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Culture Feature

Anderson Cooper’s Drunken Laughter Is Still the Highlight of the New Year

Anderson Cooper New Year's Eve

2021 has already brought good news: A Barbara Walters impression can still team up with tequila shots to turn Anderson Cooper into a beautiful, hysterical mess.


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Closing Time Is Never O'Clock With Drizly

"Closing time, one last call for alcohol

So, finish your whiskey or beer

Closing time, you don't have to go home

But you can't stay here"

Oh, man…I never realized how real those lyrics would feel. I love a good alt-rock anthem, but back in the day whenever 'Closing Time' would pop on to the radio, I couldn't help but think, "how many bars even have a closing time?" When one bar closed, there was always another one open just around the corner. Granted, I live in New York City, so maybe that's why I never really understood the problem before.

At least that was my mindset before COVID hit. Now that we’re in the thick of winter, going out with my small pod of friends is seemingly impossible.

But it turns out that there’s a new way to make the most out of your night, and it's called Drizly!

Drizly is the easiest way to have alcohol delivered to you on-demand when you want it most. Say you're cooking dinner and you forgot you need a bottle of white wine for that pasta dish, but your guests are going to be there in two hours and you don’t have time to go to the liquor store, no worries. Simply whip out the Drizzly app and keep the night going.

And even if you have the time to go to the liquor store, it’s not like you want to. Nobody wants to leave their cozy home to trek across a snowy and frigid tundra just to get a bottle of pinot grigio. Even driving can be a bit of a chore, especially when you’re running low on gas. Drizly is just such a time saver.

Closing time does exist and Drizly is the easiest way around it. Simply enter your address to see what's available in your area, browse thousands of local and well-known products, select your favorites, and BOOM, your drinks will arrive in under 60 minutes.

You can schedule your Drizly orders for when you get home or when you plan on emptying what bottles you do have. They even have a bunch of yummy extras like limes, lemons, ice, mixers, and everything in-between. You can also take comfort in knowing that you’re supporting local businesses.

Only a few months ago, Drizly was a time-saver, but now it's a life-saver.

Update: The folks at Drizly are extending a special offer to our readers! Pick your poison and get $5 off your order at checkout here!

drizly
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The Best Healthy Hack For The New Year

In 2020, I did not work out. Working took over my life and I completely forgot I even had weights until I tripped over the dusty purple 5 pounders while cleaning out my closet.

This year, even with no time, I need to do it. I feel so much better (and less stiff sitting all day) when I do! Even if it's just some stretching and jumping jacks. Some weeks, I know I'll just be too busy to work out, so I want to support my body in other ways.

The most obvious place to look was my diet. I am definitely also not eating three nutritious meals a day.

I do cook healthy meals for myself sometimes! But not every day, so I wanted to see what other people who are strapped for time during the day are eating.

That's how I found Splendid Spoon. They're a delivery service for curated soups, smoothies, grain bowls, and noodles. Every ingredient is designed to help you feel your best, dazzle your tastebuds, and keep you satiated. It's also all completely vegan, GMO-free, gluten-free, and low in sugar.

I'm not really a smoothie person (green juices can be gross), but they offered an array of colors and flavors, and everything would arrive at my door ready-to-eat! No blending fruits for smoothies - they come in bottles and the soups and noodles only take a few minutes in the microwave.

Also, if I was working out more, would they provide enough calories? The Mexican Chili, Creamy Butternut Squash Noodles, and the Roasted Brussel Sprouts bowl all looked so hearty, I was convinced. The smoothies also were filled with ingredients like almond butter, pea protein, coconut nectar, and date puree so my body was getting everything it needed.

I decided to start with their most popular plan, the Breakfast, Lunch + 1-Day Soup Reset, but there are 4 different plans, and they're all easy to cancel, so you're not locked in. Hopefully, it would taste good!

My first box arrived right before the busiest day of my work week, which was perfect. For breakfast, I went with the Mango Guava Smoothie, which definitely had the prettiest color. I love mango, and with the guava, banana, and lime, it was so tropical and delicious.

For lunch, I went with the Roasted Cauliflower Bowl with za'atar spiced chickpeas and creamy lemony tahini. It was so good!

I was way fuller than I thought I would be, and it was so much easier to take a real break in the middle of my day to heat up a bowl than to figure out what to cobble together for lunch.

After work, I did a light yoga session and then made myself dinner. I noticed that because I'd had 2 meals already that day, I was legitimately excited to cook for myself. It felt like more of a fun gift to myself than a chore.

With Splendid Spoon, I feel like my days just got so much more manageable. I know that regular exercise has to be a priority for me, so by outsourcing some of my meals for the week, I have plenty of time and energy to actually accomplish my goal.

Update:The folks at Splendid Spoon are extending an exclusive offer to our readers!Follow this link and get $15 Off Most Popular Plans!

Offer Expires In

splendid spoon
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New Eco-friendly Phone, Who Dis?

I found the easiest way to be more sustainable.

Every January 1st, I pick a new word to define my year; 2020 is "sustainability." I want to reduce my plastic consumption and carbon footprint, but I was already in trouble when my phone broke. Just straight up died at the beginning of the year.

I didn't want to buy anything unnecessary, but a phone is a need these days. I was available for an upgrade, so I got a different size, which also meant a new plastic case, which would be a double whammy.

I was browsing cases online, and they were all cute, but it bugged me so much that I was contributing to the piles of plastic filling up our oceans. Even eco-friendly cork cases have plastic, and wood cases sometimes have a chemical finish.

I know a girl who works on sustainability for a major brand, so I asked if she had any recommendations, and she told me she's a Pela convert.

I looked them up, and this company is downright amazing; they created a new material called Flaxstic® - it's a plant-based blend of bioplastic elastomer and flax straw materials that's 100% compostable and plastic-free!

They're also a member of One Percent for the Planet, so they donate at least 1% of sales to non-profit environmental organizations.

This seemed like a company I'd actually feel great supporting.

On their website, you can browse by phone size, so I looked at the choices for my recent buy.

Pela
Eco-Friendly
100% Compostable
Get 10% OFF Your Pela Case Today!

There are all different colors and designs, and many of them actually show the animals and causes that Pela's trying to save - sea turtles, bees, sharks, whales, penguins, and more.

There were classic colors and other designs, but I was drawn to the yellow honeycomb case with bees. It was so sunny and pretty, it made me feel hopeful about the environment instead of cynical.

The cases are pretty slim, but they claim the cases absorb shock, so they bounce when they drop. They're not impact cases, but they have a 100% Happiness Guarantee for your first 90 days. If I felt the material was chintzy, I could just send it back.

I ordered my case and barely used my phone while waiting, panicking that I'd break it before the case arrived. Thankfully, my Pela came quickly with a note thanking me for my contribution! There was also zero plastic in the packaging! I hadn't even thought to look that up, but I will now for anything I purchase.

I do compost, but I also found out from Pelathat if I got a new phone in a different size before I was done with the case, I could send it back to Pela and get a new case for 20% off!

The sunshine color of my case was so pretty, and you could see the flecks of the flax straw! I liked having a one-of-a-kind case. For the price, it was so durable, such high quality, and when I popped my phone in, super secure!

Now that I've had it for a while, I'm bringing the mirror selfie back. I also dropped my phone while biking to work (yay sustainability!), and it didn't smash, so it's staying with me.

So listen, I didn't stop climate change from buying a phone case. In fact, I still bought a new thing instead of thrifting. But one less piece of plastic in a landfill (or the ocean) is still a really big deal. If everyone made the switch to Pela, we'd combat plastic production and consumption at an amazing rate.

I'm so inspired by Pela, and I'm in love with my phone case, too! Check them out!

Update: The folks at Pela Case are extending a special offer to our readers! Get 10% OFF Your Pela Case Today!

Offer Expires In

pela case review
SPONSORED

New Eco-friendly Phone, Who Dis?

I found the easiest way to be more sustainable.

Every January 1st, I pick a new word to define my year; 2020 is "sustainability." I want to reduce my plastic consumption and carbon footprint, but I was already in trouble when my phone broke. Just straight up died at the beginning of the year.

I didn't want to buy anything unnecessary, but a phone is a need these days. I was available for an upgrade, so I got a different size, which also meant a new plastic case, which would be a double whammy.

I was browsing cases online, and they were all cute, but it bugged me so much that I was contributing to the piles of plastic filling up our oceans. Even eco-friendly cork cases have plastic, and wood cases sometimes have a chemical finish.

I know a girl who works on sustainability for a major brand, so I asked if she had any recommendations, and she told me she's a Pela convert.

I looked them up, and this company is downright amazing; they created a new material called Flaxstic® - it's a plant-based blend of bioplastic elastomer and flax straw materials that's 100% compostable and plastic-free!

They're also a member of One Percent for the Planet, so they donate at least 1% of sales to non-profit environmental organizations.

This seemed like a company I'd actually feel great supporting.

On their website, you can browse by phone size, so I looked at the choices for my recent buy.

There are all different colors and designs, and many of them actually show the animals and causes that Pela's trying to save - sea turtles, bees, sharks, whales, penguins, and more.

There were classic colors and other designs, but I was drawn to the yellow honeycomb case with bees. It was so sunny and pretty, it made me feel hopeful about the environment instead of cynical.

The cases are pretty slim, but they claim the cases absorb shock, so they bounce when they drop. They're not impact cases, but they have a 100% Happiness Guarantee for your first 90 days. If I felt the material was chintzy, I could just send it back.

I ordered my case and barely used my phone while waiting, panicking that I'd break it before the case arrived. Thankfully, my Pela came quickly with a note thanking me for my contribution! There was also zero plastic in the packaging! I hadn't even thought to look that up, but I will now for anything I purchase.

I do compost, but I also found out from Pelathat if I got a new phone in a different size before I was done with the case, I could send it back to Pela and get a new case for 20% off!

The sunshine color of my case was so pretty, and you could see the flecks of the flax straw! I liked having a one-of-a-kind case. For the price, it was so durable, such high quality, and when I popped my phone in, super secure!

Now that I've had it for a while, I'm bringing the mirror selfie back. I also dropped my phone while biking to work (yay sustainability!), and it didn't smash, so it's staying with me.

So listen, I didn't stop climate change from buying a phone case. In fact, I still bought a new thing instead of thrifting. But one less piece of plastic in a landfill (or the ocean) is still a really big deal. If everyone made the switch to Pela, we'd combat plastic production and consumption at an amazing rate.

I'm so inspired by Pela, and I'm in love with my phone case, too! Check them out!

Update: The folks at Pela Case are extending a special offer to our readers! Get 10% OFF Your Pela Case Today!

Offer Expires In

pela case review
SPONSORED

The Easiest New Year's Resolution You'll Ever Make

Watermelon water will have you hydrated in no time.

New year, new me - blah, blah, blah.

I've really never been one to make New Year's Resolutions.

To me, it's nothing more than people making big commitments that they'll never actually carry out. Why set yourself up to fail like that? I've seen my friends make some pretty crazy resolutions from flying lessons to 4 times-a-week gym commitments...

I'm a big believer in making little changes here and there to improve your health and lifestyle. Smaller improvements are just more achievable!

One thing that I have wanted to improve for a while is how much sugar I consume, as well as how little water I drink. I'll admit it; I'm really bad at this.

I'm just not a fan of how water tastes, and I always find myself reaching for diet sodas instead. I also drink wayyyy too much coffee, and it's starting to negatively affect my sleeping patterns.

So, as my friends and I went around the room talking about our resolutions after one too many glasses of Prosecco, I confidently said that my goals were to drink more water and majorly cut down on my sugar intake.

I got heckled because I was making the "easiest" resolution, but if I could stick to it, the effects would be way more valuable than a skydive or a boxing class. "Yeah, but I really hate water, so it's going to be tough" As I was telling my friends, that's when one of them recommended Hint.

Hint is fruit-flavored water, but without any of the nasty additives, like diet sweeteners. As I said, I need flavor, and I'm eager to cut down on all sodas, even diet (which I always assumed was healthier).

But I learned that the ingredients in diet drinks could actually dehydrate you and slow down your metabolism, which I never knew!

Hint has a ton of flavors, like Watermelon, Peach, and Pineapple, plus it's very convenient that Hint delivers right to my doorstep. I loved the idea of being able to drink as many of them as I wanted without feeling guilty, and all of the flavors looked so good.

My Hint water arrived a couple of days later, so I grabbed 2 bottles on my way out the door for work. I opened one up with my lunch around midday, and couldn't believe how good it was!

It was the perfect amount of Pineapple flavor without being too sweet, and I found it actually curbed my usual post-lunch sweet craving.

I had the second bottle right around 3 when I'm usually reaching for the coffee pot, and the Watermelon was so so delicious! I always struggle to get a glass of water down, but I finished the bottle in no time - it tastes so good.

Hint has an option to customize your own bundle, so I went and got a 36 pack of Watermelon, Pineapple, and Peach - my favorite flavors - for $36, which backs out to just $1 per bottle, and shipping is free!

I've been drinking Hint water for about a month now, and I already feel so much better.

Being properly hydrated means that I feel less bloated and tired, and I think my skin is even clearing up a bit.

I even take a bottle of Hint to the gym with me! I'm the only one of my friends that are still keeping to their resolution, so the joke's on them!

Update: Hint is extending a special offer to my readers! Follow this link to get 36 bottles for only $36.