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Archive for November, 2009

A Very Funny Birthday Boy

Posted by Katie on November 30, 2009 in General

ben-stiller2Comedic icon, Ben Stiller is 44 years old today!

The funny man is probably best known for his hysterical roles in There’s Something About Mary, Meet the Parents, Zoolander, Dodgeball and Tropic Thunder, but what many forget is that Ben is comedy royalty! NotableBiographies.com has more:

Ben Stiller was born on November 30, 1965, in New York City to legendary comedians Jerry Stiller (c. 1927–) and Anne Meara (1929–). As a comedy team the couple often performed on the popular 1960s variety program The Ed Sullivan Show. Meara went on to star in her own short-lived TV series Kate McShane ; she was also regularly featured on such 1970s sitcoms as Rhoda and Archie Bunker’s Place. To modern audiences, Jerry Stiller is probably best known for his role as Frank Costanza on Seinfeld.

Because of his parents’ work, Ben and older sister Amy basically grew up in show business. They hobnobbed with celebrities and they frequently traveled to set locations, which Stiller enjoyed far more than staying home and hanging out with kids his own age.

With a family like that, how could Ben be anything but a comedian?

Happy birthday, Ben! Here’s to many more birthdays!

Happy Birthday Samuel Langhorne Clemens – Wait, Who?

Posted by Katie on November 30, 2009 in General

marktwainlocYes, today is the 174th birthday of Samuel Langhorne Clemens, or as he is better known, Mark Twain!

Twain is best known for penning what many refer to as the “great American novel,” Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, but how did he become “the father of American literature?”

According to MarkTwainHouse.org, Twain had a failing career as a silver prospector and then began writing for the Territorial Enterprise, a Nevada paper where he first used his infamous pen name.

In 1865, Sam’s first “big break” came with the publication of his short story, “Jim Smiley and His Jumping Frog” in papers across the country. A year later, Sam was hired by the Sacramento Union to visit and report on the Sandwich Islands (now Hawaii). His writings were so popular that, upon his return, he embarked upon his first lecture tour, which established him as a successful stage performer.

Hired by the Alta California to continue his travel writing from the east, Sam arrived in New York City in 1867. He quickly signed up for a steamship tour of Europe and the Holy Land. His travel letters, full of vivid descriptions and tongue-in-cheek observations, met with such audience approval that they were later reworked into his first book, The Innocents Abroad in 1869.

Now that concludes our history lesson this Monday morning :)

To learn more about our nation’s most acclaimed author, visit MarkTwainHouse.org!

Celebrating San Jose!

Posted by Katie on November 29, 2009 in General

San_jose_california_1875It’s getting cold outside and I don’t know about the rest of you, but I could use a getaway! Maybe I should head out to San Jose to celebrate their 232rd birthday!

Yes, California’s third-largest city is celebrating their birthday today and with over 230 years under their belt, what a birthday it is!

To learn a little more about the history of this beautiful city, I turned to SanJose.org.

When the Spaniards arrived, they built a chain of 21 missions from San Diego up to Sonoma, and a series of forts. In 1776, Captain Juan Bautista de Anza was charged by the Spanish king to lead settlers from New Spain to Nueva (later “Alta”) California. After stopping at Monterey, De Anza continued north, scouting sites for the Presidio of San Francisco, Mission San Francisco de Asis, and El Pueblo de San Jose de Guadalupe, now San Jose. Though a surveyor, not founder, De Anza’s legacy lives on throughout California, in the names of towns, parks, and roads.

El Pueblo de San Jose de Guadalupe was officially founded on November 29, 1777, the first town in the Spanish colony Nueva California. It took its name from Saint Joseph, patron saint of pioneers and travelers, and from the Guadalupe River. You can visit the last surviving adobe from the De Anza era—the 1797 Peralta Adobe (named for an inhabitant) in downtown San Jose.

If you want to learn more about the beautiful San Jose, California, visit SanJose.org.

Happy 47th Birthday to Comedian Jon Stewart!

Posted by Katie on November 28, 2009 in General

jon_stewart_narrowweb__300x44521For all those Comedy Central fans out there, funny man Jon Stewart turns 47 today!

Best known for his hit talk show, The Daily Show, Stewart is one of the country’s most  popular comedians. Some of his accolades include two Peabody Awards for The Daily Show’s coverage of the 2000 and 2004 Presidential Elections as well as Time’s 100 most influential people of the year award in 2005.

Aside from The Daily Show, Stewart has also appeared in numerous movies including Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, Big Daddy and The Faculty. While his onscreen work is well known, Stewart is also a gifted writer.

Stewart’s work has been published in several magazines, including The New Yorker and Esquire, and he has authored two books. His first effort was Naked Pictures of Famous People (1998), a collection of humorous, satirical essays. Written with Ben Karlin and David Javerbaum, his next book, America (the book): A Citizen’s Guide to Democracy Inaction (2004), became a best seller.

To learn more about Jon, take a look at his biography on biography.com!

Shoe Royalty Turns 67!

Posted by Katie on November 27, 2009 in General

174d_manolo_splendora.comThere are some things is this world that just make sense — Manolo Blahnik’s birthday falling on this country’s biggest shopping day is one of them!

For those of you who do not share my passion for shoes, Manolo Blahnik is the founder and designer of one of the world’s premiere high-end shoe brands. Idolized in pop culture, DesignMuseum.org describes his impact as follows:

When Carrie Bradshaw, the shoe-loving central character of the HBO TV series Sex And The City, took a wrong turn after lunch in SoHo she found herself on one of New York’s grungier side streets and face-to-face with a mugger. “Please sir,” she pleaded. “You can take my Fendi baguette, you can take my ring and my watch, but don’t take my Manolo Blahniks.”

Unfortunately for Carrie, the mugger did just that and ran off with her favourite pair of strappy sandals. Thanks in part to Sex And The City Manolo Blahnik has become one of the handful of designers whose name is synonymous with their product. In his case it is his Christian name, because “Manolo” is now used as slang to describe very expensive, very beautiful shoes: even by the millions of people who have never actually seen a pair of Manolo Blahniks and could not dream of spending $300 or $400 to buy them.

So on this Black Friday, I’d like to wish the talented Mr. Blahnik a very happy birthday!

Oh, and if you have a spare pair of shoes lying around Manolo, feel free to send those my way. :)

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Posted by Katie on November 26, 2009 in General

thanksgivingHappy Thanksgiving, everyone!

68 years ago today, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed a bill establishing the fourth Thursday in November as Thanksgiving Day — which makes today Thanksgiving’s birthday!

However, we all know that the Thanksgiving tradition is much older than 68 years, in fact, the first Thanksgiving was in 1621 and it’s been an annual holiday in the U.S. since 1863.

So before we get dive into our Thanksgiving feast, let’s take a quick look at the menu from the very first Thanksgiving and see just how much this holiday has changed over the years.

According to History.com, our Thanksgiving meal has changed quite a bit since 1621!

Foods That May Have Been on the Menu:
 Seafood: Cod, Eel, Clams, Lobster
Wild Fowl: Wild Turkey, Goose, Duck, Crane, Swan, Partridge, Eagles
Meat: Venison, Seal
Grain: Wheat Flour, Indian Corn
Vegetables: Pumpkin, Peas, Beans, Onions, Lettuce, Radishes, Carrots
Fruit: Plums, Grapes
Nuts: Walnuts, Chestnuts, Acorns
Herbs and Seasonings: Olive Oil, Liverwort, Leeks, Dried Currants, Parsnips

What Was Not on the Menu:
 Ham: There is no evidence that the colonists had butchered a pig by this time, though they had brought pigs with them from England.
Sweet Potatoes/Potatoes: These were not common.
Corn on the Cob: Corn was kept dried out at this time of year.
Cranberry Sauce: The colonists had cranberries but no sugar at this time.
Pumpkin Pie: It’s not a recipe that exists at this point, though the pilgrims had recipes for stewed pumpkin.
Chicken/Eggs: We know that the colonists brought hens with them from England, but it’s unknown how many they had left at this point or whether the hens were still laying.
Milk: No cows had been aboard the Mayflower, though it’s possible that the colonists used goat milk to make cheese.

To take a trip through history and learn more about the first Thanksgiving, visit History.com!

And happy Thanksgiving to each and every one of you!

Happy 38th Birthday to Cancer Survivor, Christina Applegate!

Posted by Katie on November 25, 2009 in General

christina-applegate-picture-4Probably best known for her starring role on the hit TV series, Married…with Children, Christina Applegate has been one of Hollywood’s leading funny ladies since her teen years. In fact, she made her TV debut when she was only 3 months old on Days of our Lives!

Since that time, she has stared in major movie pictures including Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter’s Dead, The Sweetest Thing and Anchorman.

Not only is she a talented actress and comedian, but Christina is also a breast cancer survivor! Diagnosed at age 36, she is now an adamant supporter of early detection.

To learn more about Christina’s fight against cancer, visit the Huffington Post.

Happy birthday, Christina! Here’s to many more birthdays to celebrate!

Birthday Party of a Lifetime Sweepstakes, with Cooking Light

Posted by Katie on November 24, 2009 in General

Cooking_Light_Logo_newHave you ever dreamed of having your birthday party catered by a celebrity chef? If this sounds like your cup of tea, keep reading, because we’ve collaborated with Cooking Light to kick off the ‘Birthday Party of a Lifetime’ sweepstakes. One lucky winner and 9 of their closest friends will receive a birthday dinner prepared exclusively by Cooking Light’s Executive Chef, Billy Strynkowski.

It’s really simple to enter. Just go to http://cookinglight.com/ sweepstakes and click on the American Cancer Society listing – this will take you to the entry form page. Fill out the entry form, describe your most memorable birthday (optional), hit the submit button, and you’re set. Keep in mind, online entries must be received by 11:59 p.m. (Pacific time) on Thursday, December 31, 2009.

Here’s to creating a world with more birthdays that are catered by celebrity chefs!

Tip Tuesday: Make your own birthday crown

Posted by Katie on November 24, 2009 in Tip Tuesday

crown.5Every birthday girl wants to be a princess, so why not indulge them a little and have some arts and crafts fun at the same time. Today I came across some great instructions for making a birthday crown that would make any girl feel like royalty (from dltk-holidays.com).

Materials:

• 2 pipe cleaners
• About 40 beads – we used a combination of clear and plain ones
• Headband

Instructions:

• Thread beads onto the pipecleaners – you don’t have to push them together too tightly – leave about an inch on either end of each pipecleaner – this depends on how wide your headband is.
• Wrap 1 end of the beaded pipecleaner around the headband and twist to hold (you can put a dab of glue if you like)
• Push the beads for the first arch of beads close together, leaving just a smidge of room
• Loop the pipecleaner around the headband again – again apply hot glue if desired
• Continue until you have 3 arches
• Wrap the end of the second pipecleaner around the first pipecleaner (push the beads aside so you can get it right around the pipecleaner – that’s why we left the smidge of room in the previous step.
• Repeat this 2 more times, making the arches the size you prefer.
• Snip off any excess pipecleaner.

We brought the edges of the second pipecleaner back down to the headband and wrapped them there instead of just attaching them to the first pipecleaner.

Happy Birthday Hannah Montana!

Posted by Katie on November 23, 2009 in General

People Miley CyrusFor all of you out there with young girls — alert them their favorite celebrity is celebrating their birthday today! Yes, Miley Cyrus, Hannah Montana herself, is 17 years old today.

She may be only 17, but Miley is an international sensation. In 2008, she was listed in Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People and Forbes ranked her #29 on the celebrity earners list in 2009.

We all know Miley is the daughter of country-music star Billy Ray Cyrus, but to learn a little more about how this teen queen got her start, we turned to starpulse.com for the answer.

Miley Cyrus got her start in the entertainment industry on an episode of her father’s PAX TV medical series Doc before appearing in Tim Burton’s fantastical 2003 adventure Big Fish. A fateful appearance as the character Hannah Montana in the Disney Channel series The Suite Life of Zack and Cody followed in 2006, and her character proved so popular that a spin-off series called Hannah Montana was launched shortly thereafter.

To learn more about Miley, check out starpulse.com!

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