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Um…so….I just watched Food, Inc.
It was insightful. It made me do some thinking…
Still, I got strawberries at the grocery this morning and ate THIS:
MUTANT STRAWBERRY
But now – I’m sorta worried that I should be worried.
Oh well, Off to LuckyFest… 
xx, L
Tags: healthy as heck, I'm just saying..., LMR, Movies, Yowza., Yuck and Ick
I have a pretty strict “getting ready for bed” routine at night and a “getting ready for work” routine in the mornings. The GRFB routine consists mostly of taking off and undoing everything I did in my morning’s GRFW routine. However, the one thing that remains constant is brushing my teeth, flossing and using my tongue scraper.
old faithful
Tongue health is very important. So important, in fact, that even Oprah is talking about it…
Big O
Guinness knows it…
Baby Guinness
So why don’t you?!
If you are asking yourself, “gosh, what’s a tongue scraper?” – I only have one thing to say to you: GROSS. Seriously, GROSS. I may judge you, and I may refuse to talk with you in close quarters from now on…but I am here to help. Below, you will find the Q+DD on tongue scraping. After you are finished reading, please run (don’t walk – this is no laughing matter – RUN!) to your local CVS and form this habit ASAP!
What Is A Tongue Scraper?
A tongue cleaner (also called a tongue scraper or tongue brush) is an oral hygiene device designed to clean the bacterial build-up, food debris, fungi and dead cells from the surface of the tongue. The bacteria and fungi that grow on the tongue are related to many common oral care and general health problems. In addition, decaying bacteria produce volatile sulphur compounds on the rear of the tongue; these molecules account for 80-90% of all cases of halitosis (bad breath). EWWW.
not me. promise.
Why Is It Tongue Health Important?
Fresh Breath
Tongue cleaning is meant to remove some of the millions of bacteria (up to 500 different types), decaying food debris, fungi (such as Candida) and dead cells from the surface of the rear of the tongue. Tongue cleaning is generally viewed as the solution for most cases of halitosis, or bad breath. Scientific studies have shown tongue bacteria produce malodorous compounds and fatty acids, and account for 80-90% of all cases of bad breath. Research shows that only the rest of about 5-20% of cases originate in the stomach, from the tonsils, from decaying food stuck between the teeth, gum disease, tooth decay or plaque accumulated on the teeth. Clinical studies have shown that using tongue cleaners on a daily basis has a significant effect on eliminating anaerobic bacteria and decreasing oral malodor.
Better Oral Hygiene
Microorganisms colonize and multiply on the protein-rich areas of the tongue, and eventually, through the saliva, reach all areas of the mouth including the teeth and gums. These bacteria are considerable contributors to periodontal problems, plaque on the teeth, tooth decay, gum infections, gum recession and even tooth loss.
General Health
Oral bacteria are associated with a number of serious systemic diseases:
Alternative Medicine
Cleaning the tongue with an appropriately designed tongue cleaner also massages the tongue. This is an important element of traditional Chinese medicine where the tongue surface is identified as an important reflexogenic zone. Tongue cleaning improves the sense of taste (because of cleaning the taste buds) and also stimulates the secretions of digestive enzymes.
Not Grossing People Out…
I guess you could say that I am not exactly tongue-camera-shy… Social networking sites, like Facebook and Myspace, will out you in a heartbeat if you aren’t regularly using a tongue scraper. On average, you will lose 8 – 28% of your online friends. Fact.
toronto - chinatown
beauty bar
falcons game...
I hope you all have found this post incredibly compelling. Please, please, PLEASE start scraping today! It’s long overdue, folks…
xx, L
Tags: camp boys, guinness, healthy as heck, I'm just saying..., impeccable hygiene, LMR, Yuck and Ick
…I was here.
beautiful naples, florida
And here…
view from our suite
Gazing at a palm tree paradise and fishing around for shells in the ocean.
slick
We didn’t have a care in the world. We left our shoes here…
And relaxed by the beautiful beach to catch some rays (in November!!).
We attended a gorgeous wedding and partied the night away…
We ate. We mingled. We ice luge-d. We brought the party.
"Life's too short. Eat dessert first!"
Slick challenged innocent wedding-goers to dance offs…
"there's nothing left for me to do but DANCE"
Fun times were had by all. UNTIL, we returned to Atlanta to find THIS! 
So, we quickly got our stuff together and ran to the nearest movie theater to see…
Slick didn’t exactly love all the “oooing” and “awwing” from teenage girls – and me – in the theater when Jacob took off his shirt nineteen million times throughout the movie, but he sat through the whole thing and didn’t complain once. (God bless him!) I thought it was incredible!
Tonight, we are going to see this guy speak:
al gore
And, we are eagerly awaiting eating this bad boy on Thursday when we head back to Florida:
sorry...
Until then, we are bundling up and keeping our fingers crossed for pretty weather in Atlanta!
Miss you and your beaches already, Florida! See you again in T-2 days!
xx, L
Tags: Hurray for gorgeous weather!, I'm just saying..., LMR, slick, vay-cay, You Can Find Me in the A, Yowza., Yuck and Ick
Dear Potential Knights-in-Shining-Armor,
I’d like to offer you all a little advice regarding the feminine mystique.
Sincerely yours,
L
Let’s talk Girl Talk.
I’m pretty much an expert considering I’ve been Girl Talk-ing since 1988 – thanks to our neighborhood Toys”R”Us!
And, I’m still Girl Talk-ing today… Thanks, Mr. Gillis, for all the super-fantastic workout tunes.
Girl Talk circa 2009
Let’s get to business…
The National Institute for Mental Health claims that the human brain isn’t fully developed until age 25. (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A52687-2005Jan31.html). I think it is safe to say that most of our lovely Q+DD readers are teetering around or are over quarterlife, so I think it’s time for us to all start understanding each other – and I’d like to help!
I am sure it is not surprising to anyone to hear that females aren’t generally literal. We sugarcoat, dance around issues and we rarely say exactly what we mean. We do this to men and women alike. We find it difficult to tell a friend that her new haircut is heinous or that “yes, you do, in fact, look particularly enormous in that outfit.” Oftentimes, we say one thing, but mean another completely – and we expect our men to know what we really mean. Naturally, this misdirection confuses men. So, here’s a little cheat sheet to help you guys out:
What Women Say vs. What We Mean…
1- Fine: This is the word women use to end an argument when they are right and you need to shut up.
2- Five Minutes: If she is getting dressed – this means a half an hour. Five minutes is only five minutes if you have just been given five more minutes to watch the game before helping around the house.
3- Nothing: This is the calm before the storm. This means something – and you should be on your toes. Arguments that begin with “nothing” usually end in “fine.”
4- Go Ahead: This is a dare – not permission. Don’t. Do. It.
5- Loud Sigh: This is a nonverbal statement often misunderstood by men. A loud sigh does not mean that she is tired. It means she thinks you are an idiot and wonders why she is wasting her time standing here and arguing with you about nothing. (Refer back to #3 for the meaning of “nothing.”)
6- That’s Okay: This is one of the most dangerous statements a woman can make to a man. “That’s okay” means she wants to think long and hard before deciding how and when you will pay for your mistake.
7- Thanks: A woman is thanking you – do not question. Just say you’re welcome. (I want to add in a clause here – This is true, unless she says “Thanks a lot” – that is PURE sarcasm and she is not thanking you at all. DO NOT say “you’re welcome.” That will likely evoke a “whatever”).
8- Whatever: Is a women’s way of cursing without sounding like a sailor.
9- Don’t worry about it, I’ve got it: Another dangerous statement – meaning this is something that a woman has told a man to do several times, but is now doing it herself. This will later result in a man asking “What’s wrong?” For the woman’s response refer to #3.
10- It’s Your Decision: The correction decision should be obvious by now…
IMPORTANT: When a woman asks: “Do I look fat in this dress?” You should NEVER say “yes.” Ever. What she is really saying is: “We haven’t had a fight in a while.” It’s a trap. Don’t fall for it – you are smarter than that.
Print this out. Study it. Keep it in your wallet for reference. And, feel free to contact the Q+DD (thequickanddirtydirty@gmail.com) with follow-up questions. Good luck out there!
We are rooting for you!!
xx, L
Tags: I'm just saying..., Lets hear it for the boys, That's what she said, Yuck and Ick
Although I love to use Pureology products, my true hair heroin is Biosilk Silk Therapy. I’ve used it for years and it never builds up in my hair = incredible.
We used to abuse my mom’s fake hairsytlist ID (don’t ask) to stock up on all our hair goods, but now it’s just easier to get everything directly from our local CVS. Even Pureology (love) is sold there now!
CVS at Ansley Mall retails the 12 oz. bottle of Biosilk Silk Therapy for $35.99. It’s a pretty penny for the drugstore - if I do say so myself. Well, let me tell YOU, about the deal I stumbled across (fate, obviously) at Tar-jay in Atlantic Station yesterday:
TBDE! (the best deal ever)...
$26.99 (total) for 12 oz. bottles of the Biosilk Silk Therapy, Shampoo AND Conditioner
Seriously, run – don’ t walk. This is an incredible deal! And your hair needs all the help it can get with six more days predicted of this horrendous weather… Yuck and Ick!
You’re welcome.
xx, L
Tags: Beauty is as beauty does., drugstore junkie, I'm just saying..., LMR, Recessionistas, You Can Find Me in the A, Yuck and Ick
It’s been raining in Atlanta for almost a week straight. Rained the entire day today…
i've had ENOUGH
In an attempt to avoid the truly icky weather, the lovely roommate and I stayed home all day to watch Novocaine (Steve Martin), 300 (Gerald Butler (what, what)), Private Valentine (more than a little ashamed about this one) and City Slickers (Norman!!). We. were. worthless. It was amazing – except for the hour 35 that involved Jess Simpson… We are re-watching the VMAs now and trying to figure out why Kanye West is such a complete doufas.
I cannot WAIT for a sunny day! Keeping my fingers crossed for tomorrow.
xx, L
Tags: God bless my couch, I'm just saying..., LMR, Ridiculous., the roommate!, Yuck and Ick
Don’t do this:
xx, L+L
Tags: I'm just saying..., Yowza., Yuck and Ick
At the risk of sounding like an overgrown sorority girl, at the Phi house, whenever we didn’t have anything 100% positive to say, we would use the “sandwich” method of delivering unpleasant opinions and occasionally, I still employ it to this day.
So here’s the deal. I’ve got to “Pro-Con-Pro” Spa Sydell. I have a real love/hate relationship with SS and y’all, I generally feel like spas are like pizza: even if they’re not the best, how bad could they really be? Well…
Here we go.
Pro: I adore their airbrush tan. Best in the city. I have mentioned my tan-obsession and my favorite recessionista-esque way to DIY to a (safe, wrinkle-free) gorgeous tan. But sometimes the stakes are higher and you need to call in a professional. This is when I book Kim at the Buckhead Spa Sydell location. I’ll spare you the deets and the countless other locations, technicians and spray tans I have tried. Listen, I have done my research. Trust me: Kim is very detail oriented and really knows her stuff and after she is through ordering you into a zillion positions, your tan will look ah-ma-zing. Fact. It costs $50 and lasts about a week.
Con: Let’s face it: the facilities are a little busted and the service isn’t that great. Now, the VP of my company (who is, in my opinion, the be-all-end-all in all things fabulous) tells me that in Spa Sydell’s glory days, when there were just one or two locations, it was spectacular and zen-like and everything an Atlanta-caliber spa should be. However, it seems that over the years and through the expansions, they have unfortunately lost a little in translation. I tried them a few times for facials and massages, and I have personally never had a truly relaxing experience. It definitely isn’t a discount salon and at their prices, there are certainly better places to go. When I went last week for my tan, I sat in the “Tranquility Room” (looking at old, strewn-about Jezebel magazines and a half-full carafe of warm water with chunks of old lemon floating in it…and no glasses) for 45 minutes until I ventured out to find someone to ask about the hold up when I was finally told that they had run out of tanning solution and someone was driving to Alpharetta (at 6:00 on a Thursday) to retrieve some. The lack of communication, disorganization, and the dirty waiting room are not my only beef. I have to tell you, the bathroom and showers were grimy, the robes were threadbare, neither hand towels nor toilet tissue were anywhere to be found, I got the “ick” from the flops they want you to put on, and I’d have to do a whole new pro-con-pro to describe their receptionist. Sorry. It had to be said.
and finally…
Pro: Flo Massage Creme. Kim turned me onto it to help me keep my tan and it is f.a.b.u.l.o.u.s. I use it as a daily moisturizer and it is the very best I have EVER found. My skin stays super soft, never greasy, and the one I use, Soy Comfort, has a subtle vanilla scent (L+L are huge suckers for vanilla-scented lotions.) The only place to get it, as far as I can tell, is Spa Sydell. And ok, y’all, this 8oz jar is only $12. Fab, fab, fab. DK even has me import it to Birmingham whenever I come.
In short, Spa Sydell, I think you’re nice. I’m just not sure you’re QUITE L+L material. You can come back for pref night, though.
xx, L
Spa Sydell
Buckhead Plaza
www.spasydell.com
3060 Peachtree Rd NW
Atlanta, GA 30305-2234
(404) 237-2505
Tags: Beauty is as beauty does., Beef., DK+DK, I'm just saying..., Recessionistas, Yuck and Ick
L+L are here to assist. Let us just air a few grievances in the hopes that if you are committing any of these crimes, you can cease and desist immediately. You would all be surprised how much the ladies judge you on your wardrobe choices – especially within the first five dates. You’re welcome in advance.
1. Pleated Pants. No. Just no.
2. Excessive cologne. You may need to switch it up from time to time in case your nose gets immune to your scent and you begin to drown yourself in it.
3. Man Sandals. (or “man-dals”) Unless you’re planning on turning water into wine, please go find some flops for this purpose. Some brands to check out: Rainbow, Reef, Haviana, or J Crew. Old Navy will do just fine, too.
Not okay.
3(b). Strictly forbidden: any sandals with socks.
4. Sleeveless shirts. Sun’s out, guns out? We think not.
5. Shorts: PLEASE be mindful of short shorts. Here is the quick and dirty (dirty) guide to proper length: no shorter than two fingers above the knee.
5(b). Jean shorts (also known as “jorts”) are strictly prohibited. Even if you ARE from Florida.
5(c). Cargo shorts died with the turn of the century.
5(d). Whale (and other embroidered) belts with shorts are acceptable – but only in the preppiest parts of the country (like the South and the Upper East Side). Please do not let us catch you in a woven belt unless you are headed straight for the set of My So Called Life. In 1995.
www.vineyardvines.com Presh!
6. High waters: please make sure your pants and jeans are the proper length! Slacks and khakis should be hemmed to hit at the top of your shoe’s heel. Your jeans can be a little longer, to the bottom of the heel, but anything longer is too long. We should not be able to see any of your sock as you walk. When you sit, we shouldn’t see any more than a few inches.
If you need to hem your jeans (and boys, you might.), be sure to ask your tailor for a “New York hem” or to “keep the original hem” If you go to Gills’s alterations by Lenox mall (3400 Around Lenox Rd NE 30326 (404) 261-8157), they won’t let you leave there looking like a jerk. Fact.
7. Hair product: use it right, or not at all. If your hair looks wet or crunchy, you have over-gelled and that is a problem. Move immediately to New Jersey – do not pass “Go,” do not collect $200.
It's my new haircut
8. Ear piercings are the quickest way to an unreturned phone call.
9. Baseball hats = sexy. But there is a time, there is a place. Please be mindful of sweat stains. Ick.
10. Logos that are not okay on t-shirts unless working out: Hard Rock Café, Hooters, Planet Hollywood, Co-ed Naked anything, any fraternity/sorority t-shirt if you are over the age of 24, flashy designer names (are you being paid for endorsements?) and anything you got free at a trade show.
10(b). If you elect to wear a graphic t-shirt (Ed Hardy or the like) and your friend shows up in the same brand, one of you must immediately change. (We’d personally prefer that both of you change, but if you must, you must.)
11. Leather (bomber) jackets are so 1992. Please. You are not a pilot.
12. Camo. This is tricky. It’s ok sometimes. One piece per ensemble and only in very casual environments. Preferably pants. You may want to consult with us first.
13. Wrinkled shirts at work. They could get you fired. Please ask your lady to iron, or figure out how to do this yourself.
13(b). Ratty clothing in general. We don’t care if the Braves ALWAYS win when you wear this shirt or it’s your prized possession from your backpacking trip across Europe. If it has pit stains and/or holes – pitch it.
14. Please no sunglasses inside unless you are Kanye West or Usher Raymond.
15. Jewelry: One necklace. Maybe. No heavy metal chains…ever! Your medical alert bracelet can slide. Maybe.
I pity the fool!
It had to be said. Again, you’re welcome.
xx, L + L
Tags: Dear L + L, fashion, I'm just saying..., Lets hear it for the boys, LMR, Ridiculous., Yuck and Ick
FYI: If you work/live downtown, be warned: AmericasMart (www.americasmart.com) is holding it’s Gift and Home and Rug shows this month. The Gift and Home show is July 08-15 and the Rug show is July 12-15. The greatest volume will be from July 10-14th when the temporary exhibits as well as the permanent stores will be showcasing.
What this means: retailers from all over will gather right here in downtown ATL to do business at the largest wholesale marketplace of its kind in the world.
What this really means: traffic will be a nightmare, parking will be jacked up and SCARCE and you will see a daily sea of ladies trolling the streets of downtown with rolling suitcases, teased out hair, badges and Giraffe Purses.
Lord knows it’s not the teased hair or even the rollies that irritate me. It’s not even the grosgrain ribbon-adorned flip flops! It’s the suburban lady’s Louis that kills me. I LOATHE the Giraffe Bag.
For more information on the subject, please visit Kindredly.
http://kindredly.blogspot.com/2009/01/dont-get-me-started.html
I can’t even talk about it.
xx, L
Tags: I'm just saying..., Kindredly..., You Can Find Me in the A, Yuck and Ick
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