It’s cold, so stay in once place without feeling cooped up. For more information on spending the day at the American Museum of Natural History and some great restaurants nearby, check out my article on newyork.cbslocal.com.

Our lives our busy, but with the click of a button, you can make someone else’s life a little easier. Food Bank for New York City is one of the country’s largest food banks and it offers hunger-relief right here in NYC. They have teamed up with FedEx to raise money to tackle hunger issues. Just by “liking” them on Facebook, FedEx will donate 5 meals to this great organization. A very simple act, can make a huge difference.

Welcome to February. We all know it can’t get much drearier than it has been and even thought Puxatony Phil claims Spring will come early, I am doubtful. But there are two things that can make even a day like today brighter – pancakes and hot chocolate. Luckily two of my favorites local eating establishments have devoted the entire month to them.

Clinton Street Baking Company, home of seriously the best pancakes ever, will have special flavors every day, so make sure to check out the calendar.

City Bakery, home of the best hot chocolate ever, will also have daily specials, to make sure to check out their calendar. And don’t skip their homemade marshmallows.

What are you doing to stay happy in this weather?

A meal at Tipsy Parson is just as cozy as your home, but the food is better!

I know it is hard to get out of bed when it is freezing outside, but if you are going to do something fun, it should be a little easier, right? Why not check out Chelsea and the High Line (and have some great food also). Here is a great itinerary for today. Come on, get out a little bit, and then go back home and be a lazy bum.

In an effort to support local vendors, each week I will feature a different Etsy seller from the New York City area.  If you have any favorite sellers, let me know!

This weeks Etsy seller isn’t local to me, but is local to one of my favorite bloggers Makenzie Sala at Something Old Something New. So when she mentioned this shop last week, I had to pass it on to you. Besides, Gleenashop sells beautiful handmade ceramics, which I love, so I had to share. Especially these adorable ice cream bowls. They even have a dimple for your thumb!

Enjoy some great food, a free show and some amazing artwork all in the Columbus Circle area this weekend. For my detailed itinerary head to cbslocal.com

It has been a busy few days, amazing how not going to work can make your life even busier than when you are there. So I haven’t had much time for blogging, but I have been writing.

Find out where to get the best accessories for your holiday weekend and for New Years Eve outfit.

What to do this weekend in NYC (there is even a lot to do tomorrow on Christmas Day!)

This weekend explore the Lower East Side. In my weekly CBS local column, learn how you can spend the day enjoying this great NYC neighborhood.

In an effort to make use of leftovers, eat better, save money and be green, I try to bring lunch when I can. My leftovers lately have mostly been takeout remains as the last few weeks have been filled with holiday parties leaving little time for cooking. But regardless of what I am bringing, I think it would taste way better eating it from this fabulous lunchbox from Black+Blum. Besides how cute it is, the design is extremely practical. It has a section to store dipping sauce or dressing, and another section which comes out allowing you to heat part of your meal and leave the other part cold. It even comes with a special fork that allows you to cut like a knife for one handed eating, allowing for multi-tasking. While you should relax while you eat, we all know that is a rare occasion!

Thanks HoneyCrisp from I don’t know, what do YOU want to eat? for sharing this fun way to spice up lunch time. I am sure yours is always filled with tasty treats!

Looking for the perfect gift? Interested in a fun new spot to check out with your new guy?  What about the perfect place to find a new dress for that upcoming date? Or which shoes match that hot new dress? Email me and each Wednesday, I will post your questions and answer them!

Request: I am throwing a holiday party in my home this weekend and am completely overwhelmed. I didn’t realize how busy this time of year would be and feel it leaves me little time to prepare. Do you have any party tips?

Recommendation: The first time my husband and I threw a party, we were so unprepared that I wound up showering when the guests got there and that was after moving the start time back an hour! Over the years we have gotten a lot better at pre-party prep, allowing us time to be ready way before our guests arrive and the ability enjoy ourselves once we do. Planning is the most important thing you can do.

• Plan in advance what you want to serve. Make a shopping list of things you can buy in advance and what you will have to purchase the day of the party. Save time and have your list delivered to you from Fresh Direct or another supermarket.
• If cooking is involved, figure out what can be done days before the party, the morning of, a few hours before and what needs to be prepped right before the guests arrive. If you are using the oven, try to coordinate items that can be cooked at the same temperature. Realizing right before the party that your hot appetizers all need different temperatures is not a good time.
• Beforehand also figure out how your want to rearrange your home to make it work better for the party. Do you need to borrow extra chairs from a neighbor or would seating be better if you pushed your furniture to the outskirts of your room? Once you figure that out, try to get everything set up ahead of time, then you can start laying out where you will put food and drinks.
• Planning what serving pieces you will be using will help also. I often lay these out the night before in the place they will sit to make sure everything fits and I have what I need. For items like chips or candy, I place the closed bag right in the bowl and then open and pour it in right before the party.
• If you are serving cold drinks, do you have a place to store them, like a large tub you can fill with ice?
• Most people will arrive with heavy winter coats. Figure out in advance where you will put them. If you are putting them in a closet or on a coat rack, make sure to have enough hangers. To enjoy the actual party, direct guests to put their coats away themselves.
• Avoid having to play bartender by keeping drinks easy. If you want something festive, make a mixed drink ahead of time and serve it in a pitcher or punch bowl.
• Take advantage of friends offering to help. If someone calls on their way over asking if you need anything else and you do, don’t be embarrassed to ask them to pick it up.

The more questions you can answer before the party, the easier you planning will be. Run through the party in your head from start to finish to try to anticipate any situations that might come up. If you do, you will be well prepared and be able to enjoy the party.

Most importantly, remember, it is a party, so have fun!