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Keep the Change, Ya Filthy Animal (cont…)

Posted by Heidi on July 11, 2012 in Love & Dating

**Technical glitch – sorry for the day delay on the post!!**

I completely forgot.  I was a totally different person when he met me.  Long, gorgeous brown locks, perfect part on the side and bangs.  Eye glasses to top off a sexy smart look.  This man was attracted to my post-breakup identity and was staring at a complete stranger for the last half hour.  I didn’t even scrunch my curly blonde hair so it resembled more of a Mufasa-type lion mane with a few bobby pins haphazardly thrown in.  Date over.  My Angelina Jolie hair he was expecting was fake and stuffed somewhere in my closet.  I nodded my head.

“I thought you were a brunette!” he laughed.  Burn.  The conversation continued to flow but it just wasn’t the same.  This time a week ago, I was flaunting some unknown identity to try and start fresh.  Hide from my hard conversation that left some man very hurt.  In the process, the Angelina identity was picked up by a new prospect and I couldn’t play that role today.  I didn’t know bangs and layered locks.

The mimosas helped my anxiety.  They were also making him more attractive.  There was something in his demeanor that was a bit of a turnoff – maybe it was an arrogance – but the bubbly was making his blue eyes pop. Continue Reading »

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Is Your Makeup Too Old?

Posted by Kathleen Tower on July 11, 2012 in Beauty

We may all be guilty of hanging onto makeup a little too long, myself included.  I’m sure most of us may even keep products as long as possible, only making the official decision to chuck them when they start to clump, smell, or change color.  Unfortunately, by the time your makeup starts to stink, it’s probably already been filled with bacteria for a while.  Admittedly, I still have (and sometimes use) my very first Chanel lip gloss.  It’s now about six years old – but it’s Chanel! What can I say?  So how do you know when to throw out your beloved beauty products?

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La Casa Azul Bookstore: Your Local Latino Literary Spot

Posted by Tashay Gonzalez on July 10, 2012 in Art, Books

I’d like to take a moment to highlight a place I feel deserves a lot of attention for its effort to promote Latino writers and a sense of community in East Harlem through events that stimulate cultural awareness and a love for the arts. La Casa Azul Bookstore is a small independent book store located on 143 E. 103rd Street, New York, NY 10029 and as soon as one enters this quaint shop, it’s easy to see that it’s not your average bookstore.

La Casa Azul Bookstore has a large and colorful mural right by the front door and this unique entryway only hints at the bright and welcoming interior. With a collection of literature for young and adult readers alike, the shop’s primary focus is providing a place where a spotlight can be shone on Latino literature. Continue Reading »

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My Decision to Choose Savages

Posted by Amber Buggs on July 10, 2012 in TV & Movies

This past week and weekend has graced us with several films that have left many little choice but to brave the sweltering heat and make their way to the movies. From outrageously sexy Channing Tatum in Magic Mike doing on-screen what most of us would pass out in the middle of off-screen (because let’s face it, we couldn’t handle that kind of godlike-manly-perfection in the flesh), to the seemingly new and improved Spiderman featuring our beloved Emma Stone, there is a lot to see and it all looks fun, interesting, and worth the price of admission. But what to see?

What….to….see….? Continue Reading »

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Manicure Monday: Sweet Floral

Posted by Kathleen Tower on July 9, 2012 in Beauty

Happy Manicure Monday! After a great holiday weekend, I’m feeling flirty and floral today.  I decided to try to take the difficulty level of my manis up a notch this week – but don’t worry, they’re still totally DIYable.  Just like my leopard print manicure, the best part about this nail art is that it doesn’t have to be perfect.  Flowers come in all shapes and sizes.  If you have a floral patterned dress in your closet, take a look at it.  Is every flower on it perfectly drawn? If you get really close to it, does it even still look like a flower?  Probably not.  Most floral patterns take an abstract form.  They look best when you’re not right up close to them.  All of this is good news for you if you’re not handy with a tiny paint brush!  Read on to see how to get this floral pattern yourself.  After this tutorial, your nails just might look like a work of art.

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Curry on Murray: Pittsburgh, PA

Posted by Kristine Hope Kowalski on July 8, 2012 in Food

I’m currently traveling for a week in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and I am excited to share some local flavors! The first bit of Pittsburgh I got seriously excited about is Thai restaurant, Curry on Murray. It’s appropriately located on Murray Ave. in the Squirrel Hill section of Pittsburgh. (Which came first: the name, or the real estate?) I was planning a trip to Curry on Murray even before I knew about any the famous landmarks of the city (The name is so catchy!) . My boyfriend is living in Pittsburgh for the summer and it was one of the first places he told me about after moving there. The official Grand Opening for the restaurant is July 12-14, but they’re open with a sample menu up until then. Read on to see what we got for lunch yesterday, and what we thought!

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Listen: Frank Ocean, ‘Sweet Life’

Posted by Camille G. on July 6, 2012 in Music

“Sweet Life” by Frank Ocean
Genre: R&B
“Sweet Life” sounds like: a Bobby Caldwell or George Benson instrumental put over a hip-hop beat with smooth (but not cheesy) Stevie Wonder-like R&B vocals
Worth checking out: the entirety of Ocean’s mixtape, nostalgia, ULTRA. (free download)
The ideal setting to play “Sweet Life”: Blasting from your portable iPod speakers as you lay poolside and sip a drink in the hot sun with your friends.

Frank Ocean. I love Frank Ocean. His mixtape nostalgia, ULTRA. became a kind of internet sensation, initially because of his crew Odd Future’s sudden rise to fame. People immediately realized after downloading the mixtape that Ocean was more than an attachment to the rap collective – he was offering quality R&B music. Currently he may be best known to you as the guy who sings the chorus on Kanye and Jay-Z’s “No Church in the Wild.” Ocean has also been making the headlines with his recent acknowledgment of his sexual orientation (it should be noted that his sexual orientation shouldn’t matter, but that’s society for ya).

Today he posted “Sweet Life,” a track that will be on his first studio album Channel Orange, for everyone’s eager ears. “Sweet Life” has a classic R&B sound and a lazy, laid-back summer vibe. Ocean takes this opportunity to show off his vocal range and storyteller lyrics. Channel Orange is set be released on July 17.

Listen and download the track for free after the jump:

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A Need for Closure: Grey’s Anatomy

Posted by Amber Buggs on July 5, 2012 in TV & Movies

Last week (after a year hiatus) I decided to watch ABC’s Grey’s Anatomy. Not like I used to (frantically every Thursday with my phone in another room on silent and everything I needed for the next hour within arm’s reach) but calmly, collectedly, and online—marathon style 😉

From 2005 to 2011 Grey’s Anatomy was by far the best medical drama on television as far as I’m concerned. It had a combination of exciting surgical action, believable plot lines, and most of all: well-developed characters who demanded our respect, empathy, and admiration.

But two seasons ago, everything changed; one of the most intensely moving season finales ever aired and it took both the characters and viewers an entire season to make peace with what happened. It was a hospital shooting that occurred in a highly realistic way. It was terrifying, developed characters were murdered point-blank, and we were almost violently robbed of Bailey, Alex, Lexie, Christina, and the oh so loved McDreamy Derek. Continue Reading »

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Keep the Change, Ya Filthy Animal

Posted by Heidi on July 3, 2012 in Love & Dating

I beat him to the sushi restaurant.  Figured I’d order myself a Sapporo while I waited – really, the perfect sushi date drink next to hot sake.  Sapporo shows a football watching, keeping-up-with-the-guys type gal, which perfectly contrasts the LBD (Little Black Dress) with heels, while also tapping into Japanese culture.  Apparently this guy lived in Hong Kong for two years out of college before transferring back to the City for work.  I’ve got Asia written all over me with this beer.

He strolls in about 10 minutes later, his pinstriped button down covering his toned six-foot frame.  The consistent Crest smile splashed across his face makes him easy to identify – he’s still a relatively fresh prospect. Continue Reading »

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Let your kid flag fly! The Legend of Korra

Posted by Amber Buggs on July 2, 2012 in TV & Movies

I get that cartoons aren’t for everyone and most of us haven’t watched Nickelodeon since middle school but if you’re looking for an entertaining and exciting animated show this summer I strongly suggest you check out Nickelodeon’s new animated television series: The Legend of Korra.

The Legend of Korra is the sequel to creator’s Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko’s previous Nicktoons series, Avatar: The Last Airbender. The concept of this show is relatively simple yet astonishingly beautiful. In a world where there are four nations based on elements (air, fire, water, and earth) there are people who are able to bend the elements— for good or for evil. And in the midst of these powerful peoples there exists an avatar who alone has the power to bend all four elements and whose purpose is to restore balance to the world. Continue Reading »

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