The Culturistas Macy's Giftcard Giveaway!

The Culturistas are giving away a 25$ Macy's Gift Card in honor of Macy's GO RED FOR WOMEN campaign in celebration of National Wear Red Day on February 5th.

  Go Red For Women is the American Heart Association's nationwide movement that celebrates the energy, passion and power of women to band together and wipe out heart disease, the #1 killer of American women and men. The color red and the red dress have become linked with the ability all women have to improve their heart health and live stronger, longer lives. 

To participate in Macy's fundraiser you can purchase the ($69) INC Go Red for Women Dress where 100% of the sale price goes to the American Heart Association.

OR participate in their WEAR RED sale (February 3rd-7th):  20% off sale, clearance & select regular-priced purchases online & in-store  10% OFF SELECT DEPARTMENTS promo code: WEARRED

Find out more about the info about the campaign: Here

To enter the contest: please leave a comment on this post letting us know which celebrity you would love to see a style profile for!

Make sure to post a valid email address in the body of the post and include theculturistas@gmail.com in your address book so we can contact you if you're the winner. Comments must be posted by 5 pm PST on Friday February 5th to be eligible to win. The winner will be announced on February 6th. One lucky winner will be chosen at random. Open to U.S. residents only. Good luck!!

Please note: this contest is now closed. Congratulations to our winner, Crystal!

Recipe of the Week: Spinach Sweet Pea Soup with Mint Cream

During cold seasons, we tend to have altered palates and enjoy heartier and warmer foods. Many soups and stews tend to be somewhat heavy and do not make the cut for the menu transition from winter to spring. The pureed spinach and sweet pea soup with mint cream is a delicious and HEALTHY option that will make the seasonal cut! While it is filling, it is not too heavy and can opt as a cold soup during the summer. In addition to being super nutritious, it is relatively quick and easy to prepare.



INGREDIENTS

Soup:
2 big yellow onions, coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cloves fresh garlic coarsely chopped
2(10-ounce) bag (or the equivalent) fresh spinach, rinsed
2 1/2 cups frozen petite peas
3 cups vegetable or chicken stock
1/2 cup light cream
1 tablespoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Fresh Mint Cream (recipe follows)

Fresh Mint Cream:
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh mint leaves
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup half-and-half
Salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS

Saute onions in the butter in a large soup pot over high heat, stirring occasionally until they begin to soften for 10 minutes. Add garlic, lower the heat to medium and continue cooking for another 10 minutes. Stir in spinach and saute until wilted for 5 minutes more. Add peas and the stock to the pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Remove soup from heat and allow to cool for a few minutes.

Using a food processor puree soup in small batches (use a second bowl to pour puree in). Place puree back into pot, add cream and bring to simmer over low heat. In a bowl, using a whisk, combine all ingredients until smooth.



To serve, pour the soup into 4 bowls and top with about 3 tablespoons of the fresh mint cream. Feel free to add a garnish for decorative effects!

BON APPETIT!

Look of the Week: Lea Michele

Lea Michele attended the SAG Awards this weekend in Los Angeles.  She wore a stunning green Catherine Malandrino gown.  The ruffles on the shoulder and the ruching at the waist is so flattering.  She kept the accessories simple with bangles and her look is perfection. Keep up the award show glamour Lea!

Dine LA Restaurant Week: Jan/Feb 2010

 DineLA Restaurant week is back! From January 24th-29th and then the 31st- February 5th.  For those of you that don't know: restaurant week is one of our favorite weeks in LA where we can have a set three course meal at our favorite restaurants for a fraction of the price.  Each restaurant has either one, two or three dollar signs.  The price list is below:

		Lunch	Dinner
$	Deluxe Dining:	$16	$26
$$	Premier Dining:	$22	$34
$$$	Fine Dining:	$28	$44

Some of the great restaurants on the list are: Asia de Cuba ($$$), Campanile ($$), Ciudad ($$), Ford's Filling Station ($$), Luna Park ($), Jiraffe ($$$),  Joe's ($$), Susan Fenigar's Street ($$), and The Bazaar ($$$).  Check out the rest of the list and more information about Restaurant Week: Here

Style Profile: Ke$ha

The new Pop Star on the scene, Ke$ha (real name Kesha Sebert), has been rocking some edgy rock and roll looks!  She has a no-holds-bared, fearless attitude about clothes. “My favorite stuff that I’ve ever found has been from trash cans,” says the artist to WWD. “And I bought this incredible vest off a homeless guy recently.”

If you haven't heard any of her catchy tunes yet you might be living under a rock. Her song Tik-Tok is  number 1 on the Billboard chart, while her songs Love Drug and Blah Blah Blah are also in the top 100.

The Culturistas recommend downloading: Take It Off

Afternoon Tea at Cha-An

Going to tea at Cha-An was a unique experience which was surprisingly similar to the traditionally English meal. Cha-An is a cozy and intimate restaurant specializing in Japnese-style tea and deserts. The restaurant is located in the Japanese enclave of NYC's East Village which I had yet to experience. It truly felt like I was a tourist in Japan for the afternoon. We ordered the afternoon tea set which came with tea smoked salmon sandwiches, scones, red bean pound cake, green tea macaroon, and a pot of tea. To sample some savory flavors, we also ordered the mushroom and scallion quiche, seafood gratin, and curry soup. With bite size portions at Cha-An, you can try a variety of different dishes without feeling overwhelmingly full. Keep this in mind and do not go ravenously hungry expecting a satiating meal. The selection of tea was enormous with a wide variety of green teas and herb teas. The Culturistas recommend the Honey Phoenix Oolong tea and a trip to the high tech Japanese style toilet. The remote-controlled bathroom visit is as much of a must as the tea.


This was an awesome experience and the next time you are contemplating a trip to Japan we suggest going to Cha-An first. Just remember to bring cash! Arigato!



CHA-AN TEA HOUSE
230 E. 9th Street
New York, NY

Resolution Friendly Meal! Tuna Burgers and Sweet Potato Fries

It's the beginning of January, and like most we want to eat healthier this year!  If you cook your food at home instead of going out to eat you are guaranteed a healthier meal.  So try these delicious recipes that will satisfy you AND keep you guilt free!

Tuna Burgers with Carrot Ginger Sauce

From Tyler Florence on Foodnetwork.com

Ingredients:

For the Sauce:
1 small carrot, roughly chopped
1 1/2-inch piece ginger, peeled
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
Pinch of sugar
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

For the Burgers:
1 pound sushi-grade tuna
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
Juice of 1/2 lime
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 cup spicy sprouts, for garnish
4 whole-grain hamburger buns
1/2 avocado, sliced

Directions:
Prepare the sauce: Pulse the carrot and ginger in a food processor until finely chopped. Add the vinegar, sesame oil, soy sauce and sugar and process until smooth. Drizzle in 2 tablespoons water and combine; season with salt and pepper. Transfer the sauce to a bowl and set aside.
Prepare the burgers: Chop the tuna into chunks. Wipe out the food processor and add the tuna; pulse a few times to break up the pieces. In a bowl, mix 2 tablespoons olive oil, the soy sauce, lime juice, cilantro and ginger; season with salt and pepper. Pour over the tuna and process until well blended. Form into 4 patties; brush each lightly with the remaining 1 teaspoon olive oil.
Preheat a grill or grill pan. Once hot, add the burgers and cook for 2 minutes on each side for rare, or to desired doneness.
Toss the sprouts in the carrot-ginger sauce. Place the burgers on buns and top with avocado and sprouts.
Per serving: Calories 435; Fat 22 g (Sat. 3.8 g; Mono. 11 g; Poly. 6 g); Cholesterol 43 mg; Sodium 662 mg; Carbohydrate 28 g; Fiber 5 g; Protein 32 g

Baked Sweet Potato Fries

Ingredients:
2 large sweet potatoes --> you will burn a lot of calories chopping these guys!
2  tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon parsley
fresh ground pepper

Directions
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
Line a sheet tray with parchment. In a large bowl toss sweet potatoes with just enough oil to coat and then add rest of the ingredients. Spread sweet potatoes in single layer on prepared baking sheet, being sure not to overcrowd. Bake until sweet potatoes are tender and golden brown, turning occasionally, about 20 minutes. Let cool 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Per serving: Calories 147; Fat 5 g; Fiber 4 g

The Golden Globes Best Dressed 2010

The Golden Globes 2010 was an entertaining event.  While the awards show was saddened by the horrible events in Haiti, many actors showed their support by wearing ribbons in recognition and support.  But the hilarious host Ricky Gervais was able to put a funny spin on things while he joked about audience members including Mel Gibson, Kiefer Sutherland and Angelina Jolie. 

But the Culturistas were mostly watching for the gorgeous fashion!! Despite the rain in Los Angeles, these celebs showed up dressed to impress!

Jennifer Aniston in Valentino
Diane Kruger in Christian Lacroix
Heidi Klum in Roberto Cavalli
Cameron Diaz in Alexander McQueen
My personal favorite of the night!! *Emily Blunt in Dolce & Gabbana*

Sandra Bullock in Bottega Venetta
Marion Cotillard in Christian Dior

Look of the Week: Zoe Saldana

Zoe Saldana most recently seen in Avatar caught our eye on the red carpet of the Critic's Choice Awards January 15, 2010. She accessorized this seemingly simple white mini dress beautifully with Jack Vartanian jewels and a funky black belt. She shows us that less really is more!

Trend Watch: Stripes

Stripes are a big trend right now that is not going away any time soon! If you wore them this Summer or Fall- don't worry you can still wear them this Spring! Here some fashionable celebrities, Dita Von Teese, Shanae Grimes and Sienna Miller, show off their trendy striped numbers.

To shop the looks: (from the top left)
Michael Stars Tee, $56
Crumpet Sweater Dress, $400
Forever 21 Skirt, $6.80 
Chloé tank, $470
Forever 21 Sweater Tank, $17.80

People's Choice Awards 2010

The People's Choice Awards were last week in Los Angeles.  Here are some of our favorites!

From the top left: Carrie Underwood in a Christian Cota dress and Rock & Republic shoes.  Colbie Caillat. Diane Kruger in Herve Leger.  Jessica Alba in Antonio Berardi. Taylor Lautner. Lea Michele in a Nuj Novakhett dress and Christian Louboutin shoes. Taylor Swift in a Jenny Packman dress and Christian Louboutin shoes. Kate Walsh in a vintage dress.

Belevedere Bar and Limited edition Vodka

Belevedere Vodka has added the limited edition Belvedere Silver to its vodka collection for the 2009 holiday season. Belevedere Silver comes in a sleek and festive silver bottle making a great gift or just a great drink. Belvedere has simultaneously launched its 'Belevedere Bar,' a website full of great drink recipes, mixing tips and a blog.  Here are a few great tips we have found:

Here is a yummy drink recipe courtesy of Belvedere Bar:

Another great drink for those watching your calorie intake:

Calorie-ista Vodka Drink

2 oz of Vodka
6 oz of seltzer water
1 packet of Crystal Light

Use ice cold vodka and chilled seltzer water.  Pour vodka and seltzer on ice. Add crystal light.

Look of the Week: Miley Cyrus

Miley Cyrus, of the Hannah Montana fame, went shopping this weekend in LA in a cool edgy outfit.  She wore studded black boots with dark ripped jeans with paint splatter and a slouchy grey cobweb tee.  She topped the look off with a Belenciaga bag, aviator glasses and some layered jewelry.  Miley has really started to develop a more edgy style- which we LOVE.

Style Profile: Emma Watson

Emma Watson, famous for her role as Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter series is a budding fashionista.  As a Chanel and Burberry muse, she evokes great style in all that she wears!  Check out some of our favorite looks in our style profile below!



Emma Watson in a gorgeous Alexander McQueen gown
Watson in a white Chanel ensemble 
Watson in a black and white Proenza Schouler top right
Watson in an adorable polka dot dress and two toned brogues
Watson in a chic leather jacket and black outfit
Watson in a gold Burberry mini dress
Watson attending the Dior spring fashion show
Watson in GiambattistaValli

Bikram Yoga NYC!

After eating our way through the holidays in December, many of us tend to view January as the time to take action and get fit. There is no better time than the present to find deals and specials at gyms or yoga studios. If you are looking for an amazing workout that leaves you sweaty, centered, and borderline euphoric, Bikram Yoga is a great option. This 90 minute session held in a room heated at approximately 100 degrees will force you to challenge your body with 26 poses. What we love about Bikram is that anyone can do it. You do not need to be a yogi to start up and get involved. Bikram Yoga NYC is now offering a new student special of 10 days for $20. With each class is normally priced at $23, this is a steal!

For more information on locations and schedules please check out the website BIKRAM YOGA NYC

There are Bikram Yoga locations in many different cities throughout the United States, this is not limited to New York or Los Angeles.

Namaste!

Look of the Week: Leighton Meester

Leighton Meester walks the red carpet at Dusk night club in Atlantic City before her New Year’s Eve performance. She wore a satin flowing top in a gorgeous color blue as well as a banded skirt and sparkly belt.  Sans jewelry, her dark hair and flawless pale skin are perfect compliments to the outfit!  Keep rockin' with that avante garde fashion Leighton!!

Photo Credit: JustJared.com