we're back now with more of "today" on a friday morning. it's the 5th of february 2010. these people probably getting a little sightseeing in before they head off for a nice weekend and settle down to watch the big game on sunday between the colts and the saints. and by the way, we should be talking about the weather that's moving in. we have a big storm heading into the northeast coming up the atlantic coast and we've got places like virginia, west virginia, washington, d.c.. >> right. amtrak already canceled all trains -- >> oh, dear. >> -- from washington south except for one. southwest airlines canceling flights tomorrow into sunday. i mean, this is a big one. >> what about air canada

tomorrow? a couple of us are headed to vancouver. >> personal interest here. >> you and our director joe michaels. >> exactly. >> okay, you can stay, he can go. >> i don't know what that's going to mean for us. okay. >> anyway, watch the weather in your local community. also, we should mention it is the national heart association's national wear red day, and that's a way to draw attention to heart disease in this country, the number one killer of women, by the way. >> that's right, absolutely. >> and so, we are all happy to do our part. mine is under here, red tie. all of us doing our part. nancy snyderman will be along to talk about things you can do to lower your risk of heart disease. and talking about being healthy, super bowl sunday is not the ideal time to start watching your weight or reining in the calories, right? wings and maybe a beer to go along with it. but we are going to show you probably a good time to, though, think about the calories that you are taking in. you don't have to necessarily give up the beer, the guacamole. you just have to follow some simple tips to hopefully keep your waistline in check. >> all righty. and then, as we know, it's been a tough few weeks for not only

toyota, but toyota customers as well. well, with the gas pedal problems, now brake problems on the popular prius, this morning the head of toyota said he's personally getting involved. we're going to tell you what the company plans to do to help consumers. and it's that time of the week. we love it, we love her. barbara corcoran will be along to take us on a house tour across the country. >> that's a nice one. >> yeah. from a texas mansion to a waterfront home, we have homes for every budget starting at around $200,000. >> very good. >> okay, a lot to get to this hour. let's go inside right now. ann's standing by with all the headlines. >> thanks a lot, matt. we have got breaking news this morning. new figures out this morning show that the nation's unemployment rate dropped last month to 9.7%, a five-month low and a drop of 0.3% from a month before. despite the increase, however, the economy did lose 20,000 jobs. today, an apology, as we just heard from al, from toyota. the company executive apologized for toyota's safety problems following recalls for gas pedals and concerns about brakes on some cars.

he also set up a committee to improve quality control. we get more on this now from nbc's -- cnbc's phil lebeau. >> reporter: toyota's latest problem, the prius, its best-selling gas-electric hybrid. the prius is considered toyota's gold standard and a badge of conspicuous conservation for its proud owners. >> there's a lot of consumers out there that are really nervous about driving their toyota products. >> reporter: last november, less than a month after buying her 2010 prius, "today" west coast contributor maria necessamenoun police her brakes failed after an accident. >> i just felt like the brakes didn't work. >> reporter: federal investigators are looking into complaints about the brakes in the 2010 prius. >> it's going to really hurt toyota, definitely in the short term. >> reporter: toyota says it's looking into what may cause the brakes to pause before slowing down, adding, "we're making every effort to address this situation for our customers as quickly as possible." yet another setback for the

world's number one automaker, already under the microscope for two massive recalls to address unintended acceleration. but as dealers around the country began the monumental task of fixing potentially faulty gas pedals -- >> basically is this area right here. >> reporter: -- they're also faced with repairing relationships with millions of loyal customers. >> i just want it fixed. i want to go on driving my car and be happy and safe. >> reporter: as toyota looks into the prius brake issue, at dealerships around the country, the big fix has begun. dealers will start fixing sticky gas pedals on 2.3 million vehicles. it is a repair job that is likely to take months. phil lebeau, nbc news, park ridge, illinois. for the third time in a week, a bombing today in iraq targeted shiite pilgrims, killing at least 27 near karbala. and bombings in pakistan killed at least 22 people. ten american missionaries indicted in haiti on thursday are beginning their second week in jail. a haitian judge charged them with child abduction for trying to take 33 children out of the

country. their attorney said it could take months of further investigation before officials determine the next step in this case. severe flooding in central mexico killed at least seven people on thursday, including five children. the heavy rain also triggered power outages in mexico city. and former south african president nelson mandela on thursday marked the 20th anniversary of his release from prison. he was honored by colleagues who called the 91-year-old mandela an inspiration and said the sacrifices he made would never be forgotten. it is now five minutes past the hour. let's go back outside to matt and natalie. >> all right. thank you, ann. >> let's get this all-important weather forecast -- >> yes. >> -- for super bowl weekend from the man behind us over there. >> al? >> got a cute little man over here. what's his name? >> jack. >> we can't quite see you, jack. he's turning around. there he is! all right. there you go. that's a face worth waiting for. let's check your weather. and again, as matt alluded to, we have winter storm warnings,

winter weather advisories, blizzard warnings stretching from the dakotas all the way to the eastern seaboard. in fact, you can see maryland and delaware on into new jersey, we've got blizzard warnings. here's the system. heavy rain in the south, snow developing in the north, and it's starting to work its way into washington now. the storm system comes across the southeastern atlantic out into the ocean waters, bringing with it a lot of snow by saturday evening. here's what we're looking for totalwise. anywhere from three to six inches of snow back from into the dakotas, but the bull's eye is right along the mid-atlantic coast -- washington, d.c., baltimore, philly, atlantic city. anywhere from 12 to 24 inch of snow. the mountains to the west up to two feet or more. so, this is going to be a crippling snowstorm, but the >> good morning. we should see some snow developing earlier this morning and lasting through the afternoon. there could be a little sleep,

and a couple inches could be on the ground bu that's your latest weather. ann? >> announcer: "heart by the numbers" today is brought to you by campbell's healthy request soup. february is american heart month, and this month, we've got "heart by the numbers today." more than 450,000 women die each year from heart disease, but how much do you know about the risk factors and prevention? we have nbc's chief medical editor dr. nancy snyderman, here with a pop quiz on some of the most important heart health

facts, and some of them might surprise you. >> this is my pop quiz for you. >> all right. i've got the questions. first of all, let's talk about this idea. i mean, it's the number one killer of women in the world. >> it is. look, we talk about ovarian cancer, we talk about breast cancer, but the reality is, heart disease will kill us. and especially in our culture, in this western culture, diet, cigarettes, sedentary life. it's sort of the triple threat for women and we, because we nurture everyone else, a lot of times those warning signs that we could be in trouble, we don't pay attention to them. >> so, there's a real push now to make women and everyone really more aware. >> that's right. >> and that's why everyone's wearing red today. >> that's why. >> and also why we have this short quiz on the broadcast on our heart health knowledge. the first question is, coronary heart disease is something that develops very quickly in a person. true or false? >> what do you think? >> i think false, because i think it takes a long time because it's got to be related to diet. >> that's exactly right. and so, we know -- and there's another question that sort of relates to this in this quiz, but we know that the cholesterol build-up and the inflammation

and all those things that lead to heart disease later is a gradual process, which is why you can in your 40s, 50s or 60s reverse heart disease and stop it. great research has been done in men, but there's no reason to think women can't reverse heart disease also, and that's by going back to the basics -- exercise, watching your diet, knowing your numbers like your triglycerides and your cholesterol, and, although i take aspirin every day, you should talk to your doctor about whether aspirin makes sense for you. >> okay. we've heard a lot about weight and how it relates to heart disease. here's another question. at what age can an overweight female start to show risk factors for cardiovascular disease? is it preschool years, tween and teen years, 20s and 30s or p perimenopause? >> what do you think? >> i think this is sort of a trick question, but i would think the 20s and 30s. >> you know what? interestingly, earlier, toddler years. and we know from doing autopsies on children who have died in car crashes and from other causes, and you can start to see the fatty streaking in the heart

vessels in toddlers who are on high-fat diets. so, the idea that this sort of is a continuation of our first question -- the heart disease we deal with, by the time we are in our perimenopausal years, has its root in our childhoods. >> oh, my goodness. on the flip side, being overweight in your twilight years may add to your life? true or false? >> what do you think? >> well, i've heard this both ways. i guess i'm going to say false because it seems counterintuitive, but i've heard a lot of people say it's true. >> and a new study says that it is true. this is the cautionary thing. this is an australian study that showed for women over their 60, 70 years of age, if they were a little overweight, they, in fact, didn't die as much from heart disease. but here's the caveat. we know that the fatter you are, the more diabetes you have, the higher your risk of heart disease. so, being a little overweight is good for your bones and good for your heart. being a lot overweight is not. and in this regard, i think women still need to know their

waist circumferences. for a women, it can't be more than 38 inches around. >> what's a little overweight, like five pounds? >> like me. >> you're not overweight. >> but five or ten pounds. >> and the other one affects everybody, lack of sleep. along with the rest of your body, your heart needs a deep sleep to rest. i would say true. >> yeah. you know it is. because during your sleep, that's when you regenerate and nurture your body. so, if your spouse or your mate says that you snore or you stop breathing at night or you sleep poorly, you should see someone, because if you're not getting deep sleep, then, in fact, you're probably not resting your heart and lungs. and one of the best little tricks is ask yourself if you dream. if you don't dream, you might not be getting to the deep levels of sleep, and a simple sleep study will tell you. >> okay. lastly, which of the following is the most important thing a woman can do to reduce her risk of heart attack? a, limit salt intake. b, quit smoking.

c, reduce stress. d, exercise. >> you know this one. >> the most important thing. well, i would say quit smoking. >> trumps everything else up there. for most people, you don't have to worry about your salt. of course, we know stress and exercise play a role. the number one, number one factor that will put you in a grave early is cigarettes. the only product that when used as directed will kill you. >> all right. you said it here, anyone who's smoking, pay attention. >> throw them away now. >> we want you to live a long life. and dr. nancy snyderman, working so hard to make sure we all do. thank you very much. >> you bet, annie. coming up, we're going to help you stay healthy by making the right food and drink choices for the big game this sunday. that's possible. but coming up next, a real estate reality check. how far can your dollar go in this market? we've got an open house tour with none other than barbara corcoran, coming up right after this. you take just once a month. it's simponi™, and taken with methotrexate, it helps relieve the pain, stiffness, and swelling of ra with one dose a month. visit 4simponi.com

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real estate," what can you get for $200,000 plus? we'll tell you, from a spacious four-bedroom near the mountains to a spacious backyard, we have homes to suit any taste and price range. "today" real estate expert, barbara corcoran, our brick house, is here to show them all. today is go red for women day. you don't have any red, so -- >> yeah, yeah. thank you. i'll take that. hey, you dolled me up here. >> trying to help you out. now, let's get started. we're going to kennesaw, georgia, starting off with a bang. this is just under $400,000. that looks good on you. >> thank you very much. i know i look good with it. this is a pretty little house and right where kennesaw is, it's at the foot of the appalachian mountains and surrounded by lakes. you can almost feel the lakes just looking at the front side of this house. it feels like it's just got beautiful surround, and that's the backyard there with the big, big deck. it's totally private. you don't see your neighbors. that's your own private walkway through your backyard. >> nice. >> it's almost like having your own paradise. this is an extra long deck, by the way, that you just saw. the living room is huge. it's got those vaulted ceilings with french doors and trim

throughout. they have a master bedroom upstairs that's as big as the living room. that kitchen there is in meticulous kitchen. >> that is gorgeous. >> it's very bright. it's been totally renovated. the floors are beautifully stained, beautifully varnished, high gloss on them. and those windows are throughout the entire house. it's a light and sunny house, and yet, it's charming just as well. >> you talked about that deck. does that add value to the house? >> well, at any house, you put a deck on the house, you add immediately 10% value and probably more with this house because the deck is situated so beautifully in the backyard. >> lonestar state, corpus christi, texas, a bargain at $215,000. >> you get a lot of house in corpus christi for $215,000. it's a waterfront city by the gulf of mexico, and this particular house is on the good side of town, the rapidly growing south side of the city. it's a hopping place. it's not a place you're going to go to be peaceful and quiet. you've got everything surrounding you. that is what qualifies as a mcmansion. it's 2,500 square feet big, a

big backyard, totally flat. great for a goat. goats graze perfectly on that. no, it's a dream. look at the inside of the house, the beautiful staircase. very open, very spacious. you feel like you have yards and yards of house. >> let's bring a llama in. >> why not? that's more fashionable. there's the master bedroom there. and this entire house is in, as you can see, mint condition. >> mm-hmm, okay. let's head into the northeast. chelsea, massachusetts. this one's a town house. >> a very different style of house. and a lot of people don't enjoy living in town houses. when you see the front side of this particular house, you see that it's a rather plain-looking townhouse. it's desperately in need of good landscaping, i feel, but the unit we're going to look at is the one right on the corner there. and when you see the views from this unit -- >> ooh. >> -- it more than makes up from it. it's just a few minutes from downtown boston, so you could be to work within ten minutes. there's the inside of the townhouse. it's nice, broad, wide rooms. if it was in brooklyn, it would be selling for $2.5 million.

there's the beautiful back deck. you have beautiful downtown views from the back deck, a working fireplace. the kitchen is totally renovated. it's really a picture-perfect townhouse, except for the outside, which is a little bit plain. >> and it's an end unit. does that add value? >> you know, end units in a townhouse parlance is like having status. you don't say i live in unit two or three. you say i live in the end unit, which means you're better than the neighbors. it always trades for about 10% more. >> that's right, and then put a goat in the backyard. >> forget about the goat! i'm sorry i said it. >> let's go to sarasota, florida, an adult community, $324,900 for this one. >> yep, and this adult community has a nice gated entrance, a clubhouse, which you can't see here, a fitness center and a pool. there's the front of the house. look at that waterway. that's not the community pool. that's your pool. >> so you've got a pool and a community pool. >> yeah. you can swim privately here or go to the community pool if you want, which is a block away. there is the living room. meticulous condition, again, beautiful open floors.

you see the open kitchen in the back. the blue color is not a good idea. but forgive the blue and look at really the bones of this house. >> blue's not a good color for kitchens? >> no, it's not. it doesn't put people in the mood for cooking or eating. it's just the wrong color. there's the master bedroom bath. >> and now to skokie. for $700,000, this is one of your favorites. >> it's a beautiful house because it's so simple in its structure. this is a suburb of chicago. this is where the gangster babyface nelson was shot down and buried right in this town. >> wow! that's a selling point! >> that's a little thing. >> and now a goat grazes over his grave. >> no, no, no, come on. have a look at this house. a big backyard. >> wow. >> too bad you didn't pause on that front picture. this is a very pretty house. >> it is. >> very balanced. this is called a arts and crafts style house. there weren't many built in the turn of the century. this is a new arts and crafts style house and people always pay extra. why? look at the trim on the windows, the simplicity, the balance of the room. people eat this stuff up.

it's a beautiful house, light throughout. and remember, again, this is our high-priced house. >> that's right. >> it's $700,000, but worth every penny. >> and balance it out, des moines, iowa, $329,900. >> it's a clackboard home with a quick front. all the bells and whistles you like in a house. a half-acre backyard and nice and flat, beautiful trees. that's all your land. the master bedroom has a walk-in closet, dining room and that's the end! >> beautiful. and it's got a three-sheep garage. barbara corcoran, thanks so much. >> all right. coming up later on "today," if you plan on staying home for valentine's day, we'll tell you how to set your mood in the house with tips from style gurie colin cowie. daughter needed ac! so i took the activia challenge... wow. it works. now she has a spring in her step. i'm loving it. every morning. help get your system back on track. activia with bifidus regularis helps regulate your digestive system in two weeks. would you recommend activia? i already have. it works or it's free.

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coming up, eating healthy for super bowl sunday. >> mm-mmm, that will be easy. plus, style expert colin cowie has decorating ideas if you're planning on staying home for valentine's day. - ( rope snaps ) - ( piano clangs ) - ( crashes ) - glad forceflex trash bags are so strong, one bag is all you need to pick up the pieces from even your biggest disasters. - ( doorbell rings ) - where do you want the piano? for stretchable strength get glad forceflex. under. what kind of question is that? next question. [ pen scratches ] ergonomically over is seventy to eighty percent more efficient. [ male announcer ] tell us how you roll at cottonellerollpoll.com. i love hosting the holidays... but after all the rich, heavy food, i was irregular, so my friend recommended the activia challenge. and it worked. i don't know what i like better--

how it makes me feel... or the great taste. ♪ activia! >> live, local, late-breaking. this is wbal-tv 11 news today in baltimore. be >> most of the tv 11 viewing area is under a winter storm warning, with a storm expected to hit our area in just a few hours. the race is on to stock up on food and necessities as people prepare for the weekend snowstorm. parking is scarce and supplies are limited. meanwhile, state highway and local officials are preparing the roads. officials ask that you stay off as much as possible so crews can work fast and efficiently. now to the latest on the storm forecast. >> good morning, everyone. as we head to this afternoon,

the storm will gradually work its way in here. it will probably mix in with a little bit of sleet for the late afternoon and evening hours. we expect 1 inch to 3 inches on the ground by this evening. temperatures will be above freezing, and that will help a little bit. i do not think roads will be terrible. tonight, snow will intensify. by late tonight into saturday morning, that will be the peak of the storm. when will pick up out of the northeast with heavy snow and thunder and lightning late night and early saturday morning at the peak, temperatures dropping into the 20's. everything should stay ok late afternoon and evening saturday. by the time it is said and done, 12 inches to 20 inches of snow on the ground. most will be under the 20 inch mark, but you probably will not be able to tell how much is in your yard. super bowl sunday is ok, and another chance for snow tuesday night and during the day

wednesday. >> we have coverage on our website, wbaltv.com. send us your photos. thank you for joining us. another update at 9:55.

♪ man, i want to see this. just a quick preview of the 2010 olympic winter games kicking off one week from today in vancouver. we're going to have reports beginning all next week. and of course, we're all there starting friday, february 12th, the day of the opening ceremony. we cannot wait. meanwhile, coming up in this half hour, natalie, i know you've got tips on how not to stuff your face during another big winter event, the super bowl. >> the super bowl! >> that's right. while you're sitting on the couch, perhaps, or you're saddled up to the bar, it's easy to keep munching your way through four quarters of the action, so we'll try to help you keep the calories in check with

simple eating tips. >> are the tips not to eat the food in front of you? >> depends on the kind of food. you don't have to give everything up necessarily. >> and then getting ready for the next event, which of course is valentine's day. whether you're celebrating with your family or sweetheart, we have style expert colin cowie here to show us how to set the right mood for that special day. and as you may have noticed, we have amy robach and jenna wolfe joining us to tell us what's coming up this weekend on "today." hey, guys. >> hello. >> hey. lester will be live in vancouver to start the olympic preview. so, we'll have all of that. and then we're going to meet a man who got carried away literally. mark malkof was carried through new york city by 155 complete strangers from tip to tip. why did he do it and why did they do it, more importantly? we'll let you know. he'll be here to tell us about that. >> kindness of strangers. and then you know those commercials claiming to grow your eyelashes, making them stronger, thicker and darker? well, we've tried out a few of them and we'll tell you if they actually work when we see you

this weekend on "today." i know some of us in the makeup room have exchanged tips on trying that out. >> what were you saying about that, al? >> it works. you can see what it's done for my eyes. >> your brows, too. >> some of our eyes will be misty this weekend because we have a big event coming up. >> yes, we do. >> amy robach getting married. >> to andrew schu. >> just in time for the nor'easter. i hope our guests can make it. >> we have a toast, a little champagne for you. that's right, here comes our new relaxed stage hand, jay, fresh from his massage. >> amy -- >> to a wonderful life together. >> congratulations. >> congratulations. >> cheers. >> and a great beginning on saturday. >> natalie actually set us up, so i have natalie to thank for the whole thing. thank you. if it doesn't work out, it's your fault, natalie! >> oh, no! >> it will be great. >> there's a positive thought on the even of your nuptials. >> thank you. >> why don't i continue the mood and bring you the forecast? >> how's the wedding forecast, too? >> let's take a drink really

quick. >> drink. drink up. let's show you what's going on. it's going to be a heck of a wedding. i can tell you that. during the weekend, the mid-atlantic snowstorm just in time for amy's wedding. so, half the guests aren't going to be there, so they'll be drinking heavily. >> don't say that! >> sunny up and down the coast, rainy through the gulf. sunday we've got snow in new england, rain through the southw >> good morning. it looks like things will be ok early this morning. by the afternoon, light snow and sleet

and that's your latest weather. >> al, thank you. coming up next -- we're still drinking our champagne for amy and also talking about a super bowl survival guide. tips for healthy eating, coming up after this. ♪ ladies, raise your spoons. now there's nothing left standing between you and a satisfying breakfast. introducing special k low-fat granola. with 50% less fat than the leading granola... and 5 grams of fiber per serving,

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this valentine's day, wouldn't your valentine... like to know how you feel? give them a refreshingly real card from hallmark. this morning on "eat smart today," making your super bowl snacking healthy. really? well, with so much temptation, those hot wings, pizza, and of course, all that beer, you need a graeme plan to make it through. liz vaccariello is with "prevention" magazine and author of "the flat belly diet for men," here with a game plan for us this morning. liz, good morning. >> good morning. >> super bowl sunday seems like an awful time to really scale it back, but is it really all about giving up everything you love? >> no, it's not. i mean, this is often the first time since our new year's resolutions that we have a special occasion, and it's okay to indulge if you want to, but keep in mind, americans are going to eat 156 billion

calories on sunday. so, it's really easy to get out of control. >> oh, my god. that sounds pretty bad. so, you have a game plan for us so that we don't end up feeling like a linebacker at the end of the game. you say first thing is start by just using small plates, right? portion control. >> this is all about strategic splurging. >> right. >> if you're hosting the party, buy the salad plate instead of the dinner plate, okay? at the university of pennsylvania, they did a study and found that the eye thinks that it's a small amount of food, it sends a signal from the brain to your stomach that you're not going to be satisfied. so, food looks bigger on a small plate. same with serving bowls. we take more out of the larger bowl. >> okay. then you also say another good thing is bring a healthy dish if you're going to a party or something. >> right. >> or if you're at home, make a healthy dish. >> exactly. offer to bring something. if you're in charge of the dip or chips, you can make sure that the ingredients are a little healthier that the chips are whole grain, for example. >> maybe have some salad on the side, too. and of course, very important not to come hungry, right? >> that's right.

have a snack before the guests arrive or before you go. it's sort of counterintuitive. you think i want to save up my calories. but first of all, you don't want to show up famished. you'll let all your inhibitions go. >> and you're going to splurge. >> you're going to splurge. and first of all, if you have an apple and string cheese at home, that's about 150 calories. again, you've controlled what you've put in your body and taken the edge off. >> what about when you get there and see all the things you love -- the buffalo wings, the chips, sliders, pizza, beer, oh, my! what do you do then? i'm hungry right now! >> i want you to do recon and ask yourself this question, are any of my absolute favorites on this table? then, if there is, i want you to have exactly that. because if you don't, what you'll do is have what you don't want. a few cocktails later, you have what you do want and end up eating too much. >> the thing is controlling the cocktails, too, because once you have more than a couple of drinks, you lose all -- i mean, everything goes out the window, right? >> the inhibitions go out the

window. >> exactly. >> but also the beverages. people don't think about the calories in beverages. >> right. >> one beer is 150 calories. light beer about 100 calories. a soda, 100 calories. but now i'm going to say something that might surprise people. a diet soda is often not the best choice because they've done studies that show people eat more if they have a diet soda. they think to themselves, i can justify these calories -- >> i've saved the calories here, i'm going to splurng on something else. >> exactly. have the water or the soda you want. >> if you're at the snack table, what is the best option for you? >> i want you to find that guacamole. >> mm, my favorite. >> i know. >> okay, good. >> it's made from avocado, which is one of the "flat belly diet" favorite foods. it's the heart-healthy mono unsaturated fatty acids, it's going to fill you up, vitamins b, c and d. >> so with the game, it's hard not to eat the whole time. how do you avoid doing that? >> first, pace yourself. if you eat slowly for the first ten minutes of any experience, you're going to eat less overall.

because after ten minutes, the appetite center in your brain turns off. second of all, pay attention. go into the kitchen and have what you want to eat there, away from conversation, away from the tv. don't mindlessly munch. >> yeah. so, stop eating when you're full. >> that's right, and sit strategical strategically. >> yes. >> so, if you're at the coffee table, sit at the opposite side of your favorite snack. that way you don't want to reach in front of everybody and block their view of the tv. >> sit right in front of the food. >> that way you may be embarrassed to keep reaching. >> liz vaccariello, thank you very much. happy super bowl sunday. >> enjoy the commercials. coming up next, setting the table and the mood in your home for that other occasion coming up soon, valentine's day. there's a full serving of vegetables in every manwich. besides, you're a grain anyway. - but i'm corn! - yeah, corn's a grain. ( crowd applauds ) announcer: surprise. every manwich has a full serving of wholesome vegetables. manwich. meat your vegetables.

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sunny taste. sunny spirit. sunny d. mmmmmm. mmmmmm. wow! you have got to be kidding me. 80 calories? light & fit has 80 calories versus 100 in the other leading brand. light & fit. irresistible taste. fewer calories. i love light & fit. after her young son survived a serious illness, author dannie shapiro found herself asking questions about the nature of god, prayer and what relevance her orthodox jewish upbringing had in her life now. she embarksed on a spiritual journey, which she writes about in "devotion, a memoir." dani shapiro, good morning. >> good morning. >> there you were like the rest of us, rushing head long into life. you had a family, a career. what made you stop and consider your spiritual life?

>> it was really a tremendous need to understand where i was at this point in my life and how to move forward. i grew up in a very religious home, but i had abandoned all that. i hadn't replaced it with anything. it was really an all or nothing way to be. and i had replaced it with nothing. and so, for a whole lot of years, that was okay with me, but then suddenly, when my young son, jacob, started asking me questions about what i believed and whether i believed in god, i realized that i had so completely opted out of thinking about those things and i really wanted to be able to supply him with responses from a mother who had thought deeply about all this, and i also felt a tremendous sense of anxiety personally that was waking me up in the middle of the night every night, and i knew that it had to

do with somehow a lack of greater meaning or greater spiritual inquiry in my life. >> so, the girl who was raised in a family with a father who was an ordthodox jew became a girl who started seeking, and you say it actually was all around the corner of your home. you met a rabbi, a yogi and a buddhist. how did that happen, dani? >> yes. i think what i did was i opened myself up to the possibilities that there were wisdoms and other traditions that weren't what i had been raised with but that might be really relevant to me. and i began to read and think, and one day i ordered a book on the internet that was by a writer named steven cope, and i was reading this book that was absolutely extraordinary. the guy is a yogi, and about a week later, i was at a charity

event as an author. i had a novel out and i was at a charity event that i hadn't eve really wanted to go to. and i was sitting at this table grumbling to myself that i was even at this thing it was a hot summ summer day. and the author next to me reached his hand out and said, "hi, i'm steven cope." it was the yogi. and it was like the student was here and the teacher appeared. >> and a lot of what you learned is elusive, but what you also learned is that ritual is important. >> yes. >> and "time" magazine says that, you know, your willingness to explore the elusiveness of uncertainty is really to be lauded and that that comes through in your book. what do you say to women who wish they could have this time, that don't feel like they have permission to go and explore their spirituality? >> oh, that's a great question, because i didn't feel like i had permission either, and i really,

really believe that if i could do this, any woman can do this, because i think we all feel this pressure to be caregivers, this pressure to keep our whole family afloat, and there's endless to-do lists all the time. but what happens if we're not actually taking care of our most deepest inner lives? i was just thinking yesterday of this great metaphor of, you know how on airplanes, when the oxygen mask comes down, they say you need to put your oxygen mask on before you put on your child's. and i think the embarking on a journey to understand some of this really has to do with giving it to yourself so that then you can give something to your children. >> well, in many ways, maybe this is -- this book is your mitzfa. dani shapiro. the book is called "devotion" and you can discover more of what she discovered in her journey in that book. thank you. >> thank you. coming up next, you don't

have to go out for valentine's day, because we've got style expert colin cowie telling us how to set the mood at home. wayne and mary met in kindergarten. they've been together ever since. for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health. vows that were tested and kept. thanks, hon. even when cancer hit and cost wayne his job. and scleroderma hit and cost him his hands. and then the wall street crash hit and cost them their life savings. still, they struggle on just to get by,

to keep food on the table and to heat their home. mary: the wood stove helps us save on oil, but it's getting harder and harder. at citizens energy, we know the hurt you must feel. we know it's hard for proud people to ask for help. i just want to let you know how happy we are that we can lend a helping hand. wayne: we never thought we would be cold in our own home. mary: thanks to citgo and the people of venezuela. hi, i'm joe kennedy from citizens energy, your nonprofit oil company. if you need help staying warm this winter, give me a call at 1-877-joe-4-oil, because no one should be left out in the cold.

this morning on "today's home," staying in for valentine's day. whether you're celebrating with your honey, having an intimate dinner with friends or brunch for the kids, lifestyle expert colin cowie has some tabletop tips to spice up your home. colin, good morning. >> good morning, natalie. how are you? >> i'm doing great. so, we don't have to spend a lot of money and it really is more intimate, more personal if you do something at home, right? >> instead of going to a restaurant, this is a great way to entertain at home. instead of sitting at the dinner table, think out of the box. so, i found these great tv trays. >> these are great. >> it's kind of fun to relax in front of the sofa, in front of the fireplace to keep it hot -- >> sort of like a tv dinner, but romantic. this is dinner and a movie for the couples. >> absolutely.

>> for your couples affair. now, who actually plans? i mean, i know a lot of times the guys get stuck with planning some elaborate dinner, but we're modern women. we should take charge, too, right? >> i think there should be democracy with romance. >> exactly. >> so, i think you toss a coin. heads you win, tails you lose, and whoever starts this year, the other does it next year. >> and i love this. you printed menus with our names on it. >> yes, we keep it personal. we did a water color -- >> beautiful. >> what we did on the place card itself. instead of using roses, which cost five times the cost -- >> you love carnations. >> i love carnations, particularly to use them on their own. >> and the more, the better, right? because it creates that big bunch. >> black, red and white, simple to do. >> great decor color scheme. now, we're not cooking, which is great. >> these are all foods that you can buy. they're all wonderful. these are the three most popular aphrodisiacs. they kind of get us in the mood. >> okay, colin. >> and straight seafood to the table, no cooking required. oysters in the half shell,

shrimp, wonderful lobster tail. these are things you're going to feed yourself with or feed one another with. >> okay. and what movies are we going to watch? >> three great classics. "casablanca," "the way we were" and "9 1/2 weeks." okay, let's move over to having dinner or cocktails with friends. >> okay, so you have a couple couples here. the design is a wonderful graphic base. here we've used a scarf. >> so, we're making this more fun than romantic. >> more fun, more groovy. this is beautiful. >> you can take your basic china. i found these plates at crate and barrel. they're $6.95 each. a little tint. these are beautiful. >> beautiful, yeah. >> also, you can see how we wrote the names on the little ribbons. >> little ribbons. >> to keep those nice and personalized. >> great. what cocktails do we have here? >> this is a champagne ruby. so, it's lemon juice, lime juice, a little bit of raspberry juice, champagne in the shaker, garnished with some raspberries, and we're good to go.

>> what a wonderful drink. that's wonderful. and the candles on the table. >> and some of this acrylic ice. this adds a little sparkle to the table. and of course, everybody looks glamorous and sexy in candlelight. >> now, let's do valentine's day for families, because it's actually on the weekend. so, maybe you're thinking brunch with the kids. >> this is wonderful brunch with the kids. so, we're going to make wonderful pancakes for them. >> these are adorable. you made heart-shaped pancakes, too. very special. >> lovely plates over here with the heart motif. we found these at pottery barn kids, place mats. >> great. >> all that we need. >> i love this idea of, you know, using some of what you would top your pancakes with -- >> turn it into a pancake -- >> -- as a tray setting. beautiful. >> and we have fruits and lolly pops for a.m. and p.m. >> i'm feeling strangely amorous. >> would you like some oysters? >> i don't think i need them. >> wow. >> kids, you might want to avert

your eyes. >> she's not eating the pancakes. she's having the oysters. >> colin cowie, thank you. coming up, ambush makeovers for some lucky women in our crowd. plus, actress jennie garth and your local news and weather. >> live, local, late-breaking. this is wbal-tv 11 news today in baltimore. >> a winter storm warning is in effect for most of the viewing area as we brace for a massive snowstorm heading our way. the race is on to stock up on food and necessities to prepare for the weekend snowstorm. parking is scarce and supplies are limited as long lines fell supermarkets. meanwhile, highway and local officials are preparing the road, assaulting a head of the

storm. they asked to stay off of a the road as much as possible so crews can work

the snow will be beginning as we head to the late morning into the afternoon hours and should taper out later this evening, to mix in with some sleet. 1 inch to 3 inches on the ground tonight, high temperatures in the late-30's. the worst will be after midnight into saturday morning,.

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