THEPOPFIX.COM » THEPOPFIX Exclusives http://thepopfix.com What's Your Fix? Fri, 12 Sep 2014 22:38:21 +0000 en-US hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.9.2 How To Trick Your Date Into Thinking You Actually Know How To Cook – BADvice http://thepopfix.com/2013/08/29/badvice-how-to-trick-your-date-into-thinking-you-actually-know-how-to-cook/ http://thepopfix.com/2013/08/29/badvice-how-to-trick-your-date-into-thinking-you-actually-know-how-to-cook/#comments Thu, 29 Aug 2013 17:48:11 +0000 http://thepopfix.com/?p=7155 We’ve all been there…

That point in a relationship when you stop going out to dinner every night and come to the tragic realization that your culinary knowledge is limited to opening a can of Campbell’s soup. And you find yourself in that terrifying situation where you have to actually cook something for your significant other and you can no longer rely on help from the professionals to whip up a home-cooked meal…or can you?

The bad news is if you found this article from a Google search, you probably have the cooking proficiency of a toddler, and that’s just sad. The good news is, we’re here to help.

How To Trick Your Date Into Thinking You Know How To Cook

Step 1: Step Up Your Culinary Vocab

Any good chef knows that prep work is crucial, and any good “chef” knows that if you’re trying to fool someone into thinking you’re more kitchen-inclined than you actually are, it’s going to take a little homework. Learn at least 5 fancy cooking terms, casually pepper them into conversation, and voila! Suddenly those aren’t just carrots, they crudités.

Oh that sauce? It’s just a red wine reduction. NBD.

If you’re not going to walk the walk, it really helps if you can at least talk the talk.

Step 2: Hide The Evidence

If you’re going to attempt to pass off some take-out as your own culinary work, go the extra mile. And by extra mile, we basically mean…take the garbage out.

We’re talking to-go containers, receipts, delivery bags, boxes, chopsticks…or any other items that might lead someone to believe that the dinner on the table came from Koo Koo Roo. Because the only thing more embarrassing than lying about knowing how to cook is getting caught because you were too dumb or lazy to properly discard of all evidence. Don’t be an idiot.

Step 3: It’s All In The Details

A wise man once said, “Go all out.” Or something like that…

If you’re going to do this right, we’re not going to let you half-ass it. Just know this. Presentation can either make or break your intended cooking chicanery. Here’s some next level shit to take your fake cooking skills from faux to, “Faux my God I can’t believe you made this!”

  1. Putting your food into a pre-heated oven for 5 minutes before date-time not only warms up your dinner, but it also makes your kitchen smell amazing. Kind of like you actually cooked there.
  2. If you claim to bake, invest in vanilla scented candles. Light them 5 minutes prior to time of arrival; just remember if you don’t blow them out when he gets there, you might just blow your cover.
  3. Keep some strategically placed dirty dishes in the sink to give the illusion that you actually used them. This is your new mantra: A clean kitchen is an unused kitchen.
  4. If you dare open the front door for your date and you’re NOT wearing an apron with a few strategically placed flour, breading, or mystery stains, you’re dead to us.

Step 4: Silver Platter That Shit

If you don’t own a silver platter, get your ass to Amazon, E-Bay, or Bed Bath & Beyond ASAP. Why? Because food is way more appealing when served on a shiny surface.

Don’t believe it? Close your eyes and imagine something on a regular plate: chicken, mashed potatoes, Nachos Bell Grande, whatever. Now imagine it on a platter.

It’s pretty much scientifically proven. Everything looks and tastes better with a silver platter. Even lies.

Step 5: Story Time

Story time isn’t just for bedtime anymore. In the immortal words of Scar from “The Lion King,” “Be Prepared.”

If your date happens to ask how you made this glorious meal, you better have some semblance of an idea how it was prepared, no matter who prepared it. It will always work in your favor if you at least know the main ingredients and whether it was grilled, fried, or roasted. When in doubt, just say it’s a secret family recipe that your grandma passed on to you, and she’d kill you if you told anyone. She may be like 93, but she’s serious with the death threats.

In Conclusion

Congratulations, if you made it this far, you can pretty much induct yourself into the culinary deception hall of fame. Not only do you know how to successfully trick someone into thinking you know how to cook, but more importantly, you know how to do it with finesse.

Thanks for checking out this installment of BADvice, if you want more tips and trick on how to win at life, leave a comment and let us know what you think.

Tough-love you, mean it.

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Sex and MY City http://thepopfix.com/2008/12/31/sex-and-my-city/ http://thepopfix.com/2008/12/31/sex-and-my-city/#comments Wed, 31 Dec 2008 23:19:21 +0000 http://thepopfix.com/?p=626 Watch out, Paris! Los Angeles is for Lovers!

Watch out, Paris! Los Angeles is for Lovers!

I’ve heard it said that Paris is the city of love.

And while it may be true in a classical sense, in my opinion, Los Angeles is the new Paris. But thanks to recent pop culture phenomena (particularly one created by Darren Starr, starring Sarah Jessica Parker) many Americans have been trying to make New York City the go-to destination for lovers and for those who are hoping to find one. But starry-eyed, naïve girls should no longer flock to N.Y.C. to find a man. We’ve seen the Sex and the City movie…we all know how that ends: 40 and jilted. After that “big” incident, our favorite foursome of Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte and Miranda escaped to Mexico in an effort of evading the nightmare of being ditched at the altar in a floor-length Vivienne Westwood. Maybe it was the sun, maybe it was the gorgeous resort overlooking the ocean, or maybe it was the tequila…irregardless of what it was, something about Mexico put the ladies in a much better mood when they left than when they arrived.

There’s nothing like a vacation to improve a bad mood, but believe it or not, I’ve seen Los Angeles have a similar effect. Why? Simply because L.A. is not only home to some of the world’s best weather and beautiful scenery, Angelenos also lay claim to some of the world’s best looking people and most dynamic nightlife. If you’re a girl, 22, single and not seriously considering a relocation after reading that sentence, I’m genuinely surprised.

Sure, all L.A. residents have to put up with the ridiculous in order to call this city home, namely unexplainable traffic, paparazzi photographers, and running into the unavoidable Heidi and Spencer at every third-rate red carpet event. But even those terrible things beat the hell out of humid summers, shoveling snow in a 15 degree winter, and just try keeping up with Carrie’s shoe collection when a month’s rent for your Manhattan studio apartment could feed the entire country of Uganda.

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t hate New York, I simply refuse to romanticize it any longer. Especially when Angelenos already know that L.A. is for lovers.

Got a love question? Comment? Relationship rants and raves? They’re all appreciated here. And if I can’t answer your question, believe me, I’ll find someone who can. Submit all possible ideas, or questions to THEPOPFIX@gmail.com, and tell me what you’d like to see next on L.A. is for Lovers.

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License to Perform: A Profile On London’s Buskers http://thepopfix.com/2008/04/02/license-to-perform-a-profile-on-londons-buskers/ http://thepopfix.com/2008/04/02/license-to-perform-a-profile-on-londons-buskers/#comments Wed, 02 Apr 2008 22:58:21 +0000 http://thepopfix.com/2008/04/02/license-to-perform-a-profile-on-londons-buskers/ license

Story and Images by Joyce Chen

She doesn’t ask for much – a smile, a tip of the hat, just a smidgen of respect for her craft. Large silver earrings glinting under dim lights, eyes closed with the kind of emotional energy fit for a stage diva, Juliana Lisk croons jazz into her microphone with all the self assurance of a veteran songstress, all the soul of a mature thespian mid-monologue.

Her striking Afro is pulled back away from her face with a simple band, a grey woolen coat standing out in stark contrast to her deep chocolate skin, revealing her wrists and the hands that hold her microphone so carefully. There is nothing showy about her dress or her demeanor, but the intensity with which she holds her small corner of the tube station warrants a second glance.

mi

She’s in her own element.

Only the occasional soft thump of coins hitting her pail interrupts the smooth flow of song, her words gliding like spoken rhythms over the clatter of train tracks and the pattering of feet as people bustle to and fro around her.

buskers

London Underground’s stage may not be glamorous, with fluorescent lights glowing in place of a dramatic lounge spotlight, but it’s a stage filled with character – an integral part of London culture that more than justifies the location.

“The best thing about busking is undoubtedly the fact that you meet so many people, and through people you can get to know yourself,” Lisk said. “I would perform even if no one were listening, but because there are obviously people passing by me, listening to my songs, I feel like I’m working through them and hearing my own voice reflected back at me. I think it makes me a stronger singer.”

Lisk, who started busking in tube stations throughout London three months ago, explained that for her, busking is all about performance and contributing to a better London Underground culture.

“Some passersby really enjoy the performances because it gives them a lift in their day to hear you sing,” she said. “The best thing that’s ever happened to me is when a man who was passing by dropped flowers into my tin. It was unexpected and such a sweet gesture. People often stop to have a chat with me as well, which brightens my day because I feel as though I’ve made a small difference in theirs.”

Busking, the act of live performance in public spaces, has long been an iconic part of the London Underground scene, and though its presentation has changed, the very nature of the practice hasn’t. Once associated with homelessness or begging, busking in the heart of one of the world’s most diverse cities now means being a part of a close-knit, fully functioning music community.

together

Thelondonpaper and radio station Capital 95.8 are the official joint sponsors for all tube buskers, and Londoners familiar with the music and energy of underground performers are now also accustomed to the bold pink and purple areas that demark the boundaries of busking.

The decision to legitimize buskers and regulate the underground music scene came about four years ago, said Dean Haynes, the busking site manager at the Oxford Circus tube station. Buskers are now required to go through three-minute auditions to qualify for busking licences, and must perform a minimum of 60 pitches at smaller stations to prove their dedication before moving onto more popular tube locations. “Buskers now have to pay their dues before they’re able to advance to more coveted areas,” Haynes said. “It sets a certain standard for hopeful musicians, and this way, we’re also less prone to having illegal buskers in our hallways.”

With the changing system came a few complaints from veteran buskers concerning the negative impact these regulations could have on the community. Busking, by definition, is meant to be spontaneous, a showcase of artistic impulses in the public domain. However, Haynes noted that the sentiments are split 70/30, with the majority of buskers supporting the system.

“It’s a legitimate concern, that there are more buskers springing up all the time, but not more places for them to busk,” Haynes said. “Sure, there are certain buskers who are annoyed by the new rules because they’ve been doing this for ten or 15 years and are now being asked to audition. But for the most part, buskers are happy to go through the process because it legitimizes what they’re doing.”

Singers like Lisk said they find camaraderie in the support they receive from their peers, and added that aside from honing their skills, busking offers them the ultimate test as performers: total vulnerability at the mercy of the public.

Tashomi Balfour, a 19-year-old busker, understands the pressures of public performance all too well. He explained that he has become a very different performer than he was when he first started playing the saxophone in the underground a year ago, and attributed much of his improvement to the support he receives from the busking community.

sax

“When I first started, there was a lot of fear involved,” he said. “I was overly concerned about a lot of people’s first impressions of me, how they would judge me because I was just a performer in a tube station. I worried about what my peers would think, because no one we knew was doing the kind of thing I was doing. But now, I know what I’m doing, I know why I’m here, and the fear is a thing of the past.”

Nowadays, Balfour, who stands tall at 6 feet, in baggy jeans and a white sports jacket, has shed his insecurities. He confidently performs approximately four hours a day and doesn’t flinch from the attention his lively saxophone-playing garners – good or bad.sax2

“A lot of buskers play what others want to hear and not what they want to play, because whether they admit it or not, busking is still meant for the masses,” he said. “That’s not me, though. I play what I want to, because at the end of the day, I don’t want to spend two hours at a time, playing music I don’t even like. I feel like I play music because it’s what I’m passionate about, and if there happen to be people who appreciate it, all the better.”

Lisk’s mantra is no different. The command of her vocal prowess is strengthened not only by the occasional smile or coin, but by her own love for the music as well. As Londoners hurry on their way to work, to home, to the rest of their day, Lisk stands still, completely enveloped in her own little space of the Underground. Every time she busks is another chance for her to shine in the limelight before her own audience of one.

Want more information on busking? Check out thelondonpaper.com or their audition page.

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Video Fix-ation: Pequena Hillary http://thepopfix.com/2008/03/28/video-fix-ation-pequena-hillary/ http://thepopfix.com/2008/03/28/video-fix-ation-pequena-hillary/#comments Fri, 28 Mar 2008 14:54:52 +0000 http://thepopfix.com/2008/03/28/video-fix-ation-pequena-hillary/ Ever wonder what Hillary Clinton would look like if she were a 3-foot tall, buck-toothed, table dancing Mexican man? If you always wanted that mental image inculcated into your brain, check this video out of this self-proclaimed Hillary Clinton. In it you’ll find that this faux Hillary is getting frisky to the other Hillary’s (Duff) song, kissing Bill’s picture to the camera, strangely playing a saxophone, while lifting her skirt up to fully shake her bum bum unabashedly. The best part is when the man says “Bote Por Me” exactly like Hillary and her man voice.

I must say this is an accurate portrayal of one of the Democratic party’s front-runners. I mean, we all knew that Hillary was good at dancing, but who knew she could be so downright…exotic?

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Airborne Caused My Cold http://thepopfix.com/2008/03/28/airborne-caused-my-cold/ http://thepopfix.com/2008/03/28/airborne-caused-my-cold/#comments Fri, 28 Mar 2008 14:40:46 +0000 http://thepopfix.com/2008/03/28/airborne-caused-my-cold/

My frozen snot gushed out of my nostrils like a Mountain Dew slurpee filling a 16oz. 7-11 cup. As I looked at my hands I realized that the purple color was not from gloves, rather, my leathery, semi-frostbitten hands. I felt that my chicken legs were shaking so fiercely I knew I just had to look like a rooster flapping its wings during mating season. It was the worst weather I’ve experienced at any time of my life (I’m from Colorado, mind you) and I knew I was going to be sick. Sure, the city was perfectly picturesque, like one of those montages you see in paintings, or described in manuals or seen on the History Channel, but the bloody cold ruined everything for me.

Before I left on this excursion, my friend had offered me three tablets of Airborne, the pill that turns water into a magical elixir preventing any cold, anytime, anywhere.

Yes, I’ve taken Airborne before. I actually bought several bottles in the past years and have consumed these tablets at every “first sign of cold or flu symptoms.” But they never worked for me. I always got sick after religiously downing this fizzy, grapefruit flavored “remedy.” All of my friends told me that they never got sick after taking Airborne, and that it really did work. I guess I was the only one who didn’t think some flavorful chalk wrapped in a tube worked…until recently.

It’s funny, because earlier this month, Airborne was sued for scamming customers into believing that the “drug” was actually a “drug.” They were sued specifically for falsely advertising and by stating that the tablets were “clinically tested.”

On a “Good Morning America” drugstore investigation, it was exposed that Airborne was no more than just vitamins. The “school teacher” that we read about on every box of Airborne who created the tablet, Victoria Knight-McDowell, finally admitted that the pill is not a cold remedy.

“I would never sit here and tell you that it’s a cure for the common cold,” she said to Good Morning. “We don’t know if Airborne is a … cure for the common cold. What Airborne does is it helps your body build a healthy immune system. When you have a healthy immune system, then it allows your body, on its own, to fight off germs.”

More so, when they said it was “clinically tested” it was literally tested by two individuals.

The statement made by this school teacher is way different from what it says on the box and in ad testimonials where it’s supposed to get rid of most colds in an hour and how it is a “miracle cold buster.”

Airborne eventually lost the lawsuit and is now refunding any customer who was swindled into purchasing the chalk-tablets.

I suppose when my peers and friends told me that this tablet really “does work” they were experiencing the placebo effect, a phenomena that occurs when one believes something so much they trick their body and brains into experiencing it, which blows my mind. At this point, I’m so impressed by the placebo effect, I’m thinking of creating multi-million dollar concoctions of my own. How about concentration tablets guaranteeing a perfect LSAT score made from Skittles? Or face wash made from Tide detergent? How about an invisible condom (If I believe that I won’t get pregnant so much, I won’t get pregnant!)

If you’ve been personally duped into purchasing Airborne, go here for a settlement.

For more information on the settlement, check this site out.
As for me, I’ll stick with my own traditional remedies–a bottle of Scotch and Whiskey always does the trick.

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London Guide to Easter Weekend http://thepopfix.com/2008/03/21/london-guide-to-easter-weekend/ http://thepopfix.com/2008/03/21/london-guide-to-easter-weekend/#comments Sat, 22 Mar 2008 01:50:46 +0000 http://thepopfix.com/2008/03/21/london-guide-to-easter-weekend/ easter1.jpg

When I was growing up in Colorado, Easter was celebrated quietly at church where I was spoiled with candy and taught that Jesus was resurrected on this day. So I always wondered why we ate chocolate covered bunnies instead of chocolate covered Jesuses–then realized later that it would be way too creepy having little kids chewing off Jesus’ head.

In London, Easter is essentially celebrated the same way as in America, except ten times more extreme and festive. Easter to Londoners is a holiday that is so important that students are given two week breaks around the festivities and where tubes and businesses close earlier than usual.

If you have a craving for a chocolate fix, want a quaint brunch, yearn for Jesus’ teachings, or are just in the festive spirit, check these places out for Easter. After all, it is a national holiday, and not celebrating it is a shame and more importantly, a sin.

For a stroll in the park with the kids try Kenwood’s Easter Trail where for the first time, it’s the children that have to pay and the adults who get in for free. The cost is £1.00 to get in. From 11AM to 4PM until Monday, the 24th.

Chocolate is a staple of Easter, so why settle for anything less than the best? Try Clarke’s– delicious chocolates, pastries, and even bread. Chef Sally Clarke has been receiving loads of raves on her culinary expertise and her signature “clean cut” tastes.

Shop like it’s Easter– like you’re spending all your money on chocolate and have a little money to spare for actual shopping. Quality shopping at that. Who has time for shopping on Easter, anyway? Try these online shopping listed below for the best prices:

*Ciao is one of the largest shopping malls in Europe with 38 million users.

*Kelkoo is like a one stop shop for appliances, toys, and a price comparison chart, what more could you ask for?

*GlassesCentre, where we found Ray Ban Wayfarers for only 52.

Wanna munch and brunch on more than just bunny ears? Here are London’s best breakfast eats:

(from Time Out)

breakfast club

The Breakfast Club-‘The little yellow café in Soho’ dishes up grub throughout the day, but, as its name suggests, is mostly committed to top-notch, restorative breakfasts. The umpteen variations on American, English and Continental favourites include a veggie full English, a bacon, brie and maple syrup toasted sandwich, or, for the more calorie-conscious, good old Special K with freshly squeezed OJ.”

Christopher’s- “This upmarket Covent Garden restaurant styles itself an American bar and grill, so a first-rate, wide-ranging brunch menu is de rigueur. There’s all kinds of fruit, granola, light salads, blueberry pancakes, French toast and bagels, eggs every which way, and more substantial dishes such as steak, eggs and fries.”

Inn the Park-Oliver Peyton’s underground retreat in St James’s Park serves up a superb breakfast menu until 11am. Traditional British brekkie is the focus: there’s a full English (plus, uniquely, a choice of several kinds of artisan bacon, sausages, black pudding and eggs), and kedgeree or kippers. There’s also a couple of lighter options (fruit, muesli, porridge) and a very impressive range of juices.”

Number Twelve- “This welcoming, stylish hotel restaurant could teach most of its soulless, corporate rivals a thing or two. Head chef Santino Busciglio has just added a Sunday brunch menu to his Italian-influenced repertoire. Top-quality ingredients sing out in dishes such as boiled eggs with asparagus soldiers, soft-poached duck egg with pancetta or boudin and wild mushrooms, and there are salads, soups, seafood dishes and Sunday roasts.”

Is Easter just not Easter without properly celebrating Jesus’ resurrection in a chapel?
Try St. Paul’s Cathedral. The church is a national monument and has survived generations upon generations. The church is a beautiful landmark in itself standing securely overseeing the Thames River.

Here are the times of service:

05:45 special service icon Dawn Eucharist
08:00 regular service icon Holy Communion
09:00 special service icon Eucharist with Congregational Music
10:15 regular service icon Mattins
11:30 regular service icon Sung Eucharist
15:15 regular service icon Festal Evensong
18:00 special service icon The Eucharist with Hymns
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Don’t Forget Your Toothbrush! http://thepopfix.com/2008/03/20/dont-forget-your-toothbrush/ http://thepopfix.com/2008/03/20/dont-forget-your-toothbrush/#comments Fri, 21 Mar 2008 00:54:15 +0000 http://thepopfix.com/2008/03/20/dont-forget-your-toothbrush/ dontforget.jpg

Remember a post not too long ago when one of our bloggers, Erin, wrote about the pains of packing for a vacay? Well, she’s definitely not alone in her dread for packing. All of us share the worries of overpacking and underpacking. Don’t you wish you could have someone make a list for you? Wouldn’t you want to never be unprepared for an excursion again?

I found a site called dontforgetyourtoothbrush.com which devotes itself to making a list so that you don’t ever have to forget anything ever again. Trust me, visit this site, it is well worth your five minutes unless you want to be like me and the times when I:

-Forgot to bring shampoo having to go so hair-greasy that I could have fried my own breakfast without the need of oil…scratch that. I could have supplied an entire KFC in downtown Atlanta with hot, fresh, natural grease–truly finger lickin’ good.

-Didn’t bring a swimming suit which led to an embarrassing experience dipping in the pool in my underwear which later fell off of my non-existent badonk-a-donk when I jumped in the pool.

-Left contact solution at home leaving me with some gunky and slimy eyes for three days leading to a sty in the eye.

So before you leave on that Spring break vacation of your dreams, check out Dontforgetyourtoothbrush.com. And really guys, don’t forget your toothbrush. I mean, a finger dipped in toothpaste scrubbing your tequila drenched, taco salad tongue and teeth is just not a sanitary alternative.

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Faftastic http://thepopfix.com/2008/03/20/faftastic/ http://thepopfix.com/2008/03/20/faftastic/#comments Fri, 21 Mar 2008 00:00:05 +0000 http://thepopfix.com/2008/03/20/faftastic/

One thing that’s always boggled my mind about the cosmetic industry is how few make-up companies grasp the fact that it’s supposed to be fun.

With their enthusiastic colors, and original ad campaigns, fun is something that MAC always remembers, and that’s why we love them.

MAC is always coming out with the most fresh ideas in the industry, and their Spring 2008 collection is no exception. Inspired by French graphic artist Fafi, this collection is bold, bright and in your face.

Fafi’s cartoonish, Harajuku-inspired doodles come to life in the Fafi campaign, bringing us into a world of fantasy and fun. Both the packaging and the bright pinks and blues used in the products themselves are inspired by Fafi’s urban graffiti style which combines innocence with sex appeal.

(image via feedmecoolshit.com)

Visit the MAC and Fafi website to get a closer look at the line, and the signature looks MAC artists have created.

Our favorite looks are the harajuku-girl inspired “fafi” and the pretty in pink “strawbaby.”

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