Oct 30, 2013

Review: Wave Bar

So y'all know how I'm obsessed with bars, right? I've only reviewed roughly a million varieties.

And I've just had my mind blown again by a completely revolutionary bar - a hidden veggie bar with half a serving of fruit AND half a full serving of vegetables in every bar that still has a taste and texture that would make my 8 year old sister ask to have it in her lunchbox.


Wave Bar is pretty new and still only has two flavors, Baked Apple and Mixed Berry, but quality over quantity definitely holds true here. They may not have a laundry list of varieties (yet, I hope) but the two that they have are delicious and so nutritious that they're easily a great addition as a daily snack.



Around 75% of American children don't get their daily vegetable requirement, but these snacks make it easy to remedy that - the very first ingredient is Natural G Foods' special blend of vegetables and fruits!



After all, it's a food company that's made by health-conscious parents for health-conscious parents, so they know exactly what you need to make it work.

They know what parents want in a bar and they know what kids don't. They know that detectable veggies in a bar will have kids running and screaming from the table, but that a soft, sweet, normal-looking bar will keep both parties satisfied and prevent a snack-time war.



Um, kale in a kid's snack bar? But I swear you can't taste it (or, equally important for kids!) see it at all.



They look just like your standard Nutrigrain-style soft baked fruit and grain bar and taste the same - sweet, chewy, soft, and vaguely pastry-like. AKA, very kid friendly.

And just me-friendly, in general. I travel a lot and especially this fall, what with trying to get a job and be a gainfully employed adult next year (definitely a more attractive option than taking my expensive Harvard diploma and heading into Boston to be a hobo) I'm traveling a lot for interviews and whatnot. Last week, I spent more than half of the week outside of my state and was in five different states in three days.

Um, EXHAUSTING. But I beasted it.


Emperor Kuzco style.

Still, a hectic schedule like that is not exactly healthy-eating-friendly. When I'm out and about, carbs take over (even more than usual, haha) and produce doesn't really make it into the picture. I don't want to risk food poisoning and I don't want to schlep a mini-fridge around with me (aka: that's not possible) so bars, sandwiches, cereal bags, and fast food make up the bulk of my diet. This has the comforting carb-y taste and convenience, but also some veggies in there to make sure that I don't become all sorts of vitamin deficient while I'm out and about trying to make a future happen!



And once life settles down a bit more (or, if life ever settles down a bit) I love babysitting and these are the kind of snack that I can pack in my bag and enjoy with the kiddos at the park or when we're slaying dragons down by the river.

Um, no I'm not five. I swear I'm a grown-up, I have a government-issued ID and everything.

Anyway, make sure to check out Wave bars here, where you can learn more and even order some online!

Don't these sound amazing?

Do you have/want kids?

Where are you in your career journey?

Oct 27, 2013

So You Want to Get a Job: Dressing the part

In this installment of So You Want to Get a Job, I'm suggesting a pretty standard job interview outfit that will keep the attention where it belongs (on your brilliant resume) and off of less relevant topics (the birthmark on your thigh).


interview Outfit


Dolce Gabbana shirt top
€580 - farfetch.com


L K Bennett pleated skirt
€70 - lkbennett.com


Patent leather pumps
€25 - maurices.com


Lauren Ralph Lauren leather satchel purse
€225 - piperlime.gap.com


Cluster earrings
€22 - swellcaroline.com




If I can say only thing, it's this: JOB INTERVIEW TIME IS NOT THE TIME TO SHOW WHAT YOUR MAMA GAVE YOU. That (a) won't get you a job, (b) may keep you from getting a job you otherwise would have, and (c) will get you a bad reputation.

DON'T DO IT. Save your dignity and keep those skirts knee-length and longer, even if that's not at all what you normally wear. I have nothing against your legs, but they probably shouldn't be on display when you're trying to be taken seriously as a young professional.

Also, don't go for your crazy high heels, enormous costume jewelry, or bright eyeshadow. Remember that you're outfit should be more or less neutral and you should be the one standing out!

What do you normally wear to interviews?

Do you have a go-to interview outfit?

Oct 25, 2013

Review: Bestowed Box's October Box

Remember how October is Non-GMO month?

Bestowed Box is participating this year with a special non-GMO Box put together by nutritionist and founder Heather Bauer! Everything in the box is 100% GMO-free, in addition to generally healthy and delicious, like the box's contents always are.


What are GMO's and why do we care? The short version is that GMO's are Genetically Modified Organisms, meaning that they're foods from plants or animals that have been genetically engineered with DNA from bacteria, viruses, or other plants and animals. Why is Frankenfood maybe not the best idea?

Well, if Frankenstein didn't give you a clue...

It is the Most Important Meal of the Day, after all...

...sometimes messing with nature isn't the best idea. Likewise, it might be better to leave the spookiness to your Halloween costume and keep it out of your food.

It's not that hard to do so, as Heather shows us all with the tasty, healthy treats in her October box.



From sweet, un-junked candy bars (UNREAL Peanut Butter Cups - no corn syrup, GMOs, hydrogenated oils, or artificial colors/flavors) to the savory (Way Better Snacks Simply Beyond Black Bean Tortilla Chips) and everything in between, there's something for everyone.



Or everything for me, teehee. I loved it all. But, um, this part of the box?



Made for me, or what? I had just eaten up the last of my epic granola stash and you know I'll never turn down a good bar (the Cinnamon Raisin Fiber Love bar definitely counts - you know my GnuFoods love) so I kind of died when I saw this.

AND YES, THE GRANOLA BAG IS A FULL-SIZED BAG OF GRANOLA. The end. Buy this box now, it's CHOCOLATE.

Speaking of which...



These UNREAL Peanut Butter Cups are as good as their Reese's counterparts, but a lot more natural. Want to be the neighborhood favorite of both the parents and the kids this Halloween? Hand these out and in the full-size.

You know the Full Size House was THE house to go to on Halloween, everyone hit them up first - which has the extra bonus of meaning you're done with the trick-or-treating early enough to hit up the best Halloween parties. Win-win!

Bestowed Box is great for getting to learn about, and try, a variety of healthy, tasty new treats. If you really love any of them, you can find them in larger amounts in their online store. A bunch of this month's snacks are on special sale through November 14, so don't waste time to check them out - I know that the chickpea snacks and fiber bars are at the top of my buy-next list!



And here's some really great news - with the coupon code HELLOTEN103 you can get your first box for only $10 from now through November 20 - that's almost 50% off, so hurry to sign up!

Do you avoid GMO's?

What are you going to be for Halloween?

Have you tried Bestowed Box?

Oct 23, 2013

A Peek in Cinderella's Wardrobe

Ever wondered what Cinderella would wear if she shopped in our world and didn't get custom made clothing from friendly animals and a cheerful fairy godmother?

cinderella 1


Forever New zip dress
$135 - forevernew.com.au


René Caovilla strappy sandals
bergdorfgoodman.com




Christian Dior fragrance
bloomingdales.com


Beauty product
eyeslipsface.com



But even princesses have to do some work sometimes. When Cinderella is headed off to biology lecture (she loves animals, after all!) she's more likely to be found in something like this.



Cinderella 2


Blue shirt
chiarafashion.co.uk


Coast layered tulle skirt
$180 - houseoffraser.co.uk


Charlotte Russe suede shoes
charlotterusse.com



J by Jasper Conran bow bracelet
$15 - debenhams.com



Mineral make up
$24 - zoeva-shop.de



She may not be a scullery maid anymore, but Cinderella still has to clean just like the rest of us. It's one thing to have mice over for tea at your apartment, it's quite another to have mice because you didn't clean up your last five teatimes properly!

When cleaning, Cinderella favors a pretty normal outfit, just like the rest of us.


cinderella 3


J Crew sweat shirt
net-a-porter.com


Boyfriend jeans
$36 - jayjays.com.au




Benefit lips makeup
$22 - debenhams.com



Which look is your favorite?

How do you dress for class?

What's your cleaning schedule like?

Oct 20, 2013

Putting the Pressure On, Harvard Style

DISCLAIMER: This is written by a stressed upperclassman college student. Take with a generous dose of humor and as many grains of salt as necessary to make it palatable.

Hopefully it doesn't require quite that much, but feel free.
College seniors all over the US (and possibly the world, though I'm not as sure of the higher education culture abroad) are starting to feel the pressure. Whether or not the fall semester has already begun,  one thing is for certain: junior summer is over and, with it, childhood.

More or less.

Starting now, seniors get to vary between stressing about getting all their requirements done, paperwork filled in and submitted, potential thesis kinks worked out, and job applications in until well into the spring semester, around early April, when most folks get a few days (or weeks, depending on final exam schedules) to breathe before a whole new craziness (that of real life) takes over.

Just in case the usual questions from relatives (including from the distant family members you haven't seen or heard from since you were in diapers, but are suddenly cropping up to add to your pressure cooker of nerves) aren't enough to stress you out, Harvard puts the pressure on.

For better, for worse, for everything in between.
In no particular way, but just by virtue of being Harvard.

It's a sad fact that most Americans go to college. A whopping 70% of Americans matriculate at a 4 year college! Less than 2/3 of those graduate and the rate drops to 53% if you add community college students into the mix.

While graduation rates may be slipping across the country, with more and more students requiring 4.5 or 5 years to graduate from 4 year programs (or failing to graduate at all), only 3% of Harvard undergraduates don't graduate.

That said, wouldn't it suck to be part of the 3%?

Assume you did everything you needed to and graduated. Congratulations, whoop-de-doo for you. But don't celebrate yet - just because you graduated doesn't mean you're out of the danger zone yet. You have a degree, that's fabulous for you. But if you're one of the unlucky ones, which make up about half of all recent graduates, you either won't have any sort of job or you'll have a job that doesn't require a degree.

Read: you could have saved your money and time, saved yourself from debt, taken a little vacation, and gotten the exact same job straight out of college. Ouch.

Of Harvard graduates, however, the rate of un- or under-employed still is way too high when you consider the average student debt and time/money/opportunity investment to pursue a degree (uh-oh for the dungeons and dragons concentrators...). However, instead of having only about 50% go on to do what they want, 61% of Harvard graduates get a job. Another 18% go to graduate school, leaving only 21% among the un- and under-employed.

That is, if you assume that everyone who goes to graduate school actually wants to and isn't just prolonging the inevitable Ican'tgetajobohmygoshwhatamIgoingtodowithmyselfandallmydebtdoIreallyhavetomovebackinwithmyparents freakout.

Funny Graduation Ecard: 'I can't wait to move back home with my parents,' said no college graduate, ever.

Okay, so you got a job offer. So you thought that salary didn't look half-bad? Hey, it has five digits. But NO, don't be happy yet - let's take a look at how your classmates stack up. Since passion isn't important beyond the application, 16% of your classmates will go into consulting and 15% will work in finance.



The dollar chasing pays off, when you compare average starting salaries to the national college graduate average starting salary of $44,928. Harvard grads average roughly $60,000 as a starting salary, but that varies a lot by field and is probably too rosy a picture, considering that 72% of the 16% that go into consulting can expect between $70,000 and $90,000 as a starting salary. Finance folks do even better, with 21% bringing in $110,000 in their first year - and some more.


Random aside - if you decide to go into education, your starting salary as a Harvard grad drops to around $30,000. You know, since we appreciate our teachers so much.

So you have a high paying job? So all your state school friends are envious? In the tradition of never settling, here's something to chew over: Harvard has produced 2,964 alumni worth $200 million or more, including 52 billionaires, putting it at the top of the academic 'rich list' in the world. Still think your job prospects measure up?



Then again, only 8% of Harvard's wealthy alumni are women. So no pressure, I guess.

Unless you're a feminist.

Some other interesting stats: at least 40% of Harvard students have had some mental health concern during their time at Harvard. And, on a more light-hearted note, almost a third of us will graduate as virgins.



What, is the library not a good pick-up spot anymore? Teehee.

What are your post-graduation goals?

When did you start your job search?

What was your first post-graduation job?

Sources:
1) Dropping Out of College and Paying the Price - Eduardo Porter, NYTimes.com
2) Harvard College Admissions Website
3) Harvard tops graduate 'rich list' of colleges that will make you a millionaire but University of Virginia has highest number of self-made men - Sara Smyth, Mail Online
4) Average Harvard Graduate Will Make $60,000 In Their First Job, And Other Crimson Trivia - Tyler Durden, ZeroHedge
5) Class Of 2013's Starting Salary Tracking Higher On Average Than Last Year's Grads' - Huffington Post Business'
6) The Class of 2013 Student Survey - Harvard Crimson

Oct 18, 2013

Guest Post: Fashion "Necessities" and Accessories for Fall Weather

Hi guys! Since we all love shoes, I have a guest post here for you from Sole Provisions - enjoy!

Now that fall is here, a new season of fashion is upon us. This means that we have to substitute our summer wardrobe for something different. As is the case usually in fashion, accessories are just as important as the outfits themselves as they can be used to really bring a look together. Here are a few examples of accessories which have become essential for this fall season.


1. Dragonfly shoesEach season, there is a style for shoes which takes central stage and becomes the star of the lineup. This fall season, that style appears to be dragonfly shoes. This iridescent pattern is seen everywhere and many have likened its appearance with that of the dragonfly, hence the name. The best part about them is that they seem to go with a colorful and flashy outfit, but also with something a bit more tempered and muted in color.

2. Furry shoesOn occasion, fashion shows that it can have a sense of humor. That is the case now with many designers featuring furry additions to their fall lineups. Basically, any kind of accessory with a furry pom-pom or something similar is acceptable, but shoes seem to be the preferred choice. Also, faux fur also works for those who aren’t keen on wearing the real thing.
3. Lug-sole bootsThis is a blast from the past as lug-sole boots used to be popular in the mid 90s. Now it appears that they are back in style, for the moment at least. These do feature a twist on the classic designs by having a thinner block heel.


When you are looking for great deals on shoes such as an orthaheel sale, head on over to www.soleprovisions.com. There you will find a large selection of quality footwear in all shapes, sizes and colors.



Which is your favorite? I like the fun dragonfly shoes the best, I think! Though the Lug-sole ones (the bottom one in the photo) are the ones that I'm most likely to wear.

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