Curse of the Smartphone

I love my iPhone. I mean, I really love it. It's rarely more than a foot from me, whether I'm working (texting back and forth with writers), playing (taking pictures) or sleeping (until the alarm wakes me). I say with complete earnestness that having that amount of access to information, leisure and high-quality photography has changed my life. But for all of the good things it brings, it also creates plenty of negative impacts to on life. Here are a couple of tricks I've learned to help manage the blessing and the curse that is the smartphone.

Never Buy Anything Without a Coupon

I know, the title of this article is a bit extreme.

But honestly, if you engrain this tiny piece of advice into your impulsive, worry-about-an-overdraft-after-the-expensive-shoe-purchase brain, you'll save yourself a lot of financial headaches. It wasn't that long ago that I realized the power of Google in my constant mission to pinch pennies.

You'd be surprised how many companies have valid coupon codes floating around on the web without actively promoting them in their normal email spam.

Make Your Gratitude Memorable

In the professional world, there will always be an occasion when you will have to thank someone for putting in a word for you, for giving you a reference, or for recommending you for a job or a project.

If the case is that you are working your way up in your career, and you are completing an application for a post graduate program of any kind, then you will find yourself asking former supervisors, or professors for favors; just make sure you remember to say thank you.

How to Procrastinate Wisely

Back in college, I was an all-star procrastinator. Paper due? Bring on the Red Bull and pull an all-nighter. Exams coming up? Go yet more hardcore with caffeine pills and two consecutive all-nighters.

So alert! So awake! So much TMJ!

Let me tell you, things have changed. It turns out that at 26, I’m no longer capable of performing minor academic miracles while grinding my teeth into nubbins and leaping to catch pencils that aren’t actually rolling off my desk. Staying up all night not only breaks my brain, but also makes me old-lady tired the next day—you know, at my actual adult job. The problem is that for those of us who go to school while working full-time, the urge to procrastinate can be pretty potent. The last thing I want to do after a long day at work is write a paper, and the idea of working over the weekend is even less appealing. Yet the more I procrastinate, the more anxiety I generate and the less productive I am, leading to more anxiety and yet more procrastination. Thankfully, there are ways to break out of the vicious cycle.

Turn Your Internship into a Job

In terms of getting and keeping your dream job, I’m definitely fortunate. I was hired at a magazine company in my early 20s and in just over a year became its top editor. My interns ask me frequently for advice about landing a similar situation. The simple answer is that I was in the right place at the right time and had enough luck and energy to stick it out… which isn’t much help to them. The more complex answer is that I took a small opportunity – as an unpaid, undergraduate intern – and managed to turn that into a career. Here’s how I did it.

Webcomics for Quick Laughs

Picture: poorlydrawnlines.com

Sometimes when you're having a bad day, you need to read articles on a humor website, or watch some videos on YouTube, or look at pictures of fuzzy baby animals. All of those are good ways to take a small break when you're stressed with work or school, or both. And sometimes, sometimes you need a webcomic. Don't let the comic to the right be true. These short webcomic sites can give you a break from text-heavy work and provide you with quick punchlines that will at least make you smile if not laugh out loud or chuckle.

God Save My Shoes, and My Bank Account Too!

Image Source: www.nymag.com

Unless you have just crawled out of a hole, you know who Mark McNairy is. It is impossible to browse through any men’s fashion magazines or style blogs without running into that name. Who was once the former creative director for J. Press has now launched his own clothing line, with an emphasis on edgy, fashion-forward footwear (www.markmcnairy.com). As the number of these trendy shoes decreases, so is the amount of money in buyers’ bank accounts. With McNairy footwear starting at around $395, here are similar options that won’t break your bank accounts.

Brave-as-Hell 20 Somethings

Recently, I’ve been thinking about how our lives as busy-as-hell 20 somethings are so distinctly different from others of the same demographic. Just as we have made the choice to write, chain ourselves to a desk, and pursue ever-higher degrees in education, so have our troops made the decision to commit their 20s and beyond to the military service. 

The Saturday of Misfit Chores

The Problem

For six months I've had three bottles of Vaseline Intensive Care lotion sitting on my bathroom hamper. The situation is this: when one bottle almost runs out, I open a new bottle intending to transfer the last couple ounces from the empty to the new bottle.

And then I never do.

I've made it through two whole bottles and I'm about to empty a third.

I know what you're thinking: why don't you just throw away the bottles before you end up on Hoarders?

5 Tips for Online Shopping Success

During my graduate career, I became a professional at online shopping. When you work 30 hours a week while studying full-time, and accessing a shopping mall means paying for a rental car or spending hours on public transportation, knowing the ins and outs of online shopping is a skill worth having.

Here are 5 tips that will help you online shop successfully, and minimize the chances of being disappointed by what arrives at your doorstep.

Landing the Unlisted Job

     I'm all about creating and finding the best kind of opportunity out there: the unlisted job!  Over half of the positions inside some of the world’s most sought after companies are unlisted due to internal hiring and employee referrals.  So how does one break and enter into a company, brand, or agency to score a dream job?  It’s simple: stop spending so much time applying for the jobs that are listed and focus in on some specifics:

Living Summertime Through the Movies

Every year, without fail, August sneaks up on me. It feels like summer has just begun, and then all of sudden we only have a month left. This year it seems to have snuck up especially fast since I’ve been working and taking classes all summer.

If you’re having a particularly busy summer like me, one in which you may not be able to get away and enjoy the season, here are some movies imbued with the spirit of the season to stir up some nostalgia. Unwind from a busy day spent inside and lose yourself in summer for a bit.

What Does It Mean to Be an "Emerging Adult?"

Photo Credit: Abac College / Wikimedia Commons

A recent survey commissioned by Clark University of more than 1,000 young adults has revealed some interesting characteristics of the "emerging adult" set. As someone within that set, I found myself wondering if I would agree with any of the conclusions the researchers arrived at.

The Clark University Poll of Emerging Adults was conducted online and by phone, and surveyed young people across the country between the ages of 18 and 29 in April of this year. One surprising finding was that "young people widely see the value of taking their time to get a college degree," and that "the potential debt waiting for them after graduating" is well worth it. While I would agree that getting your college degree is of the upmost importance in this job market, I've always tried to finish my degrees as quickly as possible. Who would want extra loans when you could work a little bit harder and finish sooner?

Healthy, Happy...and Gluten-Free

Food allergies are terrible. To name just a few ways in which allergies can be the worst things ever: Some people with nut allergies experience such a severe reaction to even infinitesimal amounts of nuts that they can’t go to baseball games because they might inhale particles floating around from all the peanut shelling. People with milk allergies get to discover that “whey,” a cheese-making byproduct, is in everything from ice cream and cottage cheese (where you’d expect it to be) to pastries and crackers (well, obviously, once you put the cheese on there…no. BEFORE the cheese. IN the cracker). And to people with soy allergies: respect. You guys are soldiers. I don’t know what you eat instead of food, seeing as soy is added to just about every product in the Western world, but whatever it is, you give me hope.

Unfortunately, millennials and subsequent generations seem to be more afflicted with food allergies than generations past, possibly because the Western diet has made us more susceptible to developing such sensitivities.

Need Motivation?

Sometimes motivation cannot be found no matter how hard you look. There are distractions everywhere, especially if you're on the internet. Whether you're a writer, a student, or a professional, you might need some help once in awhile to get that boost of motivation. In my search for motivation I have found two websites that might help with productivity. If that doesn't intrigue you enough, one website involves kittens and the other involves punishment.

Time and Money Saving Tips for a Tech Generation

Photo from Wikipedia.com

Let's face it, we've always been a gadget loving generation. We've simply turned in our Tamagotchi's for iPhones and our Furby's for iPads. 


So when the latest gear and gadget's come out it's hard to exercise some self restraint and not jump on the chance to snap up the latest and greatest. Not to mention all of our latest toys want our credit card numbers, making it all too easy to overspend. So to start August on the right foot here are some tech related tips to keep your wallet from feeling a little thin.

Budgeting Made Easier

Money, it seems very simple when its viewed from the principle of spending or not spending. Having the room to spend or not is basically how I used to manage my finances. I don't think I ever had terrible spending habits, except for using my credit cards as an extension of my income. When the credit cards popped, the burst effect in my pocket didn't leave room for much. Regardless of how much I was making, I always had the same problem, I'd run out of funds before time. I knew I had to revise my money strategy.

Obtain Your Desired Beach...I Mean Winter Body

Image source: jonathanrick.com

If you are like me, the Summer Olympics brings a sense of pride for our country as well as a sense of overwhelming adrenaline of wanting to get your body in shape. I mean who doesn't sit in front of the television and think about how great it would be to look like that swimmer or that gymnastics competitor? Sure it would be great to be able to spend hours at the gym each day or to pay for a gym membership, however we all know that with our busy lives, this just isn't possible, until now.

Turn Your Kitchen into a Spa

If it were up to me, I would spend every weekend in a spa. Think about how you would look and feel with limitless facials, pedicures, body scrubs, massages… The possibilities for indulgence are endless. My bank account, however, is not – so I survive those terrible months between spa visits with DIY treatments. Here are three easy ones: you’d be surprised how simple and inexpensive it is – and how many ingredients you already have in your kitchen.

For the Non-Animal Lover

 This is not to say that I am an animal hater. I just never had pets growing up. Like an only-child who grew up without siblings and doesn’t know how to act around babies, I don’t know how to act around animals. Now, I am living with a cat (my roommate’s) and we have been co-existing as peacefully as humans and vampires since I moved in two months ago. In that time, I have established a few guidelines to maintain this civil relationship. While “contained” animals (birds, fish, turtles, etc.) are easier to avoid, the following steps can be applied for any non-animal-loving situation:

Free Apps That Save My Grades

It’s Thursday afternoon. I’m on the subway and I have a 50 minute commute ahead of me followed by a 4 hour class. I could easily zone out and enjoy the live theatrics of public transportation. In fact, two seats down from me, a woman has begun irately screaming into her cell. Just as I’m about to settle in for a good show, my iPhone pings. It’s my ScatterBrain app reminding me that I was supposed to have read a stack of articles for class. Of course I set the reminder, hoping that all I would have to do was review my notes, but until this moment, they’ve escaped my memory.

Please Stay Home

"Are you okay?" I asked my coworker as he filled up his water bottle in the kitchenette. His voice was raspy and his nose was all plugged up.

"Yeah, yeah. I thought it was allergies but it turned into some kind of freak cold that won't go away," he explained. "But don't worry; it's not contagious anymore."

I should have known better.

Getting Along at the Office

We all know the saying "Misery loves company," and it's easy to figure out why that statement rings true. When something bad happens, it makes us feel less bad about it if the people around us are going through the same thing. 

"My annual bonus wasn't nearly as high as I was hoping."

"Neither was mine."

"Sucks, doesn't it?"

Newport Folk Festival To Go

Photo by Ryan Mastro Photography

A few years ago, after a series of likes and dislikes on Pandora lead me to Justin Bieber and subsequently away from the cute guy looking my way from the neighboring treadmill, I decided to rework my musical algorithm. Cue Damien Rice, Lisa Hannigan, Ray LaMontagne, and Iron & Wine, to name a few. Yes, folk music! I don't always understand the lyrics, and definitely can't unfold those complicated melodies, but I always feel at ease when I listen. 

This weekend I'll be posted up at the annual Newport Folk Festival, pretending I own one of those gorgeous sailboats around Fort Adams in Newport, Rhode Island.

Simple Aromatherapy at Home

Throughout the day we're surrounded by synthetic fragrances and toxic cleaning chemicals. The effects these fragrances and chemicals have on human health is up for debate. The debate, however, isn't: "Are they OK to use?" or "Are they bad to use?" But rather: "They may be harmful," or "They are DEFINITELY harmful."

OK, enough said about that. The point of this post isn't to be a downer or an alarmist. The point of this post is talk about aromatherapy, which you may need to start practicing to relax yourself after thinking about synthetic fragrances and harmful chemicals. 

DIY Yogurt Revisited

Inspired by a previous post, I decided I was going to attempt to make homemade yogurt. I was excited when I found out that people can easily make their own yogurt; I had never heard of that before. I also really love yogurt and wanted to try and save some money. There was only one problem, would I like it? I wasn't sure if after all of these years of living off of Yoplait yogurt and the occasional Greek yogurt (if it was on sale) had conditioned me to only liking store bought yogurt. I didn't want to invest in buying a yogurt maker if I was going to end up not using it. After some research, I was saved by the always amazing Crock Pot.

The (Twenty-Something) Idiot's Guide to Bitters

Gone are the days when it was acceptable for our generation to be spied sipping on a White Russian, Whiskey Sour (or its weaker and even more shameful cousin, the Midori Sour), or Long Island Ice Tea. I ordered a Long Island this St. Patty’s Day—mostly for old times’ sake, and because it’s in the best interest of a sober millennial at a bar full of undergraduate youngins to dispense with sobriety as quickly as possible—and was appalled by just how foul it was. Yet I downed those babies every weekend for almost four years of college. How could I have been so misguided?
 

Strategies for Keeping Communal Work Spaces Clean

As if I need further provocation to anger after my forty-five minute commute, today when I walked into work there was lettuce and Parmesan cheese scattered across the office kitchen floor. Who would leave a mess like that in a shared, communal space? Surely the person wouldn't do that in his or her own kitchen (I hope).

The inconsideration of the person who left that mess in my kitchen led me to wonder, does anyone (other than me) care about tidying up shared spaces? This particular kitchen is shared by over 100 students and about a dozen faculty and staff. What could I do I impress upon all of these people that the kitchen and refrigerator will only stay as clean as you keep it? (Contrary to popular belief, there are no magical cleaning fairies that come by at night and pick up after us.)

Your Spa Treatment at Home

In these days of long commutes, classes, work, family and social life, is hard to find enough time to pamper yourself. Going to a spa for nurturing might require extra time, and extra money. However, there is always a homemade version of everything, if you decide to do some skin care at home, you don't always need expensive beauty products or a huge space. All you need, are some basic ingredients in the shower for a happy healthy skin.

Fall 2012's Top 5 Menswear Essentials

esquire.com

As we slowly leave the heat of the summer behind and enter into fall, one thing that is always on my mind is what essentials I should add to my wardrobe to stay on trend and looking stylish this fall. After doing some research, I have decided that these are the top five items that every guy should add to his closet for fall 2012.

Wawa: Fueling the 20-Somethings

Morning is my favorite time of day. I rise with the sun and greet the day nearly every morning at 6 am, much to the bewilderment of my other 20-something roommates. There is nothing I enjoy more than waking up to a quiet house and sitting on my back porch with a good book and fresh cup of coffee. But not just any coffee.

Don't Be Afraid of the Wine Aisle

You’re standing there, wide-eyed, as a long row of bottles stretches in front of you. The labels don’t help. Hell, half of them are in other languages – though what’s on the ones in English isn’t all that much more illuminating, anyway. The questions run through your head: do I want a white? Is sparkling better? Should I get a Chardonnay? A Pinot Gris? Is California the best wine producer? Is French too expensive? Is this local one any good? The answer is yes. And no. Wine appreciation is all about what you like. You just need to know how to find it. Here’s how.

Take a Nap

photo by Eric McGregor

I find myself coveting preschool children and their nap time. Those tots don’t appreciate the precious value of a good revitalizing nap— all they want to do is play. Ha. One day they too will long for the days of the hour nap, the comfy cots, the time-out from a hectic day of coloring outside the lines. They don’t know how good they have it.

If your day is anything like mine, then you too are desperately in need of a nap. I’m out of the house from 6am-11pm between work and grad school. When I get home, I can’t just fall asleep because I’m still keyed up from a long day, which means I’m not falling asleep until 12:30. And just as soon as I’ve fallen asleep, it feels like ten minutes later the alarm is ringing at 5:00 am. I’m over worked and tired. I need a nap.

In the Wake of Tragedy

Just a over a day ago 12 people were shot and 58 people were wounded in a movie theater in Aurora, Colorado. This tragedy took place at the midnight screening of the latest installment of the Batman trilogy Dark Knight Rises when one James Holmes (24) walked in through the rear theater door in a gas mask and protective gear and opened fire on the audience. 


James, a Ph.D. candidate in neuroscience up until very recently fled the scene and was captured in the parking lot with four heavy artillery guns all of which were legally obtained. He'd stockpiled the guns and over 6,000 rounds of ammunition over two or so months and rigged his apartment with approximately 24 lethal booby traps which took a full day to partially disarm. James was described in all accounts as quirky, quiet, and benign. 


This is my post because in spite of all the hectic moments that make up my life this story brought me to a full stop. Many of the known victims were age 27 or younger and one was a six-year-old with the same name as me: Veronica. Their whole lives were ahead of them and in a single act of completely unexpected violence they're no longer with us. The stories told by survivors and witnesses are inspiring in their bravery and also chilling. 

Food (And Drink) For Thought

Until this past winter there were few things I looked forward to more than nice meals out and a few cocktails to wash them down. It was my reward for slaving behind a desk all week.

And then, come January, I found out I was pregnant.

Housesitting as a Travel Method?

My boyfriend and I have a pretty modern setup with our jobs: we both work remotely. One of the major advantages of this setup is that we can take our jobs with us wherever we go. Last winter, for example, we stayed with family in California for three weeks and only took three vacation days. Needless to say, winter on the west coast was way more enjoyable for us than our good ol' Boston winter.

Come September, what's been keeping us in Boston (my graduate studies) will no longer be relevant (I'll be graduated). In light of our imminent freedom, we've decided not to renew our lease and to spend the next year traveling around the country. Sounds pretty cool, right?

DIY Kitchen: Yogurt, Sprouts, and Popsicles

I used to work full-time from home, which I hardly miss, except for my flexibility, especially when it comes to cooking, food shopping, and eating. 

I was able to food shop in the middle of the day, sans traffic and after work crowds. Instead of buying lunch out or packing it the night before, I enjoyed taking a break and making it fresh. And because I worked more efficiently and wasn't commuting, I was able to take the time to cook almsot entirely from scratch.

Websites to Make Your Morning

There are mornings that start off badly. I'm talking about those mornings you wake up late because you slept through your alarm. The mornings you're late and you run later because the person in front of you tries to pay their train fare in Sacagawea coins. Or how, morning after morning, your Starbucks barista can't understand that you're happy about the prospect of coffee, not conversation, and that you'd rather not discuss whether your last name sounds more Portuguese or Scandinavian. On these mornings, I take to the internet for a quick laugh and the comfort of delighting in absurdities other than my own. 


Check out two of my favorite (and highest rated) humor websites:

An Ode to the Lunch Bag

For those of us with 40+ hour workweeks in the city, it’s always tempting to dine out for lunch rather than dine in. Who wants to plan tomorrow’s lunch in advance when there's an episode of True Blood to watch and a bottle of white wine that's giving you bedroom eyes?


Well, I’m here to tell you that the benefits of planning your lunch ahead of time outweigh the tiny annoyance. I’ve come to learn that packing my lunch the night before a workday not only saves me time and energy come noontime, but also saves me money and encourages me to make healthier choices.


How, you may ask, did I make the switch?

3 Ways to Make Extra Money Over the Summer

Since I have a little extra time this summer, I started to look up ways I could earn some extra money. I found three things that have earned me money and also lets me decide when, where, and how much time to spend on them.

Beating old habits, one trade-off at the time

From www.junkfoodforlife.com

Trying to find a nutritional and effective meal plan to have energy in a natural way is not easy. I used to have the worst eating and sleeping habits, and by making small trade-offs with my self, I have figured out what eating right means.

The Battle of the Frizz

Why can't it just come that way?

I understand the urge to tame the summertime frizz. In fact, I’m something of an expert when it comes to extreme frizz-busting measures—to such an extent that I once got bamboozled into getting a Brazilian blowout on top of my already Japanese-straightened hair. Granted, I was on a cruise—anything goes, right?—and the hairdresser who talked me into it assured me that it was no big deal. There were no harsh chemicals to worry about, he claimed; the blowout functioned solely by virtue of the magical properties of the acai berry.

Stylish, Affordable Eyewear

I don't know about you, but when it comes time for me to purchase new glasses, anxiety immediately sets in. The main reason for this is due to the fact that purchasing new eyewear is costly. I know that when I enter the eye doctor, I am leaving with a $300+ bill, and it is due to this that I rarely purchase new glasses. Up until a couple of weeks ago, I was living with these predisposed thoughts until a close friend recommended an eyewear company that I was unfamiliar with, until now. 

3 Tips for Summertime Interviewing

Use these tips to create a professional look that’s cool, crisp, and cost-efficient.

When dressing for a summertime interview, you want to appear appropriately formal, without feeling hot and bothered. Nothing will shoot your confidence like sweaty, wilted clothing or blisters from too-tight shoes. Achieving a balance between fashion and function will boost your confidence and help you land that job, internship, or promotion. Consider the following:

1. Stick to basics to achieve a classic look. Select simple styles in breathable, cotton materials. Pair a simple dress with a light sweater, stretchy pants or a pencil skirt with a cool button-up blouse. Keep colors light with shades of white or beige, or add a subtle splash of color with pale pink, powder blue, or mint green.

Dress ($98) and sweater ($14) Urban Outfitters

Free Fun: Geocaching

So there we are, my boyfriend and I, attempting to be inconspicuous on the Boston side of the Charles river, but we are floundering. I'm laughing and failing as look-out, and Patrick is trying figure out where it’s hidden. Of course, everyone and their mother is out for a walk and they are watching us inspect this tree like a work of art. But finally, a gap opens in the traffic of people, and Patrick moves some debris around, shoves his hand in the tree, and pulls out a Nalgene bottle filled with stuff. We found our first geocache.

The Awkward Dinner Party: Part II

In part II of this two-part series I talk about ways to throw a dinner party that your guests might possibly enjoy. Check out my earlier post for tips on how to survive such a party from the guest perspective of things.

First things first: I've never actually thrown a dinner party, so if you'd like to stop reading now I completely understand. However, I have hosted enough Thanksgiving meals for non-family members that I feel justified in offering at least a few tips on keeping twenty-somethings entertained around a dinner table. Here they are:

Ahead of Time

Don't invite every friend you have from every walk of life. Stick to a core group of people who know and like each other, with maybe a twenty percent mix of friends from another circle. Most people find it exhausting telling their abbreviated life stories thirteen times to thirteen people in the course of an evening. This way you'll gradually mix your social circles without making your guests work for it.

Eat With Your Eyes

Just because you're busy doesn't mean you can't eat a beautiful breakfast. Whether it's the weekend or a weekday there are little things you can do to make your morning meal look delicious.


Even if it's just yogurt and granola, think about the dishes you use. For those in big cities, take a look at stores like Fishes Eddy where you can find everything from classic pie plates to unique cutlery for $1. If you put a little work into what you eat off of you'll enjoy the result over and over again.



If you're not near a quirky dish ware store there are other options. Weck jars, are gorgeous, heavy glass canning jars that make for great bowls, pitchers and condiment jars. These are particularly useful for those who will have move in the near future (they hold up well to travel) and you can buy a set of four to six for under 20 bucks. It certainly beats the $40 dish sets at Target.

Going Healthy for Breakfast with Oat Bran

Are you crazy about cream of wheat, but turned off by how unhealthy it is? If so, then you and I have something in common. When I was a kid, I cherished those special mornings when I'd wake up to a bowl of fresh cream of wheat waiting for me. But as I grew up, I became aware of how much butter and sugar there is in a single serving. Fortunately, there's an easy-to-make alternative that's actually good for you and tastes just as good: oat bran

Own Your Stuff, Don't Let It Own You

Last fall, I packed up my apartment in Chicago and moved east to start grad school in Boston. Moving is never a pleasant task, but this move was more stressful than others. For the first time in my life, I could no longer fit all my belongings into the back of my station wagon. I’m not just talking about the big stuff I had acquired like my bed and couch. I now had cupboards full of dishes, a Cuisinart, guest sheets, a Swifter, too many shoes, and certainly too many books. I was drowning in stuff and I’m not a hoarder. I simply required all this stuff to live a pretty basic existence as a functional adult.

Comedian George Carlin opens his famous 1986 standup comedy sketch on “Stuff” with a few lines explaining his tardiness: “I would have been out here sooner, but they gave me the wrong dressing room and I couldn’t find any place for my stuff… You know how important that is. That’s the whole meaning of life isn’t it? Trying to find a place for your stuff.” Comedic and oh, so wise. I have spent many an hour trying to find a place for my stuff. 

Alternative Friday Nights

Last Friday night I was invited to go dancing in downtown Boston. Multicolored drinks in large plastic buckets, loud music, and close proximity to curious smelling strangers- the whole delightful experience. It had been a long week of class and work and the gym (that one time), so I wasn't exactly feeling energized. In fact, I can't remember a Friday in the past month where I felt up to going out. So I've been using Fridays to explore Boston at my leisure. Here are a few Friday night alternatives for the weary, but social:

Coolidge Corner Theatre, Brookline, MA

1. An old movie at an old theater- The Brattle Theatre in Cambridge and Coolidge Corner Theatre in Brookline are two of my favorite independent movie houses. Where else can you see Casablanca for half the price of a regular movie ticket?
2. Dinner- Possibilities are endless here, but I recommend anything Italian in the North End. I have yet to go wrong.
3. Trivia night- Hosted at Joshua Tree in Brighton, 21st Amendment in Beacon Hill, or The Tam downtown- to name a few.

The Esplanade docks, Boston, MA

4. The Esplanade- take a stroll by the Charles and relax on the Esplanade's public docks. They're perfect for relaxing with a good book or a good friend.

Have Your Favorite Restaurant Treats at Home

My boyfriend and I have a problem. We love food and we love going out for food. We love trying new places and revisiting old favorites. We have our favorite breakfast place, favorite wing place, favorite Chinese food place, favorite “fancy dinner” place; the list goes on and, unfortunately for our wallets, on. We are on a budget, so we have to be careful and limit ourselves to how often we go out. But sometimes those cravings for our ‘favorites’ can be very persuasive.

Hungry Mother is a southern food place near Kendall Square that makes a fantastically refreshing drink that’s highly addictive. The drink, with pineapple, lime, ginger, and mint, is simply called the “73,” and it tastes like everything you always wanted summer to be.  On a whim, we tried emailing Hungry Mother restaurant to see if they would share the recipe with us.

We didn’t think they would respond. After a week of no response, our spirits were low. But soon after that I was giddy with the appreciative and informative email waiting in my inbox. With gratitude of our support and compliments, they gladly shared their 73 recipe with us. We even bought some mint leaves at the local farmers market to further our at home 73 adventures.

So even if you’re on a budget, you don’t necessarily need to cut out all your restaurant favorites. Whether it’s drinks, dessert, or entrees, try contacting someone at the restaurant and they may be happy to share with you small recipes that you can try at home. Letting someone you appreciate their hard work and talent is always a good start!

The Awkward Dinner Party: Part I

In Part I of this two-part series I will talk about ways to minimize your own discomfort as a guest at an awkward dinner party. In Part II (check back later this week) I'll offer tips on throwing a dinner party your guests won't want to run from screaming.

The farther away in time I find myself from my college graduation date, the more dinner parties I find myself attending. Not the worst predicament to be in, but as a twenty-something, not the best either.

I have my theories as to why these gatherings have so much awkward potential for millennials:

Reduce Your Travel Stress: Pack Light and Carry-on

During a month-long visit to Israel this summer, I took a trip to Morocco with my company. Packing for Morocco was easy. I took pretty much everything I'd brought to Israel for the month. I packed all of my casual clothes for the daytime, the three dresses I had with me for the evenings, and some cute tops "just in case." Needless to say I had no clothing concerns in Morocco.

But I had some serious concerns when we landed back in Tel Aviv and my suitcase was missing. At first, these concerns were abated by a conversation I had with a fellow passenger whose bag also didn't show. She said this happens to her all the time, and that the bag would arrive at my doorstep within two days. I was also somewhat reassured by the fact that nearly half of my coworkers didn't get their suitcases, either.