Yummy Cookies

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I have a die-hard sweet tooth. We all know this.

But who doesn't like cookies?

Goji Gourmet makes these superfood cookies that I was really stoked to try. They have things like almonds, goji, whole wheat flour, buckwheat honey, orange, oats, walnuts, ginger, wheat germ, and more in them. 

I've never had a ginger walnut cookie (isn't that cool sounding combo) but that's what these golden beauties are!

Ginger, walnuts and, of course, dried goji berries in whole grain, crispy cookies!

I'm more a soft cookie than crispy cookie type of girl, so I liked that, though these are crisp (they're not very thick, so that's probably why) they're still chewy.

Three words: yum, yum, yum. Though I didn't taste much of the walnuts, I really enjoyed the ginger flavor with the goji! It was really unique!

I'm also a fan of chocolate (who isn't?) so here's the goji cherry cacao:

The texture is the same, but the predominant flavors in this are chocolate and goji (there's just a subtle hint of cherry under the cocoa, but it's good that way).

They're sweet, chewy, and great for study time snacking. That said: more studying for this girl!

When are your midterm exams? I can't believe that I already have one in two weeks!


Have you ever tried goji berries?


What's the most unique cookie that you've ever had?

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Cute Looks from Spring 2012 Campaigns

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I know it's a while until spring, but...

Let's start getting psyched for spring fashion now! It's something to take our minds off of all the blistering cold, at least.

From what I've seen of spring 2012 campaigns, we have a bold spring ahead of us! It'll take some confidence to pull some of these outfits off, but boldness pays off in fashion.

There wasn't any food in this post, but you can comfort yourself by drooling over these cookies (and entering my giveaway to win your own)!


What are you most excited about from the spring 2012 collections?


What's your go-to item this winter?

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Flat Chested Fashion

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So boobs? I don't really have them. And no, I'm not one of those girls who calls her B-cup flat-chested - I'm 32A all the way.

Strapless dresses? Not so much. A few wiggles later, they're always somewhere around my navel.

Those blouses with the boob pockets sewn in? Yeah, those pockets end up flapping in the breeze. An attractive look, it is not.

But fashion is too much fun to let boobs (or lack thereof!) spoil the party. So here are some looks that we flat-chested girls can pull off better than our more endowed friends.

Triangle-Top Dresses

For my big sister and her D-cup (she takes after our mom, I'm stuck with our dad), this would be a serious case of cup runneth over. Even for the more moderate (and supposedly "ideal") C-cup, deep-cut triangle top dresses can easily cross the line to skanky.

For flat chested girls? Well, we get all the flirty and none of the skanky!

Ruffled Tops

Let's face it - with that much ruffling, you don't even really notice that it's like Illinois under there.

Can you imagine big boobs under that? It would be so unflattering - three words: Too. Much. Volume.

Cut-out Tops



Okay, so the low-back thing is actually unrelated to the topic. But isn't that a pretty dress?

MOVING ON: while that left side look may be a bit risque, even though Kate pulls it off, it would never work with Jenna Jameson boobs.

Or, I mean, I guess it might. If by work, you mean work a corner.

Slouchy Stuff

For similar reasons as with the ruffled tops, anything with a lot of draping just looks better on those of us who have a little less in the chest department.

A slinky fabric, like the one above, is great for draped evening dresses - you get just a hint of figure. Perfect.

Anyway, whatever you wear, you're sure to rock your look as long as you rock it with confidence. The boobs don't make the girl. ;)

For celeb fashion inspiration, there's always Kate Hudson and Debra Messing.

Are you afflicted flat chested? 

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Harvard/College Terms with a Side of Dorm Food

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Classes have started! Eek!

Before we get into terms, here's last night's late night dorm snack:

A few prunes and some almonds, followed by:

A chocolate peanut butter protein Green SuperFood bar that I got to try from Amazing Grass!

Have you heard of their 2 Week Challenge (a series of informative daily emails for 2 weeks)? I'll post about it soon. 

This bar was quite tasty. It was sweet, chewy, and delicious with just enough chocolaty goodness - but a mild under note? I think that's the green powder in it. Still, I enjoyed it! It's less candy bar-ish then other bars, but that's also a good thing.

Spot? Hit. 

Okay, time for Harvard terms!

*DISCLAIMER - These are Harvard/College terms, not my terms. So if anything is offensive, sorry in advance - but you wouldn't be mad at Webster for defining a curse word, would you?*

ABP - Au Bon Pain. An essential for pastries as big as your head and muesli that's so sugary you need a thermos of green tea to wash it down. See you there?

Ad Board - The disciplinary committee. Don't mess with them.

Annenberg - The stunning (but usually not-so-tasty) freshman dining hall with limited hours. Only Harvard students and their guests are allowed to enter and no photographs are allowed, but sometimes a camera-happy tourist will pop in to photograph the chandeliers and stained glass. 

Blocking Group - A bunch of people who decide, sometime in freshman spring, to be treated as a group in the housing lottery for upperclassmen houses.

Brain Break - Food. At night. After D-Hall is closed, all the good stuff comes out (cereal, pb&j's, etc. from about 10pm to 2am or something like that).

Circ - The circulation desk. In my opinion, circ isn't circ unless it's in Widener. Hopefully my job, again. :)

Comping - The tricky, hyper-competitive process you have to go through to get into clubs (like the Newspaper, Let's Go, etc.). Very time intensive. But, perhaps, worth it? It definitely leads to team spirit and dedication.

Concentration - Your major. We say concentration because majoring in bio doesn't make as much sense as concentrating on bio. There's probably a more bureaucratic reason, but that one works for me.

Crimson - Our daily newspaper.

Finals Week - A week full of multiple-hour-long final exams. Lots of free time in between, but lots of stress.

Final Club - An exclusive all-male club with roots in Harvard's history and a reputation as the more exclusive, pretentious cousin of the all-American fraternity. Known for throwing good (or just sketchy) parties with high ratios of girls : boys.

Final Club Bro - A member of said final club. The stereotype is that he's a rich, white, misogynistic male who will end up working on Wall Street or managing hedge funds. Note that this is the *stereotype.*

Harvard Hoochie - No one actually knows if they're really girls or if it's some final club bro's long-standing joke, but they're pretty famous for supposedly husband-hunting and gold-digging around campus. Especially on Saturday nights.

Harvard Time - We do everything seven minutes after normal time (it's because if you have a class that ends at 10am and another that starts at 10am, you need those extra seven minutes to get across campus).

MAC - A fantastic place to shower if your roommate is *still* in the shower. I think you can work out here, too. 

Orgo - Torture. Also organic chemistry. But mainly torture. Scared much? YES.

Penguin - The mascot of the coolest house on campus. 

Punch - Not a beverage. The beginning of some poor (not literally) guy's ordeals in trying to get into a final club.

Quincy - The coolest house on campus. Not actually a house - I'm not sure why they're called that, but each house is a dormitory complex, since ~99.9% of students live on campus, with its own dining hall and pride. I just pulled that statistic out of my you-know-where, by the way.

Reading Period - The week before finals week. Also where fun goes to die. 

RUHG - Random Ugly Harvard Girl. Again, this is a *stereotype.*

The Yard - Where all the freshman dorms are. Conveniently located near Widener, classes, and the Berg.

Widener - The most amazing place in the world. Also a library.

How many of these terms are the same at your school?

Does your school have its own terms?

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Life Lessons from Disney Villains

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Disney does an excellent job with its villians. They're vivid, fashionable, and fantastic - it's such a pity that we don't get to root for them! 

Still, even if we can't teach them anything about life, there are a few major life lessons that we can learn from them. Or rather, from their mistakes.

*DISCLAIMER: THIS IS A 100% POLITICALLY INCORRECT ZONE.*

Cruella DeVil 

She's foxy, of indeterminate age, and at the top of her field in the fashion industry. 

Really, there's no reason why DeVil shouldn't be as big a name as Versace - except for one and that's the one that cost her it all: 

Do it yourself if you want it done right.

Enlisting the so-called assistance of those twits (shout-out to Dr. House, anyone?) was her downfall.  Just catch your own puppies, goshdarnit.

Queen Grimhilde

Okay, I have to admit it - she really isn't one of my favorite villians. 

I mean, come on, she:

   * Talks to a mirror

   * Doesn't seem to understand that beauty is subjective

   * Won't own up to the fact that she's had some serious work done. Hello, botox addict much? And I smell a nose job, some work on her cheekbones, and a boob job. But that's just me

   * Wears the same ugly dress day in and day out even though she's a freaking queen

   * Is trying to trend capes. Sorry, even Superman couldn't make that hot

   * Also needs to do it herself (see above). It serves her right that she ended up with the wrong heart

Still, there is one thing that you can learn from old Queen Grimhilde. 

Go easy on the make-up or you'll look like a drag queen.

I tend to stick to mascara, lip balm/gloss, and occasionally eye liner/shadow if I'm going to wear make-up at all. Maybe if she hadn't been trying to single-handedly keep MAC afloat, she would have had a little money left over for a new dress.

Lady Tremaine

We all know the type - she's the kind of socialite who, despite being somewhat past her best-by date, doesn't put aside her ambitions. Her ambitions are a little HarvardHoochie-ish, but such ambitions were appropriate to the time. It's not like she could have run for president. 

Still, she's good at dressing in a figure-flattering way, getting things done, aiming high, and rocking gray hair. She just forgot one thing.

Choose your allies well.

Cinderella was a total sweetheart, not to mention a bit of a push-over, so Lady Tremaine could have totally buddied up to her. Had she allied herself with Cinderella instead, she'd be the stepmother of the future queen. She was just too hung up on that blood relation thing to realize that nothing was going to come of investing in talentless tarts (even if they're your daughters). 

The Queen of Hearts

In the modern version, she rocks a Lady Gaga-ish sense of style and similar eccentricities. 

So why is Lady Gaga successful beyond belief and the Queen of Hearts isn't known for much of anything other than beheading people?

Don't be a bitch.

At least, not always. Sometimes, it's just necessary. But sometimes we all just really need to take a step back and realize that (a) it's not all about the ego, and (b) even if it were, the ego won't get anything if he/she/it doesn't learn teamwork.

Maleficent

She doesn't let people walk all over her (or exclude her from The It Party), goes against the stream with her unique pet, and understands color accenting. 

But she's guilty of something that proves to be the downfall of countless villains in movies and fairytales (not to mention college students during finals week):

Don't procrastinate.

If she hadn't been all 'oh, I'll take care of the little wench later,' Sleeping Beauty wouldn't have triumphed. So if you want something to get done, do it NOW. You can always TiVo ANTM. 

Mother Gothel

She's creative, sings well, can pull off a gown and curls really well, and is The Independent Woman. 

But she fails to

Age gracefully.

There's nothing wrong with getting old, just admit it when you do. Think Betty White, not Janice Dickinson. As Kirstie Alley says, plastic surgery doesn't make you look younger, just weirder.

Have fun while you're  young and enjoy it while you have it - don't just hurry through your life trying to graduate earlier, get a job earlier, make a difference earlier. There's nothing wrong with having ambition and working hard, if you don't forget to live in the moment, too. 

Am I right or am I right?

I hope I didn't miss your favorite villain!

Do you ever root for the bad guy?

Who's your favorite villain?

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Baby, it's cold outside

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Somehow Christmas songs and movies always make it seem like Christmas time is the coldest time of the year.

FALSE.

Welcome to January, guys.

Think frozen fingers, aching noses, and frostbitten toes.
Black ice, waist-high snow, and falling icy daggers of doom.
Every trek to the library is treacherous, every walk to class an adventure.

Luckily God (or the Fashionista in the Sky, or the Cro-Magnon man, or whomever else you believe in) invented coats to keep us warm, cute and classy.

Not trashy, girls, please not trashy.

Oh, Snookie. What ever shall we do with you?

A wise man once said "the difference between style and fashion is quality."

I don't want to step on good old Giorgio's Armani-clad insteps (so much more painful than stepping on toes), but style and fashion are both valuable and both fun.

Fashion is something you experiment with, something that can change with day and mood, and something that's a very useful tool in the journey to finding your style. There's absolutely nothing wrong with taking a little time to get to the final style (which can, and probably should, evolve a bit over the years). If you don't know what your style is yet, don't rush into someone else's.

"It would be very hard for me to do things somebody else's way." Well said, Giorgio. If you aren't sure what your way is yet, you probably won't want to drop a million dollars on a coat.

I'm pretty sure this would *never* be worth a million dollars to me.

Especially when there are so many cute, convenient, and affordable coats out there!

If you think you might like the North Face Puffer Jacket look, but don't want to pay $200 to $400, you can achieve a similar look for much less.

Hollister Mission Beach, $60

If you like a flirtier, girlier version of the biker-chic look and/or you don't live in the Arctic region (or Boston) you don't have to pay $400+ (and more in a bad conscience) to wear MooMoo the Cow's cousin. Go for faux leather, instead.

Charlotte Russe Ruffle-Waist Moto Jacket, $39.99

You can keep it classic with a wool-blend tweed coat...

Forever 21 Wool-blend Tweed Coat, $24.80

...or go edgy by introducing a little color. Trust me, we'll all thank you for it - maybe there'd be a little less SAD if we didn't all dress like gloom and doom all winter.

I'm trivializing things, but it's just  a thought.

Papaya Double Breast Coat, $21.99

And, for when you're going out at night, there's always the simple trench.

Express Belted Trench Coat, $99.99

"Fashion is made to become unfashionable." Coco Chanel knows what she's talking about, so have fun with it! What's the worst that can happen?

Somehow, I think I ask that question waaaaay too often.

How often do you switch your coat?


What pieces do you buy for quality, and which do you like to experiment with?

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Kettle Cuisine

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Today, I tried two of Kettle Cuisine's vegetarian (they also have meat-y) soups. 

The company was started in 1986 by Jerry Shafir, a chef (and a dad) who wanted to create healthy, delicious soups for those who can't eat gluten (like his daughter, Kate) to enjoy. I can (and do) eat (plenty of) gluten, but I thought I was excited to try the soups anyway, since I had the vegetarian 3 bean chili some time ago and enjoyed it.

And I always enjoy the ingredients, which don't include anything artifical, don't include any dairy (at least for these varieties), don't contain any MSG, and do have a whopping load of veggies and fiber.

Short and simple, the way I look it. They come in bowls (you're supposed to leave on the top, so you don't splatter your microwave - sorry, Mom).

Nuke it for about four minutes, ignore the mess, and then there's just one word left: Yum.

How on earth do the veggies taste so fresh and delicious? There aren't any preservatives, so I suppose it must be something to do with the freezing process, hmm....

Whatever. MMMMMMMM is more like it! The Tomato Soup with Garden Vegetables is sweet and flavorful, not too salty and anything but bland. I tend not to like soup, but I loved this! My mom and little sister loved it, too.

The Roasted Vegetable Soup was very good, too - it was my little sister's favorite (she said that we have to go the store for more), with its creamy potatoes and flavorful leek, but the Tomato Soup with Garden Vegetables is my new favorite.

Have you ever tried Kettle Cuisine Soup?


Do you know anyone called Katy?

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Yummies and Resolutions

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So I didn't post about resolutions on Saturday. Or Sunday. Or Monday. Or...you get the point.

Why? Because everyone was. And who wanted another resolution post?

Even today, I'm not focusing on resolutions. I'm focusing on yummy yogurt bowl how-to with a side of resolution.

Start with yogurt (I used Stonyfield plain organic yogurt, which is one of my favorites since it's really creamy, organic, and doesn't have any weird texture/taste issues as some other can).

Top with uncooked oats and dried pomegranate arils.

Add a slice of MannaOrganics Fig, Flax, and Fennel sprouted bread.

Admire your sweet, chewy slice and the ingenuity of adding bread to yogurt. I kid. Kind of.

Now cover it all in melted peanut butter or peanut flour sauce and wa-la! Tasty!

So have I actually talked about resolutions yet? I guess not. You can do it for me, if you want.

What do you think of New Year's Resolutions?


Did you make any?


Like the duckies on my spoon?

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Trends that I *Don't* Want to See Again

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Have you ever had one of those moments when you looked back on some trends and thought 'How the heck did anyone think that looked good?'

Um, hello, 90s.

I hope that nothing from the 90s ever comes back to life. Yes, I was alive for most of the nineties (1993 was a good year - Nelson Mandela won the Nobel Peace Prize, the US Senate lifted economic sanctions against South Africa, and I was born. All really important :P ) but I was too young to defend myself against the fashion atrocities of the time.

So those sparkly jeans?

Those terrible sweatshirts?

And the sweaters that zipped open from both ends?

Forgive me my (fashion) sins, I was young and did not know better.

Which isn't to say that I know better now.

I'm sure I make many fashion faux pas. I mean, how can you not?

There's always that outfit, the one that could be either terribly fashion-forward or terribly unfortunate. If you're not willing to give it a go, and risk ultimate (fashion) disaster, you'll be stuck wearing jeans and cardigans day in and day out. That's okay sometimes (guilty - hello, finals period?) but clothes are too much fun to be scared.

I'm looking forward to seeing what 2012 has in store for us! As long as we don't try to bring the 90s back (we've brought back leggings, skinny jeans, high waists, maxi dresses, and low hemlines with various degrees of success from earlier decades already) I'm happy.

I'm crossing my fingers for bubble skirts, dresses, and delicate, sweet styles, though!

Oh, and here's a breakfast trend I'm enjoying:

Chocolate (black bean) breakfast cakes. Yum.

What do you think was the worst decade in fashion history?


Is there anything you either *really* want to see or really *don't* want to see in 2012?

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And the winner is...

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Remember how I loved that Manna Organics sprouted bread?

Just in case you don't, here's a reminder:

According to Random Number Generator, Rachel Drapkin gets 4 loaves of her choice of bread!

True Random Number GeneratorMin: Max: Result:25Powered by RANDOM.ORG

Just email me with your shipping address, full name, phone number, and the 4 flavors that you'd like in the next 24 hours and we'll get them on their way, Rachel! :)

What are you doing today?

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