The Big O, Cheap bargain finds, and Heel of the week!

THE BIG O: MOST POWERFUL CELEB ON THE BLOCK

Forbes came out with their list of World's Most Powerful Celebrities for 2010, and it's noooo shock that Oprah Winfrey took--or rather earned the number one spot. So how exactly does Forbes make their list and what does most "powerful" really mean? Well the term "power" is not juts about income. They factor in fame, which it measures by calculating how often the individual is mentioned in print, TV, radio and on the Internet. Beyonce Knowles came in at number two, and "Avatar" director James Cameron was number three on the list. Rounding out the top 5 was Lady Gaga just above Tiger Woods at the 4 and 5 spots. I was surprised to see Britney Spears on the top ten (#6 actually) considering she's been pretty low key for the past couple of years-- post head shaving, umbrella hurling incidents of the past.

But clearly this grown up pop princess still has it and is still being written, and talked about. Like now I suppose!!! Since I am writing about her this very second. Ok I am stopping.

So will the Oprah empire ever die down even now that she is planning to step down from her throne? I doubt it. Oprah is and will continue to be a powerhouse--just not always on camera. She'll be working it--behind the scenes. Say what you want about Oprah (and her weight battle) but their is something about this woman that connects to EVERYONE. And that my friends is truly POWERFUL. Ok segwaying from the rich, powerful and famous to most of us normal folks reality: BARGAIN FINDS!

BARGAIN FINDS @ MARSHALLS!!!!

Ok I usually showcase the stiletto of the week, but this weeks heels are extra special because they are not only stunning, but such a BARGAIN find. Nothing is more thrilling than the hunt of a true bargain. I have always loved shopping at consignment shops and thrift stores.Though its been around for a long time, I never noticed how great Marshalls is. Marshalls has such incredible deals-- designer pieces for just a fraction of the cost! And yes you have to be in the mood to shop around and dig a little, but it's well worth the time. These days with the economy we are all looking for a little relief in our wallets and stores like Marshalls and Tj Max are doing just that! I'm sure even Oprah has shopped there with her BFF Gayle King at one time or another.

Heel of the week:

Yes I feel like Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz in these shoes. They are super comfortable even with a 3" heel. I love the peep toe look for summer, and guess what?!!! I paid just $40 dollars for them at Marshalls.

Swimwear:

Picked up this hot pink bikini number for the pool

Love the strapless top. No tan lines yay!

Made by one of my favorite surfer girl brands

And the best part was that it was only $20.00!

Houseware:

This potpourri owl is so cute. Great for a gift or for yourself! I just had to get it. Smells so nice in my apartment thanks to the fresh citrus notes permeating through the air. It's functional and decorative. Did I mention I got it for $15.00?

Do you have any favorite bargain stores or amazing bargain shop finds? Comment below in the comments section or email us at dconheels@gmail.com with your cheap find and photo and will feature it on the blog!

GIVEAWAY:

Don't forget to enter to win Capital Cooking Cookbook. Priced at $29.00 on Amazon, this could be yours for FREE and its autographed by Lauren De Santis! All you have to do is "like" us on our facebook page, and you are automatically entered to win. While your there, tell us a favorite food or recipe you can't live with out!

Vanessa xoxoxxo

July 4th Events & Videos

Happy 234th Birthday America!

DC on HEELS recently took to the streets and asked regular folks, plus some notable D.C. residents, like Black Entertainment Television's CEO Debra Lee and D.C. City Councilman Jack Evans, what they like to do on the Fourth of July. Here's what they said:

And now that you know what everybody else is doing, plan your July 4th celebrations around these FREE events in DC:

A Capitol Fourth Concert

American Idol alum David Archuleta, Darius Rucker (a.k.a. "Hootie" from Hootie and the Blowfish), Reba McEntire and Gladys Knight are all set to perform in this free concert at the Capitol.

Start Time: 8 - 9:30 p.m. (Admittance begins at 3 p.m.)

Location: West Lawn of the U. S. Capitol

Independence Day Parade
Parade

Beauty queens, marching bands and the men & women of the U.S. Military.... need I say more?

Start Time: 11:45 a.m.

Parade Route: Constitution Avenue and 7th to 17th Streets.

4th of July Fireworks on the National Mall Fireworks Time

A must-see if you're in the nation's capital, this is the most spectacular fireworks show inside the Beltway.

Start Time: at Sunset, usually around 9:15 p.m.

Launch Location: The fireworks are launched from the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool and light up the sky over the Washington Monument.

Smithsonian Folklife Festival

The annual event includes daily and evening music and dance performances, and cooking demonstrations.

Start time: The hours on the 4th of July are 11 a.m to 5 p.m.

xoxo,

Markette

Hot in the kitchen with Lauren DeSantis and Fashion Disaster and Darlings

M&V WITH CAPITAL COOKING'S LAUREN DE SANTIS:

We had so much fun in the kitchen with DC's favorite culinary gal from the hit show Capital Cooking with Lauren DeSantis.

We were basting. chopping, cutting, boiling...ok not really, Lauren did most of the work since cooking is neither my or Markette's strong suit. (Look out for our segment titled "Kitchen Confessionals"--where the three of us share our kitchen disaster stories) Lauren showed Markette and I how to make a delicious Tzaziki dip from her new cook book.

Lauren's hit show Capital Cooking takes viewers on a gastronomic journey and her NEW accompanying cook book contains over 90 different recipes including appetizers, main entrees, cocktails, and tons of cooking tips. The best advice Lauren gave us was: keep it simple, prep your ingredients, don't be afraid to dig in, and of course have fun! YOU can win an autographed copy of Lauren's cook book too. "Like" DC on HEELS, post your favorite cooking tip on our wall, and voila you will be automatically entered to win Lauren's new cook book.

You can also buy her cook book from www.amazon.com which retails for $29.99

We kept it fun of course!

All smiles here

Eating the Tzatziki dip that Lauren showed us how to make

And lets not forget about the cocktails we made: Mango Margarita and the Flirtini

To check out more photos go to our FACEBOOK page. Stay tuned for our interview with Lauren. Only on dc50tv.com

FASHION DISASTERS AND DARLINGS: FOR EVERY MISTAKE YOU ARE FINED $100

Brown shirt, red bra showing, brown skirt, and running shoes??? Fined $300

Only one mistake here, one BIG mistake--Is it a boot or a sandal? Not loving these at all

Fined $100 buckaroos

Ok this isn't sooo bad, I just didn't know helmets had "hair flair"-- It's kind of rock and roll though so I get it. Partially fined $50

Thank goodness I ran into Yanee from Alexandria, Va.

Love the floral skirt and strappy sandals!

Yanee is picture perfect in this flirty mini skirt and tank. The tank is form fitting and the fun floral pattern on the skirt keeps it young and fresh. The yellow strappy sandals by Steve Madden add the right kind of "flair" to her look and black sunglasses and an oversized boho bag keeps things urban.

Yanee's three favorite bargain stores to shop are:

Steve Madden (for shoes, like her sandals pictured above)

H&M

Urban Outfitters

Yanee says it's important to keep things light and comfortable for the hot summer, that's why skirts are the perfect choice. She says to steer clear of jeans, as they can look cute but leave you feeling like a hot sweaty mess.

xoxoxoxo

Vanessa

Buff Body of the Week - Fola Awosika

I found this week's Buff Body in the produce aisle at the Giant in D.C. on Park Road...

His name is Fola Awosika and he is the co-owner of TRI Fitness, an on-site personal training service based in Washington, DC that promises to whip Washingtonians into shape one bicep curl at a time.

OK, so it's no secret that exercise is the key to this personal trainer's Buff Body, but when I asked Fola what he ate in order to keep his bod in such tip-top shape, he said:

"Simple carbs: post workout and first thing in the morning. Complex carbs: through out the day and night, as well as pre-workout."

Huh?!?! Since I'm too stoopid to know the difference between a simple carb and a complex one, I 'Googled' the terms and this is what I found:

Simple Carbs:

Simple carbohydrates are also called simple sugars and are chemically made of one or two sugars... They are absorbed quickly -- just think how fast sugar-based candy melts in your mouth. Simple carbs also include foods such as fruit and milk.

Complex Carbs:

Grains such as bread, pasta, oatmeal and rice are complex carbs, as well as some vegetables like broccoli, corn legumes such as kidney beans and chick peas. They take the longest to digest.

Alright, that seems simple (and complex) enough. But I'm still a bit confused. If anybody out there has more buff body nutrition tips, then please leave a note in the comments section below. And, if you wanna nominate yourself or someone you know for Buff Body of the Week, then send an e-mail to: dconheels@gmail.com.

xoxo,

Markette

Maradonna's watches, Celebrity Doppelganger, and 5 Websites that will change your life

WORLD CUP MANIA: LAST MINUTE GOAL AND MARADONNA's FASHION CHOICE?

Three minutes. That's all it took to almost be 86'd out of the World Cup for Team USA. But star player Landon Donavan kicked it into high gear with his thrilling goal, beating the Algerian squad today, and now Team USA advances to the playoff round of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

Most other countries don't view the USA as a leader or winning team in "football. " We are the underdogs when it comes to winning the World Cup, but if today's play by Donavan is any indication of the future, then I'd say it feels great being the underdog. GO USA!

Another team I am looking forward to watching is Argentina.

I lived in Buenos Aires for two years and the excitement that surrounds and unites this south american country when it comes to "soccer" is unmatched to anything I have ever seen. Their national hero Diego Maradonna had god-like status and can't go anywhere in the country without being mobbed. I noticed years ago when I was living there that he would wear two watches.

When I asked why, I was told that first and foremost, Maradonna is eccentric and eclectic in his tastes, but that the real reason was so he could always have the local time in Argentina where is two beloved daughters Dalma and Giannina reside.

Yahoo reported the story earlier last week and although they were accurate about him having one watch set to the time of wherever he is in the world and the otehr set to the local time back in Argentina, they didn't mention that he started this " eccentric trend" years ago because he was traveling so much all over the world and it was actually more for sentimental purposes. Don't get it twisted sentimental or not, those watches could probably fund a kid through college. He is wearing two very pricey watches designed by Hublot.

CELEBRITY DOPPELGANGER: AIDAH FONTENOT

This weeks celeb dopp. is Aidah Fontenot. Coming in strong at 83% is Aidah's number one celeb look- alike, hot hollywood actress Gabrielle Union. Close at number two and three-- are actresses Nia Long and Rosario Dawson.

Let's watch Aidah morph into her number one.

I see the resemblance. Do you?

5 WEBSITES THAT WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE!

Katrina Kugel is is the co-founder of jasmere.com and has spent years scouring the Internet to save pennies wherever she can. Katrina has narrowed the field down for you to the 5 Websites that you must know about.

1. Need something to do with the kids all summer long that won’t break the bank? Try www.kidsbowlfree.com There are more than 800 bowling centers across the country that participate in this program which allows kids to bowl for free all summer long. No catch, it’s as simple as registering online for your local participating alley.

2. Sample sale websites are now everywhere- many specializing in a particular avenue- either beauty, or home goods, or fashion, but www.jasmere.com offers a little bit of everything. Past deals have included handbags, gourmet cookies, coffees, designer denim, letterpress stationary, jewelry, hammocks and more. Their bottom line: the more people that shop, the LOWER the price goes. When the daily product offer is introduced, consumers have 24 hours to drive the already discounted price even lower, resulting in up to 80% off the suggested retail price of a product. No one is charged until the end of the 24 hour period- so the idea is to get as many people purchasing the product as possible to keep driving the price even lower- the final price is up to the consumer. On average, most products wind up selling for 68% off the retail price.

3. Before you shop- anywhere online or at the mall or a major retailer- log on to Dealio.com. Dealio has thousands of discount online coupons, as well as the best shopping deals. You can print out coupons to bring to a store, or take advantage of online coupon codes for when you're shopping from the comfort of your own home. Members share the coupon codes they find as well in the Dealio community

4. Want to save hundreds of dollars each month on groceries? Grocery.com is one of the simplest sites we found- you just select the coupons you would like to print, or use the checkboxes at the top to select all the coupons in a certain category- it breaks everything down by food, household, petcare, beverage, and so on.As you select coupons, you’ll see your estimated total savings update in the green bar. When you’re ready to print your grocery coupons, hit the “Print Your Coupons” button and you’re done! Since they’re all manufacturers coupons you can use them just about anywhere.

5. Before you book your next vacation, sign up on Yapta.com. It’s free and allows you to track flight prices before you buy- alerting you via email when prices drop and when to buy to save money on airfare.

Vanessa xoxoxoxo

Shoes & Porn, and why Jessica Simpson is no dummy!

So, my managing editor, Madge (an old-school journalist who believes women who want to be taken seriously at work should not wear make-up) walks over to me the other day and says:

"Honey, the only way you can make money on the Internet is by selling shoes or porn."

Uh... Gee... Thanks, Madge! She had totally burst my bubble of thinking that my job as a multimedia journalist could actually bring the company huge profits someday. Feeling a bit depressed, I headed over to the mall at Pentagon City for some shoe therapy... and it was there that I had an epiphany.

Browsing through the hundreds and hundreds of sandals, stilettos and peep toes, I felt myself being drawn toward the Jessica Simpson Shoe Collection. Then, it dawned on me: Jessica may not be the dumb blonde that everyone thinks she is.

Although she is known for her "blonde" moments -- famously asking her then husband, Nick Lachey, if her Chicken of the Sea canned tuna was chicken or fish -- J. Simps is no dummy.

Long after her reality-TV career fizzled, her movie roles dried up and her album sales waned, the one viable enterprise that has steadily contributed to her estimated $55 million net worth is her Internet shoe sales.

Meanwhile, her former husband has been reportedly struggling to pay the bills, which has allegedly halted him from throwing a huge wedding with his new love, Vanessa Minillo.

Hmmmm.... maybe Jessica was right... maybe she was eating chicken! Nick may have teased her for making a dumb comment, but it is Jessica who is laughing all the way to the bank -- and in her platform heels, nonetheless!

So back to my epiphany:

1) Jessica Simpson is smarter than we all may think.

2) I need to start selling shoes on the Internet instead of writing about them!

3) I need to buy some sandals from the Jessica Simpson Shoe Collection -- they are so cute!

xoxo,

Markette

Deal or No Deal? Buffalo Chicken Sliders, $7.95

Buffalo Chicken Sliders, $7.95

I know what you're thinking: "$7.95, that ain't bad." But actually seeing these bite-sized "boy-guhs" in person may have you singing a different tune.

While the buffalo chicken sliders are extremely tasty, they are also extremely bite-sized -- I'm talking about no bigger than a large hush puppie.

And, yes, while it is only an appetizer, the other thing that kind of annoys me about this dish is that it comes with only 3 sliders. Since I was splitting the plate with someone else, we had to play the awkward game of: "You take the last bite." -- "No, you take it." -- with neither one of us not really meaning it (you know how that goes).

Is it too much to ask for an even portion of 4 sliders for the same price of $7.95?

I dunno, I'm just a hungry patron. What do you think? Deal or No Deal?

Here are some details to help you decide:

Menu Item: Buffalo Chicken Sliders

Price: $7.95

Restaurant: The Heights

Cuisine: Traditional American Fare

Neighborhood: Columbia Heights, Northwest DC

What the menu tells you you'll get: "Buffalo Chicken Sliders w. Provolone"

What I actually got: 3 tasty, but small white meat buffalo chicken sliders which, when put together, doesn't even amount to a whole chicken breast.

Would you order this? Is this a Deal or No Deal? Let me know your thoughts in the comments section.

xoxo,

--Markette

P.S. - For more "Deal or No Deals," click here.

Dysfunctional Celeb Dads We (can't help but) Love

Dysfunctional celebrity dads we (can't help but) love:

David Hasselhoff: What the heck was he thinking?!?! I'm sure his daughters got beat up in school the day this photo came out.

Bobby Brown: Bobby Christina must be so proud!

Charlie Sheen: Way to go, Daddy Sheen, with the domestic violence allegations! I'm sure you're a great example for your twin sons with wifey Brooke Mueller of how to treat a lady.

Marion "A B!@%ch Set Me Up" Barry: There's no pops who tops this DC dad, who is a former mayor, current city councilman... and true DC original!

And last, but certainly not least...

Alec Baldwin: In this infamous voice mail, he promised to fly from 30 Rock to Los Angeles for one day, just to bust a cap in his daughter's behind. Now that's love!

And now, we interrupt our regularly scheduled programming to bring you the Buff DADDY of the Week!

David Beckham: Hot dad...

...even hotter body!

This Sunday, June 20, is Father's Day. Remember to call your dad... and tell him to stop embarrassing you!!! And to any fathers reading this: Happy Father's Day!

xoxo,

Markette