10 Reasons Why You Have To See 'The Lion King' On Broadway NOW

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The title of this post is less subtle than a female baboon in heat.

So let's get to the point, yes?

*Note - None of these photos are mine, as all digital devices (still cameras included) are prohibited in the Minskoff Theater.*

1) The hats.

Can I have all of them?

I'll be the one in lecture blocking your view with my lioness head. But you won't even mind, because it's that fierce - you'll feel blessed to bask in the glory of its presence. 

2) The acrobatic dancers.

How are you doing all of this bounding and leaping so rhythmically and synchronously without wires? And I can't even walk at night without getting intimately acquainted with the wall.

3) The colors.

Anything vaguely African is going to feature a lot of stunning oranges and golds and reds - The Lion King is no exception. There are a lot of other vivid colors, however, and all of the colors are so warm and inviting and alive. Is that a strange way to describe color? 

But they really are - it's the kind of color you can feel.

4) Rafiki's voice.

I just love Rafiki's voice. I can't explain it, maybe it's a halfrican kid thing, but he reminds me of every hilarious relation on my dad's side ever (male and female). Buyi Zama does a great job.

5) The art.

Every little detail is perfect (it is Disney, after all) but beyond the amazing hat art, baby Simba is so adorable that I wish he were for sale in the gift shop. It almost makes you want a pet baby lion (but don't, because that can only end badly). 

6) Elton John.

Did the music. DONE.

7) Julie Taymor's genius.

I seriously believe she's the most talented costume designer in the world at the moment. You don't know how much I want one of those grass dresses.

The funny thing is that you probably think I'm kidding...

8) The warm fuzzies.

That makes you miss your sisters and cousins, now, doesn't it? We totally walk out looking like that (but maybe minus the hats - we still need to get that part down. And singing in tune and with the right words). 

9) That Disney Magic.

That inexplicable heart-stirring something that only Disney productions have is definitely present. Fangirl for life.

10) The Circle of Life

Because yes, it's awesome on my 'The Lion King' Pandora station (<3 Pandora) and maybe I break into song whenever anyone has The Lion King on and it's that part of the movie. But in real life, with a ridiculously talented cast of Broadway performers harmonizing perfectly?

SOUNDGASM.

Seriously, it's no wonder The Lion King won a half dozen Tony awards in 1998. The real question is, what happened to the other half?

What's your favorite musical?

If you could be in one Disney movie, which would it be?

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Review & GIVEAWAY - Garden Lites Veggie Muffins

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Garden Lites has an exciting new line of healthy foods that I had the pleasure to review recently! While I really enjoyed their souffles, I'm really more of a sweets girl. The new Garden Lites Veggie Muffins are perfect for those of us whose sweet teeth are numerous, but who still want food that makes us feel good from the inside out - like veggies!

I love veggies plain, cooked, raw, steamed, baked, roasted, sauteed, and whatever else. But when you want a sweet baked good, even the most delicious bowl of roasted brussel sprouts (is it weird that I love them?) won't do the trick.

And when you want a delicious baked good, you probably don't want the veggie flavor in there at all - so how do Garden Lites Veggie Muffins stand up to the taste test?

 They certainly have a more impressive nutritional profile than standard muffins.



They're a good size - not particularly large, like the huge ones at cafes, but they're not smaller than the usual freezer muffins and they're a very good size. It's also convenient that they're individually wrapped in little plastic packets, so you could theoretically take a frozen one to work or school and let it thaw out over the day, until you want to eat it.

There are five scrumptious varieties, available in the freezer section of a variety of grocery stores (check out their store locator online).

Veggie Blueberry Oat



Zucchini Banana Chocolate Chip



Zucchini Chocolate



Carrot Berry



Golden Corn



All five were absolutely delicious, though my favorite was (unsurprisingly) the decadent Zucchini Chocolate Veggie Muffin, studded with smooth chocolate chips that melted into pure chocolate heaven in the microwave. So of course I enjoyed those.

But I was pleasantly surprised to really enjoy the Golden Corn Veggie Muffins!



They're also very moist and flavorful and the perfect amount of sweet. The texture is definitely cake-y and the small kernels of corn throughout are a pleasant textural addition.



These were fluffier/taller muffins than the Carrot Berry muffins or Zucchini Banana Chocolate Chip muffins, but those were great, too.

Another pleasant surprise was the Carrot Berry variety.



The muffins tasted like a very moist carrot cake, though I found they could stand a bit more carrot flavor and to be perhaps be a little less sweet. The little bits of berry were a fun texture and color addition, though they didn't add very much for flavor. I think they might have been blueberries, possible blackberries?



All varieties were delicious and one lucky reader will get to try all five varieties, as well!

Enter the sweepstakes through Rafflecopter, below, by February 11 for your chance to win the same mixed pack of Veggie Muffins!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good Luck!

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Runway to Reality - Spring 2014 Trends

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I realize that I just did a post about winter 2014 trends last week and I also realize that the forecast is still pretty arctic in the northeast and midwest, as it will remain for a few more months.

But I'm from North Carolina. We wear flip flops and mini-skirts by Valentine's Day, so spring fashion is already relevant.

For those in warm climates, here's my take on what to wear and what to avoid from the spring '14 runway.

Hit: Pastels.

Costello Tagliapietra, Spring '14

Just try not to look like an Easter egg, 'mkay? It's easy to go Sunday-best-overboard in pastels, so I recommend leaving pastels for the floaty spring dresses and chic little ensembles, not pantsuits. That only works on Costello Tagliapietra's runway and in Willy Wonka's candy factory around the end of Lent.

Ish: Wide Leg Trousers.

Let's be honest - unless you have forty-four inch legs (points for reference) wide leg trousers aren't particularly flattering. You might thing that the looseness would make them more forgiving than the ever-tighter skinny jeans.

When Chanel tried it in 2011 - it didn't work then, it still doesn't work now. And Chanel can barely do any wrong (other than that hideodorous blouse) so...

Glamour called this a wearable trend?

HA.

You're wrong, my friend. Any normal person in these pants is going to look like you're trying to smuggle bread to a no-feeding-the-ducks park. I don't care if Michael Kors, Stella McCartney, BCBG, or even the Pope himself are doing it. PASS - like crosstotheothersideofthestreetandpass pass.

The only reason that this is an 'ish' and not a 'miss' is that I'm hoping it's an indicator of a more leg-friendly fashion future - a future in with a woman's legs can neither drown in material nor risk health issues from cut off circulation.

Miss: Tea-length skirts.

How could it get any worse than wide leg trousers?

Well, when you decide to draw fashion inspiration from Steve Urkel's twin sister, you're heading in the right direction.

WHAT. ON. EARTH.

Who decided that making skirts high-rise would be a nice idea? And what were they smoking? Because high rise pants just aren't tragic enough, let's let it happen to skirts.

Please, PLEASE either choose a long skirt, a knee length skirt, or a mini skirt. Anything, but don't decide to be indecisive and go for the in-between skirt - it doesn't work like that!

I'm going to go try to un-see that fashion atrocity by sighing over Vera Wang's latest work.

Do you follow trends?

What's your least favorite trend of the last five years?

What's your favorite skirt length?

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Recipe Reviews: Honey Oatmeal Bread

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Back to reviewing recipes!

This time, I tried a simple staple. Girl can't live off of dessert alone (tragedy, I know).

I love bread and it's a staple in various cuisines, most notably (to me, at least, but I'm biased) German cuisine. There, people often eat bread for two main meals of the day - it's the featured food at breakfast and dinner (Abendbrot = evening bread).

I think bread is absolutely delicious and there are so many different types of bread to make! This time, I tried making Food Fanatic's Honey Oatmeal Bread. It's a lovely partially whole wheat loaf without intimidating preparation techniques, so seemed to be a pretty accessible loaf.

Here's what it looks like on their site:



Especially from very professional blogs like Food Fanatic, I know they're using great, high-tech photo equipment and likely photo-editing in post. Therefore, I always think it's useful to see a picture from a standard point-and-shoot camera, without special photoshop skills.

So here's what my loaf looked like, fresh from the oven!

Does the knife make me look a little over-eager to dig in? What can I say - crunchy crust and soft interior, yes please.  

I followed the recipe pretty much to a T, except that I substituted homemade oat flour (quick cooking oats turned into flour by the magical skills of a $20 kitchen blender) for the 1 cup of whole wheat flour.

Why?

No special reason, I'm just a college student with a limited pantry who didn't have any whole wheat flour on hand. Which I only noticed after starting the bread.

But we can pretend that I did it for a more sophisticated gustatory experience, or some other fancy-pants reason. 'K? Cool.

Moving on - the one other adjustment that I would like to make to the recipe isn't actually a change. It's a clarification.



The recipe ends on the site with baking the loaf for 35-40 minutes at 350F. I think it's more helpful to end with saying move to a cooling rack. Only let the loaf cool on the baking pan if you enjoy soggy bottoms!

And let's be real - no one does.

Other than that, the recipe turned out great and I would recommend it!



The loaf is large and, as a homemade and preservative-free loaf, tastes best if eaten in the first 2-3 days. If you're not sharing with anyone and/or you don't go through bed as quickly as some of us (who? me?) I would recommend slicing it in half (or quarters) and freezing it as soon as it has cooled off.



That way, you 'll be able to enjoy your bread for longer and without having to worry about mold or it becoming stale!

Do you bake your own bread?

How often do you make baking substitutions?

What's your go-to ingredient substitution? My mom almost always does margarine for butter, just because she always has margarine in the fridge and butter is normally something special that she has to run out for (I think butter goes bad faster than margarine).

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My Style: Boston Harbor

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Here are some photos from a lovely shoot by the Boston Harbor earlier this winter. Enjoy!

The main takeaways? 

1) A cropped sweater over a skirt makes for a chic but quick and comfortable outfit. It also lets you transition your warm weather favorites into the winter.

2) Color accents make an outfit pop. All black can be grim, especially when the weather is gray, but one or two strong colors can make a real impact.

3) Matching either lip color or eyeshadow to that accent color ties a look together seamlessly, without taking it overboard (as would be the case if your whole face matched your accent piece).

4) A bold accessory, like my earrings (best seen in the second to last photograph) is enough. You don't need to be dripping in bling (please don't)!

5) Check out the hidden gems in your neighborhood! Can you believe that I hadn't been to Boston Harbor, though it was right across the river, during all of my time at Harvard? I'm a senior, guys *facepalm*. 

This shoot finally brought me there and it's a wonderful place for an afternoon of exploring!

Like the look? Tweet it, please!

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Some of the Best Michelle Obama Looks

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Michelle Obama does tons of important things and is involved in tons of important efforts to do even more important things.

But this isn't about that.

Let's be frivolous for a moment and think about how fabulous she looks doing these important things, shall we?

Sorry, Bo, our eyes are on the skirt. Then on the rest of the dress, then the shoes, then Michelle, and then Michelle's famous arms. The President isn't even on our register when he's standing next to an outfit like that.

I just love the fullness of that skirt, it goes perfectly withe the length (as well as with the more revealing top) and the heels are the perfect finishing touch.

All that I have to say to this is that Jason Wu is genius.

I don't even like green dresses. How is this almost my favorite thing that she's ever worn?

It's a perfect dress for a Christmas ball, just perfect.

Just try to tell me she isn't the best dressed in the photo - just try.

It's also not a coincidence that all of my favorites are dresses.

I love dresses. Michelle Obama has the sense to wear them often. Have I mentioned that she's pretty cool?

 Which politician do you think is the best dressed?

Who's wardrobe would like to have (politician or not)?

What's your least favorite color to wear?

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5 Coats To Keep You Cosy This January

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Today I have a guest post from Stephanie (isn't she just lovely?) for you guys! She's doing a weekly fashion series on the blog!

Hello there! I’m Stephanie, a 20 year old student/blogger/freelance writer from the UK. I have my own little piece of the internet over atwww.doseofpretty.com, but now I have the privilege of guest blogging over here. I’ll be writing about fashion so if there is anything in particular you would like to see don’t hesitate to get in touch. Enjoy!

In the summer you moan about how hot and sweaty it is and how you can’t wait to wrap up, yet when winter comes you’re counting down the seconds until summer is back around; Sound familiar? Well that is the predicament in my life at the moment, and could not think of a better way to tackle it than to invest in a cosy winter coat. Problem solved? Not quite. With so many types of coats out there it can sometimes be difficult to pick just one, which is why I have done a little digging and found my 5 favourite coats online. All of these can be shipped internationally.

1. This coat is from ASOS and can be found here. 

Pink coats have been increasingly popular over the past couple of months, with the likes of The Duchess of Cambridge and Eva Mendes sporting their own. This is fantastic if you’re looking for something girly, stylish and snug all in one.

2. Next up is this trench from H&M. 

Not only is it incredibly well priced, but it also comes in both black and beige. The trench coat is one that never seems to go out of fashion, and so if you’re looking for something that will see you through to 2015 and beyond then this is the one. I always associate trench coats with professional and sophisticated women, and this coat is bound to provide the same result. Can be found here.

3. This is a mango coat which can be found at asos, and although it’s on the pricier end of this list I absolutely adore it. 

You’ve got the soft wool blend and casual oversized fit alongside a cosy fur collar. This will go with so many different styles of outfit and keep you perfectly warm. With it being oversized there’s bound to be plenty of room for a large knitted scarf or snood too. Gimme gimme gimme!

4. This next coat is from boohoo, and I would consider it to be a less expensive version of the asos/mango coat at number 3. 

It’s a gorgeous wine colour, which has been hovering around the fashion world for a good while now. I think it has a very expensive look to it despite the fact that it’s rather well priced; always a bonus!

5. Last but not least we have a topshop coat. 

It’s fashionable and fur (not the real kind!), what more could we want! This is one of those coats that makes a basic outfit look instantly glamorous; you could just be wearing jeans and a tee, but throw this on top and you’ll look instantly fabulous. Upon reading the reviews I have also seen that it’s excellent to wear over a dress on a night out, which is always a good thing!

So there we have it, five fabulously cosy coats to keep you warm over the next few months! If you have anything in particular you want to see that please comment, and I hope you enjoyed.

Stephanie x

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