The Chia Co. is setting up shop in the Flatiron District this weekend.
Credit: Provided

They may have been last summer’s darlings, but chia seeds have definitely not gone out of style. A great source of omega-3 fatty acids, they have 5 grams of fiber per tablespoon and nutrients including iron, calcium, magnesium and zinc.

Check out this pint-size superfood this weekend at The Chia Co.’s pop-up bar in the Flatiron District. Beginning at 8 a.m., they’re giving away free Chia Pods in an array of fruit flavors, as well as lemon-date, vanilla and coffee bean, all made with seeds that are grown sustainably and without chemicals. Catch them through Sunday!

The Chia Co. Pop-Up Breakfast Bar
Flatiron Plaza North
23rd Street and Fifth Avenue
Thursday-Sunday, 8 a.m.

The post Start your day with free Chia Pods from The Chia Co. this weekend appeared first on Metro.us.

A woman takes part in the Vixen workout. Empowerment is a big part of the Vixen workout, a hip-hop dance class.
Credit: Reuters

Before the music begins members of the women-only exercise class, dressed in shredded tank tops, full makeup and wedged sneakers, pose seductively before studio mirrors and chant, “Yes, I’m sexy. Yes, I’m fierce. Yes, I’ve got this.”

Empowerment is a big part of the Vixen workout, a hip-hop dance class with a night club feel that fitness experts say offers a cardio girls’ night out to women who may be keen to channel their inner Beyonce, Ciara or Rihanna, but wouldn’t be caught dead in a gym.

“It’s all about wearing your sexiest leggings, putting on your brightest red lipstick and taking your hair down so you can bend over and shake it,” said Jolie Bedini, 40, a single mother who takes a Miami Vixen class up to five times a week.

Fueled by the songs from rap stars Lil Wayne, Rick Ross and Pitbull, the workout mixes sultry dance moves such as booty battles, kitten stretches and twerks with body lunges and squats.

“A bit of sexy dancing and you’re into the zone,” said Bedini, noting that the workout helped her lose weight.

Up to 100 women attend the party-lit, hour-long, mostly evening classes, which began in Miami and have spread to New Jersey, Los Angeles and Chicago.

The workout is the brainchild of Janet Jones, a former Miami Heat basketball team dancer and hip-hop performer.

Jones said the concept emerged from the invisibility she felt after her pregnancy and taking a nine-to-five job, a time she refers to as her black hole.

“Jennifer Lopez, Beyonce, they’re all vixens. Beyonce is the ultimate vixen but I think every woman has a vixen inside her,” Jones said.

She said encouraging clients to dress for a girls’ night out gets them into the performance spirit.

“Most of them have never experienced themselves as performers. All of a sudden they’re focusing on getting the movement, picking up the choreography. They work harder and lose weight,” she explained. “If I have no makeup and I’m in sweats, I don’t feel like a vixen.”

Shirley Archer, a spokeswoman for the American Council on Exercise, said the Vixen workout is effective.

“Everyone is getting their heart rates up and moving continuously throughout the routine,” said Archer, author of “The Everything Wedding Workout Book.”

Learning dance moves is also great brain exercise as it challenges the mind-body connection, coordination and memorization. 

“The best exercise for you is the exercise that you actually do,” she explained. “Making the workout fun, like a girls night out at a dance club, is a great way to motivate women who enjoy dancing to keep on training, which is key to getting results.”

Jones said the women in the classes average 25 to 35 years old but some are in their 70′s.

“My mother-in law takes the class,” she said. “All women need a time for themselves to be a little rebellious.”

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Makeup artist B Wilson puts the finishing touches on a client. / Dollface Studios

We spoke with makeup artist B Wilson of Just B Beautiful for insider tips on how to stay looking bright and fresh despite the heat. Wilson and her “glam squad” offer on-location hair and makeup services in New York, New Jersey and Philadelphia.

Here are the tricks — and the products — she swears by.

1. Lighten up

“Leave that damn highlighter alone!” Wilson says. “When you sweat, your pores are open, so if you have makeup on your skin the makeup is going right into your pores and clogging them up. Wear the least amount of makeup possible and focus on your natural glow.” If you’re not brave enough to go totally bare, try a dab of tinted moisturizer and then contour with a light bronzer like Soleil Tan de Chanel. Absolutely refuse to give up foundation? Wilson recommends Urban Decay’s Naked Skin, which is “super light, but gives surprisingly full coverage.”

2. Get a (sunless) tan — no matter what your skin color is

Use a sunless tanner on your legs, whether you’re “the palest of pale to the darkest of dark,” says Wilson: “I’m African American, and I still get a spray tan on my legs.” The trick is a very light touch; you’re going for a subtle glow just a shade or two darker than your natural color to create a smooth, even, firm look. Wilson goes to The Bronzed Bee in Philadelphia for a customized airbrush spray tan. For a cheaper DIY option, she likes Airbrush Legs by Sally Hansen or Jergens Natural Glow.

3. Make an easy at-home cellulite eraser

Mask cellulite with this simple recipe:

• Instant coffee (caffeinated)
• Almond oil or vitamin E oil
• Brown sugar

Combine the ingredients, gently scrub in the shower, rinse off, and then admire your firm-looking thighs and butt. The smoothing effects will last for hours, Wilson says. Store any extra mixture in a mason jar for up to five days.

Expert tip: Do not use regular ground (not-instant) coffee, unless there’s a sexy plumber you want to invite over — it will clog the drain.

B’s bonus tip: Banish excess shine

This isn’t for everyday, but if you’re prepping for a special occasion, “wash, moisturize — and then prime with Milk of Magnesia,” Wilson says. “It acts as a barrier for the excessive sebum that builds up, and keeps your face smooth and matte the entire day.” Just dab it on with a cotton ball and then cover the chalkiness with a light tinted moisturizer or powder.

The post Summer beauty tricks to try right now appeared first on Metro.us.

When you travel to a foreign place, it’s always nice to see a little reminder of home, even if it does just take the form of an American chain business you don’t usually go to like McDonalds. The same goes for tourists visiting our country, whose homesickness might ebb at the sight of the following places.

1. Aroma Espresso Bar

Aroma Espresso Bar is based in Israel, where it is extremely popular.
Credit: Wikimedia Commons/Yakov

In terms of street ubiquity, Aroma is the Israeli equivalent of Starbucks. According to the Israeli newspaper Haaretz, the country boasts 123 branches of the popular chain. For a nation with a  population smaller than that of New York City, it’s not a figure to scoff at. In addition to coffee and other beverages, the espresso bar serves salads, sandwiches and traditional Israeli items such as shakshuka, a tomato-based egg dish, or  mint-infused lemonade called limonana.

2. Prêt a Manger

Don’t be fooled by its French name — Pret a Manger is actually a British chain.
Credit: Wikimedia Commons/Russavia

Though its name is French, Prêt a Manger is a British business that opened up its first location in London. The founder’s wife came up with the name, which translates to “ready to eat” — inspired by the phrase “prêt a porter” (ready to wear), the Food & Drink Innovation Network reported. Prêt boasts that from the beginning the company has always focused on serving food made with “natural, preservative-free ingredients,” their website says.

3. Tim Hortons

Some say Tim Hortons is the Canadian version of Dunkin’ Donuts.
Credit: Wikimedia Commons/Wladyslaw

Though not as widespread in the U.S. as our Dunkin’ Donuts, Tim Hortons is extremely popular up in Canada, its native country. Originally just a coffee and donut place, their menu has expanded since its 1964 opening and now offers a variety of breakfast items. In 1995, Tim Hortons and Wendy’s International joined in a partnership that ended 11 years later when, according to their website, Tim Hortons went public and became a stand-alone company, with shares now trading on the New York and Toronto stock exchanges.

4. Pie Face

Pie Face is an Australian company that now has six branches in New York.
Credit: Wikimedia Commons/Business Slayer

Pie Face is one of the most recent franchises to hit New York, but it is well established down under in Australia. Like its name suggests, the bakery’s menu includes a wide selection of pies, both sweet and savory, as well as baked goods and beverages, such as “Kick My Arse” super strong coffee. The first of its six New York locations is near the set of David Letterman’s show, which prompted Letterman to feature Pie Face during one of his segments —  ”the largest driver of any of the PR [they] did,” CEO Wayne Homschek told the New York Daily News.

5. Paris Baguette

Though its name suggests otherwise, Paris Baguette is a Korean chain bakery.
Credit: Wikimedia Commons/Archeos

Paris Baguette calls South Korea home, where it opened its first store in 1988 and has since become a household name. Here in the U.S., the chain has expanded to house stores on both coasts, making up a sizable share of their 1,800 locations worldwide, their website reports. Paris Baguette offers breads, pastries and desserts in addition to sandwiches and beverages, and includes traditional Korean baked goods.

6. Trader Joe’s

Trader Joe’s is owned by a German family.
Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Grocery store Trader Joe’s was founded by an American (named, you guessed it, Joe), started in the U.S. and only has locations within the nation’s borders. However, the all-American supermarket now belongs to a German family trust that also owns Aldi, a popular supermarket in Germany that also has locations in the U.S., Businessweek Magazine wrote. The brothers to whom Trader Joe’s and Aldi belonged until recently became two of the richest men in Germany, Forbes reported; the two have since passed away though their family retains ownership of the trust.

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Wolfgang Puck’s Buttermilk French Toast with Fresh Berry Compote.

We recently spent some time chatting with restauranteur/celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck at his Wolfgang Puck American Grille in the Borgata in Atlantic City. Puck wanted to talk about his cookbook, “Wolfgang Puck Makes It Healthy: Light, Delicious Recipes and Easy Exercises for a Better Life” — but we wanted to talk about decadent brunches instead.

Home cooks, here is how to make Wolfgang Puck’s Buttermilk French Toast with Fresh Berry Compote. It’s made to serve four, so invite a few friends over for a leisurely Sunday brunch.

Ingredients
French toast:
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 large egg whites
2 cups buttermilk
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
8 slices good-quality whole wheat bread, each about 1 inch thick, halved diagonally
Butter-flavored nonstick cooking spray

Fresh berry compote:
¾ cup fresh blueberries
¾ cup fresh raspberries
3 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
3 ounces fresh orange juice (from about 1 large orange)
Pinch of kosher salt

Directions
To Assemble:
Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting (optional)
Fresh berries (optional)

For the French toast:
• In a large, wide bowl, whisk together the eggs, egg whites, buttermilk, honey, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt.
• Over medium heat, heat a heavy nonstick skillet, or a pair of skillets, large enough to hold all the French toast slices in a single layer without crowding. Dip the bread slices into the egg mixture, turning them and making sure they are completely saturated.
• Spray the heated skillet or skillets with nonstick cooking spray. Add the soaked bread pieces and cook until golden brown on both sides, 5 to 7 minutes total.
• Meanwhile, prepare the fresh berry compote: In a nonreactive saucepan, combine the blueberries, raspberries, honey, orange zest, orange juice, and salt. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally, and continue simmering just until the berries have given up some of their juices and have turned slightly syrupy, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a serving bowl and keep warm.
• Assemble the dish: Arrange two slices of the French toast on each of four heated serving plates. Spoon some of the compote over each serving. If you like, spoon a little confectioners’ sugar into a small, fine-mesh sieve held over each plate and tap the sieve lightly to dust the French toast; then, garnish with fresh berries. Serve immediately, passing more fresh berry compote at the table.

The post Recipe: Wolfgang Puck’s Buttermilk French Toast appeared first on Metro.us.

Heighten your sexual experience by actually getting high. Foria, a cannabis-infused “sensual enhancement oil,” is now on the market, kind of — residents of California with a valid doctor’s letter can purchase the spray.

Without using too many euphemisms, the weed lube is made from medicinal marijuana and coconut oil and works by spraying it six times on your lady parts. And then you wait about 30 minutes for Foria to work. You’ll either experience increased pleasure, or sleep like a baby. Either way, you can’t lose!

The makers emphasize that exactly how you’ll react can’t be predicted, because the effects of marijuana change from person to person (and, apparently, genital to genital). If you want to know how other woman reacted, check out Foria’s video of testimonials.

If you’re looking for a regular high — as if you took a pot brownie or a firecracker (which, thanks to a Metro intern, we now know is a pot-and-peanut-butter-on-crackers sandwich) — then take Foria orally. We’re hoping the coconut taste overrides the cannabis; if not, it’ll probably clear out when you’re satisfying your munchies with the leftover peanut butter and crackers. 

The post Marijuana lube is a real thing appeared first on Metro.us.

An Amazon representative shows off the Firefly scanning feature on the new Fire smartphone at the company’s campus in Seattle, Washington, June 18, 2014. REUTERS/Jason Redmond

Amazon.com Inc’s new Fire smartphone features “gimmicks” — such as 3D effects and object scanner — that may not be enough to entice users away from similarly priced Apple Inc iPhones and Samsung’s Galaxy S5, reviewers said.

Among the features of its first smartphone, Amazon has introduced Dynamic Perspective, four cameras that track a user’s face and simulate a 3D effect on the screen.

The phone also touts a Firefly scanner that allows users to point the phone at an object and be directed to Amazon’s online store to buy it.

Those features, however, failed to impress reviewers of the phone, which goes on sale Friday.

“The Fire is the grown-up equivalent of a 9-year-old riding a bike with his hands in the air. “Look, Ma, no hands!”,” Wall Street Journal’s Geoffrey Fowler said. “It’s a neat gimmick, but it won’t get you very far.”

Fowler said the Fire fell short on delivering on key features users desire in a smartphone – long battery life and the availability of popular apps such as Google’s YouTube and Google Maps.

“The success and potential of the Fire Phone rests on Firefly and Dynamic Perspective — cool technologies that both rely on developers finding better ways to use them,” The Verge’s David Pierce said.

“Right now, they’re just fixing a problem nobody has.”

The Fire has specifications similar to high- and mid-range smartphones and runs on a modified version of Google’s Android operating system.

Amazon is offering buyers a one-year membership to Prime, its two-day delivery and streaming service.

Fire is priced at $649 contract-free or $199.99 with a contract on AT&T Inc – a departure from the e-commerce giant’s strategy to sell Kindle Fire tablets at near-cost to sell content tied to its ecosystem.

Walt Mossberg, writing on the tech blog Recode, said the biggest problems for the new phone were that it was only being sold on one mobile network and was tied to Amazon’s ecosystem.

“Its unique features don’t provide enough utility, and come at the expense of both battery life and performance,” Engadget’s Brad Molen said. “Amazon’s debut phone isn’t bad, per se, but there’s little incentive for anyone to switch carriers or platforms to buy it.”

Amazon’s shares were flat at $358.81 in late morning trading on the Nasdaq. The stock has gained 10 percent in the last three months.

The post Amazon’s smartphone fails to kindle a ‘Fire’ among reviewers appeared first on Metro.us.

No, cleaning is not usually glamorous, but it has its rewards.
Credit: Getty Images

If you’re concerned that your child’s perpetually messy room will cause him to grow up to be a disorganized, ineffective adult, rest easy. A tidy room isn’t necessarily as crucial to a child’s development as parents might expect, though it certainly does offer short- and long-term benefits.

“Is a messy room going to leave a kid less capable as an adult than they would have been otherwise? I’d say no,” said educational psychologist Jane M. Healy, author of “Your Child’s Growing Mind” and other books. “There are more important things in child-rearing than making sure every shelf is labeled.”

But Healy says that cleaning and organizing a bedroom or playroom presents teachable moments for all ages. “There are wonderful opportunities to work on color matching, classifying and sorting. For older kids, it can be planning ahead, having a goal, outlining the steps to get to that goal.”

And Ellen Delap, a certified professional organizer and spokeswoman for the National Association of Professional Organizers, says an organized room can help prevent kids from becoming frustrated, anxious and overwhelmed.

“An uncluttered space can help them be the best people they can be,” she says. “Kids get overwhelmed with the number of toys, clothes and technology in their spaces — it’s frustrating to find what they need.”

So while parents shouldn’t worry that they’re dooming their children to life as a slob if they don’t clean their rooms, it can’t be overlooked that helping them develop some habits of tidying and organizing can’t hurt. “What this offers is an opportunity for you to help your child shape their adult attitudes as well as their adult habits,” says Healy.

The post Cleaning their room is good for kids’ mental health appeared first on Metro.us.

Morty and Lee Kaufman have worked out a certain division of labor when it comes to chores over 45 years of marriage.
Credit: Diane Bondareff/Invision for Swiffer/AP Images

Swiffer’s power couple may not clean together, but they know what it takes to make a relationship work.

Morty and Lee Kaufman, the elderly couple who made cleaning commercials fun again, have enjoyed 45 happy years together. At a recent event to unveil a new Swiffer campaign featuring “Modern Family”‘s Eric Stonestreet and his mom, the Kaufmans shared their secrets to staying happy, their division of labor at home and what’s really important in life.

Dr. Michelle Callahan: What’s your secret?
Morty: The secret is being in love. And I don’t do any cleaning. But I do do laundry, and I do it well.
Lee: You have to know why he does it well. It all started because if there was a stain, it didn’t come out or I didn’t know how to take it out, the chemist knew how and eventually he got to do the laundry because he could take out all the spots.
Morty: I was a pharmacist for many years.
Lee: Until he got to be the laundry man.
Morty: It’s easier, it’s more efficient, I don’t mind watching her at all.

Do you ever have any tensions around cleaning in your home?
Morty: Tension? Never. Not with anything because you have to compromise, and if you do, just give in.

Happy wife, happy life?
Morty: Ours is a lovely relationship. I’ve been married 45 years, and I’m ready for another 45. 

Who’s the messy one?
Morty: I make the mess. And she or our cleaning service cleans it up.
Lee: It’s been working out quite well for the last 45 years. And the second time around will be twice as good.

Metro: When is your wedding anniversary?
Morty: She picked it. Valentine’s Day.
Lee: We got married on Valentine’s Day; I picked that day. And I’m glad that I did — it’s been lovely every one of the years that we’ve been married. It’s a pleasure.

What do you do to celebrate?
Morty: Family gets together. Family is very important. Very important.
Lee: We have family across the continent, we have children in California, we have one in Colorado, and three here [in the New York area].
Morty: And we eat out a lot.
Lee: Less cooking.

Then you don’t have to do the dishes.
Lee: And besides rather than cook, I’d much rather bake. So I’ll make dessert, but then we have no meal. 

Morty, you said you were a pharmacist. Lee, what was your profession?
Lee: Teacher. Elementary school teacher.
Morty: She was a teacher for 22 years. First grade and she never graduated from first grade.
Lee: I stayed. I did lower grades primarily. I first started out as a substitute teacher and I came down the line and finally ended up in first grade where I stayed and I liked it since.

I bet you would have wanted a big green Swiffer box there, right? It must be messy in a first-grade classroom.
Lee: Yeah, but everything works out. Everything fell into place. I think if you have the right attitude, if you have passion in what you do, it’s good.

The post Swiffer’s power couple Morty and Lee Kaufman talk life, love, cleaning appeared first on Metro.us.

Eric Stonestreet teamed up with his mom for the Swiffer ads.
Credit: Matt Sayles/Invision for Swiffer

Swiffer’s new spokesman Eric Stonestreet, best known for his role as Cam on “Modern Family,” recognizes the effect cleaning can have on his own mental wellbeing. “I am a self-proclaimed clean freak. I think life is cluttered and dirty, and we don’t want a home that’s cluttered and dirty as well.”

Stonestreet and his mother teamed up for the cleaning company’s new advertising campaign. Three quarters of adults surveyed — and Stonestreet counts himself among them — say they try to pass the “mom test” when they clean. But besides being the voice in his ear when it comes to cleaning, his mom also inspired him in another way.

“In the beginning of [“Modern Family”] I based the character on my mom’s mannerisms and voice and things like that,” Stonestreet tells Metro. “[It] was a really cool honor to be able to bring her along” for the commercial.

Eric Stonestreet considers himself a “clean freak.”
Credit: Diane Bondareff/Invision for Swiffer

Though Cam has been known to fall short in cleaning when it comes to the house he shares with his husband, Mitchell, off camera Stonestreet and Jesse Tyler Ferguson are “pretty clean,” Stonestreet said. “We share a trailer so he has one side and I have the other, and his room is very neat and tidy and I think mine is pretty much, too.”

As for his own personal cleaning tips, Stonestreet says he tries not to procrastinate on cleaning. “Stay ahead of it, don’t let it get too messy, don’t let it get too dirty. If you’re constantly doing a little bit of cleaning all the time, that beats having to do a lot at one time.”

Fortunately for Stonestreet, he actually finds some aspects of cleaning enjoyable. “I like when there’s a mess and I can watch it go away. It’s something very pleasing to the eye when there is dust or something and then it’s gone,” he says.

The post Eric Stonestreet tidies for Swiffer, dishes on ‘Modern Family’ appeared first on Metro.us.

Eric Stonestreet, Swiffer’s newest spokesman and the star of its upcoming ad campaign, says he and his “Modern Family” co-star Jesse Tyler Ferguson are both fairly tidy in real life.
Credit: Swiffer

Men are stepping up more than their fathers did when it comes to sharing chores in the modern American family.

According to an online survey sponsored by Swiffer, “Americans feel today that men are helping more with household chores, almost twice as much as their dads did when they were growing up,” psychologist Dr. Michelle Callahan says.

Still, 71 percent of the women polled believe they do most of the cleaning in their home, while 82 percent of wives refrain from asking for help because they don’t want to be perceived as a “nag.”

“Families are changing, and so are our roles when it comes to cleaning,” Callahan says. “It’s true that cleaning is part of the tension in the home; in fact our Swiffer Cleaning Index shows that 85 percent of couples feel that cleaning tensions cause stress in their relationship.”

A clean home is a happy one

Dr. Michelle Callahan, a relationship expert, offered this advice on keeping your home clean — and peaceful.

For women: “What we found in the study is that 61 percent of the husbands would be willing to help if only they were asked. Sometimes we only have to speak up and let people know what we need.”

For men: “You don’t have to wait to be asked; you can just jump right in and lend a hand today, because the majority of women are saying something as simple as dirty or sticky floors or even food crumbs and just little yuckiness on the floor are in the way. In five minutes you’ve made a significant improvement on something that would otherwise be causing stress at home.”

The post Cleaning and the ‘Modern Family’: Men taking on more chores appeared first on Metro.us.

The NYS Department of Education’s new Common Core standards have been in place for two years now.
Credit: Wikimedia Commons

What’s the best way to measure the proficiency of New York State elementary and middle school students? Some educators protest that new, tougher Common Core learning standards released last year are too tough on students.

Earlier this week, the New York State’s Department of Education released a sample of the questions from this year’s test, the second year in a row that the new Common Core standards have been in place, reported WNYC.

Only 31 percent of students were deemed proficient by the tougher standards upon their release last year, but the test continues to see complaints by teachers criticizing the tests for being too hard for the second year in a row – especially after seeing for themselves the nature of the Common Core questions.

“I’m a little surprised at the kind of language, the kind of grammatical structures, the kind of vocabulary that was in many of them,” said Jenny Tuten, an associate professor of literacy education at Hunter College, told the station. “Just being able to identify a change is a kind of sophisticated thinking about a short story and then being able to determine which of those pairs of words is correct, that’s hard.”

The questions released this year constitute about half of the entire test, as opposed to the quarter released to the public in 2013.

The slim selection of questions released last year were criticized widely, and State Education Commissioner John King promised to release more of them this year. In a statement to reporters, King said “We’ve listened to New York State educators make the case that having more test questions available would benefit our kids so we’ve doubled the number and provided a thorough explanation for every student response.”

Click through to EngageNY to see for yourself all of the questions and answers the state has released this year.

The post NYS Department of Education releases Common Core sample questions appeared first on Metro.us.

Socializing your dog for city living is key.
Credit: Thinkstock

Until Doug Smith, the founder of West Village Dog Walkers, began walking downtown pooches for a living, he never considered himself a small dog person. Now that he has nearly a decade of experience with every kind of dog lower Manhattan has to offer, he’s changed his tune.

“As hyper as some small dogs can be, others are pretty low-key,” Smith said.

Another plus:  the ability to transport them — a lesson Smith learned after one Staffordshire terrier snacked on a stash of rat poison on the way back into his owner’s building. “I picked him up like a football and sprinted ten blocks to the vet. They pumped his stomach right then and there,” Smith said. His speed ended up saving the pup’s life – a feat that’s a bit tougher to imagine with a German Shepherd.

For aspiring dog owners with limited space, Smith recommends breeds like Shih Tzus, who are calm and sleep a lot. For those who prefer to think bigger, English bulldogs require limited exercise. Still, Smith asserts, nothing is completely off limits, “you can have whatever kind of dog you want in Manhattan, as long as you’re willing to put in the effort,” he says.

Smart walking strategies can help dogs stay happy and healthy in even the most congested neighborhoods. Highly trafficked pedestrian strips can be too chaotic for dogs, so Smith tends to avoid streets like Bleecker or Fifth.

He prefers quiet residential streets like Bedford, which runs between Christopher Street and Sixth Avenue. For longer strolls, Smith enjoys the long, open stretch along the Hudson River Park off of West Side Highway.

If heading for a dog park, Smith advises, supervise your dog closely to be sure he’s playing nice. “Dog owners can be just like super defensive parents,” Smith jokes. “They’ll say, ‘my son would never do that!’”

Since New Yorkers and canines live in quarters a bit closer than most, socializing your dog for city living is key. “This is one of the most populated cities in the world. People will be running up and asking to pet your dog — you don’t want to have to say, ‘no, he’s not friendly,’” Smith said.

It’s also polite to ask fellow walkers and owners about their dog’s comfort level before engaging.
Ultimately, our pups respond to the signals we send them. “Be patient,” Smith said. “Dogs respond to the energy of the person walking them. They really pick up on that.”

Treat your pooch

Pamper your four-legged pal with a trip to Zoomies, lower Manhattan’s lifestyle boutique for dogs.

The swanky spot is co-owned by Angelique Graux, a former Parisian restaurateur, who now caters solely to canines as a dog biscuit chef. The organic indulgences contain real ingredients like egg, bacon and cheese, and are made without no-nos like oil and butter.

Even Graux was shocked at how picky different pooches can be, “I thought, oh, all dogs will go for the cheese. But some don’t! We started off with five treats, and now we have ten” says says.

She rewards her own beloved Chow with the ginger ball cookie.

Shoppers will also find an array of U.S.A. and Canada-made accessories, like beds, blankets, collars and leashes, in addition to a selection of toys. But there’s no need for clients to feel overwhelmed. Graux encourages clients to bring in their dogs and let them decide what they like for themselves: “they start shopping right away!”

The post Happy pooch: Lessons from a dog walker appeared first on Metro.us.

The average person spends 52 hours a year looking up medical issues on the Internet.
Credit: Getty Images

At some point, maybe we all suffer a little bit of what’s been dubbed “cyberchondria.” After all, who hasn’t looked up a pain, rash or other symptom on the Internet to self-diagnose? But a recent study estimated that the average American adult spends an astounding 52 hours a year looking up medical issues.

According to Dr. Sam Altstein, medical director of Beth Israel Medical Group, that statistic isn’t surprising. “I see a lot of folks who’ve been looking up symptoms on the Internet. At least once a day, someone comes in and has Googled a symptom and in seconds they’re told they have HIV or cancer or are about to die. It’s mostly very, very wrong.”

This type of self-misdiagnosis isn’t exactly a new phenomenon: Cyberchondria is the millennial offspring of old-fashioned newspaper health articles and advice columns.

“Patients would bring in articles from the newspaper or a magazine — some still do,” says Altstein. “But that was more of a background hum. Now with the Internet, it’s more of a roar.”

When does it become a problem?

Someone who is spending an inordinate amount of time looking up symptoms on the Internet should see a doctor. He or she might have hypochondriasis, also known as hypochondria — excessive worrying about illness, which in itself is a sickness.

“That’s a very real condition, and the Internet feeds on that,” says Altstein. “We have to hear these patients out and guide them, but it’s hard to combat phobias. [To them,] an anecdote is more powerful than a study with real evidence, or even a real diagnosis.”

Stressing the person and the system

Hypochondriac or not, anxiety caused by worrying about possible illness adds stress to both the individual and the healthcare system.

“It impacts the patient’s life if they’re taking time off work and spending time on the Internet doing this. It adds unnecessary stress to their lives,” says Altstein. “It drives up costs with extraneous tests. We can’t blow off someone who comes in with a health concern. We need to at least do a physical exam or blood tests. They might get X-rays, which give unnecessary radiation.”

Researching symptoms or illnesses on the Internet can sometimes help, however — especially for minor issues that can be treated easily at home, but only if the information is reliable.

“You have to look carefully at who’s writing the advice,” Altstein says. “If you just put a symptom into a search engine, then all sorts of non-medical sites or blogs come up. These probably won’t have any research behind them. Choose medical sites like the Mayo Clinic’s and Web M.D., which have a better perspective.”

Getting help

If you think you have an unreasonable fixation with self-diagnosis via the Web, Altstein advises seeking help. “If a patient comes to me and is clicking endlessly on the Internet looking at illnesses, then this is a new anxiety disorder, probably affecting a person functioning normally. We have to manage it and address concerns. I advise a combination of SSRI [anti-anxiety] meds to manage the condition in conjunction with psychotherapy to find the underlying reason why they are so afraid of illness or obsessed with being sick.”

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The High Line is a great place to spend a sunny day, but remember to stay hydrated.
Credit: Getty Images

We’ve been lucky in New York City this summer, with only three days when the mercury hit 90 degrees or more in July. But heat-related complications can occur at even lower temperatures.

Heat illness is a spectrum of conditions ranging from mild symptoms resulting in heat exhaustion to heat stroke, in which your body fails to regulate its internal temperature, which can cause damage to your cardiovascular and central nervous systems.

The first three recommendations are to drink, drink, drink. Staying well hydrated on hot summer days, whether it’s with water or sports beverages, is key. Alcoholic, carbonated and caffeinated drinks might actually raise your body temperature and/or contribute to dehydration.

On days when heat and humidity are high, stay indoors as much as possible. The high humidity prevents evaporation of sweat, impairing your body’s ability to cool itself.

Certain medical conditions might also interfere with your body’s cooling mechanisms. The heat can also exacerbate the symptoms of these illnesses.

Exercising outdoors in temperatures above 80 degrees can be dangerous. Limit your activities to the cooler early morning or late afternoon hours.

Getting warmer

After spending time in the heat, there could be a problem if you:

• feel faint
• get nauseated
• have a headache

These could be the first signs or symptoms of heat-related illness. Find a shady area or air-conditioned building, and drink a cold beverage to bring your temperature down and avoid heat stroke. If you become ill, seek medical help.

Dr. Mark Melrose is a board-certified emergency physician at Urgent Care Manhattan. E-mail him your questions at askdrmark@metro.us.

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Famous people are, well, people too, but being watched constantly by the tabloids often doesn’t allow them to express weakness and ask for help.
Credit: Getty Images

On the screen and stage, Robin Williams was a frenetic blur of joyful energy and wit. But behind the smile lurked something we don’t associate with celebrities: depression. Over and over, the sentiment expressed by fellow actors and fans following Williams’ suicide Monday was the disbelief that someone so full of life could end his own.

We tend to think famous people are immune to mundane problems such as depression and substance abuse, which Williams also struggled with. They have money, power and adoring fans — what’s there to be sad about? But it’s not that simple, says Mandy Eppley, a professional counselor.

“Influence through affluence does not change the biological components of depression, nor does it change the emotional and spiritual aspects of depression,” she says. “We have a superficial view: ‘If you have good things, you shouldn’t be struggling.’ That is not the nature of the human journey.”

In the case of mental illness, the trappings of fame can be just that, according to psychotherapist Dr. Jennifer Kunst. Creative people are especially vulnerable, even more so when fame finds them early. Nirvana’s Kurt Cobain took his own life at 27, and child stars often make the news for their public struggles as their careers flag.

“As artists, they tend to be extremely sensitive by nature,” Kunst says. “Such individuals can develop a perfectionistic relationship with their craft, feeling harshly critical of themselves even when they are succeeding.”

Relying on the feedback of others to assess self-worth is a precarious position for anyone, Kunst says. Bad news — a negative review, financial trouble or the winding down of a career — “can lead to tremendous anxiety. They may live under a constant worry that they could lose their success at any minute — and, with it, their sense of personal value,” she says.

Williams had a history of drug and alcohol abuse, often referencing it in his comedy. (“I went to rehab in wine country, just to keep my options open,” he told the Television Critics Association in 2013.) And though he was sober for two decades, he relapsed in 2006 and sought treatment, then checked himself into rehab again just last month.

“We are a culture that glamorizes pleasure and avoidance of the difficulties of life,” Eppley says. At the extreme, celebrity status can mean celebrating without any moderation. “[Drugs and alcohol are] an easy way for people to cope initially. I think for some people, the addiction just sneaks up on them because they were just having fun with their friends.”

Kunst adds: “Addiction is a chronic, lifelong disease with an up-and-down course that wears both on an individual psyche as well as his or her support system. Relapse is common and is stressful and discouraging.”

Despite struggling with these common problems, because celebrities are under constant watch by tabloids they’re not given the chance to be regular human beings.

“There’s [a lot of] pressure to keep up a false front and little room for celebrities to feel that they can be regular people … admitting their failures, learning through trial and error and seeking help when they need it,” she says.

Suicide in America

Robin Williams actually typifies suicide, according to the latest Centers for Disease Control data from 2011:

• Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the U.S.
• One person takes his or her life every 13.3 minutes
• The highest rate is among white people, aged 45-64, who live in the West.
• Men are over four times more likely to kill themselves.

If you or someone you know is struggling, get help. You can chat online with a trained volunteer at www.IMAlive.org, or call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.

Follow Eva Kis on Twitter @thisiskis or email eva.kis@metro.us. 

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Farmers have been planting kale in place of other crops as its popularity has risen.
Credit: Boston Globe

Let’s get the bad news out of the way first: There’s a kale shortage. The good news is that there’s no reason to stockpile the leafy green juicing staple just yet.

A recent report quoted a major kale seed farm in the Netherlands saying it had run out of every variety of the vegetable — and its insatiable popularity is to blame. But the pain isn’t being felt locally just yet.

Ian Joskowitz, the COO of Westside Market NYC, says the grocer’s 110th Street location alone sells 1,000 pounds of kale a week. Though its supply is stable for now, a shortage wouldn’t be unprecedented — four months ago, the price of kale doubled for about five weeks. That spike was also caused by demand. “The sale of kale, just here, has at least quadrupled over the last two [to] three years,” he says.

Kale has come a long way from the humblest origins. “Especially in the supermarkets, kale was used as a garnish when you set up, like, a fish display,” Joskowitz says. “It was a throwaway vegetable. It’s incredible what has happened to it.”

But it really took off with the rise of juicing, where it was prized for its antioxidants and minerals. Since then, Westside Market has put it in everything, from soups to a Greek yogurt dip. “You almost can’t go wrong. I don’t think we’ve tried to sell kale in any form that hasn’t been successful.”

For NYC’s homegrown Juice Generation, there’s no worry. The juice bar buys upstate farms’ entire crops of kale, with supplies secured through October.

Kale has been good to Juice Generation for 10 years — there’s a reason their chalkboard signs say “Kale is king.” But founder Eric Helms is looking to the next big thing: collard greens.

“The nutritionists that I work with, and the people that help me develop our menu, we feel that collard greens are going to be the new kale,” he says. “I think people are always looking for something new and something with more nutrition and different taste.”

Look for the new varieties starting in October.

Follow Eva Kis on Twitter @thisiskis or email eva.kis@metro.us. 

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Find the recipe for Collard Cooler and other tasty juices in “The Juice Generation.”
Credit: Juice Generation

Ready to give collard greens a try? The leafy veg long sautéed in the South is a good source of protein, potassium, fiber and vitamins A, B12, C, E and K, as well as other good stuff.

Get your green juice fix with this recipe from “The Juice Generation: 100 Recipes for Fresh Juices and Superfood Smoothies” by Eric Helms. (Adjust lemon and lime to taste.)

Ingredients:
• 2 collard greens leaves
• 2 ½ medium green apples
• ½ medium cucumber
• 2 stalks celery
• ½ medium lemon, peeled
• ½ medium lime, peeled

Directions:
Juice all ingredients.

Follow Eva Kis on Twitter @thisiskis or email eva.kis@metro.us. 

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Harry Potter J.K. Rowling, in green, struggled with depression after her divorce.
Credit: Getty Images

Robin Williams’ suicide on Monday put the issue of mental illness in the spotlight.

Williams is just the latest in a long history of celebrities who have killed themselves, or tried to take their own life. Owen Wilson attempted suicide in 2007 after splitting with Kate Hudson. Halle Berry once tried to kill herself by carbon monoxide poisoning. Fashion designer Alexander McQueen, who had battled depression for much of his life, took his own life soon after his mother’s death. Drew Carey attempted suicide — twice. Billy Joel, Elton John and Princess Diana all tried to end their own lives.

Some of the celebrities who have made it through their darkest moments went on to share their stories of what drove them to the brink, and how they pulled themselves back.

The British comedian Stephen Fry tried to kill himself in 2012. In February 2013, he wrote a deeply personal blog post about one of the essential contradictions of being famous and human at the same time.

“What the fuck right do I have to be lonely, unhappy or forlorn? I don’t have the right. But there again I don’t have the right not to have those feelings. Feelings are not something to which one does or does not have rights. In the end loneliness is the most terrible and contradictory of my problems.”

In response, the former spokesman for British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Alastair Campbell, wrote that mental illness would get more clout if it were treated like any other illness.

“Stephen Fry is often called a national treasure. He is clever, witty, hugely successful, massively popular. So ‘what the f— does he have to be depressed about?’ Nothing. It just f—ing is. … We are a long way from the goal of parity of understanding and treatment of physical and mental health. You would never say ‘what does he have to be cancerous about, diabetic about, asthmatic about?’”

Robin Williams, who often spoke openly about his struggles with addiction and depression, said he relapsed after 20 years’ sobriety because of anxiety issues. In 1989, he told the Associated Press how comedy helps him deal with the difficulties of life:

“You look at the world and see how scary it can be sometimes and still try to deal with the fear. Comedy can deal with the fear and still not paralyze you or tell you that it’s going away. You say, ‘OK, you got certain choices here: You can laugh at them, and then once you’ve laughed at them and you have expunged the demon, now you can deal with them.’ That’s what I do when I do my act.”

Sobriety, though, is no inoculation against mental illness. Comedian Rob Delaney detailed his struggles with depression after he got sober in a 2010 Tumblr post.

“I got sober eight years ago and my first episode of depression was seven years ago. I had been in talk-therapy with a psychologist for months and was getting used to life without booze. It’s my understanding that it’s not terribly rare for someone in early sobriety to get depressed.”

And not all depression leads to suicide attempts. In an interview with GQ magazine earlier this year, comedian Louis C.K., suffering depression at the lowest point of his career, pinpointed the frustration of being “all right” when everything is wrong.

“It never stopped getting worse. I remember thinking, ‘This is too much for me to handle.’ I wanted to give up. I knew it was my right to. But then a few minutes would go by and I’d realize, I’m still here. In other words, there was no escape from it. And I’d be a little disappointed at not being truly suicidal. I hated being ‘all right.’”

Surviving with depression doesn’t have to be shameful. It can be a badge of courage. Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling suffered through suicidal thoughts following her separation from her husband and before writing the books that would make her famous. In 2008, she told a student magazine at Edinburgh University:

“I have never been remotely ashamed of having been depressed. Never. What’s to be ashamed of? I went through a really rough time and I am quite proud that I got out of that.”

Follow Eva Kis on Twitter @thisiskis or email eva.kis@metro.us. 

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Hugh Acheson, a chef and “Top Chef” judge, released a pickling recipe book called “Pick a Pickle” earlier this year.
Credit: Getty Images

There’s probably one thing standing in the way of your cooking aspirations: your tiny kitchen.

Enter canning, which “Top Chef” judge Hugh Acheson will be promoting Saturday in Brooklyn for International Can-It-Forward Day. The presentation will be broadcast live at FreshPreserving.com.

“Canning doesn’t have to be the doomsday prepping you remember from your great-grandmother,” Acheson says. “You can preserve small batches from the extra tomatoes or berries you got in your CSA or from the local farmers market.”

Acheson, a James Beard Award-winning chef, started cooking in Canada when he was 15, but it wasn’t until he moved to the South that he began to appreciate canning.

“To me, it’s a gateway of getting people to cook. It’s not about high cooking skills, but all about being involved with seasonal food,” he says. “If you can boil water, you can preserve your food.”

Can-It-Forward Day, presented by Ball mason jar maker Jarden Home Brands, begins at 10 a.m. Or watch the demonstrations on jam making, mixology and urban gardening live online, where you can also submit questions for Acheson.

Follow Eva Kis on Twitter @thisiskis or email eva.kis@metro.us. 

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