This is my reminder to you guys to meet me back here at 5 pm PST / 8 pm EST for my live chat about Skinnydipping. You have submitted some great questions already. Keep your questions coming and I’ll answer as many as I can today during our live chat.

To participate all you have to do is log in to Bethenny.com when the chat starts. If you don't already have a profile on Bethenny.com make sure to sign up for one so you'll receive an email notification when the live chat begins.

Can’t wait to get this party started!

Share your questions below and I'll try to answer as many as I can during the live chat!

More about Skinnydipping:
READ IT: Skinnydipping!
WIN IT: Winners of the Skinnydipping Giveaway
Skinnydipping in Hollywood Reporter
Press on Skinnydipping

When I was back stage at The View I recorded this little video to tell you what to expect from my new talk show on Fox. To find out how to get tickets or be on the show go to bethennytv.com.

What do you want me to talk about on the show? Nothing’s off limits!

More about my talk show:
TALK BETHENNY: Where to Watch My Talk Show
Get Tickets to My Talk Show
Talk about my talk show in the Forum
My New Talk Show

As you know the family is packing up and will be landing in Los Angeles soon for mommy’s new talk show. I’ve done some research to find out where I’ll be sniffing around once I get to the City of Angeles. Here’s my to-do list…grab your leash your owners and some poop bags and meet me there!

Pussy & Pooch
564 S. Main St. Los Angeles 90013
If you’re in the downtown area I hear Pussy & Pooch is truly one of the best pet stores in Los Angeles. It has a Pawbar with a daily selection of raw meat meals simmered stews and meaty bones in addition to gourmet treats snacks and more for your dog. Ruff!

Silver Lake Dog Park
1873 Silver Lake Blvd. Los Angeles 90026
This is where I’m heading to frolic around with other pups! They have a separate parks for big and little dogs I’ll be heading to the small-dog park if you couldn’t tell water fountains and a picnic tables for your owners. Plus lots of dirt to roll around in!

Birds Café-Bar 
5925 Franklin Ave. Hollywood CA 90028
For a cocktail for mommy and a treat for me we can go to Birds Café-Bar in Hollywood. They are super pup-friendly and will make anything on the menu for a doggy like me!

Runyon Canyon Park & Hiking Trail
2001 N. Fuller Ave. Los Angeles CA 90046
Bring your hiking shoes family because we’re going to Runyon Canyon Park & Hiking Trail. The hills can be a little steep so bring your energy and lots of water for me!

Where do you like to take your pup?

Peace & Bones


Cookie


More from Cookie's Corner... 
Cookie’s Corner: Caring for Senior Dogs
Cookie’s Corner: Plants and Foods That are Toxic to Dogs
Cookie's Corner: Easter Puppies
Cookie's Corner: My Favorite Cookie Recipes  

Makes 12 large or 24 small crab cakes

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ¾ cup small-diced red onion
• 1 ½ cups small-diced celery  
• 1 ½ cups of each: small-diced red and yellow bell pepper
• 1 ½ teaspoons Old Bay seasoning
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ½ cup whole wheat bread crumbs preferably panko
• ¼ cup low-fat mayonnaise or soy mayonnaise I like Nayonaise brand
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard 
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• ½ pound 8 ounces jumbo lump crabmeat drained
• Cooking spray
• 2 tablespoons fresh minced parsley 

Sauce Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons store-bought pesto
• 2 tablespoons low fat mayonnaise or soy mayonnaise
• Salt & pepper to taste

Preparation

1. Heat the oil in a pan and sauté the onion celery and bell peppers until soft. Season with Old Bay salt and pepper. Set aside to cool. 
2. In a large bowl combine the bread crumbs mayonnaise mustard and Worcestershire sauce. Stir in the crabmeat to combine but don’t over mix. The crabmeat should remain in large pieces. Combine ingredients from steps 1 and 2. 
3. Spray a nonstick pan with cooking spray and turn heat to medium. Scoop evenly-sized cakes into the pan using an ice cream scoop and sauté over medium heat until crispy on both sides. 
4. For the sauce mix the pesto and mayonnaise together and season with salt pepper to taste
5. Top each crab cake with tiny dab of sauce mixture. Sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately. 

What are your favorite party snacks?

Try more of my recipes:
Italian Turkey Burgers
Vegan Coconut Cupcakes with Coconut Icing
Acai Berry Smoothie
Amazingly Moist Low-Fat Brownies

You’ve seen my interior designers from Gomez Associates on Bethenny Ever After. They helped create a style for our new apartment. There have been a lot of big decisions in the process—like whether or not to buy a 76000 mirror I promise you I didn’t. Here Brooke Gomez shares her story about working with me:

"Gut renovations are always challenging. But coupling that with having the process aired on a nationally-broadcasted show on Bravo—with the inventor of the Skinnygirl brand no less—warranted an even more intense term for the word 'challenging.'  

"I love what I do.  We don’t just shop for furniture carpets paint and tiles; we make a home and a lifestyle for our clients.  From the moment I met Bethenny I knew I wanted to work with her. She was an ideal client because she came to the table with an inspiration book that dictated the program for the apartment. It started with the light fixture for the main room. She knew what she wanted and there was no hesitation. And that truly drove the process as a whole.  

"Every piece of furniture fabric and wallpaper was carefully chosen and selected. We made choices and moved on to the next but we never compromised a thing. The list of my fondest memories is long but high up on the list is when we shopped for tiles. The bathrooms we inherited in the apartment were dreadful. Bethenny and I really wanted the powder room to be a jewel box but with the custom tiles from Waterworks and the amazing slabs from Pro Design we created three one-of-a-kind bathrooms. 

"Second to the bathrooms was of course the dressing room. Andrea Gary and I collaborated closely on what was to clearly be one of the highlights of the apartment.  With Ted Tyler’s custom Rose de Roi wallpaper which we also used in the Master Bedroom Andrea’s brilliance with the practicality of how a dressing room should function the carpet and of course the crystal knobs we created a haven like no other.  We often joked that we should put a bar in the dressing room and that boys weren’t allowed entry.  We kind of weren’t kidding. Truthfully nothing gave me more satisfaction. When I first visited with Bethenny at the previous apartment I was in awe that someone who has worked as hard as she has and someone who has been so unbelievably successful would be subject to having her precious clothes handbags shoes and hats in three different closets!  Mama has certainly arrived!  

"All in all the job did come with a few hiccups. It is never easy when one has an architect contractor and designer in the mix. There is truth to having too many cooks in the kitchen but in all the years of my professional career I can honestly say that working with Bethenny and Jason was a pleasure. Some clients don’t want to get involved; they just want you to make choices and do the work for them. Bethenny and Jason have impeccable taste and moreover wanted to keep true to who they were.  I have the utmost respect for them because of that. Working with them was a one-of-a-kind experience. I truly count them as friends and family now and I look forward to working with them again. Whenever and wherever that might be…

"Oh and P.S. Don’t even get me started on Bryn’s room.  Her room is crazy good.  And Mariette and I are still awaiting our invitation to babysit!"

Bio: Brooke Gomez is a senior designer at Gomez Associates founded by Mariette Himes Gomez nearly thirty years ago. Mariette’s true skill is creating beautiful serene sanctuaries that provide a respite for today’s harried families.

If you could re-design just one room in your house what would it be and what would you do?

More about Bethenny Ever After:
Andrea Gary Talks About My Apartment Renovation
SNEAK PEEK: BEA Episode 13
Tips From Our "CPR Lady" Vanessa"
SNEAK PEEK: BEA Episode 12

Ruby Red Plumping Lip Gloss - Skinnygirl Face and Body

Gray Wrap Sweater - Old Navy

Diamond Mesh Cupped Shaping Cami with Lace Trim in Black  - Skinnygirl Smoothers n' Shapers

Was there anything I missed? Leave what you want to know in the comments below and I'll try to answer!

More Show & Tells:
Show & Tell: BEA Season 3 Episode 11
Show & Tell: BEA Season 3 Episode 8
Show & Tell: BEA Season 3 Episode 7
Show & Tell: BEA Season 3 Episode 6

More on Skinnydipping:
WIN IT: Winners of the Skinnydipping Giveaway
READ IT: Skinnydipping!
Skinnydipping in Hollywood Reporter
Full Reveal of Skinnydipping
 

Dear Younger Self

Don't worry so much. Time will pass you by and what you'll remember are things like the smells of summer by the beach a home-cooked meal and the first time your child walks or says "mama." You'll forget that boy who isn't paying attention to you and you'll soon learn that being the prettiest girl in the room isn't important but being the most fun outgoing bubbly and interesting is.

When times get tough make laughing your priority. For years to come it's the funny moments that you your friends and your family will talk about.

Also younger self:

• Never pay retail. The item will be on sale somewhere and getting a deal will make you feel better.

• Learn to drive stick when you first get your license or you may never learn.

• Tip everyone. It means much more to them than it does to you.

• Wear plenty of sunscreen please. And do not be a sun worshipper.

• Have a family dog. Get one that is on the smaller side. They live longer.

• Always stop at lemonade stands.

• Wait for the good guy. Don't settle but also know that there's no such thing as the perfect man. Marry someone who loves you no matter what you look like or say or do and who knows the real you.

• Read books. Read the newspaper. It instills confidence to be able to have a conversation at the dinner table.

• If you have a good idea go for it. Don't assume it has already been done. Never assume anyone is smarter than you because they're not.

• Most importantly: Enjoy your life. Remember you only get one.

Find the full article and letters from other celebrities on Ladies’ Home Journal.

What do you wish you could tell your younger self?

More news: 
Skinnydipping on The View
On the TODAY show
Andrea Gary Talks About My Apartment Renovation
TALK BETHENNY: Where to Watch My Talk Show!

Tune in on Monday May 14th at 10/9c on Bravo to see the full episode.

More about Bethenny Ever After:
Andrea Gary Talks About My Apartment Renovation
Bravo Blog: Something's Gotta Give
Bravo Blog: A Straight Shooter
Tips From Our CPR Lady Vanessa

If you have an inspirational story about acting on your dreams and would like to share with the community here’s how to submit your story:

1. Sign up or log into Bethenny.com.
2. Create your profile.
3. Find my personal profile “Bethenny Frankel” in your friends list. Click on my profile image.
4. In the top left corner you will see “Send a Private Message” and click on it.
5. In the subject line enter “My Act on It Story.” Write your message and click “Send Message.” If you would like to include a photo upload the photo to your profile and include the link to the photo in your message.
6. Stay tuned to see if your story is featured in the “Act on It” column.

Any and all stories and photos submitted with the “Act on It” subject title can be published publicly on Bethenny.com.

Who inspires you to achieve your dreams?

More about "Acting on It"...
Act On It: Culinary Dreams
Act On It: Taylor Says Yes to Poetry
Your Stories: Act On It
A Place of Yes: 10 Rules for Getting Everything You Want Out of Life

Makes 8 cupcakes

Vegan Cupcakes

Ingredients
¾ cup raw sugar
1 ¼ cups oat flour
1/3 cup vegan shortening mixed into the flour not melted
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup soymilk
¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
¾ teaspoon coconut extract

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 350° F.
2. Line the cupcake pans with liners.
3. Measure all of the dry ingredients in a medium bowl and combine.
4. Add all of the wet ingredients in a larger bowl and whisk.
5. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix.
6. Using an ice cream scoop perfect for portion control transfer the batter into the liners.
7. Bake for 20 minutes rotating the pan after 10 minutes or until tops of cupcakes are firm.

Vegan Icing

Ingredients
½ cup vegan shortening
½ cup vegan margarine
3 ½ cups powdered sugar
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
½ teaspoon coconut extract
Shaved coconut for garnish about 1 cup

Preparation

1. Mix all icing ingredients together
2. Spread onto the cupcakes.
3. Garnish with shaved coconut.

What is your favorite cupcake flavor?

Try more of my dessert recipes:
Amazingly Moist Low-Fat Brownies
Boo Boo Banana Bread
Low Fat Fudge Chocolate Chip Muffins
Oatmeal Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

Photo source: penneandolive.wordpress.com sayitwithsprouts.com

Michelle F: Jumping out of an airplane has been a long-time item on my bucket list. It was the most AMAZING thing!!  Words cannot describe the feeling.  To make it even sweeter I floated down to a huge sign: "Michele Will You Marry Me"?  As soon as I landed he was waiting on one knee to propose :.  Best day of my life!!

Vanessa B: Trying motherhood for the first time.....

Kayla L: My first experience in an elementary classroom that helped me decide my future-teaching in an inner city school!

Thanks for sharing everyone! If you want to see all of the great photos I’ve uploaded them into a photo album for you so you can see them all here: Skinnydipping Contest Photo Album.

If you didn't win but you would like your copy of Skinnydipping signed find out how HERE.

Have you dipped into Skinnydipping yet?

More on Skinnydipping:
READ IT: Skinnydipping!
Skinnydipping in Hollywood Reporter
Full Reveal of Skinnydipping
Skinnydipping: A Sneak Peek

Happy early Mother’s Day! I love my little peanut and am so grateful for her every day. 

Sometimes being a mommy is hard work and we can always use special pampering. Every mother—whether your baby is still in the womb or all grown up—will love the Skinnygirl Mommy line. I made the video above so I could share more about it with you. 

As a Mother’s Day gift to you all I’m giving away three Skinnygirl Mommy Kits to Bethenny.com members which includes the Conditioning Belly Balm Stick Soothing Body Oil and Shimmer Lip Balm.

To enter fill in this blank in the comments below:
"A mother is                         "

UPDATE:  Thank you to all who entered! Our randomly-chosen winners are: Brandi M Dawn M and Debra B.

Q: What do you like to keep on hand in your pantry fridge or freezer?

A: Pesto and sun-dried tomatoes can always help add a bit more flavor to make a quick pasta meal. Frozen vegetables are also great. I like to keep spinach peas and even butternut squash in my freezer.  Other must-haves are lemon olive oil garlic parsley sea salt and black pepper—they can turn fish grains or almost anything into a healthy and tasty meal. 

Q: I don’t know the first thing about wine. What is a “good” cheap bottle I bring to a party?

A: That’s why we created the Skinnygirl wine collection. Not everyone is wine is a snob—I’m definitely not. You can get a good bottle for a few bucks and most people can’t tell the difference. At a wine store take advantage of tastings and try before you buy. Be adventurous. For years I drank Chardonnay because it’s all I knew and now I love Sauvignon Blanc. 

Q: Is a little fat a good thing?

A: When it comes to food there is no good or bad. Fat is flavor. I avoid buying things that say ‘fat free’ on the label—they have zero flavor. Instead I go for the ‘reduced-fat’ or ‘low fat’ options which are light but way more satisfying.

Q: I am the worst cook and a guy I want to impress is coming for dinner. What can I make him that’s easy?

A: Cooking isn’t difficult at all! But you can also fake it ‘till you make it! He’ll never know you didn’t cook it yourself: start with a store-bought roast chicken have it cut into pieces. Warm in a pre-heated 350-degree oven for 10 to 15 minutes. Then just add some sides. Wash a sweet potato prick with a fork and bake at 375 degrees for about 30 to 40 minutes. Serve with a little butter. Empty a bag of baby spinach into a large pan on medium high heat with a drizzle of olive oil and salt and pepper. When wilted remove from heat. Buy packaged salad greens and jazz them up with dried cranberries almonds and crumbled goat cheese. Top with bottled balsamic vinaigrette. For dessert serve fresh berries sprinkled with sugar topped with whipped cream and slivered almonds. Easy breezy. 

Thanks for continuing to ask such great questions! Leave your question in a comment below if there’s something you want to ask me.

Also continue asking questions in my Bethenny.com forum. I’ll do my best to answer them or maybe your fellow Skinnygirl community members can help you out too.  Keep the conversation going!

Check out more of my answers:
ASK BETHENNY: Losing Weight
ASK BETHENNY: Eating Healthy on the Go
ASK BETHENNY: Man Troubles
ASK BETHENNY: Baby Quandries

Or browse by more by category: FOOD  HEALTH  LIFESTYLE  KIDS

Tune in on Monday May 7^th at 10/9c on Bravo to see the full episode.

More about Bethenny Ever After: 
Andrea Gary Talks About My Apartment Renovation
Sneak Peek: BEA Episode 10
Bravo Blog: Something's Gotta Give
Tips From Our "CPR Lady" Vanessa

It’s true I am not the young gal that I used to be. I have aged—gracefully mind you—so now I need to take care of myself in a different way.  As a mature lady-dog I have come to terms with the fact that I’m getting older the grays are harder to hide and I can’t stay up all night barking like I used to.

But that doesn’t keep me from being me.  Being active is still important to me.  I enjoy walks on the beach playing in the dog park and chasing the tennis balls.  Swimming is a great activity for doggies to do without being too harsh on weaker joints and muscles. 

Mind games like hiding a treat and having me sniff to search for it are good exercise for my brain.  I may not always be into it but it will keep me on my paws.

Here are some doggy aging questions and answers:

What is "old age" for dogs?
The old classic "1 human year = 7 dog years" is an easy way to calculate and relate to your dog's age but isn't the most accurate. Large breed dogs i.e. Great Danes are considered a senior at 6 or 7 years of age whereas small breeds i.e. toy poodle aren't considered a senior until their teen years. I have seen more than one toy poodle in the 18- to 20-year range! There are studies to suggest that certain breeds are more long-lived than others too.

To see how dogs of various sizes and breeds relate to human age see this dog age calculator page.

As a general rule of thumb a dog who is 7 years or older should be considered middle to senior aged and a consultation with your vet is in order to determine the best health care maintenance program for your dog as s/he ages. For smaller breed dogs your vet in consultation with you may elect to wait a couple of years before doing any geriatric monitoring.

What things should I expect as my dog ages?
Each dog like each human is different. Here are some general things to watch for as a pet ages:

- Slowing down - You may notice that your dog slows down some with aging. This isn't always the case but look for subtle changes in how s/he gets up lays down and uses stairs. Is there any hesitation or stiffness? Does a change in the weather rainy cold make it worse?

Arthritis is common in dogs as they age particularly large breeds. Arthritis can occur in any joint most commonly the legs neck and back spine. There are many different medications available to help ease the discomfort of arthritis -- see your vet if you notice any signs of slowing down in your dog. Another potential cause of slowing down is hypothyroidism an endocrine disorder common in dogs. This condition is easily diagnosed and treated with proper veterinary care.

- Graying around the face muzzle - One of my dog friends went prematurely gray at two years of age but most dogs commonly show a bit of gray starting at middle age 5-6 years.

- Reduced hearing - Is your dog hard to wake up after sleeping or does s/he become startled easily if you approach from behind? Hearing loss or deafness may be a reason for this. There isn't a lot that can be done for age-related hearing loss but a vet exam should be done first to rule out other medical problems such as an infection growth or foreign body in the ear. 

If your dog does experience hearing loss take care to protect him/her from hazards such as cars and kids that s/he may not hear or see. Dogs do learn and adapt well using hand signals to come stay sit and so on. It is a good idea to "cross train" your dog early in life to recognize basic hand signals.

- Cloudy or "bluish" eyes - As they age dog's eyes often show a bluish transparent "haze" in the pupil area. This is a normal effect of aging and the medical term for this is lenticular sclerosis. Vision does not appear to be affected. This is NOT the same as cataracts. Cataracts are white and opaque. Vision can be affected by cataracts and your vet needs to be consulted.

- Muscle atrophy - Mild loss of muscle mass especially the hind legs may be seen with old age. Some muscle atrophy notably on the head and the belly muscles can signify diseases such as masticatory myositis and Cushing's Disease. Be sure to have your vet check this out if any muscle loss is noted.

Do you have any advice you can share about loving your senior dog?

Peace & Bones


Cookie 

More from Cookie's Corner:
Cookie’s Corner: Plants and Foods That are Toxic to Dogs
Cookie's Corner: Easter Puppies
Cookie's Corner: My Favorite Cookie Recipes
Cookie's Corner: Happy Birthday to Mommy

Snakeskin dress - Sky

Black birthday dress - Vitamin A 

Red tunic - Inca

Bathing Suit- Vitamin A

Is there anything else that I missed?

More of my Show & Tells:
Show & Tell: BEA Season 3 Episode 8
Show & Tell: BEA Season 3 Episode 7
Show & Tell: BEA Season 3 Episode 6
Show & Tell: BEA Season 3 Episode 5

HAPPY CINCO DE SKINNYGIRL! 

I like celebrating Cinco de Mayo with the traditional Skinnygirl Margarita but if you like it spicy foods heat up your Skinnygirl Margarita with this recipe: Spicy Skinnygirl Margarita.

Some awesome Canadian fans told me that their husbands mix Skinnygirl Margarita with light beer for a delicious Skinnyguy Margarita!

You can also accessorize your Skinnygirl Margarita by muddling or blending fresh fruits or herbs like: 

•    Raspberries
•    Mint
•    Strawberries
•    Orange slices
•    Mandarin oranges
•    A splash of pomegranate juice
•    A splash of blood orange juice
•    A splash of grapefruit juice

Here’s where you can find Skinnygirl Cocktails in your area.

What do you add to your Skinnygirl Margarita?

Try some of these other cocktail recipes:
Skinnygirl Mojito
Skinnygirl Frangelini
Skinnygirl Big Apple
Skinnygirl Black Eye

Here you can watch my interview talking about Jason and Skinnydipping:

Show & Tell:
Polka dot cami - Skinnygirl Smoothers n' Shapers available soon
Blush cashmere sweater - J. Crew
Black bandage skirt - BeBe
Blush pumps - Brian Atwood

I wore my new favorite Skinnygirl Smoother n' Shapers piece on The View today and gave them away to the audience as a giveaway. If you want to get the pieces from The View giveaway go to skinnygirlshapers.com.

What do you want to know about Skinnydipping?

More about Skinnydipping:
On the TODAY show
WIN IT! Skinnydipping
Skinnydipping in Hollywood Reporter
Full Reveal of Skinnydipping

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news world news and news about the economy

Thanks Ann!

Have you dipped into Skinnydipping yet?

More about Skinnydipping:
WIN IT! Skinnydipping
Skinnydipping in Hollywood Reporter
Full Reveal of Skinnydipping
Skinnydipping: A Sneak Peek

I’m so excited that today is finally here! You can get my very first novel Skinnydipping in stores and on your iPad Kindle or Nook!

If you can't make it to a signing and want an autographed copy of Skinnydipping send your copy with a pre-paid self-addressed envelope to:

42 West PR
Attn: Lexi Baltazar
220 West 42nd Street
12th Floor
New York NY 10036

As a thank you for all your support I wanted to give Bethenny.com members a chance to win signed copies of the book. Find out who won HERE.

More on Skinnydipping:
Skinnydipping in Hollywood Reporter
Full Reveal of Skinnydipping
Skinnydipping: A Sneak Peek

There are so many different messages out there about soy and whether or not it’s good for you. People have been eating soy for at least 5000 years and most of us have had soy in some way shape or form. Edamame tempeh seitan and even soy lecithin which is in everything from chocolate to breads are all forms of soy products. We think like most foods soy is healthy in moderation check out this LA Times article.

But Bethenny.com user Phoenix brought up an interesting topic in the forum: “I've read a lot recently that soy may not be good for us AND actually prevent people from losing weight.” Phoenix also goes on to report experiences of hot flashes as a result of soy.

Soy can have negative affects on some people and a lot of people are allergic to soy and don’t even know it. If you’re experiencing some kind of side effects from soy you might want to check with a doctor to see if you are actually allergic to it. 

Phoenix you may want to consider seeing a doctor to check your allergies and see if you’re allergic to soy. 

Has anyone else experienced any positive or negative results from eating soy products?

Speaking of food try some of these recipes: 
Amazingly Moist Low-Fat Brownies
Skinnygirl Citrus Twist
Acai Berry Smoothie
Spicy Skinnygirl Margarita

Photo Source: rabbitfoodrocks.blogspot.com

Taylor’s story is such a great reminder that you can break the chain and find your truth. A Place of Yes is really about saying yes to your own life!  Congrats Taylor!

Bethenny!

I have to say I think you have done a great thing for women in the creative workforce! After watching your journey and reading your advice I decided to stop waiting for someone else to give me permission to fulfill my own destiny.

I went to college for acting and have had some minor successes but in the last few years with the economy in such a state all the famous actresses have been stealing up even the small parts in film and tv. For years I have been second choice to roles that would have completely changed my life financially mentally and emotionally. After awhile I began to realize that almost every situation in my life involved an audition-- a constant and continual series of begging for someone else to tell me "Yes."

I have always been privately drawn to poetry. In my darkest moments in tiny corners I have crafted poems that I thought I'd never share. A few months ago I sat up and thought "Enough asking for permission!" I gave it to myself. Overnight I compiled my poetry. I relied on my own graphic design skills. I designed a book cover. I formatted everything. Suddenly with no one to tell me no I finished a book and published it.

Bombshell Bohemia: Poetry from the Underground was released on Kindle by my own indie publishing company in March 2012. The response has been amazing! In the first twenty four hours my book rose to Amazon's Top 100 Best Sellers for Poetry. I couldn't believe my eyes!! I did this all on my own!!

The kindle book has done so well I have sped up production on the hardcopy book. I'll release it in April. A real physical book that I wrote! I can't explain the feeling and I owe it all to Bethenny's inspiration. Bethenny you helped me get out of my own way and just say "YES!"

Sincerely
Taylor Roberts
poet actress

Do you have an Act On It story you want to share with the community?  Here's how you can contribute:

1. Sign up or log into Bethenny.com.
2. Create your profile.
3. Find my personal profile “Bethenny Frankel” in your friends list. Click on my profile image.
4. In the top left corner you will see “Send a Private Message” and click on it.
5. In the subject line enter “My Act on It Story.” Write your message and click “Send Message.”
6. Stay tuned to see if your story is featured in the “Act on It” column.

Any and all stories submitted with the “Act on It” subject title can be published publicly on Bethenny.com.


Read more inspiring stories:
Act On It: Culinary Dreams
Liz Loses 23 Pounds with Skinnygirl
Your Stories: Act On It

Makes 1 drink

Ingredients
2 oz Skinnygirl Tangerine Vodka
1.5 oz lime soda water
½ lime
½ lemon
¼ grapefruit

Preparation

1. Combine Skinnygirl Tangerine Vodka with soda water
2. Juice the lemon lime and grapefruit and add them to the mix
3. Pour over ice
4. Enjoy!

What’s your favorite springy cocktail?

FOX just announced that my talk show Bethenny will be airing in six of the Fox Markets. I’ll be on:

NEW YORK NY - WNYW at 11 a.m.
LOS ANGELES CA - KTTV at 2 p.m.
PHILADELPHIA PA - WTXF at 11 a.m.
DALLAS TX - KDFW at 1 p.m
PHOENIX AZ - KSAZ at 11 a.m.
MINNEAPOLIS - KMSP at 10 a.m.

Be on the Show: bethennytv.com/show
Get Tickets: bethennytv.com/tickets

Mark your calendars and be sure to tune in on Monday June 11th!

It’s so important that everyone on my team learns CPR especially if they’re going to be around Bryn. You just never know when you’re going to need to use it! Our CPR instructor Vanessa shares all about CPR for all you guys today.

It may seem uncommon but CPR is my passion. In New York City I am known as “The CPR Lady.”  When I am not teaching CPR I can be found teaching Childbirth Education or attending births as a doula.

I started Common Sense CPR ten years ago out of my love for saving lives. My enthusiasm began when I learned CPR for the first time as part of my emergency medical training.  In that class I realized that no skill is more effective at saving lives than CPR.  In fact bystander CPR can increase survival rate to 70. It is particularly effective in infants & children. It was also during this class that I had an epiphany:  I needed to combine my expertise in childbirth with my passion for CPR.

I urge everyone to learn CPR and to refresh their knowledge every year. This will help people gain confidence and feel empowered in the event they ever face an emergency where CPR is needed. The current recommendation for everyone—adults  and children—is 30 compressions and 2 breaths.  If one has not taken a class hands-only CPR is recommended.

Please visit my website CommonSenseCPR.com which is filled with tons of information from car seat safety for children to CPR & AED classes.

- Vanessa “The CPR Lady”

Thanks for sharing that with everyone Vanessa. I really encourage you all to take a class in CPR.

How many of you have any sort of safety training? Do you have any tips you can share?

Related Stories:
Female Awareness Self Defense with Gabrielle Ruben
Ask Bethenny: Nutrition and Fitness Choices
The Real Women of Skinnygirl
A Fistful of Chickpeas; or a Few Falafels More: A Manhattan Food Odyssey

Skinnydipping is arriving in bookstores May 1st and Hollywood Reporter had some great things to say. Check this out…

“Skinnydipping is a totally fun dishy read especially for fans of reality TV. Clearly Frankel has drawn inspiration from her own life to construct the plot of the novel and half the fun is trying to figure which characters and events might be drawn from her real life and which are entirely made up.”

I’ll never tell!

Pre-order Skinnydipping on Amazon now!


What’s the most recent novel you’ve read? What did you think of it?


Related Stories:
Skinnydipping: a Sneak Peek
Full Reveal of Skinnydipping
On the Cover of Self Magazine
Get Tickets to My Talk Show

Thanks for all your great responses to my SELF Magazine cover article! If you would like me to sign a copy for you send your copy of SELF Magazine with a self-addressed pre-paid envelope to:
 

42 West PR
Attn: Lexi Baltazar
220 West 42nd Street
12th Floor
New York NY 10036

 
 
Have you found any great bargains lately?

What are your must-haves for a night on the town?

Related Stories:
Skinnygirl Face and Body: Fresh Skin for the New Year
Show & Tell: Bethenny Ever After Season 3 Episode 8
The Real Women of Skinnygirl
Bravo Blog: Something's Gotta Give

It’s such an honor to be on the cover of SELF Magazine for the May 2012 issue. For my cover story I open up and talk about how to “Act on It” and get what you really want in life.

I share some easy and straightforward advice on how the little things in life can make a big difference. It’s always about being true to yourself and saying yes to your dreams. Plus I dish about the good stuff: lingerie gelato and your sex sweet spot!

I also had a great conversation back stage with Editor in Chief of SELF Magazine Lucy Danziger and she is so uplifting and inspiring. Check out his clip:

Pick up the issue on newsstands and in grocery stores and submit your own Act on It stories HERE.

What are some words of wisdom that you live by?

There were so many great entries to the Skinnygirl Gift Set Giveaway and I want to thank you all for your stories--we received over 500 entries! I really wish that I could give everyone a gift set. There are so many women out there deserving to be pampered.

Since we only have three sets to give away and so many great entries I decided to give you all a discount code just for Bethenny.com members that will give you 25 off any purchase at skinnygirlfaceandbodystore.com. Enter in the code "SGFB25" in the checkout and you can buy a gift set for your someone who deserves to be pampered pamper yourself or both!

Here are the winners of the Skinnygirl Face and Body Gift Sets:

Joshua  "I would give it to my loving wife Melissa. We have been married 7 years with two girls Paige 3 and Brynn 1. Yes she got the idea from you haha. Giving her unexpected gifts is one of my favorite things to do in life. Since I have been home from fighting in Afghanistan work and money have been slow. Even when I do get her a gift now no matter how inexpensive she always worries about money. She is a very selfless person always putting the girls first. We are huge fans of the show and I know she would be extremely happy to recieve this gift....Dont worry I would tell her its from you. haha. Thanks for the chance."

Katelyn "I would give it to my mom for Mothers Day. Shes been unemployed for 2 years now getting unemloyment and watching my niece and nephew for extra money even though she feels bad because she loves watching them she needs to pay the bills. A friend of hers gave her a bottle of Skinnygirl Margarita when it first came out and she loved it. I asked her if she knew who Bethenny is since she doesnt have cable and started saying shes halarious and I love her! and my mom cut me off and said that she knows. She watchs her on the talk shows and everything. I'd get her a bottle one of the new Skinnygirl beverages but I'm not 21 'till July. Either way I  know she would appriciate it tell all her friends because me and her never got along until the last year or 2 so she would be overjoyed....wow that got long. oops :"

 
Julia  "I would give it to my godmother. My mom left when I was 9 and she took me into her home and family no questions asked. She has struggled raising me and her 3 kids my brothers and sister as a single mom and never once complained nor asked for help. She has taught me the kind of woman I want to be and the kind of mother I am today. At 22 weeks I went into labor with my twin daughters and she dropped everything in that instant to be by my side and stayed there till this very day. I struggled deeply with their death and due to her I was able to find peace and a way to continue living life so I could be the mother my children deserved. Since their deaths I have had 2 daughters and she was there every step of the way from the moment I found out I was pregnant to the second they were born. She is the most amazing woman I know and the most amazing mother I could of ever been blessed with. Now my children are growing to see the person I was blessed with and know that throughout their lives they will be blessed by her presence in the many ways I was and still am."

Thank you all for your entries! What do you want our next giveaway to be?

Related Stories:
Skinnygirl Gift Set Giveaway
Get Tickets to My Talk Show
Lizz Loses 23 Pounds with Skinnygirl
FREE Skinnydipping E-Book Chapter

I really liked this episode because it was largely about female power which is in many ways what I stand for.

Julie made a decision. Whether that is what you or I would do is irrelevant. She was stuck. She was tormented and something needed to happen for something to happen. To be honest it was better for everyone. When someone is struggling with something it affects their whole environment. Jackie was so enthusiastic about embarking on a new adventure and it was difficult to do so while Julie's heart and head were leaving the game. It's the circle of life in business. I love Julie and she is forever in my heart and connected to my family but I do believe that it was the best decision for everyone. She is happy the office is running smoothly and quietly and everyone has found their place.

Shopping for furniture is fun and interesting and potentially overwhelming but in the end I'm the same me with a bigger balance in the bank. Regardless of that overpriced items will never seem sensible to me. I may indulge a little bit more but frivolous I will never be. I did not buy a 75k mirror a 25k "twin" bar cabinet nor anything that I consider to be "off the rails." There are some highs in the apartment but I'm always logical and sensible. You can't be who you're not.

Trying on the Skinnygirl Shapewear in my apartment was a typical scene that goes on in my life. That is my idea of a good time: women silliness confidence my baby cocktails and madness. I particularly liked that it was all about everyone else rather than me. I would definitely smooch any girl that I know and love if I wanted to get a bit of their color on my lips. I love my girls. I'm so lucky to be surrounded by beautiful incredible women.

The Skinnygirl Real Women Photo Shoot is probably my favorite part of the season. It is about confidence feeling good about yourself honesty and walking tall. None of those girls are models every one of them feels insecure about some body part and all of them dress casually most of the time. This was about telling women everywhere that we all can bust out and feel good about ourselves when we really need it and if we really want to. We are all beautiful!

Read more about Skinnygirl Daily Chocolate Bars Dry Bar and Parenting Magazine on the Bravo Blog at Bravotv.com.

What was your favorite part of the episode?

Dry bar:
Red Tank- Michael Kors
Blazer- Express

Trying on Shapewear:
Pink top- Talbots

Shopping for furniture:
Blazer- Jack Wills

Parenting Magazine:
Rose gold pumps- Brian Atwood
Skirt- ZARA

Skinnygirl Shapers n' Smoothers:
Sonia Rodriguez- Skinnygirl Booty Booster Skinnygirl Legging Skinnygirl Tank
Jacqueline Lagratta- Skinnygirl Alluring Body Suit Red
Stacey Weinstein- Skinnygirl Purrfection Slip
Veronica Pastoriza- Skinnygirl Get the Scoop! Wear Your Own Bra Cami
Maggie DiPasquale- Skinnygirl Luxurious Shaping Slip
Julie Plake- Skinnygirl slip skirt and Skinnygirl tank

Was there anythign else you spotted? Let me know and I'll share where I found it!

I'm so excited to announce that my daytime talk show on Fox will premiere on June 11th and tickets are now available! Be part of my audience and request tickets at Bethennytv.com/tickets. Also at Bethennytv.com you can enter to be part of the show by winning a shopping trip with me trading places with me asking for my advice or sharing a success story.

I'll continue to post the news here so make sure that you're a member of Bethenny.com to get the updates!

What issues do you want me to talk about on the show?

Related Stories:
My New Talk Show
Co-Hosting Good Day New York
SNEAK PEEK: BEA Episode 8
Bravo Blog: A Straight Shooter

Skinnygirl Smoothers n' Shapers are for real women so I wanted the actual women in my life to model my collection. This week on Bethenny Ever After you got an inside look at the photoshoot with all of the Skinnygirl team and it was a blast.

Check out some photos from behind the scenes at the shoot in my Real Women of Skinnygirl photo gallery on my profile.

Which is your favorite Skinnygirl Smoother n' Shaper?

Yes its true Julie is leaving. It was bittersweet news but I always want her to be happy and she decided it was time to move on. That being said I get so many letters tweets Facebook posts and emails asking about jobs and internships so I wanted to share with you that you can send your résumés to: infobethenny.com.

The sun is finally shining and that means that summer is finally just around the corner. And what’s more perfect for a summer day than a picnic with your family? Bryn set up shop in the living room with her furry friends.  She had tea sandwiches and "couscous" that's what she said when I asked her what she was "pretend" eating!


What are your picnic essentials?

Check out this sneak peek:

Tune in to Bravo on Monday night at 10/9c to see the full episode.

This morning I had the wonderful opportunity to co-host Good Day New York with Greg Kelly. We talked a bit about my upcoming talk show. I also got to talk with Eugene Levy about his new movie American Reunion which I can't wait to see DeAndre Brackensick who was just voted off of American Idol last night and ride in a yellow Lamborghini. Such a fun morning!

Also I will have more info about my talk show very soon so keep clicking back.  Bethenny.com members will be the first to know!

See more videos here:

Eugene Levy: MyFoxNY.com

American Idol: Brackensick voted off: MyFoxNY.com

New York Auto Show: MyFoxNY.com

What are you excited for me to talk about on my talk show?

Related Stories:
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Photo Moment: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
My Interview with Anderson Cooper
Take a Taxi Ride with Me

See? Don’t us puppies do it better?

Do you have an Easter puppy? Take a pic and post it in the comments below for a chance to be featured on my blog!

Peace & Bones

Cookie

Related Stories:
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Bravo Blog: A Straight Shooter
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Cookie's Corner: My Favorite Cookie Recipes

Photo Credit: Dog Guide 

Makes 2 smoothies

Ingredients
1 cup berries raspberries strawberries blueberries
1 cup ice
1/2 cup acai juce
1/2 banana

Preparation
1. Process all ingredients in a blender until smooth
2. Pour into cups and serve immediately

Hey everyone.

I hope my blog isn't too blah. My furry baby Cookie is at the hospital for bleeding. This isn't good for her because she has always suffered from a low platelet count which means that bleeding is very bad for doggies. I dread putting her back on the strong chemo type drugs. Anyway I'm praying.

Now on a lighter note. . .about the show.

The press: what can I say about them? In this business they are a necessary evil. Would I be even remotely close to where I am without them? Absolutely not. Did I used to dream of anyone caring enough to take a picture of me and now dread the very same thing at times? Yes! The thing is that I perhaps like you was very naïve. I actually thought that if it was printed then it had to be true. The sad fact is that it isn't necessarily true at all and you need to be educated consumers and know what sources to trust.

Even within the category of gossip magazines very select magazines check their sources legally. The rest just quote any source they can find and say "a source" or "a friend." If they don't name a name it probably is just hearsay. Anyway I don't care what the press thinks about me but I do care what you think.

If my trust comes into question by you then I take it seriously. I went through quite an intense press storm. I know more will come and none of it really matters. I've never said anything about how much money I have and I don't think that is important nor will it ever be. I've worked hard to be able to not have anxiety over meals or taxis or rent and frankly that is good enough for me.

I love Nick. His writing is so much fun and I just love helping him to be a little bit more confident. He has unleashed his Skinnygirl and he is very happy.

More about "up the wazoo" bidets date nights and the talk show with Ellen on Bravotv.com.

Related Stories:
A Fistful of Chickpeas; or For a Few Falafels More: A Manhattan Food Odyssey
Show & Tell: "Bethenny Ever After" Season 3 Episode 7
Sneak Peek: BEA Episode 7
Bravo Blog: Buckle Up

Pink Hoodie- InSound

Waterworks- Missoni for Target

Date night with Jason- Givenchy

On The Ellen Show- Zara blazer

Be sure to tune in every Monday night at 10pm EST/9CT only on Bravo.

Was there anythign else you spotted? Let me know and I'll share where I found it!

GUEST BLOG BY NICHOLAS FEITEL

How does one find themselves in a VW Bug labeled “Skinnygirl” driving down Manhattan chasing little balls of fried beans?

I have to say it’s not what I thought would happen in my 24 year-old life but hey it’s a hell of a ride.

I was invited by Ms. Bethenny Frankel to show her a sampling of New York City falafel to “show my stuff” to her as it might be. I had been Ms. Frankel’s food blogger for some amount of time now but this was my first time as her personal guide my expertise on the line my money as it were where my mouth is.

The crawl at hand was an exploration of New York City “falafel” a wonderful mash of contradictions that creates great food. Healthy yet deep-fried. Savory but vegan. A food best edible while piping hot but best immersed into a cool snuggle of cabbage and cucumber and hummus and a sesame sauce known as tahina. More recent than pizza but in some ways just as integral the inexpensive falafel is a major part of Manhattan’s lunchtime experience.

It can be transcendent when made well but it’s also very easy and common to see screwed up.

Azuri Café source: nymag.com

As such I had some nervousness when that pink Skinnygirl bug arrived at Azuri Café in Hell’s Kitchen my old internship-lunch spot from back when I used to work as an intern in late-night TV.

Azuri was an old-school Israeli joint secluded off the avenue but popular with employees from the studios nearby as well as kids from the nearby high schools and locals. They were as famous for their puffy fresh-fried oblong falafels as for their cranky bald owner who famously would never give us interns receipts a gruffness I wasn’t sure I wanted Ms. Frankel to see.

But as we sat down at the small table we were greeted by not by the curmudgeon of my past experience but by his jovial wife who seemed all too happy to serve us plates of hummus and soup as I signed in anticipation of a calm falafel tasting.

But it turned out the jovial wife was in fact a little jovial and what started out as a simple admission of her recipe to the honestly attentive Ms. Frankel turned into a massive plug for her theories of how “everyone wants soy milk now” and eventually to my horror a book of Israeli-Palestinian conflict-themed poetry.

This is the food blogger’s nightmare.

“That’s wonderful.” Ms. Frankel told her warmly. “Thank you very much for sharing that with us.”

I was flabbergasted even though I shouldn’t have been. Bethenny warmly engaged with her even as it took the woman a few more plugs to back down.

But she didn’t talk down to her. She didn’t play it off. She looked this woman in the eye and just heard what she had to say and eventually she was done. Moment defused.

“These are fluffy balls.” Bethenny told me mid-falafel. “Very fluffy balls. Try to work that in there in your blog.”

She gave me a grin.

The falafel was fluffy if a little over-crisp and I lamented the owner’s decision to give us platter to sample as opposed to the more concentrated pita sandwich. But it still was interesting and pickly-spiced.

“That was really impressive how you handled that.” I told her with no small amount of real awe.

“Place of yes.” She said matter-of-factly.

And we popped into that pink Skinnygirl bug.

___________________

Tiam Mobile source: tiammobile.com

Traffic was bad heading down to our next spot Taim Mobile a food truck parked in the Flatiron.

It felt cool cruising down 8th Avenue in the open-air Bug but I am spectacularly unsuited to giving driving directions in New York City with its one-way streets as I am not possessed of even a license or the knowledge of how to ride a bike.

Thus when we made it down to Taim Mobile’s perch Ms. Frankel was exhausted from the journey looking around listlessly.

I decided it was time to take charge.

“So right over here is Taim Mobile.” I offered gesturing. “The truck outpost of one of my favorite falafel places going around to different neighborhoods and giving neighborhoods without easy access to middle eastern food—“

“Is that a mani-pedi place?” Ms. Frankel asked looking away.

“Yeah I believe that is. But Taim—“

“Hold on.” She said and made a bee-line for the mani-pedi joint.

A food-blogger’s peril is losing the interest of their patron but Ms. Frankel seemed so enthused it seemed best to drop the issue for now and just join.

I gave Ms. Frankel some space as she did the things that ladies do in such a place the mysteries of which I have so far been spared due to lack of interest and poor dating history but I returned in due time to find a reinvigorated Ms. Frankel fresh and ready.

“That felt so good. Being a mom you don’t always get to do nice things like that for yourself.” She told me. “It’s always a question of ‘wouldn’t I rather be with my baby’ and the answer’s always yes but wow.”

“Great.” I replied. “So the falafel truck outside—“

“Have you ever had your eyebrows threaded?” She asked.

“What?” I replied. “No.”

“I mean your eyebrows look fine.” She said examining. “But we’re going to try."

“But falafel—“

“Falafel after.” She replied. “Truck’ll still be there.”

Which is how I was sat down for my very first eyebrow threading a process involving a woman methodically yanking out hairs from your face with a thread causing as much pain as one might think trying not to cry and emasculate myself even more than the current situation. Ms. Frankel would like me to point out here that this is different from waxing which I know very little about.

“You look great. Perfect. So much better” She told me showing me off.

“Now I know a woman’s pain.” I replied my eyebrows red and throbbing.

And we went outside to the truck.

It’s also good to note here the difference between a food truck and a cart. Carts in NYC have existed for a long time mostly providing hot dogs pretzels and nuts but later expanding to halal food to serve New York’s burgeoning Muslim population and then everyone at large. They tend to be smaller and less-frequently “gourmet”. They stay at one location centrally located and have licenses that are difficult to obtain.

Food trucks on the other hand like Taim Mobile tend towards newer types of foods or interesting fusions. Because of their mobility they can go to different neighborhoods and use their exoticness to good effect for a day offering temptations similar to an ice-cream truck. They are also more difficult to find and frequently have issues like parking.

Anyway Taim was the one that Ms. Frankel and I differed on. While I really dug their Roasted Red Pepper falafel a sweet as opposed to spicy affair Ms. Frankel was solidly in the camp of their classic “Green” offering featuring a blend of cilantro and parsley and mint. We took turns dipping the little balls from a sample bag into a small plastic bucket of tahina.

“Good but I’m still starving.” Ms. Frankel told me. “On to the next one.”

And we were.

___________________

Alan's Falafel source: nymag.com

The traffic was still terrible going downtown into the dreaded financial district to try Alan’s Falafel a small stationary cart and I feared losing my patron between again my poor directions and her own hunger and dehydration.

She even got a headache on the way down from all the noise and pollution and stress of the New York City streets.

When we finally made out to the little plaza over on Liberty St where Alan’s is the central attraction among many similar carts the pressure was on as we got out of the car a few blocks away for too much traffic and walked briskly down the New York City streets.

I discovered Alan’s while working for a producer shuttling near his apartment searching in vain for something to eat appealed by the generous-looking and cheap platter option and their single-mindedness about falafel.

We grabbed a platter from Alan’s replete with hot sauce and hummus and fried eggplant and pita and tried in vain to find somewhere to sit in that world of office dwellers chased away by security guards in a day that increasingly seemed to this distressed food-blogger as a culinary game of “Mouse-Trap.”

But finally we settled on a ledge across the street Ms. Frankel game for it all despite her headache our falafel platters resting in Styrofoam on our laps.

“Amazing.” She said sampling one. “So small and concentrated and good. And just from some cart on the street!”

“Yep.” I said settling into sage-relief. “Cart food’s where it’s at.”

The balls were excellent lightly fried and “fluffy” as Ms. Frankel would say given to you the moment they were ready with intense hot sauce on the side and a mélange of fried vegetables on the side to give you a tapestry of flavors to explore. The hummus and tahina was light better for dipping than its own consumption but made for excellent condiments for the main attraction the balls.

“I wish I had a pita for all this.” She told me looking at the platter. “A falafel without a pita is like a cheeseburger without a bun.”

But we settled in to the platter and thankfully we enjoyed.

“This is great.” She told me between lap-taken bites. “Good job.”

And I blushed a little but tried not to show it.

___________________

Alfanoose source: nymag.com

As we walked to our last location my personal favorite Alfanoose Ms. Frankel marveled at the buildings of the Financial District around her.

“You know” she said. “I never had to be here. It’s strange to think. I built what I did my business but I never had to come here in this world of MBAs. That’s something isn’t it? That’s pretty cool.”

“You know what? It is.” I agreed and we strolled pleasantly.

On our way we passed a side-street liquor store prominently displaying Skinnygirl Margarita which we stopped into and where the proprietor thanked her for providing his “best-selling product”. When he asked for the Skinnygirl Sangria which he had difficult getting she said:

“It’s selling out everywhere but I’ll see what I can do.” And she made note of the name and address of the store much to my amazement seeing her handle impromptu product orders.

As we arrived at Alfanoose it was our first time without real tension. There were no security guards chasing us no traffic worrying us no crazy lady reciting poetry. Alfanoose was like a second home to me one of the places which as a food blogger you cherish a sleepy joint with great food run by a family where you can just sit and relax and eat until full and think you’re the coolest person in the world when you eat deliciously.

Ms. Frankel seemed relaxed as well her appetite that little bit sated the stress of the day falling gone.

As I strode up to the counter and told my old friends what we wanted for the first time in the day Ms. Frankel was taken aback.

“Such confidence.” She noted. “A big improvement. Try that out with the ladies.”

“Uh we’ll see.” I replied.

They assured us that our food would come and we took a seat together at the cafeteria-style tables.

We talked about our lives for a second her whirl of success and the pressures of being a mom my uncertain life full of still no dating success and weird jobs.

“But what do you do for fun?” she asked.

“Uh well. Eating. And weird improv.”

“I studied improv.” she told me. “Second City and The Groundlings. A crazy part of when I was younger.”

“Wow.” I said eyes wide.

“That was a fun part of my life.” she said.

And in that nice moment I felt a little understanding between people doing funny things. In improv you’re always risking yourself bringing your ideas on stage with confidence and energy. And I realized even if she stopped performing she still had that as part of her.

And in that nice moment an understanding.

And then falafel.

Bethenny liked the small pentagonal balls of Alafanoose but was a bigger fan of their accoutrements the Tabouleh a cracked wheat salad and Foul Moudames a mix of fava beans veggies and lemon.

“I’ve made my choice.” She said confidently referring to the previous bounty of Alan’s cart-made confections. “But I still enjoyed seeing you take charge.”

But it was nice just sitting there enjoying for a moment.

And picking up the leftovers.

And heading out.

___________________

So there you have it the ride of a day in a pink VW Bug labeled Skinnygirl. One food blogger’s attempt to make good on his credentials for his employer.

And an odd couple hanging out and having a food adventure hitting the mean streets of New York City.

I don’t know if my eyebrows look any better.

But I can say the day was worth it.

___________________

AZURI CAFÉ: 465 West 51st St bet. 9th and 10th Avenues. CE to 50th St.
TAIM MOBILE: Location changes daily check Twitter or their site.
ALAN’S FALAFEL: 140 Broadway bet. Libety and Cedar Weekday daytimes only 45 to Wall St.
ALFANOOSE: 8 Maiden Lane bet. Nassau and Broadway. 2345ACJMZ to Fulton St.

Nicholas Feitel has been writing about and discovering inexpensive ethnic cuisine in New York City since 2003 when he joined the message boards of Chowhound NY on a tip from his hero Calvin Trillin. He has written for several organizations and papers in New York City reviewing art theater and film including the Film Society of Lincoln Center and Gay City News. He is honored to be a part of Bethenny Frankel's world writing pieces about food for her in New York City and generally just having fun. He is still sadly single.

Tune in to Bravo on Monday night at 10/9c to see the full episode.

“After 2 months of using Skinnygirl Daily Weight Management pills and the Skinnygirl Daily Cleanse and Restore combined with Bethenny’s views on healthy eating from Naturally Thin her “do what you can when you can” exercise mantra and her delicious low-calorie Skinnygirl Cocktails I have found myself 23 pounds lighter and a whole new person. I am so glad I took a chance on the Skinnygirl brand; it has more than paid off. I am so thankful for these products and for changing my life and helping me become the best me that I can be each and every day.” - Lizz Backler

It is so amazing and exciting to see people benefiting from the Skinnygirl tools and products. Congratulations Lizz!

What healthy benefits have you achieved from my Skinnygirl products or Skinnygirl lifestyle? Share in the comments below!

Typical results from taking CLA alone could result in weight loss up to 4-5 pounds over a 8-12 week period. If moderate exercise and a healthy balanced diet are implemented greater weight loss can be experienced.

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Act on It: Culinary Dreams

Tonight is the airing of my appearance on Chelsea Lately! Watch the show on E! At 11 p.m. ET/PT—it's always a good laugh with Chelsea!

What has been your favorite talk show appearance or interview of mine so far?

Photo credit: Hulu

I know you have all been worried about my relationship and the show got off to an emotional rocky start but isn't life like that? Sometimes we cringe sometimes we get anxiety but ultimately we buckle up hold on and get to the next place.

I love my husband and my family. Relationships may not have always been my strong point but I am dedicated to my marriage to being a better person every day and to being open and honest in the hopes of helping myself -- and hopefully many of you. This show is about being truthful and giving you a slice of my life during that time period.

This week I celebrate my second wedding anniversary which I am so proud of. I work on being a mother I work on being a wife I work on being a good friend and employer and I work on being a success in business. If all of this comes easy to someone else than more power to them.

The infamous mouth guard scene is actually what really goes down in this silly house. Very often I will look up and Jason will be bent over mooning me with his naked ass. On a different day I'll enter the kitchen and shake my bra-less rack right back. We're morons and we're very inappropriate. It's who we are. As far as our sex life we get down to it. When the show filmed we had a baby just over one-year-old and I didn't quite have my mojo back. I was recently pregnant and I assure you that wasn't the immaculate conception. How ridiculous that my sex life is now talk show and cocktail party chatter?

Read More on Bravotv.com

Ingredients

• 4 1/4-inch slices jalapeño seeds removed
• 1.5 ounces Skinnygirl Margarita
• Handful of ice

I can’t wait to hear your comments! 

These and all of the Skinnygirl Face and Body products are available at Skinnygirlfaceandbodystore.com.

RULES:
- Contest will run from March 27 2012 until April 3 2012 at 12:00 am PST.
- You may only enter once to qualify for the prize.  Any duplicate entries will be null and void.
- You must be a member of Bethenny.com to participate.  
- No purchase necessary.
- Bethenny.com reserves the right to cancel terminate or modify the contest if it cannot be operated conducted or completed as planned for any reason.

Mouthguards:
Sweatsuit- Aviator Nation

Closet Meeting:
Gold sweater- NY & Co.
White Watch- Michele

Light Shopping:
Boyfriend jeans- Express
Two-toned shoes- Report Signature 

Self Defense:
Skinnygirl Tank- COMING SOON!
Skinnygirl Yoga Pants - Skinnygirl 

Amador:
Necklace- Talbots

New apartment meeting:
Shoes- YSL

Blackberry Cover: PrettyPrinting.com

Be sure to tune in every Monday night at 10pm EST/9CT only on Bravo.

Was there anythign else you spotted? Let me know and I'll share where I found it!

From Gabrielle Rubin:
I founded Female Awareness Self Defense to help empower women of all ages. Believing that attacks begin before it becomes physical we aim to provide women with the self-confidence knowledge and skills that will hopefully prevent them from ever being the subject of an attack. Our class teaches how to minimize the chance of being targeted and how to respond effectively through mental strategy prevention tactics and easy-to-remember defensive moves. Although we’re dealing with a very serious topic we manage to keep the class light and fun using humor and personal stories to make the lessons relatable.

As a successful businesswoman and mother Bethenny wanted to make sure she and her team would be prepared for anything which is a great reason to take a self defense class. Thanks for being such a great role model Bethenny! Take a tip from Bethenny and don’t wait until something bad happens to empower yourself with a self-defense class.

Bethenny and team Dwayne included made for a really great class. The way we carry ourselves the attitude and confidence we project says everything to a bad guy and Bethenny absolutely knows how to embody the “don’t mess with me” mind-set. So walk tall as confidence is a very big deterrent. As for the physical techniques everyone got the moves down! Practice makes perfect so we hope Team Bethenny is practicing with each other at the office.

Here are some simple safety tips that all women should implement:

1. Never walk while speaking on your cell phone or texting. You lose the use of your hands; you can’t see or hear a bad guy.
2. Don't walk on the street with headphones. Bad guys love when you can’t hear them approaching.
3. Have your keys in your pocket as you approach your door and use your shoulder to open. Don't fish for your keys at your door and never have your back to anyone!
4. Carry some sort of "weapon" on your keychain and in your pocket not your bag. Whether it is a whistle flashlight personal alarm it is ready to use!
5. If you choose to carry pepper spray practice how to use it. Using this for the first time in the moment of a crisis is not the time to learn.
6. Never stand in the back of the elevator trapping you. Stand near the buttons where you are in control and closer to the doors.
7. Try to consolidate your bags so at least one hand is free. Bad guys look for people who can’t fight back.
8. Instead of yelling “Help” or “No” scream “FIRE!” This not only affects the people around you but causes people to look out of curiosity.
9. Carry your bag on your less dominant shoulder. It is easier to poke scratch pinch and hit with your dominant hand.
10. When in a taxi alone call a friend with the car number to ensure you get home safe. Make sure the driver hears you tell "your over-protective friend" your taxi number.

Gabrielle Rubin is the founder and instructor of Female Awareness Inc. a New York City based self-defense company with the goal of teaching women how to Be Safe Be Smart and Be Strong. A black belt with more than 20 years of martial arts training Gabrielle has studied three styles of karate: Goju-ryu Kenpo and Jujitsu. She teaches college and corporate seminars all over the country in addition to private and open enrollment classes in NYC. Visit www.femaleawareness.com for more information.

Which of these tips have you tried?

Related Stories:
Sneak Peek: BEA Episode 6
Cookie’s Corner: Plants and Foods That are Toxic to Dogs
Active Practices: 5 On-The-Go Exercies
Ask Bethenny: Fit and Healthy Habits

Tune in to Bravo on Monday night at 9/8c to see the full episode.

Serves 8

• 1 cup raw sugar
• 6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons part skim ricotta cheese
• 6 tablespoons egg whites
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon oat flour
• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• Cooking spray

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350° F
2. Combine all ingredients in a bowl
3. Pour into a small brownie pan halfway through or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean check after 30 minutes.

I recently did a Q&A with AdWeek.  Check out some of my answers below and read more at AdWeek.com.

What’s the first information you consume in the morning?
Whether or not my daughter Bryn has a poopy diaper.

What do you read or watch or listen to at the breakfast table?
Either the Dora the Explorer books Dogs Don’t Do Ballet or The Little Mouse the Red Ripe Strawberry and the Big Hungry Bear. My daughter and I do breakfast together.

What occupies your mind in the car on the subway train or bus?
In the car I’ll do a little bit of the newspaper write articles on my BlackBerry do interviews write my book and look at Twitter. The New York Post is always in the car but if I’m at home on the weekends I’ll read The New York Times.

Are you a TV junkie or on an airtime-restricted diet?
Neither—somewhere in between. My daughter doesn’t watch any TV so the TV is off most of the time. But after 8 o’clock that’ll be a guilty pleasure—getting into bed and watching something mindless.

If you’re a couch potato what do you watch and how: TV laptop or tablet?
I like to watch Californication Gossip Girl TMZ 60 Minutes. I never watch TV on my iPad—I’m not technologically with it at all.

Read the full interview at AdWeek.com.

On the Boat:
Blue jacket- Lacoste
Hat- Lacoste

Brunch in Nantucket:
Scarf- Zara
Shirt- Express
Purse- Cape Cod Leather

BONUS: Here is a little bonus fashion talk from my backstage interview on Anderson.

Be sure to tune in every Monday only on Bravo.

You can check your local listings right here.

Check out this sneak peek:

Be sure to tune in on Monday night at 9/8c only on Bravo.

From The Baltimore Sun

"Hopkins researchers aim to uncover which mobile health applications work"

She has already tried a couple of health apps to get her into shape first the Nike training club app and then FitOrbit's Skinnygirl program a personal training app created by reality show personality Bethenny Frankel.

She said the latter better suited her because it was more personalized. It offered her meal suggestions a workout plan and feedback from a personal trainer. It also was always available.

"Being able to access my plan at my fingertips was a huge plus for me" she said. "You can check your meal plan and watch the workout demos right on your phone while at the gym so no need to remember. The instant feedback from the trainer is excellent and it is super easy to document your meals without forgetting because it's all right there in the palm of your hand."

Read more at TheBaltimoreSun.com.

Find out more about the Skinnygirl Personal Trainer right here.

Can’t wait for the book to launch?  Well then dip into Bethenny’s new novel “Skinnydipping” early with this FREE e-book chapter.

Get a quick glimpse into the life and drama of “Skinnydipping” main character Faith Brightstone  Faith Brightstone is an aspiring actress just out of college who moves to LA determined to have it all—a job on the most popular TV show a beach house in Malibu and a gorgeous producer boyfriend. But when reality hits she finds herself with a gig as a glorified servant a role that has more to do with T&A than acting and a dead-end relationship. Finally Faith decides she’s had enough of La La Land and moves back to New York with just a suitcase and her dog Muffin and things start to get even more interesting.

You can get your FREE e-book chapter at www.SkinnydippingByBethenny.com today and pre-order the full “Skinnydipping” in stores May1!

Check out this video where I talk about the line:

Read and see more on SheKnows.com.

If you missed it last night catch a clip here:

Sheila's story is one that reminds how coming from A Place of Yes will always keep you moving forward.  Congrats Sheila!

Dear Bethenny

My name is Sheila Powell. I have been a stylist since 1985. At one time I owned my own business and was successful however I sold it due to an abusive husband that later ended in divorce. All was lost I thought. Later I reconnected with my high school sweetheart. He was a Chef and inspires me in the kitchen! and now he is a medic for a Childrens hospital in Washington DC. After trying to regain what I lost in the beauty business it just left me unfufilled and very ill.

I turned to yoga and running cooking and baking. I told my husband how I love to cook and bake and thinking about culinary school. He was a 100 behind me. But my self esteem and everyone kept saying its too hard you will never make it there's no money so I felt defeated and down and fell into my normal routine. My husband knows how much I love your show so as a gift he bought me A Place of Yes.

I am now reading it for the second time I packed up my salon supplies and I am taking an online course through Nutritional Wellness and I am enrolling in Culinary/Hospitalty work. I am scared to death I turned 45 but I learned to finally face the fear head on after much defeat and ACT ON IT I will be doing something that fufills me and that I can make a difference. Thank You Bethenny I truly thank you.

Sincerely

Sheila J. Powell

Do you have an Act On It story you want to share with the community?  Here's how you can contribute:

1.  Sign up or log into Bethenny.com.
2.  Create your profile.
3.  Find my personal profile “Bethenny Frankel” in your friends list. Click on my profile image.
4. In the top left corner you will see “Send a Private Message” and click on it.
5. In the subject line enter “My Act on It Story.” Write your message and click “Send Message.”
6.  Stay tuned to see if your story is featured in the “Act on It” column.

Any and all stories submitted with the “Act on It” subject title can be published publicly on Bethenny.com.

I have the sweetest most caring and supportive fans. It means so much to me that you worry about me and take the time to give me advice. I actually learn a lot from you.

The season is definitely funny and silly as always but there is a serious undertone about my relationship which has had its peaks and valleys. I love Jason and I adore my family and most importantly I'm in it to win it. Relationships take work and in my life nothing comes easily. I'm the initiator and Jason is the escalator and this we have really worked on since the show filmed. Our arguments certainly aren't as heated and we listen and respect each other more.

As for the apartment renovation I love being involved in every aspect of the construction and design but what a pain it can be. Little did I know that I would be running another business. Most people don't communicate properly and if you can be a good clear calm manager who can delegate then you will get very far.

Ellen Degeneres was right when she told me that this job would never finish on time. There is a hold up every week. And I'm moving to L.A. for the summer for the talk show on Fox. I hope we'll get to enjoy the apartment for at least one night.

That scene made me laugh at the chiropractor's office. I would say that that is a typical interaction between me and anyone throughout an average day. I love seeing what makes people tick. I like interviewing people. The talk show will definitely be fun! Shy I'm not.

The EQAL website meeting was awkward but they have been wonderful to work with. I love my website and you will love it too. This was just the beginning. I'm sure they were nervous and didn't know what to expect.

Read more on Bravotv.com

This week had some interesting moments to say the least.

Yes I've used the booty booster as underwear before; I mean it was laundry day what do you expect?!

Bethenny and Jason are very admirable people for laying such an intimate part of their relationship out there for all to see. I hope no one judges them and I hope people realize that they're normal people with the same relationship hiccups that we all face. Maybe not this exact situation but we can all relate.

Since our initial meeting with Eqal we've been able to launch the new and improved Bethenny.com which she created with you in mind. She wanted to create a website that allowed you to interact with not only her but also with each other. She always says "I have such smart fans" and she knows you can all learn from one another. Her website is very dynamic and has the ability to create personal profiles share recipes photos and stories. This forum is an open place for people to talk to each other and for her to post about topics you love to talk about. Sign up for your own profile here at Bethenny.com and join the conversation. There are plenty of videos photos and new content updated daily so be sure to become a part of the community!

P.S.: I went to Oficina Latina where Bethenny and RaRa had girl's night and everything was delicious! Bethenny always has really good restaurant recommendations.

Until next week!

People Magazine Holiday Cover Shoot:
Blazer- Zara

Meeting with Marc Spector:
Bangles - Kristen Farrell
White shirt - Rag and Bone

Shopping with the Gomez Girls:
Sequin shirt - Haute Hippie
Purple heels - Steve Madden
White blazer- Theory

Chiropractor appointment:
Earring - Jennifer Miller
Bangles - Jennifer Miller
Tank top - LNA 

Website Meeting with Eqal:
Tank  - Express

Appointment with Dr. Amador: 
Blazer - Jack Wills

Helicopter:
Scarf - SoHo Hearts
Cape cod purse - Cape Cod Leather

Let me know if there is something I missed and don't forget to tune in every Monday at 9/8c only on Bravo.

Add to the list and share you knowledge.  What are some other things that are harmful for dogs?

Serves 5

• 1 lb ground white turkey meat
• 1 cup marinara or your favorite Italian pasta sauce
• 1/2 cup your favorite shredded Italian cheese can be provolone mozzarrella or combo-strong flavored cheeses are best
• Add salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

1. Combine ingredients into 5 patties.
2. Bake at 450 for 15 to 20 mins or until cooked.
3. Serve on whole grain toasted english muffins.

View more videos at: http://nbcnewyork.com.

Check out the full video here:

The Skinnygirl Margarita party and photo booth was so much fun see our photo below.

Maggie Veronica Joanie Sonia Bethenny Julie and I had a great time laughing and dancing all night. Montauk is beautiful and nothing like I thought it would be. It is so quiet family-friendly and refreshing. Sometimes the NYC summer smog makes it impossible to be happy but a refreshing sunshiny day in Montauk makes the summer what its supposed to be -- long nights bright stars sun kissed-skin and great memories.

My favorite part of the episode though is watching the car ride out with Veronica Bryn Bethenny and Dwayne. Veronica's cackling laugh and Bethenny's burst of laughter is so ridiculous that you can't help but smile. And that's what to expect when you have a bunch of us around we are addicted to laughter.

Until next week!

Jackie

Read more at BravoTv.com and tune in every Monday at 9/8c.

Well this week's episode was chock-full. The drive out to the Hamptons was absurd as is everything in my life.

Dwayne is the newest addition to Team Skinnygirl and he is very outspoken -- like many people in my life. He is a character and a riot and let's just leave it at -- I'll never learn.

The conversation about Skinnygirl Lazy Lingerie skinnygirlshapewear.com was completely absurd and I will always take humor over being appropriate.

I love Montauk so much. Having the freedom to run around with Bryn in the beautiful sun is something I cherish. We're building memories to last a lifetime.

I cannot believe that Jason and the girls weren't devastated about the raccoons. It would have ruined my weekend. I'd be institutionalized. I would have stopped called animal rescue and I would have been inconsolable.

I guess I can add matchmaking to my resume. My Skinnygirl Daily skinnygirldaily.com partner Matt and Julie's sister Joanie hit it off and had a great weekend and dated afterwards. They're both however still currently single.

The annual Skinnygirl cocktails party at the Montauk Yacht Club was so great. Fun friends laughs cocktails and good weather. It's such a great night and I remember when it began a few years ago: the Skinnygirl Margarita wasn't even bottled yet so we poured it out of jugs. Memories. . .

The boat ride to Navy Beach was a bit unsettling. Let's just say that Jason and I don't do well on boats. We were so happy to give my baby Cookie alone time. I thought it was so cute that Jason didn't even get her paw wet when swimming to shore. Family summer days are our favorite.

This summer we'll be in LA filming my talk show and we'll miss it...

Read more at BravoTv.com and tune in every Monday at 9/8c.

White sunglasses at lunch with Matt Hesse Lunch - Lacoste

Skinnygirl Margarita Party:

White dress - Nanette Lepore

Lime Green Shoes - Brian Atwood

Bow Ring - Kristen Farrell

Outside Villas:

Pink tunic at the beach - Love Shop

Apartment Meeting:

Pink top - Michael Kors

Orange Skirt - Stella McCartney

Jason and Bethenny in Apartment:

Tee shirt - Wild Fox Couture

Jeans - J Brand

Was there an item I missed?  Let me know in the comments below and catch an all new episode on Bravo next Monday at 9/8c.

Pin It

If you think the cover is juicy just wait until you start reading.  Here’s a brief synopsis of what you can expect from “Skinnydipping”:

Faith Brightstone is an aspiring actress just out of college who moves to LA determined to have it all—a job on the most popular TV show a beach house in Malibu and a gorgeous producer boyfriend. But when reality hits she finds herself with a gig as a glorified servant a role that has more to do with T&A than acting and a dead-end relationship. Finally Faith decides she’s had enough of La La Land and moves back to New York with just a suitcase and her dog Muffin.

Five years later Faith has finally found her groove as an entrepreneur and manages to land a spot on a new reality TV show hosted by her idol —the legendary businesswoman and domestic goddess Sybil Hunter. Diving into the bizarre world of reality TV Faith’s loud mouth and tell-it-like-it-is style immediately get her in trouble with her fellow contestants— the delusional socialite; the boozy lifestyle coach; the moody headband designer; and her closest friend the ambitious housewife who eventually betrays her. Even Sybil is not what she appears.

As the show comes to a dramatic close Faith discovers that the man of her dreams may have just walked in to her life. Will she choose fame or love? Or can she have it all?

More exciting news about the book will be revealed in the coming days so stay tuned!

Be sure to tune in on Monday at 9/8c on Bravo to see the full epsiode.

You can see an additional sneak peek of the cover each day on Facebook and the full cover will be revealed on Monday right here on Bethenny.com.

Stay tuned for more sneak peeks about "Skinnydipping" in the coming days!

I'm excited to announce that Skinnygirl Smoothers n' Shapers are now available online at Bare Necessities.

I started this line for the on-the-go woman who was looking for a functional high-quality and sexy slimming garment that both looked good and felt comfortable. This is shapewear you actually want people to see!  

Check out the video to see my favorite piece:

Find your favorite Skinnygirl Smoothers n' Shapers item at Bare Necessities today.

In honor of February being the healthy heart awareness month I have decided to donate all of the proceeds from the sale of this dress to the American Heart Association and I will match the highest bid.

START BIDDING HERE!!!

I loved this week's episode. It was silly and fun and I was surrounded by people I love. I've known Hoda for years. I met her on the Today show and she was such a gracious host. She makes the guest feel comfortable she wants others to shine and she doesn't take herself too seriously. I'm so thrilled that she's still in love with the man who I summoned to her book signing that night. Maybe I have a future in matchmaking.

Nick is great. He is endearing and sweet and he is up for an adventure. We see each other fairly often. He is a wonderful writer and person and I've enjoyed my journey with him. He has lost over 50 pounds and has unleashed his Skinnygirl. You'll see the progress during the season.

Read more at BravoTv.com.

Lunch with Hoda and a girls day at the beach.  Such a fun episode!  Here are some goodies from episode 2 of Bethenny Ever After:

Crotche dress at lunch with Hoda- tibi

Shirt sitting in the office with Julie & Jackie - Lacoste

Maddress dress during the falafel crawl - Nantucket Brand

White gold hoop earrings during ladies night with Connie & Lauren - Kristen Farrell

Was there anything else you spotted? Let me know and I’ll be happy to share where I found it.

And be sure to tune in every Monday at 9/8c only on Bravo!

Had a chat with Gayle Jo Carter of USAWeekend.com. I don’t want to blow it all here but I reveal my plans for my new talk show Bryn’s preschool years and then chat about my daily routines like spring-cleaning yoga and everyday simple indulgences.

You can read the entire article here!

 
You all know that my goal with the Skinnygirl Cocktails brand is to offer a low-calorie delicious and refreshing line of spirits.  It all started with one simple idea and expanded from there. I could not be more thrilled to continue to offer you the same SKinnygirl taste and quality in all of these new varieties.

 
Pin It

The Skinnygirl Vodka line is everything I love in a vodka: smooth taste and vibrant flavor but light on calories.  And the Skinnygirl Pina Colada is a natural fit with all of our other ready-to-drink guilt-free cocktails.
 
I am so excited to welcome all of these great flavors to the family and I can’t wait for you to enjoy them!

Read more here.

Tune in on Monday Feb. 27 at 9/8c on Bravo to see the full episode.

Serves 6 to 8 

Ingredients:

• 1 medium red onion evenly chopped 
• Nonstick cooking spray 
• 6 cups chicken stock or broth
• 6 medium-sized zucchini evenly chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 12 oz frozen butternut squash defrosted 
• 1 cup plain soymilk
• Juice of ½ lemon

Directions:

1. Sauté the onions in a large pot using nonstick cooking spray until slightly soft. Add the chicken stock or broth salt and pepper. Cook until zucchini are soft.
2. Using a hand immersion blender puree the onion zucchini mixture until smooth. Add the defrosted butternut squash. Turn off the heat and add the soymilk and lemon juice. Season with more salt and pepper to taste. 

Do your pets have a funny quirk?  I would love to hear about it.  Share it in the comments below.

Show & Tell is coming back! Here are some goodies from this week’s premiere episode of Bethenny Ever After:

Pink dress at Skinnygirl Sangria Party - Rachel Roy

Orange Pumps at Skinnygirl Sangria Party - Brian Atwood

Fuchsia shoes I wore to Health Magazine - YSL

Blue sweater at my lunch with Jake - Michael Kors

Watch at my lunch with Lisa Lampanelli - Michele

Rose gold neckalce at my lunch with Lisa Lampanelli - Rebecca

White dress at the new apartment - TopShop

Olive green bag at the new apartment with Jason - Linea Pelle

Was there anything else you spotted? Let me know and I’ll be happy to share where I found it.

Thank you all so much for watching Bethenny Ever After last night. It isn't easy sharing the intimate personal details of your life with the world but I've come to trust and love you as fans. You have inspired me you have entrusted me with your thoughts and dreams and you make being totally honest and upfront the only option.

I am so blessed to have such a beautiful baby girl Bryn and supportive husband Jason. There is no perfect and we certainly don't come anywhere close.

I am someone who has to work at most things. I work tirelessly at my career endlessly at being a mother and constantly at being a good wife.

Enjoy this season. It is certainly a rollercoaster and many of you will relate to what we go through and perhaps some of you will not. I couldn't simply allow you to see all the good things in my life and not the challenging ones. I want you to see the real me whether emotional or inappropriate or neurotic. This is who I am.

Let's embark on this journey together. I hope you enjoy it.

Read more at BravoTv.com.

And be sure to join me right before the show for my LIVE chat right here on Bethenny.com!

Red blush and white these three ladies are the newest Skinnygirls. I am excited to announce that Skinnygirl Wine will be available starting in April!
 
I’m not a wine connoisseur but I do love a refreshing great tasting glass of wine and that’s what I’ve created.  There is a selection of red white and rosé varietals made from California grown grapes and each serving is only 100 calories—15 lower than most other brands.
 
I can’t wait for you all to sit down with a glass of Skinnygirl Wine and tell me what you think! 

Read more at WineSpectator.com.

Let’s talk. Seriously I want to hear from you.  Join me in my "Bethenny Ever After" LIVE Chat on Monday Feb. 20 to celebrate the premiere of the show!
 
You all know I'm an open book I'll be here to answer your questions on Bethenny.com starting at 8:30 pm EST/5:30 pm PST until the show begins.
 
Stay tuned for more details on Monday!  Can’t wait to hear from you!
 

P.S.  We have another BIG announcement coming tomorrow…

Serves 1

3/4 cup fresh or frozen peaches or your favorite fruit
1/3 banana fresh or frozen
1/4 cup plain low-fat yogurt low-fat greek yogurt or your favorite flavor low-fat yogurt
1 cup ice
1 Skinnygirl Daily on-the-go cleanse packet
1/4 cup unsweetened apple juice

Preparation

Combine all ingredients and blend until smooth.

Another great way to consume the cleanse for people like me who don't want to power through a green water is by simply adding it to a delicious greek yogurt.  Try it out and let me know what you think.

Do you have any great Skinnygirl Daily On-the-Go Cleanse recipes?  Share them with us in the comments below!

Skinnygirl Daily Cleanse and Restore is made for the girl on the go. I created some delicious smoothie recipes that include Skinnygirl Daily Cleanse and Restore so you get a delicious and nutritious meal or snack.

Check out this simple recipe for a Skinnygirl Daily Cleanse Smoothie:

Serves 1

One skinnygirl daily on-the-go cleanse packet
1/2 frozen berries or your favorite fruit
1/2 banana fresh or frozen
1 cup ice
1 cup unsweetened apple juice

Preparation

Blend all of the ingredients together adding and reducing to meet your needs. Enjoy!

peel and freeze browning bananas to avoid waste. They're great to store and use for smoothies.

Have you tried incorporating your Skinnygirl Daily On-the-Go Cleanse and Restore in your daily meals?  Share your recipes with us in the comments below.

It doesn't matter if you are in or out of a relationship this day is simply a day for love so why not share it with everyone.

Here are some ideas for celebrating your Valentine's Day:

A Family Valentine's Day

A Home Cooked Valentine’s Day

Single of V-Day? How to Celebrate with Your Friends

Valentine's Day Gift Guide: How to Buy for Your Valentine

And here is a special message from me to you on this Valentine's Day!  Hope it is a great one!

Are you doing anything special with your family this Valentine’s Day?  Share it with us.