Do you want to look hot, feel hot?  Or perhaps, you want to get your man’s sexy back?  Then you are definitely in need of an aphrodisiac!

The term was derived from the name of the Greek goddess of sensuality: Aphrodite. Basically, the role of an aphrodisiac is to make sex more attainable and pleasurable.

So, if you are ready for a  positively orgasmic effect, here it goes:

10. Whipped Cream …

I know, I know… there’s no medical evidence that whipped cream is an aphrodisiac which increases your libido. But just think of all the ‘naughty’ places where you can lick whipped cream off it certainly will get you hot!

9. Chocolate …

The famous Venetian womaniser Giacomo Casanova called chocolate the “elixir of love” and drank a mug of drinking cocoa before embarking on a lovemaking conquest.
DECA DURABOLIN HELLAS

Whether it is the melted variety or the deep, dark chocolate gorging on these sumptuous treats would surely heat things up in bed. Chocolate provides a quick boost of energy, especially for women who produce four times as many endorphins after eating chocolate as compared to the endorphins that they produce after a mind boggling kiss!

8. Oysters …

This is a given oysters physically resemble the female organ, which is probably why some men find them so visually stimulating. Also, oysters are high in zinc so they help improve your lover’s sexual potency. Good, huh?

7. Celery …

Researchers speculate that when you eat celery, you can release the androsterone through perspiration after digestion. Women can’t typically smell this, but some things are sensed subconsciously and women can be attracted to this.
Andry_blogger

Celery contains a male hormone called androsterone which in turn arouses women’s sexuality. It has been liberally used by ancient Romans in their cooking as an aphrodisiac.

6. Peaches …

The appearance of plump, juicy and mouth-watering peaches already provides a highly sexual image. Aside from that, these luscious fruits have vitamin A which in turn produces healthy, touchable skin – the largest erogenous zone in the human body!

5. Banana …

They contain lots of potassium and vitamin Bs for sex-hormones production. So i guess the phrase ‘going bananas’ can also mean ‘getting horny’…
Jeremy Toh

There’s more to a banana being an aphrodisiac than its phallic shape. This fruit contains bromelain which stimulates a man’s libido.

You can never truly say that you’ve heard it all, especially when news tidbits like these still manage to surprise us: nicotine can be used to cure Alzheimer’s disease? Or the substance from marijuana can be used to cure skin tumors?

It seems like no matter how seemingly bad something might be for you, there’s always something supposedly good to come out of it.

Check out this list of the top 10 things that are surprisingly good for you, as compiled by TimesOnline.co.uk:

1. Chocolate

Those who eat chocolate and sweets up to three times a month live almost a year longer that those who eat too much or none at all.

Hmm, I’ve always loved the bitter, sinfully dark chocolate bars but what about the diabetes that you can get from all that sugar? And allergic, reactions, kidney stones, heartburn, aggravated PMS? I could go on all day!

2. Red Wine

This is something that we’ve been hearing since time immemorial. Red wine’s supposed to be good for the heart, and:

Another ingredient, resveratrol, slows ageing of the heart, bones, eyes and muscles and can even deter cataracts, at least in mice.

Okay, I will concede that red wine can make you live longer – in a rehab! And don’t even get me started on alcohol cirrhosis and all the other problems that Lindsay Lohan and Amy Winehouse are soo familiar with.

3. Stress

Long-term stress is definitely not good for you but in short bursts – say standing up to give a speech at a wedding – stress can help reinforce your immune system.

Yeah right, if short-term stress can help reinforce my immune system, I probably should be flying more so that I won’t feel anxiety when the plane takes off. But maybe I’ll get to meet a sexy guy like Sayid when the Oceanic Flight 815 that I’m in crashes in Temptation Island.

4. Ice Cream

Ice cream is my official breakup and PMS’ing food. So what are the negative effects of too much ice cream on your diet? Well, who cares, right? =)

5. White Bread

White bread is actually a poor option as compared to whole, wheat bread. In fact, you should think twice before ordering your next sandwich on white bread because you are putting yourself at risk for diabetes – it’s the sugar and the white flour content that’s the culprit.

The bottom 5 of the list includes work, coffee, baked beans, Guinness and newspaper lists. Ho-hummm…. I guess it’s a really, really slow news day!

It’s a fact of life that as human beings, we typically enjoy what’s bad for us. Whether it’s calorie-laden treats like chocolate, or addictive substances such as alcohol and coffee, it’s hard to say no to our favorite forbidden foods and sweet snacks. However, it’s also typical human behavior that as soon as we deny something, we want it even more! Put an end to any guilty feelings you might have after indulging right now by reading on and seeing that your forbidden food might not be so bad for you after all…

Red Wine

Some researchers claim that the positives of drinking red wine go beyond cardiovascular benefits. A number of studies have discovered that an antioxidant concentrated in the skin of the grape, resveratrol, may actually help inhibit the growth of cancerous tumors. Research into the properties of resveratrol also indicates that it may be helpful in the formation of nerve cells, and so could potentially be a factor in the treatment of neurological diseases such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.
by Therion, Ontario, Canada

Rather than consuming the entirety of your weekly units on a Friday night, it’s much kinder to your body to drink one glass of red wine everyday. Most of you will probably already know that red wine is very beneficial to the heart, but it is also fantastic for your teeth and can help you cope against the common cold – something that is all to easy to catch, especially at this time of year. Since red wine is packed full of antioxidants, it’s also much more beneficial to your health than alcohol which is made up of empty calories or sugary fruit juices. Not to mention your liver will thank you when you manage to avoid a nasty hangover!

Dark Chocolate

Flavonoids are pretty common throughout nature. As you may have guessed, they are also antioxidants. They are found in all kinds of stuff,such as red wine, tea, and beer…AND…Chocolate! Oh yeah! You can also eat the fruits and veggies mentioned above and get them, but chocolate’s more fun, right?
by John Soulliere, Financial Planer from Calgary

Eating dark chocolate can help to control blood sugar levels, and like red wine, it contains those all important antioxidants. 70% or 80% cocoa is the best bar to go for, though all chocolate contains serotonin, the brains happy chemical. Perfect for a mid-afternoon pick-me-up! Skin problems? Don’t shy away from your favorite chocolate – dark chocolate can even help calm the swelling of spots! Just remember that even dark chocolate is still laden with fat and calories, so try to keep your intake to 2-3 squares per day.

Coffee

The latest research has not only confirmed that moderate coffee consumption doesn’t cause harm, it’s also uncovered possible benefits. Coffee may reduce the risk of developing gallstones, discourage the development of colon cancer, improve cognitive function, reduce the risk of liver damage in people at high risk for liver disease, and reduce the risk of Parkinson’s disease. Coffee has also been shown to improve endurance performance in long-duration physical activities.
by Coffee Center Researches

Reports would have you think that coffee is one of the most unhealthy drinks around. But coffee, once again, contains antioxidants, not to mention it can protect against skin cancer and even Parkinson’s disease. Decaff will give you the exact same amount of benefits as regular coffee, so you can also rule out the negative effects of caffeine. The best advice is to spread your coffee intake throughout the day, and don’t have more than four cups.

Chewing Gum

In 1964, NASA began giving astronauts sugarless chewing gum for their space missions. Since the astronauts were fed through a tube, their gums tended to swell because they were not actually chewing their food. Chewing gum helped keep their teeth and gums healthy and strong. Healthy Smile, Healthy Body…
by HapPy, Health Expert

Too many people believe that chewing gum is bad for your teeth, when actually, the opposite is true. Regularly chewing sugar-free gum can help to produce more saliva in the mouth and as a result, whiten your teeth over time. It will also help to speed up the digestion of carbohydrates, help to avoid tooth decay, and even aid your concentration. Not bad for a treat which has such a bad reputation!

We’ve been hearing this delightful piece of information both from the French and American wine drinkers for decades now: red wine can help blunt the effects of a high-fat diet while keeping the heart healthy.

According to Telegraph.Co.Uk:

Many have speculated that answer to the paradox lies in their love of a glass or two of wine with a meal and have focused on a chemical found in red wine called resveratrol, also a natural constituent of grapes, pomegranates and other foods.
Earlier studies have shown it can blunt the toxic effects of a diet very high in fat, which causes liver damage, but this is the first study to directly look at ageing.

The “ageing” being referred to here is cardiac ageing – which still relates to your heart’s health. Now wouldn’t it be better if they were referring to the real, I’m-getting-fine-wrinkles ageing?

Anyway, revesratrol is a chemical which is responsible for giving red wine its heart health benefits. More importantly, revesratrol blunts the effects of a high-fat diet due to its caloric restriction effects. This means that a typical diet will have 20 to 30% less calories by drinking a glass or two of red wine.

A 5-ounce glass of red wine contains 0.30 to 1.07 mg of revesratrol. Muscadine wines, the Spanish variety of red wine, red grape juice, Spanish rose wine and the Pinot Noir are other good sources of revesratrol.

This is also the reason why the French are much less prone to developing heart disease due to their love of red wine, which they regularly drink with their meals.

I would definitely like to get rid of the excess fat in my diet – so I’ll dig up whatever good red wine I can find and serve it with my tasty (I hope!) home cooked dinner later tonight.

Au revior!

Normally when I reach for a bottle of red wine, I grab a Zinfandel or Pinot Noir. Only recently, while at a Syrah tasting, did I wonder why I’ve been neglecting Syrah. At the tasting, there were plenty of wonderful Syrahs, however, Tallulah’s 2004 offering ($28) was the most memorable.

From the Sonoma Coast, this Syrah has a dark plum color with delicious aromas of cherry and pepper. It’s an elegant, soft, full-bodied wine �” that is neither too bold nor too fruity �” with an intense finish. I would pair it with a cheese plate or a rich pasta sausage casserole. The nostalgic label and moderate price range, make it a great gift wine.

Over the weekend I had the lovely opportunity to taste many of California’s Rhone-style wines at the Rhone Rangers wine tasting. I’m not too familar with the Paso Robles wine-making region, so it was exciting to taste what they had to offer. While I enjoyed sipping both the Syrah or Grenache, I found that the Rosés better complemented the sunny Spring day.

One that stood out was the Arroyo Robles 2006 Syrah Rosé. Normally I don’t love Rosé, but this wine was smooth and uncomplicated. It has a lovely, rosy pink color with a fresh fruity aroma and it tasted like Summer in a glass. At $21 a bottle, it is affordable enough to purchase now and enjoy when the weather actually warms up.

Besides eating rice and becoming a pastry chef, I found plenty of time to drink vino tinto �” red wine �” while in Spain. In fact, I must have consumed an entire case of the winery Castillo de Mendoza’s Viña Vitaran Rioja Tempranillo. Poured as the house wine at my friend Paco’s restaurant, this smooth red is incredibly drinkable. It has a dark ruby color and subtle flavors of cherry and vanilla. I paired it with everything from cheese to salad to meatballs, making it a versatile, useful red. If you are looking to sip a Spanish wine, or hoping to try a new varietal, I highly recommend giving this wine a taste.

I’m not sure when it happened, but lamb has become one of my favorite meats to eat. I used to be weird about, thinking it was far too gamy. However, I realized I was wrong. When prepared correctly, lamb can be absolutely delicious and positively tasty.

I’ve had this recipe for Cardamom-Scented Lamb With Mashed Sweet Potatoes in my to-make file for quite some time, and last night I finally got around to making it. It takes a little bit more time than a Fast & Easy Dinner, but if you’re willing, it can definitely be accomplished on a school night. The meat is seared then finished in the oven, and the whole thing is served with a red-wine sauce. To get the recipe,

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I was at Cost Plus scoping out the after-Christmas-holiday candy, when a certain wine display caught my eye. These wines �” named Cab-ulous, Chardon-Yeah!, and Zin-fatuation �” looked fun, flirty, and appealing. I assumed you guys would be into them, yet I couldn’t help but wonder if it was just a clever, marketing ploy.

To find out, I bought a bottle of the Cab-u-lous and brought it over to my friendly, wine-snob pal. I figured if anyone was going to give me a good opinion, it would be him. The vintage we had was a 2005; it was still pretty young and it showed. The wine barely stained the cork, and the smell was rather fruity, actually make that Kool-Aidy. The initial signs were not good, but we carried on and were pleasantly surprised. It wasn’t an amazing wine, but it was only $10 and was smooth and easy to drink. As the wine snob said, “She’s everyone’s friend. No one is going to really dislike her. They might not have an opinion, but they won’t hate her.” I couldn’t have put it better myself. No one will have a problem drinking this wine. It’s nothing amazing, but it does have a clever label and would be a good, inexpensive purchase.

Also, it appears to be distributed by Trinchero Family Estates, however, I could not find it for sale online. If you do see them, don’t pay too much, the bottles were $9.99 at Cost Plus.

A while back, I found out that some of my Irish relatives were early cultivators of the California wine industry. They founded Concannon Vineyard in the Livermore valley in 1883. Knowing that I wouldn’t get out to Livermore to sample the wine, I totally forgot about my heritage as a vitner.

Last Thursday, while at a wine tasting, I took a sip of a smooth, earthy Cab-Sav blend and had to do a double take. The wine was from my family winery, Concannon! The wine has a dark, ruby color, rich finish, and dark fruit flavors. It would be lovely paired with a holiday roast beef or pork with an herb crust.

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Last week I was invited to Wine & Spirits magazine’s Top 100 Wine Tasting, where I sipped plenty of lush wines and was introduced to many interesting varietals. However, the most exotic wine I tried was the 2004 Single Quinta de Roriz Vintage Port. As this smooth, subtly sweet, full-bodied wine slipped down my throat, I realized we’ve never featured a Port here!

Port is a dessert wine native to Portugal’s Douro Valley and usually served after a meal. I’m not normally a huge fan of Port, but this wine, with its deep purple-black color and fine finish, was incredibly easy to drink. It would pair deliciously with creamy blue cheese, honey, and walnuts. A bottle would also make a wonderful hostess gift.

According to Life & Style magazine, the latest diet trend in Hollywood doesn’t involve loading up on carbs or eating in the zone. It’s much simpler and in my opinion, much more fabulous. It’s the Red Wine Diet and the secret to Jessica Simpson’s weight transformation. Lucky for me, I love red wine and already drink it on a regular basis! If you want to give this new diet a try and need a wonderful red, why not try Spain’s Protos Ribera de Duero? It’s fun to experiment with new wines from lesser known regions. With its velvety finish, complex aromas, and dark cherry color, this wine pairs nicely with a small portion of steak, a carving of lean pork, or slice of pizza.

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For my birthday I invited a small group of friends to join me for a wine tasting in Napa. We visited a few wineries, but our favorite was Miner family vineyards. The excellent PR girl had arranged a private tasting and tour, complete with a surprise birthday cake for yours truly! Our guide, the jovial and informative Jaime, began by giving us a sampling of the Miner Sauvignon Blanc and Rosato. Next we moved on to the Sangiovese and the Pinot Noir �” both of which were outstanding. However the best wine was the limited edition Benedetto blend series. A smooth and bountiful red, this wine was like heaven in a glass. Jaime lead us through the wine making rooms and into the Miner caves. Nestled in the base of a small mountain, the caves hold thousands of aging barrels of wine. We sampled a 2006 Malbec which they plan on using to make their signature blends. Later he showed us the private cave dining room where we had an impromptu birthday party. If you are planning a trip to wine country, Miner winery is a MUST stop. If you won’t be coming to California anytime in the near future seek out these wines at your local wine shop. Miner wines have been served at the White House so I can guarantee you will not be disappointed. To check out the entire gallery of images from my trip there,

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A few weeks ago, a wonderful chap named Ben stopped by the office to drop off a few bottles of wine for me to sample. It was hot and I was disappointed with his offerings of all red wines. However, when I tasted the Project 3000 Syrah on a cold, San Francisco night, I was instantly delighted. With its deep purple hues and fresh pepper aromas, this wine was both bold and subtle at the same time. The second glass was better than the first, as the bottle had time to breathe. I paired it with a delicious dinner salad filled with grilled chicken and fragrant lemon basil, but this would work wonderfully with grilled meats and gourmet sausages.

At the Yunessun Spa Resort in Hakone, Japan you can enjoy more than 25 different kinds of spa related services and recreational water activities. While there are plenty of normal spa treatments, and wild water slides for the adventurous, it is their unusual foodie soaks that keep folks interested. From now until September 26, you’ll be able to enjoy a ramen bath, with or without curry.

If the idea of soaking in broth doesn’t tickle your fancy, then perhaps a soak in green tea, coffee, or red wine will do the trick?

To check out video footage of the new ramen bath,

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good evening! i finally made it to the beach today but it was a little chilly for my taste and a drop overcast – i trekked all the way down very early in the morning to san diego to go to torrey pines state beach (a totally awesome beach) which was about a two hour drive down but like a 3.5 hour drive back – oh my gosh traffic on the I5 interstate was a total drag! the most color i got was on my right shoulder simply from driving! i think next time i’m going to try something a bit more local like malibu!

instead of the usual drama with britney spears (who is currently flushing her career down the toilet…) or lindsay lohan (who last i heard is cleaning her own toilet – oh the horror!) let’s check in with crystal gayle – my main childhood memory of her revolves around the super long hair she was always rockin’! plus who doesn’t agree that her mega hit don’t it make my brown eyes blue (a performance is posted below) is one of the best songs ever?!? tonight as i was doing a little research on ms. gayle – i found out that she’s loretta lynn’s sister – maybe that’s something everybody already knows but not me – what a cool ass pair of sisters – my little pop discovery of the day! anyways both sisters are still doing their thing – and recently crystal was performing in las vegas – and guess what?!? her hair is still as long as ever! ok i do adore her but something about really long hair sorta freaks me out – does anyone else agree? i know it’s her novelty but i think it could be time for a haircut…

here’s a funny quick story (for me at least) since i’m feeling all ‘chatty cathy’ tonight (hello red wine!) in college my pal judee had really long hair – she asked me to cut off about an inch but i’m not very good at that sort of thing (don’t ever ask me to give you a trim) i cut it all uneven & messy – i had to keep cutting off more to make it even – i think subconsciously my feelings about long hair came up – before you know it her hair was like shoulder length! although she was kinda angry – it actually looked great and made her look thinner & younger! i hope that secretly deep down inside she loved it too! i have to check in with her (she’s in el paso texas) it has been years!

below is a recent picture of ms. gayle with her long hair plus an old cover of people magazine (june 5th ‘78) which featured sisters crystal & loretta! plus the vintage video is pretty great of crystal singing her classic tune! thanks for bearing with me with this overly long post! although i don’t cover all the latest gossip – i hope you guys enjoy my editorial picks & commentary (which i often agonize over what to post on) i still can’t believe that next month (sept 12th) will mark popbytes’ 4th year! to be 100% honest – after doing this for so long it does become very tiring but seriously i wouldn’t give it up for anything! much love to all as always – popbytes over & out for tonight…xxoo!

Yesterday afternoon, Yum and I were lucky enough to find ourselves in the company of a bottle of Peter Franus Cabernet Sauvignon. Sadly, we were a bit disappointed at first. With a tinge of harshness the medium bodied wine was good, but had Yum saying, “I’m not going to go run out and buy this bottle.” However a mere 15 minutes later – as we moved onto a second glass – our thoughts began to change. The wine had some time to breathe and this glass was smoother, with a deep richness that allowed me to note and embrace the underlying earthy aromas. Paired with a perfectly cooked lamb chop, this wine would be absolutely luscious. Give it a try for yourself – this Cab Sav grows on you in all the right ways. It’s on sale now over at this fabulous little website called Radcru. They sell hard to find wines, up-and-coming cult labels, and overall just fun bottles featuring a new one everyday. With a limited amount of each bottle, the wines are quickly snapped up by those in the know.

Dried beans might not come to mind when you are looking for an easy meal to feed your family, however lentils are a great source of protein and cook in under a half an hour. During the warmer months I often make large dinner salads because they are crisp, healthy, and can be thrown together in a short amount of time. For tonight’s dinner make this lentil salad with bacon, sauteed onions and carrots, and a red wine mustard vinaigrette. Sound good? Want the recipe? Well,

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PartySugar mentioned that we were fortunate enough to meet Michael Chiarello last week – she also mentioned that we got to taste the wines from the Napastyle Wine Club. What she didn’t mention was that one of the wines really stood out from the rest. I even had to take a picture of the bottle and remind myself to look it up when we got back. The wine was a 2004 Ars Nova from Tandem winery in Spain’s Yerri Valley. It was a smooth rustic red blend consisting of Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot grapes. According to Napastyle’s website the “Fancypants Adjectives” (their wording!) associated with the wine are “dry and lean with cherries, violets and cedar hints.” I couldn’t have agreed more. It had a nice fruity taste, reminded me a bit of chocolate and was incredibly smooth. And although it could be consumed perfectly on its own, I want to get my hands on a bottle to pair with grilled lamb chops!

Contact your local wine merchant to locate a bottle of your own, or order it online at Oddbins (UK) for £9.49.

A few weeks ago I rushed into my favorite local wine shop (I can’t tell you how great it is to have a local wine shop!) and announced to the always amazing Jason, that I needed something red that would pair wonderfully with tapas. My sister was home and my dad and I were having a Spanish tapa fiesta. Jason – who is totally in the know with all things wine and good buddies with George Lucas’ personal sommelier – showed me the perfect bottle. An aged red from the northwest central region of Spain, the bottle’s label was surprisingly simple. When I arrived home bottle in hand, I was devastated to see my sister had stopped at Cost Plus and had picked up a bottle of Malbec for dinner. She had already poured a glass, so the Legaris Crianza went into the cellar.

Fast forward to National Grilled Cheese Day when my bff Emily was over for wine and grilled cheese. We opened the Legaris and were absolutely amazed. I loved this smooth wine with a silky texture and plum undertones. It’s a very balanced red that slides down the throat and is far from over-powering with berry notes lingering on the finish. I asked Emily to pour me what I thought was my second glass and we were both shocked to see we had finished the entire bottle without even noticing! If you are looking for a radiant red to pair with a Spanish style menu, I highly suggest trying this wine – I know I’m definitely having it again!