All stories about "Brittany Bellgardt"

Megan Zanke is known throughout the pages of this site, but she's moved on to work as an editor of Coutorture -- a fantastic fashion-centered website with bite. While she definitiely knows a thing or two about fashion, Megan also knows a thing or two about being young and hitting the streets of New York.

We're going to imprison you in the city of your choice for the rest of your natural life. You can do anything you want there, but you must stay in that city forever. Where would you choose?
So Gawker really is going to take over the world, eh? Okay, I choose South Beach. Only kidding! I choose New York, of course.

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Paul Mecurio is comedy's resident virtuoso; after graduating with high honors from Georgetown Law, Paul ditched a bright future in law for ... well, an even brighter career in comedy. He's even got awards to prove it. Let's see the firm Willkie, Farr and Gallagher hand out Emmys. We caught him in a brief moment between shows in the midwest and two headlining nights at New York's Comix (this Friday 26 and Saturday 27) and got him to dish on politics and why he's gotta have his 3am hot dogs with a side of "coffee milk."

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There is simply nothing better than escaping the four-walled rooms we call the office (or the home) and basking in natural light. Well, it may be better if delicious food and drink were involved. New York is home to some amazing al fresco dining places: secret little gardens, people-watching perches, and fab sidewalk seats. And as the warmer months roll in, everyone wants a chance to bathe themselves in sunlight, if only during a lunch break. These spots we've found are all in midtown, but are definitely worth the trek down or up to, whether or not you're not in the area every day. If you want us to highlight the outdoor-monging situations in your nabe, put them in the comments. (decor8)

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It's a workday. You've peeled yourself up from your soft, warm bed only to be crunched into a humid subway(s) to get to a job you can't stand. You deserve a treat; a salty, sour and sweet treat that comes in a glass as big as your head and can knock you on your ass. The blessed margarita. You may still be stuck in midtown hell, but hey, it's quitting time and you've got a crush on a coworker who just so happens to love tequila. Get to it -- these margaritas aren't going to drink themselves. (photo)

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As the temperatures slowly climb -- and by slowly, I mean shooting up to 60 one day and then plunging down into the 30s the next -- thoughts turn to springtime and more gloriously, summer. Summer, with all its skirts, shorts and sandals. But before you even think of donning open-toed shoes, it's important to get those feets in flip-flop shape. Let's face it, no one likes to look at your scary toes while riding on the 6. And since you're on that 6 train, why not make a stop and get your toes did at one of the UES's fantastic spots for pedicure-related makeovers? Take a look at this selection, dust off those Havaianas and get thee to a nail technician. (Jill/flickr)

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It seems as if every American teen girl has a dream of running off to Paris: shopping at the spots where couture was born and thrives, stepping out in designer wear to the hottest nighttime spots, locking lips with a Parisian boy, and of course, midnight rendezvous beneath the Eiffel Tower. Too bad that for most American teen girls, this is only the stuff of film and TV. Luckily, we have MTV American Princesses Lauren "LC" Conrad and Whitney Port -- to laugh at, cry with, and see some bits of Paris with. Teen Vogue, their, erm, "employer", sends the girls to Paris for a whirlwind weekend, and in between meltdowns (thanks in part to a very hot curling iron) and breakups (damn you Brody!) the girls get to see Paris in a way that few of us ever will, complete with cutie driver, Stephane. Here's their itinerary intact, to gawk at and maybe (one day) replicate. (photo)

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Corned beef and cabbage may not set your mouth a-watering, but a toasty, Swiss-cheesey, gooey, salty, sweet Reuben Sandwich just might just do the trick. Corned beef and sauerkraut (instead of cabbage) get layered with slices of Swiss, and topped off with tangy Russian dressing, all slammed between two crisp slices of bread. It's not at all Irish, but has got the flair of the country all sussed out. In honor of St. Patrick's Day, and its ever-popular parade, we've got listings for the beloved Reuben Sandwich all along the bagpiped parade route. Follow the kilts and then step into a spot for a pint and a Reuben - 'cause even though everyone's Irish on St. Patrick's day, not everyone can stomach straight-up Irish fare, especially when hopped-up on green ale.

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If this phrase gets your heart racing like a sip of Sommelier-Stephen's Black Tea-Milk Chocolate Soup, then you've probably got your Tivo/DVR all set up for Wednesday night. Top Chef is in Chicago for its fourth season, and thanks to excited Second City foodies running for their laptops, we've got a good idea of what the contestants were up to while in town. This is all about spoilers without the spoil, so feel free to enjoy it just like a marathon of Top Chef: a feast without the calories.

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You may not know the hilarious Liam Sullivan, but chances are you have had a close relationship with his alter-ego, Kelly, the shoe-obsessed, gonna-get-what-she-wants betch who has sung/screeched her way into our hearts. LiamShow.com is overflowing with various off-kilter videos and sketches. You can also catch him in unpixelated form as both Liam and Kelly on the Beautiful Tour with comic-maven Margaret Cho when they hit the road in March.

We're going to imprison you in the city of your choice for the rest of your natural life. You can do anything you want there, but you must stay in that city forever. Where would you choose?
L.A. Slam dunk! I already live here. The rest of my unnatural life I would like to spend in New York City, of course.

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When living in New York City, it's best to put on your best sparklies, glam it up, and bring the city to its knees. New to the scene but definitely not shy, Joey Kipp is budding boy-lesque performer/choreographer extraordinaire. When he's not up on stage shaking his moneymaker (catch him Friday night at Think.Coffee), or dreaming up silly but stirring routines, Kipp's spreading the love for his birthplace of Brazil.

We're going to imprison you in the city of your choice for the rest of your natural life. You can do anything you want there, but you must stay in that city forever. Where would you choose?
Oh my god! ...I guess Bahia -- in Brazil.

Why would you live in this city forever and not somewhere else?
Because there, there I feel like this is the city I'm originally from and it has everything: nature, beauty, the liveliness of the people. Living there would be something beautiful to have in your life forever. Bahia has flavor and to have flavor, love, life and culture is to have everything.

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This shit is quite literally bananas. When you think of Valentine's Day, a few things come immediately to mind: chocolate, flowers, naughty negligees. But, let's pretend for a moment that I'm Alton Brown. Bananas are not only insanely phallic but also brimming with potassium and B vitamins, which are necessary for keeping your sex drive going. Take that, Viagra. Bananas are America's favorite fruit, and act as a natural aphrodisiac (which maybe explains why they are America's favorite fruit). Plus, they're quite versatile, just like that yoga instructor you made out with. So instead of handing your significant other a tired heart-shaped box of chocolates, hit these spots for yummy banana goodness and high-test love fuel. Further B-A-N-A-N-A-S welcome in the comments or tips.

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We know both Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama want to call 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue home, but coincidentally, the forerunning Democrats we've come to know (and vote for) have both called the Second City home in the past. While Hillary Rodham Clinton was born and raised in a suburb northwest of town, Hawaiian-born Barack Obama has become Chicago's favorite adopted son. In honor of their marathon to the White House, we've got a collection of Clinton and Obama's preferred places in the city.

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If you aren't reading FourFour, you're missing out on the magic that is Rich Juzwiak's world. His Mogwai-inspired cat Winston, Tyra Banks, and obscure but perfect pop-culture references dwell hand in hand with knitted-together montages, mix tapes, and photoshopped British worms. In addition to his home base, Rich also does the deeds on VH1's Celebreality.

We're going to imprison you in the city of your choice for the rest of your natural life. You can do anything you want there, but you must stay in that city forever. Where would you choose?
Where I am! New York.

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There's always that jumpstart at the beginning of the New Year to get healthy -- runs to the gym, veggie-packed meals and lots of thoughtful discretion. Of course as the weeks roll on, the resolution to get healthy becomes somewhat impaired. If you're anything like me, your resolution invariably includes lots of booze, and why not? It's stressful getting healthy, and it's important to indulge. As you're indulging, do your body some good and go organic. With all the deliciously organic offerings at these Chicago spots, once you stumble into the morning after, you can still claim your resolutions are (somewhat) intact.

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Life has taken interior design artist Samir Hanna around the globe and back again -- from the deserts of Egypt to the neon of New York City to the sweet humidity of Costa Rica. As head designer of Saso Interiors, Hanna has left his mark in many a gorgeous home.

We're going to imprison you in the city of your choice for the rest of your natural life. You can do anything you want there, but you must stay in that city forever. Where would you choose?
Cairo, Egypt.

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Bravo's Top Chef kept many a foodie addicted to TV -- and launched first-season winner Harold Dieterle into celebrity-chefdom. If his food on the show got you salivating, head to his West Village restaurant Perilla and partake of Dieterle's love for all things duck by tucking into a bowlful of his spicy duck meatballs with Okinawa yam gnocchi. It's what dreams are made of. Until then, check out his take on the city that launched his duckly amour.

We're going to imprison you in the city of your choice for the rest of your natural life. You can do anything you want there, but you must stay in that city forever. Where would you choose?
Bangkok.

Why would you live in this city forever and not somewhere else?
Amazing culture. The food is some of the best I've ever eaten. [There's also a] great focus on family values.

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While he's stationed in the city that never sleeps, musician David Homyk can be found onstage charming crowds with his pop songs. No matter where New York takes him, Homyk's still a southern boy at heart and loves his hometown of Charlottesville, Virginia, and its addictive hangover remedies.

We're going to imprison you in the city of your choice for the rest of your natural life. You can do anything you want there, but you must stay in that city forever. Where would you choose?
Charlottesville, VA.

Why would you live in this city forever and not somewhere else?
The natural and social environments are maximally conducive to the unadulterated expression of the human spirit in its freest form. It's ideal for hit song writing.

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A rocker with a serious work ethic, musician, singer-songwriter Dan McLachlan has his work cut out for him; in between rehearsals and gigs with two different bands, Four Letter Friend and Pistols at Dawn, he finds moments to play his own solo music and jot around the city he calls home.

We're going to imprison you in the city of your choice for the rest of your natural life. You can do anything you want there, but you must stay in that city forever. Where would you choose?
I would have to say London.

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There's nothing better in this world than cheese and bread, that is, unless it's melted to a gooey-crisp and covering warm, salty, caramelized onions - then it is truly the best. French onion soup is not everyone's cup of tea... er, soup, but when it is, they take it to heart. Luckily for those who love a hot li'l crock of bubbly onion soup gratinee, New York City is filled with French émigrés and they've mastered the specialty. Here are some fabulous places for this favorite French fare.

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After winning a nationwide search for the role of the new Maytag Repairman in early 2007, Clay Jackson donned the royal-blue suit and hat and has trekked across the country repairing just about everything. When he's not handing out washer/dryers to an audience full of expectant mothers on Ellen or donating machines to homeless shelters in Baltimore, Jackson dreams of his hometown.

We're going to imprison you in the city of your choice for the rest of your natural life. You can do anything you want there, but you must stay in that city forever. Where would you choose?
Richmond, Virginia.

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There are really two seasons in Chicago -- summer and winter -- and for some reason, each brings along about 99 million people right down to Michigan Avenue. The winter holiday season is truly the worst time to be trekking this street; everyone and their mother (literally) haunt the Magnificent Mile's 15 block stretch gaping at shiny things like newly hung Christmas lights, automobiles, and homeless men in tinfoil. And besides looking like they stepped off the Metra train in from Amishville, they love them some mediocre mush from any old restaurant they could've hit up back in Hicksville (low blow, I know, but I grew up close by). Perhaps these restaurants' Gold Coast accessibility leads people to believe they're handing out gold with every meal. They're not. They're handing out crap, and you're waiting in line.

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