You thought you had to lock your medicine cabinet, but do you also have to keep an eye on your spice rack too? 

A New Haven principal is on leave after witnessing kids partaking in the cinnamon challenge, a trend that  Twitter users and YouTube video posters prove is not necessarily that new. But it seems to be growing. A school in Pennsylvania recently banned open-topped boots to prevent students hiding cinnamon eager to take this challenge, during which one attempts to eat a tablespoon of cinnamon without throwing up or aspirating from doing so.

My question is, um, whatttt?

I can (barely) understand fashion trends that involve rooster feather hair accessories and anything involving this mass-obsession everyone seems to have with Twilight and Justin Bieber. But eating cinnamon? This seems not only disgusting, but also dangerous. It's along the lines of planking. Fun one minute, but you could fall off the edge of a building (or choke in this case) the next. 

The trends that teens are gravitating toward these days  actually worry me. It seems that there is more idiocy in them than trends of the past. I mean, in the 80s kids gravitated toward metal hair/ music. Despite the amount of hairspray used to create those hairstyles (more than is likely healthy for the lungs and/ or atmosphere) at least it wasn't dangerous or along the lines of trying to down a globule of a spice without becoming ill.

Trends say a lot about our society. What does this say to you?

It's Thursday, which means you're probably trying to figure out something to do tomorrow night that won't break your bank.

Lucky for you, it's restaurant week in New Haven. You can get dolled up and hit the city's finest restaurants for an appetizer, dinner and dessert for only $30. Everybody's doing it (this is a trend blog, by the way) so I suggest that you make your reservations pronto.

I have mine at Pacifico, which is offering some sort of plantain encrusted item. I didn't have to read further - I was immediately sold.

My only regret is that I didn't tell you guys about this sooner. How often can you get a $60 (or more) meal for half the cost?

The restaurants' menu's feature pre fixe choices that are likely to suit anyone's fancy. Many even offer pre fixe lunch specials for about $16.

Pick your poison

For those anxious for spring weather, this is also an excuse to put on that spring dress and heels you've been stowing away in your closet. (Guys, I don't recommend shorts for some of these chic spots.)

Dine out at these places tonight and tomorrow like you can afford it, because, well, now you can thanks to restaurant week.

Maybe I'll see some of you out on the town enjoying braised lamb with a Cabernet-shallot reduction.

Happy dining!

First there was Romeo and Juliet, then came movies that aspired to re-tell their story and songs that described their love-at-first-sight phenomenon. But in real life, you don't hear much about that being instantly love struck. Sure there are sites like Match.com and Eharmony.com that help you quickly find your match, but it isn't the same as a good 'ol fashioned love story.

I haven't believed in love at first sight since the days when I was allowed to wear princess outfits to school and call myself Cinderella. (For the record that was around kindergarten, not last year.) But I received a letter at work the other day from a man from Switzerland who was searching for his New Haven love. His name was redacted to protect his identity.

The letter speaks for itself, but it gives me hope that maybe some of the season's best RomComs are driving both men and women to partake in elaborate, romantic ventures. Who knows, maybe this Atticus Angel the man writes about will see this blog post and they will live happily ever after.

 

This is what I imagine was going through the man's head when he saw the Atticus Angel...