That’s right, Blanche’s Book Club is rolling right on with the summer reads! Over the weekend, I finished reading “What Alice Forgot” by Liane Moriarty. And where do I begin with this one? It was SO good! From Amazon.com (and also the back of the book), “Alice Love is twenty-nine, crazy about her husband, and […]
MoreI am so excited to share a new book with you guys today! I actually had the opportunity to read this a few months ago, as I worked with the author, Marne, to edit and polish the final product. Many of you know I do lots of editing on the side, and while I love […]
MoreOn my way to work last week, the radio show I regularly listen to was talking about the reasons we look up our exes on Facebook. According to the study they were discussing, the #1 reason was to see if that person was dating someone hotter than us. Fair point. I’ll admit it, I do […]
MoreWhew! It’s sucky because it’s kind of like a Monday, but it’s a little less painful knowing it’s Tuesday, and in just four short days, I’ll be running out of the office a la Kevin McCallister on Christmas Eve yet again. I hope you all had a fabulous weekend – I know I did! I […]
MoreAt precisely 5:30pm today, the long weekend begins and I cannot tell you just how excited I am! This is my first REAL Memorial Day Weekend, as previous jobs I’ve had for the last 8 years did not grant us Monday off. So… I have been thinking about this weekend for a very long time. […]
MoreSo… we are oonllllyyyyy a daaaaayyyy awaaayyyyy from the official kickoff of summer: Memorial Day weekend! I’m sure summer means lots of different things for you, but one thing it means for me is refreshing cocktails, and that includes a delicious bottle of cold Rosé. The sad thing is, I think Rosé gets a bad rap, and […]
MoreI know I’ve mentioned before that I started carrying around a little notebook everywhere I go. It’s about the size of a back pocket, but of course, it lives in a waterproof cosmetic case I take with me. Sounds high-maintenance, sure, but I learned my lesson the hard way when I spilled coffee inside my […]
MoreIt has been famously said that “Youth is wasted on the young” (it is still argued who said it and exactly how, between Oscar Wilde and George Bernard Shaw). While I’ve heard this quote for years, I’ve never quite understood what it meant until now. As I write this, I’m sitting at my desk with […]
MoreI’ve lived in Austin, TX for 9 months now (time flies!), and I can honestly say, I’m not sure how long I’ll be here. Don’t get me wrong, in general, Austin is pretty freaking cool, but I just don’t know if I’m ready to say, yes, this is the place I’ll be for the rest […]
MoreTODAY is the first day of the BEST weekend ever: Hangout Fest. So, here I am in Orange Beach, ready to get this party started! This is my third year at Hangout, and every year, there’s so many things I look forward to: sipping vodka tonics in the white sand, consuming endless amounts of fried […]
MoreThis has been on my mind a lot lately – here’s how it started. I was listening to a podcast (big shocker, I know), and they were talking about how important it is to date someone that has the same needs in a partner as you do. Let me explain. If I remember correctly, the […]
MoreI’m heading to the beach TOMORROW, and yes, this makeup junkie is not leaving home without her stash of cosmetics. I know what you’re thinking – ugh, don’t be THAT girl at the beach. In all truth, I don’t think I’ve ever been to the beach wearing makeup, but I think I’ve just reached a […]
MoreThat’s right, it’s another installment of Blanche’s (non-committal) Book Club! Over the weekend, I finished reading “The Silkworm” by Robert Galbraith (J.K. Rowling’s pen name), and wow was it a great read! “The Silkworm” is the second book in the Cormoran Strike series; where there are currently three books. I would definitely not complain if […]
MoreAs many of you know, I’m currently on the road to getting tan… or at least, I’m trying to be. Awhile ago, I tried St. Tropez’s gradual in-shower tan, and that really didn’t do much (get the full scoop here) for me. So, I have still been on the hunt for the perfect sunless tanner. […]
MoreLast week, I wrote two different posts mentioning a podcast I’ve been listening to. And in one of the posts, I referred to the hosts as bros. This term, “bro” was not taken very well by said hosts, who called me out on Twitter, saying it was a “patently ridiculous” way of describing him. Wait, […]
MoreA few days ago, I finally watched “Nothing Left Unsaid: Gloria Vanderbilt and Anderson Cooper”, a documentary on HBO. I set it to record on the night in premiered in early April, after hearing about it on CBS Sunday Morning. I absolutely love Anderson Cooper, but never knew much about his family, other than the […]
MoreYou may or may not know this, but usually my Wednesday blog posts are a replicate of the column that is published in a weekly magazine, “Dig”, which is distributed in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. I’ve worked as a contributing writer for Dig since it was born, a little more than five years ago. The column, […]
MoreOn Friday, I heard Brody Jenner got engaged, and although this isn’t the FIRST time he’s been seriously in love – we all knew that whole Avril Lavigne thing wasn’t going to last… or at least, we really hoped it didn’t, and thank God it didn’t. But this one, this engagement to the gorgeous blonde […]
MoreAh Monday, we meet again. This weekend was a decent one, although too short, per usual. But I feel like a lot of things “finally” happened this weekend. Simple things, but they finally occurred. I kicked off my weekend by finally using a coupon for a free meal at Chipotle. I didn’t really celebrate Cinco […]
MoreAs you may recall, I’ve recently become obsessed with podcasts. I listen to them all day, Monday-Friday, and I’ve caught up on most of the archives, so I’m finally at a point where I’m looking forward to new episodes each week. I started off listening to around five podcasts (catch my original list here), but […]
MoreThat’s right, forget summer (not really), ’cause I’ve got fall fashion on the brain. I’m totally blaming “The Real Housewives of New York” for this. Did you guys see last week’s episode? If not, Bethenny threw a birthday party for herself at her fabulous Hampton’s home (so jealous) and it was an outdoor BBQ, complete […]
MoreLast week, Forbes magazine published an Instagram post revealing the top five downloaded podcasts, which included one called “The Art of Charm”. I checked it out, and noticed the description was geared toward men and how they could improve their lives in all areas, including work, friends, family, and dating, all by the tips in […]
MoreA few weeks ago, I got a survey from my apartment complex about how I liked living there. I decided to take it, because, well, there’s a few things the apartment could stand to fix. While I like my actual apartment, I felt I got screwed on some of the amenities and they make it […]
MoreLast week at work was quite a doozie – I don’t want to go into details, but let’s just say our staff is dwindling. All for respectable reasons, but it’s always a little sad, and hectic, when people move on. I always look forward to Friday, but last week held an exceptional urge to get […]
MoreSo, Justin Bieber looks like Zack Morris. Like, how did I not notice this before?? This recent, and quite amazing discovery came last week during a random (and kind of drunk) homemade marathon of “Saved By The Bell”. For the first time, I thought, “Damn, Zack is kind of HOT!”…and then I was feeling like […]
MoreWhen I was in elementary school, I had this board game called “Forbidden Bridge”. The concept was pretty simple: get your plastic hiker safely across the tattered bridge and, in return, you were rewarded with red, plastic jewels. The catch? The bridge was controlled by an evil statue that came to life at the unlucky […]
MoreWhen I was 16, I went to see a palm-reader. She lived in a semi-sketchy neighborhood, and when my high-school friend and I knocked on her door, she quickly snapped off an episode of “Full House” before tending to us. As shady as it seemed, she told me a few things that proved to be […]
MoreI never really know how to handle losses like these on this blog. After all, I didn’t know Prince personally (no one I know did – if you did, let me know), I never saw him in concert, and I cannot rattle of facts about him like I could for John Mayer, or say, Amy […]
More“I feel like a majority of my life is me just pretending like I don’t hate everything.” Sad, but true, I told my friend about a month ago. I’m in a constant search of happiness, and I’ll be searching until I find it. As I mentioned before, I’m still obsessed with listening to podcasts and many […]
MoreI’m not really sure what the Republicans are thinking, but then again, when do I EVER know, or understand, or really care what’s going on there? Meh. But in general, y’all have lost it. We put up with Bush. But Trump? No ma’am. That shit is no joke. Like I am moving overseas if this […]
MoreThat’s right, I’ve been taking Cheerobics. It’s a class offered at the dance studio I’ve been with for six months – they have tons of different types of classes including ballet, jazz, modern, and funk, but I mostly take the hip-hop classes. However, I kept seeing the tail-end of the Cheerobics class as I waited […]
More“When a guy’s really into you, he’s coming upstairs.” It was a simple line that Carrie Bradshaw’s then-boyfriend, Jack, delivered to her friend Miranda when she asked for feedback on a date she recently had. That episode of “Sex and the City” originally aired in July 2003, and sparked an entire movement in dating and […]
MoreI feel like I’m constantly going through, what John Mayer would call a “Quarter-life crisis”, when it comes to the state of my life. A few weeks ago, I talked to you guys about settling when it comes to our careers – what’s realistic and what’s… just the sad truth. “Having it all” is not […]
MoreFor the last few months, I’ve been recording episodes of “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” on my DVR. There’s only one episode that comes on each week (on Sundays), but I started noticing that, at the end of the show was the beginning few minutes of “Taxi”. I’ve never thought twice about this show in […]
MoreSo, around a month ago I realized two things: 1. I am not really cut out for an “open office” environment. I get really, really distracted, and the sound of other people typing ignites a rage inside my blood that I cannot explain or deal with. And 2., In order to block out all the […]
MoreI know what you’re thinking: “C’mon, Holly, you really don’t have anything better to write about than TOAST?!” And I say, don’t you worry about THAT! If you know me at all, you should see all the crap I’ve got on my list to write about, but I had to interject here and talk about […]
MoreThis is going to come out wrong, but I’ve been really lucky to have friends that don’t pressure me to be in a relationship. Of course, my friends are rooting for me – they hope that one day I’ll find Mr. Right, but until then, they’re cool with the solo me. There have been times […]
MoreSo… yeah, if you were here yesterday I had to share the news that I’m without a volunteer position (get the scoop here) for the first time in about five years. This means that I’m currently on the hunt for a new volunteer opportunity, and I know there’s lots of choices out there. It’s time […]
MoreIn 2012, I read a book that really struck me. The book was “A Silence of Mockingbirds: The Memoir of a Murder” by Karen Spears Zacharias. At the time, the book was the featured reading for a community-wide book club in Baton Rouge. In this large club, the author would come speak. So, I read […]
MoreOne thing I love about having my own blog is that when I find a new, cool product, I can tell you all about it, my experiences with it, and the best ways to use it. And since my blog is not sponsored in anyway, I can also tell you when a product sucks completely. […]
MoreDid you even KNOW that yes, there is a season of “The Real World” on MTV right now? It’s been on for a few weeks, and I’m pretty much hooked (is anyone shocked)? A few years ago, my friends and I were at Hangout Fest, and MTV was there. One girl said, “Who still watches […]
MoreAs much as I hate to admit it, I’ve become addicted to watching “Vanderpump Rules” on Bravo each week. I’ve watched this show since its first season (season four just finished airing) and it’s a show that follows the very petty drama of the employees at an upscale Hollywood restaurant called SUR. One of the […]
MoreI’ve been eating 90% of my meals from Green Chef for the last few months (catch a recap of how much I love it here). To say the least, it’s really convenient, delicious, healthy, and affordable. I’ve really come to rely on that box of ingredients at my doorstep every Friday evening. But last Friday, […]
MoreDare I say “Hook ’em“? Because I am so, SO happy to (finally) announce that my course, Blogging for Beginners is being offered as an informal class at the University of Texas at Austin! Registration started last week, with our first class being held on Wednesday, May 11. My blogging course started at Louisiana State […]
MoreA few weeks ago, I was riding in the car with a coworker on the way to a work event. We started at the company around the same time and were talking about our goals in terms of where we want to be down the road in our careers. She mentioned the fact that we’ve […]
MoreI’d be the fabulous poodle, Georgette, from Disney’s “Oliver and Company”. From the looks of it, Georgette is beautiful, with Lily Ghalichi-esque lashes and a built-in blue fur stole to warm her slim shoulders. I’ve always loved performing, so her career as a prize-winning show dog is right up my alley. As Jenny’s first pet, […]
MoreA few weeks ago, I got into a pretty nasty argument with the guy I was “talking” to. Needless to say, we aren’t talking anymore; I even blocked his number. Our argument was so ridiculous, I don’t know if I’ve ever been so mad in my life. I was shaking, and spitting off insults about […]
MoreIt’s been a little more than a month since I went through a… well, I wouldn’t call it a breakup since we weren’t officially together…but let’s just say it was a broken heart, because that’s what it feels like. Every time something like this happens, I’m reminded just how much it sucks. Big time. My […]
MoreSaturday night, I ventured to Cedar Park Center, home of the Texas Stars hockey team, Austin’s American Hockey League affiliate to the National Hockey League’s Dallas Stars. Hockey has got to be one of my favorite sports, as I grew up at the ice rink, dated a hockey player in high school, and ventured to […]
MoreSo, let’s talk about it: the Britney Spears Sing-a-long at the Alamo Drafthouse. Yes. I went last Saturday night and it was pretty fantastic. I’d heard about it from a coworker, but pretty much everyone I know in Austin (read: 3 people) was busy with other raging Saturday night plans. I wasn’t sure if this […]
MoreI woke up, pissed as all hell. It was a Saturday morning, I’d slept in, and for some reason I was in a fit of rage. I was mad at the guy I’d been talking to, mainly because we weren’t really talking to each other anymore. Six months prior to this ugly Saturday morning, I […]
MoreIs it just me or is Tuesday night TV pretty much as good as it gets? Probably just me, given that I’m a complete TV junkie. While I’m still pretty wrapped up in “The People vs. O.J. Simpson”, and admittedly, “The Voice”, last Tuesday E! premiered “LA Clippers Dance Squad”, as in a completely behind-the-scenes […]
MoreEvery other Friday, I take an alternate route home from the office. It’s a few miles west of where I live, toward a place Texans call Hill Country. And it is beautiful. The road overlooks dozens of homes made of stucco, usually sitting under a colorful sunset. If you’re new here, you should know that […]
MoreThe following was written based on memories (many of which involve vodka). Names have been changed to protect the author. Catch up on parts one, two, three, and four here. Eric’s message was loaded, and it upset me so much, it was difficult to unpack. But let’s do it, right here: I was not jumping to […]
MoreBa-da-da-da-da!!!! Today is kitty Blanche’s 3rd birthday, so naturally, Blanche and I are sleeping off our raging hangovers (she’s 21 in cat years now, y’all). No, actually, I’m at work and Blanche gets to stay at home, living the life of luxury all day. Lucky duck! To celebrate, Blanche got a special helping of soft […]
MoreHelloooooo! It’s been a hot minute since I featured two of my favorite pieces of this blog: “Celeb Crush” and a “Boyfriend Recipe”, so I figured why not combine the two for something steamy, plussss…. did I mention I have a giveaway? A FREE FOOD giveaway?! Yes!! But before we get into that fun stuff, […]
MoreRecently, MTV premiered season five of “Catfish”, the show that’s become synonymous with online dating failures. “Catfish” was introduced to the world in 2010 as a documentary, starring Photographer Nev Schulman. The film followed Schulman as he indulged in an online relationship with someone across the country, after “meeting” on Facebook. In the film, his […]
MoreI’ll be honest with you, I thought the podcast was dead. Remember when they first came out? If not, it was 2004, and McDonald’s (yummm) was the first to utter the word via print publication (The Guardian newspaper). Podcasts debuted in conjunction with iPods, because people were using their iPods to listen to and create […]
MoreThat’s right, before this weekend, I hadn’t seen “The Breakfast Club” in its entirety. I knew the general plot, and had seen parts of it, but never actually paid attention to it. So on Saturday morning, I started watching it before I headed out for the day. I was excited to see it, given it’s […]
MoreEarly last week, I randomly decided to join Periscope – the live video social media platform. I didn’t have much of a reason for joining other than I wanted to see what it was all about. I’ve heard of people (mostly celebrities or well-known personalities) using the ‘scope for an interview-like setting. Why? Well, because […]
MoreMy great friend Sheena agreed to write a review of “Fuller House” for The Bitter Lemon in trade for SnapChats of me singing the theme song. So, I present to you, a complete review of “Fuller House”: I know I can’t be the only one that rushed home Friday evening (read: left work early) to […]
More“We’re selfish, so all we want is a girl who’s going to listen to everything we say and act like it’s the coolest thing ever.” A guy friend of mine was trying to explain the inner-workings of the male brain to me. I’d just heard on the radio that the #1 reason a man will […]
MoreLast week, MTV premiered season 5 of “Catfish” – the show we all know, and have subsequently turned into a verb. If you live under a rock, I’m not sure why you’d be seeking my blog for news and advice, but a Catfish is someone who lies about their identity and often fakes multiple relationships […]
MoreIf Saturday was the official “Love Hangover”, then Sunday was a performance hangover. Let me back this train up and explain. You may or may not recall that I’m making a big effort to step outside of my comfort zone and do more things alone because, well because I don’t know anyone, and I’m not […]
MoreIt’s FRI-DAAAAAY! If you’ve been here all week, I really hope you’ve enjoyed the blog’s fun little twist. I really had a blast writing these posts and I’m so excited for all of the fun, HONEST content that’s coming your way. But enough business talk, and let’s get to the real shit: it’s the freakin’ […]
MoreIntroducing… drumroll… Blanche’s Book Club! I have been thinking for a few months that maaaaybe I should join a book club. After all, it would serve as a way to meet people AND read a few books. But then I realized, finding the right book club actually takes work, and what if they read books […]
MoreI’ve been single for almost three years. Of course, during these three years, I’ve gone on several dates, and had many flings and crushes. But recently, I’ve found myself in a situation that rarely happens: I don’t even have a crush. As pathetic as it sounds, this thought disappoints me greatly. While I’ve never considered […]
MoreAbout two weeks ago, John Mayer announced he was joining SnapChat. The interwebs completely ATE this up, because: 1. SnapChat is for teens, right? And John Mayer is 38. And 2., What happened to all of that jazz about not making a complete fool of yourself online, Mr. Mayer? Well, hell’s bells. I’m 30 and […]
MoreThat’s right, I’m here to apologize… for being inauthentic. Don’t worry, I haven’t lied or covered up any big secrets, I just sort of realized that some of the things I’ve been writing about lately have gotten away from the true mission of this blog. And I’m stopping the madness before it gets any further. […]
MoreOkay, so who am I kidding? Obviously your guess is as good as mine when it comes to what the hell is going to happen in Season 5 of “Girls”, but it premiers THIS Sunday night, so let’s get to guessing! Here’s what I do know: when we left off in season 4, Shoshanna takes […]
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