as if she was ever gone) from her first child Valentina’s birth. Lima notes that she has struggled to lose the extra 40 lbs of baby weight that she gained during pregnancy. I think she’s a wickedly beautiful Mother…as for the extra 40 lbs? Let’s just say that I’d still be flashing this video around to all of my friends if she was my mother. I love a hot woman who can work up a sweat…especially when it’s in the ring!

Check this sexy supermom, I mean supermodel, out in her “Comeback Video”:

What a great role model for women!

XoX

Modeling with Moshe

MLEstyle — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 18:56:47 +0000

Have you ever wondered who the best photographers are in Washington, DC? I know that when I began my search for the area’s top photographers, I was pretty skeptical…Were they actually as good as what they’re made out to be? There were a lot of times when I found myself answering, “No.” But rest assured, because there were several times when I answered with two thumbs way up.

There’s one photographer in particular that I really have fallen in love with: Moshe Zusman.

Check out the recent shots he’s taken of me!

If you would like to contact Moshe for a shoot, his information is:

Moshe@moshezusman.com

Mobile: (240)422-9742

Here is a list of incredible DC photographers:

Hope this makes photographer hunting easier for all you hotties!

XoX

Here’s a Tip…Tip!

MLEstyle — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 16:21:21 +0000

The story goes like this:

I was at a bar with a guy I was interested in. I ordered two beers totaling up to a whopping $5. The bill came. I pulled out my money waiting for the guy to tell me that he insisted on paying. After all, it was just $5. He didn’t bite the bait so I paid for my drinks. Then came the tipping part. It was like the word tip didn’t even exist in the guy’s vocabulary. $2 tip for a $30 check.

Please, we’re not asking for you to make the headlines, just to be a nice date that does the right thing.

So what was the first thing that went through my mind? …I didn’t care how gorgeous the guy was, his charming smile would never make me forget how offended I felt. So it took one character slip up on his part for me to make an all-too-easy decision…he was completely off my radar. Adios my friend!

Check out this clipping in the article from The Sun about bad tippers:

Don’t you see guys? The tip says a lot about you. Bad tip? …You don’t really care about the random person who’s been serving you all night. That must mean that the attention we’re getting from you is completely staged until you get what you want from us. And as my boldest girlfriend would tell you outright… Sh*t ain’t happening.

So here’s my advice, especially for you gentleman that are concerned over how to secure the best women. Know your etiquette. Pay for the meal and then smile while you generously tip your server. That way you don’t have to invest your time trying to find another woman. Keep it simple. Keep the woman. There’s something so sexy about seeing your man’s sensitive side when he shows that he genuinely cares about people…especially if that person is a complete stranger! Who knew that a caring personality, especially in the restaurant, could convince your woman that you’re the next Clark Kent!

Now go save your woman! Pick up the bill and tell her to save her money for the pair of heels she’s been dying to buy. If that doesn’t work on her, then she’s simply not into men…And that’s a whole different story.

Hugs + Kisses!

XoX

Going From Man to Gentleman

MLEstyle — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 16:33:59 +0000

If you plan on picking up a decent woman, please understand that we pay attention to details. One of my girlfriends put it very simply, “You can’t expect to pick me up in a Hugo Boss suit, when I was raised watching my father wear only custom pieces.” And she quickly followed up with another important comment. She said that men don’t have to be rich to pick her up, because it’s the simple things like extreme attention to detail and thoughtfulness that she really appreciates.

Now here’s the kicker, guys. Extreme attention to detail does not mean that you can perfectly explain to your woman what the heck is going on during the basketball game, the delta of one investment versus the other–unless you’re talking about the one-of-a-kind piece of jewelry that we could buy if we would agree to invest in that tax free municipal bond for several more years, or even the the way you wax your car like it’s about to go to auction at Barrett Jackson. Let’s face it. Women go to basketball games to be seen, socialize, and cheer for the 6′7″ hottie with sweat dripping down his chiseled arms and legs. Women like instant gratification, so if you can’t sell us on compromise unless we understand what we’re getting back in return–aka jewelry, a car, condo, vacation, etc. And on top of it all, you most likely don’t have a Jay Leno-esque car collection, so quit waxing your BMW every Sunday and take us to Fontainebleu for an afternoon cocktail and conversation.

After a million conversations with many of my well-to-do single girlfriends about what bugs us the most about our past relationships, I decided it was time to spill the beans! With that said, here is the insider’s crash course guide on How to Go From Man to Gentleman:

Step 1: Never screw up your tie. We may not know how the to actually tie it for you, but you bet your bottom dollar that we know what the finished product should look like. Besides, this is the first thing I look at when I meet a man. It says a lot about them. Second thing I look at is shoes. Men: You must must must own at least one pair of nice dress shoes made by designers like Ferragamo, Prada, or Gucci. If I was a man on a budget, I would starve myself for a month just so I could purchase the shoes. That’s literally how important they are, especially to women.

Step 2. If it looks like we’re dressed in designer labels, then you ought to also. That doesn’t mean it has to be designer. For that reason, I have listed (below) some excellent stores for men who want the right look at an affordable price:

For a more tailored European-style suit:

For a simple casual cotton t-shirts:

For t-shirts with more of a “flare,” and great designer jeans for a steep discount:

For last season’s designer clothes:

Step 3. Always always pay for our dinner or drinks. If you can’t swing the $150 dinner at Morton’s, just tell us…we love to go for a cheap burger and fries or an extra large slice of pizza, too! In fact, if you play your cards right, the casual meal might even score you more points! Women like successful men who feel comfortable enough to not impress people with their ability to pick up an expensive bill. And if you don’t believe me, just check out what we eat when we’re alone (below). Who knew going from man to gentleman could be that easy.

Step 4: If you are trying to buy a woman jewelry, don’t buy anything cheap. It sends us the wrong signal: Either you put no thought into the gift, you were pressed for time and picked something up last minute, or we’re just not worthy of the best.

Simple rule: If you can’t afford it, don’t buy it. We’re happier with a hand-made card than plastic pearls. Euuuuck!

Step 5: You can’t seal the deal without the proper handshake, right? So what makes you think you can score a beautiful woman without the proper etiquette?

Know how to dress for the right occasion. Know how to chew with your mouth closed, and speak when you’ve swallowed your food. Know how to take a woman to a baseball game and buy her ice cream, peanuts and beer, and also know how to take her to the theater in your custom tux and treat her to the city’s finest dining. Wash your hands. If you have to burp…just don’t…unless we do it first . And remember, if you’re not sure about the proper etiquette, then please educate yourself at one of the million etiquette classes that are always being offered.

Congratulations! You’re a step closer to becoming a gentleman! Now, put your valuable new education to use and go score a date with the classy hottie you’ve been trying to pick up for the past year!

Best of luck!!! I’ll be rooting for you!

XoX

YSL Leopard: Heel. Sit. Stay…in my closet!

MLEstyle — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 17:30:16 +0000

Every woman that knows what’s good for her loves a leopard print. And sometimes as women, we just can’t make any sacrifices for that wildly sexy caramel and brown print. For me, comfort immediately took a backseat the moment I laid eyes on my first pair of YSL leopard heels. Check them out (below)! I wore them to the incredible Tigerlily Foundation event last night with Maimah Karmo, Dr. Alex Naini, and Angie Goff, along with several Redskins players.

Despite the amount of pain my feet were in this morning, I just can’t get rid of these amazing heels. Fortunately, for you leopard lovers who also enjoy comfort, YSL has come out with a new and improved version of this leopard heel this season that I highly recommend. I know Fergie would endorse these as well! Here’s the Spring 2010 YSL Leopard Tribute Sandal:

www.polyvore.com

If you like this sandal, skip Neiman’s and buy it online for 30% off at LoiusAviaRoma.com. …they’re not cheap, but hey, there is a price to beauty. Just another sacrifice for another must have heel.

XoX