captions paid for by nbc-universal television hey, everybody, it's try day friday, april 27, 2012. it's been a fun week with willie geist who's been filling in while kathie lee is off. >> it's been a blast. >> has it been fun? >> as much as the show is to watch, people at home should know to sit in this chair, it's like the best. >> is this like riding in a toboggan and flying down the hill? >> i never know where we're going next. i just look at you and hopefully you know. but it's fun. we thought we'd look back because you've been kind of lazy throughout the week and we don't really know what you've been contributing. anyway, we decided to compile it all in 55 seconds.

>> guess who's come to visit? our good friend willie geist is here. >> it is a long show. >> i can't drink it fast enough. chili's southwestern egg rolls. >> really good. one, two, three -- do it. >> why? >> that's disgusting. >> why? >> look who came to visit. >> yes. get out of here. ♪ >> how is it? >> drop the knee down untuck your toe. >> you are on to me. you have some moves. kind of. >> "dancing with the stars" with louie?

i love the look back at five days as if it were a lifetime in memoriam, william geist. >> we wanted you to see all you'd done here. one of our topics today, we call it the bedroom wars. you share a bed with your husband, wife, lover, and there are certain things that come up and they did a survey and they wanted to find out what couples bicker over while in bed. the number one thing that couples argue over is stealing the duvet cover. that's the biggest one. the second one is snoring. >> i think that's our biggest problem. although i'm not aware of it. i sleep through it like a bear, my wife tells me. she punches me in the middle of the night. it stops for a little while. i think she's tortured. >> sometimes i bounce the bed for a second. it stops the snoring. >> it does. >> you have a window and there's a panic to fall asleep in the tiny window of non-snoring. >> it is a short-term solution.

you try to roll them over, nothing else works. >> is that the most effective thing you've tried? >> yes, the bouncing. >> there's really no good answer. >> the other is one likes it cold and the other likes the temperature hot. that's another one. you like it cold? >> i'm a cold guy. >> and your wife? >> you flip the pillow over and it's even colder? i think my wife likes the cold. the other variable -- the 2-year-old sometimes just appears in the middle of the bed. >> they say that's a big source of problems for couples. sometimes one person in the couple wants the baby in the bed. >> no, neither of us want the baby in the bed. let's be very clear about that. but sometimes we sleep so heavily. i woke up a few nights ago. i swear to god, i opened my eyes and saw a 2-year-old's feet at my head. not great for sleeping. top wedding songs. spotify did this and they wanted to find out the number one song.

i think there are two categories but they're all lumped into one. one is like the dancing crazy sweaty song at the wedding. the number one song they chose was party rock anthem by lmfao. that's a great dance song. i'm going to pick my number one kind of mellowy song that i think is a great wedding song. it is by train who i'm just crazy about. that song "marry me." ♪ mary me >> you went another direction. >> feel it. you feel it? here's the best line right here coming. ♪ mary me >> that's not it. anyway, there is a great line in there. >> is that like first dance song? >> i think it is the first dance song. there's a great line -- i can't remember it now but it is a beautiful, beautiful song and you chose? >> i went another direction. >> okay. >> i'm going for the party song. usher, my man, usher. >> what's the song? >> deejay got us falling in love tonight. >> that's a good one!

>> i can't believe you like this one! >> my sister got married last fall and this just blew up the dance floor. it was great. ♪ >> there's something about it. >> right? you can bump a little bit if you need to. you can move, you can sweat. a little bit different than train. >> i love that song! >> it's a great song. i thought you would like that one. if you're flying somewhere this weekend, they've done another one of these surveys. they tried to figure out what was the most coveted seat on an airplane. they ranked them all. apparently seat 6a is the best one of all. because you're close enough to the door where you can get out, and you're not too close to the bathrooms where it is gross. and you can -- when you get off the plane, it usually takes forever. you're one of the first people off. >> i like being up close to the front. definitely don't want to be in the back. i'm a window guy. are you window or aisle? >> aisle. i need out. like i need to get out -- yeah.

i feel trapped. no, i don't like the window. i feel like i'm squished in. >> my problem is i'm tall, i'm surprised, because you are, too. my legs drift into the aisle. >> pull them in. the very worst seat is 31e, the middle seat in the back. that's the seat. >> are you the person who when we're filing out you cut in line. you rush out before your aisle goes? >> never. >> yes! you have to get off that plane. >> no. but sometimes i want to but i don't. nothing bugs me more than when there is a big line to get off the plane and a person's saying excuse me. you're not going anywhere. you need to calm down. 60% of the people by the way favor the window seat. only 40% favor the aisle. who are the 1% who prefer the middle? >> i love the middle. >> that's the one i would choose. all right. it is try day friday. i know we're always trying to figure out ways to exercise and sometimes you're in the

office -- >> speak for yourself. but go ahead. >> sometimes you're in the office and you don't have time and you can't go do anything. you think i can't go do anything. carrie is going to come show us. who are you with you? >> pure bar. >> so you're saying with just using what we have in our office, we can work out a little bit? >> absolutely. >> okay. willie? >> am i involved in this? >> yes, you are. >> i thought i got to sit this one out? >> come around. >> i'm just going to get willie prepped for it because we have to wear dresses and you can't just splay your legs out. >> i understand. >> stay there. don't move. this is what it feels like -- >> is this the rookie prank at the end of the week? trust me, it's for exercise. >> this is what it feels like to have one of those pencil skirts on. now we're ready.

now you're going to show us how to work out. >> pure bar's really known for lifting people's seats. i know you are concerned about lifting your seat. we're go to do a seat exercise. just hold on. bend your knee and bring your heel towards your seat. flex your foot. now you're just going to push back by squeezing your seat. push back and hold it, then let it release a little. really squeeze your seat as hard as you can. >> my seat or this seat? >> your seat. women like to have that lift in the back of their body? and that's what we're going for. >> that really lifts it? if you keep doing that? >> yeah. it works on that. >> how long? >> do you it until it feels a little shaky. then you switch sides. >> at work you do this? >> sure. >> really. >> what do people think? >> okay. >> where do you work? >> i work at the bar.

>> purebar.com. >> thank you. may i take off the belt now? no, bobbie, i'm not leaving the belt on. it's all yours. all right. we're going to get to bobbie thomas in a minute. but first i want to hear your friday funny. >> i get to do this? >> this is usually kathie lee's gig. >> here's the deal. guy sitting at home. hears a knock on the front door. opens the door, doesn't see anybody. there is a snail down there. he picks up snail, throws as far as he can, reaches to the other end of the yard. three years later there is a knock at the door. guy opens it, looks down. same snail. snail says what was that all about? >> that rocks. i'm sorry, that rocked. you know what? >> okay? >> you rocked it. >> it's no kathie lee, but i tried. bobbie thomas. b.t.!

what do you have, babe? >> i obviously think if men had to do what we did as women that would be a workout in itself, between the spanx, the bra, the heels. you have like a calf workout. >> i do not envy that. >> i have some essentials. i came across some really cool towels. this is by towel mate. they have all different colors, not just pink. basically when you are cleaning the equipment in the gym, one side keeps the bacteria, the other side is clean. but what's also cool about this is that you can stick it on your shoulder and it even has a pocket so you can stick your keys or gym card in there so it is all in one. they have a bunch for the beach. at the beach can you put your phone in. this is also really cool for a mission. they have towels that are instant cooling towels. if you're overheating in the summer and you are working out, you wet it and snap it and feel how cold that gets. dwight howard and a bunch of athletes -- they say it really does help cool you down. it is great for kids if they're overheating. >> that's really nice. >> $14.99.

very smart. >> you dunk it in water, wring it out and flip it? >> yeah. >> if you go to gym-pact.com, check out this idea. it is a website where you commit a certain number of workouts per week. for a little bit of money. for a little bit of money, like 50 cents, 75 cents. if you check in at the gym the money's yours but if you don't show up for your workout the money goes to other people who worked out. it is a website that you can just for a couple quarters it helps you commit and the study shows -- you give 50 cents per workout to make sure you actually go to the gym. if you don't show up for the gym and miss your workouts, you give up your change. kit add up, but they said it motivates you to get you to the gym. these are cool foldable shoes from timberland. and they're unisex. next, looking for the best in entertainment?

>> a preview of what to see this weekend and this month, right after this.

pop culture fans, get ready, we have your preview of everything entertainment for this weekend all next month. >> here with his picks in movies, tv and music, entertainment weekly's senior writer tim stack. >> and a very good friend of the program! >> who's going to inappropriately touch me? >> well, it will probably be willie. >> i'm game. keep your head on a swivel. >> oh, lord. >> let's talk about the weekend. big movie coming out. we've heard a little bit it. "the five year engagement." >> it's jason segal and emily wlunt. they play a couple with a delayed engagement, a five-year one. it is a great date movie. right before the summer starts. it is good for like girls to go with their guys. but it is also guys love it because it is kind of dirty, too. it is like a typical kind of raunchy kind of like knocked-up

comedy. >> that's a good one. >> they built a whole brand. >> exactly. >> they keep rolling them off the assembly line. >> if i'm home, what's a good dvd? >> you should probably check out "the artist" which obviously swept the oscars, was a huge deal. it is a silent film which i think a lot of people get worried about hearing about that. but it is actually incredibly entertaining and really funny and sweet and kind of amazing when you see what they're able to kind of display and show without any kind of dialogue. >> it's okay to see it on like a small tv screen. >> totally. yeah. it is a small movie. but it is a great movie. >> big movies coming out in may. these are ones you love "the avengers." >> it is like when you and klg join the other "today" show hosts, all stars unite together. you guys often wear cat suits. sometimes an eye patch. but, yeah. it is all the super heroes,

they're all united together. it is a huge movie. it is opening next weekend. it is our cover this week. it is probably going to open -- it is going to break records i think. it is an all-star cast, robert downey jr., scarlett johansson, fans are like weeping as we speak. >> another boy movie you liked, "the dark shadow." >> it's like "the" diabetes." it's called "dark shadows." tim burton's reboot of the '60s series with obviously johnny depp is back, michelle pfeifer's in it, johnny lee miller, it is a very campy, funny version of "dark shadows" with tim burton's quirky darkness. it's supposed to be really funny. >> will smith is back with "men in black 3."

>> it's been ten years since the last "men in black" movie. this one did not have the easiest transition to the big screen. they actually had to stop production during -- they stopped production while they were filming to finish the script. like the script was not finished while they were in production. this is a bad sign. that's not a great thing. but this is a movie that will smith apparently his trailer was so huge down in soho that everyone was so like angry about it. >> tv shows having their finales in may. "desperate housewives." >> those cougs are going off the air. they are done. >> what about "glee"? >> "glee's" not ending but the seniors will be graduating. you aren't sure who's going to come back, i'm guessing there will be songs to sing. i have the scoop. >> in-depth. >> in-depth reporting. there will be music on the

finale of "glee." >> norah jones and carrie underwood, two home runs. these guys can't do anything wrong. >> for norah jones, it is a little bit darker, a little bit edgier. this one's kind of a break-up album. she's getting a little funky in this one. breaking up and being cranky is the new adult thing. that means i'm cool. i'm single and cranky! carrie underwood's new album "blown away" is kind of a return to form for carrie. she's sassy again. there's some great sort of like anthems, girl power anthems, kind of like "before he cheats," and there's also a song called "wine after whiskey." don't do it. wine before beer, in the clear. >> real quick, andy cohen's got

a new book out. >> yes. of course. we have to bring up andy cohen. he has a new book about his life, his tv career. obviously it is going to be very funny. he's obviously a friend of you guys and every loves him. it's called "most talkative." >> tim, thank you for all your in-depth analysis. it was great. coming up next, sarah is kicking it up with the fans. >> before they ask us whatever they want. training's a fulltime job... when you're training to be the best, you gotta eat the best. [ male announcer ] try the sweet n' smoky new

subway smokehouse bbq chicken. merely 6 grams of fat. it's a perfect ten. subway... the official training restaurant... of athletes everywhere. with smooth caramel and chocolate. ♪ hmm twix. also available in peanut butter.

sara haines has gathered up our crowd across the street at the nbc experience store. >> what pressing questions have you rounded up for me and hoda? >> they're going to be tough ones. we've got your name down this week, hoda. first up -- >> hi, willie. i'd like to know if you've enjoyed hosting the show and hoda, have you enjoyed having him? >> i've enjoyed it immensely. i recommend it for everyone, especially the drinking. it's real. they actually drink on this show.

true story. >> you're getting our secrets out. yes, i'm crazy about willie geist. >> next up, karen and her daughter amy from canada. >> hi. we're here visiting from canada and we'd like to know what has your favorite vacation been? >> what's your favorite vacation? >> i'm going to pander really quickly. >> i went to deborah, ontario once up in canada. a beautiful place on a small island. canada is gorgeous. >> that's a great spot. i'm sort of a caribbean fan. anything that's a direct flight from new york. my family and i love to go to puerto rico where you just throw a towel down, nice cool drink, toes in the sand. >> next up, audrey from georgia. >> i'm a school counselor and we're here with a group of kids and my question is, how did high school and college prepare you for the career that you have now? that's for both of you. >> i think just getting smart is what it's all about. if you can have a broad

education, understand a lot of different things about the world, you'll be fine talking about the world. >> i also think reading everything matters. it is one of those things if you can read everything you get your hands on you're not going to believe how valuable that stuff will be to you later. if you don't know what you guys want to be, it will come to you later. don't feel pressure. thanks for coming to see us. still ahead, living room furniture for both parents and kids. the tricks to trading up when you travel.

we're back on this try day friday with "today's home" and how to tastefully share your living space with your kids. willie geist with two little ones at home knows exactly what we're talking about. >> you have to be creative. you don't always have to sacrifice style though when you have kids. here to show you how to create a harmonious space for the whole family, "parents" magazine lifestyle editor, tarin morgan.

>> it can be done. >> we have the proof right here. first, storage bins are more attractive than ever. these are from garnet hill. they're not screaming we're hiding our toys in here. there is a pretty design. they'll fit on shelves. they're portable. they're soft. next to them, we have these wood storage bins. with a chalkboard panel on front so kids can write what's inside. fantasticdecor.com. a set of three for $70. >> hoda and i want these. >> you're not the only ones. these are available at wayfare.com. they're $154. what's great about it is that it's upholstered in microfiber. you can give your kids a snack or juice box because you can spot cheap them. they are cream so they'll match your existing decor and give your kids a place to sit. >> the clean-up thing is critical.

>> throw pillows are another thing. it is an easy affordable way to spice up your decor and it can be fun for kids. those are $28. scrabble is so hot right now, words with friends. vertical storage. you want to get things off the floor and on the walls. for books, parents magazine, a great option at a container store. >> stuff on walls. it's hard to get something that fits both the kids and the parents but you've figured it out. >> just because something is pegged for appropriate for a kid's room or playroom doesn't mean it won't work in your family room, too. we matched these bold graphic prints with frames from ikea. great way to bring together kid's artwork. you can get those starting at $38 and up. >> this is critical. if you have an apartment in new york city and you don't have any space, you've got to have wall space. you don't want to feel like as

an adult that your kids have taken over your home. >> this storage bench is from target.com. it is $184. this is the epitome of double storage. it's seating, you can use it as a coffee table, you can fit things inside. it is really decorative and will add a lot to your living space. >> this is very clever. >> this is amazing. $195 for this at brookstone.com. kids can play with their toys inside. you can store board games. when you are freaking out because company's coming, you simply slide this over and it conceals what's inside. it is ingenious. for less than $200, you can't go wrong with this coffee table. huge trend also, floor cushions. great for kids, they're portable. $39 at urbanoutfitters.com. and adults can use them, too. so we love them. >> and you can afford it all. >> thanks for coming to see us. the secret to getting those upgrades when you travel. it's not always costly. right after this. ♪

so every year my family throws this great reunion in austin. but this year, i can only afford one trip and i've always wanted to learn how to surf. austin's great -- just not for surfing. so i checked out hotwire. and by booking with them, i saved enough to swing both trips. see, hotwire checks the competition's rates every day so they can guarantee their low prices. that's how i got a 4-star hotel on the beach in san diego for half price. ♪ h-o-t-w-i-r-e ♪ hotwire.com and got this one free. wow! [ tires screech ] buy one 6" sub? [ tires screech ] ...and get another one free? before 9am. all april long. [ male announcer ] subway, eat fresh.

time for "today's travel" and the tricks to trading up, whether flying or renting a car. >> even if you are checking into a hotel, there are some helpful hints that will get you a better deal. "budget travel" magazine knows about everyone. hey, mark. >> is this really rue? when you look at first class tickets online, the rates are insane. the idea that you could get one without paying all that money is pretty intriguing. is it really possible? >> sure, it's possible. if there's an empty seat and you play your cards right, could you find your way up there. >> how do we play our cards right? >> you say people -- i don't want to say bribe -- but bribe. >> i brought you a bribe. chocolate. two chocolate bars. >> okay. >> the thing about chocolate or any of the bribes is just be nice. the people at the airlines are beleaguered by people hating on them all day long. i want this, i want this. if you show up with a chocolate bar or even kind of just being nice and say, oh, my god, how

you doing, how's your day? they will often go, oh, thank god, someone who is a decent human being, let me see what i can do for that person. seriously, it happens. >> they'll take the bar and not looking at you like you're crazy? >> they'll take the bar. they may not give you the seat. >> you say dressing the part helps. >> dressing the part helps which i mean dressing nicely. what doesn't help is if you dress like a slob. they're not going to upgrade you if you dress like a slob because the people sitting around you paid a lot of money for those seats and they're generally business people. you don't want to get yourself stuck by looking like you don't belong. >> how about telling them it is a special occasion? my wife and i are on our honeymoon, it is our anniversary, does that help? >> it can, i've seen it happen. but i don't believe in lying about it because -- at 25,000 feet -- bribery is fine. that's a fair exchange of products there. but lying -- i don't want to be flying 35,000 feet and have the

gods not be happy with me. >> if you really do have something -- do you actually go up and say, hey, it's our anniversary. do we say we'd like an upgrade for free? >> you don't have to be quite that over the head with it. you can act like you're on a honeymo honeymoon. you should look like you're honeymooners. you could say, by the way, it is our honeymoon. flight attendants are very sympathetic to that kind of thing. flying used to be romantic. >> what about a hotel room. there are ways to talk your way into a better room. >> first thing to do, book your hotel with the hotel. if you book with an online party thing, they won't be particularly disposed to help you. they want to promote their own loyal customers. you should also join whatever loyalty program there is. those are the people they want to help. beyond that the best trick we have is show up kind of late. if you show up around 8:00 at night, if the rest of the

regular rooms are gone, they'll give you an upgrade. sometimes if they just have open rooms -- it happened to me once in brussels -- they just put us in a suite, we're like, what did we do to be here? they want you to want to come back so they give you something. >> one of the things you say is be nice to people and that will help. we've both seen people who just compin and are loud. sometimes the person at desk, whether it's at the airport, you they just want to quiet them down. they sometimes will help out those ones hot are the loud mouths, don't they? >> my favorite story is the person standing behind someone like that in line and the person i need to be upgraded, my back hurts and the person says well, you can buy a business class seat. that guy left, that person came up, they gave that person a business class seat just because they were nice. >> rental cars. it's always nice to get a little nicer car. maybe get the compact, you want to go mid size. is there a good approach there? >> rental cars will upgrade you if they've run out of the kind of car you've requested.

if you get there early in the morning, before the people have returned their cars for the next day, or late in the week when a lot of those cars have been used up, you can often get a better car. >> okay. all interesting. thanks for coming to see us, mark. thanks for the chocolate. you can read more about budget travel's tricks of the trade on klg and hoda.com. toys you control using apps on your phone. that's next. >> what? >> this is going to be fun. co good morning, everyone. here is your forecast as we get this weekend started. we're going to be watching out for showers and storms. in the ohio valley, louisville, cincinnati, could hear some thunder, moving into pittsburgh and baltimore and d.c. but right now it looks good for new york city and boston. temperatures still a little on the cool side across new england. we could be waking up to record lows for some of you in the

northeast. otherwise, look for a high of 60 in new york city. 44 in chicago and the heat is on in the south as temperatures will be from 5 to 10 degrees above average. atlanta, 87 degrees. mid to upper 80s in orlando. mid 80s for you here in texas. as you can see, some cool air right up here across the northern rockies and into the midwest, as well. as you can see, sunday still featuring showers and thunderstorms for those of you across the ohio valley. chicago may catch a shower on sunday, as well. wet conditions for kansas city, wichita. billings, a chilly day for you. dry weather on the west coast. places like los angeles, highs pushing 70 degrees. 94 in phoenix and running above average across the southeast. so you need the a.c. here, at least seek the shade. it's going to be a hot one. monday, showers moving through the lower great lakes. that includes you in chicago and toledo, ohio. otherwise, dry weather for your

business trip to new york city. high of 62. tuesday, we bring in the rain in the northeast and toward the mid-atlantic and mountains of west virginia. st. louis with a chance of showers and storms and wet weather in the pacific northwest. by wednesday, dry weather across the south. you can always get the latest forecast. "wake up with al" weekday mornings at 6:00 and 10:00 eastern time. having one of those days? tired. groggy. can't seem to get anything done. it makes for one, lousy day. but when you're alert and energetic... that's different. you're more with it, sharper, getting stuff done. this is why people choose 5-hour energy over 9-million times a week. it gives them the alert, energetic feeling they need to get stuff done. 5-hour energy...when you gotta get stuff done.

with smooth caramel and chocolate. ♪ hmm twix. also available in peanut butter. ♪ [ lauer ] this is our team. and unlike other countries, it's built by your donations, not government funding. and now, to support our athletes, you can donate a stitch in america's flag for the 2012 olympic games in london. help raise our flag, add your stitch at teamusa.org.

there is a kid inside each of us. if you own some sort of device that has apps, there is a whole emergence of toys just for you. >> toy expert and co-publisher of toyinsider.com lori schact is here to show us some of the new ones that even some adults will want to get their hands on. >> so crazy. our kids today are digital natives. the technology is just intuitive to them and there's a whole new

way for them to play. so it is all about taking physical toys and putting it together with the family smart device. >> let's start with this car. >> if you've ever wanted to drive a ferrari. you drive the car, then download the free app on to any i device. you get the dashboard but it is his remote control. >> he's got a full dashboard right there. >> it looks like a porsche 911. >> oh, i'm driving! >> the surveillance chopper's down! perfect segue into the surveillance chopper. >> let's say you want to be flying. this is our wi-spy helicopter. again, you buy the helicopter. you download it -- you can use either an android device or i device on this one. download the free app. >> hoda! >> it does work, but we're

knocking it around. >> the cool thing is, not only is it flying by this, it can video record while in flight, take pictures. you can share it instantly on facebook, twitter. e-mail it. it is awesome. >> it has a camera in it that you can watch on your ipad. >> you're sharing it immediately. >> that's cool! can we show just the camera what the camera does? check this out. that's the camera. it's crazy. that's terrific. so much fun. very cool. >> this is about $99. this is not out yet. this one is out yet. this is about $69. this is helo-tc assault. again, you can use an android or any i device. you push a button, it will fly the flight pattern. this has missiles you can shoot while it's flying. >> of course it does.

>> the game of life. like the classic game, they're going to choose career path or college path. they're going to go through. the goal is to retire with the most money. >> you have your ipad in the middle. >> the ipad is in the middle. it is their virtual spinner. they've come up with virtual pegs that they've each customized. there are many games they play throughout. they're also watching mini clips of "america's funniest videos." it is great for the whole family. >> wow! they have come a long way. >> here's a case we're taking the ipad into the game board. these are eye pieces. air hockey. so play. you're just pushing it. but what's great about this is we're all carrying our devices so it's so easy.

all you're doing is buying these little pieces, $9.99. here's where the price point is so low. take this with you. you have your device, everyone's playing. >> are you talking? >> you just download the app. >> oh, my gosh! what do we have here. >> this is the real android tablet. parents can use it as their regular tablet but it comes with a bumper and it comes with great parental controls. you can put up to eight different profiles in here and for each child you can decide what apps are appropriate, what websites they can visit. you can even put a timer in for each kid. let's say i have an 8-year-old and i only want her on for an hour a day, she'll play for an hour a day, it will lock her out, she will not be allowed in again until the next day. now mom's not the bad guy. >> that's amazing. >> can you believe all this? >> no. >> whatever happened to chutes and ladders. up next, how to make your meals look like they came out of a magazine. but first, this is "today" on nbc.

we are in "today's kitchen with what's cookin'." how to take that party you want to throw to a new level. >> if you're tired of looking at food magazines thinking you could never make your recipes look like those perfect dishes, you can. >> lifestyle expert maureen is here to show us how to to it. >> there's lots of little tricks. and anybody can do it. first the perfect cake. this is really simple. you don't want your cake to look like the leaning tower of pisa. it always has that rounded top when it comes out of the oven. have the nice serrated knife, take the top off. now we have a flat layer. i'm going to flip this over. you've got your nice flat surface and edges. this is store-bought icing. put it in the microwave or a double boiler. about 30 seconds.

it does take a little -- the tools make a huge difference. this is a long flat spatula. see how smooth that's already looking? so loosen up your icing. simply this was the one that we finished here. he's almost there. >> we'll be here all day. >> it's just white vanilla icing. that could be right on the cover of a magazine. easy enough. you can buy plastic piping tips. these are simply just easy decorations. this is also a turning table. as you are piping and working can you move this around. from it is about the shape. >> make it nice and clean. >> let's make a nice cheese tray. >> our 30-second cheese platter. we are creating some height. some bread sticks off to the side. simply bunches of grapes.

keep your items together. bleu cheese, right there you couldn't -- put that one right there. this is right here a goat cheese log. the strategy here is to give a little bit of color. we rolled it into a little cayenne pepper. can you use chili flakes, cracked black pepper. anything. simple enough. nuts, dried fruit. what do you think you're going to do with these? sprinkle? >> no. pile. so you keep them together just like this. same thing with any dried fruits. make nice piles. >> try to keep it nice and clean. you want to keep some white space. when you're having a big dinner party though make sure that you start the cut. otherwise that is going to sit there all night long. make sure you start to cut that for them. that's gorgeous enough to be on the cover of a magazine.

>> this is the perfect dinner plate. >> these are techniques you learn in culinary school. three things on the plate. a vegetable, our potatoes and our meat. odd numbers are much more visually appealing. three things there. this looks like it is right from a restaurant. simple enough. a bag here -- everyone can find a zip top bag. we cut off the tip and you can pipe it just like that. >> we love what you're doing. you can see all this on our website. thank you so much. a big thank you to willie geist for helping out. willie! willie rocked it. kathie lee is coming back next week. barry manilow's going to stop by. >> jeff gold bloom and bleesa lisa renner is going to be here. bye-bye.