Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Top 5 - Rocking the Red!

by Anna Sugden

Yes, I've borrowed that phrase from my beloved hockey. Come Playoffs time, all those teams who play in red try to rally their fans to 'turn the arena/stadium red' or create a 'red wave'.

In honour of our support of a wonderful cause this month, and the fact that red happens to be my favourite colour *g*, I decided to devote this blog to favourite red things.

Here are my Top 5 Reds (not necessarily in this order):

1. My sports teams - amazingly, all of my teams (apart from the Yankees) are 'reds' - Manchester United aka the Red Devils, Exeter City, The New Jersey Devils and the Washington Redskins. (OK - so it was also an opportunity to show pics of two of my fave players!)

2. Gerbera daisies - you can keep your red roses, I love red gerbera daisies.

3. My red VW Bug *sniff* - when I lived in NJ, this was my car. I LOVED it. It was one of the saddest days when I had to sell it.


4. My red Manolo Blahniks - a present for my 40th - say no more.

5. My favourite red wine - Nine Popes. I'll brave a migraine for a glass of this lovely wine.

I also have a favourite red dress that I had made in Thai silk and to my measurements when I was in Bangkok on business, years ago. Sadly, I'm nowhere near the weight I was back then and haven't been able to wear it for several years. Maybe one day!

***So, what are some of your favourite reds? Remember, we're giving away an AHA Go Red For Women pin today! And, in honour of Going Red, I'll be giving away a bar or bag of chocolate with a red wrapper.***

Don't forget to check out the Healthy Heart tip and free book opportunity below.



The healthy heart tip for February 22 is: Wet your whistle and help your heart! Stay hydrated – staying properly hydrated helps you feel (and look) better and water is a great alternative to high-calorie, sugar-sweetened drinks. Treat yourself to a fun new water bottle to encourage the habit – if it’s always handy, you're more likely to drink up!

Romance Writers of America and the American Heart Association have partnered to raise awareness of heart disease. Visit http://www.goredforwomen.org/ to learn how to fight heart disease.

And just in case you missed it....

Sign Up for the Go Red BetterU Program and Receive Two Free Romance Novel E-Books

From Feb. 1 through May 31, 2011, receive one free romance novel e-book when you sign up for the American Heart Association's BetterU Program and one after you complete week six of the program. And look for the Eat Smart for Your Heart limited-edition magazine (that features this offer) on newsstands and in a grocery store near you.

To sign up for the BetterU program, visit http://www.goredforwomen.org/betteru/index.aspx.
(Go Red For Women is trademarked by the American Heart Association, Inc. Romance novel downloads provided by Belle Books.)

56 comments:

Donna MacMeans said...

Hey chookie - come to Donna....

Or maybe not. We have snow today on top of ice. I'm sure the Gr would prefer a warmer clime.

I'm afraid red is not the most flattering color on me, so my red choices are somewhat limited.
1) OSU - my alumna mater - their color are scarlet and gray. Go Buckeyes.
2) My ruby necklace. It has two tiny rubies cut like hearts and hung to look like cherries. My husband gave it to me years ago and I always wear it.
3) Ripe red strawberries - love them.
4) Red Roses - well I like any color of rose, but red suits the blog
5) Ripe red cherries! Love them as well.

Anna Campbell said...

Ooh, so close! You're a fickle feathered fiend, MacMeans!

Anna, what a fun post. I must admit red is one of my favourite colours too and it's a colour I love to wear. Neutrals tend to make me look like a beige fog whereas strong colours like red suit me much better. And as you know, I love a good red lipstick!

OK, my five favourite reds...

1. Cherries.

2. My red Lancome lipstick. A really rich maroony sort of red. I don't wear it as much as I used to but it was my colour of choice for my first couple of RWA conferences.

3. A nice red wine. Nine Popes sounds like it might be well worth trying!

4. A nice rare juicy steak!

5. A well-RED person (ho ho, small joke there).

Unknown said...

well done Donna....I don't know whether GR would rather be here as it has gone cooler(nice) here but no where as cool as at your place.

1 I have a new hip hop red Hyundai Getz car so I suppose that is the top of my list LOL
2 red roses or as Donna says ... any colour
3 red sunsets
Can't think of anything else... at the moment

Loucinda McGary aka Aunty Cindy said...

Hey VA,
I LURVE Thai silk too! I have a lovely royal blue silk blouse I bought when I was in Thailand. It's hanging in the way way back of my closet somewhere because I don't own anything elegant enough to wear with it. :-(

I LOVE to wear red too! It's a power color, ya know. ;-) I just bought a new red top but it is short sleeved so won't be wearing that for awhile.

Strawberries, cherries, red grapes, vine-ripened tomatoes... YUM! Love them all!

Have fun with the GR today, Donna. Since I know you are busy with taxes, let's hope he doesn't make you see too much red!

AC

June M. said...

Favorite Red things:
Tomatoes (especially cherry tomatoes), apples, cherries, red tulips (or any color), and ladybugs (not the real bugs, just anything with ladybugs on it).

Keira Soleore said...

Red is such a cheerful color, Vrai. Love your MB shoes. Ooh la la la la la la...

Reds I like: strawberries, my red sweater, the red candy hearts we put on the cupcakes we made today, a sea of red tulips in April, fresh raspberry sauce over french vanilla ice cream.

Jane said...

Congrats on the GR, Donna.

Hey Anna,
I knew that we were rivals in hockey, but I had no idea we are both Yankees fans. Most of my favorite teams wear blue. I do love red fruits, too. Mainly strawberries, cherries and watermelon. Ooh and I loved the red dress that Kate Winslet wore to the Oscars a few years ago(http://www.copydress.com/kate-winslet-oscar-red-carpet-red-formal-dress.html).

Helen said...

Well done Donna have fun with him I am sure he will keep you warm running around after him LOL

Anna

I so love the colour red as well I think it is a happy colour I too love strawberries and red tops and jumpers and as Barbara has said a nice red sunset.

Have Fun
Helen

Susan Sey said...

My favorite things that are red?

Tomatoes. Garden-fresh, perfectly ripe, warmed by the sun tomatoes. I haven't seen one in six months. I'm dying for summer.

And I'm with you on the Gerberas. I don't care for roses (though I wouldn't turn down a long-stemmed dozen or so) but I adore Gerbera daisies in a nice, hot orange.

Anonymous said...

Hi Anna!

Congrats on the GR, Donna!

Red...most of my picks are food so what does that say about me?

vine ripened tomatoes
fresh lychees
cioppino
my new red handbag
the Salvatore Ferragommo red patent leather satchel that I can't afford
Have a great day!

Pink P.

Anna Sugden said...

Congrats, Donna - the delight of the pesky bird is yours!

I knew you'd be mentioning those Buckeyes.

Love the sound of your ruby necklace - gorgeous!

Anna Sugden said...

There's nothing quite like a great red lipstick! My favourite is a Chanel - though I don't get much opportunity to wear lippy these days.

Nine Popes is fab - well worth the exorbitant price-tag we have to pay for it over here!

Anna Sugden said...

Ooh nice new red car - sounds perfect Barb!

Do you have a favourite book with a red cover?

Anna Sugden said...

We power gals know how to make the most of our assets, don't we, AC?

I'm like Anna C - I need bold colours or I look like a wet weekend!

Anna Sugden said...

Ooh - I love ladybug things too, June. Am drinking my tea out of a ladybird mug! Love the little creatures too - so useful for our garden, attacking those nasty aphids.

Adore tulips - hubby bought me some beautiful red tulips the other day.

Anna Sugden said...

Keira!! Great to see you, Sweetie!

Did I hear you were over in the UK and didn't look me up?! *stern look*.

Oooh love fresh raspberry sauce - especially from our home-grown raspberries. Love raspberry ripple ice-cream too.

Anna Sugden said...

Hi Jane - we tried to be Mets fans, but it was too hard to go and see them! Much easier to get to Yankee Stadium - so we ended up being Yankee fans. LOL

How funny that most of your teams wear blue - does that make you a Giants fan too?

Oooh checked out that red dress - that's how to rock a red carpet!

Anna Sugden said...

Red is a happy colour, Helen. Very bright and cheery!

I'm looking forward to coming to see your red rocks this summer.

Anna Sugden said...

Oh yes - love sun-ripened tomatoes, Susan. We have so many in the summer and I love eating them straight from the garden.

Gerbera daisies are gorgeous, aren't they? Cheerful and bright.

And, of course, you love your red carpet extravaganzas!

Anna Sugden said...

Hey Pink/Jennifer - says your' our kind of gal! We're all about the food and the drinks ... and the shoes!

And the handbags!

Trish Milburn said...

Anna, I can so see you driving that car. Sorry you couldn't take her across the pond with you. And I too love Gerbera daisies. Honestly, I like lots of flowers more than roses. I like roses in the yard, but cut ones just don't last long. Like I have a bouquet of yellow and pink flowers from Valentine's Day still on my desk. Roses would have been toast by now.

Other reds: strawberries, watermelons, tomatoes, flowers of many kinds, a dress I'm saving for the RITA ceremony if I can lose enough weight by then, my red Brighton sandals, my suitcases, and my friend Annie's red living room furniture.

Kim in Baltimore said...

Aloha! My favorite red is the Hibiscus plants throughout the islands! Plus a Red Aloha shirt always brightens one's day!

jo robertson said...

Great idea for a post, Anna! Go Red!!

I love red, but alas it does not love me, so I rarely wear it in an outfit. However, I love red roses and my favorite decor colors are red (that brick color that's not really red, you know?) and sand or tan. I've decorated both my bedroom and my living room in those colors, along with white and the rooms look gorgeous.

jo robertson said...

Anna C. said, " A well-RED person (ho ho, small joke there)."

Ho, ho, indeed, Fo! Here we go with the puns.

Hmmm, I forgot about fruits like strawberries (my fave) and cherries.

Anna Sugden said...

I like roses in the garden too, Trish - we have some beautiful pink ones that we planted in memory of my MIL and some gorgeous rambling peach coloured ones. I don't mind the ones that are two coloured in a bouquet, but you're right - they don't last as long.

Ooh a red dress for the RITAs - sounds perfect!

Anna Sugden said...

Red hibiscus are lovely, Kim. As are red bougainvillea.

If we ever make it to Hawaii, is it okay to have a red lei?

Anna Sugden said...

I'm like that with other colours, Jo. Yellow doesn't work too well with my skin, nor does ivory.

I love dark reds and burgundies - our newly decorated living room has many items in it with that colour - sofas, chairs, rugs. I'm hoping to have one wall in our bedroom a rich dark, red too.

Loucinda McGary aka Aunty Cindy said...

OMGosh, Jane! Kate Winslet's red dress is FANTASTIC!

I've loved red shoes all my life. Currently the only red shoes I own are my red fuzzy slippers, but I'm always on the look-out for red shoes. The year I was in 5th grade (so I must have been about 11) I wanted this ridiculous pair of red shoes with an enormous bow for my Easter shoes. Bless my mother's heart, she bought them for me. All my girl cousins (older and younger) were GREEN with envy. One even tried to steal them! Don't worry, she didn't get away with it. ;-)

AC

Beth Andrews said...

Anna, red is my favorite color! My first car was an adorable red Ford Escort. Loved it. And it really did well in the snow *g*

I love the red ceiling in my office. It's a deep brick color with white trim. And two of my GH/Rita awards ceremony dresses have been red. I have to make myself buy another color :-)

catslady said...

I can't think of anything original - wine, food, cars, clothing. I think I like most everything that's red except maybe blood lol.

Minna said...

Red? Marianne candies http://www.karkkigalleria.fi/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/5e06319eda06f020e43594a9c230972d/4/0/403051_marianne_2_lo.5kg.jpg

Strawberries

Suzanne Ferrell said...

Well, had to think on this one, Anna.

Red things....hmmm

1. I'm with Donna on this one. OSU scarlet and gray. Especially my scarlet and black hoodie my son gave me for Christmas!

2. Red Tulips. A huge vase full on my dining room table, or a cluster in the yards as I walk by, heralding warmer weather.

3. Cardinals. Especially in winter, perched on snow covered tree limbs or popping along, searching for seeds.

4. Strings of holly berries on Christmas trees or wreathes.

5. Red dell peppers, diced on a field of dark green Romaine lettuce.

I think I like red in contrast to other things.

KJ Howe said...

Anna, great post. Red is my favorite color!!! My car is red, I buy red clothes all the time, and I want to come steal your RED shoes!!! Keep your closet doors locked. ;)

Anna Sugden said...

Oooh that was one brave gal, AC - trying to steal shoes is the most heinous crime.

Anna Sugden said...

How funny, Beth - my first company car was a bright red Ford Escort!

Your red dresses for the RITA/GH are so gorgeous - I love that scarlet one ball gown!

I want to paint a wall in my office red to - at the moment it's just got the boys in red up there ;)

Anna Sugden said...

I'm glad you're not a vampire, catslady!

Nothing wrong with having the same favourites - just shows what good taste the folks in this Lair have!

Louisa Cornell said...

Don't worry, Donna, the GR will hog all of the covers and the hot chocolate!

Oooh, Vrai, I am SO coveting those red shoes!! I will fight K.J. for them. Gorgeous! The absolutely PERFECT birthday prezzie for turning 40!

I love red as well, but I have to be careful which shades I wear.

My favorite reds are :

1) My Ruby Slippered Sisters, of course! A fantastic group of Golden Heart finalists who are a force to be reckoned with, especially when we wear our red shoes!

2) Frodo, my "red" chihuahua. He is actually a rosy brown color, but most chihuahua experts call him a red.

3) The burgundy evening gown I wore to the GH/Rita Awards in DC. I didn't win, but afterwards at the hotel bar patio one of the waitresses came over and said "We have all been talking about how perfect that color is for you." MADE MY NIGHT!

4) My red plushy housecoat with the matching fuzzy slippers. On a cold night they are absolutely essential when I sit down to read or write.

5) Red letter days! And the biggest Red Letter Day of all will be the day I sell a book! Hope it happens soon!

Anna Sugden said...

Ooh good one, Suz - love cardinals - they always cheer me up when they fly into the garden. Though these days, it would be one tired cardinal if it landed in this garden!

My lovely hubby makes a yummy chili jelly with red chilis and a red bell pepper ... mmmmm.

Anna Sugden said...

If it will get you to visit, I'll leave my closet doors open, KJ!

See, I knew we were sisters under the skin *g*.

Jenn3128 said...

Oh, my red nail polish from OPI. An affair in red square. My toes look awesome.

Anna Sugden said...

Fabulous choices, Louisa! Especially your 'red' chihuahua. Funnily enough, my favourite cats are black (my second favourite colour *g*)

I have some totally awesome red thermal socks that I got this winter - it's like having a duvet on your feet! They even have a tog rating!

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that we both get our red letter days very soon!

Anna Sugden said...

Ooh Jennifer - love red toenail polish!

Anna Campbell said...

Louisa, I remember that dress. It was fabulous - and just right for a woman who writes luscious historicals!

Leni said...

Some of my favorite are:

Red nail polish
Red velvet cake
Red coats
Red shoes/boots
Red scarves

Louisa Cornell said...

Thank you, La Campbell !! The check is in the mail. SNORK! You looked rather stunning that night as well!!


And here's to us both celebrating those red letter days, Vrai Anna! The champagne is on me!

Kate Carlisle said...

Mm, red wine and red velvet cupcakes. Say no more! Although I must say those shoes are simply stunning, VA!

And those hockey boys aren't bad either. ;-)

If you look at my picture over there on the side bar, you'll see that I really do love to *wear* red, not just eat and drink it. :-)

Hey Donna, hope the chook helped shovel snow for you!

Pissenlit said...

Red is a wonderful colour!

1. Red maple leaves and the sea of red on Canada Day and at the Olympics(there were those adorable red mittens last year!)

2. Red chili peppers - well, anything spicy would do, really.

3. Tasty tasty lobsters

4. Ketchup chips

5. Cherry Jell-O(second only to their Lime flavour)

Jane said...

Yes, Anna, I am a Giants fan. I couldn't believe it when they won the Super Bowl a few years back.

Fedora said...

Oh nice!! Favorite reds--a couple of clothing items (a sweater, a coat, a shade of nail polish), watermelon, strawberries :) Oh wait--let me change that last one to strawberries topping a good slice of cheesecake ;)

Anna Sugden said...

I'm amazed Leni that you're the first person to mention red velvet cake! I know for a fact there are a number of people in the Lair who love it!

I saw a cute little girl wearing a gorgeous red coat yesterday (with a black velvet collar and buttons) and was so jealous that they didn't make it in bigger girl's sizes!

Anna Sugden said...

LOL Louisa - the first bottle can be on you - I'll get the second bottle! We'll have earned them!

Anna Sugden said...

Another red velvet cake lurker, Kate! Red wine and red cake - can't go wrong there. All the basic food groups covered!

Anna Sugden said...

Ooh lobsters, Pissenlit - another favourite red!

LOL about Canada - I loved those mittens, though I admit I was cheering for the USA in the gold medal hockey game as my boy Zach (pictured) was playing for them. He scored the equaliser that sent it to over-time.

Anna Sugden said...

I couldn't either, Jane - especially as I'm a 'Skins fan *g*.

At least we have the Yankees in common!

Anna Sugden said...

Hey Fedora - ooh fresh strawberries topping a cheesecake - yummy!

One of the things I miss about living in NJ was getting a cheesecake from the Stage Deli in NY. Scrummy. Looking forward to getting one this summer when we're back for the conference.

LilMissMolly said...

Love the pic from Man U. I'm a huge soccer fan!