Blog Posts by The_Stir

NordstromOne item you'll definitely want to add to your wardrobe this spring is a pair of wide-leg jeans -- and the hottest version going right now is the flare.

This simple switch from skinny jeans will have you looking totally on-trend.

And to be honest, on most of us, flares and wide-leg jeans are way more flattering than skinny jeans, particularly in warmer weather when boots are an impossibility.

SCORE.

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Nordstrom is featuring this fabulous $205 pair of MOTHER flare leg jeans in its February catalog, but if you don't have $200 to drop on jeans right now, never fear!

I've got some far more affordable flare leg options for you below!

Your best bet for the money would likely be these Gap flare leg jeans (Gap, $69.50), which come in a few different washes. Gap is always having sales, so keep these in mind, and when you see a good sale, snap them up!

You know I'm coveting these Vintage Rocker

Valentine's Day is four days away, and for many, the Hallmark holiday is just another crappy reminder of how cold and lonely winter can be when you're not in a relationship. Some singles cope by throwing Anti-Valentine's Day parties, complete with a heart piñata to smash (see: Jessica Biel's character in ensemble rom-com bomb Valentine's Day), or staying home to binge eat in pajamas (see: Bridget Jones). But I am here to tell you ... it doesn't have to be that way! Even if you don't have anyone today, you can find a date by Monday.

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I made it my goal to find a Valentine's Day date in four days by checking out three unconventional online dating sites. The same old McDonald's of Internet dating sites, like Match.com, just wouldn't do. No, no, no -- I wanted to try the more innovative sites that claim to give users a real advantage and a unique experience ...

For the Person Who Is Skittish About Meeting

figsWhen it comes to planning a menu for Valentine's Day, I think everyone can agree that oysters are soooo overdone. They're the obvious go-to aphrodisiac for anyone who's ever read anything about sexy foods. Too bad they are so thoroughly unsexy.

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Skipping those slimy little creatures leaves room for a truly delectable menu. From foods that look like sexy body parts to ones that cause those extra special chemical reactions, there is a whole world out there beyond bivalves.

If you are looking for the perfect aphrodisiac-laden menu for Valentine's Day this year, look no further. We've got some sexy treats for you.

Amuse Bouche: Fresh Figs With Prosciutto and Honey

The annual fig harvest was celebrated by ancient Greeks with crazy sex rituals. The fruit itself is reminiscent of a woman's sex organs. Drizzling them with honey only enhances the sweetness of the fruit -- not to mention making licking each

travelocity gnomeGnomeo & Juliet hits theaters this Friday. I know what you're thinking: gnome trend alert!

Yes, I'm talking those ceramic 12-inch things you may see in your neighbors' yard. The little guy, red pointy cap, holding a faux-wood "Welcome to Our Home" plaque. With a little wink.

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The Travelocity gnome propelled his kind back into the forefront of All Things Kitsch. Despite his adorability factor, gnomes remain firmly in the "cute but really weird" file for me.

But, with this new kids' flick coming out, gnomes could dethrone Tinkerbell as the "it" woodland creature. People may flock to local garden stores for a gnome for their home.

Sigh. If it comes to that, please, I beg you, be careful. The kind of gnome (or how many) you opt to bring home says a lot about who you are.

Need proof? Here you go:

Modern Gnome

This modern, sleek gnome screams you have wit, but you also have style.

Scary Gnome

bagelsToday is National Bagel Day. In honor of one of the most delicious carb creations of all time, I tracked down a bagel professional. Jay Glass is the owner of SPOT Bagel Bakery in Seattle, and he's spent a lifetime learning about bagels.

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One of the most intriguing of all his findings, however, is how to make a bagel in your dishwasher. Once I heard he could do this, I had to know how ... and why.

Get your cream cheese and lox ready, here's the scoop:

Can you really make a bagel in your dishwasher?

Yes! If you utilize the dishwasher for one part of the process (proofing or rising). Bagels are a yeast dough and optimally they require a warm, humid environment to optimize the chemical reaction in the dough (think Houston in the summer). The mixing, forming of the bagel (done before proofing), and the boiling and baking (done after proofing) would also be needed to get a real bagel with a crispy

A couple of weeks ago, my friend Nicole Taylor did a segment on real Southern red velvet cake on her foodie radio show, Hot Grease. Nicole is a Southern girl, born and raised in Georgia, and she has some pretty strong opinions about authentic red velvet cake. She searched for the real thing in New York City and came to the stunning conclusion that red velvet here is just wrong, wrong, wrong!

Well, if the culinary capital of the nation can't get it right, does anyone north of the Mason-Dixon get it right? And what's getting lost in translation? What exactly goes into the quintessential red velvet cake?

Although red velvet cake has a mild chocolate flavor, it is not, by definition, a chocolate cake. Rather, it's a devil's food cake that's made with cocoa, white vinegar, baking soda, and buttermilk. The deep red color comes from red food dye, and the cake is traditionally iced in rich cream cheese frosting. Legend has it that the cake was actually born in the North, at New

My husband and I have been married for 10 years and a couple for 5 more. After all this time, it still astounds me that he doesn't understand what I want to hear from him and want makes me want to run screaming from the house like a lunatic. I'm planning on plastering this on the fridge, lest he forget again.

What I don't want to hear from you, my darling husband ...

1. Details of how successful or unsuccessful your trip to the bathroom was. Just don't go there, please. Call your brother; that's what he's there for.

2. That you didn't like the dinner I slaved over all day long. Just smile, feed it to the dog under the table and shut the hell up.

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3. How annoying you find the kids, three seconds after walking in the door. I've been with them all afternoon. I know.

4. The dirty joke you heard at work. Chances are, I won't think it's funny. Call your best friend. That's what he's there

Vanessa ParadisI've been seeing them in fashion editorials and on celebs more and more lately, but when I saw the cover of the latest i-D magazine, I knew this latest weird trend could soon be going into overdrive:

Eyepatches.

You're looking at Vanessa Paradis (Chanel model and wife of Johnny Depp) in a black rose-embellished eyepatch -- and she's not the only celeb sporting the one-eyed look.

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See more stars in eyepatches, find out where to get your own, and tell me if you're planning on rocking this look ...

Rihanna has been spotted in an eyepatch in her music videos, where she tends to be the most fashion forward. Leona Lewis wore an eyepatch-like mask to Perez Hilton's birthday party, Madonna sported one for Interview Magazine, and Heidi Klum wore one on Project Runway.

Want to get an eyepatch for yourself? There's one place to go...

Etsy, of course!

Whether you're channeling Mad Eye