the difference between hiding my skin and showing it off? jergens ultra healing moisturizer. even my driest skin looks healthier, instantly. jergens is the difference between i'm here, and here i am. jergens®. the beautiful difference. and we're back with more of "today" on this weekend getaway morning. it's friday, tgif. 24th of february 2012. a lot of nice people gathered here in rockefeller plaza to say hello to their family and friends back home. i'm ann curry alongside carl quintanilla who's in for matt and savannah guthrie who's joining us this morning. al is still off in the sunny climes of south beach, florida. how was that artichoke dip? >> i have to tell you, it was pretty tasty. we loved it.

in fact, the crew has pretty much wiped it out. but coming up, not only do we have a delicious dip but some models who will be taking a dip in this pool behind us. jill martin has a fashion show to really show you some of the south beach fashion. we are here on the beautiful pool in miami beach. >> we'll see you in a moment. while you're in the sun there, it's just starting to sprinkle here a little bit. >> al's waiting for a bathing suit competition and we're freezing. he's got a good assignment. >> he does and he's gloating about it. we'll see him in california as he joins me to cover the academy awards coming up this weekend. meantime let's talk about the weather. from iowa to michigan there is a strong storm moving through, dropping heavy snow and the system is making its way to the northeast. if you are flying from the region around chicago today you may want to check ahead because hundreds of flights have already been cancelled. we'll have more on the story

coming up ahead. >> and they say image is everything. today we have a new series called "behind the brand" with donny deutsch. from linsanity to the oscars to a new fast food collaboration, he'll look at the most buzzed about brands and ads that are all the talk to see if they work. nobody knows better than donny. >> he knows about that. >> he has the deutsch brand after all. then real estate. barbara corcoran will be here to take us on a virtual open house to look at properties you may want to take advantage of with all the great low financing rates. >> right. first a check of the top stories with natalie morales at the news desk. >> good morning, everyone. we begin with the snowstorm they talked about making a mess of things from iowa to the northeast. mike seidel is in chicago looking miserable out there. >> compared to where mr. roker is it's been one of the warmest winters so far on record here in the midwest.

here in chicago, only 16 inches of snow up until yesterday. that changed overnight. only the third snowstorm of the season blew into the windy city. heavy, wet snow from iowa to chicago and many flights were cancelled. some people seemed happy to see it. >> it's been a pretty easy winter. this is a nice breath of fresh air. >> i wish there was more snow. >> reporter: others, however, were not so happy. >> it's really slippery. >> i don't like it. it's the worst. >> reporter: police in colorado reported dozens of accidents with parts of i-70 temporarily closed due to slick conditions. in georgia authorities are assessing the damage left by a tornado and severe midweek storms. at least 100 homes were hit,

hundreds of trees and several power poles were knocked down. all of it a contrast to balmy temperatures on the east coast thursday. instead of weather gone wild it's winter gone mild. in central park it was warm enough to play in the sand box or ride in a horse drawn carriage. in virginia they are asking what happened to winter? >> this winter has really been quite nice for bicyclists, joggers. >> it's ice cream weather. it's beautiful out today. >> reporter: with spring less than a month away a lot of folks are hoping for more ice cream, not more icy mess. it's been a snowy mess in chicagoland affecting air travel. at o'hare international we are adding up the number of flights cancelled. 170 out of o'hare. there are 90-minute delays and back east not far from midtown manhattan in fairfield, connecticut, five inches of snow as weather turned colder for the

weekend. natalie, back to you. >> good for the ski areas. mike seidel in chicago. thanks so much. you deserve hot chocolate now. international pressure is mounting on syrian leader bashar asad as the u.s. joins with european and arab nations to warn him he must allow humanitarian aid to enter homes and declare an immediate cease-fire. kofi anaan has been sent to deal with the crisis as the bloody crack down on civilians has renewed deadly shelling in homs. an alabama man was acquitted in the death of his wife while on their honeymoon. gabe watson had spent 18 months in an australia jail for the drowning death of his wife while they were on a scuba diving trip in the great barrier reef. a judge cited lack of evidence for the abrupt end to the trial here. two good samaritans are credited with saving a woman from a freight train in delaware. her car got stuck when she

accidentally drove onto train tracks. the men pulled her to safety moments before the train slammed into the car, dragging it several hundred feet. and hillary clinton is telling a whale of a tale about her trip to mexico last week. the secretary of state decided to take a break during the g-20 summit to go whale watching. apparently she got too close for comfort when one of the mammals rubbed up against her dinghy. luckily she got back to shore safe and sound. makes for a great picture. now back to al with a check of the weather in south beach. it looks gorgeous. >> yeah. it looks great here. and as we saw in chicago it's a real mess. this is a complex system with a lot of sides to it. we start in the midwest. we're talking about a wide swath of precipitation. rain to the south. snow to the north as we go to the maps, show you exactly what's going on. you can see snow stretching from chicago up to alpena, michigan, into new england as the system makes its way.

snowfall basically another two to six inches of snow that will stretch from chicago -- heavier amounts in northern new england. you get along the northeast coast. we're talking about a lot of wind problems. wind gusts in some areas up to 60 miles per hour today. we've got uhigh wind warnings ad advisories affecting air travel boston to washington, d.c. and to the south of that, we now have what we are calling a strong risk of storms with a possibility of tornadoes from south carolina all the way up into southeastern virginia. a slight risk from mobile, alabama, into the lower de >> good morning.ula.a it will be a little bumpy today. the wind will be gusting 40 miles

and that's your latest weather. natalie? >> al, thank you. this morning we are kicking off a new series behind the brand with donny deutsch where we check out which pro motional campaigns are making the grade and which can improve their ima image. good morning, donny. >> we're all brands, you know. people are brands, products are brands. we're going to cover the gamut. it will be fun. we're trying the telestrator, too. >> like football. let's start with the academy awards. this sunday is the big show.

anne hathaway and james franco hosted last year and didn't get great buzz. >> that's the oscar. let's put a head on it. stay on topic. here's what they did wrong. they said to themselves our ratings have been dropping. people think the oscars -- [ laughter ] >> cut it out! let's get hip. man, let's get james franco and anne hathaway and go young. terrible mistake. i gave them a c minus. they didn't stay true to the brand. great brands are authentic. brands are about hollywood royalty, tradition. this is the key word, tradition. they made a mistake. i want to see sofia loren, gene hackman. i don't want seth rogen presenting.

he's funny, he's great. i don't want to see people in vampire movies. >> billy crystal, ninth time hosting. >> walk right into it. don't be the du jour moment. at the beginning of the academy awards they roll the vintage footage. i don't want my 14-year-old saying, that's who and i go who? celebrate royalty. there is george clooney, brad pitt, meryl streep. >> leave the hipness to the golden globes. >> exactly. be tradition. celebrities, hollywood is our royalty. you need to earn that spot. >> billy crystal, what's the grade? >> if they do this and crystal stays true to who he is i give it an a minus. stop reinventing. billy crystal is great. >> let's move on to taco bell launching a new line. the doritos locos taco. a regular taco inside a dorito shell. i believe it's launching march 8. what's your prediction?

is this good for the brand? >> i love it. >> you do? >> dorito plus taco bell. >> are you going to eat them? >> i'll go back to authenticity. they are saying, you know, we talk to young guys. we don't have to be healthy for everybody. we'll put dessert, chips together with tacos. the most indulgent thing that's maybe going to turn off people. but to young people, young guys, we don't care. brands can't be all things to all people. so many fast food chains are saying, let's do salads, let's do this. they are walking into who they are. pure indulgence. >> critics say it adds to the obesity epidemic. >> they are not in the health food business. that's the world we live in. they are not in a moral imperative. you can't be all things to all people. and they have a new tag line called live mas which means live more. putting the spanish headline is bril

brilliant. half the country will be hispanic. i love the attitude of the brand, the product. next time put syrup in a taco, i don't care. stay true to who you are. i give it an a. >> very good. moving on lin-mania though the knicks couldn't get past the heat last night. >> let me draw a picture of my friend with the spiked hair. >> i'm not sure about the telestrator. >> he may be in talks with nike. do you think it's good for the image of nike? >> by the way, here's what i would do with him. this is fascinating. put a basketball in one hand and a harvard diploma in the other. stay away from this, focus on that. be the anti-lebron. when i look at lebron james i look up to him and go, wow, that guy is incredible. he runs and jumps. when i look at jeremy lin, the

guy in my biology class, the student, the nerd, that's me on the court. you can imagine yourself. that's the ultimate as separation. leave nike to the rest of the guys. do google, vitamin water, smart water. celebrate the student athletes. >> go smart then. >> spike lee had a harvard jersey on the other day. that was fantastic. make short chic. saying no to nike would be the boldest move. >> that's a lot of money. >> this guy could potentially be the biggest athlete of all time in terms of endorsements. he's the every man. on top of it, 2 billion asians? wow. >> it is huge. >> celebrate that. i love it. i wish i had my hands on this guy. >> you keep working on the artistic skills for next time. coming up next, from a tuscan mountain retreat to a lake front florida escape we'll do house hunting with barbara corcoran and later we're feeling the miami heat. first, these messages. ♪ my heart skips a beat

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this morning on today's real estate what you can get for under $400,000. "today" contributor barbara corcoran is here with the best bargains on the market. good to see you. >> pleasure. >> we'll start in the southwest. >> it's rainy in new york and lovely out there. it' e's las cruces. talk about great weather. this home has wrap around views of the nearby mountains. what a great nighttime shot. most mo attorney homes shoot better at night. people fail to notice that. the high ceilings inside looks

like a rich guy lives there. remember it's only $399,000. it has tile floors, hand stacked stone work and super high windows. the kitchen has an old world look but it's totally modern. everything you are looking at is new and expensive. how about this huge open air courtyard with water features, arched windows and doors plus the bar and grill as an extra entertaining area. right next door it butts into a huge outdoor/indoor entertaining area with a fireplace. not bad. that's all one space. not a bad space to entertain. if that's not enough there is a rooftop patio with views of sparkling city lights and sun sets, wow. by the way, you can lease it for $1900 a month if you don't want to spring for the $399,000 they are asking for. >> that's a bargain. it's beautiful. let's stay with the sunshine theme. go down to florida. >> nice place, not far from al

today. it offers pristine beaches, golf, polo, art festivals and some of the best skools chools state. it has a brick paved circular drive and tropical landscaping. the living room has cool tile floors, crown molding and the sliding doors open to the lanai in the backyard. the kitchen has white cabinets and granite counters. the formal dining room has plantation shutters, they always work in florida. there is a bonus room that's built over an extended two-car garage bigger than most people's living room. what guy wouldn't like that above the garage? i bet the wife never sees him. the screened lanai is where you can have the morning coffee. you can watch a beautiful sun set over the pretty lake in back. >> mojitos at night and coffee in the morning. mechanicsville near richmond in

virginia. >> probably one of the best spots in the country. this is a quaint neighborhood with a civil war history. you can't walk through town without falling in love with what it was. the house is an hour from the blue ridge mountains and an hour from the atlantic coast. when you look at the family room it's big enough for a big family. wood burning fireplace on the far wall and it's really not a real fireplace. it's piped for gas but looks real. the bright kitchen has wood floors and a large island. the dining room is rather dignified. pretty formal. it has the fancy wainscoting and extra large windows. there is a secret door concealed in the bookcase to get to the media room. fully wired with surround sound. the back of the house is as pretty as the front with a luscious green lawn and a sunny patio. nice house.

only $369,900. >> and a secret door. >> everybody wants one. >> wake forest, north carolina. >> wake forest is in a great spot. easy commute to raleigh, durham and chapel hill. only a few hours from the beach. i like the arched pane windows and the roofs which makes it look welcoming. the living room is like a chalet. the u-shaped kitchen has light wood cabinets, granite counter tops. the dining room is formal. moving along here, i love the bay window in the master bedroom. it's a knock out past the dining room. look at the window. there is a great view of the big colorful trees in the backyard. >> and just a little bit of time left for denver. >> we'll squeeze in my favorite place. this is a contemporary home 20 minutes from downtown. looks like a garage on the outside like too much garage but there is plenty of room inside. there is a vaulted ceiling in

the living room. the open kitchen feels like you can land a plane there. that's painted wood cabinets and pull out shelves with a nice breakfast room. formal dining room. a privacy fence and a patio with a ceiling fan and the taxes are just under $1500 a year! >> looks great. barbara corcoran, thank you. we'll take them all. >> we got it in. >> up next, back to miami for an outdoor cook out with chef steve conant at the south beach wine & food festival. first, these messages. [music track "alouette"] ♪

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we miss you, al. what's cooking? >> we have the big burkger bash coming up. speaking of nice buns we have bathing suits. we have it all covered here. what did i say? what? sounds like a mini-wheats day to me! and becka's science fair is on the 8th. she's presenting the solar system. hey i've got just the whole grain fiber to help keep her full so she can stay focused. um...you rock. she'll be ready to rock. right here! [ female announcer ] make your kids big days, mini-wheats days. packed with fiber and nearly a day's worth of whole grains kellogg's frosted mini-wheats cereal helps keep your kids full and focused. now available in cinnamon roll flavor. keeps 'em full... keeps 'em focused. agents, when it comes to insurance, people feel lost. that's a dead end. don't know which way to turn. this way. turn around. [ woman ] that's why we present people with options to help them find coverage that fits their needs.

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>> live, local, latebreaking. this is a wbal-tv 11 news update. >> cold front is on its way in. rain this morning. rate will stay in the forecast the rest of the data are. but there could be strong storms in there. high wind warning to

all the stars will be shining sunday for the 84th annual academy awards. monday on "today" al and ann will be live from hollywood with the winners, glamour and memorable moments from the red carpet to the stage. of course the after parties. that's ann and al at the oscars monday on "today." we can't wait. now al is at the south beach food & fiwine festival. what's coming up? >> we have two great chefs.

the am stel light burger bash. jill martin is a judge who will be eating meat for the first time in three months. >> 32 burgers. >> she had gone vegan and she's going off the charts to eat 32 burgers in an hour. fantastic. we'll have to find a new entertainment person because jill's going to explode. >> okay, al. >> great. we can't wait to see it. >> i don't know if she'll be wearing this bathing suit or not. >> this is my last day of the bathing suit. >> and she's wearing "i dream of jeannie" pants. >> be careful with the burgers. you can put your system in shock! >> i know. >> we'll tune in for that. >> it's going to be trouble. >> i'll volunteer to be a judge. i would eat those burgers, no problem. >> before that we have a preview of what's coming up this weekend from our team -- the weekend team. lester holt and jenna wolfe.

>> good morning. coming up, we are looking at sex after 50. dr. oz says a healthier sex life leads to a longer life overall. he'll answer your questions live. then a teen critically injured in a drunk driving accident makes an incredible recovery. we'll show you how she's inspiring others. >> and we'll preview hollywood's biggest night and look at who might be the big winners and what to expect from billy crystal as he returns as oscar host. have you ever wondered what it's like to work at 35,000 feet in the air? i found out when i enrolled in flight attendant school. see what happens when i put my uber intense training to the test. that and more when we see you this weekend on "today." >> jenna, can you do this. the -- this. >> my favorite part is when they say your complimentary air masks -- in case of emergency. your complimentary air mask will drop.

>> complimentary? >> what's that about? you going to take the credit cards out, start swiping. >> put a quarter in. >> when something goes wrong they are the first line of defense. >> 100%. they know more than they show you over the course of the normal flight. >> we know they are trained very well. >> they are. >> we can't wait to see it. >> they must have been off their game that day. al, one more look at the weather. >> natalie and savannah, did you guys not use deodorant? lester and jenna don't want to be anywhere near you. >> come on over, guys. >> there we go! that's better. >> there. now we're talking. because you notice i have two of the chefs who will be taking part in tonight's amstel light burger bash. we have the fabulous zachary

belaccio from fatty crab and fatty q. and we have andy diamiko from five napkin burger. jill martin of "today," one of the judges. so who will take the burger bash? >> i am. >> really? wow. >> i don't know. i might have something to say about that. i'm the miami favorite. two blocks away five napkin burger. >> the insider. >> what are you doing? >> i have a lamb burger. >> i like lamb. >> and a special aioli made by lady jane up in new york where we come from. we have a little bit of that on the bun. >> and you even have kale to keep it healthy. >> that's the only healthy part. we have a hole to ensure more of the aioli drips into the burger. >> it looks like a donut. >> i'll show you this.

>> let me show andy getting started. what's this? >> this is a five napkin burger, the one that made it all. think hamburger, cheeseburger, five napkin burger. >> grilled onions. there you go. jill, you have a tough job tonight. 32 burgers and i take bribes, just so you know. i'm open. >> a judge who is finally open about it. may the best man and woman win tonight. coming up, 32 burgers. that's dangerous. >> caramelized onions, rosemary >> good morning. it will be 8 windy and mild day today. this afternoon, the wind make gust

>> all right. synchronized burger eating. one, two, three. mm. i'm going to need a napkin. >> you need five. >> that's it. back to you. >> meanwhile, we're enjoying the closeness here, al. >> up next -- >> up next, the hottest style trends on the beach after this. i was living with this all-over pain. a deep, throbbing, persistent ache. my doctor diagnosed it as fibromyalgia, thought to be the result of overactive nerves that cause chronic widespread pain. lyrica is believed to calm these nerves. i learned lyrica can provide significant relief from fibromyalgia pain. and for some people, it can work in as early as the first week of treatment. so now i can do more of the things that i enjoy.

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you know, summer's right around the corner but it's always hot here in miami. so we have put together five new beach trends, something for everybody. us weekly contributor jill martin joins us now to show us along with lovely models what you need to brighten up your wardrobe for the beach. jill, good to see you. >> hello. i'm full already from the hamburger, but i'm pulling it together for swim suits. >> good. let's start with the sunglasses. >> you look good. >> i love them. >> i asked you to pick something you wouldn't normally wear. >> i wouldn't wear these normally. >> these are designer glasses under $100. so everybody can get in on the trend. >> we like that. >> i went for the "i'm trying but not trying look."

this is keratin complex so you can do the straight beachy look at home. and then i want to thank g beauty. we look natural like we are wearing no makeup, but we are. >> in fact, i am wearing no makeup. i think people knew that. let's get started. first trend, the swim suit model. >> we saw s.i. and the cover with kate upton. we have charice showing us how to do it in real life. this is shop guy and girl.com. this is a big trend where you have the tie dye for the season going into summer and the jewelry is the jewelry used on the cover of s.i. it's great to translate day to night. they have something at all price points. >> is it comfortable to wear jewelry on the beach? >> especially if you're single or with your significant other you should always dress to impress. >> you're going somewhere. >> you never know who you will run into. >> next we have lindsay with the cutout look.

>> look how gorgeous. she could wear anything and look fabulous. >> there's that. >> sometimes when you have a little more it's sexier. this is cote dior shop.com. there are different cutouts to mask parts of your body. these are my favorite flip-flops. they're fancy. tikis.com. >> the cut out look is just for women. guys aren't wearing it? >> not all guys. i can hook you up with one. this is simply for the ladies to get in on the look. >> just checking. the next look works for men and women. we are talking about color blocking. >> this is amanda and alex. a lot of people have trouble with color blocking, putting two bold colors together. this does it for you. aguadecoco.com. look how great they look. i'm not a matchy person but this is the way to do it. >> it helps to look like them. >> exactly.

this is how to coit where it's not so matchy matchy and there are no cutouts. >> that's good. for the guys, the low riding bathing suit. is that a trend? >> if you're comfortable in it. that's just him. justin bieber also likes it. >> i like to wear mine right under my chest. >> you were supposed to be in a bathing suit. >> people are still having breakfast. >> or burgers. >> the animal motif is back. >> this is bell harbor shop.com. that's a fabulous shop here. there are different ways to do it. this is pretty much a subtle print but if you look at her hat there is a scarf going through. >> the animal print is up in the hat. >> right. just a little bit. more of a tribal just in the bathing suit. it's a subtle way. >> i have never seen an animal that looked like that. >> we have to search for that

animal. that's really the place to find the trends near here. i like to find the local shops. >> in metallic you have a mom and daughter look. >> this is va necessary is a and elle. show us your pose. the inca collection.com. these suits are great separately. i love mom and daughter on the beach. how great do they look? >> very cute. jill martin, very impressive. >> thanks for having me here in miami. >> and you're judging the burger bash tonight. we can't wait to hear who you pick. we have a lot more "today." scott conant is coming up. first, these messages and your "today" show. all because so many people wanted to visit us... in louisiana. they came to see us in florida... nice try, they came to hang out with us in alabama... once folks heard mississippi had the welcome sign out,

they couldn't wait to get here. this year was great but next year's gonna be even better. and anyone who knows the gulf knows that winter is primetime fun time. the sun's out and the water's beautiful. you can go deep sea fishing for amberjack, grouper and mackerel. our golf courses are open. our bed and breakfast have special rates. and migrating waterfowl from all over make this a bird watcher's paradise. so if you missed it earlier this year, come on down. if you've already been here come on back... to mississippi... florida... louisiana... alabama. the gulf's america's get-a-way spot no matter where you go. so come on down and help make 2012 an even better year for tourism on the gulf. brought to you by bp and all of us who call the gulf home. . . . [ female announcer ] introducing new special k granola bars. ♪ i can't break through with 4 grams of protein.

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the delicious way to help them grow up strong. the difference between hiding my skin and showing it off? jergens ultra healing moisturizer. even my driest skin looks healthier, instantly. jergens is the difference between i'm here, and here i am. jergens®. the beautiful difference. in today's kitchen, fun food in the sun at the 11th annual food network south beach wine & food festival. scott conant from scarpetta at the cosmopolitan in las vegas and four other locations will be busy. >> it's a busy weekend. >> you have three events. >> and i'm hanging out with you, too, today. >> what are they? >> best of the best at the fountain blue. tomorrow an interesting event called diamond dishes at the new marlins stadium. that will be fun.

>> and of course you were at the q yesterday. >> it was a blast. >> what are we doing? >> this is pork shoulder and i have fennel seed. i toasted them all. i have allspice, juniper berries. >> why do you toast them? >> to bring out the natural oils and great flavors. black pepper. sugar, salt and ground mustard as well. >> wow. >> we toasted them together. mix it up. keep it like that for 24 hours. >> right. do you just rub? >> rub it all over. at the end take a bucket of water and rinse it. the texture of the spices get to be too much. you just want the flavor. salt and sugar as well. >> right. >> after 24 hours do you know the. [ speaking in a foreign language ] >> the chinese box! they created that a in miami. >> 200 degrees for six hours. nice slow roast. we end up with this.

then we secure the top clearly. >> oh, my. >> look at this thing. this is good stuff. >> wow. >> serve it with an apple mustarda. so it's apples, mustard, wasabi oil. that's just delicious. let me cut you a smaller piece. >> you could. you didn't have to cut a smaller piece, but if you want to. >> wow. >> and a nice change of flavors. this as well. >> hol on. . >> we get lucky sometimes. >> when people think about barbecue, what's the big mistake they make? >> i think it's people overcook the meat. clearly a properly cooked piece of meat is just a little bit more flavorful. look at all the beautiful fat glistening in here. beautiful stuff. doesn't have to be pork. you could do the same thing with chicken, beef and what have you. >> when you're cooking for an event like this, each of these,

you can get 2,000 people. how do you prep for that? >> you need a big team. the benefit is i have a restaurant here. that's the good news. that's why we are able to do so many events. tonight we have 800 people at best of the best. we're doing pasta for it. ravioli and polenta. it's about organization and just having a clear path of what we need to do to figure it out. >> you have been a fixture here for a long time. why do you like food network south beach? >> isn't it unbelievable? >> fabulous. >> i got off the plane and said, i don't spend must have time here. not enough at all. i have to rework my contract. >> you have to work it. scott, fantastic. looking forward to seeing you tonight at best of the best and the diamond -- >> diamond dishes tomorrow. >> good to see you. we have more of "today." but first, these messages.

let's check in with al roker one more time. >> al, you're going from south beach to hollywood. >> that's right. before we get to that in a second we want to thank the executive chef frederick delair from lowe's miami beach. thank you for opening your kitchen to our chefs. i'm excited. ann and i will be in hollywood for the festivities coming up. we'll have the fashion hits and misses, the winners, the red carpet. it's all monday on "today." back to you. >> get that tux on, al roker. thank you. coming up, kathie lee and hoda take us back to the '80s.