Go Get S.M.A.S.H.E.D.

Shoegasm!

2012-01-27T21:16:00.001-06:00

Pink suede pumps-fun and flirty, enough said!

This pair of shoes for some reason just speaks to me...They're interesting and they bring a new dimension to heels

Blue Goose Cantina

2012-01-24T15:14:00.000-06:00

In Texas, Mexican restaurants are almost as plentiful as Starbucks. There are a few different types of Mexican restaurants that you can eat at: Tex Mex, southwestern, and Mexican. They are all categorized as Mexican, but each have their own flavors and styles of food to offer.

Blue Goose is one of Dallas' most tasty Tex Mex restaurants. Each restaurant has a fun and casual atmosphere; they are great places to meet up with friends, have a great meal and just hang out. Their Mini Mexican Tacos are great to share and perfect as a whole meal if you're grabbing a quick bite or are not too hungry. They use fresh ingredients and good quality meats for each of their dishes. I have never had a bad meal at Blue Goose; everything that I've tried there so far has been delicious.

For more information about Blue Goose, check them out here

Kush of Denton

2012-01-22T15:27:00.003-06:00

I guess a year out of college is a little late for me to stumble onto the Hookah Bar scene. Oh well. I actually had not stepped into a college bar, coincidentally for exactly a year between my graduation and going to Kush last May. (and now you know how behind I am on my blogging-yeesh!)

I first heard about the Hookah trend hitting America while I was in high school (I knew about it as a middle eastern thing for a while but I did not know that it had come over here until then). I never really had the desire to try Hookah, not because there's anything wrong with it, it just never really appealed to me.

I went with a group of friends to celebrate a birthday at Kush back in May. Being that it was at a (very Americanized) Hookah bar, I decided, why not try it. Though the atmosphere at Kush is not super tranquil like Hookah bars should be, I could see how smoking hookah in a quieter atmosphere with friends would be very relaxing and enjoyable.

I'd prefer going to a more traditional Hookah bar next time as the party, college atmosphere really does nothing for me anymore. With that said, Kush was a cool college Hookah Bar; check them out here if you'd like to know more.

Shoegasm!

2012-01-20T19:46:00.001-06:00

I love the colors on this pair of heels; it would really bring a neutral outfit to life...perfect for spring and summer.

I love the lilac in these Louboutins. They would add such a fun pop to any outfit.

Israel: Mysticism, Synagogues, and Timeless Nature

2012-01-19T15:21:00.000-06:00

Another neat part about visiting Israel, besides seeing ruins, is seeing old synagogues that are still daily houses of prayer today. Where better to go then to Tzvat? Tzvat is one of the four holiest cities in Israel and is the center of Jewish mysticism, or Kabbalah. This is real Kabbalah, not what Britney, Madonna, and Demi practice in LA, but Kabbalah that no one but the wisest and most learned Jewish men are allowed to study. As this is one of the holiest Jewish cities, you do have to be respectful of that while walking around and especially while walking into the synagogues there. Cover your shoulders, your chest, and do not wear shorts.

Once we were covered up, we went in to the Blue Synagogue. One of the oldest and most famous synagogues in Tsvat. There are beautiful depictions of biblical stories on the walls of this synagogue and is designed so that the pulpit (stage) where the Rabbi leads prayer is in the center of the synagogue and everyone sits in pews around it.

After taking in Tzvat, we went over to the Tel Dan nature reserve, which I really loved. Tel Dan is an archaeological site where you can tour the excavation as well as take a light hike, following the river through the beautiful scenery. The excavation gives a really interesting look at how people made their homes and made their lives, and the beautiful backdrop made it even more real and easy to picture.

What defines you is your priorities in life

2012-01-17T18:16:00.000-06:00

Again, I posted this on my other blog, Becoming the You, but I wanted to post it here too

Patti Stanger~Millionaire Matchmaker

Though Patti uses this in reference to finding love, the quote is really all about life and being ourselves. We always want people to think the best of us, but how can they do that if all we care about and concentrate on are the material and superficial aspects of life? There are other ways to show our desire and love for life than just money, success, and being on top. Though our passions may lend to these eventually, our passions should be our priorities, not being rich and being on top. As Patti also says, leading with your "business foot" gets you no where. People don't want to hear your brag about how well your business is doing or how much money you're making. That makes you look boring, self centered, and one dimensional. Talk about things that interest you, focus on your passions and make happiness a priority in life. Success will follow and you may find yourself in a better place all together.

I think that since moving out, I have really begun to make myself and my happiness a priority in life. I have also come to realize that although caring about your friends and others is a really great thing, it can take a lot out of you. I am still working on finding a balance between caring for others and caring for myself because sometimes I go overboard and forget that I need to be my number 1 priority...My health, my happiness, and my passions. To some, this may seem very self centered, but to me, it's making more and more sense. How can I be a good person if I can't be happy with myself? I think it's really a balance of priorities and making sure that the material and the superficial don't out do the things that make you happy. I work a lot of overtime at work, but if I have social plans, or plans for some me time, I don't let the over time get in the way. Money is great and all, but money does not equal happiness.

Music Monday

2012-01-16T21:35:00.004-06:00

Check out Brandi Carlile's upcoming shows here

At Noisetrade, download free music from Rosie Thomas, Jess Penner,

Check out NeedToBreathe's upcoming shows here

You can preorder Tyrone Wells' new album, Where We Meet, here

Download John McLaughlin and Sara Bareilles' new song, Summer is Over on iTunes

Check out Matthew Perryman Jones' upcoming shows here

Check out Mark Broussard's upcoming shows here

The top 10 tracks for free download on Tweet for a Track:

At Spin, check out the 25 Must Hear Winter Albums,

Check out Drew Holcombe and the Neighbors' upcoming tour dates here

You can download a free copy of Suite 709's new EP, Keys here

You can download Chapel and Brooke Waggoner's new single, Parker's Chapel here

Squash, Chickpea, and Red Lentil Stew

2012-01-15T14:42:00.001-06:00

Squash stew is a fantastic and filling dish. It's savory and you can also make it sweeter or spicier depending on your tastes. It's a great way to get protein, fiber, and vitamins all in one dish. I was battling a really bad cold when I made this dish and it was a great way to get my nutrients in one simple dish.

SQUASH, CHICKPEA & RED LENTIL STEW

From EatingWell: February/March 2006

Modeled on North African stews, this aromatic vegetarian main course can be served over brown rice or steamed spinach.

8 servings / POINTS per serving: 6 / Active Time: 30 minutes | Total Time: 8 hours (including the 1-hour quick-soak for chickpeas)

Ingredients
· 3/4 cup dried chickpeas
· 2 1/2 pounds kabocha squash, (see Note) or butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes
· 2 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
· 1 large onion, chopped
· 1 cup red lentils
· 4 cups vegetable broth
· 2 tablespoons tomato paste
· 1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
· 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
· 1 teaspoon salt
· 1/4 teaspoon saffron, (see Note)
· 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
· 1/4 cup lime juice
· 1/2 cup chopped roasted unsalted peanuts
· 1/4 cup packed fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
Preparation
1. Soak chickpeas in enough cold water to cover them by 2 inches for 6 hours or overnight. (Alternatively, use the quick-soak method: Place beans in a large pot with enough water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil over high heat. Remove from heat and let stand for 1 hour.) Drain when ready to use.
2. Combine the soaked chickpeas, squash, carrots, onion, lentils, broth, tomato paste, ginger, cumin, salt, saffron and pepper in a 6-quart slow cooker.
3. Put on the lid and cook on low until the chickpeas are tender and the lentils have begun to break down, 5 to 6 1/2 hours.
4. Stir in lime juice. Serve sprinkled with peanuts and cilantro.
Nutrition
Per serving : 294 Calories; 7 g Fat; 1 g Sat; 3 g Mono; 0 mg Cholesterol; 48 g Carbohydrates; 14 g Protein; 11 g Fiber; 578 mg Sodium; 1029 mg Potassium

2 1/2 Carbohydrate Serving / Exchanges: 2.5 starch, 1 vegetable, 1.5 lean meat

Tips & Notes
· Make Ahead Tip: Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 1 month.
· Notes: Kabocha is a squash with a green-streaked rind and tender, sweet orange flesh. An average kabocha weighs two to three pounds.
· Considered the world's most expensive spice, saffron contributes a pungent flavor and intense yellow color. It is sold in threads and powdered form.

for more fun recipes, check out my other blog, Becoming the You

Shoegasm!

2012-01-13T12:20:00.003-06:00

Ever since I borrowed this pair of Michael Kors from my friend, I've been craving a pair of my own. They're very comfortable and go with almost anything.

These platforms are really cute and would be perfect with a sundress or jeans...I love the rusty red color of them-a great pop to any outfit

Sorry I'm not sorry, but I would really appreciate it if Target employees would stop trying to rip me off

2012-01-10T22:36:00.000-06:00

I guess I should start this off by saying that i LOVE Target..it's pretty much my favorite place to shop, it has everything and they have decent prices most of the time...There is one thing; however, that really bugs me about Target..maybe it's just the Target that I go to, but ugh it really irks me.

Whenever I go shopping and I can use coupons, I will. I am by no means an extreme couponer, but like most people, I like to save money whenever I can. Not only does Target accept coupons, they also will give you $.05 off of your total for every reusable bag that you use to bag your purchases. I'm obsessed with reusable bags...I take them everywhere, I use them everywhere...I think it's a great way to reduce the use of plastic bag waste and help the environment.

So, I'm not exactly sure if the training is off, or if the people behind the register just don't care, but the past few times that I've gone to Target, they've tried to skip all or some of my coupons, and they have not scanned for my reusable bags. I try to be really nice and just remind them about the skipped coupons and the bags by asking them if they had done it instead of telling them, but all i get is eye rolls and sighs...which is kind of a tell tale sign that they did it on purpose and they got caught.

It's just annoying...just do your job, scan the coupons, scan for the bags...you don't work off of commission, so the money I save does not affect your paycheck.

Music Monday

2012-01-09T16:10:00.003-06:00

On Noisetrade, grab free music downloads from Paper Route, Nettwerk,

At Spin, download a free metal mixtape, download a free song from Twilight Sad here,

Listen to and grab a free download of Sean Fournier's new song, All I'll Ever Need here

Check out Caitlin Canty's upcoming shows here

Grab some free acoustic downloads from Matthew Mayfield here

The top 10 tracks for free download on Tweet for a Track

Dedication takes a lifetime, but dreams only last for a night.

2012-01-08T17:21:00.002-06:00

I posted this up on Becoming the You, but I wanted to share it over here too

This quote is from All Time Low's song, Stay Awake. We all have dreams about what we're going to do and who we're going to be as we grow up. We have this wonderful picture in our head that includes our dream career, love life, success, family, but just dreaming and thinking about these things are not enough. In order to get the life we want and become who we want to be, we have to dedicate ourselves to working hard to get there. We cannot expect things just to happen out of thin air...that one day I'll just wake up and be skinny, or I'll wake up with a boyfriend. No, that's not going to happen. I have to work out and eat healthily to lose weight. I have to put myself out there, date some douche bags, and find the man of my dreams. If we really want these fabulous lives that we deserve, we have to put our heart and soul and all into everything we do. One day, we'll get those things that we want, but we will never get them if we don't dedicate ourselves to making those dreams become a reality.

So I have been thinking...about making a vision board...they've been "featured" on Jerseylicious and 2 Broke Girls, but I really think they are a good idea. Basically, you get a posterboard and you cut out pictures of things that you want to work for and words of inspiration to keep you on track. It reminds you that you need to work hard for what you want, and it's a great way to creatively display your hopes, dreams, and goals.

Shoegasm!

2012-01-06T15:13:00.003-06:00

I love a great looking pair of flats...I'm kind of picky about my flats because it's so easy for them to look too juvenile or too old lady. This pair of Fossil's is a great looking, neutral flat, that would be perfect for work or a quiet night out when I don't feel like being tall.

I really love these platform wedges. They're perfect for going out and I think they give off a sweety yet sexy edge.

Enchanted

2012-01-03T17:45:00.000-06:00

A few weeks ago, I watched Disney's Enchanted again. I loved the movie the first time I saw it, but watching it again just a few years later, I saw something else in the movie. Yes, the movie is about true love, but it's also about making your own fairy tale ending instead of looking to live the ones that have already been told. We don't need to settle for something because it's what we've been told is expected of us, or because it's the "right" thing to do. No one dictates what how we live our lives, who we fall in love with, or when. Our lives are not stories that are already written out for us to live word for word; our lives are are pages that we write as we live.

It would be great to live a fairy tale and live happily ever after, but I'd rather make my own instead of living a fictional life that's already been written and had a movie made about it.

Music Monday

2012-01-02T20:37:00.002-06:00

At Spin! Check out the 20 best pop albums of 2011, 20 best metal albums of 2011, 20 best r&b albums of 2011, 2o best country/americana albums of 2011, grab a free metal mixtape, grab a free download of 24 "best of" tracks,

On Noisetrade, grab free downloads from Among Savages, Graham Colton,

The top 10 tracks for free download on Tweet for a Track

Check out Andrew Belle's new Daytrotter Session here

“Beauty isn’t judged by the size of your jeans"

2012-01-01T12:46:00.000-06:00

From Jack Barakat of All Time Low (a band that if you have not checked out, you really should)

I guess this is really wildly appropriate for me to post on New Year's Day as the concept of this quote is always in the back of my mind. I want to be that perfect girl...not the chunky, sometimes awkward and quirky one that I am. No lies, I was talking to a friend of mine the other night and called myself a beached whale lying on my bed...what a gross thing to say about anyone, and how can I even say that I respect myself if can say that about myself and then laugh? I always say that I know that there is more to me than my weight (and being real, I am not super fat, but I'm not thin...I'm slightly overweight, but I'm active and I'm TRYING...which is more than a lot of people, thinner than myself even, can say)

Instead, I am going to really focus...for real this time, on myself...on keeping myself happy and doing things that make me happy. Being happy will make me even more beautiful than I already am; hopefully self satisfaction and pride will help that shine through to others. I don't need to be crazy with diets and trying to be perfect because when it all falls apart, maybe I put on some weight, or I don't have time to put on my makeup or dress well...I want to make sure that my friends or the guy who I'm dating see and appreciate the beauty within.

There's more to all of us than "the size of our jeans"...and just as "Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend" says..."Girls grow cold as men grow old and we all lose our charm in the end" beauty and looks aren't forever, but substance and happiness do last and having or not having those can make or break even the most superficially beautiful person.

Shoegasm!

2011-12-30T18:16:00.002-06:00

These Lucchese and Justin boots are really cute...I love brown and teals/torquoises together...this would go with a lof of different outfits and are perfect from fall to spring...the tan pair will go with almost anything...I really need to buy myself some cowboy boots soon!

Eggshell Cafe

2011-12-29T22:44:00.000-06:00

Eggshell Cafe is another cute breakfast/brunch place in the Deerfield, IL area. This is one of the 3 places that my family goes when we want to have our big family breakfasty meals.

They are only open for breakfast and lunch and their food is very good and very fresh. We ate there on Passover which led to me doing my best not to eat bread products there. I ordered an omelet which was delicious and just gave my bread to my sister who decided not to keep Passover that year. I enjoyed the restaurant; however the waitstaff did not seem so keen on having such a large and loud party there. I understand that we aren't always the party you want at your restaurant, but patience and kindness is key to building a pleasant experience for your customers.

I would definitely go back to Eggshell Cafe. The food was good, and who knows, maybe the waitress was having a bad day.

Check out Eggshell's website here.

Music Monday

2011-12-26T21:42:00.000-06:00

Grab a free download of the Low Anthem's new record, Snake Album here

You can buy The Downtown Fiction's Pineapple EP here

You can download Don Trip's new single, Lawyer in the dirty or clean version

On Noisetrade, grab free music from The Undeserving, Rachel Platten,

Grab a free download of Jack and White's new song, Voices here

Grab two free downloads from I Love Monsters here

Here are the top 10 tracks for free download on Tweet for a Track

I let my haters be my motivators

2011-12-25T18:21:00.000-06:00

It's actually crazy how this quote (from that new movie, The Sitter...which I still need to see) just completely relates to my life in the past week...There's been a lot of drama at work which I'm not going to get into on here, but it left itself with people being super competitive in rude ways. I've kind of become the hated one there because of the situation...I guess that's what I get for doing the right thing...but whatever. Now, my coworkers who are on the same level as I am are looking for any way to see me failing or doing badly. It pisses me off beyond belief and honestly, it's really frustrating to go to work and have people pretend like you don't exist. Unfortunately, this is my reality right now, so I really have to use this to motivate me to make my calls, get my work done, and keep doing well. It's a really frustrating situation, but this is really the only way that I can make it into a positive one.

Shoegasm!

2011-12-23T21:35:00.000-06:00

You really can't go wrong with a fun pair of sneakers..my closet is full of them, and I would love to add this pair of Converse to my collection

Sorry I'm not sorry, but Christmas is not the only winter holiday that people celebrate

2011-12-20T21:37:00.000-06:00

I’ve been on the hunt for Hanukkah candles…I live in a fairly Jewish part of Dallas, so I assumed (clearly making an ass out of u and me) that the Albertsons near my apartment would have some Hanukkah candles since they had a decent kosher section for Passover…Well, the kosher section has been reduced to one column shelf at the end of an aisle and is pretty much full of Passover food-Passover is in April by the way…oh and they have latke mix (that’s hanukkah) and matzo ball mix…slightly acceptable…so anyway, no Hanukkah candles…I go down the seasonal aisle thinking they may be over there..tis the season for Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa you know…there is NOTHING in this aisle except Christmas bags, bears, wrapping, hats, candy…nothing at all…period…

and I am slightly offended…I can take (barely) the Christmas music, but having nothing for any other holiday in a store where all different kinds of people shop…that’s plain offensive and ignorant

Music Monday

2011-12-19T10:35:00.000-06:00

At Spin, check out the top 20 songs of 2011,

Check out Caitlin Canty's upcoming shows here

You can buy Nathan Angelo's acoustic review on iTunes or on his website

Buy tickets for Hot Chelle Rae's Beautiful Freaks tour here

Grab a free download of Outasight's new song, Let's Go here

On Noisetrade, grab free downloads from Ten out of Tenn, Jessie Baylin,

The top 10 free downloads from Tweet for a Track

Check out Tyrone Wells' upcoming tour dates here

You can buy Tis the Season to be Fearless on iTunes

Download Lori McKenna's new song, Wishlist here

You can buy Wes Kirkpatrick's Naps and Nightmares here

You can buy the Hawk in Paris' EP His+Hers EP on iTunes

Music Monday

2011-12-12T20:43:00.000-06:00

Grab a free download of Elenowen's Christmas EP here and check out their upcoming shows here

Check out the all the dates on Hot Chelle Rae's Beautiful Freaks tour here

Check out Adam Sullivan's Kickstarter campaign here

At Spin! grab a free download of 8 tracks from their December issue here,

On Noisetrade, get free downloads from Attwater, A Merry Mixtape, Zach Williams and the Bellows,

Check out Neon Indian's upcoming tour dates here

You can buy The Maine's new album, Pioneer on iTunes

Check out Brooke Annibale's upcoming shows here

You can buy Tim Halperin's Christmas single on iTunes and get some free downloads here; check out his upcoming shows here

Grab some free downloads from Plumb here

You can download The Heyday's new single here

Check out Apache's Daytrotter session here

Max's Delicatessen and Restaurant

2011-12-11T13:49:00.000-06:00

Every time I go to visit my family in Highland Park, without fail, we have at least one meal at Max's. No joke, when I was there over Thanksgiving, I ate there two days in a row...it was almost 3 in a row until we decided to break out of our Max's box.

Truth be told, I am not a huge fan of breakfast or brunch food, but being that I am Jewish, and apparently Jews are obsessed with brunch, I have to deal with it more than I'd like. I like Max's ( and places like Max's) because their variety of breakfast and brunch foods fit into what I will eat for those meals. I love Mediterranean omelettes (or basically a tomato, spinach, olive, mushroom, feta omelette). I don't eat the traditional pancakes, waffles, etc-I just don't have a taste for those at all, so finding places that actually make what I want is awesome. They also have ways to make your meal a little healthier; you can order your omelettes with just egg whites, you can have them make it with PAM spray instead of oil, and you can also order fruit and whole wheat toast as sides to your meal.

I do have to be honest though, in true New York style, Max's is a little overpriced. The food isn't the best food that I've ever had, but it is still great food. Max's is a great place to go for breakfast/brunch/lunch with your family and not worry about being too loud. It does get busy between 10:30 AM and 1PM, so be prepared to wait a little bit. Try to get your whole party there so that you can be seated as soon as possible-because they get so busy, they really don't seat incomplete parties. Check them out here and definitely go visit if you want some good New York style deli in the Chicago area.

Jury Duty Scam-Pass On

2011-12-10T14:25:00.000-06:00

Pass this on to your grown children and anyone else you can think of. This has been verified by the FBI (their link is also included below). Please pass this on to everyone in your email address book.
It is spreading fast so be prepared should you get this call. Most of us take those summonses for jury duty seriously, but enough people skip out on their civic duty that a new and ominous kind of fraud has surfaced.
The caller claims to be a JURY DUTY coordinator. If you protest that you never received a summons for jury duty, the Scammer asks you for your Social Security number and date of birth so he or she can verify the information and cancel the arrest warrant. Give out any of this information and bingo: your identity was just stolen.
The fraud has been reported so far in 11 states, including Oklahoma, Illinois, and Colorado, AZ and more. This (swindle) is particularly insidious because they use intimidation over the phone to try to bully people into giving information by pretending they are with the court system.
The FBI and the federal court system have issued nationwide alerts on their web sites, warning consumers about the fraud.
Check it out here:
http://www.fbi.gov/page2/june06/jury_scams060206.htm
And here:
http://www.snopes.com/crime/fraud/juryduty.asp

Live for yourself, Love those around you but realize they’ve got their own agendas

2011-12-07T13:22:00.000-06:00

~Alex Gaskarth [All Time Low]

I posted this in Becoming the You the other day, but I wanted to put it up here as well. This is something that has taken me a while to realize and I am just now really putting this into gear. I'm a whole lot happier now that I've realized this. I'm really beginning to work and develop my passions instead of just doing things because I'm expected too, or because I know that they're sure fire ways to get approval.

If there is one thing that we all need to remember in life, it's this. We need to live for ourselves and please ourselves. Yes, it feels great to know that we made someone else proud of us, but we deserve to feel pride in ourselves too. Do things that make you happy and find your own path to success. Your sense of success, happiness, and pride is probably different than your parents', best friend's, or sibling's idea of those ideas. There's no shame in that! The only shame is doing things and working towards things that aren't really what you are passionate about and what you want to do. Those who care about you and love you the most will be proud of you no matter what you do as long as you are happy and proud of yourself.

Music Monday

2011-12-05T23:42:00.001-06:00

Check out Kelly McRae's upcoming shows here

You can buy Sugar and the Hi-Lows' first sing, See It For Yourself, on iTunes

At Noisetrade, download free music from Tyrone Wells, The American Songwriter Session,

You can buy Joe Pug's Live at Lincoln Hall on his website or iTunes

At Spin! check out and download some of the 50 Mixtapes You Need to Hear,

Check out Steven Kellog and the Sixers' upcoming shows here

Grab a free download of Josh Ritter's Lantern here

The top 10 free downloads on Tweet for a Track

Grab some free downloads from Matthew Mayfield here

You can buy Ben Rector's Christmas EP, Jingle and Bells on iTunes

Get a free download of an awesome Remix of Breanne Duren's Catapult here

You can buy The Endless Summer's new single, Satellite on iTunes

Check out Caitlin Canty's upcoming shows here

Grab a free download of The Captain Cuts remix of Outasight's Tonight is the Night here

Get some free downloads from Ocean is Theory here and here

Israel: Mountain High

2011-12-04T19:45:00.000-06:00

Though the mountain borders of Israel are filled with ghosts of past and present of bloodshed and war, they are also just another piece of the beauty and mystique that the state is made of. We went up north to visit the Golan Heights, which had been a Syrian Outpost (complete with active landmines just steps away from our paths). From the top of this outpost, we had a gorgeous view of the Syrian countryside, as well as a view over Israel.

Even though, I know that this land is constantly being fought over, it is still hard for me to imagine how something so beautiful can hold such agressions. When I think of war torn areas, I don't think of beauty, I think of destruction. Israel, and especially the Golan Heights completely contradict my naivety.

We also took a walk through an ancient synagogue. Obviously it was just the ruins, but I am still amazed at the intricacies of the stonework that was used so long ago. I think I said this before, but I really do feel like we, present day, are so naive to the abilities that people had so long ago. True, they did not have anything close to the technology that we have today, but that just makes everything that they did accomplish in terms or architecture and medicine even more impressive. Just looking at these ruins and realizing that they are just a glimpse into what these structures really looked like is kind of mindblowing.

Shoegasm!

2011-12-03T21:34:00.002-06:00

I love the detail on the back of these shoes; it jazzes up a black pump without being too risque

Shoegasm!

2011-11-26T21:17:00.000-06:00

These Sam Edelman's are the perfect balance between professional and sexy...I could definitely rock these at work or at a sales conference without feeling like I'm dressed inappropriately...and with the right dress, these would be great for a spectacular evening outfit as well

Music Monday

2011-11-21T22:25:00.002-06:00

You can buy David Mead's new album, Dudes on iTunes

You can buy Peter Bradly Adams and Caitlin Canty's Down Like Silver on iTunes

On Noisetrade, download free music from Young the Giant, Matthew Mayfield,

Check out Graham Colton and Steven Moakler's tour dates here

Check out Adam Sullivan's KickStarter campaign here

You can buy Green River Ordinance's Christmas album on iTunes and Amazon

Check out NeedToBreathe's upcoming tour dates here

Check out new Daytrotter sessions from O'Brother, Ana Egge, Johnny Corndawg, Future Islands, Cataldo, RX Bandits, PS I Love You, and Superhumanoids

The top 10 tracks for free download on Tweet for a Track are

You can buy Sara Swenson's new album, Never Left My Mind on iTunes, Amazon, and at her Merch Site

Through a Rapist's eyes-Please Read and Pass On, You May Save a Life

2011-11-20T14:16:00.001-06:00

It seems that alot of attackers use some tactic to get away with violence. Not many people know how to take care of themselves when faced with such a
situation. Everyone should read this especially each and every girl in this world. THOUGHT THIS WAS GOOD INFO TO PASS ALONG…

FYI - Through a rapist’s eyes! A group of rapists and date rapists in prison were interviewed on what they look for in a potential victim and here are some interesting facts:

1] The first thing men look for in a potential victim is hairstyle.
They are most likely to go after a woman with a ponytail, bun! , braid, or other hairstyle that can easily be grabbed. They are also likely to go after a woman with long hair. Women with short hair are not common targets.

2] The second thing men look for is clothing. They will look for women who’s clothing is easy to remove quickly. Many of them carry scissors around to cut clothing.

3] They also look for women using their cell phone, searching through their purse or doing other activities while walking because they are off guard and can be easily overpowered.

4] The number one place women are abducted from / attacked at is grocery store parking lots.

5] Number two is office parking lots/garages.

6] Number three is public restrooms.

7] The thing about these men is that they are looking to grab a woman and quickly move her to a second location where they don’t have to worry about getting caught.

8] If you put up any kind of a fight at all, they get discouraged because it only takes a minute or two for them to realize that going after you isn’t worth it because it will be time-consuming.

9] These men said they would not pick on women who have umbrellas,or other similar objects that can be used from a distance, in their hands.

10] Keys are not a deterrent because you have to get really close to the attacker to use them as a weapon. So, the idea is to convince these guys you’re not worth it.

———————————————————————————————————————————-

POINTS THAT WE SHOULD REMEMBER:

1] If someone is following behind you on a street or in a garage or with you in an elevator or stairwell, look them in the face and ask them a question, like what time is it, or make general small talk:
can’t believe it is so cold out here, we’re in for a bad winter. Now that you’ve seen their faces and could identify them in a line- up, you lose appeal as a target.

2] If someone is coming toward you, hold out your hands in front of you and yell Stop or Stay back! Most of the rapists this man talked to said they’d leave a woman alone if she yelled or showed that she would
not be afraid to fight back. Again, they are looking for an EASY target.

3] If you carry pepper spray (this instructor was a huge advocate of it and carries it with him wherever he goes,) yelling I HAVE PEPPER SPRAY and holding it out will be a deterrent.

4] If someone grabs you, you can’t beat them with strength but you can do it by outsmarting them. If you are grabbed around the waist from behind, pinch the attacker either under the arm between the elbow and
armpit or in the upper inner thigh - HARD. One woman in a class this guy taught told him she used the underarm pinch on a guy who was trying to date rape her and was so upset she broke through the skin and tore out muscle strands the guy needed stitches. Try pinching yourself in those places as hard as you can stand it; it really hurts.

5] After the initial hit, always go for the groin. I know from a particularly unfortunate experience that if you slap a guy’s parts it is extremely painful. You might think that you’ll anger the guy and make him want to hurt you more, but the thing these rapists told our
instructor is that they want a woman who will not cause him a lot of trouble. Start causing trouble, and he’s out of there.

6] When the guy puts his hands up to you, grab his first two fingers and bend them back as far as possible with as much pressure pushing down on them as possible. The instructor did it to me without using
much pressure, and I ended up on my knees and both knuckles cracked audibly.

7] Of course the things we always hear still apply. Always be aware of your surroundings, take someone with you if you can and if you see any odd behavior, don’t dismiss it, go with your instincts. You may feel
little silly at the time, but you’d feel much worse if the guy really was trouble.

——————————————————————————————————————————-

FINALLY, PLEASE REMEMBER THESE AS WELL ….

I know you are smart enough to know these pointers but there will be some, where you will go “hmm I must remember that” After reading forward it to someone you care about, never hurts to be careful in this crazy world we live in.

1. Tip from Tae Kwon Do: The elbow is the strongest point on your body. If you are close enough to use it, do it.

2. Learned this from a tourist guide to New Orleans : if a robber asks for your wallet and/or purse, DO NOT HAND IT TO HIM. Toss it away from you…. chances are that he is more interested in your wallet and/or
purse than you and he will go for the wallet/purse. RUN LIKE MAD IN THE OTHER DIRECTION!

3. If you are ever thrown into the trunk of a car: Kick out the back tail lights and stick your arm out the hole and start waving like crazy. The driver won’t see you but everybody else will. This has saved lives.

4. Women have a tendency to get into their cars after shopping,eating, working, etc., and just sit (doing their checkbook, or making a list, etc. DON’T DO THIS! The predator will be watching you, and this is the perfect opportunity for him to get in on the passenger side,put a gun to your head, and tell you where to go. AS SOON AS YOU CLOSE the DOORS , LEAVE.

5. A few notes about getting into your car in a parking lot, or parking garage:
a. Be aware: look around your car as someone may be
hiding at the passenger side , peek into your car, inside the passenger side floor, and in the back seat. ( DO THIS TOO BEFORE RIDING A TAXI CAB) .
b. If you! u are parked next to a big van, enter your car from the passenger door. Most serial killers attack their victims by pulling them into their vans while the women are attempting to get into their cars.
c. Look at the car parked on the driver’s side of your vehicle, and the passenger side. If a male is sitting alone in the seat nearest your car, you may want to walk back into the mall, or work, and get a guard/policeman to walk you back out. IT IS ALWAYS BETTER TO BE SAFE THAN SORRY. (And better paranoid than dead.)

6. ALWAYS take the elevator instead of the stairs. (Stairwells are horrible places to be alone and the perfect crime spot).

7. If the predator has a gun and you are not under his control, ALWAYS RUN! The predator will only hit you (a running target) 4 in 100 times; And even then, it most likely WILL NOT be a vital organ. RUN!

8. As women, we are always trying to be sympathetic: STOP IT! It may get you raped, or killed. Ted Bundy, the serial killer, was a good-looking, well educated man, who ALWAYS played on the sympathies of unsuspecting women. He walked with a cane, or a limp, and often asked “for help” into his vehicle or with his vehicle, which is when he abducted his next victim.

Send this to any woman you know that may need to be reminded that the world we live in has a lot of crazies in it and it’s better safe than sorry.

If u have a heart or compassion reblog this post.
‘Helping hands are better than Praying Lips’ – give us your helping hand.

REBLOG THIS AND LET EVERY GIRL KNOW
ATLEAST PEOPLES WILL KNOW WATS GOIN IN THIS WORLD.
So please reblog this….Your one reblog can Help to spread this information.
I hope you all will Reblog. Lets See how many of you really care for this.

Shoegasm!

2011-11-18T20:11:00.001-06:00

These Frye sandals are simple summer casual...they'd be perfect with shorts or a dress depending on the occasion, and would be great with jeans for those warmer fall or spring days...I think I've been having a Frye-gasm lately...I love their shoes!

These are also Frye...very chic and casual, they'd work great with a dress or jeans. I also like them because they are pretty classic and would last season after season.

Music Monday

2011-11-14T22:03:00.002-06:00

Grab free downloads from Derek Jordan here

On Noisetrade, download free music from Brooke Annibale, The Low Anthem, Sara Swenson,

At Spin! Grab a free download of their November playlist here, Small Black's Nicki Minaj sample cut here,

Check out Steven Kellog and the Sixers tour dates here

On Daytrotter, check out new sessions from Acrylics, Javelin, Gun Lake, Small Houses, R. Stevie Moore, All Get Out, Carl Broemel, We Are Trees

The top 10 tracks for free download on Tweet for a Track are

Help the Vespers out with their Kickstarter campaign here

Check out the Ocean Is Theory's upcoming tour dates here

Check out Steven Moakler and Graham Colton's upcoming tour dates here

Shoegasm!

2011-11-11T21:25:00.003-06:00

Friday's Shoegasm with Peace, Love, Applesauce and Boobies, Babies, and a Blog

These are super sexy and risque...they'd be so fun to wear for a night out with a hott outfit

These are kind of the less sexy, office appropriate version of the first pair of shoes...I love wearing fun shoes to work, and a fun, black staple is such an easy way to make a work outfit just a little bit more interesting

Fadi's Mediteranean Grill

2011-11-10T21:51:00.000-06:00

There are some nights when I just crave Mediterranean food..and more than just hummus and pita chips. I first went to Fadi's when it opened in Houston...I will admit, my young self was a little snobby about it because it was not a sit down/waitor type restaurant...there's nothing wrong with that, I was just being a little bitch and going through a phase.

Fadi's has great, authentic Mediterranean food, ranging from safe and simple options (hummus and pita chips) to the more daring and traditional options (kabobs, falafel, shwarma, dolmas...I could go on). The food is always delicious and made with healthy and fresh ingredients. I usually go with a falafel plate and pita chips...I really need to branch out because I LOVE all of the food they have, I just for some reason crave falafel like none other.

So I think that all of you should give Mediterranean food a try, and if you're awesome and live in a city that has a Fadi's (Houston, Dallas, Frisco, and coming soon Sugarland), you should go and try it!

Check out their website and menu here

26. My life is a joke centered around bad timing

2011-11-08T19:41:00.000-06:00

Seriously-I won tickets to a Dallas Stars game from work...the game was on the same night as game 7 of the Rangers-Cardinals world series...SO of course I had no one to go with...so I stayed home like the awesome person that I am....It really sucked because I love hockey and I've been wanting to go to a Stars game and get back into hockey for a while...Of course, this is just one example of the story of my life..it's like whenever I try to do something good for myself, it locks me out of something else...whenever I get into something, it makes me awkward (or even more unique...?)..it's so frustrating because it's like..what am I doing wrong and why does this keep happening? I would LOVE to break up this joke pattern of my life, but for now I'm just going to laugh, because last week really took the cake.

Boyce Avenue, Granada Theater-Dallas

2011-11-08T19:14:00.003-06:00

I finally saw Boyce Avenue a few months ago after waiting too long for their previous sold out shows. When I say that Boyce Avenue is amazing, I mean it. Their lyrics are so heartfelt and deep, and they bring a whole new level to each of the songs that they cover. These brothers have been through a lot and have drawn from their experiences to make beautiful and inspirational music. They are a great band to see live in a more intimate venue. I don't have any pictures or video, but here are some of their songs...see if you like them; they do tour the smaller venues around the States quite often.

For more Boyce Avenue, check out their official website, youtube channel, facebook, and twitter.

Music Monday

2011-11-07T13:58:00.000-06:00

Download a free Fall playlist from Refinery 29 here

Check out Elenowen's upcoming shows here

At Spin! Grab a free download of their CMJ 2011 Mixtape here, and a free november playlist download here

From Noisetrade, grab free music from Cary Brothers, Lord Huron,

You can download Down Like Silver's self titled EP here

Check out The Undeserving's upcoming tour dates here

Check out the Dirty Guvnah's upcoming tour dates here

You can buy Harrison Hudson's new album, American Thunder on iTunes and Bandcamp

Grab a free download of The Hundreds presents Gilbere Forte's Some Dreams Never Sleep here

Check out new Daytrotter Sessions from The Milk Carton Kids, Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, Patrick Sweany, Mansions, The Union Line, G. Love, Danny Brown, and Main Attrakionz

You can buy Katie Herzig's album, A Walking Sleep on iTunes and Amazon

The top 10 free downloads on Tweet for a Track are

You can download Tonight is the Night by Outasight on itunes

Check out Kelly McRae's upcoming tour dates here

Grab a free download of Looking for You Again by Matthew Perryman Jones here

Grab a free download of She Ain't Easy by Suite 709 on their Facebook

Help Jake Ousley with his Kickstarter Campaign here

25. I want a secret down low real relationship

2011-11-05T17:26:00.001-05:00

Which because it's me, is impossible for 2 reasons: 1) I get WAY too excited about things and always end up telling people...2) it's me, and i polarly repel any type of romantical relationship period...but if i could, i really would like one...I think that a relationship like that would actually benefit me...being just one on one with a guy...just us, getting to know each other and hopefully falling in love..and doing that with out the distraction of other people knowing too much about the relationship...i'm not talking about dating in secret, but if nobody really knew that I was dating anyone...maybe if i did keep it to myself for a while, it would work out...which honestly, at this point in my life, I really am ready for...and all i can do right now is keep putting myself out there and hoping for the best

Shoegasm!

2011-11-04T21:54:00.001-05:00

Friday's Shoegasm with Peace, Love, Applesauce and Boobies, Babies, and a Blog

I also really love this pair of Frye platform sandals..understated and edgy...definitely on my list

These slingback wedges are really cute and I think that they would be perfect for a vintage dress or a vintage style outfit with jeans.

Israel: Natural Beauty of Nature

2011-10-30T21:08:00.003-05:00

While bussing through Israel, you pass a lot of coastline and deserts. When Israel first became a state, you would not have passed many trees at all, but today, you'll see plenty of banana trees (those are the ones with blue plastic bags hanging off of them), as well as tufts of budding forests. None of the trees in Israel are natural to the land; efforts such as the JNF (check it out here) have raised money since the state was born, to plant trees in Isreal.

The Mediterranean coast is beautiful as well as the banks of the Jordan River. Closer to the Lebanese border, you can see beautiful grottos and views from Rosh HaNikrah, We took a speed boat and got as close to the Israel-Lebanese border that we safely could. The water was so clear and the views were gorgeous. The speedboat ride was a lot of fun; I made the decision of going with the kids and my aunt, P; this mixture always results in hilariousness. After the speedboat ride, we sat on the rocks, absorbing the scenery while the rest of our group took their ride.

Together, we took the cable cars to the grottos at Rosh HaNikra. These beautiful cave formations have been carved out for years by the water. The beauty is such a contrast to the bitter feelings and moments that come to mind when most people think of the Israeli-Lebanese border.

22. I believe in giving a smile, at the least, to everyone I see

2011-10-29T19:18:00.001-05:00

It's just simple politeness...No one has to say good morning or start up a conversation with everyone, but smiling at people who may be strangers for a second may make their day...It's hard to make a monotonous day at work or school seem enjoyable, especially if you feel invisible. How many people have you passed in hallways or been on an elevator with others who you either pretend don't exist, ignore, or don't say anything to? Even if you don't know them, giving them a simple smile makes you seem approachable and might brighten their day. I don't think a simple smile is putting out too much effort. Who knows, it may be the start of something really good, and really, do you want to look like the bitch or asshole who walks around looking like she or he is too good to talk to or acknowledge anyone they don't know? I personally do not.

20. In every tv show, there's a hott skinny girl and a hilarious fat girl-the "average curvy girl" between is either a bitch, a nerd, or a slut

2011-10-25T22:17:00.001-05:00

Seriously thank G-d for Kat Dennings, or else this would be COMPLETELY true...so look at it, every single tv show..hott, skinny, pretty girl..check, maybe even a gorgeous and skinny group of friends...then there's a hilarious and pretty heavy girl...but whenever there's someone average, she is made super unattractive in some way-looks, personality, intelligence...in any combination...I'm a pretty average sized girl, maybe a little above, and this makes me really sad...which is why I am soo loving Kat Dennings (watch 2 Broke Girls if you're not already; she's also in Nick and Nora's Infinite Playlist and The Housebunny)...She's so pretty, she has a great sense of humor, and she's not stick thin...It's just nice to finally see someone who I can relate, whose around my age, being successful, being the leading lady. She's not caught up in everything and she's a real person...Not that Hollywood should dictate how we feel about ourselves, but it really does; when we see people "like us" whether in looks, sense of humor, etc, it makes us more secure...Hollywood does dictate how society sees people, so yay for the quirky, sometimes awkward seemingly average but not girl!

19. Please don't tell me to "watch my quantities" on what I eat...I am sick of people telling me that I'm getting fat...I AM AWARE

2011-10-23T16:42:00.001-05:00

So I was home last weekend for a family event...and it's Sunday, we had just had brunch, my grandparents are getting ready to leave; I'm leaving for Dallas in a few hours, and my grandfather comes up to me and says "I know I'm close enough to you to say this-you really need need to watch your quantities of what you're eating" So I just smile and nod like yeah Papa, I know, I'm working on it..and pretend like I'm brushing it off, but really, those words and words of the like are burned into my mind for ever....In middle school, a boy in my Hebrew class called me fat and that was the first tim it really hit me...at camp, a boy who I liked called me pleasantly plump...clearly it wasn't that pleasant because he didn't like me back...I've always been the chubby girl, the heavier friend...whatever, it sucks, but to have your family like constantly nit pick at EVERY little thing wrong with you...please stop! Don't get me wrong, I LOVE my family, but this just did not help.

I know that I need to take better care of myself, but here is where I am right now: I've been living in Dallas for a little over a year and I have FINALLY found a group of friends to go out with; work is picking up, friends are fun, and life is just picking up...so obviously that means more going out, more drinking, less sleep, and a little more stress (as work still must get done...we're professionals here!)...So yes, I look fat...I am a little chubby, i ALWAYS am...I work out intensely at least 2 times a week (I know it's not enough), and I do really try to eat healthily and not drink TOO much, but sorry, I'm 23 years old...this is what I do...so instead of pointing out that I'm gaining weight or I look fat, tell me that I look happy, I seem happier and you're glad that things are coming together...that's how I'm trying to feel, but pointing out that I'm getting fat or how I'm still single doesn't help my outlook on life.

Music Monday

2011-10-10T22:07:00.001-05:00

Check out Matthew Mayfield's upcoming tour dates here

At Spin! Get a free download from G Side here, and their October Mix here,

Check out Courrier's upcoming tour dates here

On Noisetrade, download free music from Steven Kellogg and the Sixers,

Download Joe Jonas's new single featuring Lil Wayne, Just In Love, here

Check out Andrew Belle's upcoming tour dates here

Download Hot Chelle Rae's new single, I Like it Like That on iTunes

Grab a free download of Suite 709s EP, Keys here

Grab a free download of Joe Pug's Live sessions on the Hear Ya Blog and check out his upcoming tour dates here

Check out Jack and White's music video for Double Trouble here

On Daytrotter, check out new sessions from The Bo-Keys, DM Stith, Wooden Wand, The Holidays, Mason Jennings, Santah, Alexi Murdoch, and Mat Kearney.

The top 10 tracks for free download on Tweet for a Track are

If you'd like to help Micah Dalton create his next album, click here to learn more about sponsoring a song

Check out The Dirty Guvnah's upcoming tour dates here

You can buy Stars Go Dim's new album, Between Here and Now in iTunes

16. Why go to the gym if you're just going to sit on various machines and text

2011-10-09T11:00:00.000-05:00

I seriously do not understand this...I get using the gym to work out with your friends or say hi to people who you know, but if you're just going to text, do you need to take up a machine to do it? Do you even need to be at the gym? I mean yeah it really has nothing to do with me, it's just like...a gym has a purpose...and it's really not easy to get a good work out in if you're constantly breaking to text...It just bugs me...I just don't understand it

15. I love my bed and can't wait to get into it, even on my best days

2011-10-06T20:57:00.001-05:00

So there are 3 kinds of "Oh my goodness, I can't wait to get in my bed" days:

1. Those awful days when nothing goes right and you just want to go home and forget everything
2. Those that just completely drain you for one reason or another
3. A great, fun day when even though you don't want the event to end, your bed just seems so sweet

and bonus points when it's a bit chilly outside...best time to just snuggle

I don't think I really came to love my bed though, until I moved out and bought my own mattress, bed frame, etc. Now, every night, I just want to get in my bed; screw eating and everything else, all I want is my bed and my DVR...or Netflix. Unless I have plans :)..and I guess I don't need to get into how difficult it is to get out of bed in the morning...even if I've had enough sleep and am well rested, I just hate getting out of my bed. It's the perfect snuggle cocoon...all mine needs is a few more pillows-besides a good man, that's all I need for the perfect bed.

14. Trying to explain some aspect of your culture to someone but they just don't get that it's important or sacred

2011-10-02T12:50:00.000-05:00

A few days ago, as a Jew, I celebrated the new year, 5772. Our new year celebration is an evening and two days or prayer and thanking G-d that we were blessed with another year. It's very spiritual and brings about a lot of self reflection. It's probably weird reading this fro me as all I seem to do is complain about my Jewish get togethers, my family, and how everything is crazy and how much I hate it. As much as I do all that..and at this time of year, it is pretty much a daily occurrence, my spirituality is very important to me, and it's not something that I take lightly. I know that most of the world is not Jewish, so it's not commonplace to know about Jewish holidays, when they are (heck, we don't even know...gotta love that lunar calendar), how long they last, what we do, etc. What I do know is when every Christian holiday is, a basic idea of how they are observed, and why...Partially from knowledge that is out there, and partially because I ask my friends questions and actually listen to what they tell me. I am truly interested in other faiths, their holidays, and how they observe them. I guess one of the reasons I get stressed during the Jewish holidays is (aside from when I'm with the craziness of my family), is having to explain over and over what I'm doing, why I'm doing it, and try to help non Jews understand that it is important. That these holidays are not just a day where Jews get together and be Jewish, it has a purpose, even if I complain enough about it to trivialize it, it has a huge purpose and a huge significance in my life. So when I have to repeat the same things to the same people every year, it kind of gets me thinking...they don't feel that it's important to remember, and they don't care to learn more. They're both fine, I don't expect everyone to want to delve deeper into religions and cultures that aren't their own, but my thing is: I'm happy to answer questions, explain customs, etc as best as I can if you actually CARE to learn about it. If you're asking just because it's that time of year and you're trying to be a good friend, it's cool, you can forget about it. I'm not going to be offended....Just remember that when you have that random day off in September or October and you ask your Jewish friend to hang out, they probably can't-it's probably a holiday. I don't expect people to memorize when every Jewish holiday is (I can't even remember-google is my best friend), but be sensitive...I wouldn't ask you to go get brunch on December 25...and please don't trivialize the day and act like it doesn't exist...it may not mean anything to you, but it does mean something to me...and just because you don't understand it doesn't mean that it doesn't mean anything either

13. I've been electrocuted twice

2011-10-01T11:47:00.000-05:00

True story

The first time was when I was in Israel in 05...We were down in the Negev at a Kibbutz; the showers in our bathrooms were level with the bathroom floor...which was level with the rest of the room...So after the 4 of us took our showers, our whole bathroom and room were pretty much flooded..there was water everywhere...thus began the attack of the Squeege...All we were given to get the water out of our room was squeegies. It took us a while to get it all out of our room...definitely over an hour of pushing and squeeging and toweling. The floor was still damp when we were done, but at least it wasn't sopping wet or slippery. My little Israel cell phone was dying and I needed to charge it. I guess my feet were still a little too wet and I got a nice surprising electric current when I plugged it in to the wall.

The second time was a few nights ago. I was on the patio at a bar with my friends and I kept putting my hand on the fence and noticing that it was humming. The metal on my ring must have come in contact with something on the electrical box that I had my hand on and I got zapped again.

Okay, not the most awesome stories, but they were both pretty funny...Thank goodness no one got seriously hurt, but I really need to be more careful about things like that

12. Men: I don't care how ripped or fit you are, NONE Of you need to be wearing tank tops to the gym, i don't want to see your nip slips or armpit hai

2011-09-30T00:46:00.000-05:00

I know, I talk about how sexy hairy men are...and I still believe that, but gym sweat and post gym sweat are two different degrees of hotness. I don't want to see the sweat dripping off of your armpit hair as you grunt and lift your weights. I don't think that women should be wearing crop tops either, but most men don't have a problem with that (of course, if the woman is in shape...double standard because I have seen so many out of shape men wearing tank tops to the gym thinking they're all that) so just..keep it covered in the gym...everyone..please?

Shoegasm!

2011-09-29T20:54:00.002-05:00

I am obsessed with these Frye platform sandals...everything about them...i NEED them

11. I hate talking on the phone

2011-09-27T22:40:00.000-05:00

How rude and bitchy does that sound?

Okay well first I just hated it because I get really distracted when I can't see people, so I end up focusing on other things and it's hard for me to remember or pay attention to things that are just said to me (notepads at work and sticky notes are SO my friends)

second, my ear and my head get hot and uncomfortable and it kind of just spreads through my whole body and them I'm all uncomfortable and overheated and trying to pay attention...plus neck bending or cradling...because I'm a major multitasker because I'm not face to face with the person

third, i'm on the phone all day at work...which i get paid for...not that i don't love my friends and family, but sometimes I just don't want to be all crampy and overheated on the phone after i've already been on the phone all day

all of that being said, I've been really good about being on the phone lately, I had 3 phone conversations in the past 5 days that have lasted over half an hour...the others were just me bugging my mom, or my sister calling me about some random stuff...but i still hate talking on the phone...i just make exceptions sometimes

Music Monday

2011-09-26T23:13:00.003-05:00

Check out Ivan and Alyosha's upcoming tour dates here

Grab a free download of Zach Ellworth's So Called Heroes here

Check out Katie Herzig's video for Free My Mind here

Grab a free download of Outasight's new song, Loosen Up here

At Noisetrade, grab free music from Matthew Sweet, On Joyful Wings, Flogging Molly, Marc Broussard,

You can buy Ben Rector's new album, Something Like That on Amazon or iTunes

At Spin! grab a free download of their October playlist here,

The top 10 tracks on Tweet for a Track for free download:

Check out new Daytrotter sessions from Diamond Doves, Cerebral Ballzy, EMA, Low, Desolation Wilderness, Stepdad, Blue Giant, and Michael Chapman.

Grab a free download of Breathe Caroline's remix of Cobra Starship's You Make Me Feel here

10. super productive one day, complete opposite the next

2011-09-25T19:18:00.001-05:00

I come in to work knowing that I have to get down to it..I know I have to make a certain amount of calls and try to make sales..and I know that my performance and any type of raise that I get is based on this...so why some days can i make 40-60 calls and others I only manage to squeeze out 15 or 20...on the same type of project..I just don't get it! I'm at work for at least 8 hours every day but some days it's like pulling teeth to get anything productive done, even when I don't have other things going on...I just don't get it

9. Sleeping through all 3 of your alarms

2011-09-22T23:03:00.000-05:00

Once every few months, this will happen to me...I'm not sure if I lose my hearing at night, or if I'm just in SUCH A deep sleep that my alarms just don't occur to me...The other day, I seriously had no recollection or my alarms going off or me turning them off; I never heard them that morning..like not even a last snooze. I guess the logical answer would be that I did hear them but I was in such a deep sleep that I turned them off instead of snoozing them without even noticing. Thank goodness my internal clock is getting used to getting up early (and man that took a LONG time)...I woke up about 45 minutes after I usually force myself out of bed, so of course I'm rushing to get ready for work...whatever, I just don't understand how 3 super loud/repetitive/kind of annoying alarms could not coax me out of a sleep! I mean 2 of them are just beep beep beep annoyingness, and the other is "Live To Party"-like really, WHAT happened there? How was I THAT out of it?

Shoegasm!

2011-09-22T20:20:00.002-05:00

These Earthies wedges are really cute...the wedge isn't as high as I would normally wear, but definitely a cute, casual neutral for days or nights when you don't want to be too dressed up.

8. Finding a random mix cd from 10 years ago and blasting it all the way to work

2011-09-21T22:33:00.002-05:00

I've been going through my CD's (mixed, original, labeled, unlabeled) and listening to them every few days in my car...I just found one that I made after my second year of sleepaway camp..which yes, was the summer after 9th grade...yes, I had a super late start...i know...anyway, it totally revved me up and powered me through the day...such a good and productive day...this cd brought back so many memories of great friends and great times at camp, dancing around and singing at the top of our lungs and just being absolutely ridiculous and not caring one bit.

So 9 years ago, my music life included Good Charlotte, Simple Plan, Hilary Duff, Dreamstreet, Nelly, Led Zeppelin, Don Henley, and some other great stuff...I blasted the whole cd on the way to work...you wouldn't think that driving alone was such a party, but try it! Don't be afraid of the solo car dance party...it can be your best friend.

Music Monday

2011-09-19T23:26:00.003-05:00

Check out Nathan Angelo's upcoming tour dates here

Grab some free music from The Parlor Mob here

Check out The Scoundrels' tour dates here

On Noisetrade, grab free music from Julia Sinclair,

You can buy Ben Rector's new album, Something Like This on iTunes and Amazon

You can buy Shwayze and Cisco Adler's album, Island in the Sun on iTunes

You can buy The Hawk in Paris's His +Hers EP on iTunes and Amazon

Grab a free download of Mountain Song by Trent Dabbs here

You can buy a physical copy of Toro Y Moi's Freaking out EP here or buy it on iTunes and Amazon and check out tour dates here

Check out the tour dates for Ten out of Tenn here

You can buy Neon Indian's new album, Era Extrana on iTunes

On Daytrotter, check out new sessions from Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Matt the Electrician, The Chapin Sisters, RYAT, Folklore, G-Side, Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, and Wildlife.

If you share Micah Dalton's new video, High and Low, here, you can get a free download of his live 5 song EP.

Check out Drew Holcombe and the Neighbors' new video for Live Forever here

The top 10 tracks on tweet for a track are

Why I DON'T think College is a Waste of Time

2011-09-17T16:27:00.000-05:00

A few months ago, an opinion article was published on CNN.com titled "College is a Waste of Time". I was a little taken aback by that and had to read it to see what this article was about.

In summary, Dale believes that college is a place that does nothing to promote forward thinking, innovation, and originality. He stresses that college is a place of conformity where students are taught to compete with each other instead of learning things that they can use in their professional lives after college.

I'm not sure what kind of person Dale is or what his school offered, but I believe that college truly is what you make of it. If you take every lesson for face value and get caught up in peer to peer competition just for the glory of being better and smarter than someone, then yes, that is what you will get out of college. If you explore the lessons and apply them to things that you are interested in, you can develop yourself into an innovative and forward thinker. For instance, I really loved my business law classes and my marketing classes. I also really love music. Without even realizing it, I started applying basic marketing strategy to the ways that some of my favorite bands at the time were being marketed. It become really interesting to me how differently you can market one band (or product) to various segments and targets and get each of them interested for different reasons.

Syracuse's business programs definitely encouraged strong entrepreneurial spirit and forward, out of the box thinking. We were constantly challenged to think of things differently and I feel like that really enriched my understanding and application of those lessons.

I graduated over a year ago and was hired full time upon graduation. Since then, I have moved up in my company and am now in a position where marketing, account management, and quick thinking is necessary if not mandatory. Had I not gone to college and taken those classes, I'm not sure that I would be in this position. For one thing, you need to have a college degree to qualify for about 95% of the positions available at my company.

What Dale did not mention was how much the college years are needed for a person to socialize, grow, mature, and start to find themselves. Not everyone is a technologically savvy and can get a start up bonus or hired straight on for reasons like that if they drop out. Most people have not matured to the point that they can discipline themselves to take all of that responsibility on so suddenly. I know that I have changed a lot and that time in college really got that moving for me.

If college is an option, I would suggest take it; use it as exploration and a chance to find something that you like and dive into it. That window of opportunity to actually have that time gets smaller as we get older.

Shoegasm!

2011-09-16T21:43:00.002-05:00

Friday's Shoegasm with Peace, Love, Applesauce and Boobies, Babies, and a Blog

These gold Bernardo flip flop flats are really cute. They're a great upgrade from the rubber flip flops for going out and dressing up an outfit

I really like this pair of Lucky Brand platforms. They have a fun, vintage look to them and can be worn with lots of different outfits and color palettes.

3. when it first hits you that something is really...or really happening

2011-09-15T21:22:00.000-05:00

happened today...we attended a conference for work that will segue us into our new roles as account managers...literally half the presentation (which was presented by the execs to all of the account managers and sales execs of this part of the company) was about how our new sales section is key to growing business and the success of our company...they had the 9 of us stand up (6 of us being in our 20's) so that we could be introduced to everyone else...and from then on, we got a less than warm reception from most people...some of them were excited that we'd be helping out, others just didn't understand why they got a bunch of kids to do their jobs...

So on one hand, we're like okay, we've all got college degrees, we aren't kids, and we are just as capable as you to be doing this job...and that's where I had my holy shit moment...as in...this IS my job...I am owning these accounts, I'm not just a customer service agent or someone to go through to get to someone else. This is real...on top of the other stuff that my group does...this is like...not a go nowhere, stay anonymous, no real ownership job...and that's just weird to think...that I started working with this company full time a little over a year ago, that I graduated a little before that..and now this...like, it's just now that I'm stopping and seeing all of this and it's completely crazy...awesome and a little scary, but crazy good.

Light the Night

2011-09-14T17:53:00.001-05:00

I post these a lot; I'm sure you all have already realized this, but all of these benefit events, runs, walks, etc are really such a great way to raise money for a cause and come together with your friends and as a community for something good.

My sister, Hayley and her sorority are participating in Light the Night this year. Light the Night, benefits the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (research and support for those who have cancer of the blood)...any support would be appreciated ♥ Please follow this link for more information or to donate http://pages.lightthenight.org/mid/Lawrence11/HRosenberg

Israel: Visiting the Herodian City of Caesaria

2011-09-13T17:39:00.000-05:00

Another early morning on our trip brought us a bus ride to Caesaria to see the ruins of Herod's palace. King Herod was all about wealth, splendor, the "latest" technology, and having several homes all over his kingdom. Caesaria was a very strategic place for Herod to build up because it was a very powerful port city and was the one of the great gateways for trade to his kingdom.

Though the city is in ruins now, it was one of the greatest and richest port and trade cities in Israel for years and years. It has been rebuilt almost as many times as it has been destroyed; one of the most pertinent keys to its timeline besides the Herodian era mosaics being the pointe archways which exist in structures built from the Crusades era and on.

Seeing the expanse of ruins, it's pretty easy to imagine the splendor of the palace that Herod had built in Caesaria. It's crazy to think though, how huge and intricate everything was and the fact that it was built without using the technology that we have today. This is one of my favorite things about learning about ancient cultures and civilizations; it's amazing to think that they accomplished their own equivalent of what we have today. They weren't just people living in huts or caves; they thrived just as we do.

Herodian ruins

Music Monday

2011-09-12T22:20:00.004-05:00

Preview John McLaughlin's new album, Forever if Ever here and buy it at his merch store or on iTunes.

At Spin! check out the 30 must see fall tours here, grab a free download of Toro Y Moi's single, All Alone here, grab a free download of their September Playlist here,

From Noisetrade, grab free music from The Hawk in Paris, and Soundland

Buy Breathe Electric's Acoustic Sessions 2 here

Check out Apache Relay's upcoming shows here

Grab a free download from Shwayze and Cisco Adler here

Check out Andrew Belle's upcoming tour dates here

Jack and White posted a new acoustic video of Smoke and Mirrors here

On Daytrotter check out new sessions from Darker My Love, William Elliot Whitmore, The Dandy Warhols, Leo Rondeau, Daphne Willis, Thousands, Chapel Club, and Unknown Mortal Orchestra.

You can buy Joe Brook's new EP, A Reason to Swim on iTunes or at his website here

Check out Paul Dempsey's upcoming tour dates here

Here are Sara Swenson's upcoming shows

Preorder Matthew Sweet's new album, Modern Art, and check out his show dates here

Watch The Waiting Kind's video for an acoustic version of Heaven Calls My Name here

2. The first workout after not working out for a while

2011-09-12T21:52:00.001-05:00

so much pain, but it feels so good...okay, so it's only been a week and a half ish since my last work out/spin class, but in the course of last week, I definitely gained 3 lbs thanks to work: sales meetings, happy hour, Babe's southern fried heart attack lunch, and then Prarie's BBQ lunch...and Christy's amazing mushrooms...so yeah...I was a lazy ass slug...yes, a slug...because I did nothing over the weekend but have a migraine and watch lots of DVR'd tv...I LOVE weekends like that...BUT...I should have gone out and run...or something...I skipped the work outs last week because my class was canceled for labor day, and then I decided to socialize on Wednesday instead of go to Spin....so i REALLY should have done SOMETHING over the weekend...as much as I want it to count, my grocery store trip does not count as exercising..even if I did walk there and back.

SO anyway, back to normalcy...at least one spin class a week...I've got a mud run 5K this weekend,the Komen 5K in October, and the Caine Halter 5K in November...lots of running and walking...and you can bet I will be running 2 out of 3 of those, if not all of them

Chicken and Chard Pasta Fagioli

2011-09-11T16:52:00.002-05:00

Okay, I absolutely love meal worthy soups in the winter. I don't know why, but I find soups so comforting. I guess I love the warmth and that I can add as much hot sauce and vegetables that I want to them, especially when I'm making them for myself.

Here's a recipe for Chicken and Chard Fagioli. I couldn't find chard, so I used spinach. It was still delicious and I'd imagine the chard would be really tasty as well.

Chicken and Chard Pasta Fagioli

Serves: 6 Edit
Prep Time: 12 min
Cook Time: 30 min

Ingredients:

2 tablespoon(s) olive oil
3/4 pound(s) Swiss chard, stems diced (1 cup), leaves torn (4 cups)
1 1/4 cup(s) diced onion
1 1/4 cup(s) shredded carrot
2 teaspoon(s) chopped fresh rosemary leaves, or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
2 teaspoon(s) crushed red pepper flakes
5 cup(s) reduced-sodium fat-free chicken broth
1 can(s) (28-ounce) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can(s) (16-ounce) red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
2 cup(s) shredded roasted chicken breast
1 1/4 cup(s) (about 6 ounces) ditalini or tubetini pasta
2 tablespoon(s) grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving, optional

Directions

Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat; add chard stems, onions, carrots, rosemary, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Sauté 5 minutes. Add chard leaves; sauté 2 minutes or until wilted.
Add broth, tomatoes, and beans; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook 10 minutes. Stir in chicken and pasta. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 8 to 10 minutes longer, until pasta is cooked. Stir in grated cheese. Ladle into bowls and serve with extra cheese, if desired.

Calories	345
Total Fat	8g
Saturated Fat	--
Cholesterol	--
Sodium	--
Total Carbohydrate	44g
Dietary Fiber	--
Sugars	--
Protein	28g
Calcium

1. The Never Ending Migraine

2011-09-11T14:00:00.001-05:00

in both literal and figurative ways....I've had this migraine since Thursday...it started with dehydration from a nap and eating a huge southern fried lunch-which was amazing, but I never do that...it continued through Friday and a really boring and annoying training session...reared it's ugly head on Saturday which I fought through because I didn't want to sit at home doing nothing...I thought it had let up that night but of course it came back to keep me company this morning.

stress, work, not being good enough, being alone, trying to be good enough

life's migraines...these don't go away...hopefully this physical one will because I've got another big week coming up and I'm determined to make the new leaf that I've turned over a big one

Shoegasm!

2011-09-09T19:25:00.001-05:00

Friday's Shoegasm with Peace, Love, Applesauce and Boobies, Babies, and a Blog

This pair of Seychelles is understated but fun...with a pair of skinny jeans or even a pair of flared jeans, they could add some color and fun to a neutral outfit.

Part Mule, part peep to bootie, these Michael Antonio pair is a great neutral wedge that down here in Dallas, I could wear way into early winter.

Papa-papa-paparazzi

2011-09-07T18:29:00.000-05:00

In this day of overshare and eminent flaws, the paparazzi seem to have no problem catching celebrities in weak or vulnerable moments. I'm not talking about a wardrobe malfunction or a drunken exit from a club though; I'm talking about those moments where these people are not trying to be a celebrity, but instead trying to do things that are more important. I have seen way too many pictures of these people trying to be moms, dads, and friends. The means that the paparazzi goes through to get these pictures is crazy. To top it all off, the pictures are spun to show how rude a celebrity is or how awful they look in street clothes or without make up.

I can tell you right now, I am wearing nike shorts, a t shirt, and no make up. My hair is thrown up in a messy bun because I live in Texas and it's disgustingly hot inside my apartment right now even with the a/c on because the sun is shining right through the slats of my blinds. If I was famous and being hunted down by a super powered paparazzi lens, I would get slammed when those pictures were published. That sucks because when I'm not at work and I don't have plans, this is how I look. We try to teach our children that society's perception of beauty is wrong and we try to tell our daughters that a good man will love you as much in a fancy dress, heels, and make up as he will when you're dressed down and in no make up. I know that my parents have, but honestly, I haven't found one yet. Not one who can appreciate the balance of a natural and beautiful woman.

So I'm getting off topic; here is where this rant came from. A few months ago, I read an article in People about how paparazzi was following Tori Spelling as she dropped her kids off at school. She had the baby in the car and all she was trying to do was get away from the paparazzi and get on with her day. The paparazzi stayed on her tail and she ended up getting into a car crash with her baby in the car. But this is thought of as acceptable; she was just being a bitch and not giving the paparazzi what they wanted. Tori is obviously an awful person for doing this; trying to give her children the most normal lives possible and trying to spend time with them, be a mom and a working woman. How unacceptable of her to think that this was okay.

When I read this article, the first thing that went through my mind was how dare these paparazzi endanger a child and a mother just to get pictures. Tori Spelling is such an accomplished woman; the fact that she has a reality show and yeah her dad is Aaron Spelling does not downplay the fact that she has taken control of her life and has done things that she set out to do. The paparazzi reduce her to nothing but a famous name. They don't care about her kids or her family...or their safety.

I applaud Tori for doing her best to evade the paparazzi. I applaud any celebrity for doing the same thing. So what if Justin Bieber gave the paparazzi the finger while driving away after a date with Selena Gomez? Let them date; let them be happy. Their dates are not hollywood red carpet events, so no photographers and paparazzi have any business being there. Miley smoked Salvia? Good lord, that's what teenagers DO! They smoke pot, they drink, they experiment. I don't agree with it, but I certainly would never turn anyone in on purpose or slander their name.

I think it's all about respect. Twitter, facebook, and the internet in general have blurred the lines of private and public. I've even had some of my own personal things that I've shared on those sites reported to my parents in a completely skewed way and I'm just an average nobody. It sucks and even that took a while to smooth over. No one has any right to judge others or make them look bad purposefully. See a celebrity with their make up off? Look at yourself? My dark circles could rival a raccoon on some days. See a celebrity hide their child or give paparazzi a stern look or remark when they follow them and their child? How would you feel if someone was taking pictures of you and your children or siblings at the park, at school, at the grocery store and sharing them with the world? I'd call that stalking, personally, so before you judge them, think about it.

Music Monday

2011-09-05T22:59:00.001-05:00

Courrier, Parachute, and Kate Voegele are going on tour! Check out the dates here

Check out The Dirty Guv'nah's upcoming tour dates her e

Grab a free download of Wavves' I Wanna Meet Dave Grohl here, as well as free downloads from Margo May, Pepper Rabbit, Saint Motel, and Human.

At Spin! grab a free download of their Dance Mix for Electric Zoo here, grab a free download of The Dream's album, 1977 here

Grab two new free downloads from Mr. Don Trip here

Help Caitlin Canty with her Kickstarter Campaign here and get a free download of Vermont here

Help Derek Jordan with his Kickstarter Campaign here

Grab a free download of OnCue's new single, Don't Fall For That here

Preorder Stars Go Dim's new album, Between Here and Now here

Listen to new Daytrotter sessions from Femi Kuti, Kinna Granis, Mustard Beards, Themes, Mister Heavenly, Darker My Love, William Elliot Whitmore, The Dandy Warhols.

Grab a bunch of free music from Adam Sullivan here, here, here, and here

Buy Plumb's new single, Drifting here

Check out Steve Moakler and Andrew Ripp's tour dates here

Take a look at Susan Enan's tour dates here

Smiles for Southwest Airlines

2011-09-03T20:14:00.003-05:00

I know that I bitch about airlines and airports a lot, but I promise this is different! Southwest Airlines constantly blows me away with how easy and comfortable they make everything. I used to not be a fan of the choose your own seat feature but now that they have everyone divided into zones and online check in, I like it more. Score a window seat? It's my favorite feature ever.

I was on a flight from Chicago to Houston with a flight attendent who had such a great sense of humor. We may have been slightly delayed; if we were, I can't remember. This guy had us laughing in our seats every time he came on the speaker system. His jokes and one liners were the Full House/Boy Meets World type: funny for the kids even if the real funny parts went over their head.

It's always a nice change to encounter a smiling and positive flight attendent rather than a stressed out and snappy one. I feel like I always say that flying and traveling is so stressful as is; its so nice to see staff who can handle situations in a positive way and put everyone else at ease at the same time.

Shoegasm!

2011-09-02T15:43:00.000-05:00

Love these heels...I can't tell if the criss crosses are leather, but i know that that would make them just even more awesome...They're by Promiscuous and again, I'm just loving the zipper trend on heels...kind of like an instant sex kitten feeling when you put them on :)

Running for the love of Dave

2011-09-01T09:31:00.000-05:00

This November, my best friend and I are running the Caine Halter Lungs for Life 5K in honor and memory of her dad who recently passed away from lung cancer. Please help us support this cause if you can; donate and support Do it 4 Dave here.

For more information on the Caine Halter Lungs for Life 5K, check out their website

Young Love-Mat Kearney [album review]

2011-08-30T19:59:00.006-05:00

Mat Kearney is one of my favorite music artists right now. His music is soulful, honest, and real. You don't have to dumb yourself down to listen to it and you definitely don't feel like you're in the middle of violence or a crazy party all the time. Mat is an artist that you can relate to, musically, and personally. He's gone through life and he's still living it realistically. He's a work in progress, trying to make the most out of his life while staying true to himself.

His new album, Young Love, released about a month ago along, just three months after it's first single, Hey Mama debuted on the radio. Hey Mama is upbeat and so fun; it's a really happy and flirty song; you can't help but start to sing along once you have gotten the hang of it. Down and Ships in the Night follow as his next two singles, giving casual listeners of his a real taste of the new album.

The whole album is a combination of Mat's own rock and folk edge with some spirituality sprinkled throughout. Though most of the album is upbeat and pieces of a love story, the last song, Rochester, closes the album with a unique feeling. The song itself is very somber; however it ends with a glimmer of hope within sadness. I was not expecting a song like this after hearing the rest of the album, but was definitely not disappointed. Rochester pulls emotions and tugs at raw reality. It actually reminds me of a song that Bruce Springsteen might write. The song shows Mat's abilities as a singer and a songwriter.

For more about Mat Kearney, check out his official website, iTunes page, and Facebook page.

I received a free copy of Mat Kearney's album, Young Love, through One2One Network in exchange for my non biased and honest review of the album. Aside from the album to review, I did not receive any compensation for writing this review though I will be put into a random drawing for a gift certificate upon publishing this review on my blog. For my full disclosure statement, please click here.

Music Monday

2011-08-29T23:49:00.001-05:00

On Noisetrade, grab free downloads from Darren Flowers, Blitzen, Trapper, and Dawes, Steven Moakler, Plumb,

Check out Zach Williams and the Bellow's Kickstarter Campaign here

Check out Andrew Ripp and Steven Moakler's upcoming tour dates here

Here are The Apache Relay's tour dates

On Daytrotter, check out new sessions from Grouplove, Disappears, Fresh Millions, My Gold Mask, Mika Miko, Mount Kimble, Cotton Jones, and Princeton.

From Spin! download their September playlist for free here,

Check out Sara Swenson's upcoming shows here

The top 10 tracks for free download on Tweet for a Track are

Ellie Holcomb released Magnolia EP; buy it here

Get a free download of Jack and White's live and acoustic Gemini here

Israel: Long Walk to Benny the Fisherman

2011-08-28T18:56:00.000-05:00

So I'm beginning to think that it's just kismet that whenever I am traveling abroad, we get lost. It happened so many times while I was abroad in college, so why wouldn't it happen while I was in Israel? This time, like many times, we were just around the corner from where we were trying to go. After the archaeological dig, we had a great falafel lunch as we walked around Tel Aviv, and then spent some time on the beach before dinner. We walked down the boardwalk on the beach to Benny the Fisherman, a great seafood restaurant a little ways from our hotel.

We got to enjoy the fresh, sea breeze as we walked, even though we got lost and probably ended up walking around 15 minutes more than we really needed to. Along the beach, we found some exercise areas; I'm sure that everyone has seen those along running paths, people use them to stretch or do some ab work during their runs. In Israel, they have makeshift ellipticals and chest press machines as well as some others; definitely not gym quality, but it was kind of cool to see. Of course we played on them (why wouldn't we).

So anyway, we get to Benny's, and the restaurant is full of life and energy. It was very close quarters, and I'm really not sure how they fit our whole party in there, but they did, with most of us at one table. I was impressed. They serve so many different kinds of fish and seafood dishes that if you eat any type of fish (even fried calamari and shrimp), you will be able to find something delicious to eat.

My only issue with the restaurant is one purely of my own irrational fear of fish with eyes and heads. You know, when you're at the grocery store and you see the fish on the ice behind the glass with their eyes and heads in tact, but their dead? Yeah, I have a huuuuge fear of that, it just..fjkdal;fjkldsa. So of course, the fish are served filleted but with the heads and eye sockets attached. This doesn't bug most people, but sometimes it kind of ruins my appetite. I got over it with my dish of fried shrimp and calamari that my cousin and i shared. Along with the abundance of appetizers, I don't think that I could have finished a full meal at Benny's anyway. The meals are huge, filling and satisfying, and their appetizers are rich and full of Mediterranean tastes and textures.

Music Monday

2011-08-21T21:47:00.002-05:00

Help Zach Williams and the Bellow with their kickstarter campaign, more information here

Green River Ordinance has released 2 new songs; buy them on iTunes or Amazon. ALL proceeeds go to the charity, Water Hope

From Spin! grab a free download from Kevin Devine here,

Grab a free download of Brianna Gaither's Love is Patient here

Check out Jake Ousley and Grant Terry's upcoming tour dates here

Check out Breathe Electric's midwest tour dates here and buy their single, Talk to Me on iTunes here

On Daytrotter, check out new sessions from The Civil Wars, Jill Andrews, The Luyas, Thieves and Villains, Teen Daze, Ashua/Pacific Hurt, Zola Jesus, and Des Ark.

Get the tour dates for the 10 out of Tenn tour here

Check out the Pledge to Rage tour dates here featuring OnCue, the Dean's List, and Gilbere Forte

Get information about Graham Colton's next Live in Your Living Room show here and his tour dates with Ben Rector here

Check out tour dates for Taking Back Sunday, the Maine, and Bad Rabbits here

Preorder The Undeserving's debut album here

The top 10 tracks for free download on tweet for a track are:

From Noisetrade, download free music from Ben Rector,

Check out Caitlyn Canty's Kickstarter Campaign here and her tour dates here

Preorder Jon McLaughlin's new album, Forever is Ever here and his upcoming tour dates here

Grab a free download of Gilbere Forte's I Be (on my chill) here

Check out Drew Holcombe's upcoming shows here

Check out Brandi Carlile's solo tour dates here

Shoegasm!

2011-08-19T21:42:00.000-05:00

Friday's Shoegasm with Peace, Love, Applesauce and Boobies, Babies, and a Blog

I love this pair of Nine West wedges. I think that the back zipper gives the shoe a hint of sexiness but also dresses up and makes the outfit a little more edgy.

These Michael Antonio slingback wedges are really fun and versatile. They're sexy and can go with many different outfits.

Winner: UPrinting Giveaway

2011-08-14T23:09:00.002-05:00

Congratulations to Cathy! You won my UPrinting Giveaway...I don't have any other way of contacting you so I hope you see this! Please leave a comment with your email address on this entry before 11:59 on August 15.

Thanks and congratulations!

Shoegasm!

2011-08-12T11:58:00.001-05:00

Friday's Shoegasm with Peace, Love, Applesauce and Boobies, Babies, and a Blog

These Crocodile boots from Lucchese really stand out to me. The detail on the boot is really pretty and unique. I also love the coloring; it brings out the detail without being too loud.

I really like these Seychelles, they would be perfect to dress up jeans and a plain top.

Music Monday

2011-08-08T23:45:00.001-05:00

Check out Brooke Annibale's upcoming tour dates here and grab a free download of Yours and Mine here

From Spin! grab a free download of their Lollapalooza mix here and check out the must see bands from Lollapalooza here,

If you're a fan of Elenowen and in or near Nashville, click here for your chance to win access to an exclusive live session taping on August 18.

From Noisetrade, grab free music from Laura Jansen, Justin McRoberts, Terra Naomi, Adam Sullivan, The Waiting Kind

You can buy Every Avenue's Bad Habits on iTunes, Hot Topic, or stream it on Pure Volume

Check out Peter Bradley Adams' upcoming show dates here

On Daytrotter, check out sessions from The Ettes, The Black Swans, The Lighthouse and the Whaler, 4onthefloor, James Vincent McMorrow, Doldrums, The Knux, and Shenandoah Davis.

The top 10 free tracks on tweet for a track are:

Check out Zach Williams and the Bellow's kickstarter campaign here

Check out Darren Flowers' Pledge project here and the video here

Shoegasm!

2011-08-05T18:37:00.004-05:00

Friday's Shoegasm with Peace, Love, Applesauce and Boobies, Babies, and a Blog

Though I love wedge sandals for the summer, I also love the elegant twist on flip flops that has been trendy for a while now. These are Galban by Aldo.

These Lucchese's are gorgeous. I love the cutouts and the contrast of the black, blue, and white.

Giveaway: UPrinting Customizable Stickers

2011-08-03T17:26:00.012-05:00

The awesome people over at UPrinting and Giveaway Blogs have contacted me to run a nice little giveaway from UPrinting. The winner will receive a set of 250 customizable stickers.

What? You've never heard of UPrinting? Well, UPrinting is an online printing company that through socially responsible and eco conscious means helps small businesses market and spread their names. On demand, they create high quality business printing and graphic printing orders for their customers. They offer discounted pricing and eco friendly inks as well as 55% post consumer recycled content to create customized stickers, graphics, and more. They also provide free label printing templates to help you create your own content at home. What a great way to get your word out, label your kid's gifts, or your handmade crafts while still being environmentally friendly.

UPrinting would like to giveaway a set of 250 personalized stickers to 1 (one) of my awesome readers. The stickers will be 2'' x 3.5'' 70 lb Label Matte with printing on the front only. These have a 4 business day turn around time from the time UPrinting receives your order. You can check the prize out here, and remember, these stickers are completely customizable for your purposes.

Have you checked out UPrinting yet?

Ready to enter? Here are the rules:

I will choose the winner through Random.org on after the closing of this giveaway on at 11:59 PM CST on August 13, 2011-meaning that all entries that are received after that time will not be considered towards the random drawing. To enter is simple-just complete the mandatory entry. If you would like more chances to win, consider completing as many of the extra entries as you would like. Please do not lie about those entries that you have and have not completed; I am doing this all on the honor system if verification is not asked for. Please leave your email address in the comments if it is not visible in your profile.

If you have won a giveaway from UPrinting in the last 6 months, you are not eligible to win this giveaway.

I will announce the winner on this blog, via twitter, and on the blog's facebook page. If you see that you are the winner, PLEASE check your email INCLUDING your SPAM folder; if you do not get back to me, I will have to redraw.

This giveaway is open to all US residents, 18 and older.

Mandatory entry:

What would use your customized UPrinting stickers for?

Extra Entries: [if an entry says +2 or etc, please leave that number of comments so that you get the correct amount of entries]

Get Smashed! (Google Friend Connect -publicly- with me)
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Tweet “Enter to win 250 customizeable stickers from @UPrinting at Go Get S.M.A.S.H.E.D. http://awe.sm/5QKSF ends 8/13/11” OR click the green retweet button on the left sidebar +1 per tweet per day (please leave tweet URL)
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Leave a genuine comment on any of my past entries (leave me the title of the entry) +2
Blog about this giveaway (must be at least 100 words) in your blog and leave me the URL +5
Join Giveaway Blogs by clicking over my pink Giveaway Blogs button on my right sidebar or go here +3

This giveaway ends on AUGUST 13, 2011. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to email me or leave it in a comment; good luck!!

Disclaimer:
This giveaway is sponsored by UPrinting, no monetary compensation was given and I will receive stickers for hosting. Check out product templates on UPrinting.com. My complete disclosure policy can be found here.

Music Monday

2011-08-01T23:35:00.004-05:00

Graham Colton is performing a Live in Your Living Room show. More info here

Liza Day released a video for their single Lie to Me. Watch it here

Starlito and Mr. Don Trip released their Stepbrothers Mixtape, buy it here, and check out the music video for their single, Life, here

On Noisetrade, get free downloads from The Dirty Guv'nahs, JD Souther, Wes Kirkpatrick, 1,2,3, and Amy Stroup

At Spin! grab a free download of 20 years of Lollapalooza here, and a free download of the Fallout by Neon Indian track here.

Check out Hot Chelle Rae's new tour dates here

Watch the video for Matthew Mayfield's newest single, Now You're Free here

At Day Trotter, check out new sessions from The Coathangers, Dominant Legs, My Education/Theta Naught, Mountains, The Death Set, James Apollo, A Lull, and Grimes.

Grab a free download from Graham Colton here

Israel: Cave Crawling and Awesome Excavation

2011-07-30T21:05:00.003-05:00

Soo, I found the notes that I made about Israel and that restaurant that we went to in Tel Aviv is called Boccoccio-again, really good, pretty authentic Italian food; I really enjoyed it.

So my first full day of Israel was our archaeological dig. We got to crawl through caves and actually help dig in caves that were in theprocess of excavation. I actually did this on my first trip to Israel and I thought it was really cool. Most of the people who I was on that trip with (except a few) thought that this activity was really dorky; maybe it is, but it's SO interesting and cool. I'm kind of a history nerd and this just makes it so real. So we got to crawl through a cave that was in the process of being excavated and went t to a room that they were digging in and got to dig. My cousin, J, and I found some really awesome relics in there-serious like legit stuff that had not been planted-it was awesome! After that, we went into a fully excavated cave which they have restored to give us a look into how people used to live. We also got sh'd that day by our guide, Avi. It was kind of funny and he was a sarcastic little bitch and definitely hated me. Not going to lie, I was highly amused by him, and we definitely ignored the sh'ing.

Anyway! Here are some pictures from our cave crawling adventures, enjoy!

Shoegasm!

2011-07-29T13:33:00.004-05:00

Friday's Shoegasm with Peace, Love, Applesauce and Boobies, Babies, and a Blog

I'm not sure if I would wear these boots regularly, but they're really pretty to look at and the workmanship looks awesome (Lucchese)

I love these Sam Edelman Espadrille Wedges. Brown is great for the summer because it's not too dark or heavy. These would be so cute with a sun dress.