Adventures of Superalzy » lifestyle

Post-Summer Detox

Superalzy — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 12:00:39 +0000

It was a great summer, wasn’t it? Pizza, Curley’s Fries, ice cream- oh, the ice cream! And so many sugary, frozen drinks. Well, let’s get back on track together, shall we? Cleanse your body of summer shenanigans to help promote a healthier lifestyle & motivate you to stick with it. Over the weekend, I tried this:

Detoxify & Cleanse

It’s a 2-day cleanse that you mix with water. You can consume clear soups, fruits and veggies, but avoid complex meals. You will not lose 20 lbs overnight. You will not look like a supermodel in 2 days. You will feel rejuvenated & ready to make healthier decisions for the rest of the year, though.

Well, at least until the holiday season!

Spruce Up Your Space III

Superalzy — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 12:00:54 +0000

My bedroom walls are pretty bare. It’s a small room and artwork would make it look cluttered & tiny. Despite the storage issue in this house being a pretty serius curse, it also turned out to be a blessing.

With no place to store my Lomo cameras, I stuck them to the wall over my nightstand.

Space-free storage!

I don’t use them every day, but I’d hate to damage them in the back of the closet. They take up no space on the wall & look pretty retro. If I’m feeling artsy, I just have to grab & go!

I also store some of my chunkier necklaces on my walls. They don’t really fit in my jewelry box & I wouldn’t want them to get tangled. Also, hanging them in plain view reminds me that I have some great accessories to wear so I tend to wear them more often.

Much easier than digging through the jewelry box.

How do you deal with space issues?

It’s Hot Out, Huh?

Superalzy — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 12:00:30 +0000

Photo: Red Cross of Argentina

Hadn’t you noticed? Here are a few things you can throw in your purse to cool down on the go when it gets unbearable.

1) Small bottle of Aloe. It’s great on sunburns, but always feels cool & soothing on your skin.

2) Teething Ring. Weird, but it works. Get a couple of cold teething rings & throw them in the freezer overnight. Put them over your eyes on the beach or hold one against the back of your neck for a bit. If you keep them in your sealed purse, they’ll stay cold longer.

3) Mints. Suck on a mint & then drink water. Ahhh!

4) A bottle of water! Obviously. Drink it, dab it on your wrists or wet a small neck towel.

5) A white cotton t-shirt. Steal from a male friend. They’re the best. Change into it after work & enjoy being cool!

Low Cal Summer Sweets

Superalzy — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 12:00:09 +0000

My massive sweet tooth brings me to my knees in the face of mint chocolate chip ice cream. Working on the Boardwalk, it’s hard to resist the smells of fried Oreos, waffles & ice cream, funnel cake, and (now that an old Italian bakery has opened across the way) cannolis as I leave my office each evening. I’ve been avoiding them by preparing healther treats at home. Now when I have a craving for sweets, I don’t have to feel guilty! Here are three of my favorites!

Minted Watermelon Lemon Ice Pops, 82 calories. Click for recipe

Ice pops are always easy to make & these are no exception. They’re sweet & tart with a hint of sophistication. And, of course, they’re refreshing on the hottest days.

Lavender-Scented Strawberries with Honey Cream, 135 calories. Click for recipe

I’m addicted to Greek yogurt. Honey, strawberries, cherries- everything goes with it perfectly. This light, yet rich dessert looks so elegant in a little glass bowl too.

Chocolate-Amaretti Peaches, 117 calories. Click for recipe.

There’s nothing like these. Easy, delicious & oozing summertime! Living in Jersey, fresh peaches are plentiful. It’s the best way to eat a peach!

♠Feminist Friday♠

Superalzy — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 12:00:13 +0000

Image by artist Damien Hirst

In lieu of Fashion Friday, I’m compelled to share an experience with you that really got to me yesterday. A van belonging to Sherwood Solar had a naked Barbie doll duct taped to the grill of the vehicle. I wish I’d gotten a photo, but I don’t use my phone while in the car. I was so disgusted with that image, I wrote a letter to the company.

Hi,

As I was driving on Rt 47 over the bridge into Wildwood for work this morning, one of your company vans was riding behind me with two gentlemen inside. I glanced in my rearview mirror and noticed something duct taped to the grill of the van. As they approached me at the bridge, I noticed it was a naked female Barbie doll.

Not only do I find this highly unprofessional and low class, but I think you should know how poorly it reflects on your company. What message does that send? How can that be interpreted as anything less than a misogynistic symbol that advocates violence against women?

I think it’s sad that our society makes jokes out of beaten, abused women. Every one person who could simply say “that’s not funny,” in response to a rape or abuse joke could effectively shut up their group of friends and maybe even make them realize what they’re really saying.

What your van said to me this morning is that your company finds humor in rape and domestic abuse. That message has been with me all morning so strongly that I’m compelled to write to you. I’d like to believe you are unaware of this situation with your van and that you never meant to offend potential customers, but please think about the points I’m expressing. The figure of a naked woman duct taped to the grill of a van… Think about what something like that conveys to the public as your van drives around New Jersey, exposing that to families, customers and potential customers.

I hope you understand my concerns and will reconsider what you find “funny” in life. Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,

Alison Heller

I received no response today.

What do you think about this? What does that image say to you? What kind of person even takes action to bind a naked doll to their vehicle?

Spruce Up Your Space II

Superalzy — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 12:00:13 +0000

Crafts, Candy or Coins, Jars Make Great Space

Jars.

Few things are more useful for organization & making your space look rustic, country & classy like jars. They’re ideal for art supplies. Fill them with beads, paint brushes, writing supplies, sequins or whatever bits & pieces you like working with.

They’re perfect in the kitchen, of course. Large jars look beautiful filled with flour, brown or white sugar & cocoa powder. I have a few in my own kitchen filled with Splenda, vitamins & caramels. It helps organize my counter top in a beautiful way. Jars look much nicer than the ugly box of sugar packets sitting next to the coffee maker.

Loose ends in the kitchen

Candy also looks decorative in jars. Fill a few jars with Reese’s Pieces, M&Ms or York Peppermint candy pieces & place them on your coffee table for guests. Keep a small jar on your desk or reading area for some mid-story snacking! Put them on a shelf for a fun pop of color & a little retro candy shop feel.

Books & candy. Is there anything sweeter?

What do you do with jars?

Create Something!

Superalzy — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 12:00:36 +0000

For each day in June, I’ll be participating in 30 Days of Creativity. Whether it’s a poem, a doodle, a sculpture, a photo, cookies or simply arranging my lunch to look like Kate Middleton, I’m going to create something! It’s important to me that I keep my brain exercised in the arts & always growing toward the weird & bizarre.

I’ll be posting my creative endeavors over on the Alison Heller Creative, so check in!

Better yet, JOIN the challenge & create something for the next 30 days. Join the movement on Facebook (RSVP to the “event” or “like” the page), Pinterest, or twitter. I’d love to see what creative concoctions you can conjure!

Cinco de Mayo!

Superalzy — Wed, 04 May 2011 23:37:24 +0000

Don't pass up an excuse to celebrate!

I believe in celebrating often. It’s the best way to keep your spirits high, especially if you’re having a bad day (week :/ *sigh*). Thankfully, tomorrow is Cinco de Mayo & I appreciate Mexican culture (any culture that advocates filling something cute with candy & smashing it is alright by me)!

So break out your sombrero & have a party!

Make some loaded guacamole. Mmmm.

Have a Mexican jumping bean race.

Start a mariachi band in your kitchen. Create some homemade maracas!

Bake up a storm of Churro & Chocolate cupcakes.

Play the Salad Bowl Game (it’s not necessarily Mexican, but it’s a lot of fun).

You’ll need:

Salad bowl, large strainer, or anything that can hold many small pieces of paper.

Paper

Pen or pencil

1. Pick one letter in the alphabet that everyone agrees upon.

2. Next, give each player 3 scraps of paper and have them write a word on each piece of paper starting with the agreed upon letter. Fold the scraps of paper in half and put them in the bowl.

3. Divide the group in half, or as close to half as possible if there is an odd number. There will be two opposing teams.

4. There are three rounds to the game and each round ends when the salad bowl has no more words in it. Here is how the rounds go:

1st Round: One player from a team picks a piece of paper out of the bowl and describes the word to his/her teammates and they have to try and guess the word. Only this persons teammates can guess. The person describing has 1 minute to get as many words as possible out of the bowl. Do not put the words back in the bowl. The opposing team then has a turn to do the same thing. Different people do the describing each time until the words are gone. Add up how many words each team got and that is your score for the 1st round.

2nd Round: This round is exactly the same as the last round except instead of describing the word verbally, the person has to act out the word without saying anything, like charades. If the person says anything the word goes back in the bowl. When the bowl is empty, add up how many words each team got and that is your score for the second round.

3rd Round: This round is exactly like the last rounds except this time the person can only say 1 word and then the team has to guess. No other words can be spoken. If more words are said, the word goes back in the bowl. After the bowl is empty, add up the words won and that is your score for the 3rd round. Now add up the scores from the previous rounds and the team with the most points wins.

30 Before 30 #18- Hot Dog Hell

Superalzy — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 12:00:29 +0000

I turned 27 on Friday, meaning I have 3 years left to complete my 30 Before 30. To start what was essentially a week long celebration of my ascent into spinsterhood, I took a day off work & went to a Phillies game on Wednesday.

It was the venue where I would attempt the 999 Challenge. 9 hot dogs & 9 beers in 9 innings. It went something like this:

This will be a massively disgusting gastronomical failure. #999challenge

April 20, 2011 10:06 am via TweetDeck ReplyRetweetFavorite

@superalzy

Alison Heller

I'm at Citizens Bank Park (One Citizens Bank Way, at Pattison Ave, Philadelphia) w/ 115 others http://4sq.com/haRsYa

April 20, 2011 12:09 pm via foursquare ReplyRetweetFavorite

@superalzy

Alison Heller

Here we go.#999challenge http://t.co/kMDzs8w

April 20, 2011 12:28 pm via Twitter for Android ReplyRetweetFavorite

@superalzy

Alison Heller

Going for 3rd hot dog and beer. This is already the worst idea ever.#999challenge

April 20, 2011 12:41 pm via Twitter for Android ReplyRetweetFavorite

@superalzy

Alison Heller

Horrible.

God, this is horrible. Sweating already.#999challenge

April 20, 2011 12:58 pm via Twitter for Android ReplyRetweetFavorite

@superalzy

Alison Heller

4 and 4. I hate this day. Ugh! #999challenge http://t.co/zGcBlEK

April 20, 2011 1:38 pm via Twitter for Android ReplyRetweetFavorite

@superalzy

Alison Heller

4 and 4 DOWN! The men are taking bets. I have to make at least 5 and 5.#999challenge

April 20, 2011 1:58 pm via Twitter for Android ReplyRetweetFavorite

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Alison Heller

On to 5 and 5. Halfway done each. Burping like a fat man.#999challenge #howhaveinotpuked

April 20, 2011 2:10 pm via Twitter for Android ReplyRetweetFavorite

@superalzy

Alison Heller

Oh, it's so not that funny.

I had to pee and some dude is accusing me of throwing up. I did not. Almost done 5 and 5.#999challenge

April 20, 2011 2:20 pm via Twitter for Android ReplyRetweetFavorite

@superalzy

Alison Heller

However, I would very much like to puke.#999challenge

April 20, 2011 2:21 pm via Twitter for Android ReplyRetweetFavorite

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Alison Heller

Hot dog 5 is DONE. So is beer 5 and so am i.#999challenge

April 20, 2011 2:26 pm via Twitter for Android ReplyRetweetFavorite

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Alison Heller

Yup. Done.

Stopped on the way home for krimpets from @tastybakingco. Had to get hot dog taste out.#999challenge

April 20, 2011 5:33 pm via Twitter for Android ReplyRetweetFavorite

@superalzy

Alison Heller

Yes. I made it more than halfway before I wanted to die. I fell asleep with my head hanging out the window on the way home, woke up with a splitting headache & for two days, I looked like I was pregnant with a sodium baby.

I did have a great time torturing myself though (I don’t even really like hot dogs!). I was surrounded by guys cheering me on while the Phillies won & the sun burnt all of us on an unseasonably gorgeous day.

Why? Because I miss the version of me that used to become infatuated with something new every other day. The version of me who changed her mind & gave herself options, adventures & then moved on to the next exciting thing. I don’t want to lose that weird, whimsical version of myself as I get into my 30′s. It’s important to me to let her remain part of who I am forever.

Would I do it again? Hell no. This was the worst idea ever. It took 3 days for my tummy to flatten back out. The corn dog sign I can see from the conference room window makes me want to hurl. I’ll be tasting hot dog in every burp for the next 10 years & I’m getting a headache just writing about hot dogs.

To FutureAlzy

Superalzy — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 12:00:30 +0000

This is probably one of the most private things I’ve ever posted here, but what have I got to hide really? In 10 years, this letter will be delivered to me from FutureMe.org & in all likelihood I will have forgotten about it completely. The world will probably have been totally destroyed, but in the event that we are all still here, I will get this letter from my past self.

Hey Superhero!

As I write this, you’re about to turn 27 in a few days. According to my plan, by this age you should have been engaged to your best friend, editing Glamour Magazine and sipping colorful martinis at posh nightspots in Manhattan.

None of that happened.

I hope it never happened. That’s not really who you are. You spent a long time trying to fit yourself into the box of what you thought you wanted, when really, that wouldn’t have made you as happy as you liked to waste your time imagining it would.

Now it’s April 22, 2021. You’re an energetic, accomplished 37 year old who dresses well, albeit a bit eccentrically, but not over the top. I hope you’re writing. A lot. Way more than you were 10 years ago. You’ve published a book of poems, haven’t you? I bet you’re in the New Yorker all the time. You’re probably a Pulitzer Prize winner or poet laureate of the world.

I hope you’re still riding your motorcycle (and that it’s bigger and faster now and also that it’s a personal spacecraft!).

I hope you’ve traveled all over the world, writing, meeting people and experimenting with your life. Do we have a house in Spain? I hope we have a house in Spain. If we don’t, get on that, please.

I hope you finished your 30 Before 30, are nearly finished your 40 Before 40 and have written your 50 Before 50. I hope none of those lists repeated any items. I’m excited to see what you come up with and how 10 years has changed your perspective on life and what you want out of it.

I hope you do nice things for other people every day.

I hope Muldoon is still around. He’ll be almost 12. Harley would be almost 19 now… I hope you know she loved you and that she never thought you failed her or yourself. It was silly to ever think that and I don’t know why or how she got connected to all that pain, but she loved you in a way that was supernatural for animals to even feel. I hope you got over feeling like you disappointed her. You didn’t. Ever.

I hope it’s been 9 years since you’ve even thought about him. And I’m sorry for making you think about him now. I bet Harley forgot all about him. He was never the man he led you believe he was and he certainly wasn’t deserving of all that love and admiration you gave him. I hope he’s happy with wherever he is in life, but I also hope you don’t know whether he is or not because I hope you haven’t spoken in… almost 12 years now. I hope you have no idea who I’m talking about!

I hope you still play video games unapologetically and wear heels regularly.

I hope you laugh all the time with friends new and old who nourish your life with love and culture and new ideas.

It’s probably as weird for you to imagine me, your old self, as it is for me to imagine you, myself a decade from now. I can’t even see a month into the future!

Anyway, stay awesome. Let go and take what life gives you. Take action to get what it doesn’t.

See you in another 10 years!
Alison