Tag: Lifestyle

Fall 2016 /

Be Social! Using Facebook To Get More Blog Traffic

So, you’ve started a blog. Whether you’re looking to make a career out of it like me, or you just want to try your hand at a new creative outlet, you’re going to want to know that people are reading some of your work. These days, there are many great ways you can leverage Facebook to drive traffic to your blog. Here are just a few…

Featured Photo from HomeGoods.com

Make Your Images Big and Clear

It’s been shown time and time again that Facebook posts with images get far more engagement than posts without them. Make sure that all of the images you post are large, prominent and clear, and you’re sure to have much more success in terms of likes, shares, and ultimately traffic! As you try out different images, keep looking at your insights, the metrics from your blog, and any other monitoring resources you can get your hands on, in order to gauge how your target market are responding. Soon enough, you’ll start to notice patterns, and will be able to pin down a certain kind of image which grabs your audience’s attention perfectly. You should keep the same high standards in mind when it comes to your profile picture, cover photo, and so on. It may be worth downloading a Facebook cover photo maker and getting acquainted with its features.

Keep Updates Short and Sweet

On your blog, there’s no limit to how long you can make articles. As long as the bulk of it is interesting and useful to your audience, go ahead and turn a 500-word post into a 2000-word feature! However, when you’re trying to use Facebook to drive your customers to these articles, I recommend sticking to short, sweet (or funny or witty) posts which are easily digestible to anyone who happens to be scanning your page. Updates like this are the best way to generate engagement on Facebook, and instigate more click-throughs. Ideally, you should be keeping your updates down to one sentence, and under 150 characters. These days, your average consumer is using Facebook in little windows throughout the day, rather than setting a couple of hours aside for it in the evenings. This means that short, snappy updates that are easy to take in are the best tools for stimulating engagement.

Ask the Audience

Questions naturally make you think of response, don’t you agree? Your audience will want to let their opinions be known, so opening up the floor to them with posts headed by a question is a hugely effective way to encourage engagement. From your customers’ personal opinion on something, to simple trivia to fill-the-blank style posts, I’m sure there are all kinds of questions you could ask to capture your target market’s attention and ultimately drive traffic to your blog. Like all of your posts, I recommend keeping these questions short and sweet. Make sure they’re phrased in a way that’s going to generate instant interest from your ideal customer. Using the word “you” is always an easy way to do this! It’s also important not to give too much away, and make your audience curious enough to click.

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Amazon /

Alexa Helps Get Dinner on the Table: Amazon Restaurants Adds Voice Ordering

Today announced that Prime members can voice-order their next meal through Amazon Restaurants on their Alexa-enabled devices including the Amazon Echo and Echo Dot. The new Alexa skill allows customers to reorder from any restaurant available on the service in more than 20 cities by saying, “Alexa, order from Amazon Restaurants,” and have any meal they’ve ordered before delivered to their door for free in an hour or less.

“Customers now have a hands-free, hassle-free way to reorder any meal from Amazon Restaurants using their voice to get dinner on the table,” said Gus Lopez, general manager of Amazon Restaurants at Amazon. “We are excited to leverage the innovative Alexa technology and give Prime members another easy way for Amazon Restaurants to take care of dinnertime with no menu markups and free delivery in one hour or less.”

Prime members can ask Alexa to reorder from Amazon Restaurants by saying a restaurant name or cuisine type, for example, “Alexa, order sushi from Amazon Restaurants.” The service pulls a customer’s order history from a specified restaurant or cuisine type and lists meal options available for reorder. The selected meal is then sent for delivery to a customer’s default address.

Once an order is placed, Amazon delivery partners deliver the food in one hour or less. Amazon Restaurants offers customers transparent pricing—there are no menu markups or hidden service fees—and delivery on all orders is free for Prime members. If a customer finds a restaurant item on Amazon Restaurants that is priced higher than the regularly priced item on the restaurant’s current online menu within 24 hours of placing the order, Amazon will refund that customer the price of the item.

Customers can also place orders using the Amazon and Prime Now mobile apps or by visitingwww.amazon.com/restaurants. Customers can also browse menus and watch as their delivery travels from the restaurant to the delivery address in real time.

Prime members can download the Amazon or Prime Now mobile apps or visit the Prime Now website to enter their ZIP code and see if the service is available in their area. In ZIP codes where restaurant delivery is available, customers will see Restaurants on the home page.

To learn more about how to reorder from Amazon Restaurants through Alexa, please visitwww.amazon.com/restaurants-alexa. For restaurants interested in working with Amazon Restaurants, please visitamazon.com/restaurants-merchants. Amazon Restaurants is available in Atlanta, Austin, Baltimore, Brooklyn, Chicago, Columbus, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Portland, Manhattan, Miami, Minneapolis, Northern Virginia, Orlando, San Diego, San Francisco Bay area, Seattle, and Tampa.

Alexa is the cloud-based voice service that powers devices like Amazon Echo, Echo Dot, Amazon Tap, and more. Using Alexa is as simple as asking a question. Just ask to play music, read the news, control your smart home, tell a joke, and more—Alexa will respond instantly. Whether you are at home or on the go, Alexa is designed to make your life easier by letting you voice-control your world. Alexa lives in the cloud so it’s always getting smarter. The more you talk to Alexa, the more it adapts to your speech patterns, vocabulary, and personal preferences. Plus, Alexa has over 7,000 skills built by third party developers, and new skills are always being added.

More to Prime

Tens of millions of Prime members around the world enjoy the many benefits of Prime. In the US that includes unlimited access to award-winning movies and TV episodes with Prime Video; unlimited access to Prime Music, Audible Channels for Prime, Prime Reading, Prime Photos; early access to select Lightning Deals, one free pre-released book a month with Kindle First, and more. Prime was built on the foundation of unlimited fast, free shipping and today, members receive Prime Two-Day Shipping on more than 30 million items, Prime Same-Day Delivery in 29 cities and two-hour delivery with Prime Now in 30 cities. Start a free trial of Amazon Prime at amazon.com/prime.

 

About Amazon

Amazon is guided by four principles: customer obsession rather than competitor focus, passion for invention, commitment to operational excellence, and long-term thinking. Customer reviews, 1-Click shopping, personalized recommendations, Prime, Fulfillment by Amazon, AWS, Kindle Direct Publishing, Kindle, Fire tablets, Fire TV, Amazon Echo, and Alexa are some of the products and services pioneered by Amazon. For more information, visit www.amazon.com/about. Learn more about Amazon Prime Now, Shop, or Download the App at www.primenow.com.

 

Beauty /

Talk of Alabama Lifestyle Segment – NYE 2016 Beauty Products and Personal Glam Squad Techniques

I was invited to visit Talk of Alabama and share New Year’s Eve beauty products and personal glam squad techniques.  This segment featured at-home beauty essentials to achieve a professional look for everyone – not just red carpet celebrities.

The products I presented on ABC 33/40 included EcoTools Makeup Brushes, SensatioNail Pro LED Lamp, Sally Hansen Gel Polish, Hard Candy Nail Polish, Hard Candy Eyeshadow Collection, Vanity Planet Tame Flat Iron, Spa Sonic Skin Care System, and Whamisa Real Kelp Sheet Mask.

Here’s the breakdown:

FACE

Spa Sonic

Whamisa Real Kelp Sheet Mask

EcoTools Makeup Brushes

Hard Candy Eyeshadow Collection

NAILS

Hard Candy Nail Polish

SensatioNail Pro LED Lamp

Sally Hansen Gel Polish

HAIR

Vanity Planet Tame Flat Iron

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE SEGMENT:  TALK OF ALABAMA

Accessories /

Should You Design An Engagement Ring From Scratch?

One of the first things to think about when you’ve decided to propose is, do you want to purchase a store-bought ring or have the freedom to design your own? Many jewelers offer both options but it can be hard to decide whether the convenience, quality warranty and being able to see the finished product is better. As on the other hand, you could have the chance to choose a ring that suits your bride to be’s personality, matches your budget and has been flawlessly manufactured. Remember, an engagement ring is a paramount piece of jewelry as it symbolizes the promise the two of you are making to each other and needs to be worthy of that commitment.

Featured photo from People.com

It’ll Be Truly Unique

The last thing you want is your excited fiancé to show off her ring only to be told ‘yeah that style’s nice’ or worse see someone wearing pretty much the same ring as her. Even though there are lots of different designs, it’s entirely possible that sooner or later she may run into someone who has been proposed with the same ring style from the same store. If your future wife has very individual style and tastes  it may be better to pick out your own ring. That way the diamonds, setting and even band color will be different as you’ll be able to incorporate more details. Another way to set her ring apart from the crowd is weave in personal elements, such as engraving, colored stones and a ring box with her name or birth date on.

You’ll Be Able To Control Your Budget

Engagement rings come in a range of price points so by purchasing all the elements of the ring separately you’ll be able to prioritize what’s important to you. If you want a larger diamond you may be able to choose a slightly less precious metal for the band; a smaller setting may give you more room on the band if you’re selecting a pave style. A diamond that is only slightly more colored than another one may vary hugely when it comes to price. Look for loose diamonds for sale that are categorized as I to J as these are good quality, medium priced gems as well as those that weigh between one and two karats for large singular diamonds, such as solitaires, and 0.50 and one karat for three stone styles.

Greater Sentimental Value

Designing a ring is a process that involves quite a few people including yourself, the salesperson, shop designer, gem dealer and the craftsmen that creates setting and band. It isn’t a cheap nor a quick option and so it requires an awful lot of thought and preparation, multiple phone calls or meetings and a lot of trust in your chosen jeweler.

Your fiancé will appreciate the amount of love, time and effort that went into her ring and will be genuinely touched by all your hard work. Remember, engagement rings are designed to be worn for a lifetime alongside wedding or even eternity rings. So if you’ve created one custom piece then you may have to create another for the jewellery to look right together.  David Alan is a master jeweler who works with you to take your vision and create one-of-a-kind custom pieces that you and your partner will love.

collaborative post

Accessories /

6 Last-Minute Shopping Hacks for Holiday Procrastinators

If you’ve waited until the eleventh hour to wrap up your gift shopping, you may be feeling anxious and a bit panicked over you ability to get it all done in time. Unfortunately, this combination could cause you to make poor purchasing decisions and lead you to overspend.

1. Shop in the wee hours.
Save your sanity by taking advantage of extended store hours and shop during the less busy times of day. Many stores will be keeping their doors open past regular hours for straggling shoppers. For instance, Babies ‘R Us will stay open until 2am through Friday, Macy’s and Target will be open until 12am all week long, and Kohl’s will operate around the clock through Friday. Know when to shop by reviewing the comprehensive list of store hours from DealNews.

2. Know where the sales are.
Save time and money by using the Steps Away app, which offers hyperlocal, real-time offers and promotions from nearby retailers so you know where to find the best sales and deals instantly. It is now available in over 150 malls in 40 states and 20 major metro areas. Don’t forget to download Coupon Sherpa’s free coupon app which provides coupons to stores based on your location so you never miss an offer. You’ll find offers such as 15% off with a Famous Footwear coupon or 20% off from Kohl’s.

3. Find gifts in unexpected places.
You don’t have to shop at traditional retailers to find gifts for everyone on your list. Save time by picking up presents in unexpected places while running errands. If you’re heading to the drugstore for prescriptions and gift wrap, look for beauty sets, fragrance and even toys for the women and children on your list. The warehouse store is the perfect place to stock up on groceries for guests and cleaning supplies while offering a wide selection of potential presents like small kitchen appliances, gadgets and even chocolate and cookie tins that make great hostess gifts. And if you’re on the way to the airport, look for a Best Buy kiosk for affordable headphones and bluetooth speakers.

4. Opt for an experience gift.
Experiential gifts are the ideal last-minute gifts because they’re quick and easy to procure and offer the recipient a lasting memory. Print certificates to various experiences like wine tasting, race car driving and hot air balloon rides instantly from your computer. Get creative with packaging by combining the certificate with a coordinating item like a bottle of wine with a wine-making experience, for example. Check out eBay experiences or Groupon for an endless list of ideas!

5. Make something.
Making a gift may sound time-consuming and complicated, but there are several homemade items that are cheap, easy and quick to make. For example, you can put together a festive cookie mix gift by layering ingredients from your favorite cookie recipe in a mason jar or try this DIY Peppermint Sugar Scrub, it’s simple to make with just sugar, coconut oil, food coloring and peppermint essential oil. If you’re feeling crafty, make a painted or glitter ornament by following instructions here.

6. Regift.
Regifting is a controversial practice, but when executed thoughtfully, it can be a great alternative to traditional gift giving. There are definitely do’s and don’ts for regifting, including using only new or like-new items and being honest about whether the recipient wants the item. Unused candles and accessories like scarves make great gifts for coworkers and neighbors. You can even regift a favorite book with a note letting the recipient know why you enjoy it so much, and why you thought they would, too.

Feel free to share “6 Last-Minute Shopping Hacks for Holiday Procrastinators” with your audience, giving proper attribution to the source.

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Andrea Woroch is a money-saving expert who transforms everyday consumers into savvy shoppers by sharing smart spending tips and personal finance advice. As a sought-after media source, she has been featured among such top news outlets as Good Morning America, Today, CNN, Dr. OZ, New York Times, MONEY Magazine, Consumer Reports, Forbes and many more. In addition, Andrea’s stories have been published among leading publications and sites such as Yahoo!, AOL Daily Finance, CNN Money, Huffington Post, LearnVest and New York Daily News. Check out Andrea’s demo reel or visit her website at AndreaWoroch.com for more information about booking an interview or requesting an original written article. You can also follow her on Twitter or Facebook for daily money tips.

Accessories /

First Lady Michelle Obama Says Farewell To The White House – Must See Interview

First Lady Michelle Obama looked stunning during her interview with Oprah Winfrey.  FLOTUS was seen on the CBS network wearing a Brandon Maxwell Shift Dress.  Personally, I adored the high fashion and use of bold accessories (purple pumps) during this television special but the hairstyles were gorgeous as well.

The new special FIRST LADY MICHELLE OBAMA SAYS FAREWELL TO THE WHITE HOUSE — AN OPRAH WINFREY SPECIAL will be broadcast Monday, Dec. 19 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. OWN will air the second showing of the special on Wednesday, Dec. 21 (9:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT). In the special, which taped on Dec. 14, Oprah Winfrey speaks to First Lady Michelle Obama for her final one-on-one interview inside the White House. During this exclusive interview in the First Family’s private residence, Mrs. Obama talks about life at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, her eight years as First Lady of the United States, the legacy she’ll leave behind and her plans for the future. Photo: Official White House Photo by Amanda Lucidon

Michelle’s natural (chemical-free) hair was cut in a Blunt Bob and Oprah wore the perfect Ponytail.  Aside from the fashion and beauty displayed by both women, the CBS special addressed topics that can be related to women across the world.

The First Lady Michelle Obama discussed her experiences entering in The White House, national program initiatives such as Let’s Move, and raising her daughters in the public eye.

There was also a brief visit from President Barack Obama.  In closing, Michelle couldn’t forget to address that life changing quote “When They Go Low, We Go High” as we prepare for the upcoming inauguration.

To watch, click here:  An Oprah Winfrey Special:  First Lady Michelle Obama Says Farewell To The White House

Birmingham /

Santa Spreads Holiday Cheer in UAB’s NICU, Continuing Care Nursery

Infants in the University of Alabama at Birmingham Women and Infants Center had a special visitor Monday, Dec. 11, and Tuesday, Dec. 12. Santa Claus visited with babies and their families in the UAB Regional Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and Continuing Care Nursery. As Santa peeked in on these newborns and checked his list, families gathered to celebrate the holidays and take special photos with him.

About UAB
Known for its innovative and interdisciplinary approach to education at both the graduate and undergraduate levels, the University of Alabama at Birmingham is an internationally renowned research university and academic medical center and the state of Alabama’s largest employer, with some 23,000 employees and an economic impact exceeding $5 billion annually on the state. The five pillars of UAB’s mission deliver knowledge that will change your world: the education of students, who are exposed to multidisciplinary learning and a new world of diversity; research, the creation of new knowledge; patient care, the outcome of ‘bench-to-bedside’ translational knowledge; service to the community at home and around the globe, from free clinics in local neighborhoods to the transformational experience of the arts; and the economic development of Birmingham and Alabama. Learn more at www.uab.edu.

FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/uab.edu TEXT: www.uab.edu/news TWEETS: www.twitter.com/uabnews VIDEO: www.youtube.com/uabnews

Fall 2016 /

Celebrate the 12 Days of Cava this Holiday Season with Freixenet

It’s always a grand idea to pop some bubbly during the most festive time of the year. Grab a case of Freixenet Cordon Negro Brut (SRP $12) and celebrate Freixenet’s 12 Days of Cava this holiday season! At just $12 a bottle, Freixenet Cava allows you to invite all your friends and keep the celebration going longer. Freixenet Cava is delightful when served on its own, mixed in cocktails, and added into holiday recipes. Follow Freixenet’s 12 Days of Cava plan to ensure a jolly celebration with your friends all season long:

DAY 1: Personalize Your Present

 Need a last minute Holiday party hostess gift? Don’t panic – a bottle of Freixenet Cava is all you need. The matte black bottle is the perfect canvas for a personalized message. Grab a gold pen and turn the bottle into a unique gift that everyone can enjoy.

DAY 2: The Sparkling Maple Leaf
In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, combine 1 oz whisky, 1 oz maple syrup, and 1/2 oz lime juice. Shake and strain the mixture into a glass. Top off with 3 oz Brut Cava.

DAY 3: Brie + Cava Fondue
Rub 1 whole clove garlic in a saucepan. Add 1 c Extra Dry Cava and 1 tbsp cornstarch over low heat. Do not boil. Add 2 c Brie cheese in portions while slowly increasing the heat, (do not let boil). When cheese has melted, add 2 tbsp kirsch (fruit brandy), 1 tsp lemon juice, and a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg, cinnamon and brown sugar. Serve in a fondue pot with your favorite choice of fruit and bread for dipping.

DAY 4: Grab a bottle of Freixenet Cava and decorate the bottle with holiday stickers! Give to a coworker or friend to enjoy with you after work.

DAY 5: Candy Cane Cava-tail
Fill 1/3 of a flute with White Crème de Cocoa and the rest with chilled Sweet Cuvée Cava. Garnish with a whole candy cane.

DAY 6: Add Cava in cake balls!

DAY 7: Pomegranate Cava Punch
In a large bowl, stir together 1 juiced lemon, 1 c Old Orchard pomegranate juice, 1/3 c pomegranate seeds, 1 c orange liqueur and 2 c Brut Cava. Add twists from lemon peel and rosemary sprigs for garnish.

DAY 8: Cava Ginger Hot Toddy
In a small mug, combine 2 oz brewed gingerbread tea, 1/2 tsp molasses, 1 tsp raw sugar, and top off with Extra Dry Cava. Garnish with a lemon slice and cinnamon stick

DAY 9: Marshmallows fluffed with Cava.

DAY 10: The Ginger Swing
Purée 1 ripe pear in a food processor, set aside. Combine 1/2 c water, 1/2 c sugar and 4 inch piece of fresh ginger, quartered in a small pan. Bring to a boil and stir until sugar is dissolved. Cover, turn the heat off and let sit for 30 minutes. Remove ginger pieces, pour the syrup into the pear purée, stir, cover and refrigerate until cold. Once cold, spoon 2 tbsp of mixture into a flute, top off with Brut Cava.

DAY 11: The Evergreen Twist
Bring 1/2 c sugar, 1 1/2 c water, and 1/4 c juniper berries to a simmer in a pot, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat; let cool completely. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve; discard solids. Refrigerate 1 hour. Combine 3 tbsp juniper syrup with 1/2 cup Freixenet Cava to a glass. Garnish with a pine sprig; serve immediately.

DAY 12: Cava Wonderland
Prepare rims by combining 1/4 c coconut flakes, 2 tbsp granulated sugar, and one scraped vanilla bean. Coat the rim of a glass with lemon juice to make the sugar mixture stick. Pour 2 oz coconut juice blend or coconut puréed nectar into bottom of glass. Fill with Extra Dry Cava and stir to mix.

DAY 13: Grab a bottle of Freixenet Cava and a few friends and toast to 2017! Add some black and gold decorations, a fun playlist and sip Cava all night long while re-living the most hilarious moments of 2016.

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About Freixenet:

Freixenet (pronounced “fresh-eh-net”), best known for their iconic Black Bottle, was first introduced to the world in 1914. It is a family-owned winery based just outside of Barcelona. Under the leadership of the Ferrer family, the Freixenet Group is the global leader of sparkling wines made in the traditional method, and the pursuit of quality has been the family’s priority for more than a century.

Beauty /

Joe Zee – Tips for Looking Great During Holiday Season

Looking great during the holidays can go a long way to making the season bright.  About 90 percent* of Americans report feeling some holiday season stress contributing from pressure to look good for the many work and family social gatherings taking place this season.

With fashion and style tips for looking and feeling your best throughout the holiday season, Fashion Editor and Stylist, Joe Zee, shared how to be Insta-ready for the season’s mistletoe moments.

About Joe Zee:  Joe Zee is currently the Editor in Chief of Yahoo Style, where he is tasked with launching and running a digital fashion magazine for the tech giant.  Joe recently released his lifestyle & fashion memoire THAT’S WHAT FASHION IS: Lessons and Stories from My Non-Stop, Mostly Glamorous Life in Style and was also recently seen co-hosting the nationally syndicated ABC daytime talk show FABLife. Prior to this, Joe was the Creative Director of ELLE magazine where he not only oversaw all photoshoots and styled the covers, but he also penned a monthly column “Style A to Zee”. In addition to over a decade of editorial experience and an A-list styling roster, Joe is also a frequent fashion and pop culture expert appearing on ABC’s Good Morning America, NBC’s The Today Show, and recently wrapped a month long special fashion correspondent assignment for CBS’s Entertainment Tonight.

Joe Zee’s Tips for Looking Great during Mistletoe Moments

 

MAKE A STATEMENT: Have some fun this holiday season and step out of your comfort zone. Seek out a statement piece (maybe one you typically wouldn’t wear, ie, a funky jacket or big piece of jewelry) and add it to that holiday outfit. This is the fastest way to add pizazz to any outfit. It’s also an easy way to take a look from day to night (especially adding that great piece of jewelry) which is important during the busy holiday season.

LET IT SHINE: What better time than the holiday season to embrace the sparkle in you. Metallics and shine are a huge trend right now, both for day and night, so why not add some sparkle to your everyday look. Try a sequin trimmed t-shirt with that pencil skirt or a metallic belt and shoes to that natural look. And if you’re daring enough, I love a sequin sweater for day as well.

GO BIG OR GO SMALL: There’s a saying that “women shop and men just buy.” But there’s no reason that the guys can’t also love the part this holiday season. Guys, don’t be afraid to have some fun with your wardrobe this season as well. You can embrace trends by going all out or just have a small nod to it (I like to call this tip-toeing into the trend). So if color isn’t your thing, why not just have a pop of it with your tie or your pocket handkerchief but if you’re feeling bold, then the holidays are the perfect time to branch out and try a colored jacket mixed with a solid pant, or a patterned shirt under a darker jacket mixed with a different pant. It’s all about the mix and match.

LOOKING THE PART FROM HEAD TO TOE: Being well-groomed is just as important as what you wear. Be sure to have a fresh shave before you head out for a night of holiday parties! A close shave ensures you’re mistletoe moment ready!

Here’s a link to more info:  walmart.com/mistletoeready

Interview courtesy of Gillette, Crest, Braun and Oral B available at

Style Life Fashion from The Media Choice on Vimeo.