it's goin' down, i'm yellin' TINDER.

Sorry for the Kesha reference guys, it just couldn't be more perfect for todays topic.

Let's not try and kid ourselves, Tinder is real and its taking over our love lives. As a young twenty-something studying for exams, my study breaks would be spent shamefully swiping left or right seeing what boy would pop up next. If you don't know what Tinder is then you're either in a blissful, loving relationship or you've been living under a rock. It's not match.com or eharmony, its for young(or old..ew) single people looking for a variety of things. These things can range from a simple hookup to a committed relationship. The beauty of Tinder is being able to talk to guys or gals you find attractive, I'm single, I'm busy, and sometimes I'm bored, so why not strike up a convo with a cute stranger? I know people who have met others on Tinder, hell, I've met someone on Tinder (due to mutual friends of course). Here are some of the things I'd like to advise to anyone looking to use Tinder in the near future... in all honesty the App should come with a warning label.

1. Don't go on Tinder looking for a serious relationship.
You wouldn't go on a blind date expecting more than dinner and the possibility for decent conversation, would you? Treat Tinder like a joke until there's a reason not to and let that reason be a cute conversationalist looking to grab a drink. If you're just looking to hookup then use Tinder at your own discretion, you will most likely succeed.

2. Don't Tinder while drunk.
I promise, you will end up with a plethora of really awkward matches when you wake up. With each new match you'll be counting the numerous shots from the night before.

3. "We met at Wholefoods by the granola bar".
Don't tell your parents or anyone for that matter, expect for your close group of friends, where you really met your knight and shining armor. If you end up meeting someone on Tinder and it really goes somewhere, thats wonderful, but telling your parents that you met while on a hook-up App will just complicate things. Have fun with it, "oh he saved me from a rabies infected octopus". The possibilities for your new romance are limitless.

4. Facebook stalk if at all possible.
Since the only way to sign up with Tinder is through Facebook, it makes it all too easy to Facebook stalk, something no one does of course. Tinder will also tell you what interests you have in common and what friends you have in common. Get in there, don't be shy. Find that boy via social media and then decide whether or not the coffee date can actually happen. This isn't Catfish.

4. Have fun.
If you're going to download Tinder then have fun, its a wild ride.

Please please share your tinder experiences below, we're all in this together.
I leave you with a video.

What me up when September ends...

I hate to quote Green Day anything past their album "Warning", but it was all too fitting for this post. Still going strong(ish) with the cleanse. I still feel bloated from the tea and no reaction from the detox tea (WEIRD) but I'm not giving up. My cheat day turned into a cheat weekend as per usual, leaving Monday to pick up all of the pieces. I haven't been to the gym in a week which is awful but I've also come down with a cold which is equally as awful.

My body fought back this past Friday as I tried to inhale a slice of pizza at 3 am, turns out the crust was a little staler than usual and didn't really go down so great, leaving me in a panic the following morning. PIZZA is the bad part, stale crust stuck in your throat is even worse. Honestly I'm just praying it was pizza crust and not something crazy like glass, WHICH IT COULD'VE BEEN, but everyone assures me it wasn't or they just laugh when I suggest it.

Okay, so syllabus week is way over and quizzes, exams, and all that other school nonsense is coming at me full force. Not only that but allll of my favorite Tv shows are back (minus GIRLS and Game of Thrones). I just need some time to catch up on everything. Sons of Anarchy is back which helps me a tremendous amount, mainly with my confidence. Watching Gemma smash some girls face into a counter oddly makes me feel like I can take on any New Brunswick "thug" with the help of my leather jacket. Also, Charlie Hunnam is perfection.

The Emmy's were on this past Sunday which gave Buzzfeed a lot of new material for me to read Monday morning a brighten my day. Breaking Bad congrats on your Emmy win, not that I watch you nor do I understand the hype, sorry not sorry.

Anyways, I'm ready for October! Bring on the 13 days of Halloween and Halloweentown. I'm ready to start planning for my costumes and Halloween shenanigans. You drink that pumpkin spice latte with your pumpkin muffin while carving your very own pumpkin. It's time to indulge in all that fall has to offer, hayride anyone?

skinny tea day two

So I've decided to dive right into the latest health/weight loss trend, Skinny Tea. It smells like trees and I'm okay with that. The truth is this summer has not been kind to me in the weight department, everyone says I look the same but the scale begs to differ, not by much but any change to my BMI puts me in frenzy. CARBS, BEER, BREAD, CHEESE, MORE BEER. The memories of every bite creeping back into my head and sticking to my thighs is just not going to work. I want to wear my new leather leggings without regret and I cant do that if I feel like a Jenny Craig before picture. So anyways, yesterday I started with this cleanse and so far I haven't noticed a difference physically (obviously) but I've noticed a change in my appetite. I feel full and bloated which makes me not want to eat which is great!

The directions instruct you have a cup of their hot skinny tea when you wake up, leaving 30 minutes in between the tea and your breakfast. Every other night you're supposed to drink a tea right before you go to bed, this is the cleanse tea. I'm doing the cleanse tea tonight for the first time.

The meals that I'm eating are healthy, for example, for breakfast I had an egg whites, cheddar, and avocado on a skinny bagel from Au Bon Pain. Usually the 300 calorie breakfast sandwich would only last me 3 hours but today I didn't eat anything after that until around 4:30 pm. Water is also another key ingredient in this little tea venture, it makes me sooo thirsty (i'm on my 4th cup today). For lunch I had a small portion of roasted eggplant soup (120 calories). Sorry for the calorie counting.. its just I'm used to.

Tonight I'm going to the gym and then to grocery store where I plan to buy all vegetables, fruit, nuts, and yogurt.. that's it. I've cut out all meats for the next two weeks until the detox is over. I'm also trying to cut out cheese, even though I had some this morning (baby steps), which is so hard because cheese is my favorite food group.

In conjunction with this post, I've been looking up some other blogs and I've become a huge fan of Taste of Runway, love it, love it a lot.

For all you vegetarians out there please share some tasty recipes! I'm new to this diet with no chicken/fish and I need your help.

I leave you with Cults new single "High Road", an absolute treat. Look out for their new album Static coming out in October because its sure to be mind blowing.

thanks all.

sweater weather for the girl on a budget

It's back to school season , well very much into the second week of school and soon the leaves will be falling to the ground like a freshman in heels after one too many cups of jungle juice. Please do yourself a favor and put away the credit card, tuck it back into that nice little slit in your wallet and take a minute to think things through. It's 93 degree in New Brunswick today and I'm wearing a black romper with a ridiculous amount on ventilation because its just too damn hot.

Sweater weather is not only a fantastic song by The Neighbourhood (please take a listen below) but is fast approaching and September is just flying by. Don't get me wrong, the day that I can put on my cashmere TOMS is the day I'll feel whole again, but that day is weeks away.The first day the temperature drops below 60 degree everyone is going to run to the nearest mall and bulk up on fall clothes. But before you do that please follow steps 1-3.

1. Create a junk email account strictly for coupons and sale notifications.

This is important because then you're up to date on all of the current promotions and sales of the upcoming weekend without clogging up your real email. Working in retail has taught me just how tricky stores can be. Sometimes they'll run a "secret sale", that means they don't promote it in stores or online but customers will be sent a coupon code via email/mail. DON'T PAY FULL PRICE, DON'T BE A FOOL.

Um sample sales are also a real part of staying on a budget, too real to forget. So get on that sample sale grind immediately.

Thrift store shopping? YES.

Also, free shipping codes for those lazy Sundays when all you want to do is stay in jams and online shop, da best.

2. Look through last years fall/winter clothes and try all of them on.

It's so important to keep a tight inventory of your closet. You should know the colors you have verses the colors you want to have. What materials you like and which ones you don't. Also prints, you don't need 7 fair isle sweaters because after January you're done, fair isle after January is a no-no.

Another big part of looking through your closet is brands. Sure Forever 21 has great clothes for a tight budget but how much wear can you possibly get out of a $19 cotton sweater? not much. Decide which brands are worth investing in. Two great pairs of pants are way better than 5 weird fitting cheap pairs, we all know camel toe can kill a great outfit because we've all been there.

Try on your clothes and figure out whats the most flattering on you. What do you love about that flannel and why is it your favorite? Maybe invest in another one, yeah it may set you $40-$55 back, but if you love it and wear it, then its worth it. 

TIP: once you're done playing dress up like a 5 year old, organize your closet like an adult. you'll feel so accomplished. 

3. Make a game plan.

Figure out what you need and what you want. Don't go crazy on weird trends that are going to fizzle out by next season, that's why stores like Forever 21 and h&m exist, for cheap clothes on trend. If you love Free People figure out when their next sale is and stalk their website until you know how much you want to spend and what you can afford. ALSO Free People is carried in both Lord and Taylor and Nordstrom, two huge department stores that love to throw a good sale.

What mall/shopping center are you going to? Turn into a coupon lady and get them ready, one store after another, coupon after coupon. DO NOT however fall for the extra 10% off when you open a credit card. Abort and get the hell out of there. 10% off is so small when you think about how much debt you're going to accumulate in the coming months. Do you need a wonder bra from Victoria's Secret in EVERY color, yes probably, but just don't.

I went to Urban Outfitters last week and bought 6 tops for $70. How? By being overly and obnoxiously prepared, I even got a high five from the cashier. KILLED IT.

back at it

Well my summer was eventful to say the least. Started a new job as Marketing Director of The Daily Targum (the Rutgers University paper) and moved out of my house, into the depths of New Brunswick. The streets of New Brunswick are now littered with the trail of my mistakes and poor decision making thanks to the works of tequila, you sneaky bitch. Another shout out to tequila for the added cellulite and love handles that were not on my body three months ago. I have become very fond of leggings and oversized boyfriend tees, also thanks to my running shoes for always reminding me how I don't run and should start. Just kidding about that last part, I've actually been going to the gym consistently for the past two months, working on my fitness and all that good stuff. No carbs after 2pm is also a new healthy venture I've been trying out, its works until friday, then tequila takes over again and doesn't give me back the reins until Sunday morning, which I've come to accept.

The weekend is for fun, not for calorie counting.

So school started last week, cant say i'm exciting about doing work, but I am excited about my assorted notebook collection and new MACBOOK PRO. Thats right, I have joined the Mac family.. $1,300 later and it feels great. "Why not?" I told myself over and over again, everyone said I would fall in love with it, and after the buyers remorse fizzled away, all that was left was love. They were oh so right.

Please make sure to follow me social media especially my first two loves, Instagram and Pinterest (find links to the right!). Also don't be a stranger, I get lonely, so share your terrifying tequila stories and foodie adventures because I'm all about that life.

until next time.

spring break where art thou?

Its obvious I've been neglecting this fun pass time of a blog but I cant take credit for it, the credit is due else where, like college. This past month has been really draining and unpleasant to say the least but lots has happened and I can't wait to share! To start off, I took my first exam of the semester and did better than I thought, thank you curve, I bought a peplum top, and managed to spill an entire bottle of red wine all over the passenger seat of my car. Thanks to happening number three, I can get pulled over at 10 am and smell like an alcoholic, which is a problem. While everyone is gearing up for what they hope to be amazing spring break getaway, I'm mentally preparing myself for seven days of straight work, besides I'm not ready for bikini season anyways. My spring break starts this coming Wednesday, the 13th, I have 2 exams back to back and then to the bar I go!

Since last time, I celebrated being Irish (25% in fact) at Hoboken's Leprecon extravaganza. I went with my favorite ladies and drank like for 10 hours, which is socially expected on a day like that. But there are still a ton of St. Patrick's day happenings coming up so here are some cheap ideas for how to be Irish for a day while staying cute!

1. five below

When I went there they had everything from t shirts to temporary tattoos.

Go there before anywhere else and save some $$$

2. The Dollar Store

Go to any dollar store around this time and your sure to see some cheap green stuff.

Use this more as a starting off point and less as an all or nothing kind of place, because you could find nothing but window clingys and a felted mess.

3. Spencers

Great for fun add ons like suspenders and weird accessories.

The suspenders are adorable and add so much fun to your outfit, but they're going to cost you around $13.

bloglovin

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follow me so I don't look like the weird kid that eats alone..

or the girl that drinks alone at the bar..

because I don't do that ever.

dressing for luv.

Honestly I've never been one for Valentine's Day. While typing the original title for this post I spelled out love, l.o.v.e and immediately thought of Ashlee Simpsons song and had to change it just as fast, so luv it is. I understand being in love and making a day to indulge in each others greatness , but if your in a relationship you don't need those things once a year, you need them once a week, or at least once a month. I, myself, am in a super relationship with a guy who makes me googly eyed. We celebrate Valentine's day every year, or we have for the past two, and this year is no different, FOOD. We use Valentine's day to go on food and beer adventures.. with love. This year were revisiting last years v-day restaurant in downtown Philly, the Dandelion.

Valentines day is just about a week away and I'm already trying to figure out what will make me look cute while indulging in a yummy meal. I find there are three main deciding factors when it comes to picking put the perfect outfit for the occasion, what your doing, where your going, and what the weather will be like. If your a student shopping last minute dont forget to ask about college discounts, J.Crew offers 15% off to any student with a college I.D, it adds up. If your on a tight budget dont forget the obvious go-to's like Forever 21 and H&M, just bring your patience. Luckily, I already know all of those things and have my outfit somewhat decided. I figured id share some of my top outfits for next weeks festivities and some fancy jewels.

Blazer: J.Crew Spring 2012 (sample sale)

Silk Top: Lauren Conrad Collection at Kohls Summer 2012

Minnie Pants: J.Crew continuous (all year round)

Patent Leather Bow Flats: Steve Madden Spring 2012 DSW

Pearls: J.Crew Summer 2011

 

Polka Dot Sweater: TJ Maxx Fall 2012 ($18!)
Red Jeans: J.Crew Matchstick Jeans Winter 2012 (currently on sale of $39.99!)
Boots: J.Crew Fall 2011 (Sample Sale for $100)

Necklace: Lucky Brand Jeans 3 Rose & Gold Necklace  Spring 2011 ($60)

Dress: Forever 21 Summer 2012 ($24!)

Tights: J.Crew Opaque Black ($18.50)

Flats: Steve Madden Holiday 2013 Famous Footwear

"turn the lights on"

 

Happy Superbowl Monday to those who care about football. Superbowl Sunday breaks down into two categories for me, food and the halftime show. Like many ladies across the nation, the only thing that made me tune in was Beyonce's Halftime extravaganza. She looked absolutely amazing in Rubin Singer's costume. Leather, lace, and over two hundred hours went into creating the hand made masterpiece. There was also a little moto jacket that got very little air time but was just as fantastic. I half expected her to strut onto the football field when the lights went out for an encore presentation of her song "sweet dreams" with the opening lyric "turn the lights on". Not only will her performance be remembered as one of her greatest but her costume will also be recognized as one of her fiercest. 

QUEEN

top photo from the hollywoodreporter.com

gif's from beyoncegifs.tumblr.com

IKEA dreams

 SWEEDISH MEATBALLS

Best part? Lingonberries!!

 

 not just for kids

My friend Max needed some new fun decor for his apartment, this is what happened.

going to bars sober and leaving sober

     Welp, it hasn't even been two weeks into the new semester and I've already spotted 2 pairs of pajama jeans accompanied with neon Nike high tops, on two different occasions, same perpetrator. There are 22,000 undergrads at Rutgers and I see the same girl twice in under 12 days, if this is the outlook of the semester, its going to be a long one. Now that school is back in session its given me a lot of time to ponder my time off and try to include my new obsessions into my every day life.

     I am that person who will pause before taking the first bite of a delicious meal to capture all of its yummy goodness on my iPhone. I would then post it to instagram, geotag it, and dig in face first. Even though my boyfriend had tried telling me about this amazing app, I still never used it until this past winter break. If you love posting pictures of the great food you eat then you'll love Forkly! It's an app that let's you post pictures of the meals you feel deserve praise or something less complementary, but you have a profile, share dishes, and follow people with great taste. Become a "tastemaster" of restaurants that you post meals about and that people "want". Its awesome, and even though it cools my food about 2 degrees during the process, its totally worth it.

     GIRLS. A not so new phenomenon but one that has a new place in my heart. I watched the first season in 2 days and I don't feel bad about it, two days used amazingly well, not wasted. I even attempted to lift some weights in the process but that made eating my chocolate covered strawberries difficult. In a debacle like that I had no choice, I put down the weights and flexed while putting the strawberry to my face. But if you haven't already started watching it, you should give it a try, and if you don't have HBO just do what I do, borrow a friends boyfriends friends HBO GO account. Why does anyone like GIRLS? I think its because they keep it real. From the story lines, to the sex, everything feels authentic and not forced. I think its safe to say a majority of woman ages 20-27ish will be glued to the TV(or computer) screen every Sunday night for the rest of the season. BEST PART OF IT ALL? Game of Thrones comes back in March, so there doesn't leave much room for depression once GIRLS has aired their Season 2 finale.

     Aside from food and TV, winter break has given me the gift of feeling more like an adult and less like a college student. AKA I will go to a bar sober and leave sober. I haven't pre-gamed for a bar since Thanksgiving Eve and although it feels weird to be surrounded by a bunch of drunkos, it makes me feel like a responsible human being. I pay bills, I pay for my own school, and I get my oil changed regularly but it takes alcohol to really make me feel like I'm coming into my young twenties adult self. Last weekend, "that girl" was there, and when I say "that girl" I mean the uncontrollable mess screaming the lyrics to beyonce with a vodka cran in one hand and her pride in the other, shaking what her momma gave her and loving life. Did she almost hit me in the face? yes. Did I forgive her immediately afterwards? yes. Why? because when were not going to bars sober, staying sober, and leaving sober, were doing the exact same thing.

A normal day during winter break

Plaid Shirt: J.Crew Fall 2011

Shorts: h&m Summer 2012

Tights: J.Crew Herringbone 2011

Turtle Necklace: J.Crew 

Flats: Steve Madden Fall 2012

Cat: Lou

Sandwich: Teddy's Diner

Cranbury, Nj

spring fashion trends

Like most, Fashion Police on E! is a must see every Friday night and last night I happened to catch their 2013 Spring fashion trends which I couldn't be more excited about. Even though its still January and there's no way I'll be strutting my stuff in a crop top while its 30 degrees outside, I still find it important to share. These trends have been known for months now but there's nothing better than a refresher when all you can think about is 60 degree weather and sandals. So here are some of the major trends we will be seeing in the fashion world for 2013.

1. Gladiator Boots

To me this trend is cute, but needs to be done carefully. With the gladiator sandal you could pick up a pair from target and make them look awesome because it was a little bit of shoe and a lot of outfit. With these I feel if your going to go for it, then please invest some $$ into them. Most of the gladiator boots are as tall as the knee, so you don't want to show off the fake leather used to make them. Head to ALDO or Nordstrom and see what they're offering as far as price and style. This style also comes in a heel which makes them very easy to dress up with a pair of high waisted shorts and a fun flowy top. Make them your own!

2. Plastic Accessories

I will not be taking part in this trend. If anything i'll invest in a beach bag or two but nothing screams 90's quite like plastic accessories. I love Clueless, and although I found Dion and Cher's style to be complete genius, it was a movie from the 90's that should stay in the 90's. There are some really great ways to incorporate this style into your everyday (or rainy) day outfits, such as a plastic raincoat or plastic rain boots. This isn't something that should be taken too seriously.

3. High Waist and Mid Drift

This trend requires a little visit to a gym and some much needed attention to your abdomen, but that's okay because bikini season is right around the corner, and whats better then a head start? I love this trend and I'm extremely excited to stock up on long flowy skirts and cute crop tops. So much can be done with this! Polished look like Selina Gomez or something more casual. The choice is yours.

4. BLACK & WHITE

By far my most favorite! I'm not one for color myself, so this was extremely exciting to see considering everything I own is either black or white. The next time you're at Urban Outfitters, you reach for that black shirt or those black shorts because its a trend, you NEED it to be black. Say goodbye to your color conscience telling you that you own too much black, because you don't, you're just fashionable. The black and white color trend can actually be incorporated to all of the above trends. Wear a black a white print skirt with a black crop top and your good to go, its completely adorable and effortless. This also allows for a lot of accessorizing and the use of bright colors. I'm not a huge fan of neon colors but in the spring/summer I think its important to blind a person or two with your neon green cross-body. Its okay.

let me see those TOMS

TOMS are fantastic and adorable for the everyday casual outfit. If your place of work allows you to wear such shoes like TOMS, then in my opinion Monday is the best day for them. They have every color and print you can think of and they're expanding the types of styles offered which will appeal to a broader clientele. I myself own a pair of TOMS, just one, but I chose them as an investment piece for my wardrobe aka they were expensive as hell. I couldn't just get the normal burlap sack classic TOMS that are affordable, I had to get TOMS The Row in gray cashmere. Its for a good cause right? 

Anyways I am looking to get a new pair, something more practical and affordable that can be worn all year round. To my surprise I went on the TOMS website and BOOM, TOMS overload. Not only were there the classic TOMS, but there were TOMS Boots, TOMS Apparel and Accessories, TOMS Wedding, and the list goes on. I knew TOMS was a bit on the granola side but when I saw the link for Vegan TOMS I had to take a second because that's actually amazing. Not only has my search consisted of color/print but I'm also left to ponder what style and if I think TOMS make appropriate wedding shoes. If shoes aren't enough for you don't fret because along with apparel, TOMS now offers eye wear. Like the shoes, for every purchase of a pair of glasses, TOMS will donate a pair to a child in need. That's right, you can now wear head-to-toe TOMS attire, not that I recommend you do so but the option is there. 

nothing says welcome like..

Nothing says welcome to my blog like a well-dressed man eating a sandwich. Tim here is a co-worker of mine, he's a freshman in college and is in head-to-toe J.Crew, which is always a recipe for a great outfit. The small detail of rolling the pants to show the socks is something a lot of the catalogs and trends are showing right now for men, I find it a fun way to add color and pzazz. To some it may look silly but they probably have ugly socks.

The sandwich you ask? From Olives, a fantastic Greek style deli located on Witherspoon street in downtown Princeton, all of the food choices are freshly made that day and sandwiches, such as this one, can be made to order.