Transcripts For WRC Today 20110202

she learned he was having an affair? her sisters speak out in a live interview today, wednesday, her sisters speak out in a live interview today, wednesday, february 2, 2011. captions paidn good morning. welcome to "today" on a wednesday morning. i'm matt lauer. >> i'm meredith vieira. an absolute mess from chicago to boston. just about everywhere in between. as the massive and dangerous winter storm batters one-third of the country. >> this one is living up to its billing, one of the worst in years. in the northeast the big concern is sleet and freezing rain that's covered the roads. it could snap trees and power lines. take a look at chicago where blizzard warnings are in effect. they have received more than a foot and a half of snow. city schools are closed today for the first time in 12 years. chicago, just one of the cities hit hard by the storm. boston is another. we begin in chicago where al roker is. good morning again, al. >> reporter: good morning, matt. here in chicago they set a new record for snowfall in a single day. 13.6 inches at o'hare airport. look at some of the snowfall totals around the northeast. you can see this has been a big, big storm. we are talking about snowfall totals anywhere from seven inches to 18 to 20 inches of snow. of course the snow continues to fall. here in chicago we are now at 17.1 inches of snow. fifth greatest total for chicago so far. as you mentioned, the public schools are closed. both airports are crippled. 4,600 flights cancelled today. chicago already has had the worst as this storm is barrelling across the country into the northeast. this monster winter storm took aim at chicago tuesday night. the win-whipped snow literally blowing people around. check out these brave souls just flooigt fighting to stay on their feet in the blizzard. see what happened to my pals from the weather channel on live tv. >> oh, jesus! listen to that. >> a burst of thunder snow here in chicago. >> that's unbelievable. >> reporter: lake michigan may look frozen but there is concern that high winds could cause waves as high as 25 feet to crash onto the iconic stretch of road. the powerful storm has already roared across the plains states with whiteout conditions, sheets of ice, and dangerous roads. the monster storm reaches more than 2,000 miles long, from texas across the nation's mid section into the northeast. the numbers are staggering. more than 100 million people will feel the effects of the storm. more than two feet of snow has fallen in some areas. wind chills as low as negative 20 degrees and winds gusting as high as 70 miles per hour. air travel has already been crippled. more than 6,000 flights cancelled across the country yesterday and that ripple effect could last for days. in dallas, a tent for a presuper bowl party collapsed under the weight of snow and ice. good thing the big game this weekend will be played indoors. the storm has been a record-breaker already and is now taking aim on the northeast. i don't care what the groundhog says. it looks like our winter woes are not over yet. seven major storms since the middle of december and we are still counting. lakeshore drive is closed this hour because of abandoned cars. let's look at where the storm is, what it's doing working into the northeast and new england. freezing rain, sleet, rain and snow stretching from chicago all the way to new england. we look for another two to three inches of snow in chicago accumulation-wise. in upstate new york, some areas may pick up up to ten more inches of snow. we've got ice to contend with anywhere from a quarter of an inch to a half an inch of ice. that's when you start to see tree limbs come down and those tree limbs could take down power lines. meredith? >> al, thank you so much. we'll get the rest of the forecast in a little bit. meanwhile boston is being hit hard yet again. a one-two punch dumping another foot of snow on the city. peter alexander is there for us. peter, good morning. >> reporter: good morning to you. they are referring to this as a one-two fist punch and it feels like it. they have had close to eight inches here and expect several inches today. this is the encore. the real problem isn't snow but freezing rain, ice and sleet throughout the course of the day. most of it will occur in the next several hours, during the morning commute. it's dangerous conditions for drivers here. boston schools have been shut down for the day. this area is on pace to reach one of the top ten snowiest winters on record but the ice is laying on top of the snow here. treacherous for drivers. that's the latest from here. there is another groundhog day in store here on saturday with more snow expected. meredith? >> peter alexander reporting. a much different weather concern in australia this morning. a dangerous and powerful cyclone lashing parts of the country. michael best is with channel 7 in australia and joins us by phone in innisfail. tell us about the conditions there this morning. >> right now it's 10:00 at night in australia. the conditions are horrific. wind gusts up to 180 miles per hour expected and the wind is increasing. it's starting to howl here. the winds getting stronger by the minute. the rain is becoming increasingly heavy. and this cyclone yasi that is about to hit is a huge system, the largest australia hats seen in recorded history. le so that's bearing down on the coast now, expected to cause large scale destruction across the northeastern coast of australia. >> how are people preparing? have most people evacuated the area? >> people in low-lying areas evacuated. along with the wind there is a risk of storm surge. water about seven meters higher than the usual level is expected to come in in the next few hours swamping low-lying areas. those people evacuated. many others have stayed in their homes. a major problem here is that the shelters aren't rated for this category of cyclone. this is the strongest and largest we have seen in recorded history in queensland. people who have evacuated their homes are being housed in some cases in accommodation that they don't know whether it will with stand the storm. in innisfail there are up to 700 people in the council chambers sleeping tonight. five years ago when cyclone larry hit, that was completely devastated. anything could happen in the next few hours. >> frightening. please take care, michael best. thank you very much. >> thank you. >> here's matt. >> now the unrest in egypt. president hosni mubarak addressed his nation and said he would not step down and also won't seek re-election. after the speech he spoke to president obama. nbc's chief foreign correspondent richard engel is in cairo with the latest. good morning. >> reporter: good morning. the egyptian army appears to be losing patience with the demonstrations that have paralyzed the country. the army called on protesters to go home. it said their message has been heard, but the demonstrations are continuing. room for political compromise is shrinking. for many egyptians it's now a question of mubarak staying or leaving. protests continue this morning despite president mubarak's biggest concession yet. in a highly anticipated television speech last night, the 82-year-old president promised not to run for a new six-year term in september. but he said he'll remain until then. mubarak also refused to leave under pressure in disgrace. i will die in this country, mubarak said, and today hundreds of rowdy pro-mubarak supporters took to the streets. many gathered near the offices of foreign media. the demonstrations in favor of mubarak are nowhere near the size of those opposing him but they are growing. there are now competing protests in cairo and many fear it is a matter of time before the two clash. president obama last night also made his clearest statement yet. he said egypt needs a new system starting now, calling on mubarak to immediately step down. >> it is my belief that an orderly transition must be meaningful. it must be peaceful. and it must begin now. >> reporter: many protesters believe the united states continues to back mubarak. >> they didn't tell him to step down. they didn't tell him to start to change the parliament. >> reporter: as chaos engulfs egypt, mubarak's most loyal supporters have come from the army. he's been patron of the respected military for 30 years. military analysts say the army may ask mubarak to step aside for the sake of national unity. but the army, they say, won't throw mubarak to the crowds and is resisting sending the president into a huele mill yating exile. there has been another concession this morning. the internet in cairo has been turned back on. meredith? >> richard, thank you very much. brian williams is also in the egyptian capitol. good morning. >> reporter: good morning, meredith. >> you described the crowd as peaceful and celebratory. how have they changed since mubarak's speech? >> reporter: i tell you what. if you hear the audio coming off the streets for most americans it sounds like post game in a u.s. college town. today we have drums. we have individual groups of protesters all announcing themselves by a banner, often moving through the streets with a car that's associated. they are all joining up, going through choke points and ending up in liberation square, same as they have every day. every day here is different. and so there is an unmistakable message from the government -- look what we have done for you today. your electronics have come back to life. we have extended the noncurfew hours of daylight. you can get more done. we saw more businesses open this morning. protesters' message, still not good enough. why is it you haven't left office yet? we're not waiting until september. >> what about the pro-mubarak rallies we are seeing? >> reporter: look, meredith, the english language version of state television had on the screen last night typing that said "hordes of pro mubarak protesters" taking to streets. it's a lie. the numbers haven't matched up or been anywhere close, but where there is a television camera, especially at night, like bugs surrounding a lightbulb on a summer's evening, there are protesters around to make the visual picture. fact is, the math doesn't work. >> some of the protesters expressed anger. have you seen that manif the way they are dealing with the u.s. media? >> not with the media. they want to know who we are and where we are from. they want to know we are not al after that they are interested in our hometown. we felt no animosity. some of the signage, some of the chants are "u.s. hands off egypt." some indicate that the regime has been warmly embraced by several u.s. presidents but there is no hostility that we have sensed on the streets. we have been walking them now for quite ale while. >> all right, brian williams, thank you so much. >> thanks, meredith. >> brian will have more tonight on "nbc nightly news." it's 7:13. here's meredith. >> thank you very much. what happens next in egypt? james baker served as secretary of state under george h.w. bush. good morning. >> good morning, matt. >> let me bring you some developments from the streets of egypt in the last several hours. the military is now calling for an end of the demonstrations of the last week. a spokesman saying, quote, your message has arrived, your demands came down, you are capable of bringing normal life to egypt. what's the significance of that message from military. >> the military is highly respected in egypt. for days people have been trying to speculate and determine what the military may do. what the military does will be critical. this is just yet another development. i think it is still too early to determine exactly what the end game is going to be. although ultimately, of course, it is going to be a change of government. >> let's talk about our side of this. like him or not, hosni mubarak has been a friend of this country for the past 30 years. he's been supported by presidents down the line. so how we treat this friend at this moment is being watched very carefully. how are we doi so far? >> i think we are doing very well. this is a perfect example of why it is difficult sometimes to conduct foreign policy. because we have competing interests at stake here. we, of course, have our principles and values -- democracy, freedom and human rights. but we also have national interests. for 30 years president mubarak has been a strong ally. he's fought in the fight against terror, sent troops with ours in the first gulf war. he's been strong in terms of promoting arab-israeli peace. there are a number of examples of why he's an excellent ally. the worst thing would have been in the administration pulled the rug out from under him. >> other arab leaders are watching closely how we deal with this ally. >> they are. i think the administration has done a good job so far. >> as a diplomat you are trained to look beyond the borders of a conflict and look into the broader landscape. when you look at the broader region, do you see a domino effect? are you worried the instability from tunisia to egypt will move into the rest of the region? >> we should be worried. stability should not be a dirty word in foreign policy. stability is good. that doesn't mean you sacrifice your principles and values just to promote stability. >> stability can be seen as status quo. >> and it can be seen as repression and other things. stability can be good. we should be concerned about what happens next, not just in egypt, but in the region. you know, just the other day, a muslim brotherhood official said if mubarak goes there will be war between egypt and israel. that's not something anybody should want. we have to be careful and i think the administration has been. >> with the hopes that that is one extreme statement let's stay on israel for a second, how worried should the israelis be about what's happening in egypt now? >> they ought to be worried and my suspicion is that they are. they do not need a radical islamic egypt on their border. egypt is the biggest arab country there. they have 85 million people. a huge border with israel. first country to agree to peace with israel. broke all the arab policies -- pre-existing policies. it's been a cold peace, but peace nonetheless. >> and asking you to call on your experience as a diplomat, there are front channels and bang channels. we know the president told the american people there is conflict between our government and the opposition in egypt and the military in egypt. what's being said behind the scenes? >> i'm not privy to what is being said. >> what do you guess? >> look, we want to see a peace ful conclusion of this crisis. we want to see it move in the direction of human rights and democracy but we want it to be done carefully and calibrated properly. we don't want instability and we don't want a situation where we get a radical islamic fundamentalist government in egypt. that would be the worst for us and the region. >> is president mubarak safe right now? is he safe within the presidential palace? >> i think he's safe, yes, i do. he has strong ties to the military. he came out of the military. in your report the military said they are not going to permit him to be -- >> it would be bad for us also. >> bad for us, bad for egypt and bad for the region. >> mr. baker, nice to see you. thanks for your time. >> thank you, matt. >> 18 minutes after the hour. let's get a check of the top stories with ann at the few news desk. >> in the news we begin with a positive sign for economic recovery in the united states. the dow closed above 12,000 tuesday for the first time in two and a half years and posted the best january since 1997. for more we go to trish reagan at the new york stock exchange. what does this indicate for the my? >> good morning, ann. it's a positive sign. the reason is investors are always trying to anticipate what the economy will look like six to nine months before they are actually there. in other words, investors want to be afraid of the curve. when you see this kind of bullish sentiment among investors it's a good sign for the economy. that said there are a lot of head winds out there, mainly coming from the real estate market and also employment. the jobs report comes out friday. that's a biggie. >> thank you. today republicans are pushing the senate to repeal the new health care law. this even though a repeal is likely to be rebuffed in the democratic senate. a new full body scanner starts today at three airports. this one will protect modesty revealing less detail than the current scanners. the koepler telescope doubled the number of potentially life-sustaining planets. with the new data scientists belief there are more than 1,000 planets outside our solar system. and the most famous sand bar ins s bbiscayne bay is getting attention. after the piano was removed now a table has taken its place and a man kayaked to the spot, waiting to be served. oh, my. it is now 7:20. back to matt and meredith. somebody has a sense of humor with all the bad news about the weather and everything. >> somebody has too much time on their hands. >> i think it's clever actually. >> all right. let us head back out to snowy chicago. al is out there, as he has been for a day or so. how's it going? >> he's stiff. >> we are stuck. the new york city airport is still open but a lot of flight cancellations. the same throughout the northeast. once the system good morning. we had a cold rain overnight. most areas stayed above freezing, but we did have a little light accumulation of some icing north and west of washington. and right now, most of the rain is ending throughout most of the area. temperatures are in the mid-30s much of the region. 36 now at national airport. but should climb later today into the mid-50s. even warmer through central and southeastern virginia and a blustery wind developing, too, gusting 30 to 35 miles per hour. higher gusts on the ridges. that will continue tonight into early tomorrow morning. much colder thursday and friday, and that's your latest weather. happy groundhog day, meredith. >> you, too, al. much more on the massive winter storm coming up. also coming up, the latest on the murder case against reality show producer bruce beresford-redman and why investigators believe he planned to kill his wife. first, this is "today" on nbc. it should be green. okay. hi, i'm joe kennedy, and i want you to meet a friend of mine, courtney. courtney's mom, elaine, had to quit work to care for her sick daughter, who's been fighting leukemia for half of her short life. there are millions of families like courtney's, who are having a tough time making it these days. folks can't pay their bills, and staying warm just isn't possible. let us remember, at this particular time, that kindness counts and that there's still room for a gentle response to those in need. so i want to thank the people of venezuela and citgo petroleum for their generosity. we'll have our differences, but they were the only country, and the only oil company, to answer our call to provide heating assistance to the poor. if you need help staying warm, give me a call at citizens energy, at 1-877-joe-4-oil. because no one should be left out in the cold. just ahead, an eye opening look at how fattening some school lunches are. >> and more on the blue tall record-breaking storm causing havoc from missouri to maine after your local news. ugh my sinuses... the congestion... it's your fault. naturally blame the mucus. [ mucus ] try new advil congestion relief. it treats the real problem. reducing swelling due to nasal inflammation. new advil congestn relief. good morning. it's 7:26 on this wednesday, the 2nd of february. i'm joe krebs. and in the news for today, rain and snowmelt are causing some standing water on the roadways. this is south capitol street at the malcolm x overpass. power outages are also slowing the commute. let's get right to jerry edwards in the news 4 traffic network. jerry? >> joe, indeed, tough commute for folks coming up out of prince george's county into southeast. still dealing with the power outage and traffic light problems on south capitol street at potomac avenue and traffic through southeast all jammed up because of it. so, heads up for that. elsewhere on the interstates, top side of the beltway, college park to silver spring, you're in the thick of it. in from the west along i-66, heavy but relatively steady. lanes open manassas all the way in. joe? >> jerry, thanks very much. good morning. some lingering cold drizzle around the region, temperatures in the mid-to-upper 30s. later today into the mid-50s. by mid-afternoon, the sun's back and a blustery northwest wind, could have gusts over 30 miles per hour continuing toont into tomorrow, but colder on thursday and friday. might get a little wet snow saturday morning and then change to some rain during the afternoon. joe? >> thank you. another update in 25 minutes. join us tomorrow morning at 4:30 for all the day's news, weather and traffic. [ female announcer ] why is travel these days about what you give up and not what you get? like electricity for gadget power at your seat. room to stretch your legs... and your wingspan. food when you're hungry... and taking off your shoes only if you feel like it. these aren't luxuries, they're basics. get them back on acela. [ male announcer ] amtrak guest rewards members, take three round trips on acela and get one free. details on amtrak.com. he surveyed his surroundings carefully and found that there was no shadow around. so an early spring it will be! [ cheers and applause ] >> 7:30 on this wednesday morning, february 2, 2011. it is groundhog day. you just heard it. punxsutawney phil has made his annual prediction. he did not see his shadow, so it will be an early spring. great news in chicago and boston where they are dealing with a major winter storm that dumped snow and ice from the midwest east. inside studio 1-a, i'm meredith vieira alongside matt lauer. that's good news. why are you being -- [ laughter ] >> what does that say? that's not about today. it's about the future. that was disgusting, by the way. i apologize. >> they are dealing with a record setting storm in chicago. we'll check in with al in a few minutes. >> are you done? >> i'm done. in pennsylvania, i'm done, i can tell you that. >> exactly. also ahead, switching gears, the sisters of the woman allegedly murdered in cancun by her reality producer husband speak out about chilling new evidence in that case. we're going to talk to them exclusively. >> and important news for parents if your kids eat school lunches. they are getting a makeover because some of the old standards have as much fat and calleries as two fast food burgers or seven tacos. we'll talk about the new options. >> first we have more on the crippling storm in chicago. hey, al. >> reporter: good morning. 17.1 inches on the ground out of the storm so far. fifth biggest storm ever for chicago. it stretches 2,100 miles from texas all the way to new england. we've got power outages stretching from illinois and into the northeast and we have another storm looming for the weekend. it's coming out of the gulf and getting itself together, good morning. we had about three quarters of an inch of rain overnight, and most areas stayed above freezing. a little bit of light icing, though, north and west of washington, on tree limbs and power lines. and later today with some sun returning, we should climb into the low to mid-50s, and a blustery northwest wind that may be gusting over 30 miles an hour from time to time this afternoon, overnight tonight into early tomorrow morning. 20s tomorrow morning, highs only in the 30s on thursday, near 40 fray. on saturday, might get some wet snow during the morning, changing to rain during the afternoon with a high near 40. forget about the groundhog. with weather like this check in with the weather channel on cable or weather.com online. matt? >> all right, al. thank you very much. what are you going to face if you hit the roads and you're brave enough to venture out in the snow and ice? kevin tibbles is slip sliding away, also in chicago. good morning to you. >> reporter: hey, matt. well, first off i should say the aaa is advising that you do not venture out today in your car if you are in the footprint of the monster storm. but if you have to drive or walk, for that matter, beware the ice. it's a blizzaster. a dangerous cocktail of high winds, heavy snowfall and ice. >> obviously a state of emergency when there is ice and the power goes out. people freak out. >> reporter: motorists from tulsa to topeka navigating roadways that turned into skating rinks. at the height of the storm i took a drive with aaa. >> feel yourself starting to skid, look and steer in the direction you want to go. both hands on the steering wheel. >> reporter: even if you have a big four-wheel drive suv or truck doesn't mean you are immune to the ice. >> just because you're driving a tank doesn't mean you won't slip. >> don't rely on the technology of the car for an added sen eedf security. >> reporter: while the whiteouts swept over the country, some parts got an icy double whammy. >> whoa, okay? >> got to watch out for falling. >> it's awful, slippery. >> reporter: extra crews were brought in to deal with potential power outages. >> with ice on the lines we could have problems because the ice is not going to leave. >> reporter: in indiana, even a huge truck of road salt fell victim to icy conditions, dumping its 22,000-pound load. for homeowners, snow melt and shovels for the top-selling items of the day. >> they make calcium chloride hockey pucks people can toss up to the roof to try to control that. >> reporter: but it is advised to keep your four-legged friends in mind. >> if you have pets, rock salt isn't a good choice. it gets into their paws and into their feet. >> reporter: matt, here is a tip, speaking of four-legged friends. did you know a lot of people in the plains states keep a bag of kitty litter in the trunk? that's a good way to keep the car going when it's stuck in the snow. on a day like today, perhaps leave the car in the garage and take out the sled. have some fun. >> your best advice from aaa, stay home if you can. kevin tibbles, thank you very much. it's now 35 after the hour. here's meredith. >> matt, thank you. now details on the murder of the wife of a reality show producer. mexican authorities say bruce beresford-redman planned the crime. we'll talk to the victim's sisters in a moment. first miguel almaguer has the latest. good morning to you. >> reporter: meredith, good morning. bruce beresford-redman was first charged with murder in mexico nine months ago. since then he's been waiting for prosecutors to back up the charge. this week they did just that. prosecutors in mexico say bruce beresford-redman planned his wife murder. and a stack of evidence, 438 pages long, prosecutors call bruce's alleged actions premeditated. the affidavit also revealed a motive for murder. a rocky relationship between bruce and his wife monica. according to the documents bruce rang up a $5,000 phone bill for a sex hotline. the documents include e-mails between bruce and his alleged mistress. investigators say monica threatened to take the couple's savings away if she wasn't granted a divorce. >> the mexican authorities seem to have strong evidence on motive. they have evidence that he was calling a sex phone line, that his wife found out, that they were fighting while in mexico. >> reporter: mexican prosecutors say beresford-redman, a hollywood producer tried to use his professional knowledge to, quote, hide important evidence which would have incriminated him. that evidence now released publically includes forensic reports of blood discovered in the couple's room. cancun investigators found her body dumped in a hotel sewer last april. according to a witness statement, a guest complained of screaming the night of monica's murder. the autopsy shows monica was likely hit with a metal tube, a bat or stick and was then choked to death. >> we love our sister. >> reporter: shortly after the murder monica's family went to mexico to lobby for bruce's arrest. but he returned home to los angeles to care for the couple's two small children until november when he was taken into custody by u.s. marshals. his lawyer says he's innocent and will fight extradition to fight mexican murder charges. >> i think it's likely that sometime this spring the magistrate judge will decide if there is going to be extradition or not. then it has to go to the state department. i don't think this will linger much longer into the year. >> reporter: many legal experts say with this much evidence and a crime that appears to be premeditated it's likely that beresford-red it is man will be extradited to mention ka but could take months. >> monica's sisters are with us exclusively along with their lawyer. good morning to you all. >> good morning. >> carla, were you surprised to learn that the mexican authorities are building the case against your brother-in-law, that he planned the whole thing, planned to kill your sister, that it was all premeditat premeditated? >> i actually had this feeling about it. i don't think -- i think maybe if there is more people involved in this, i want also them to pay for what they did. >> do you believe there were more people involved? >> i believe. >> why do you say that? >> on the premeditation. >> i think he didn't do that alone. and he's not the only mastermind of this crime. and if i'm right a there is more people involved, i want also them to be found and pay for what they have done to my sister. >> jeane, you look through the document, over 400 pages of detailed description of your sister monica's troubled marriage and disturbing details about the manner of her death. have you read through the filing? how difficult is it for you to do so? >> it's very difficult. it's also a shame really that my sister lost her life on that tragic situation and circumstances. at least i hope that this shows other people going through what she's going through to help them, that there is help and they shouldn't settle for that. for me it's been hard for the past ten months. we really couldn't have any relief so far. it's been really hard throughout all this exposure and all -- you know, all this horrible and terrible facts. >> how have you coped emotionally? it has been ten months and it will keep going on much longer. >> well, it's very difficult. we just have to go one day at a time. you know, i don't have a way to describe. we have a lot on our plate right now and we are dealing with other issues related to the circumstances that really need us to be here strong and keep up with everything so we can be also the support to other people. >> can you tell me what you mean when you say you're dealing with other issues? >> yeah, of course. we have two kids involved. we have so much going on. we have an extradition, a case in mexico. we have, you know, court dates in los angeles. so we have our own lives to cope with, my job. you know, it's so much to deal with. it's like two full-time jobs. you know, you have to be strong. i have to be strong. we all have to be strong and really go one day at a time andle really not be tied too much on our emotions and feelings now. we are not being able to grieve everything that we are experiencing. >> are you satisfied with the way the mexican authorities have dealt with the case? carla? >> yeah. yeah. i think they have been very serious. they did a really good job in the investigation. and i hope they keep him there, locked. very well locked. >> g erour thoughts and prayers with you and your family. >> thank you. >> thank you. >> unfortunately we lost satellite contact with their lawyer, so we apologize for that. we hope to speak to her in the near future. up next, just how bad your kids' school lunches are and what's being done to make them healthier. that's right after this. so, you got a chevy malibu. nice. a consumers digest best buy three years in a row. and an epa - estimated 33 miles per gallon highway. and what does your neighbor have? a bad case of car envy. i mean they're rewards, right? right? right. with the bankamericard cash rewards™ credit card... i get 1% cash back on every purchase. 1% cash back on groceries. highlights. frog leg green. 1% cash back on... whatever that is? and there is no limit to the amount of cash back you can earn. no expiration on rewards. no hoops to jump through. -simple. -i love this card. looove it. 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[ male announcer ] it's morning... and quaker loves morning. ♪ because when you start your day with the power of oatmeal it's good for your heart. it gives you energy. and it can turn an ordinary day into an extraordinary day. ♪ quaker oatmeal is more than breakfast. it's a superfood. back now at 7:45. we're talking school lunches. 32 million kids eat at least one school-provided lunch every day. to combat childhood obesity, there are new guidelines for school lunches for the first time in 15 years. we have with us the author of the eat this not that series including "eat this not that for kids." i want to go over the new guidelines. you think these are good news. >> back when i was in school food was good for just throwing. this is a good step forward after 15 years. >> the usda is calling for fewer starchy vegetables. they want calorie and sodium limits based on age of the student. milk must be 1% or fat free. chocolate milk must be fat free and they want to reduce trans-fat by using products with zero grams per serving. >> they are trying to say, look, let's make the calories count. kids learn by example. that's what each of these examples here are going to show. >> we're going to look at some standard fare in terms of school lunches. you will talk about the equivalents and betterle alternatives. crispy chicken sandwich. what's the problem? >> it's 400 calories and nearly a half day's worth of fat. it's crispy chicken which is synonymous with chubby and with this you get the saturated fat equivalent of all of these chicken soft tacos from taco bell. you would be better off eating a couple of these instead of that because it's fried. if you have a burger, it's 350 calories sh not a big difference. but you have protein, produce, mustard and ketchup. >> five grams of saturated fat versus 7 here. grilled cheese. >> it's fat toasted on fat. it's really devoid of nutrition. that's the problem. it's 350 calories, 16 grams of fat. it's the fat equivalent of two wendy's junior hamburgers. you can go with chili. the great thing about chili is kids usually hate beans but everybody loves chili. it's 300 calories versus 350. >> high in sodium though. 570 milligrams? >> correct. but it's an improvement. the average school lunch is 1600 milligrams of sodium which is a day's worth. the new guidelines pull that down. >> you see at a lot of schools on the lunch program the french bread pizza. this has pepperoni on it. what's the problem? >> 440 calories and empty carbs. it is the calorie equivalent of ten burger king chicken tenders. so overthrow the king. go with a shaved roast beef and gravy. it's 240 calories. you're cutting the fat in half, shaving 200 calories. >> a small side order of french fries comparable to -- >> two mcdonald's mcchicken classic sandwiches. >> and the best news of the year -- >> tater-tots. they are baked. >> little keg-shaped pieces of heaven. >> whoever invented those is a genius. solves our problem. >> when it comes to milk what's the improvement? >> all fat will be low fat or fat free. chocolate milk must be fat free. >> good information, david. thank you. tater-tots, yes! still ahead, diana was a fashion icon. now kate middleton is creating her own signature look. we'll compare their sense of style. first, these messages. - you know, these things are never wrong. 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[ m&m ] you get in the bowl. our time right now is 7:56. we have 35 degrees. a little light drizzle out there this morning as we look at i-395 north of duke street. good morning. i'm joe krebs on this february the 2nd. in the news for today, rain and snowmelt causing some standing water on the roads in some areas today. this is south capitol street at the malcolm x overpass. power outages are also slowing the commute. let's check in with jerry edwards in the news 4 traffic network. jerry? >> yeah, joe, tough times in southeast washington in particular, coming up on suitland parkway, south capitol street, pennsylvania avenue. they're all loaded up. the problem along south capitol street, potomac avenue and southwest. there have been traffic light problems. as a result, we are jammed up. quick check elsewhere, making the trip around town, we'll head along i-270 southbound. very heavy and very slow, a series of incidents earlier on the 270 corridor cleared. we're jammed from at least tenleytown on down. >> we'll take a break and look at our forecast after that. stay with us. honey bunches of oats. whoa...with cinnamon! it's got warm, freshly baked cinnamon in one delicious heart healthy cereal. mmmm. can't you just taste it? try honey bunches of oats with cinnamon. heck, try 'em all. [ male announcer ] before he changed the world... tear down this wall. [ male announcer ] ...or led a nation... i ronald reagan do solemnly swear. [ male announcer ] ...or governed a state... you and i have a rendezvous with destiny. [ male announcer ] ...he inspired our company... with his optimism, his belief in innovation, and his entrepreneurial spirit. [ man ] for general electric, here is ronald reagan. ♪ cloudy, cold and damp in the wake of the cold rain we had overnight. temperatures, though, are above freezing most locations. actually, hitting the 50s northern neck, southern maryland. mid-60s next to the shores. sunshine back today, a blustery northwest wind with us tonight into tomorrow and much colder thursday and friday. could get a little wet snow saturday morning and rain in the afternoon. joe? >> thanks, tom. another update in 25 minutes. be sure to join us tomorrow morning at 4:30 for all the day's news, weather and traffic. stay with us and have a wonderful day. we're going back to the "today" show now right after this message. 8:00 now on a wednesday morning, february 2, 2011. an icy start to the day in manhattan. you can see some of the icicles hanging on our camera high above rockefeller plaza. meanwhile inside the studio i'm matt lauer with meredith vieira. just ahead, a nasty custody fight between halle berry and her ex-boyfriend that caused the oscar winner to pull out of her latest movie. >> and she's not a princess yet but kate middleton is having an impact on fashion. how to copy her signature look and talk about the obvious comparisons to princess diana. >> we want to bring you up to date on what's going on in egypt now. large protests again in the square there in cairo. we understand they have become more tense, even violence this morning as anti-government demonstrators and pro mubarak demonstrators seem to be clashing today. this just 12 hours after president mubarak stunned people by announcing while he would not seek re-election he isn't leaving for the next six months. >> let's get more on that and the rest of the top stories from ann curry. >> we begin with the storm in this country being called the biggest in u.s. history, blanketing the country from texas to maine with snow and ice. chicago set a one-day record with a foot and a half of fresh snowfall and high winds knocking pedestrianins off their feet. in the northeast freezing rain wiped out traction and power lines. this morning, 5,000 flights have been cancelled nationwide. now more on the clashes heating up this morning in the streets of cairo. even as the country's military called for an end to anti-government protests. a military spokesman said demonstrators have made their demands known and should go home. hours earlier president mubarak defied protester demands saying he will serve out the final eight months of his term and, quote, die in egypt. pro and anti-mubarak forces have been reportedly clashing this morning. the crisis in egypt is sending shock waves across the mooems. yemen's president will not seek re-election or install his son in office as protests escalate in his country. tuesday, jordan's king appointed a new prime minister. and the largest storm ever recorded in australia is now roaring ashore this morning. forecasters say winds from cyclone yasi could top 200 miles per hour as the storm hit as category five. 10,000 residents of australia are in evacuation centers bracing for what they are calling dreadful hours ahead. president obama is signing the new s.t.a.r.t. treaty today. it cuts u.s. and russian nuclear arsenals by a third and limits the number of missiles and bombers each side can deploy to deliver nuclear warheads. a volcano in southern japan e ripted for the sixth time since last week. it shot ash and smoke a mile into the sky and guay us a glimpse of volcano lightning. there you are. an eruption on wednesday shattered windows several miles away, but there are no reports of injuries. a harvard study questions preparing most students for four years of college. the research shows a stronger focus on vocational careers that requires less than a bachelor's degree. the u.s. announced the race to the top challenge for the high school that best prepares students for the future. and a reason this morning for the winter weary to take a little hard. the groundhog, punxsutawney phil didn't see his shadow. that is supposed to mean spring will arrive earlier this year. one can only hope. it is three minutes past the hour. now back to good morning. the cold rain we had overnight is pretty much over. just a little bit of patchy drizzle around, and it's still cold. temperatures are in the 30s throughout much of the region, but above freezing most areas. however, we did get some light icing areas west and northwest of washington, mainly on tree limbs and power lines. it's turning now a bit warmer into southern maryland, northern neck, into the mid-50s. some of the milder air up into the washington metro area later this afternoon, a little sun coming out. winds will increase gusting over 20 miles per hour this afternoon and tonight and may continue into part of thursday. much colder tomorrow. and that's your latest weather. meredith? >> al, thank you very much. up next, halle berry's bitter custody fight for her daughter that caused her to drop out of her new movie. details right after this. the monster was furious! rarrr! it's for laughing... 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>> no. father, mother, whether married or not, whether they lived together and he was parenting may have something to do with it. you're still a dad. >> and he went to a court to be officially declared the father. >> which was unnecessary, by the way. the only time it would have come up is if she had denied parenting and she hasn't. >> there is a nasty war of words, one-side at the moment. let me read you a statement from halle berry's side. it says, halle has serious concerns for her daughter's well-being while in the care of her father for any extended period of time and is prepared to take all necessary steps to protect her. that is inflammatory. will a judge make her prove that or can people just say that? >> well, you can say it. but when she gets to court she better be prepared to explain why or she'll look silly. >> can a judge clamp down on the war of words? i mean, can a judge put a gag order for the good of thele child -- and this is a very young child. so not aware of what's being placed in the headlines right now. but in any circumstance can a judge say, look, you cannot speak about this? >> you can say that in the newspaper. you can't publish anything or speak to the press. but are they going to have a judge in the house watching what they say? >> or their representatives. you can always remove it once or twice. >> sure. >> halle berry, for her career, has to travel for extended periods of time to shoot movies. could gabriel aubrey claim that it presents a hardship to him in terms of contact with his daughter and might that play into a custody battle? >> he can say anything he wants. in today's world with skyping where he can see that child every day or twice a day if she worked it out, he's not losing anything. the question is do you say that people can't work? of course you can't say that. you've got custody cases where people live in one state and another state and they work it out. they share time that way. >> in terms of a 50/50 agreement there was a time, i think you will agree, in this country where it was automatically assumed that the mother of the child would get primary custody of the child. those days are not here anymore. >> those days are gone forever. >> he has a very good shot at getting 50/50 shared custody. >> no. i didn't say 50/50, but he has a good shot at getting a good chunk of time. just because dads are becoming more involved doesn't mean they get 50/50, nor is that the critical number. in some states it makes a difference as to how much support you pay. >> if you had to advise a couple out there now, unmarried but with a child between them, if they are about to break up, how important is it for them to formalize a custody agreement as quickly as they can? >>le well, certainly important, but custody is always modifiable. so you and i can make an agreement today and in six months you can say, well, things have changed because she's always away and i'm caring for the child. go back to court and change it. >> lynn, thank you very much for your perspective. i appreciate it. up next, on a much different note, the new way you can copy kate middleton's sense of style if you want to do that, right after this. r ] imagine the possibilities with stelara®. for adults, stelara® helps control moderate or severe plaque psoriasis with 4 doses a year, after 2 starter doses. in a medical study, 7 out of 10 stelara® patients saw at least 75% clearer skin at 12 weeks. and 6 out of 10 patients had their plaque psoriasis rated as cleared or minimal at 12 weeks. stelara® may lower your ability to fight infections and increase your risk of infections. some serious infections require hospitalization. before starting stelara®, your doctor should test for tuberculosis. stelara® may increase your risk of cancer. always tell your doctor if you have any sign of infection, or have had cancer. alert your doctor of new or worsening problems including headaches, seizures, confusion and vision problems. these may be signs of a rare, potentially fatal brain condition. serious allergic reactions can occur. tell your doctor if you or anyone in your house needs or has recently received a vaccine. with 4 doses a year, after 2 starter doses, it's stelara®. give me half an hour. ahhh. ♪ ohh! ♪ [ male announcer ] so simple you could make em yourself. breakfast!! 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[ female announcer ] exercise your right to breathe right... get two free strips at breatheright.com. hey, it's your right to breathe right! get two free strips at breatheright.com. the best device for everything you love to read editors' choice. best dedicated ereader. magazines look spectacular. fantastic device. touch the future of reading at barnes and noble. nookcolor. this morning on "today's style" the kate middleton look. the soon-to-be princess is inspiring signature pieces already. the white ruffled dress she wore for her engagement photo is set to be sold in store this is week. copy cat versions of her engagement ring are already selling out. the executive fashion and beauty editor from harper's bazaar joining us. good morning. >> good morning. >> we have a copy of the engagement mo fo to dress. tell us about it. everybody thinks it's the blue dress, but that was for the announcement. >> it's the original one from the photographs she wore. the official palace-released photograph. we have our own kate middleton wearing the dress everyone can buy. >> there she is. natalie morales. this is the actual copy of the dress. it's called the white ruffle nanette dress. >> she brought it from a 2009 collection. it's in a slightly lighter fabric for summer. it retails for $325, available if all u.s. restores on monday and online now. >> if it's anything like the blue dress you will sell a lot of them. >> yes. here is a chance for a piece of royalty. regularly it's couture pieces you can't buy. but the regular girl can afford this. >> if she has natalie's figure as well. natalie also has on a copy of the earrings that kate wore. >> these are the actual earrings from links of london. 25 stores and also in bloomingdale's. they will be roughly around the same price as the dress. the hope egg earrings. >> jerry, we'll bring you a chair. come on over. >> can you bring wills over as well? just for the ambiance. >> look how fabulous she looks in this. with the events, this fabulous summery event, everyone want as touch of something fab. this could be a collector's item, "antiques roadshow" in 20 years. >> what i like so far is kate middleton is picking out stuff she's obviously comfortable in. more like michelle obama and her approach to clothing. >> if she's comfortable in it she picks it. this was from her own wardrobe. i like that any girl can go out and buy that piece. it's not a fake, not a copy. it's from the actual retailer. it's lovely and it help it is economy, too. it's a lovely idea. >> she makes it available to the main stream and shops her closet. >> i love how good you look in the dress. it really is a stunner. >> it's lovely. >> and affordable. >> she's be compared to princess diana and let's take a look at the two side by side. maybe the suit outfit. kate is just beginning and diana had years to develop her style. >> diana was thrust into the spotlight at age 19. kate is 28, going on 29. she's already honed her own personal style. there are obviously going to be comparisons. your mother-in-law is a style icon. no pressure. she stands well. she wears suits well. >> do we have a shot of her in the suit and hat -- of the two of them? >> this is the diana official engagement suit photograph. this is when they announced the engagement and she's wearing a little dress. she goes for comfort. she loves to accentuate her waist. she has fabulous legs. >> here we have them in suits and the hat. >> it's become a fascination in the uk. everyone is buying these little hats. >> that's our next thing. i think we'll see how you look in a fabulous hat. >> she'll look gorgeous. we have little time left. speculation on the wedding dress? >> here's the thing. if you don't hear anyone talking about it they are the most likely person to be designing it. if someone is underground, not promoting themselves, bet your bottom dollar they are designing the dress. >> who would that be? >> i don't think it's 8:26 is your time now, 35 degrees. all the rain this morning has s saturated the ground. there is ponding on the roads. i'm eun yang. no snow and ice overnight, but pepco still had its hands full. the number of outages fluctuated overnight between hundreds and thousands. at this point, most of the outages are fixed. pepco says it is working on the problem right now. problem right now. we'll take a quick break and the moment you feel run down or achy nip flu-like symptoms in the bud, with oscillococcinum. get oscillo and feel like yourself again. oscillococcinum, nip it in the bud. good morning. warmer weather on the way later today. we'll get these morning clouds out, sun this afternoon. low 50s and a blustery northwest wind tonight into tomorrow. it will be much colder, though, on thursday and friday. maybe wet snow saturday morning. tom, how's traffic? >> most of the high water's receding, but we have plenty of delays. central avenue loaded up toward route 4, but all travel lanes are reported open. on 95/395, packed in very tightly. travel lanes open. pretty quiet but heavy on the gw parkway. >> jerry, thank you. we'll have another update in 25 minutes. tune in to 8:30 now on this wednesday morning, february 2, 2011. a dangerous layer of ice across parts of the northeast this morning, part of the monster storm that's caused big problems in texas across to new england. al will have the latest on the forecast straight ahead. i'm meredith vieira alongside matt lauer and ann curry. ahead in this half hour, a passionate woman leading an education revolution in america with her innovative program to find new, young teachers. jenna bush hager is here to explain. >> and a pasta dinner can be easy. not always healthy. mark bittman, one of our great friends here in the kitchen, is here to help us out along with one of his great friends. he's going to make three different pasta recipes. they are quick, easy, healthy and they require few ingredients. >> that sounds good. you may have seen this commercial, you guys. it's the old spice guy. remember this commercial? al caught up with him. let's listen. >> stop using ladies scented body wash and switched to old spice he could smell like me. >> it caught a lot of people's attention including al. >> i love that commercial. i'm on a horse! >> speaking of al who i think looks just as good he's in chicago for a check of the weather. hey, good morning. the cold, drilling rain we had overnight did produce a little bit of light icing on some tree limbs and power lines, west and northwest of washington, but now that's beginning to melt as temperatures are above freezing. stayed generally above freezing throughout most of the region overnight, so roads, streets and sidewalks are wet in most areas. later today, as we get into the 50s, we'll have a rapid snowmelt that may cause more ponding of water, a little sun back, also gusty winds and much colder thursday and friday. maybe some wet snow saturday morning changing to rain in the afternoon. with this crazy weather no matter what the groundhog says, check the weather channel two, three, four times a today or go to weather.com online. now let's go down to uncle willy.com to see if he saw his shadow. >> and we are all set to give you some gardening advice. it is now into february and you could plant your onions. did you know that? they will be beautiful by springtime. spring onions are the best. happy birthday from smuckers. take a look, if you will. we have a birthday buddy coming up on the jar. this is marie druery from forest hills, new york. still works for bower mustard company and loves visiting with family and friends. dorothy durham, columbus, ohio, home of the slider. 103 years old. third time she's tried to get on the show. she's a great buckeye fan. knows all the stats. and we have merle eng from sioux falls, south dakota. world war ii vet. attributes his longevity to eating dessert first. that is a good diet. and rose caparella from youngstown, arizona. 100 years old. she's preparing to enter 2011 in the arizona bread-baking contest. she's won, i understand. loves fresh bread. and we have ronald -- not mcdonald -- but rogers. dallas, pennsylvania. 101 years old. he was supposed to board the "titanic" but they didn't have tickets left and he missed the boat. praise god. starts out lucky. by shop nancy collier is 100 years old and provides shelter for the homeless. all the money she wins in bingo she gives to the shelter. >> willard, thank you very much. up next, jenna bush hager on a pioneer helping to change the face of education in america. first, this is "today" on nbc. drink in the rich, bold taste... of premium roast coffee -- 100% arabica beans. it's so rich, but so just a dollar. on the dollar menu at breakfast. and that's what we'rma of. ♪ ba da ba ba ba my sistersundays are just tofor watching football. believe that? 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[ thinking ] the simple joy of being smart. ♪ this morning on "education nation today," teach for america. a powerful movement that recruits college grads to teach in some of the nation's poorest areas. it was created by the author of "a chance to make history," wendy kopp. good morning, jenna. >> wendy is a pioneer in education. she's dared to dream big. she wants to share that dream with every student in america. >> we are going to do a classroom quiz of all 50 states and capitals. >> reporter: teach for america is on the front line battling for educational equality and excellence for all children. wendy kopp first laid out the idea 20 years ago in her princeton university senior thesis. >> it was the experience of being a college senior that led me to think, you know, there is so much energy, so much passion that we could channel against what i believe is the country's most fundamental injustice. >> reporter: teach for all recruits teachers to start out in the most improverished communities. today, 20,000 have worked in 39 regions. >> our mission is to grow the force of leaders who are working in our urban and rural areas, learn the lessons from that and and go on to work toward fundamental systemic change. >> reporter: i have visited a lot of schools where teach for america teachers are working and i have worked in schools where teach for america teachers are working. i noticed that teach for america teachers as well as any teachers have more success when there is clear, consistent leadership. >> i think leadership is absolutely fundamental to getting where we need to go. >> reporter: kopp said brett kimmel is an example of great leadership. he's a feature for america alum who started a school, wheels, in one of new york city's toughest neighborhoods. so your juniors will be graduating next spring. >> right. >> reporter: and you're hoping what percentage of them go on to college? >> well, we are shooting for 100%. as of right now, new york city high school graduation rates are 65%. we have 95% of our kids on track to graduate high school next spring. that last 5% we'll get them there in one way, shape or form. >> reporter: a key element in his success -- one half of the wheels staff is teach for america alumni. why did you choose teach for america? >> i think that people of color are underrepresented in colleges and i think that teaching them and having professionals that are highly educated will help them achieve those goals. >> it is the civil rights movement of our time. i believe equality of opportunity is important to the future of the country. >> reporter: how would you describe the culture of the school? >> you can have high expectations and still have a supportive culture. that makes it different and makes them able to learn from us. good afternoon. >> good afternoon, ms. corvino and ms. hager and ms. kopp. >> good afternoon, guys. >> darwin rodriguez was failing school before he came to school last fall. >> before i read the article, i knew they're quick, that they eat a lot and they are very messy. >> reporter: today, he's not just passing but thriving. >> when you got your first report card here at wheels and found out you did so well, what did mom say to you? >> she cried. she said she's getting older and she congratulated me. and i got a video game. >> reporter: you got a video game to reward you? >> yes. >> reporter: darwyn is part of the dream for big futures. his sisters plan to be the first in the family to attend college next year. >> you know 100% you're going to college. >> yes. with the mom we have? >> reporter: with the mom you have you're going to college. >> yes. >> they can have a better future. that's what i want. >> north and south america, europe, asia, too, uh-huh. >> reporter: as this class learns about bondries and geography they are realizing there are no boundaries to the future. >> this is our chance to show that it is possible through education to provide all kids with the chance to fulfill their true potential and have the chance to make history. >> and one of the main successes is that after two years of teaching, 65% of teach for america alums continue working in education in some form. meredith? >> i love what you said about one of the moms saying she isn't rich, but -- >> she said, you know, i'm not rich. my only gift to give my kids is a good education and a better future than i had. >> thank goodness for wendy kopp and people like her -- and you. up next, mark bittman shows you how to make healthy pasta dishes. the prince has moved on. dishes. the prince has moved on. first seven years ago, i had this idea. to make baby food the way moms would. happybaby strives to make the best organic baby food. in a business like ours, personal connections are so important. we use our american express open gold card to further those connections. last year we took dozens of trips using membership rewards points to meet with the farmers that grow our sweoes and merchants that sell our product. we've gone from being in 5 stores to 7,500. booming is using points to make connections that grow your business. we've back now at 8:45 on how to cook everything, today, taking pasta to the next level. it's easy to throw noodles into a pot of water and say voila but with just a little more effort you can make a he wille think meal. mark, good morning. nice to see you. this came about because we were talking. i'm trying to cook more at home. i like pasta dishes but i find it difficult to get them right and you have done your homework. >> you asked for fast, healthy, really good. >> few ingredients. >> easy, what else? >> exactly. the first one is pasta with shrimp. >> which was really your recipe. you said, i take garlic, some chili chilies. >> but i mess up. overcook the shrimp or burn the garlic. how do we start? >> sufficient olive oil, chopped chilies or flakes. garlic, not too small so it doesn't burn. when that's colored a little bit, we're using half a pound or so of shrimp. >> raw shrimp and you cut them. >> now they will cook quickly. meanwhile you are cooking the pasta. >> you want to start the shrimp when the pasta is basically done. >> just about done. >> you like this underdone so you want it on the chewy side. >> you want a little bit of chalkiness in the middle. that's really not al dente, it's underdone. but it keeps cooking from its own heat, wes to it with the shrimp so it cooks in there. >> all in all you're talking a couple minutes before the shrimp are cooked through. >> we are working in real time here. we have to figure out something to sayle while this is cooking. >> that's all right. you're going to take the pasta, transfer it into the pot. one thing you talk about all the time you're here, save a little bit of the pasta water. >> it's traditional. this is something we talked about last week. very traditional to finish cooking pasta in its own sauce. italians do it all the time. when we were talking about it the crew guys said, oh, yeah, we do that at home. that's the way. that way you don't use a lot of fancy ingredients. you can cut down on the oil you use and the water brings extra creaminess. >> in all honesty this probably has another minute to go. but put the pasta in there and the sauce firms up a little bit. >> the sauce will firm up. obviously it's starchy now. we're going to add a little bit of the pasta cooking water. >> start to finish this is a recipe that should take no more than 15, 20 minutes. >> ten minutes to boil the water. from that point it's however long the pasta takes. >> the next is a chicken dish with as tpasta and it cooks in pot. >> this was called reduction pasta which doesn't mean anything. basically it's cooking pasta in the style of pilaf. we have red onion and garlic. we are going to use orzo but you can use any cut pasta, penne or oriechiette. any cut pasta works. pour your pasta in and make sure it gets glazed with oil. >> the cooking technique here is because this is uncooked pasta you will slowly add liquid until you cook it to the desired texture. >> but we are going to add the liquid all at once because we have measured. then, of course, if it's hard we add more. >> what's the liquid? >> that's white wine, so cook it out a little bit. >> how long does orzo usually take? >> this is a 15 or 20-minute process here. it's pretty much you cook it like you do risotto. stir it and watch the liquid get absorbed and 10 or 15 minutes later you've got this. >> that is the consistency you are looking for. >> we have chicken we cooked before. we'll sho that in there. >> that goes in last. >> we'll get color in here. it will start to look good actually. some corn. we have red pepper. now it's starting to look like something. >> again, one pot. not many ingredients. >> no kol lacolander. >> 15, 20 minutes and you're done. >> parmesan, sage. >> give me a sense of this one. >> it's pasta putanesca with olives, capers, chilies, green beans. and we used whole wheat pasta. >> and classic spaghetti. thanks for helping me out at home. mark bittman. up next, al gets up close and personal with the old spice guy. first this is "today" on nbc. hey, what are you drinkin'? i'm drinkin' dunkin'. coffee -- black, straight up. extra cream, three sugars. iced coffee french vanilla. for me. iced coffee with a turbo shot. i'm drinkin' dunkin'. i'm drinkin' dunkin'. i'm drinkin' dunkin'. drinkin' dunkin'. america runs on dunkin' coffee. this morning on our special series the grio's 100 history-makers in the making, a man you will recognize but you may not know him by name. we are talking about the old spice guy. al has details. hey, al. >> hey, good morning, meredith. i tell you, what a difference a year makes. just about this time last year an unknown actor named isaia isaiah mustafa burst onto the scene as the old spice guy. now this 36-year-old has landed on the grio.com's list of 100 most influential african-americans. i caught up with him, where else, but in hollywood? >> hello, ladies. look at your man. now back to me. now back at your man. now back to me. >> it's almost a year ago your super bowl commercial debuted. what's the last year been like for you? >> absolutely ridiculous in a good way. it started in march. things just started snowballing. you know, you work for ten years taking odd jobs, being a bartender, doing this and that and you always hope this is going to happen to you. but you don't expect it will happen that fast. everything's coming along nicely. >> reporter: nicely is an understatement. the popularity of the old spice commercials proves that -- >> anything is possible when your man smells like old spice and not a lady. i'm on a horse. >> reporter: this is a brand i remember as a kid giving to my dad for father's day. suddenly, it's hip. that's got to be a good feeling to almost single handedly turn a brand around and make it relevant. >> it's not a bad job to have. >> when you're the man your man could smell like do women come up and smell you? >> the first question is where is my horse. before that, there is someone on my neck. >> get out of here. >> i promise you. >> men, women? >> mostly women. occasionally a man will do it. >> is that uncomfortable? >> not for me. >> do they like how you smell? >> yes. no matter how i smell they always tell me i smell like old spice which is great. >> not only is he credited with transforming the 70-year-old scent into a hip cologne, the success of the campaign made his dream of acting a reality. soon after the commercial debuted mustafa signed a development deal with nbc and filmed two movies. >> wow. >> you're in a movie with jennifer aniston. what are the odds? >> right. to be fair, my scene isn't with jennifer. >> but you are in a movie with jennifer aniston. >> right. >> you don't have to tell people -- >> no, no. in horrible bosses i play a cop. the main three characters, i stop them. it's a fun interaction. >> no matter where the acting career takes him, he'll always be that guy in the old spice commercial. in fact, a new campaign debuts this month. >> as you can see, i have returned. >> there are people who get a role and they try to distance themselves from it because they are afraid they will be typecast, that it's bad for them careerwise. >> before i was doing it i was literally sitting on the couch looking for opportunities. like ile couldn't find an opportunity. so to have this -- to have people look at me as the old spice guy whereas before they weren't looking at me at all, i'm okay with that. >> looks like he's having fun, too. >> you know, meredith, i smell good right now myself. >> are you wearing old spice, al? >> i won't say. but i smell good. take a whiff. >> i love that guy. >> thanks, al. for more information on the grio's 100 and how to win a foursquare badge go to thegrio.com. 8:55 is your time now. it's 36 degrees. still looks soggy out there after a lot of rain this morning. tom will have your forecast right after the news. good morning, i'm eun yang. the maryland men's basketball team plays duke at home tonight and student leaders are trying to avoid the chaos that followed last year's game when maryland beat duke. this time, there will be a university-planned bonfire to attract students to a controlled setting following the game. tip-off is 9:00 tonight. we'll take a quick break now. your weather and traffic right after this. stay with cloudy, damp and cold on this wednesday morning in the wake of the overnight rain. temperatures are still in the 30s of the area, though climbing near the 40s. low 60 near the eastern shore. milder air will make it in later today with sun and a blustery northwest wind gusting over 30 miles an hour. then colder tonight, cold on thursday and friday. might get a little wet snow saturday morning. how's traffic, jerry? >> tom, taking a live look for you. traffic is thinning out just a bit. good news on the beltway north of town. heavy traffic about university boulevard to new hampshire avenue. it is slow to and beyond river road. on river road, just inside the beltway, an earlier accident is cleared out of the roadway. and over on 66, still below the speed limit, basically points east, but the lanes are available. eun? >> jerry, thank you. another news update for you in 25 minutes. join us tomorrow morning at 4:30 a.m. for all the day's news, weather and back now with more of "today" on a wednesday morning, the 2nd of february, 2011. good thing punxsutawney phil said we'll have an early spring. we'll need it. so could a portion of the country. boston is getting slammed with the so-called wintry mix as a third of the country is facing a major winter storm. a lot of snow, freezing rain and sleet. there's al in chicago in the middle of it. we'll check in with him in a couple of minutes. meanwhile, inside studio 1-a, i'm matt lauer along with natalie morales and tamron hall. also ahead more on the tense situation in egypt. >> just hours after president hosni mubarak promised not to run for re-election this year, pro mubarak and anti-government demonstrators are clashing in cairo. we'll have the latest from brian williams straight ahead. >> and taking care of your bottom line. in today's money 911, for saving for your family's future to deciding whether or not to stick out a bad job situation. >> it's very busy right now. a lot to get to. we'll have more on the winter storm causing problems all over the country. we start with al in chicago. al? >> hey, matt. thanks so much. good morning. here in chicago, a couple records have fallen. first of all, we had the biggest snowfall total for one day. 13.6 inches of snow. take a look at the snowfall totals now. chicago will be closing in on 20 inches of snow. so far, officially 17 inches. beach park, illinois, 20. raci, wisconsin, 21.5. here in chicago, schools are closed for the first time in 12 years. both airports are open. however, they do have -- they have curtailed operations quite a bit. chicago has gotten slammed by the storm and now it's barrelling into the northeast. this monster winter storm took aim at chicago tuesday night. the win-whipped snow literally blowing people around. check out these brave souls just fighting to stay on their feet in the blizzard. see what happened to my pals from the weather channel on live tv. >> oh, jesus! listen to that. >> a burst of thunder snow here in chicago. >> that's unbelievable. >> reporter: lake michigan may look frozen but there is concern that high winds could cause waves as high as 25 feet to crash onto the iconic stretch of road. the powerful storm has already roared across the plains states with whiteout conditions, sheets of ice, and dangerous roads. the monster storm reaches more than 2,000 miles long, from texas across the nation's mid section into the northeast. the numbers are staggering. more than 100 million people will feel the effects of the storm. more than two feet of snow has fallen in some areas. wind chills as low as negative 20 degrees and winds gusting as high as 70 miles per hour. air travel has already been crippled. more than 6,000 flights cancelled across the country yesterday and that ripple effect could last for days. in dallas, a tent for a presuper bowl party collapsed under the weight of snow and ice. good thing the big game this weekend will be played indoors. the storm has been a record-breaker already and is now taking aim on the northeast. i don't care what the groundhog says. it looks like our winter woes are not over yet. let's take a look and see what's happening with the storm now. as we go to the radar you will see we have lake effect and lake-enhanced snow in chicago. but we have the bulk of the storm system now out over new england. freezing rain into new york, parts of long island, connecticut and then snow as you get up into new england, boston and points north. snowfall accumulations, we look for another six to eight inches of snow up into boston and parts of new england. and we have a quarter to a half inch of ice which can cause big problems for pouwer lines. in fact, power was down in philadelphia. amtrak was closed. it's back but there are still delays. probably the biggest geographic storm in this country's history. >> wow. >> thanks for your reporting on this, al. >> now to boston where it's not only been snowing but ice there caused dangerous conditions as well and hundreds of flight cancellations. nbc's peter alexander is in the middle of it there. peter, good morning. >> reporter: good day to you. this is the misery of the storm now. within the last hour or so it's turned from the snow to the punishing sleet. it really stings as it hits you. to give you a sense of where we are this is a fresh blanket of snow. they have ten new inches as part of the one-two fist punch of a storm that people are describing now. they are on pace to have one of the ten snowiest winters on record here in boston. but the concern today is not just the snow but the sleet. also freezing rain and later today as the temperatures change there's going to be rain in general. the problem with that is when it lands on top of the roof already coated with snow the fear is for collapsing roofs throughout the northeast. power outages as well as lines are pulled down. families in the boston area get to stay home. 680 schools are either closed or on a delayed start already. plenty of spinouts and tractor-trailers jackknifing on the massachusetts turnpike. you really h good morning. the cold rain we had overnight did cause a little build-up of ice on tree limbs and power lines north and northwest of washington, but most areas stayed above freezing overnight. so did the roads, and now we're off to a damp and cold start, but we should be warming into the 50s later today with a little sunshine breaking out and a wind gusting out of the northwest to around 30 to 35 miles an hour later this afternoon and tonight. and then tomorrow, much colder, remaining cold friday into the weekend. could get some wet snow saturday morning. looks like a cold rain saturday afternoon. and that's your latest weather, matt. >> thank you very much, al. up next, advice for your money emergencies including how to reduce your debt if you owe the irs. and beyond the basic checkup. we tell you about the essential health test every woman should get after these messages. ♪ [ female announcer ] there's a place called hidden valley where kids not only eat their vegetables, they can't get enough. ♪ hidden valley ranch, makes vegetables delectable. and now make lettuce a real salad with hidden valley salad kits! everything you need all in one bag, like garlic croutons, lemon pita bites, parmesan cheese, and caesar dressing. turn plain lettuce into a hidden valley salad. parmesan cheese, and caesar dressing. heaven comes to earth. rich, creamy, thick dannon greek, the most delicious yogurt imaginable. heaven on earth! 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finish what you started today. for the aches and sleeplessness in between, there's motrin pm. no other medicine, not even advil pm, is more effective for pain and sleeplessness. motrin pm. is more effective for pain and sleeplessness. hebrew national hot dogs are the best part of watching the greatest game ever invented. give your mouth the end zone celebration it deserves. go, kosher, go. with no fillers, by-products, artificial flavors or colors. hebrew national. the better than a hot dog hot dog. nothing starts your day like honey roasted, honey bunches of oats. the perfect balance of crunchy flakes and clusters, with a kiss of golden honey. delicious. and the same calories per serving as special k original. so, try honey roasted, honey bunches of oats! heck try 'em all. z. this morning, solutions for your financial problems. our team of experts is ready to answer your questions on everything from saving for the short term to saving for retirement. we have sharon epperson from cnbc and dylan rat gan, the host of "the dylan ratigan show" and the author of "psych yourself rich." good morning. thanks for being here on a crunchy, cold day outside. we have an e-mail question from cheryl who lives in indiana. it's a sobering question. she writes i'm currently working in a volatile work environment. my boss is verbally abusive and my health is suffering. if i quit can i collect unemployment and/or participate in services at work one to find another job? what should i do? >> this is a difficult situation for many people. in this economy you want to keep your job. you're already stressed and then you get work on top of it. it's a difficult situation to quit in this environment. and there is a high threshold of being able to prove you are being harassed or something is happening. she should try to stay and see if she can deal with human resources. >> can she collect unemployment or participate in services of work one? >> you have to be terminated or you have to resign with cause. which brings me to i guess what i would add to what you're saying is that as soon as possible write a letter that articulates what your objections are, not that he's mean, she's mean, but specifically what is the dysfunction. whether it's a big or little company that you have a document for it so you can deal with the employment agencies. the only other thing i would add is it's obvious in a job like that that it is not fulfilling for you and may not be fulfilling for your boss. understand all the tensions. but i think psychologically and spiritually if you can say, listen, six months, a year from now, i won't be in this job. start to devote all of your creative and dynamic energy into exploring and looking to open whatever the next door is going to be. >> you said write a letter. who gets it? the boss? >> put it to the boss directly, doesn't have to be written in a confrontational way, but you have to back out your emotion which is one of the hardest things to do. it feels like a personal assault. you have to observe it. >> a particular question about a specific work environment, i wonder if there is evidence that you have found. i know about people who have said in this economy there is more opportunity for bosses, for companies to maybe not play fair with employees. >> it's absolutely happening. that is a trend. it's no coincidence that 80% of workers in the new year will be looking for a new job. they are fed up. for the last two years they have been in jobs where they have been overworked. that's the best case scenario. worst case, you have too much work and an unruly boss. go see a labor attorney. >> from big business to small business everyone trying to say we can't afford this, can't pay on time. if you document, the bottom line is document your experience, send it to human resources and also keep a paper trail that you can send in if you need to take legal action. >> e-mail trails work these days also. we have on the phones al son in hoboken, new jersey. what's your question? >> caller: hi. i'm a 34-year-old freelancer and i never had a 401-k. i recently opened a roth ira through my bank which doesn't allow automatic contributions and charges a fee every time i contribute to it. i want to know is that normal and what are suggestions for iras that allow free contributions. >> fees? >> i'm also a freelancer. congratulations for having a retirement account. fees are rampant but your bank seems to be punishing you too much. go to the bank and say, look, i want the fees lifted. what if i contribute a minimum amount every month so we can have this deal and you can maybe lift the contribution fees or say, you know, i will take my business elsewhere. you have a lot of choices there. she can go to a credit union where they usually have lower fees than banks. you will want to look at e-trade, prudential, fidelity. they have no-fee roth iras which means you don't have annual fees. you don't have to pay to contribute. i should warn you that whatever investments you make within the roth whether it's a stock or mutual fund there may be commissions tied to the transactions. what you want to look for specifically are no load mutual funds. those eliminate those commission fees. >> anything? >> it's easy to do online. a lot of people think it will be difficult. they need to go to the bank. but it's important to note that the no-fee iras are online, easy to set up and figure out investments targeted to when you will retire. >> briefly i will say fight the inertia. listen to these guys. >> it will matter in the end. >> it's worth it. >> thank you very much for your question. we'll try to get to more next time. coming , a reminder. catch dylan weekdays at 4:00 p.m. eastern on msnbc. up next, much more of the winter storm that's making travel a mess. but first these messages. ♪ mmmmm... 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[ female announcer ] visit aveeno.com to save on nourish plus. >> ( beeping, beeping stops ) >> announcer: free is better. do your simple return for free with the federal free edition at turbotax.com. turbotax. the most trusted brand of tax software. girl: grandma had come up for a visit. so we took her to our olive garden. just us girls. we kept the fun going all through dinner. introducing olive garden's new artisanal raviolis. try our creamy asiago cheese ravioli topped with pan-seared chicken. or try our pear and gorgonzola ravioli topped with sauteed shrimp. starting at just $10.95. with unlimited salad and breadsticks. it was really cool just hanging out -- the three of us. olive garden. when you're here, you're family. heaven comes to earth. rich, creamy, thick dannon greek, the most delicious yogurt imaginable. heaven on earth! discover dannon greek we're going to make it easy for you and go over the health test every woman should get. >> and more on the monster storm blanketing the country. >> after your local news. tuna is a natural source of omega 3's and that is good for your heart. these 27 latin lovers agree... 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[ latin lover ] tuna the wonderfish. and this is the warm fresh baked taste... of a strawberry toaster strudel. see the difference? pillsbury toaster strudel. the one kids want to eat. delicious news for dessert lovers. introducing activia dessert. rich yogurt with desserty flavors like strawberry cheesecake and peach cobbler. mmm. you've got to try this. ♪ activia activia dessert. 9:26 is your time now. it is 36 degrees. just a soggy day out there. we could have flooding as well. tom will have the latest after the news. good morning. i'm eun yang. in the news for today, thousands of flights across the country are canceled this morning. many of them at our local airports. some travelers spent the night at reagan national hoping to catch a flight out some time today. although we didn't get any snow or ice, pepco still had its hands full. all night long, thousands of customers experienced sporadic outages. most of those outages are now fixed. pepco is still working on the issue right now. we'll take a quick break now. weather and tr good morning. cloudy, damp and cold. we're still in the 30s throughout much of the area, though it's warming into the 50s now in southern maryland, and that should head up our way later today, in the mid-50s with sun back and a gusty northwest wind, gusting 30 to 35 miles an hour. and overnight tonight, that wind will still be blustery as well as tomorrow morning. much colder thursday and friday. might get some wet snow saturday morning. how's traffic, jerry? tom, as we travel on out, still dealing with heavy, slow traffic. reduced visibility, possibly a little bit, beltway outer loop heading toward the american legion bridge. although i didn't see anything in the roadway. might have activity, possibly an earlier issue. inbound lanes appear open. coming toward the third street tunnel, no accidents. >> thank you, jerry. we'll have another news update in 25 minutes. and join us tomorrow morning at 4:30 for all the day's news, weather and traffic. we'll see you then. well, if it's feeling like groundhog day today, yet again the story is the brutal weather. but punxsutawney phil didn't see his shadow, so spring is coming. but in the meantime, a treacherous mix of snow, freezing rain, sleet. in the middle of it, al roker is in the middle of it in chi-town. looks like the snow stopped a bit there sn. >> reporter: yeah, it's coming and going. and i want to remind you, groundhogs lie. >> well, you know, they are no meteorologists. >> don't drive angry. don't drive angry. >> tell us what's been going on over there. >> well, you know, we have had 17.1 inches officially. probably got a couple inches since that reading. i think this will end up being the third biggest snowfall for chicago. right now it's number five. if it makes 20 inches it will move to number three. the city is really prepared. they got all the snow good morning. here, a brief warm-up in the wake of the overnight rain we had, and we should make it into the mid-50s, but there may be a rapid snowmelt, and then that may cause more ponding of water in low areas later this afternoon. in addition, as the sun comes out, we may get some strong, gusty winds, gusting over 30 miles an hour. that may cause a few scattered power outages, and the winds will still be blustery tonight and we'll get much colder. during the day on thursday, highs only mid-30s, near 40 friday afternoon. could get some wet snow saturday morning changing to rain. and that's your latest weather. ladies, back to you. >> thanks, al. you look cute in that hat. >> adorable. >> thank you. >> good, okay. keep that on and stay warm. up next, we'll talk about important tests every woman needs to get for better health. that's right after this. 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[ male announcer ] there are snacks. and there are better snacks. quaker chewy, 25% less sugar than the leading sweet snacks, no high fructose corn syrup and the goodness of whole grains. and a lot of people when they get a denture they think the best way to clean it is by brushing it with toothpaste. toothpaste contains abrasives that scratch dentures leaving microscopic crevices where bacteria can grow and bacteria can cause bad breath. only polident is proven to clean without scratching and kills 99.9% of odor causing bacteria. i recommend using polident and soak every day. it's the right way to go. now with an improved microclean formula. this morning on "today's health" tests that could save your life. many women are good about getting regular checkups but there are exams you need that are essential to living longer. dr. raj, good morning. >> good morning. >> aside from the annual gynecology exam every woman has to get there are not many tests that you need to do. >> yeah. i mean, we've going to break it down. people get overwhelmed thinking of the different tests, but by decade there are a few you have to be on top of. >> in the 20s, the first is a complete physical which tests for whatle exactly? >> you will be tested for blood sugar, a sign of diabetes, tested for high blood pressure, make sure that's in check. in your 20s people feel like they are invincible but there are diseases we can screen for early on. cholesterol, liver and kidney function. you may be checked for thyroid disease if you have a family history. even things like vitamin b12 and d we find many young people are deficient. >> you say you don't need a complete physical every year. >> right. if you're healthy and don't have a family history you could stretch it to every five years but check with your doctor. >> go through all the tests as well. pap test, why is it so important in the 20s? >> for women this is essential. it helps detect early signs of cervical cancer and even precancerous changes in the cells of the service. this is a cancer that's deadly but when detected early can be cured. if you're sexually active you want to get that test because you can contract hpv which we think causes cervical cancer. >> make sure you schedule that. next, the std test. this applies to women who are sexually active. >> women may have more than one partner during that time. you're at a high risk for stds. many are silent, meaning no symptoms. so be checked for chlamydia, hawai hiv, gonorrhea. if you're sexually active you should be checked annually. >> next, skin tests in your 20s. you say you have to check yourself for irregular moles and you can do it yourself. >> you should absolutely check yourself head to toe in the mirror for a new mole or ale mole changing in shape, contour or color. if you have a family history of skin cancer you need a dermatologist to do it or if you have skin cancer you may need to go more than once a year. melanoma is a cancer that's rising compared to 30 years ago. >> leading cause of cancer deaths in 20-somethings. >> women aged 25 to 29. >> if you have a family history go to the dermatologist. now to women in their 30s. most critical test is hpv. >> now we are talking about the infection which is often transient meaning a woman will clear the infection but in your 30s you will have a more persistent infection which increases the risk of cervical cancer. now the pap smear is crucial. >> then you have the blood sugar test ultimately to prevent diabetes. >> right. diabetes has so many complications associated with heart disease, stroke, peripheral vascular problems, blindness. you want to get on top of it. your doctor will be careful in your 30s screening for elevated blood sugars. >> and in your 40s, cholesterol tests and mammograms really in the 50s. >> right. >> you should be doing it beforehand but that's when you have to do it annually. >> and colonoscopy. >> absolutely. >> turn 50r, you have to get it >> the rite of passage at 50. thank you very much. more on the website, todayshow.com. coming up, style trends for the new year for every age right after this. ston. 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[ crowd cheering ] it's for saying, "i love us." ♪ i love who we are together, how we've grown, from our nervous conversations to the one we two have become. valentine's day is for taking the time to say i love us. ♪ [ male announcer ] there are snacks. and there are better snacks. quaker chewy, 25% less sugar than the leading sweet snacks, no high fructose corn syrup and the goodness of whole grains. this morning on "today's style" top trends at any age. from festive stripes to colorful brights there is a host of new spring styles ready to wear. jackie stafford is here for fashion for women of all ages from shape magazine. a lot of people believe you have to sacrifice smile when you become mature. >> you don't have to. you just find the pieces that are age appropriate for you. >> first we have stripes and we have kristy and nancy. both wearing stripes but in a different way. let's talk about kristy. >> stripes are a huge trend all over the runways. this is a plain tee we found at t.j. maxx. easy to wear with a skinny jean, a chunky heel. it's a young, fresh look for her. that's a great look. >> moving on to nancy. >> wearing the stripe again. a lot of women -- can i wear stripes, horizontal, vertical? a great way is a cardigan over a nice ruffled shirt. a sophisticated look. we found the shirt at victoria's secret. just a clean look. >> to your point, nancy is stylish but age appropriate, looking elegant. kristy looks fun and festive. very nice. thank you, ladies. now to donna and fabiana showing us the sheer look which can be tricky if you're not 20. let's take a look at donna. >> sheer is all over the runway. here's two looks with donna, again, the easiest way to wear it, is to buy a cami under a sheer top. so this is a built-in cami, but it's a cute little look. >> very romantic, very pretty. >> very pretty look. >> you move it up a notch with fabiana. >> this is all about if you want a little more coverage. pair it with a jacket over the top. so you're wearing sheer but it doesn't look like you're revealing too much. >> your child won't be embarrassed when you drop her at school. >> exactly. you can pair it with a cami or black top. >> i like with fabiana she has the slim leg jean. >> that's a great cargo pant. at any age you can wear a cargo pant. >> and she has cute shoes on. a little heel there. >> yes. you want the heel to elongate the frame but with a sheer wear your cami underneath. >> you look amazing andle age appropriate but sexy. now to leah and bev. i love this mom and daughter rocking brights which will be huge for the spring. let's start with leah. >> leah's wearing a great dress for $44 at uk style by french connection. it's a bright print. when you're younger for brights go with a bold print like a floral -- >> why can't you wear it when you're older? >> you can. but a lot of women over a certain age worry about the brights. for a more solid color. with leah we paired it with a cute denim jacket. >> makes it fun and flirty. >> she's a mom of three, if you believe it. >> i can't believe it. >> bev. a lot of women over 30 want to wear a bright but are scared. wear it in a solid look. we paired it with a different color for the shrug. >> you look like you're going for tea or easter brunch. beautiful. >> this is a great dress from jc penney. we have the inverted pleats. it's "mad men" appropriate. >> very chic. come on out, ladies. at any age you can rock the hottest looks of the spring, look age appropriate and stylish. thank you so much. you look fantastic. jackie, good stuff. i can't wait to go shopping. up next, terrific dishes to celebrate the chinese new year. first this is "today" on nbc. this morning in "today's kitchen" easy one-pot dishes to help you ring in the chinese new year. hot chef ming tsai is chef and owner of blue ginger restaurant in massachusetts and author of "simply ming." the chinese new year is tomorrow, the year of the rabbit. >> very good things. rabbits are mellow and placid. that's good. it will lead to better negotiations and maybe diplomacy which we need now. >> we came out of the year of the tiger. >> ferocious year of the tiger. we want it to be over. >> one of the things we can do is to know how to cut our vegetables. >> how to cut a carrot. >> how do we do it? >> these are carrots and i roll it halfway. the carrot is an oblong shape and it creates more surface area. then they can evenly cook. >> more flavor of the carrot in the food. >> this is a one-pot dish. cooking a whole chicken signifies wholeness in the new year. so we dump all of this in. we have ginger, thyme -- >> wow, lots of ginger. >> thyme, basil, black peppercorns. >> star anise. >> and parsley. >> on top? >> yep. this is store bought so get a pichb pinch of salt and soy sauce. bring toyotait to a simmer for minutes and turn it off. >> this is what it looks like after it's been sitting. >> that will be hot. thanks, ann. this has been sitting for 30 minutes. and you will get the moistest, most beautiful poached chicken. look how moist it looks. >> amazing how quickly it cooks. you cut off the chicken -- >> look how moist. >> it is. you serve it as a soup? >> pour a little broth in. >> by the way, you said don't use knives on new year's day. >> on new year's ooe which is now, you are supposed to clean the house. pay off your old debts. don't be leaving any debts. >> that looks healthy. >> also don't wash your hair on new year's day. >> because -- >> you wash away good luck. never use a knife or scissors because you cut your fortune. >> that means you really can't cook on new year's day. >> exactly. which means you do all the prep the day before. >> what is this? >> clams that have been cooked with jalapeno and leeks. clams signify wealth. >> and this? >> lion's head. rice, onions, garlic, onion and ginger. the mane is the cabbage and it signifies strength and power. >> happy new year to you. ming tsai, thank you. coming up, super bowl party tips feels kind of like spring out there today. we'll find out what the weather's going to be like all day, shortly. good morning, everyone. at 9:56, i'm barbara harrison. the men's maryland basketball team plays duke at home tonight and student leaders are trying to avoid the chaos following last year's game. there will be a bonfire to attract students to a controlled setting following the game. and for a second day, thousands of flights across the country are canceled, many of them at our local airports. some travelers spent the night at reagan national, hoping to catch a flight some time today. be sure to call ahead if you're traveling. and i don't think the weather's going to get in the way of traveling, at least not right here. tom, good morning. >> fog over the last hour has been thickening up a bit, down to a quarter mile visibility in a few areas and still some chilly temperatures. we're in the 30s to near 40 degrees, but it's climbed into the 50s in southern maryland and northern neck. lower eastern shore near 60 now. we ought to make it into the low to mid-50s later today and some sun breaking out and a blustery northwest wind will bring in colder weather tonight. down into the 20s by dawn tomorrow. partly cloudy on thursday, mid-30s. jerry, how's traffic? tom, looks like things are winding down nicely and that is very good news. along 395, northbound and southbound right here at landmark, moving along very nicely. there's still a little bit of a delay at the pentagon to the 14th street bridge. 270 southbound, minimal delays now south of rockville headed on down towards the split. barbara? >> thanks, jerry. be sure to join us for "news be sure to join us for "news 4 midday at 11:00" for a captions paid for by nbc-universal television well, everybody, hello. we hope you're with us. we hope you're with us and you're home and cozy wozy. because it is an icy cold day, this huge, huge storm, i guess, impacted most of the nation. it's 81 in florida today. >> this morning leaving the apartment it was like an ice skating rink. i didn't buy winter boots until yesterday -- >> but they are stylish. >> i was holding out. they look like snow tires. matt walked in, he goes, oh, they're so petite. they literally look like this. >> i saw you coming out of a taxi yesterday when i got to the apartment. you look like the michelin woman. >> you need those. you could fall in ice. we have good news. if you were wondering, we heard this directly from punxsutawney phil. >> and we believe him. >> spring is coming early. he did not see his shadow. let's listen for proof. >> surveyed his surroundings carefully and found that there was no shadow around. so an early spring it will be! >> oh! >> he's adorable. he's right out of a dickens thing. he's adorable. >> we got it, punxsutawney. >> there's an 87% chance or something that there could be more winter. and so we're going to -- >> they just said spring. >> i know. usually, all the years they've been measuring it and watching his shadow -- >> but we've had it with winter. we're going to do something interesting tomorrow. >> we have a surprise. >> we can reveal a little of it. >> it involves a little more skin than you usually see. which is a lot. hoda is going to wear a thong. >> we got so sick of winter we decided recently, five minutes ago, we're going to make our show a summertime show tomorrow. >> we're having a beach party tomorrow morning. you are welcome to put on your thong at home and watch us. don't go to the gym in one. that's gross. >> put on some good beach music. we're going to be cranking it hear. >> beach boys. ♪ aruba, jamaica, oh i want to take you to bermuda, bahama ♪ >> she doesn't have a bathing suit. >> i don't. i don't have one that i like anymore. i'm the kind of person, i have the same bathing suit for three or four years. >> longer than that, hoda. >> i keep thinking, i don't wear it that often. a few times in the summer. >> well, we're going to party. last night -- it's very rare for me to stay in the city. we knew this big storm was coming so i stayed in last night, went out to hbo, to the time warner center. hbo does such fabulous, fabulous work. i rarely get to see it because it's on late at night. i hardly get to go to screenings because i'm always in the country. last night i went with herb and jamie seegle to see "the sunset express." it's quite amazing. two guys at the top of their game. we have the amazing james earl jones on in a few moments. >> top op your game, mister. >> james earl jones is incredible. >> he's incredible at everything. we just saw him recently. he just turned 80. >> i know. he turned 80. "driving miss daisy" has been extended through april 9th. can i tell a great story about him? not to embarrass him. the year i left the show with reg, it was 2000. i ended up hosting in 2001 the daytime emmys. right after i left the show with reg i was at the emmys and james came down to say something. he looked at me, and he goes, "may i just thank you on behalf of everyone for the 15 years that you entertained us?" and i started to bawl my eyes out. it wasn't my night at all. he made it my night for me in a personal way. >> that that's the way he rolls. >> he is the sweetest man. >> "sunset express" is coming your way and it's quite interesting. we won't give it away. >> on hbo. >> the good news about this -- >> if you're complaining and moaning about the winter we're going to change your mood a little bit. did you know that when you are cold you actually burn more calories. they say when you go out to shovel the snow, don't get all bundled up with lots of layers. >> you don't want to get too hot. >> a little chilly. when you're a little chilly your body has to work harder to warm it up. therefore you burn more calories. >> do you know what will burn them off the hard old-fashioned way? do what i've been doing. exelis with dr. wexler. i went for my third fat burning session yesterday afternoon. >> she's taking a laser on your stomach. it burns the fat, turns it into liquid and it goes away. >> when are we going to show that? next week? >> next friday. all next week are amazing procedures like that. >> all next week. noninvasive -- it's invasive enough. >> but you can feel the difference, can't you? >> yeah. more than that, you know what's embarrassing, people are saying "oh, my gosh. you look so much better." i didn't know i looked that bad. >> sometimes you don't know. >> people are trying to encourage me but i'm really going, was it really this awful? did it flop in the room before i got in myself? >> i was getting ready the other day. i put on a dress. don in the wardrobe goes, put on a pair of spanx and it will be fine. i said, i already have spanx on. she goes, oh, we'll change that dress. >> apparently we're not the vainest city in the country. we thought we might be. >> the number five -- is it vainest or most vain? >> most vain. >> know. i think it's vainest. number five is hartford, connecticut. they judged you on how many times you go to the gym and products you buy for your face. four is l.a. three is new york. two, our friends in boston. >> a lot of our friends in boston, they wear those -- >> they're minimal. >> then san francisco, number one most vain, vainest city in america. >> yeah. like that. let's see what you all think about that on facebook. there's a whole big thing about jealousy on facebook. people like to go on their trips and send back pictures. >> here's the thing. you go on facebook. you're having a regular life. you're tired. you've been -- >> you've been shoveling. >> your boss is mad at you. you go on facebook and you see your friends toasting, having a great time in jamaica or never had more fun or i'm in love. nobody wants to read your stuff. >> people hate you. >> they're sick of your pictures and your happiness. they're saying it's making people upset to see people's fun times. >> what is wrong with us? when we can't be happy for other people? there's something sick when you only enjoy other people's pain. >> yeah, but you don't want to see all their fun pictures. maybe one or two. just be stingy about what you post, don't you think? >> i don't post. >> but you know what we're talking about. >> i know what you're talking about. i just find it weird to put private things out there for the whole world. i just don't get the thrill of that. >> i don't either. here's something they're considering in new york. they're considering giving parking privileges to pregnant women. if you're pregnant you get to park -- >> 30 days left in your pregnancy. you have to have a note from your doctor. not a forgery. >> what do you think of that? >> having been pregnant two times and been in that condition, i think it's lovely. i don't know -- especially this time of year. >> you have to walk and lug and carry things. >> you're lugging enough at that point. >> our parents were funny. when we used to go to the malls shopping, they would drive, and they would see a parking place way over there, and they knew they couldn't get to it. they would have us get out of the car and run and stand in it. >> save it. >> nothing's worse than standing in an empty parking place when other people are trying to park. you just stand there. my parents say just wait. we're coming. we're coming. we have three losers standing there in the parking spot. >> we should talk about these little cup cakes. >> it is ground hog's day. and these are ground hog's day cup cakes that came from a friend of mine. lisa falgo, my sorority sister, coming to see us on friday. aren't these cute? you're always in such a funk on ground hog's day. they decided they would make these and send them to us. >> look at your nails. >> at my book signing people showed up with nail lacquer. they said you have issues about this. is it good? >> mmm. this is a skinny something. i don't remember what it is. >> it is skinny wine. >> pineapple juice, diet soda, then you feel it with white wine. i guess it's half the calories. >> half the calories? >> something like that. >> this will put you in a good mood. we showed a picture a while ago of a piano sitting in a sand bar in florida. turned out some kids were doing something and they put it. in the exact same location another person has put a table and -- it's like a nice italian dining table and he took his kayak out there and he's sitting there enjoying a meal. >> he didn't set up the table. he just kayaked on over there. >> he's waiting to be served. >> we should invite him to our party tomorrow. he'd be fun. >> isn't that cool? we need to have more of those kind of images. >> all right, hoda. tomorrow. we can make it until tomorrow. there are parking spaces on the streets, right? when they cancel all that -- i have never in 30 years of living here understood the opposite side of the street parking. >> no one knows what that is. >> people are going out now and shoveling their own spot. >> right. >> if they're doing the work, they feel like, doggone it, that's my spot. >> some people don't have driveways, they have this spot in front. they work hard shoveling. they make it for their car. then other people pull in and take their spot. >> or they put their three egyptian children there to hold it for them until they can pull in. >> what's ticking people off is they're actually putting chairs and stuff in those spots. >> i know. and the cones. they're stealing cones to put them there. i thought we had a picture of this somewhere. >> i think we do. it's upsetting to others. they feel they did the work, they should be able to park in the spot. >> i agree. don't leave cones out there for three days. you know what i mean? if you're not going to use it, let somebody else use it. we got a big show! james earl jones with us. >> cannot wait. >> look how excited james is. >> he's like, are we on? we'll talk to james earl jones in just a little bit. 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>> never from an actor's work at all, never do they promise this joy to be on stage. this is great joy. >> and vanessa redgrave. the two of you together are incredible. >> it's a family, to begin with. then it becomes a family off stage, too. >> it's a classic for a reason, isn't it, james? it's about something so real. and so -- even though it happened a while back, it's like it's ripped out of the pages of the newspapers today in a sense. it's human beings, you know. >> a man once said there's a reason he wanted to bring it to broadway. it started off broadway, then it went to movies. to a wonderful movie, great movie with morgan freeman. >> and jessica tandy. >> and jessica tan da. that was a great movie. but i loved it so much i wanted to do it also. >> he wanted to bring it to broadway why, did he say? >> because the young people who knew about martin luther king but didn't know about the ordinary people who were surviving during those days. >> you're in tears at the end of it. it's such a beautiful friendship story. >> a lot of the tearing come when there's no dialogue. that's what i was noticing. i really felt it. sometimes when you guys were just with each other, there's something magical between you two. >> sometimes that's the best moment, when you're not talking. better not talking. >> i didn't realize -- i don't know where i've been. under a rock somewhere. i didn't realize you stuttered badly as a child. >> i am a stutterer. >> you can now say that in the present tense? >> yeah. you never get over it, really. you simply learn how to work around it, you know. >> and the first time you played on the stage, you played a horse's behind. >> oh, yeah. >> you've come a long way! >> baby. and it's not about where it starts. no talking. >> how did you overcome that. i know you said you worked around it. >> i don't. i didn't overcome it. but stutterers do listen a lot. because -- because they can't talk, they learn to hear better, and they learn to appreciate the language. and it's so wonderful to be with a, say, great words written by people -- i could never have thought of those words. but now i can say them. and the urge to want to say them is what drew me into acting, really. >> and you wrote poetry as a child. >> yeah, yeah. >> and the teacher said, you know, read your poetry to the class. and instead of saying anything that was confrontational, like, with another person, you just read your poems, and something happened. like a wall came down for you. >> poetry is very subjective. and it got me through. >> have you seen "the king's speech"? the new movie? >> i have not. i need to see that. >> you do. as a person who says you stuttered, you will so relate to his challenge. he's so brilliant in it, colin firth. >> i love him. >> by the way, we picked a great day to see your show. i guess every day is a great day. there was a better day when it was actually your 80th birthday and they broke out a cake and they had the whole -- >> they needed two cakes. >> you were there? >> no, we saw. we came to an earlier one. how did that feel to blow out all those candles? >> ridiculous. they had 80. >> did the fire trucks come? >> the firemen were standing right by. >> you know what i love? when we were seeing your show, there were a bunch of little kids who came up to see you afterwards. i just remembered how you were so generous with them. you said, where are the kids? what do you want to share with young people? >> they knew taabout the heroesf that time, but they didn't know about the ordinary people like miss daisy. who is southern, jewish. the driver. martin luther king, yes, had his march. hogue had his, too. >> it's beautiful. go see it while you can, everybody. it runs through april 9th at the golden theatre right here in new york city. in honor of black history month, every wednesday an evening performance in february. >> thank you. up next, those photos that make you look twice. and then how to make your friends look twice with their [ male announcer ] today, your living room was game day central. [ cheering ] the crowd is gone and all that remains is the stink. [ dog barks ] but you're ready. febreze air effects cleans away tough game day odors in the air and leaves a light fresh scent. it's a breath of fresh air. we're back with our special series called the what?" >> photos that she thought would give you the biggest kick in the woozy. >> our first one from joy from indianapolis, indiana. the caption on this was the jerk i was with when i took this picture in the cayman islands was enough. >> oh, that's funny. >> i thought the first one was a deal. why not have two? next up, a picture sent in from jeanne goodspeed from port washington, new york. human dumplings. you can really find everything in new york. >> oh, meant to be hunan, of course. >> we all hope so. this is one for hoda. hoda lane! this is sent in by lisa harrison from walnut creek, krae krcalif. hoda's very own bowling alley. and we've got the last one, jason smith from paintsville, kentucky, taking satellite radio to a whole new level. rather than bring your own beer, it's bring your own plate, too. thank you. >> we love you guys for sending these in. thanks so much. >> keep them coming. >> klgandhoda.com. still to come, be the most interesting person at your super bowl party with the trivia from "who knew"? how to look ten years younger by sunday. s one. and oops, my bad. so, they give expedia ginormous discounts with these: unpublished rates. which means i get an even more rockin' hotel, for less. my brain didn't even break a sweat. where you book matters. expedia. first timers, old pros, heated rivals, you can't do the wave by yourself. and just like we mix and mingle, so do the delicious tastes and textures in every handful of chex mix. we're made to mix. [ deep breathing ] [ light snort ] [ male announcer ] for a better-looking tomorrow. vicks nyquil cold & flu. the nighttime sniffling, sneezing, coughing, aching, fever, best sleep you ever got with a cold...medicine. ♪ the rain is moving out of our area after causing some minor problems on the roads this morning. coming up on "news 4 midday," we'll tell you about the warm-up and the windy conditions taking the rain's place. good morning, i'm barbara harrison. also coming up, parenting styles. a chinese-american mother has gotten a lot of recent attention for her book on her tough love style. we'll sit down with dr. joshua weiner to talk about the p [ male announcer ] are you paying more and more for cable and enjoying it less and less? stop paying for second best. upgrade to verizon fios and get tv, internet and phone for just $99.99 a month for a year. you'll get a multi-room dvr free for 12 months. record shows ione room and watch them in up to six other rooms. call now. offer ends soon. there's no term contract required. you cacancel anytime with no early terminatiofee. fios is a 100% fiber-optic network that delivers superior picture quality, more hd; plus the fastest internet in the u.s. why keep paying for cable? get fios tv, internet and phone for just $99.99 a month -- plus a multi-room dvr free for 12 months. don't wait. this incredible offer ends soon. call 1.866.680.fios. call the verizon center for customers with disabilities that's 1.866.680.3467. at 800-974-6006 tty/v. get the network that delivers more. get fios. a network ahead. you... don't have a choice of getting breast cancer. i had no choice. that 3-day gave me that opportunity. and i can actually do something to help. 60 miles in 3 days-- i can do that. we can rid the world of this terrible disease... so that no mother... granddaughter... sister... daughter... mother... go through what my wife had to go through. (man) register today for the... and receive $25 off your registration fee. because everyone deserves a lifetime. we're back on this winesday with more of tuesday. ready to play our weekly trivia game, "who knew?" the topic, the super bowl, of course. kathie lee just outside in the green room ready to go. here with me the emmy award winning sports caster and author of this book called "the greatest moments in sports" and a good friend of the "today" show, len berman. how do you think they'll do? >> i think they want the cds so they're going to tank. >> over to you. >> i have always loved len berman. true or false? you're from new york. true or false? it cost about $3 million to air a 30-second tv commercial during the super bowl this year. >> i believe that's true. >> and you would be right! good, good, good. hundred bucks. >> wow. so 3 million bucks for 30 seconds? >> you know how many people watch in a group when they're making noise and you don't get to hear anything? do you think the commercials have kind of gone down over the years? >> a little. i do have to say, when they come on i do have to watch. i know there's going to be one i'm going to be in love with. >> what's interesting, $3 million is what you guys charge for this show. >> you are a good friend. back across to kath. >> this darlling couple from germany. they don't have the super bowl there. we'll see. when was the term "super bowl" officially introduced, '51, 1969, 1983, it's always been called the super bowl. >> we'll take "a," 1951. >> no, darling. before it was just the championship game. >> the first two games, super bowl i and ii were called the afc/nfc championship game. the owner of the kansas city chief daughter -- >> back across to kath. >> gentlemen from seattle. the green bay packers are the only publicly owned franchise in professional sports. >> true. >> wow, you knew. >> every other team --? >> every other team has owners. they put out shares. i don't think they distribute the funds at the end of the year when they make a profit. they have shares. they own a piece of the team. >> interesting. who do you think is going to win, by the way? >> i'm leaning towards pittsburgh. >> back across to kath. >> it's like world day today here. this lovely family is from england. all righty. here's your question. i don't know if you'll get this. at which super bowl was frank gifford -- that's my husband -- an announcer and kathie lee gifford -- that's me -- sang the national anthem? los angeles in '67, houston in '74, new orleans 1981 or miami in 1995. >> d, miami. >> you would be right. >> wow! hey, kath -- >> check it out on hulu. >> kath, pretty cool. you sang and frank announced. >> people said i slept with him to get the gig. >> did you? >> maybe. >> here's the thing, i don't have any memory of who won that game. but the memory of kathie lee singing the national anthem, who could forget that? >> and look at her 'do. >> where you from? >> westchester, new york. >> here's your question. true or false, anheuser-busch has been the super bowl's exclusive alcohol sponsor since 1989. >> true. >> everybody knows this stuff! yeah. got it right. >> there's only one? you can only have one? >> you have one official sponsor. i can't picture you or kathie lee like -- >> beer? we're not about -- >> mojitos. >> back across. >> continuing our international theme, this gentleman is from canada. during super bowl -- actually, do you watch it up there in canada? >> oh, sure. >> during super bowl xxxviii in houston in 2004 two halftime performers were involved in what we now call a famous wardrobe malfunction. who were they? >> timberlake and janet jackson. >> well, you're right, mr. canada! >> you know, they can't remember -- i bet you don't remember who played. they do remember janet jackson and justin timberlake. >> most people blame janet jackson on that business. he was the one who -- >> he ripped it! was that all planned? >> absolutely. really good plan. cbs is still being fined because of that. they're still appealing it. >> the indecent thing. back across to kath. >> we have a home grown boy from omaha, ne me. which nfl team holds the records for the most super bowl wins? the packers, steeler,st, patriots or giants? >> i believe it's the green bay packers. >> no. that's all right. you get this fabulous kathie lee gifford cd. enjoy. >> he looks really happy. the answer is the pittsburgh steeler. >> they've won s. they're going for seven here. i'm telling you, that guy dumped the question on purpose. >> he wanted the music. >> he was the only one from america who didn't know the answer on that one. >> come back and see us sometime. love you, len. kath is going to come back across and join us in a second. up next, we're going to show you how you can shave ten years off these women with one small life changer. i would take the. "dietary...supplement... weight-loss...pills." ooh! "consult a physician if you experience rapid heartbeat, "dizziness... shortness of breath... side effects may include chest pain, nausea..." yeah. couple days of that, and i will be in a bathing suit in no time! [ female announcer ] need a clinically proven way to lose weight now? then try the slim-fast 3-2-1 plan. 3 snacks, 2 shakes or meal bars, and 1 balanced meal. slim-fast. who has time to slim slowly? we're back with our special life changers series, showing you how to make a big difference with a small change. today we're going to learn how to trim a decade from your face. >> promise? here to show us how it's done, "today's" contributing hair stylist to the stars, louis li cardy, stylist to the stars. >> everybody has a girl. why don't you guys go to your little stations. we're going to start with louis. louis, you -- there's a woman who you were dealing with. rita mcsweeney from huntington county, new york. she's a retired teacher. even though she's the youngest of five girls her siblings think she looks and acts the oldest. i think we have a picture of her. she hasn't colored her hair in 15 years. are we supposed to guess her age, because i have no idea. >> no. that's hard to guess. tell what you say the issues were. >> rita, obviously she hasn't cut her hair in 15 years. she used to be an at-home colorer which is a great thing to do, to color your hair at home. but what we did is i changed her up. gave her this great haircut. >> i bet she's a redhead. >> you know what, you're right! blond washed her out. brown was too dark. red brightened up her blue eyes. >> rita, come on out from behind there. >> yes! >> come sit in your chair, girl! >> this is the hottest trend in hair right now. this is the new shag. >> i love it. >> the great thing is it's wash and wear, easy to wear. look how it shapes her face. >> can you believe the difference? >> tell me this was not an age eraser. >> how many years do you think that took off. i bet you that took ten years easily. >> ten years. two hours, ten years. that's not bad. >> you look terrific. >> so beautiful. >> louis, excellent job. we'll see you friday, honey, for ambush makeovers. >> next up is mark garrison from mark garrison hair salon. linda chikon is from palm beach, florida. tell us the issues you saw with her. >> the issues i saw with linda is she has long, hanging hair that was pulling her down. it was so down dragging. it did nothing for her. it was beautiful hair itself. it just did not work for her, it worked against her. >> you're from north carolina, aren't you? >> i'm from north carolina. >> don't you love it? >> this is, again, this is linda's before. we want to see what mark did. linda, step on around. let's see you. oh! >> that is unbelievable. >> hey! >> that is shocking. tell us what you did, mark. >> what i did is brought her up to a layered bob, i call this. because it has a bit of weight to the bottom. it's not all wispy ends, shagged out. it's a little bit more of a bob shape with layers through the top to give her some volume in the top and a bit of a face-framing angle so it can speed away from her face. i gave her the lift she needs for her cheekbones. >> you look so good. >> i feel wonderful. amazing. >> you need to walk around a lot today. out in that lovely weather. >> mark, awesome job. >> all right. >> hello, it's your turn. >> here is our last model. this is yvonne gorgapola from new york. she does freelance education work. she loves her hair but she says it's hard to manage, it can be a big pain in her life. tell us what her issues were. >> as you can see she has a lot of damaged hair. she colors it. it's textured. and she just wanted something to be more manageable, something shiny, luxurious. >> i can't wait to see what you did. this is yvonne again before. come on, yvonne. let's see what he did. oh! >> wow. >> it leaves your hair beautiful, shiny. think of it as like an innovative deep conditioning treatment with no damage. >> that'll last for about four or five months? >> three months. >> three months. it's beautiful. thank you, everybody. >> you look so beautiful. it really did take years off. >> i think more than ten in every case. >> absolutely. thanks everybody. now i think the girls are ready to party. up next, we're going to show you how to throw a really good super bowl shin dig after this. super bowl sunday is just four days away. whether you're a cheesehead cheering for the green bay packers or pittsburgh steeler nation fan, one thing is certain. everybody can use a good ole party right now. >> yes. dawn sandamino and elizabeth pascally, party blueprints.com. authors of the book "plan to party: simple and special entertaining in your home." you're going to set us up for a great super bowl party that's kind of unique, right? >> it's not like every other one. >> let's start with the drinks. >> this is wine wednesday. >> thank you. >> these are boxes of wine, huh? >> really what trips most people up when they're trying to stick to a budget is trying to put out too much. three things. wine, beer and lemonade. this is great. you're serving it in bulk. >> that wouldn't last very long with my friends. >> 20 glasses in here. >> like i said. >> it's self serve. you don't want to be a bartender at your party. you want to party. then we have this great keg. there's 14 servings in here. it stays cold. one problem, though, kathie, no keg stands. >> i'll find a way. now that i know what one is, i do them all the time. >> we have fresh lemonade. it's better than soda. and stemless wine glasses which you can serve everything in. >> a lot of times people have buffalo wings and stuff like that. your food selection seems a lot more sophisticated. >> we traded in the traditional football fare for a lighter, healthier, easier version. it's margarita flatbread pizza. instead of a pizza that's laden with heavy cheese and greasy toppings, tomatoes, fresh basel. it is light. you feel good about eating it. >> that is scrumptious. i don't know if it's because i rarely eat cheese and bread. >> what about the chicken? the chicken wings for -- >> again, usually when you're eating wings, traditional fare, it's covered in a heavy sauce. we wanted the flavors to shine through. and we used a marinade of fresh rosemary, fresh lime juice and tequila. >> what about these guys? >> i want to tell you, one thing with the wings, follow the wine rule. if you wouldn't drink it, don't cook with it. >> really? >> if you wouldn't drink the tequila, don't cook with it. >> why wouldn't you drink the tequila? not that i do. but lots of people. >> that's so good. >> that's unbelievable. >> so easy to make. all of these dishes have less than five ingredients. you can prepare them in five minutes. again, very easy. >> wow. >> skewers, make it easy for a guest to eat something healthy while they're watching the game. >> the sweet department. my wheelhouse. >> my favorite part of the party. we took inexpensive desserts like ice cream and brownies, dressed it up for the super bowl. it's a make our own bar. invite your friends to come up. this chinese food container. plastic coated, and it's se seamless so it doesn't drip. >> what do you put in there? >> take a brownie if you like. some ice cream. >> a sundae bar! it's great for the children, too. >> that that you've fed your guests, gave them this sugar high at halftime with the super sundae bar, fourth quarter you've got to fight against it. the game's going long. we love popcorn for a viewing party. this microwavable popcorn you can stick in the microwave. pull it out, put it in a bowl and it's ready. can't get easier than that. >> it's so cute. >> popcorn is great feed a crowd. economical. >> who y'all rooting for? >> steelers! >> they were clear about that. thanks so much. k with more of "today" on nbc. what's going on, sexy sara? >> first of all, people are excited -- one of our regular fans on here, brad's birthday is today. >> happy birthday to brad! >> he said a party tomorrow will do, though. >> hoda's going to wear a thong. she just said so. >> i am not wearing a thong. >> speaking of clothing, lisa wanted to know, do you ever rewear the same outfits? what do you do with your old clothes? >> hoda, do you want to answer that one? >> i wear the same thing repeatedly. as people have told me. not as much as i used to. >> that one red dress. >> that red one had to go. >> that didn't even need a hanger. if you know what i mean. that's in the smithsonian. >> tomorrow, you guys we're going to have a really fun beach party because we're sick of the weather, we're tired of it. we're going to be lounging. the show's going to involve a nice, warm, summertime theme. >> we're getting away. i'm going to feel a little more comfortable because i had my fat melted. also, "everyone has a story" storm. i heard it rehearsed last night. it's going to be great. >> come see us. wear your bathing suits. >> have a great winesday. put on your suits, thongs if you must. see you tomorrow. -- captions by vitac -- www.vitac.com and enjoying it less and less? stop paying for second best. upgrade to verizon fios and get tv, internet and phone for just $99.99 a month for a year. you'll get a multi-room dvr free for 12 months. record shows ione room and watch them in up to six other rooms. call now. offer ends soon. there's no term contract required. you cacancel anytime with no early terminatiofee. fios is a 100% fiber-optic network that delivers superior picture quality, more hd; plus the fastest internet in the u.s. why keep paying for cable? get fios tv, internet and phone for just $99.99 a month -- plus a multi-room dvr free for 12 months. don't wait. this incredible offer ends soon. call 1.866.680.fios. call the verizon center for customers with disabilities that's 1.866.680.3467. at 800-974-6006 tty/v. get the network that delivers more. get fios. a network ahead.