blog
Pic of the Week.
Truth be told, I almost didn’t post a pic this week, because… well, because I didn’t take many pictures, and it started off as a shitty week. Last week, I was feeling rather gloomy for either all kinds of reasons at once, or for reasons I have yet to pinpoint. And in my world, this […]
MoreFiction Friday: ‘Black & Blue’, Part VI.
The following is an original piece, written by Holly A. Phillips in 2007. It’s a story based on her favorite hockey player, Sean Avery. Read previous sections of this story here, here, here, here, and here (okay, so it’s kind of long). Walking usually cleared my mind, but it was still buzzing when I reached […]
MoreThe bathroom & closet tour.
It sounds a little weird that I’m giving you a tour inside my bathroom, but hey, when I say I’ll let you in my home, I mean it! Click on the video to get the visuals on my bathroom (which is attached to my bedroom and has a separate entrance in the hallway) and my […]
MoreRemoving the Mask.
I’m finally going to admit it: I hate Halloween. As a kid, I loved it (duh, free candy), and in college, it was the perfect excuse to wear fishnets and do keg stands. But, I’m older now, and truthfully, a lot of things that didn’t scare me before, terrify me now. I’m particularly terrified of […]
MorePic of the Week.
Last week, my office decided to have a costume contest this Friday. Otherwise, let’s be CLEAR: I would not have done anything associated with Halloween. But, I’m down for a contest. I tried to think of costumes that would be easy to assemble, comfortable to wear to work, creative, and easy on the wallet. I […]
MoreDirty 30: the aching back.
Here we are, at the start of another week. And, I’m excited to say that I’m starting a new series here on the blog: “Dirty 30.” Dirty 30 is going to focus on all of the shitty things that happen once you turn 30. What a joy, right? The first Dirty 30 installment is on […]
MoreFiction Friday: ‘Black & Blue’, Part V.
The following is an original piece, written by Holly A. Phillips in 2007. It’s a story based on her favorite hockey player, Sean Avery. Read previous sections of this story here, here, here, and here (okay, so it’s kind of long). “You can sit down,” she said. I took her word and sat on the […]
MoreShake Shack vs. In-N-Out
The competition is on! I’m lucky enough to live in a city that’s full of different food joints, and don’t worry, I’ve got a list of the ones I want to try (and it’s getting longer by the day). Of course, I’ll be right here to report all of my findings with you. So, the […]
MoreDressing for the Date.
Saying that fashion has a part in dating sounds really superficial, but it truly does. When I think of fashion, I think of celebrities and red carpets, but the pieces on runways trickle down to the stores we know and love, right in Baton Rouge. And when it comes time for that first date, or […]
MorePic of the Week.
Last Thursday night, I did something I’ve wanted to do for a really long time – years, even. I took a dance class! On the surface, I know it doesn’t sound like that big of a deal, but I’ll explain. I started taking dance in 7th grade, at a small athletic club. It was a […]
MoreAddicted to love?
Nothing like a Robert Palmer reference to jump start your Monday, right? A few weeks ago, a fabulous friend pointed me toward a Modern Love article from the New York Times, “Overcoming Love Addiction: One Apple Martini at a Time.” The title intrigued me, but the author said things I could really identify with. My […]
MoreFiction Friday: ‘Black & Blue’, part IV.
The following is an original short story, written by Holly A. Phillips in 2007, inspired by her favorite NHL player, Sean Avery. Read part one, two, and three, if you’re interested… “Bro, damn, where you going?” 12 asked. “Out there…you know,” I said. “Haven’t seen you head that way in… Well, ever,” he said. “Uh […]
MoreSingle Girl Recipe: Pumpkin Coffee Cake.
Y’ALL. Where has this week gone? It completely flew by, and I’m pretty sure it’s because I kicked things off by making this pumpkin coffee cake for my coworkers. Originally, this recipe called for sweet potato puree instead of pumpkin, but I wanted to jump on the pumpkin craze, plus, it’s way easier to buy […]
MoreDating Outside Your Type.
When I was 16, I had my palm read. The psychic told me I would end up with a guy who was tall and blonde, and he may even have the initials “J” and “S” (in any order). In the last 14 years of dating, a majority of the guys I’ve fallen for have been […]
MorePic of the Week.
As I mentioned yesterday, I spent my weekend getting a ton of stuff done. On one hand, it was really nice to go into a new week having all of my “chores” done, but on the other hand, I wish I would have relaxed a little. Truth be told, I’m not sure if I know […]
MoreThe kitchen tour.
Happy Monday, y’all! After the weekend I had, I feel like I need another few days just to rest, what about you? I did a ton of cooking and baking (look for a new recipe right here on Thursday) over the last few weeks, and as promised, I told you I’d invite you into my […]
MoreThe modern smudging ceremony.
Tuesday night, I smudged my apartment. “Smudging” is another way of describing a cleanse, often performed in a home or a building in effort to rid the presence of negative energy. A proper smudging ceremony can be done in many different ways, but they’re often performed while burning herbs (often bundles of sage) and repeating […]
MorePic of the Week.
It’s quite possible I’m still coming off a high from such an incredible weekend. I took my first paid-vacation day at the new job on Friday to travel to Kansas City, Missouri. A little random? Kind of. My reasoning was, I got invited to a wedding there. The groom has been a longtime blog reader, turned […]
MoreFiction Friday: ‘Black & Blue’,part II.
We played the Wolverines in the Square three days after we killed the Flyers. I had just walked into the locker room when the usual pre-game banter sparked. “Who you gonna piss off tonight man?” 58 asked. “I heard Carmen was pretty irritable. I bet I can shake a fucker up,” I told him. “Dude […]
MoreDating through mutual friends.
Last weekend, my fantastic and beautiful hair stylist (and friend) Lydia (she’s at the Garrett Neal Studio, you should call her!), reminded me that the BEST way to meet someone special is through mutual friends. I do think it’s a smart move, but there are even studies behind it, saying that it’s statistically how most […]
MoreA Dating App for Women.
A month ago, I downloaded a new dating app called “Coffee Meets Bagel.” I’ll admit I downloaded it on a rather lonely night, as I was watching “Nightline”. The app’s founders were on the show, after they’d turned down $30 million from an episode of “Shark Tank” — the largest bid in “Shark Tank” […]
MorePic of the Week.
As I mentioned in yesterday’s post, I spent my weekend in Baton Rouge, mainly for a great friend’s birthday celebration. In years passed, I’ve made this same girlfriend a dessert of her choice to celebrate. I’ve made her angel food cake with homemade frosting (covered in neon sprinkles), and toasted matzah with chocolate and chopped […]
MoreFiction Friday: Black & Blue, part I.
The following is an original fiction piece, written by Holly A. Phillips in 2007, with great inspiration form her favorite hockey player, Sean Avery. I had 30 seconds left in the penalty box. From my bench, I could see the rows of puck fucks in the lower sections. “Once we go Black…” one sign read; […]
MorePut it on Me.
Last year, I decided to embark on a sexual adventure when I got involved with a f*ck buddy (FB). I use the term “involve” loosely, as it was purely a sex thing (and I’m not just saying that). Together, we agreed that it was a relationship only meant to — as Tove Lo sings — […]
MorePic of the Week.
Hola! I wanted to offer a quick apology for my lack of posts last week — it’s been a crazy few weeks with the move and all. I was really struggling to function, let alone get my five blog posts in. But I’m back in action and ready to roll! So, life in Austin means […]
MoreDating at Work.
Three weeks ago, I started a new job. It’s a full-time career with benefits and a salary, and it’s pretty awesome. It’s my dream job! Starting a new job is always exciting, but a little stressful, too. You’re trying to learn new things, get adjusted to the culture, and meeting all kinds of new people […]
MorePic of the Week.
I moved on Saturday! I’ve spent the last few weeks packing everything I own (well, minus the things I got rid of) and prepping for a move. Now, I know moving — the physical act of doing so — is possibly the worst thing we can do to ourselves as humans. It completely sucks. Because […]
MoreDear Siri…
I’ve been living in Austin for two weeks now, and of course, I don’t know where ANYTHING is. I have to rely completely on Siri to get me anywhere. At first, I was really thankful for Siri. What would I do without her? Use MapQuest? No. So yes, at first, I was so thankful for […]
MoreFall is for Lovers.
We’re less than two weeks away from the official start of fall! And yes, I know, Baton Rouge doesn’t really get a fall season. Instead, we get “slightly less hot,” and the leaves start to turn brown instead of that burnt orange color I saw growing up in the Midwest. But still, we wear hoodies […]
MoreGetting Into the Game.
It’s finally here. What some would call the most wonderful time of the year: football season is upon us. What I’m about to admit is going to lock in my single status for the rest of my life, but here goes… I’m not really a fan of football. There, I said it. I’m a Yankee […]
MorePic of the Week.
I spent last week in Austin, and made the trek back to Baton Rouge late Friday night. I wanted to visit my kitty, get some packing done, and I had one final shift to work at my retail job. My friend Derek had been telling me for weeks he was going to come over Saturday […]
MoreIs there love after 30?
I already know what you’re thinking: Holly, STOP acting like turning 30 is the end of the world! Don’t worry, that’s not really what this post is about. I definitely don’t think finding love past 30, 40, 50, or any age is something that’s impossible. But, I’ll admit that sometimes I wonder if I’m getting […]
MoreIf every day was ‘casual Friday’…
Recent employment happenings have me thinking about dress codes, and specifically, how they affect life at the office. Over the last year, I’ve experienced many different rules when it comes to what to wear to work. At my last career job, the dress code was pretty strict — no jeans, graphic tees, sleeveless, sundresses, etc. […]
MoreOffice life: a lot like school?
Over these last few months, I’ve been thinking a lot about the different jobs I’ve had. I got my first job at 16, working as a hostess for Outback Steakhouse. At the time, I didn’t think I made much money, but looking back, the gig wasn’t so bad (restaurant minimum wage plus tip share). My […]
MoreDo I need a ‘work husband’?
Hey there! If you stopped by the blog yesterday and were disappointed to see the password-protected post, feel free to shoot me an email at holly@thebitterlemon.com (prove you’re not trying to spy on me or sue me) to request it. I wish there was a way to at least let followers read the blog, but […]
MorePic of the Week.
Let’s just get this out of the way: today is my very first day at my NEW job! Finally! It’s no retail job, not a restaurant job, it’s a real-life, big-girl, 9-5, salary, career job! Telling you I worked really hard to get it would be the understatement of my life. Many of my longtime […]
MoreCelebrating the lady boss.
Hola on this beautiful Monday! We are completely celebrating work and jobs on the blog this week, but of course we’re doing it in a fun way, per usual. Why? Is it because I got called into the office of my retail job and was told gossip is more important than fact? Or is it […]
MoreFiction Friday: Valerie, part II.
The following is an original piece, written by Holly A. Phillips in 2007. The characters and storyline is based off the song “Valerie,” sung by the great Amy Winehouse. Read part one here. * * * Kyle laughed. “Damn. It makes me want to address the crowd back at Killian’s. […]
MoreHow to Cope: One Direction.
The following is a guest piece by my bestie Sheena Hall, who is also madly in love with Harry Styles. She is currently mourning the One Direction split, but wiped away the tears to share the message below. * * * The news of the One Direction “break” came to […]
MoreGhosts of Exes’ Past.
Every time I leave my apartment wearing sweats and/or my #CatLady hat, I’m aware of the risks. By risks, I obviously mean the increased chance that I’ll either A. run into a hot guy, or B. see an ex boyfriend. Because… life. Last week, a coworker and I were chatting about various exes we had. […]
MorePic of the Week.
Helloooo out there, from the world of boxes, packing, and all things moving-related! I’ve been packing and organizing and cleaning whenever I get the chance in order to wrap things up as fast as possible. It’s no secret that moving is a huge task, but it’s one of those necessary evils in life. As I’m […]
MoreCollege crash course.
Today is the first day of college for many students – this is something most people probably don’t pay much attention to, but when you live in a college town, it’s all anyone talks about. It probably doesn’t help that I work with mostly college students. But, hearing my coworkers’ stories often reminds me of […]
MoreFiction Friday: Valerie, part I.
The following piece is an original written by Holly A. Phillips in 2007. It was based on the song “Valerie,” sung by the one, the only Amy Winehouse. * * * He unfolded a black chair and put the acoustic on his knee; he closed his eyes and ran […]
MoreThings I’ve learned from watching ‘CSI’.
I LOVE watching CSI. And of course, I’m talking about the original CSI, as in CSI Las Vegas with Grissom only. I refuse to watch any other city/version/cast. I started watching the show with my dad, when it premiered in 2000. Although I hate everything scary, and some of the show does involve grisly murder […]
MoreLove on LinkedIn?
Years ago, I joined LinkedIn. Back then, it was a new service and all of the cool kinds were joining. If you’re not sure, LinkedIn (according to its website) is a place for professionals to connect and be successful. Basically, it’s the social network for nerds. Honestly, I didn’t see much use for it as […]
MoreWhy you should probably elope.
Is it just me, or does it seem like ever since Facebook happened, everything surrounding weddings has to be big, bigger, biggest, and frankly, better than yours? Don’t get me wrong, I’m happy to keep up with so many people and their happy life moments — those that I would definitely know nothing about if […]
MoreFiction Friday: Oil & Ink, part III.
This is the final installment of Holly’s original short story, “Oil & Ink.” Read part one here and part two here, as you wish. * * * “I need to talk to someone about financing a building.” The clerk looked Charlie up and down; from his miniature blond mohawk to […]
MoreBirth order compatibility.
I’m always trying to figure out different things that make people compatible — horoscope signs, personality tests, age, family situation — but what about birth order? Turns out (after Googling), there’s actually a TON of information out there on this! An article in Women’s Day lays out the characteristics of each birth order “type”: Firstborns: […]
MoreDealing With Rejection.
The first time I got dumped, it happened on the phone. I was a junior in high school, unaware of any problems in my relationship. But my then-boyfriend — the first one I’d ever had — called me on my clear, purple cordless phone and kept the conversation short. “If the relationship isn’t moving forward […]
MorePic of the Week.
Some of you may remember that last week I mentioned a road trip I was taking — and yes, I did that, and can now share my adventure. It all started when I got a phone call from a company I’d had a few interviews with. “Can you be in Austin next week?” the woman […]
MoreCoping with the split: Gavin & Gwen.
I swear I didn’t intend for these “coping” posts to become a series, but what the hell, Hollywood? Why is everyone I love breaking up? I cannot take it! Yes, I was sad and disappointed when we heard the news about Blake and Miranda (read the guide on How to Cope), but this — Gavin […]
MoreWho Would Jesus Date?
A few weeks ago, I got a Facebook message from my uncle, my dad’s brother, saying he read my post about my nonexistent relationship with my father. He told me it was obvious that I was leading an unfulfilling life and the only way I would ever be satisfied, is if I consulted Jesus. This […]
MorePic of the Week.
As I was leaving for work Friday afternoon, a letter fell out of my door. I knew exactly what it was before I opened it: a letter from my leasing office that would define the new terms of my apartment lease, if I decided to renew. Having lived in my apartment for nearly four years […]
MoreCross-country dating.
The first guy I fell in love with lived in Indiana. I lived here, in Baton Rouge. It was a 14-hour car ride between us, or two connecting flights. We fell in love one summer, when I was home in Indiana. When the summer was drawing to a close, for me, there was no question […]
MoreFiction Friday: Oil & Ink.
Back at the shop, Charlie sat in his black leather chair, the one with the holes worn in it, and waited for someone to mosey over to his corner. Occasionally, he’d read part of a book from the wire racks up front, but mostly he’d study his art magazines. Charlie’s station was clean, except for […]
MoreEscape Room Parallels Relationships.
Over July 4th weekend, my friends suggested an interesting activity: going into the 13th Gate Escape room. From what I gathered over our beer-induced conversation, an escape room involves participants placed in a room and the only way out is to complete a series of puzzles within 60 minutes. At first, I was completely against […]
MorePic of the Week.
For the last few months, I’ve been making an attempt to clean out my (literal) closet. Not only is my closet way too small for my collection of clothes, shoes, and bags, but a majority of the things in my closet should not be worn. I have a really bad habit of keeping clothes (and […]
MoreA Review: ‘Paper Towns’ (the movie).
Whoop! It’s 11:37pm on Thursday, July 23, and I’ve just gotten home from the PREMIER of “Paper Towns” — the movie based on the bestselling book by fellow Hoosier, John Green (Yep, I read it). Y’all don’t understand. I’ve been looking forward to this movie since the day I put down the book… which was […]
MoreCeleb Crush: Mick Fanning.
Okay, so you may not have heard the name Mick Fanning, but I KNOW you heard about the Australian surfer who nearly got CHOMPED by a shark during a pro-surfing competition last weekend — that’s him! Any guy who gets chased down by a shark, punches it in the face, and gets away completely unharmed, […]
MoreThe Ex Factor.
I saw him for the first time at Duvic’s. It was Valentine’s Day, he was bartending; pouring several tequila shots. I was out with a friend, doing what single girls do on a couple-y holiday: drinking. What I didn’t know then was that the bartender that night would become a part of my life — […]
MorePic of the Week.
Over the weekend, I’m proud to say that my friends and I completed what’s known as an “Escape Room.” I won’t give anything about our particular scenario away, but these escape rooms are all over the country (I even saw one in London, too!) and groups of people are setting out to conquer them. I’ve […]
MoreWhat’s in my Beach Bag?
I had the weekend off, and I don’t have to go into work until 4pm today… I’d be lying if I said my mind wasn’t wondering if I should take an impromptu beach trip, all on my own (it’s just a short, 4-hour drive to Pensacola). But, I wussed out, stayed in-town, and attempted to […]
MoreFresh Friday: Juicy Couture.
Howdy! I’m so happy that it’s Friday, per usual, but there’s something actually interesting about this Friday in particular: I have the weekend off! WHAT!? I’m really happy that my retail job is giving me the weekend off, given that I’ve worked my little booty off this week. So, once I get off work today, […]
MoreCookin’ up a Crush.
I blame Food Network for my recent crush on local chef Jay Ducote. He’s currently starring on season 11 of Food Network Star, where contestants compete to have their own cooking show on Food Network. My crush on Ducote started like any other “stranger crush” — one where you know basically nothing about the person […]
MorePic of the Week.
As I mentioned in my post yesterday, I am ATTEMPTING to make more time for myself; time to actually relax and/or do the things I love to do. In the last few days, yes, I’ve had to work several 8-9 hour shifts, but I also found plenty of time to do things for myself. For […]
More7 Unsexy things about me.
Happy Monday! I hope the weekend was fantastic for you — I had yesterday off, and was delighted to spend some time outdoors (working on my tan, as promised) and I met up with a friend to see a classic film: GREMLINS. All good things. As I continue on my journey of soul searching, I’ve […]
More9/50 Shades: Lovelorn.
Hey there! Just when you thought I’d forgotten about the “50 Shades” lipstick series, here I am with a new color. I had to dig up a backup for #9 because, originally, I wanted to tell you all about one I’ve been using recently by Victoria’s Secret. It’s their Beauty Rush line in “Melon Out,” […]
MoreBirthday Perspective.
I turned 30 last week. I’ve never been big on celebrating my birthday. I don’t know if it’s because I’m a little shy at times, or because having a birthday so close to July 4th made parties as a kid nearly impossible (everyone was always out-of-town). I never thought age would bother me — it’s […]
MoreCourtney Clark on ‘Jurassic World’
Happy Friday! As a start to the holiday weekend, I’m so happy to share something special with you guys today — a Q & A with my friend and actress Courtney Clark, who has a role in Jurassic World, which is currently in theaters. Courtney plays the role of “Sarah,” the park announcer who’s now-iconic […]
MoreJob Hunting: A lot like Dating.
I’ve been job hunting for eight months. In November, I lost my full-time, 9-5 job where I’d worked for almost seven years. Since then, I’ve been freelancing, helping clients with writing and editing, and I’ve been working retail part-time to make ends meet. What I’ve come to realize is, looking for a job is a […]
MorePic of the Week.
So, it’s only been officially summer for… what… a week? But now that July 4 is right around the corner, I all of the sudden feel like the summer is about to end! Summers in my previous life — when I had a desk job that allowed for free weekends — meant hours at the […]
MoreLove wins… so now what?
Hey y’all! I’m SO sorry about not blogging on Friday. Truthfully, last week was PACKED with all sorts of exciting life things, and I’ve been out living things, and moving and shaking, that I just didn’t have time to sit down at the computer and create something worth reading. And of course, all of those […]
MorePic of the Week.
Whew! These last few weeks (okay, more like MONTHS) have been really rough. If I continue to be honest with you, I have to admit that this has been the most difficult time of my life. I’m overwhelmed with so much confusion, and emotion — there are days I feel fine, some days I feel […]
MoreDads ‘n Daughters.
It’s been 10 months since I’ve talked to my father. I haven’t seen him in two years, and it’s been about 10 years since I’ve spent a holiday with him. I don’t have his address (it’s somewhere in Kentucky), and the last e-gift card I sent him for his birthday went unopened (and I kept […]
More
You must be logged in to post a comment.