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Small Talk with Ilan Hall

YumSugar — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 09:56:12 -0700

Last week our very own FabSugar had the opportunity to chat with Top Chef Season Two winner, Ilan Hall. They were both backstage at the Cynthia Rowley Spring 2008 show - Fab reporting on the looks, and Ilan feeding the masses. Luckily for us, they were both able to take a few minutes from their jobs and provide us with a fun interview.

FabSugar: What did you have for breakfast?
Ilan Hall: I think I had baked chicken skin.

FS: Baked chicken skin?
IH: Yeah, because it's part of one of the dishes, and so I was just tasting it. That's what I got full on.

FS: Any juice or coffee?
IH: I had coffee, lots of coffee.

FS: A successful party is ....
IH: One that you get woken up from on the floor... I don't know.

FS: What's your guilty pleasure food?
IH: Pork skin.

FS: All of the skins!
IH: I know, I know, I've got a fetish.

To read the rest of the interview - or hear it for yourself, we've got a new built-in audio player! - and see pictures of the event, read more

FS: Do you cook at home, or do you tend to eat out?
IH: I eat out most of the time, but once in a while.

FS: When you do cook at home, what are your favorites?
IH: I like roasting fish. I like roasting chickens. I like, um.. I like making french fries. That's my favorite when you get a beautiful, perfect crispy french fry. To make a really good french fry, it takes a long time. There's a lot of care that goes into it.

FS: So what's your favorite kind of french fry? Steak fries? Curly fries?
IH: Steak fries, traditional.

FS: If we opened up your fridge, we would find...
IH: Nothing, I'm homeless right now.

To listen to the audio, use the player below:

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Be sure to visit FabSugar for pictures of the Cynthia Rowley Spring Collection 2008.

Listen Up and Get Moving: Simply Audio Books

FitSugar — Sun, 16 Dec 2007 03:00:00 -0800

My life is generally busier than I really want it to be and I miss the good ol' days (read before children) when I could cozy up with a book on a Saturday afternoon. Or when I could just decide to go for a run and head out the door with no preplanning (read negotiation with husband). I figured out a way to combine my love of books and my love of exercise with audio books, the plot keeps me going sometimes more than a strong beat would.

I just discovered a really easy way to find audio books - SimplyAudioBooks.com. Their tag line is "Rent. Buy. Download. Listen." This company offers a variety of ways for you to receive your audio books. You can rent them - similar to Netflix. You choose how many titles you want to have at one time and shipping is free both ways. The price range is $17 a month to have one title, to $45 a month to have four titles simultaneously.

The other, even more convenient option is to download books - similar to iTunes. Just download the book and listen at your convenience. For one title a month the cost is $18 and for three the cost is $38. They have many, many titles; a great search function; and recommendations, too.

How about you? Do you like to listen to audio books when you workout? Tell me in the comments section below.

Win a Sound System That Swims from H2O Audio!

FitSugar — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 22:23:18 -0700

If you haven't taken this quiz to enter the contest, take it now to enter to wine a waterproof sound system.

Missing your motivating tunes while working out in water? Me too.

That is why we are giving away a waterproof sound system from H2O Audio. With this sound system you can take your iPod nano into the pool. The waterproof case protects your precious iPod in depths up to 10 feet when paired with the waterproof headphones. The neoprene belt is designed to keep your iPod in place during active swimming. Don't worry if you don't have an iPod nano, because we are giving away an 8GB nano ($199) along with this sound system – waterproof case, waterproof headphones and neoprene sports belt ($170).

Want to win an iPod nano and H2O Audio system for all your water workouts? To enter the contest, just take this short quiz below by 1:00 p.m. PDT on June 25, and one winner will be selected at random. Your eligibility is not based on answering the questions correctly, just on taking the quiz after you are logged in.

You do, however, need to be a TeamSugar member to enter. So if you're not already one, just register here for an account. One quiz entry per person; all repeat quizzes will be ignored. Prizes can be shipped to US destinations only.

Remember: You must be logged in to TeamSugar for your quiz to count. For the complete rules, click here. Good luck!

To see all the individual pieces of the H2O Audio system click here.

Take the quiz

Cool Fitness Gadget: H2O Audio Shuffle Case

FitSugar — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 03:00:00 -0800

Want to have your tunes while you're doing watersports but don't want to drop hundreds of dollars on a new waterproof MP3 player? Then turn your existing iPod into a waterproof one.

The H2O Audio Waterproof Shuffle Case ($39.99, comes with sport band) makes your second generation Shuffle waterproof up to 10 feet when paired with H2O Audio Waterproof Headphones ($39.99). I love the sleek design and that it takes an existing gadget and expands its uses. Total bummer that you have to buy the case and the headphones, but if you spend a lot of time in the water and you already have a Shuffle, it's worth the money. Want one for your upcoming triathlon training? Buy it here.

Love It or Leave It? iSound Audio Portable Speaker

GeekSugar — Tue, 03 Apr 2007 04:00:06 -0700

This pink iSound audio portable speaker could be a mini me twin to the iHome 19 portable iPod speaker. This battery-powered cute speaker/case combo lets you play music or watch movies right from the front see through window. And you don't need to have an iPod to use it as it is compatible with any audio devices that has a standard headphone output. If you aren't on the go, you can also plug it in with the 12V AC power adapter. I'd say for $30 this multi-functional case is quite the deal. Would you consider using one of these speakers? Leave your comments below!

The Perfect Geek-Chic Fourth of July Chair

GeekSugar — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 10:00:04 -0700

If you've got the day off work and plan to take part in some Fourth of July festivities, have I got the chair for you! Taking you from poolside parties during the day to fireworks shows at night, the G-Flex Sound Booster Portable Audio Chair by Pyramat is not only a comfortable rest station for your butt, it's also a mini entertainment hub!

Powered by four AA batteries, this media chair features two built-in hi-fi performance speakers, and can easily connect to your portable gaming device, MP3 player and even a TV. And with the iPod/MP3 docking station's holster, you can remain plugged in while switching from music to game mode. Portability is easy with the included carrying handle, and you can easily fold up this chair when it's not in use.

And now for the best part - the price! Prices start at about $22 (for the pink one), which isn't too shabby, considering other media chairs can cost upwards of $500. Talk about a great conversation piece for a party!

Cool Fitness Gadget: Playaway Preloaded Audio Books

FitSugar — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 15:30:00 -0800

Playaway is books on tape meets MP3 players meets fitness and health. Confused yet? Let me explain.

Playaway ($29.99 and up, depending on the title) is an easy-to-use audio player all in one small unit. There is no need to figure out how to load stuff onto it or a separate player, and it comes with earbuds and a battery to make it play so once you receive your Playaway, all you literally have to do is press play to start listening immediately. You can choose from a handful of health and fitness titles, including You on a Diet as well as some walking and yoga audiobooks.

If you're thinking that is a lot of money for one audiobook, not to mention a waste of materials, I agree with you. However they do offer Replay, which is where you return your Playaway and get a new one at half the price - I am thinking this would be a great gift idea for my grandmother who cannot be bothered with figuring out how to work an MP3 player, but would love the idea of a guided-walking program at the touch of her fingertips.

Get in Gear: Lobz Audio Ear Warmers

FitSugar — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 03:00:00 -0800

On my recent chilly jogs with my husband, I have been finding that my little ears ache due to the wind and cold.

One solution I am considering is these Lobz Audio Ear Warmers ($21.00) that allow you listen to tunes and protect your ears from wind and cold. How cool is that? No pun intended. The removable stretch fleece moisture management system provides wicking, which means your ears will stay dry. They'd also be great for anyone who likes to listen to music while doing snow sports too. Buy them here.

Fit's Tip: If you're exercising alone, be sure to keep the music at a low volume so you are able to still hear what is going on around you. My husband and I take turns at who gets to listen to music so at least one of us is not distracted with the music.

Closer Look: Samsung's New Crystal USB Audio Player

GeekSugar — Fri, 27 Jul 2007 14:30:10 -0700

I finally got the chance to get an up-close and personal look at Samsung's latest mp3 player, the crystal U3 USB digital audio player. While looks can sometimes be deceiving, I kid you not when I say this player is extremely small. The ultra slim U3 is literally a USB flash drive turned music player as the USB stick pops out so you can directly insert it into your laptop. With no wires or programs to download and a 15-hour battery life, this player is popular for those who want instant plug and play functionality. Available this August in pink, blue, green, white and black. Priced at $90 for the 2GB player.

To check out more images of the crystal player, read more

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Stop Hating the Gym and Start Loving It

FitSugar — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 05:50:43 -0800

If you are dreading moving your workouts indoors due to falling temperatures, let me help you learn to love, or at least tolerate, the gym. Here are some common reasons people hate hitting the gym, and solutions to help you overcome the hurdles.

I hate the gym because . . .	The solution
It's too expensive.	Go price hunting. There are so many different types of gyms that offer various services, so find one that fits your budget. Instead of paying $90 a month for a gym that has cardio machines, a weight room, classes, a pool, and a yoga studio, figure out what's most important to you and just pay for that. A gym down the street from me is only $10 a month for cardio and weight machines. Not bad at all.
It's too far away from my home.	If you can't find a gym close to where you live, try to find one close to where you work. That way you can head over on your lunch break or after work.
The cardio machines are boring.	Find a way to make them more enjoyable. I like to download audio books or podcasts onto my iPod. Listening really helps pass the time. Switching to different machines in one workout also helps beat boredom. Or try competing with a stranger.

To learn more ways to start loving the gym, keep reading.