Given that I did about ZERO reading in 2015, I only asked for one book for Christmas, and it wasn’t even a novel. Instead, I asked for a cookbook, particularly Haylie Duff’s “The Real Girl’s Kitchen,” which serves as a companion to her TV series on the Cooking Channel. Upon getting with the times and […]
MoreA good girlfriend of mine introduced me to the Myers-Briggs Trait Indicator test years ago. She knows the different types so well, a night out with her often results in discovering what personality traits people in the room have. It’s fascinating. Her knack for these traits have made her a beneficial matchmaker for me in […]
MoreLast week, I got into a bit of an argument with the guy I’m seeing. Okay, so we haven’t gotten into the logistics of our relationship yet, but we are basically seeing each other. He’s very easy going, and while I’d consider myself comfortable in that same category, I’ll admit it, I’m not quite as […]
MoreIs it just me, or has it been incredibly difficult to get into the holiday spirit this year? I feel really old when I say, “It’s crept up on me this year,” yet I keep saying it. I blame my Scrooge-like spirit partly on the weather, given that it’s going to be in the 70s […]
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 […]
MoreWe are just a few days away from Thanksgiving and I’m so, so excited! Thanksgiving means the official start of the holiday season, and of course lots of food and drink, but I’m also looking forward to donating my time Thanksgiving morning. On Thursday morning, my best friend Sheena is joining me to help Operation […]
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 […]
MoreEvery time a new piece of technology, or a new social app, is introduced into our world, I try to find a way to wiggle it into my routine. Unless it’s not worth it, of course. I downloaded SnapChat (@OrangeJulius7) around six months ago, at the suggestion of a younger friend. “All the cool kids […]
MoreThis has nothing to do with cups. It doesn’t even have anything to do with what’s inside the cups. Let me start by telling you just how much I used to love Starbucks. It was a lot. As I type this, I’m sipping coffee from a Starbucks mug. In fact, when I made my coffee […]
MoreToday is the day that Beliebers and One Directioners can rejoice — as Justin Bieber AND One Direction released their NEW albums at midnight! Today may as well be Christmas, because we’ve (and by me, I mean all of us) been waiting for this day FOR-EV-ER. And okay, so there may be a little friendly […]
MoreFor some reason, I feel like I’ve done a pretty good job of hiding the fact that I’m a TV junkie… not sure HOW I was able to hide it (hell, maybe I haven’t), but I’m here to assure you, it’s true. I’m a TV junkie. I’d love to tell you that hey, it’s fall, […]
MoreFall is slowly starting to creep in, and no matter what the season, I’m always looking for fun ways to try new things, without hurting my wallet. While I love wine, I think it’d be really fun to host a beer tasting at your home this season (or during any season, really)! It’s super easy, […]
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, here, and here (okay, so it’s kind of long). Walking usually cleared my mind, but it was still buzzing when I reached […]
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 […]
MoreNothing 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 […]
MoreThe 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 […]
MoreY’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 […]
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 […]
MoreAs 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 following is an original piece of fiction written by Holly A. Phillips in 2007. The story was inspired by her favorite hockey player, Sean Avery. Catch up by reading part one and part two. We practiced in a smaller rink right outside the city. Practice began at nine and after warm-ups, drills, and weights; […]
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 […]
MoreIt’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 […]
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” […]
MoreAs 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 […]
MoreOver the weekend, I drove back to Baton Rouge to get a ton of things done. It was one of my best friend’s birthday weekends, plus I needed to see my CASA boys, get my hair done (very important), and I needed to get any remaining things out of my apartment, clean the place, and […]
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’ve got good news and bad news. The good news is, I just found out a few days ago that Elijah Wood lives in Austin! According to my coworker, he lives downtown and frequents the Whole Foods at least twice a week to… and here’s the bad news… get flowers for his girlfriend. WAMP WAMP. […]
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 […]
MoreThree 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 […]
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 […]
MoreLet’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 […]
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. […]
MoreThe 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 […]
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 […]
MoreI 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 […]
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 […]
MoreIt’s only been a week since the news broke that our favorite country powerhouse couple, Miranda Lambert and Blake Shelton, divorced. I don’t know about you, but I’m still trying to figure out how to cope with all of this?! For starters, they didn’t just file for divorce; they straight up finalized that crap and […]
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 — […]
MoreHowdy! 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, […]
MoreNot to be an ass, but I read an article the other day that said the average marriage that’s ending in divorce lasts around 8 years. So for my peers who got married at 22, yikes. Truthfully, some of my friends are already divorced, and in fact, some are already facing marriage number two. Yay! […]
MoreI 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 […]
MoreI turned 30 last week. It’s one of those things I sort of never thought would happen — much like winning the lottery or meeting John Mayer — but, it turns out, the unbelievable can happen, and we’ll all grow old and turn into our parents. Well, maybe. I grew up believing that age was […]
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 […]
MoreHey 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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
MoreHappy Friday, y’all! It has been an incredibly TOUGH week on my end, so if you’re really feeling it today — or if you’re not — I’m wishing you a completely blissful weekend! I’ve got to work a few shifts, but I’m hoping it’ll be sunny outside so I can pull out my beach chair […]
MoreThere’s no doubt about it, noodles and other forms of pasta are definitely a few of my favorite things! When I’m really trying to eat healthy, ridding my apartment of grains is one of the first things I do. And yes, I know, everything in moderation. But the truth is, when it comes to pasta, […]
MoreIt’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 […]
MoreLast Wednesday, I was really excited to get to attend a social media seminar — “Making the Hashtag Your BFF” — hosted by a local creative firm, Dezins Interactive. I’ve seen DI advertise for these seminars before, but I’ve never been able to make it, due to my hectic retail schedule. Well, I guess no […]
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 […]
More“I definitely miss talking to you,” his text read. “I have some things in my past I need to work on. I took it out on you and I sincerely apologize.” Those were the words I’d wished for, for months after this guy told me he didn’t want to talk to me again, with no […]
MoreI’ve had a houseguest since Saturday. He’s a coworker, and needed a place to stay for a month while he works to save money for his apartment rent come July. He’s 19. Welcome to Hotel Holly. Well, Hotel Holly & Blanche. When my friend said he needed a place to stay, I wanted to help […]
MoreA post on my Timehop app the other day reminded me of a few dates I went on with a guy who was introduced to me by a mutual friend. For some reason or another, our relationship didn’t work out — but the dates we had were absolutely fantastic! Being set up by a friend […]
MoreI know so many of you are AMPED that a 3-day weekend is upon us (not for me, but story of my life) — however, I hope y’all have a happy, safe Memorial Day weekend! And please, eat lots of burgers, because I can’t think of anything better than to kick off summer with a […]
MoreYes, I like Green Eggs & Ham, even in a house with a mouse… okay, so not really. When you actually think about it, green eggs and ham sounds super disgusting. Amiright? I know I’ve been a little slow to add to my collection of Boyfriend Recipes lately, and that’s mainly due to the fact […]
MoreA 10-minute drive gets me to work for my part-time job at the mall. I take the same route, park in the same area of the lot, and I walk the same path to the shoe store where I work 4-5 times each week. On my way into work, I walk by one of those […]
MoreMy pic(s) of the week this time just HAD to be about Hangout Fest, since I haven’t even been back home from it for 24 hours! It was a weekend in Gulf Shores, full of fun, sun, sand (it was even in my hair), fried food, drinks, and of course: music! I will admit, I […]
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 […]
MoreIF YOU’RE READING THIS… I’M ON THE BEACH! And in honor of that, what better way to celebrate hot, shirtless dudes by having a scent profile of Abercrombie & Fitch’s elite perfume, Ezra?! I got a bottle of Ezra when I worked at Abercrombie & Fitch in college (stomping grounds for two years), and I’d […]
MoreI’m heading to Gulf Shores today, in hopes of reliving one of the best weekends of my life at the Hangout Music Festival! Three days of sand, sun, cocktails, and of course, MUSIC! This year’s headliners are Sam Smith, Zac Brown Band, Beck, Foo Fighters, Skrillex and Diplo, along with many other great bands. I’m […]
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