Houston Chronicle: Wine & cheese party survival guide

July 20, 2010

“Beer and nachos may never go out of style, but sometimes a wine and cheese party just sounds classier. If you’ve always wanted to throw a wine and cheese bash, but find the chilly cheese aisle itself scary, just remember a few basic principles.

A variety of cheeses ensures different tastes and textures. Wine manager for Spec’s Wines, Spirits, & Finer Foods, Bear Dalton, advised choosing a goat, sheep and cow cheese. Widely available goat cheeses include creamy Humboldt Fog and lively Bucheron. Common sheep cheeses are tangy Manchego and fresh Cacio De Roma. Cow cheese is the most diverse, with cheeses as varied as smoky Gouda to buttery Camembert.

Different ages, from soft-ripened young cheeses to a 9-month-old Compte, also keep the plate interesting. Phil Myers, general manager of Central Market, has a simple rule of thumb — the fresher the cheese, the fresher the wine.”

Houston Chronicle: Create a calm place to doze away the afternoon

August 6, 2010

“With temperatures soaring and pools crowded, sometimes you just want to tell the kids to pipe down so you can take a nap. Summer feels like the perfect time for a siesta.

Houston Chronicle: Dressed to impress

July 13, 2010

“The sound of eggs sizzling on the July pavement can make a steak salad sound far better than steak and potatoes. Especially in Houston, the summer can be a great time to toss together a crazy veggie bowl.

Of course, a great salad needs a great dressing. Maybe it’s your maturing palate, or just the sickly taste of corn syrup, but you might find store-bought bottles are no longer cutting it. Luckily, anyone can make a zippy vinaigrette or zesty gazpacho-style dressing right at home. The trick is to learn the technique, then go wild with flavors. For a poppy, summery salad, the vinaigrette is a good place to start.”

Houston Chronicle: Rawkin’ out on fruits and veggies

July 14, 2010

“How does a mango cobbler sound for breakfast? Or strawberry shortcake for dessert? Both come out of 42-year-old Ani Phyo’s kitchen — but neither has been heated above 105 degrees.

Houston Chronicle: ABC gives a Houston family their dream home

August 5, 2010

“It was hard to tell where the sweat ended and the tears began on Tuesday, when Eric and Elaine Johnson and their five daughters stood in front of their new home.

Houston Chronicle: Kids need to shape up this summer

July 14, 2010

“The days when classes ended for the summer and children flew from their desks to frolic in the fields are gone. Texas ranks seventh in childhood obesity and 13th in adult obesity, according to the 2010 F as in Fat report released by The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and Trust for America’s Health.

Houston Chronicle: Gangster’s Paradise breaks the rules for crime film

June 11, 2010

“When we last left Johannesburg, humans were oppressing aliens in District 9. Now that humans are back to fighting humans, life is even more grim. In South Africa’s Gangster’s Paradise: Jerusalema, Johannesburg serves as the gritty backdrop for a young gangster whose criminal saga is a refreshing break from the typical Hollywood gangster melodrama.”

O2 MAX Fitness: Fashion Mogul Allen B. Schwartz teams up with youth fitness experts at O2 MAX for prom fashion show

March 17, 2010

“Santa Monica, CA, March 07, 2010 – They say clothes make the man, but it takes a beautiful dress and body to be a princess on prom night. Together, O2 MAX Fitness and A.B.S. by Allen Schwartz have vowed to make that happen. On March 19, 2010, in a kickoff for MAXProm—an affordable training and nutrition program to get girls ready for prom in a fun, healthy way—15 to 25 girls will model A.B.S’s beautiful dresses in a real runway fashion show.”

O2 MAX Fitness: Youth Fitness Catalyst O2 MAX Partners with Leisure Sports Inc. for its MAX Prom – “Primp for Prom,” Affordable Training & Nutrition Sessions with Professional Trainers, Health Clubs and Prom Dresses!

April 2, 2010

“Los Angeles, CA – A gym can help anyone stick to a workout plan. So can a goal—like fitting into that prom dress and rocking it like a diva on the dance floor. Together, O2 MAX Fitness and Leisure Sports Inc. will make that happen.

O2 MAX has just kicked off its MAX Prom, an affordable training and nutrition program to get girls ready for prom in a fun, healthy way. Already, fitness clubs across the country have taken notice, including ClubSport and Renaissance ClubSport, fitness clubs owned by Leisure Sports Inc.”

O2 MAX Fitness: Youth Fitness Catalyst O2 MAX Launches MAX Prom – “Primp for Prom” Using Social Media to provide Personalized Fitness & Nutrition Coaching with discounts to get prom ready!

March 1, 2010

“Santa Monica, CA, March 1, 2010 – As Prom inches closer, some girls begin dangerous fad diets or weight loss pills to look slim on prom night. The O2 MAX Fitness MAX Prom program, however, uses prom as a jumpstart for a lifetime of health. Enrollment in this10-week program, beginning March 1st 2010, includes a personalized fitness/exercise and nutrition plan – complete with support – developed by certified trainers to help girls get fit using the resources they have access to-be it a gym or their bedroom. Girls in the Los Angeles area also get entry into a series of exclusive fashion events in Santa Monica with gift giveaways and Prom shopping perks on hair, makeup, shoes, limo, by retail sponsors such as A.B.S. and Benefit.”