You probably already know that Valentine’s Day comes from Saint Valentine. But, I need to know how a Saint caused such a giant mess for singletons each year. I took it to Google. An article I found on History.com says the Catholic Church recognizes three saints named Valentine or Valentinus. There is a legend that […]
MoreI recently became obsessed with watching “Love at First Swipe” on TLC. The show stars Style Expert Clinton Kelly, along with Online Dating Guru Devyn Simone. The point of the show is to help women (I haven’t seen any male contestants yet) present their best self on their online dating profiles. At the start of […]
MoreFirst thing’s first: I got new hair and I. DON’T. CARE. You know Chris Brown’s song, “Zero”? That’s my new theme song, ‘cuz that’s how manyyyy f*cks I give… That’s right, my new hair is sassy, but more importantly, it’s easy to style and it feels healthy. I was rocking the same haircut and color […]
MoreYeeeeehaawwww – here we are, yet again, on another fine Friday! The good news is you’ve made it through another week… and I have no bad news because it’s FRIDAY. Between work and dance classes, the weeks seem to fly by pretty fast, but the weekends speed right on as well. This weekend, I’m really […]
MorePeople often say, “When you’re not looking, that’s when it’ll happen.” These people are usually in a relationship. I get it – just when you’re busy getting your life together instead of obsessing over dating, Mr. or Mrs. Right could be eyeing you from afar. It makes sense, but the most difficult thing for me […]
MoreLast week, I was under the weather. It’s been a LONG time since I’ve been sick; I’d like to think it’s because I’ve been really good about taking my vitamins, eating healthy, getting rest, and using my essential oils. But, lots of people in my office have been sick, so despite all of my efforts […]
MoreLast year, meaning 2015, I was really sucking when it came to my dating game. So this year, I’ve made it a goal to make a better effort in putting myself out there. Well, we’re barely two weeks into the New Year, and I’ve already been on a date! How’s that for good luck? On […]
MoreI don’t know about you, but I’m just glad last week is OVER. That first week back to reality after a vacation was rough (and I only had a 3-day week!). After spending such a great time with my friends in Indiana over New Year’s, I was really feeling in the dumps last week. I […]
MoreIn order to succeed in a serious relationship, you must tell lies. Wait… what? An article in The New York Times earlier this year by Clancy Martin claims that the only way love lasts is if we keep a few things to ourselves every once in awhile. But, research says the average person lies once […]
More“It’s only ever happened one time in my entire life.” My hip-hop dance instructor, Dimitrius, was trying to explain to me that he’s been in a serious relationship for most of his life. For the sake of this column, we’re going to assume that he was single at birth, but probably found another cute baby […]
MoreNope, not talking about the Adele song (dare I say it, but I don’t think it’s that great…). Now that I’ve chased off all the readers, it’s freaking Friday, and I feel like Christmas is right around the corner, and I put up my Christmas tree last night, and even hung the stockings with care. […]
MoreI was going to write about lies — how often we lie and why we do it, and of course, how it affects our relationships. But as I type this, I’ve locked myself into my bedroom and am impatiently waiting to hear a victorious “snap!” of a mousetrap. Let me explain. I am expecting company […]
MoreA few weeks ago, my favorite radio show, “Johnjay and Rich,” got to talking about red flags in dating. Now, red flags are nothing new, but a lot of the red flags they were talking about were silly — like, don’t date a guy if he wears cargo pants. If wearing cargo pants is the […]
MoreI’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 […]
MoreThe 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 […]
MoreSaying 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 […]
MoreWhen 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 […]
More“You should write about the art of sexting.” It was a message I got a few weeks ago from a married guy friend of mine. “Wait, people still do that?” I asked him. “Yes,” he said. “Doesn’t everyone?” Then it was just awkward because I felt like a clueless prude and he’d just admitted what […]
MoreLast 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 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” […]
MoreThe 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; […]
MoreI learned yesterday that one of my favorite writers, an inspiration, Jackie Collins lost her very private battle with breast cancer after nearly seven years. A woman as fabulous as Jackie was never defined by age, and so we’ll not mention how young she was, but we’ll just say, she’s left us too soon. What […]
MoreWe’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 […]
MoreIt’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 […]
MoreI 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 […]
MoreEvery 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. […]
MoreYears 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 […]
MoreIs 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 […]
MoreI’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: […]
MoreThe 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 […]
MoreA 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 […]
MoreThe 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 […]
MoreOver 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 […]
MoreOkay, 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, […]
MoreI 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 — […]
MoreI 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 […]
MoreHappy 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 […]
MoreI’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 […]
MoreIt’s no secret that I’m trying to find a job — something fresh. As a journalist, I’ve had the honor of meeting all kinds of different people over the years, and learning all sorts of different things; so I may not know a ton about every subject, but chances are, I’ve written about it at […]
More“I’m sick of people with all of these excuses,” my best friend told me over the phone. She was referring to several instances where, as she put it, people had excuses and not reasons. I’ve been hearing that a lot lately, and to be honest, I’m not quite sure what it means. After talking with […]
MoreWhew! 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 […]
MoreBetween cell phones, Google, and social media, I’m left to wonder: do people still go on blind dates? Even if you don’t know much about the person, aside from their name, there’s always that temptation to search them online, and casually stalk their posts or pictures, and analyze bits of information that probably create an […]
MoreWe’ve all heard of Tinder, the social app that shot to fame as an easy way for tech-savvy single people to meet others in their area. It’s as simple as any dating app can get: you link your Facebook profile and the app populates your photos with your profile pictures from Facebook (decreasing odds of […]
MoreIt’s Friday and — I’m not sure if I’ve ever said this — I have the day OFF! So, if you’re in the mood to binge-watch The Real Housewives of Orange County and/or join me in a beach chair on my roof for some tanning, then come on over. I’m here all day. Today’s Fresh […]
MoreA few weekends ago, my friend and I ventured to Gulf Shores for our second Hangout Music Fest. I’d been looking forward to the sun, sand, music, vodka, and naturally, all the hot guys without shirts. The fine creators of Hangout Fest announced that this year, they were offering weddings. That’s right, you could get […]
MoreI have always suffered with this texting thing — mainly when it comes to dating. I feel like we were forced to accept it, and it’s ruined basic communication skills. Texting has made it easier for folks to lie, cheat, and just be downright rude. To years ago, I wrote a column for Dig magazine […]
MoreGood morning! If you’re in need of a “Hot Guy” does, I’m your gal. If you’re new to the blog, welcome. The Bitter Lemon has been providing pictures of hot dudes for those in need since 2010. My latest celeb crush is Nick Jonas. Truth be told, I never aid a bit of attention to […]
MoreLast weekend, I drove the 800 miles to my home state of Indiana. I was invited to a baby shower for one of my best friends; a girl I’ve known since 6th grade. In December, I offered to host a shower for her, but she told me it would be easier for her other friends […]
MoreI’m SURE you heard all the hooplah in the last few weeks: Hilary Duff joined Tinder. I suppose the real craziness over The Duff joining Tinder — I swear I heard this news at least a dozen times — is that she is actually taking it seriously, and is actively going on dates. I have […]
MoreI’ve been on OK Cupid for almost a year. It’s not my favorite way to meet a potential boyfriend, but I just look at it as having another stick in the fire. A few weeks ago, I met up with guy no. four from Ok Cupid. We messaged for a few weeks before meeting face-to-face, […]
MoreI spent a decent amount of my weekend driving to and from Indiana. I got up Friday morning around 3am and drove the 12 hours to Bloomington, spent Saturday attending baby showers, treated myself to a day of Sunday drinking, and hit the road Monday morning at 4:30 to make it back to Baton Rouge. […]
MoreHappy Friday, everyone! Is it just me, or have these weeks been flying by lately? In a way, it makes me happy (I’ve got a beach trip approaching), but I am struggling to keep up with all of my deadlines. #WriterProbs Deadlines and time aside, I am shocked I’ve had more than 30 Fresh […]
MoreI’ve had a crush on this guy, Brian, for more than10 years. He went to my high school, and last year we reconnected. He lives in Indiana, and we had a date night when I was in town last summer. It was fantastic. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t wonder about the potential […]
MoreI’ve been wearing Younique Moodstruck 3D Fiber Lashes all week! My friend Kendra sells Younique and asked me if I’ve ever tried any of the makeup. I hadn’t. While I’m open to trying new things (I LOVE getting things in the mail, too), I’d heard the Younique products were expensive, and if you know anything […]
MoreAlright, I’m going to admit that I’m really bad about this whole “Introducing the significant other to your friends” thing. In the past, I get really excited when I meet a new guy and we start hanging out (who doesn’t?), and I want him to meet my friends, whom I love so much. I don’t […]
MoreHello my LOVELY readers! This has certainly been another crazy busy week for the books, but I always feel so good after I’ve conquered a packed week, what about you? While I’ve still got to work this weekend, I’m looking forward to sleeping in tomorrow (getting up at 6am everyday is truly for the birds)! […]
MoreI know everyone’s got different opinions about eggs; and the health benefits of them are always in question. Is it the good cholesterol or not? What about the fat content? Well, I’m of the school of thought that eggs are a great source of protein (did you know one egg has 12g of protein and […]
MoreSometime last week, I wandered over to my ex-boyfriend’s Facebook page. It’s something I do when I’m feeling rather low about myself, even though looking at his page usually makes me feel worse. Call me a masochist. Right away, I saw what I figured would be there: his profile picture was a tiny baby. His […]
MoreThursday night, I could not wait to finish with work, jump into my sweats and walk right on over to the movie theatre for the midnight premier of “The Longest Ride,” a film adaptation of the Nicholas Sparks bestseller. I was really excited for several reasons: 1. the book was fantastic. I have very, very […]
MoreIn just a few weeks, I’m heading on a road trip! It’s been years since I’ve hit the open road for a trip that lasted longer than 4 hours, but I can easily say that I’m looking forward to it. About a year ago, I took a 19-hour train ride (read about it here), which […]
MoreWhew, made it to Friday! I feel like every week is a complete roller coaster — it starts one way, and ends up completely different. On Mondays, I always feel so overwhelmed when I look at my to-do list for the week. I often wake up SUPER early on Mondays and stay up late to […]
MoreAlthough shade no. 7 is a gloss — I just cannot pull myself away. I blame this completely on Bonne Bell, for getting me addicted to shiny, glitter glosses delivered to my lips via sponge applicator. Girl Next Door by Hard Candy is sheer, with a touch of silvery shimmer. It doesn’t have a scent […]
MoreI recently got an iPhone, after being a Blackberry user for years (it’s about time, right?). Since making the switch, I’m really trying to embrace the world of apps, especially dating apps. I’ve already tried Tinder, and within three minutes I managed to play with fire and get burned. I saw my crush’s picture, and […]
MoreRead part one of “Me & my bullshit.” I find a tiny bit (okay, a medium bit) of comfort in recognizing the fact that the road many writers, amateur and professional, travel is one that’s alone. The craft of writing is introspective — even fiction writers often say their stories come from some place real […]
More“Inspired by soap,” is what the package says, and that’s certainly what it smells like! Warm Cotton by CLEAN reminds of the way it smells outside, in the summer, when someone is doing their laundry. Very fresh, clean, and cozy, in a sense. As described by Sephora, “Cozy up to CLEAN Warm Cotton Eau de […]
More“You’re the girl from the magazine, right?” he asked. It was a guy I recognized from my gym. I shrugged. “I guess…” I said, not really sure what he meant. “Yeah, you write that bullshit column,” he said. That bullshit column. Three little words that pretty much sum up my insecurities — especially lately. Let […]
MoreI watch a lot of TV. Not in the sense of me, sitting on my couch eating popcorn while binging on hours of TV, but if I’m home, my TV is usually on. I’ve got one TV in my living room and one in my bedroom. The one in my living room is a near-60-inch, […]
MoreI spent most of last week in bed. And not in the way you’d expect, or wish upon a person like myself (by that I mean a person who hasn’t gotten laid in awhile). I spent my week in bed sneezing, coughing, sniffling… basically anything that irritated my cat Blanche. Spring is here, and that […]
MoreI’m sad and happy (all at once) to announce that I’ve got NO more John Green books to read! I saved Looking for Alaska for last, because while I was excited to read it, I was also sad knowing that I’d have no more books of Green’s to read! Looking for Alaska was Green’s first […]
MoreI know birth control can be a little bit of a touchy subject for some, but as a relationship blogger & columnist, I feel it’s almost irresponsible if I don’t at least mention it. Let’s just get this out of the way: yes, I’m on birth control. I have been for about 8 years. I […]
MoreYou know that feeling you get when you start dating someone new? The stomach flip, the tingles, it seems like the sun is shining all the time; it’s exciting and everything seems right. That’s how I feel when I’ve got a crush. This is probably because I don’t know much about those I crush on, […]
MoreHappy St. Patrick’s Day, y’all! Today is probably the busiest day I’ve got planned this week, partly because I’m prepping for a fun little event here at The Bitter Lemon HQ: Drumroll… Starting at midnight tonight, I will be TWEETING the entire contents of my very first book, “How I Fell.” Remember that one? My […]
MoreRight after college, I had TERRIBLE acne. I’m not talking a few zits here or there, I’m talking — it was really bad, like the “before” pictures on a Proactive commercial. Not only was it embarrassing and painful, but I worked in the service industry, and I needed to look presentable, so I often wore […]
MoreTa-da, it’s Friday! Pay no mind that it’s Friday the 13th… because it’s the freakin’ weekend, and even though I have to work all weekend, Friday still makes me pretty happy (mainly because every Friday, there’s a CSI marathon on FX). Anyway, I’ve probably had a sample of Aquolina’s Pink Sugar in my bin-0-perfumes, and […]
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